Hello! So this is rewrite. Same title, same basic plotline but, this time, I hope it will be better and that I will actually finish it.
Thanks to Joanna Jacobs for the push I needed to restart it.
Hope you enjoy
Cath
It was hot day outside of King's Landing. Eleanor hated days like that. She walked slowly around the Jousting Grounds where they had finished setting up the installations for the Tourney that started that same day. The tourney was to celebrate King Robert's new Hand: Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell. Eleanor didn't care much for tourneys but she came to support her brothers Gregor and Sandor Clegane and because she had to be there. Eleanor Clegane had the privilege to work for Grand Maester Pycelle therefore her assistance could be needed in some cases of injury.
Being the second of three children meant that Eleanor was always stuck between her two brothers when they fought. And they did fight each other…all the time. But she was used to it by now, even if it had gotten worst since their father's death. Eleanor looked around and saw her brother Sandor standing next to Joffrey Baratheon. He was his bodyguard. She knew Sandor didn't like the kid at all…but it was a good position for him. She hadn't seen much of him lately, even though he had been away for some time when the royal party visited Winterfell.
The tourney had already been going for some time when it was finally Gregor's turn. Even though Gregor was a very cruel man, Eleanor couldn't help but to admire him sometimes. He was so strong and fierce. She couldn't say that they got along very well, but Eleanor had achieved having a simple relationship with her elder brother. Yes, he scared her sometimes. But he was her brother and Eleanor was determined to at least try to keep some sort a family…She owed that much to her father's memory.
Eleanor found a seat to watch the joust and winced when Hugh of the Vale fell. It wasn't a pretty sight, but she was a Clegane and Cleganes were tough. Eleanor watched as her brother finished him. She herself had asked a million times to her brothers to teach her how to use a sword but they repeatedly said no. There was at least one thing they agreed on.
The last joust of the day finally came opposing her brother to Ser Loras Tyrell of Highgarden. He wore the most ridiculous armour Eleanor had ever seen.
"Pfff" said Eleanor whilst shaking her head at the sight of Tyrell's shinny silver armor.
"I wouldn't be so sure of that." said a masculine voice behind her. Eleanor turned her head around and saw Jaimie Lannister.
"Not jousting today Ser Jaime?" she asked
Eleanor had known Jaime Lannister for some time now.
"No, I'm on duty." He said
Eleanor simply nodded in return.
"I heard your brother lost his wife recently." He said swiftly.
Another one…thought Eleanor
"I didn't know her."she said. In fact, Eleanor had known, only briefly, her brother's first wife. Not that she liked remembering her.
Eleanor ran down the stairs to the great hall after hearing one of the loudest noise ever. Then she hear laughs and cheers. Once inside, she realised it was only her brother Gregor who was back.
"I thought the house had broken down."
Gregor only laughed.
"Are you drunk?" She asked
"Not of your business."
"All right then." She made to leave.
"You should congratulate me."
"Congratulate you?"
"I'm getting married tomorrow."
The sound of Gregor's new wife's screams stayed anchored in Eleanor's head for a long time.
May the mother have mercy on that poor girl, Eleanor thought.
Later, the next morning Eleanor went up to her room, once Gregor had left. She knocked softly on the door.
"Elysa?" no answer
"Elysa it's me Eleanor, Gregor's sister."
Not waiting any longer, Eleanor entered only to find her new sister-in law curled up on the bed. Blood was quite visible on the sheets but Eleanor was sure there was probably more than usual.
Eleanor said nothing, instead she handed a cup to Elysa.
"To help sooth the pain". she said. "This might not mean to much to you but, I'm sorry if my brother was cruel to you."
"At least now my father's farm is safe." the girl mumbled
Eleanor realised a few days later that that same farm had been burnt anyhow.
And so that's how it went. Gregor would come back every few weeks to have his fun and then leave. Eleanor pitied the girl immensely.
Until, one night, she woke in the middle of the night, Gregor standing next to her bed. It took her a few seconds to Eleanor to realise what was going on.
"Yes…" she said, her voice creaking
"I need your help." He said
"Can't it wait till morning?"
"No." he said
Eleanor got up, put on a robe and followed her brother. She quickly realised there were heading to his bedchamber. It was dark inside.
Elysa lay on the bed. Eleanor's eyes went from the girl to her brother, then back at her sister-in law.
"She's dead." he stated
"SHE'S DEAD!"
Eleanor quickly looked at her again, this time bringing her hand to feel her pulse line…there was nothing. There were marks all over the girl's body. Eleanor led out a long sight.
"Did you kill her?"
"What does it matter? She was too frail anyway" he said "And why do you care?"
"I care. And it matters because, if it was an accident, it will stay an accident. But I can't help you unless you tell me."
Her brother was a brute, but Eleanor liked to think that sometimes he actually needed her and valued her or else he wouldn't have come to her.
"I couldn't control myself." he said simply.
Eleanor simply nodded. Fair enough, she thought
And thus, Ser Gregor Clegane lost his first wife.
"Who was she anyhow? His third?" asked Jaime
"No." Eleanor answered, "His second."
Both of them were taken away but the crowd's loud shock. Gregor had just cut the head of his own stallion and was now making his way to attack Loras Tyrell.
"Oh no!" wined Eleanor. She knew all too well what would follow. But what shocked her and the rest of the crowd was Sandor's jump towards them, blocking Gregor's sword with his own, thus protecting Ser Loras. The crowd screamed…nothing better that=n a good show to keep them going.
"Now that is getting interesting…"said Jaime
"Shut up!"
Eleanor left the spot where she was sitting and ran towards the fight. Deep down she knew there wasn't much to stop her brothers but she had to try.
"Stop it!" she yelled "Stop it seriously!"
Eleanor finally got between her two brothers, trying her hardest to prevent them fighting. But she wasn't as strongly built as them.
"Both of you calm down and walk away." whispered Eleanor. Eleanor saw Gregor raise his sword once more and this time, Sandor pushed her away behind her. They kept fighting for a few more minutes.
"STOP THIS MADNESS IN THE NAME OF YOUR KING" yelled the King.
And they did.
"Come. Let's walk away." She said whilst leading Gregor away from the tourney grounds. She turned away to give a look to her other brother Sandor before leaving. The last she saw was Ser Loras raising his hand in victory along with Sandor's.
Eleanor was use to being the pillow between her brother's never-ending fights.
With both her brothers she had a special bond…Or at least Eleanor liked to think that both her brothers needed her as much as she needed them. Although, she had always been closer to Sandor than Gregor. They had, after, stuck together since their father's death. He was to one who brought her to Casterly Rock and then here to King's Landing. If Gregor had his way she would still be living alone at the keep or worst, married to some brute just like he is.
Eleanor found Sandor in a cheap tavern in Flea bottom later that night.
"Is that how you celebrate?" she asked.
"What are you fucking doing here? This isn't a place for you."
"I'm just making sure you are all right." she said while sitting next to him
"Go Away!" he spat at her. Eleanor raised her hands in defeat and made it to leave.
"Hey wait. I'm sorry." he added quickly. Eleanor grinned for she knew she had won. She sat back down.
"It was a brave thing you did today." she said. "I was sure he was going to kill him"
"I know. It's just he…Ah you know what it doesn't matter." He said. "Now get out of here."
And she left and returned to the small room she had in the Red Keep. House Clegane was a minor house…a very minor house, but since they owed allegiance to House Lannister it allowed Eleanor to stay with her brothers.
Eleanor changed for bed and got into the covers even in this heat…Images of the day's events crept back into her mind: Gregor's dead stallion, his attack on Loras Tyrell, Sandor rushing to his side…Jaime Lannister's wicked grin. Eleanor had always had a thing for Jaime Lannister, but she knew that even if he didn't wear the White Cloak of the Kingsguard he wouldn't take her. Eleanor was invisible to most people…living behind the shadow of a name that scared everyone in Westeros.
Eleanor always hated these moments. These moments before one falls asleep when the mind just uses this time to reflect on its life and can't seem to stop.
She signed and closed her eyes in hopes of sleeping.
