The oldest Stark daughter watches with apprehension as the two serving girls approach the men sitting at the table in the great hall. While the red haired wildling does not hesitate for a moment, the second seems to have other things on his mind. He chases the poor girl away with the growl of a bad tempered dog.
Sansa's face does not betray emotions but inside her there is a whirlwind oft them spinning. For one she is relieved. She is not sure how she'd felt if the tall warrior had accepted the invitation. Then there is a sense of doom. She has given fate a chance but fate has kicked the ball right back at her. Now she must make her move. Or not, as the tiny voice of cowardice whispers. One could just pretend one has never ever thought about those things in the first place and no one would be the wiser. Yet one emotion reigns over everything else: excitement. No, she is Sansa Stark and she will not pretend, or back out or cower. Least of all to her own case of nerves. With renewed determination she starts towards the lone drinker.
„She could have made you happy for a little while," she opens the conversation and takes a seat opposite him. If the Hound is surprised by the Lady of Winterfell joining him uninvited he does not let it on. „There is only one thing that would make me happy", he replies, refilling his cup with wine, not even looking at her. „And what is that?" Sansa asks pleasantly. At that he raises his eyes to meet hers. „That is my fucking business!"
Not many men can get away with talking to her like that but Sansa is not offended. He really has not changed all that much. Now he seeks to intimidate her by staring but she does not bat an eyelid.
„Used to be you could not look at me", he muses mockingly. The redhead smiles but it is not a happy smile. „That was a long time ago. I have seen much worse than you since then." The Hound keeps staring, having found what he believes to be a tender spot and he is won't let go. „Heard you were broken in," he sinks his teeth into it, „heard you were broken in rough."
Sansa Stark would not have tolerated such talk from anyone else but she knows what he is doing.
„And he got what he deserved," she says camly, „I gave it to him." That piques his interest. „How?" She savours what she is going to say for a moment before she answers him: „Hounds."
The dry reply manages to do the shere impossible, it makes Sandor Clegane laugh. His amusement does not last long though. „You have changed, little bird." He sounds regretful but she cannot argue the truth. „None of it would have happened if you had left King's Landing with me. No Littlefinger, no Ramsay, none of it." He shakes his head at the memory. Sansa remembers it, too. He could have thrown her over his shoulder and just taken her like he had done when those men were about to rape her but he had given her a choice. Nobody ever had done that before. It was not his fault that her decision had been the wrong one. Sansa takes a deep breath and covers one of his large brown paws with her elegant white hand.
Alarmed his eyes tart back to hers. „Without Littlefinger and Ramsay and all the rest I would have stayed a little bird for all my life. It wasn't a pleasant journey but despite of it, or maybe because of it, I am who I am today. And I like who I am."
For once the Hound is at a loss for words. Not even an insult comes to mind, not least because her hand is still holding his and he seems incapable of pulling it away. Then suddenly she sits back and takes her hand with her, leaving him feeling strangely deprived.
„You are going back to King's Landing", the Lady Stark states matter of factly, while he is still struggling to regain his wits. „I have unfinished business there", the scarred man mumbles, toying with his empty mug. Sansa reaches for the beaker and fills both their cups. „Your brother."
He grunts affirmation.
„And you don't intend to come back here." Finally he stops fiddling with the wine and looks up again. „What's it to you?"
It takes all her resolve to stay calm and composed but she's had long years of practice. „Arya told me what you said to her after the fight with Brienne..." Brown eyes lock with grey ones in another staring contest. The tension between them is almost palpable. „...and I know you said that to make her kill you."
„Much good it did me. Cold little bitch left me to rot alive anyway," he hisses through clenched teeth. The memory still smarts.
„I for one am glad she did," Sansa replies softly. „You and I have a lot in common, you know."
„Oh really, like what? Soft beds? Fancy clothes? A high and mighty castle? Loving siblings?" The Hound has his bite back but his victim shrugs it off. „We both have been hurt and betrayed by people who were supposed to protect us. We both pledged our allegiance to an insane child tyrant, we have suffered, we have made compromises because not doing so would have meant death but eventually we did fight back. We both found strength in our need for revenge. I just got my chance a bit sooner. Yours will come but it can cost you your life." She has to stop for a second to make sure she has his undiveded attention for what she is about to say next. Yes, his gaze is firmly fixed on her.
„I want to make sure you have at least one happy memory before that happens."
There, she'd said it.