It's been a while but I never stop thinking about these two. Plus I'm watching the new season and it's made me want to write about them all the more.
Also when I finished my story, I hadn't seen season six, would anyone be interested if I rewrote the end to make it more like the show? Let me know!
A little foot pressed against Sandor's side. Despite the heat, Saebyl was curled up beside him, nearly pushing him off the bed. The kicks to his ribs from the unborn child woke him. Sae insisted that the only way she could sleep was resting her large distended belly against him. Maybe that was true, or maybe it was his new found affections he found deep within himself.
He was ready for this child. His sons, fast approaching their eighth name day had taught him a thing or two about himself. That and serving a queen that respected him, his abilities, and his input really showed him the world may not be as cruel and unjust as he once had thought. Or it could be his advancing years, a new calm had come over him, different ways to vent his anger and rage instead if drinking himself half to death and killing someone.
But it wasn't a simple overnight change. No, his family had suffered his ill temper for many years. Sae did her best to hide his drunkenness from the boys and consequently suffered most. She bore his vile temper and cruel words with divine grace, making sure her sons would not grow up resenting their father.
It was only after a great battle where he had gone off drinking instead of returning home to his family that the gods finally interjected. Something had been in his wine, or maybe it was the extreme heat mixed with his lack if proper meals but he was found nearly dead in a gutter. He thought it was the end for him and all he could see was her face. She always rescued him, she was his angel. When he awoke it was in a familiar bed, with that silver haired goddess sleeping on a chair next to him, just as she had nearly a decade ago. In that moment he decided to change.
Saebyl was understandably hesitant to this new attitude. Her children's safety came first and he had to prove to her that this was a permanent fix. She watched him, whether she was in the room or not. He swore she had more spies than Varys, but it didn't concern him. He knew he had changed and if she didn't like what she saw, so be it.
The twins, Valor and Volos certainly enjoyed having their newly attentive father. He made time, when his duties allowed, for an hour of sword fighting practice every day. Volos definitely resembled his mother and the Targaryen blood that ran through him. He didn't have the build suited for the broad sword his brother easily wielded. The teacher suggested that the boy may find more success in water dancing. An idea like that would have had the tutor pummelled into the ground for suggesting such a delicate art for his son had he not been a changed man. Now, he only grunted a non committal response to show that he had heard the man and maybe he'd considerate it. His wife had greatly rewarded him for that small show of decency. Rewarded him so much that she convinced him that Volos would get the special tutor. Valor scoffed at his brothers training, boasting that he'd always be able to beat him in strength. Which would be true if he could ever catch his brother first.
Evenings in their chambers were more amorous then they had previously. He was home more, staying close to the Queen's side in the palace and was able to return to their apartments every night. He also wasn't pass out drunk when he returned and could rise to the occasion. A combination of these things, with his new less surly attitude, made Saebyl want him again and he wanted her to want him. He had not acted this way, even as a young man. Sneaking off when he could, having Grey Worm cover his duties to slip off and find her, running his hand up her thigh at the dinner table, even if the Queen was dining with them. He felt revitalized.
It shouldn't of been a surprise when Sae found out she was with child. She was still young, with potentially many more child bearing years in front of her but they had not anticipated it since there had been no sign between the twins and this child. Sandor felt this one was different entirely, he wanted to spend every moment with her and the growing babe.
"You can't sit here with me every hour." She would complain. "Your sons will become suspicious." They had refrained from telling the boys until they felt the pregnancy was more secure. There was no reason to excite them over nothing. Begrudgingly, he returned to his duties, no one knowing about the child except them, the Queen and the woman who had help Sae with the boys, Faelin.
He had forgotten what she was like when she was with child, how her features rounded and her body grew plumper. She despised the way she looked, especially before it was obvious she was with child. Sandor helped her forget her qualms by worshipping her in the bedroom at night, giving her blossoming belly more attention then it ever received before. He slept with his hand protectively over the little bump, especially enjoying when he could finally feel life within.
Telling their sons had been a treat and a half, both being the last to learn about the newest member of the Clegane house. They had sat them down over lunch and broke the news. Volos was only puzzled for a moment, then assaulted them with every question that came to mind, wanting to know all he could about his new sibling. Valor on the other hand, stayed silent and allowed his twin to talk himself out. Finally, only stating that 'the baby will need protecting, I must train harder' and making his usually stoic mother cry.
And now the time was fast approaching, Saebyl's discomfort grew every day and she prayed for the babe to come. This child had not been an easy one to bare. From the moment she felt it move, it thrashed. Hardly keeping still and twisting and kicking with every moment it got, especially when Sae lay down to sleep. Sandor thought that maybe her sleeping with her stomach resting against him was so that he could endure a tiny bit of the discomfort she felt but he loved every tiny movement. It reassured him that the child was strong and healthy, that it would be okay in the traumatic experience that would be its birth.
Sae moaned softly in her sleep, clenching her fists tightly, but not waking. Sandor stroked her wild curls until the nightmare passed, inhaling her floral scent. He didn't sleep for the rest of the night, not that there was much left. The sun peaked over the horizon and woke the uneasy mother. She swore as she woke and rushed her husband to dress, knowing full well their sons would be bursting through the door at any moment.
True to form, the twins were at their doorway as soon as the parents had finished putting on their shoes. The duo claimed that the Queen had sent them to invite them to break their fast in her chambers, to which they could not say no and sent the boys back to deliver their response. Just as Saebyl turned to make a joke about their eager sons, her face twisted in pain and brought her too her knees.
"The baby." She finally gasped, clutching Sandor's arm tightly. Sandor went to get up to fetch Faelin but she held on tighter. "You cannot leave, it's coming too fast."
Indeed it was, after a few moments of bickering and Sandor shouting to a guard to find their midwife, the babe was nearly there. He barely had the wits about him to catch the wailing child as it was freed from the womb.
"What is it?" Saebyl cried, sweat and tears running down her face.
"A girl." Sandor muttered, completely captivated by this tiny human in his arms. "A daughter." He had never imagined himself being father to a little girl. Sons were nearly impossible to imagine but a daughter, his breath was taken away. "She is perfect."
It wasn't long before the midwife and Maester showed up and was caring for Saebyl and the babe, while Sandor stood dumbfounded in a corner. It had all happened so fast he couldn't believe it. Someone had pushed a cup of wine in his hand but he hadn't touched it, and just stared and listened to Saebyl speak softly and his babe wail. They were both alive.
"Sandor?" Sae finally called out for him as the midwife and Maester deemed it okay to leave the new mother.
He looked up, pulling his gaze from the tile on the floor he had been staring at for what must have been hours. She was a vision, tired looking but perfect. With great effort he pushed off of his seat and crossed the room. He looked down on her and the softly squawking infant in her arms.
"You alright, Moonbeam?" He asked, standing awkwardly by the bedside.
"Sore, but alright. This one was impatient. They say it might be a harder recovery than the boys." She said, speaking down to her daughter.
"Has things to do, like her mother and queen aunt." He smirked.
Sae smiled up at him, "I think she wanted to meet her father, the one who has been so good to her." She patted the empty space beside her on the bed. He tried to be ginger as he lay beside them, but his leg made it difficult. "She needs a name."
"Why the fuck are you asking me?" He said, leaning in to catch a glimpse of his daughter's face.
"I thought you might have an idea. I certainly don't. I thought she was going to be a boy." She chuckled, pushing the swaddling blanket away from her face to show her off.
"Look at that." He breathed. The little girl's eyes were open, just barely, surveying her surroundings. Soft white hairs thickly lay on her head. Sandor saw glimmers of both her brothers when they were that small but there was something else that was entirely her own. "She looks like you, thank the bloody gods."
Sae laughed, "You talk like you didn't pull her from me."
"I didn't get a look at her. I was in shock." He said rather honestly.
"I'm sorry." She apologized, leaning her head on his shoulder and yawning wide.
"Don't be, you're all well and safe." He murmured into her curls. They sat in silence while their daughter coed contentedly.
"Talkative one." Daenerys' voice chimed softly to the parents who had nearly dozed off. "May I?" She asked, a smile on her lips.
Saebyl sat up as best she could and gestured her over, "Come, come, see you're niece." She patted the space beside her.
"A niece, a little princess." Her joy could not be hidden in her voice, she crossed the room quickly and was at Sae's side. "Look at her, look at those eyes." She brushed a finger along her soft cheek.
"I think she has a touch of her aunt in her." Sae grinned.
"This hair won't hide her lineage." Finger moving up to the white hairs. "Maybe it'll be like her mother's."
"Oh I pray to the gods it's not. Poor Valor has this mess and I'm sure he'd prefer to be shorn like a sheep than deal with it." The two women erupted into giggles, startling the babe. "Oh shh shh, it's alright little one." She was calmed before she could wail.
"She sounds like a little bird. Chirping happily." Dany pointed out, still marvelling at her niece. "Going to be a talker, this one."
"She'll have to find space between her brother." Sandor said referring to Volos. The boy always had a thousand questions and it was next to impossible for anyone to get a word in when he was on a tangent.
"Does she have a name?" The aunt asked, still stroking her little soft cheek.
"No, we couldn't think of one." Sae sighed, resting her head back on Sandor's shoulder, exhaustion starting to take hold.
"May I offer one?" She asked, the parents nodded, eager for suggestions. "Yoninah."
"Yoninah?" Saebyl tested it out, looking down at her daughter.
"It mean 'little dove'." She explained.
"Yoninah." Sae said again, liking it more and more. "What do you think?" She glanced to her husband.
"Aye, I think she may be a little dove, looks more like a little dragon but I'd rather that than a dog." He stated, unable to pull his gaze from her.
"Then it's settled. Maybe her brothers would like to meet her." Sae said, stifling a yawn.
"The pups can wait, you need rest." Sandor said, moving from the bed, gesturing for her to hand her the baby so he could put her in the cradle that had been sitting in the corner of the room for over a month now.
"But-" She tried to protest but an even bigger yawn took her, giving Daenerys an opening to scoop up the child.
"Sleep, sister. I will entertain the boys until they can meet her. I'm sure you'll want to be awake to see that." She said as she moved around the bed to give Yoninah to her father.
"You're right. Tell them I'm alright, don't tell that they have a sister. I want them to be surprised." She instructed. The Queen smiled and bowed out of the room.
Sandor held his daughter with such delicacy he didn't think was possible for an old war hound like himself. His two large arms securely circumferenced her, though one would have been more than enough to hold her. The bassinet was too far from the bed for his liking but he hesitated long before he unspooled one of his arms from around her to drag her bed near theirs. He placed her inside, stared and then lay back in the bed, Saebyl already asleep.
There was a banging on their door that woke all three up. Little Yoninah did not cry but squawked loudly when the noise startled her. Sandor reached for a sword on his hip that was not there and Saebyl's hand dove under the pillow to retrieve her dagger. They both calmed when they heard their son's voices on the other side. Sandor rolled his eyes and Sae chuckled, old habits die hard.
"Let them in already." She instructed, leaning over delicately to the bassinet to retrieve her babe. He grumbled, rolled out of bed and stalked to the door, throwing it open and glowering down at the boys. Their aunt behind them looking apologetic.
"I'm sure your Queen aunt told you not to bang on this door." He growled. The two looked up at him.
"It was Valor's idea." Volos shot, pointing a finger at his brother.
Valor punched his brother in the arm, "Liar!"
"Well he said-"
"I don't bloody care who said what." He barked, startling the boys into silence, "But since you're here you might as well go and meet your sister."
The brothers looked at each other, grinning from ear to ear and pushed passed their large father into the chamber. Daenerys shrugged.
"I tried to stop them." She apologized.
"Not your fault. I blame their mother." He said shaking his head.
The Queen laughed, "I'll let you be." She said with a regal bow and turned back down the hall. Sandor moved back to his and his wife's bed and silently watched the scene in front of him.
His two sons, both sitting unnaturally still for 7 year old boys, peering delicately over their mother's shoulder as she pulled the blankets away from their little sister's face. Volos' eyes were wide and bright, marvelling at her like she was a new practice sword he got for his name day. Valor stared quietly but intently, taking in every detail of her little face like he was reading a complicated book. He was the first to gingerly reach out and touch her soft white hairs that were opposite of his own dark and curly ones.
"What's her name?" He asked.
"Yoninah." Sandor said from his post by the door frame.
Volos furrowed his brow, "That's high Valyrian. It means-uh-"
"Little dove." Valor helped.
"I remember, Missandei read us that story." He said, face bright with the memory. "I like that. She's white like a dove."
"She makes noises like one too." Valor added.
"She'll be making noises like the screech of a dragon when she's hungry though." Sae said with a laugh.
"Maybe we should have named her 'little dragon'." Valor chuckled.
"Yozaldrizes doesn't sound as nice as Yoninah." Volos shot back also laughing.
Sandor shook his head at his sons knowledge of the Valyrian language. According to Missandei, the pair were picking it up quiet well, though both were more eager to learn the harsh language of Dothraki after meeting some of the Queen's Screamers during one of their sword practises. He moved back to the bed, letting himself drop to the mattress heavily beside Valor.
"Dad, can we show her how to use a sword when she's old enough?" His son asked. The question surprised him, Valor had always been the protective one.
"You're not going to protect her?" He asked curiously.
Valor shook his head, "I will but I just think she should know too. You told me the story of the wolf girl who could fight. Why shouldn't she?"
He chuckled and scruffled his son's curls, "Aye, it's not a bad idea. Just don't come crying to me when she beats ya." Though in truth the thought of his little girl having to deal with anything close to what Arya did, terrified him.
"She won't beat me!" Volos said, throwing his two cents into the conversation, which instantly started a verbal battle between the two. Saebyl looked to her husband and rolled her eyes, he just shrugged.
They all stayed in bed for the rest of the afternoon, taking lunch there. Letting each of the boys have their moment to hold their sister. Eventually, Sae found herself curled into Sandor's side, Yoninah beside her, the boys dozing on past her.
"I could get used to this." Saebyl sighed.
Sandor's large arm curled around her, "Me too, Moonbeam." For a moment, the world was perfect.