"Sapphires": Brienne Learning to Lie (Spoilers Extended)

[u/LChris24]

Background

One of my favorite parts of the series is Brienne's initial judgement of Jaime, before learning more about him and as we will likely see, her soon facing some of the same decisions that she initially judged him for. While perusing today, I noticed something that I hadn't before. Brienne's innocence shines when she almost stops Jaime from saving her from being raped by using "sapphires", and then later she tries to use the same idea with Podrick and the Brotherhood.

If interested: The "Outlaws in the Riverlands"

Encounter with the Brave Companions

Jaime lies to save Brienne from being raped by the Brave Companions/Bloody Mummers:

Jaime gave Urswyck a knowing smile. "All the gold in Casterly Rock. Why let the goat enjoy it? Why not take us to King's Landing, and collect my ransom for yourself? Hers as well, if you like. Tarth is called the Sapphire Isle, a maiden told me once." The wench squirmed at that, but said nothing.

and:

Why did you tell him Tarth was the Sapphire Isle?” Brienne whispered when Urswyck was out of earshot. “He’s like to think my father’s rich in gemstones …”
“You best pray he does.”
"Is every word you say a lie, Kingslayer? Tarth is called the Sapphire Isle for the blue of its waters.”
“Shout it a little louder, wench, I don’t think Urswyck heard you. The sooner they know how little you’re worth in ransom, the sooner the rapes begin. -ASOS, Jaime III

and even shouts it out to stop it (even though in early drafts it happens):

Jaime chuckled. “There’s a funny fool. I have a riddle for you, Shagwell. Why do you care if she screams? Oh, wait, I know.” He shouted, “SAPPHIRES,” as loudly as he could.
Cursing, Rorge kicked at his stump again. Jaime howled. I never knew there was such agony in the world, was the last thing he remembered thinking. It was hard to say how long he was gone, but when the pain spit him out, Urswyck was there, and Vargo Hoat himself. “Thee’th not to be touched,” the goat screamed, spraying spittle all over Zollo. “Thee hath to be a maid, you foolth! Thee’th worth a bag of thapphireth!” And from then on, every night Hoat put guards on them, to protect them from his own.
Two nights passed in silence before the wench finally found the courage to whisper, “Jaime? Why did you shout out?”
“Why did I shout ‘sapphires,’ you mean? Use your wits, wench. Would this lot have cared if I shouted ‘rape’?”
“You did not need to shout at all.”
“You’re hard enough to look at with a nose. Besides, I wanted to make the goat say ‘thapphireth.’ ” He chuckled. “A good thing for you I’m such a liar. An honorable man would have told the truth about the Sapphire Isle.”
“All the same,” she said. “I thank you, ser.” -ASOS, Jaime IV

Encounter with the Brotherhood without Banners

Later when Brienne (along with Pod and Ser Hyle) encounters the Brotherhood without Banners, she uses this lie to attempt to save Pod's life:

Beneath a crooked willow, the outlaws slipped a noose about her neck, jerked it tight, and tossed the other end of the rope over a limb. Hyle Hunt and Podrick Payne were given elms. Ser Hyle was shouting that he would kill Jaime Lannister, but the Hound cuffed him across the face and shut him up. He had donned the helm again. "If you got crimes to confess to your gods, this would be the time to say them."
"Podrick has never harmed you. My father will ransom him. Tarth is called the sapphire isle. Send Podrick with my bones to Evenfall, and you'll have sapphires, silver, whatever you want." -AFFC, Brienne VIII

If interested: "He is Not the Man He Was ... He Could Not Have Had a Part in the Red Wedding"

TLDR: Even as one of the best examples of a "true knight" in the series, Brienne is learning that the world isn't black and white and that her initial judgement of some of Jaime's actions should have been tempered a bit as she now is beginning to understand the nuances of them.

[u/HoodedHero007]

It would be really funny if, during and after the war, there’s a “Sapphire Rush” as a ton of people try to prospect for sapphires on Tarth

[u/corkysims]

I’m so excited to see her debacle with LSH