Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and elements from A Song of Ice and Fire belong to George R.R. Martin. No copyright infringement is intended.
It wasn't courteous to interrupt, even though Septa Mordane had been chatting with Septa Eglantine for two candlemarks. Sansa didn't want the other septa to think Septa Mordane hadn't done her job teaching her her courtesies. And she certainly didn't want her telling Queen Cersei that she was discourteous and not fit to marry Prince Joffrey and be his queen one day. But Ser Loras practiced his swordplay at this hour every day and Sansa liked to watch him.
"Pray excuse me," she said, rising from her chair and hoping the septas would think she needed to use the privy.
Once she was outside Sansa gathered up her skirts and raced to the yard where the great knights and lords were training. There were other people watching, some of them noble ladies, but most of them serving women. Sansa struggled to reach the front of the crowd. She especially missed Lady at times like these. Lady would have cleared a path for her.
The Knight of Flowers had just finished laying out a lesser knight in the dirt. He raised the visor of his helm to take a sip of water, and Sansa sighed. He was beautiful.
"Joff's not here. He trains at dawn." It was the rough rasp of the voice that startled Sansa as much as the words. She quickly looked away from the Hound's burnt face.
"Here." There was a loud clang as he dropped his visor.
Sansa cringed. She hadn't meant to anger him. "Thank you, my lord. I'll seek Prince Joffrey elsewhere." She backed away.
He laughed and put a heavy hand on her shoulder, preventing her from turning and running like she wanted to. "I know you didn't come looking for Joff, girl."
Sansa glanced up at the snarling dog's head helm. It was fierce but not ugly; she wouldn't have minded looking at it if not for the Hound's eyes. His grey eyes were even darker shadowed by his helm and they glittered with anger, amusement, and something else. She looked at the three black dogs embroidered on his tunic instead. "I don't know what you mean."
"You came to coo over Tyrell like the rest of them."
"Ser Loras is very gallant."
"Is it proper to be...sighing over a knight when you're betrothed to the prince?"
He was mocking her. Sansa didn't know why he was so unkind. "I'm sorry if I offended you, my lord."
That seemed to surprise him. His hand fell away from her shoulder. "It's not safe here. You should watch from up on that wall."
She blinked. "I will. Thank you."
"Wouldn't want you to get hit by a stray mace. Joff would have to marry that savage little sister of yours instead." The Hound laughed as he strode away.
He was a very strange man. Sansa watched him for a moment after she'd made her way to the wall. Then the crowd cheered and she turned to watch the Knight of Flowers defeat another foeman.