The emerald flower

Lannisport 280 a.c

Across the realm, the beauty of the female Lannister's was well known by everyone but all men from the Westerlands agreed that in this generation there were two female Lannister that possessed unmatchable beauty to all other ladies in the west maybe the realm. The first was the only daughter of the Great Lion of the Rock, Cercei Lannister, her beauty was superior to any jewel but her heart only craved for power and her cruelty was well known by all handmaidens of the Rock.

The same couldn't be said of Phoebe Lannister her heart was full of generosity and kindness that earned her the devotion of the smallfolk that lived in Lannisport, her porcelain skin was white as snow, her hair was of a reddish gold uncommon to Lannister's but her eyes were the most outstanding of her physical features they were greener than any other pair of eyes and they shinned like two emerald suns, hundreds searched for her favour but she never felt in love with any of the sons of lords or young knights that tried to court her in thousands of ways, her father Gerold Lannister, a man from a branch of the Lannisters of Lannisport who made his fortune trading and one of the few persons Tywin trusted to the point of making him the third in the chain of command to lead the Lannister fleet after Kevan and lord Tywin himself, had decided to let his only daughter choose who she would marry and couldn't be convinced by anyone to give her daughter away no matter the offer made. Not only was she kind and beautiful but knew all there was to know of sailing from her father and his men from how the work to maintain a ship to read maps and star charts, she was taught how to swim and fight by her mother Meria Gargalen the only daughter of a rich dornish merchant in King´s Landing that escaped her home and became a pirate captain by the name of Nymeria later known as the Red dead. Years later of that she married Gerold and retired from piracy.

Unsurprisingly the two couldn't stand each other, the cruelty of Cercei and the kindness of Phoebe clashed strongly and dangerously against each other, Cercei hated that there was someone considered as beautiful as her and Phoebe couldn't stand how she treated others, Gerion once told Jaime and Tyrion that the two were like rival lioness fighting for supremacy and the brothers couldn't help but agree with their uncle after the sharp tongued remarks, the veiled insults and dangerous glares directed to each other during all time the two stayed in proximity of each other last time the two were at the Rock.

But everything would change after that fateful night of 280 a.c, she had been returning from her daily afternoon walk through the port that had prolonged itself deep into the night. Phoebe was a few streets away from home when a gloved hand was put over her mouth and she was dragged to an alley were under the light of the moon she recognised her attackers the man who had taken her was Ser Roderick Lorch one of her most insistent suitors with his friend Ser Jacen Dogget and two of their men.

"Well, well. What do we have here" said Roderick smirking "The Emerald flower walking the streets at night all alone"

"Release me Lorch you piece of shit or I will cut your balls off and use your skull as a paperweight"

The men laughed while she struggled to get free from the wandering hands of the knight who took the dagger from her.

"It seems you were right Roderick even in this situation she acts like we are the dirt beneath her feet" commented Jacen groping the chest of their victim.

"We'll see how haughty she acts after we had our way with her, let's have some fun deflowering the Emerald flower" he laughed at his own bad joke while trying to get a better hold on his victim.

"Let me go cunt!"

Phoebe kicked the man in the balls but before she could escape or burry her other dagger in his neck Jacen pushed her against the wall, forced her to release the weapon and ripped the top of her white dress. He groped her chest while she tried to squirm out of his grasp.

"It seems that you are a fighter, I'm sure I'll have fun making you moan like the whore you are and when Roderick recovers and as had his fun with you we'll let our soldiers have a go, after that we'll let your raped and bloody body lying in the middle of Lannisport for all to see in the morning" his hand started to roam down when a huge man wearing an olive-green cloak over plain, soot-dark armour and a helm entered the alley with a longsword drawn at the would be rapists.

"Release her now or I will separate your fucking heads from your body"

Sandor Clegane roamed the city with the night sky over him, he couldn't take any more of the celebration organised by Tywin Lannister more accurately he couldn't take any more of his spineless father and his monster of a brother not today at least so he got out of the fest while his father was distracted talking to lord Westerling and Gregor had his eyes in one of the girls serving at the tables so nobody said anything to him getting out of there, it was a shame that the girl would end raped or dead after his brother caught her, possibly both, but it wasn't his problem the girl wasn't his family and he wasn't strong enough to kill Gregor not yet but one day the beast would pay for killing their sister, Selena Clegane and him would have their vengeance even if it was the last thing he would do in his life. But that was for another day now he would find a cheap tavern, to get drunk enough to be unconscious for the rest of the festivities or have a good brawl with a sailor at least that was the plan until he heard a scuffle from an alley.

"Let me go cunt"

It was the voice of a girl that said that, Sandor was going to keep walking but decided against it, if he wanted to distance himself from his brother what better wat than by saving someone and since he was wearing his armour he wouldn't have to deal with the terrified look the person he was saving would give him seeing his charred face, he draw his sword and charged into the alley, there were five persons in the alley two were helping another one getting up, the other one was pinning down a beautiful girl with reddish golden locks and the most incredible emerald eyes he has ever seen, near her there where two daggers, she must have tried to fight.

"Release her now or I will separate your fucking heads from your shoulders"

"Get out of here this isn't your business!" spoke the one who had been putted down drawing his sword "I'm Roderick fourth born son of Lord Malcolm Lorch lord of house Lorch and if you don't get out of here I'll kill you"

The idiot charged against Sandor who parried the blow and disarmed him swiftly before knocking him down, Sandor advanced in the direction of the girl but the two soldiers tried to block his way and were quickly put unconscious courtesy of the flat side of his sword. But before he could turn back to deal with the last one of them to find him lying in the floor clutching his arm and the girl over him with a bloodied dagger in her hand and clutching the tattered remains of her dress.

"It seems that you know how to take care of yourself, I'll be on my way then" Sandor turned around but a hand holding his arm stopped him.

"I'm thankful for your help, if it weren't for you these idiots would have raped me. Escort me home, my father will want to reward the man who saved his daughter and I want to see your face ser"

"I'm no ser and it's best we go in separate ways; trust me you don't want to see my face" Sandor keep going but a hand held him by the shoulder.

"Sorry but that won't happen I'm a Lannister and we always pay our debts so you are going to let me see your face behind your helm and them escort me home to be rewarded and that's final" Sandor resigned himself and kneeled to let her take his helm, she gave him a mischievous smile as she took the helmet off, but instead of the eyes filled with horror or her looking away has he had been expecting he found her beautiful emerald eyes looking into his and her hand passing over the unburned side of his face "What's your name?"

"Sandor Clegane my lady" he answered without turning his eyes away from the emerald ones of the girl in front of him.

"Well Sandor Clegane I'm lady Phoebe Lannister but you can call me Phoebe" she said smiling while caressing the unburnt side of her saviour face with a smile "Will you accompany me to my home and receive my father hospitality?"

"Yes my lady" he said without thinking and while Phoebe Lannister guide him to her home through the streets of Lannnisport Sandor Clegane discovered that for the first time in his life he might be in love.

Many of Gerold vainer relatives would agree that despite his fortune Gerold Lannister and their family were one of the lowest branches of the family and that Phoebe Lannister was an uncouth and wild child that liked to mix with the rabble of the city, not that they would say that to her parents faces, the last time one of them said so in front of lady Meria she gave the old prune of a Lannister woman one of her vicious smiles and proceeded to tear her apart with only words to the delight of the main branch of the family. Most of them were to prideful and had no skill to back that pride and so depended on their lineage to make themselves feel important, Gerold was a descendant of Ser Tyland's Lannister third daughter union with a Lannister of Lannisport, in his childhood all his relatives treated him as if he was nothing but Tywin Lannister saw his affinity to the sea and sent him to an old Lannister merchant named Norwin to teach him, for that Tywin had his eternal gratitude. He knew that the lord of the Rock valued more his abilities than their friendship. That was the way with Tywin, business first and attachments later but when his allies needed help he would give it, that's how after Phoebe hadn't appeared at home and Tygget had heard alarming rumours of some idiot planning to have his way with her forcefully, he got thirty red clocks from his brother and was helping Gerold find his wilful daughter.

«Where are you my little lioness» thought Gerold while returning home to meet with Tygget, he founded him barking orders to his men who started running down another street.

"Tyg have you heard anything about her?"

"We found her, more precisely Sandor Clegane found her, Gerl" the knight practically snarled the next part "Thank the seven that the boy was able to rescue her before Roderick Lorch, Jacen Dogget and two other men were able to rape her"

"You will deal with those vermin, won't you?" Gerold asked his face darkening.

"All of them will find themselves dead or going to the wall but I can assure you before that happens they will be left at the mercy of the Rocks most capable torturers they'll know true pain" the man assured him "Go see your daughter"

"Thank you Tyg, I'm grateful for your help"

"Think nothing of it they are my brother's men after all not mine" he said darkly.

"You are your own man Tyg, Tywin wouldn't have gone down here to help me with the feast at the Rock keeping him busy but you did. You only live in his shadow because you are always comparing yourself to him, you are much more than one of Tywin's younger brothers" Gerold walked away entering his home while his friend rode away.

It would be hours later after when Tygget was arriving at the Rock with the sun rising at his back and after much thought during the return that he said this words for only the wind to hear.

"Maybe you are right Gerl, I don't need to be my brother" With a smile on his face as he passed through the gates he decided that after sleeping he would see what Gerion was up to it would certainly be amusing, have breakfast with Genna to hear her complain about the ineptness of her Frey husband, spar with Jaime to see how much he had improved since last time and pay Tyrion a visit, the seven knew the boy needed all the attention his father's sibling could give him.

Sandor was guided inside a large house of white stone and large windows after speaking with lord Tygget, the interior of the house was decorated with paintings and tapestries of different places, before he could examine more of the entrance of the house a servant entered the room.

"My lady your mother is waiting to see you and your saviour she told me to take you to her office but first you should change from that dress" said the old woman while a young servant joined her side "Young ser, Malcolm will take you to the office while I will help lady Phoebe changing to a new attire"

Phoebe gave him apologetic smile "I'm sorry I can't be with you when you meet my mother but don't worry you have nothing to fear" The girl turned around and left the room through the farthest corridor followed by the old woman.

"This way my lord" the boy said nervously while taking Sandor through the halls of the manor that hinted rich but didn't flaunted it, the servant left him into an office scarcely decorated. Maps, weapons and trinkets were lined in shelves and a desk occupied the centre of the room with the moon shining through the window at the farthest point from the door were Sandor was standing "Lady Meria will be here in a moment please take a seat near the desk my lord"

The servant left the room while Sandor sat on the chair across the table his gaze wandered to a set of three portraits over the chimney the first depicted a little girl that a clearly a very young Phoebe no more than three name days old playing in the garden with a large eared kitten with a spotted and striped coat and a red ribbon tied in a bow to his neck, the central picture was of Phoebe in front of a couple that probably were her parents ,Phoebe had a lot of facial traits from the woman who had blood red hair and grey eyes, her skin was the colour of copper she was wearing a white dress and a rapier at her hip that had a guard stylised as a red cockatrice her husband had the typical Lannister looks his golden hair was cut short and he had a small goatee, he was wearing a red doublet and black pants, a bastard sword with a silver lion for the pommel was on his hands and pointing downward, the next picture was the most surprising for Sandor it depicted an older red haired Phoebe with her hair cut at the height of the neck, dressed in a red long coat over a white shirt, black breeches, the same rapier that appeared on the previous picture was unsheathed, she was facing a blonde man on a black doublet and grey breeches that was wielding the same bastard sword of Phoebe's father, they were fighting each other in the deck of a ship. "It seems that you are interested in that portrait" Sandor jumped at hearing someone speaking, a woman reminiscing of the one in the portrait was standing behind him the only differences from the one in the portrait were her longer hair and a few wrinkles that didn't diminish her beauty "It brings memories of old times" lady Meria said with a fond smile "But that doesn't matter now, I was prepared to get out to find my daughter myself when one of Tygget's soldiers informed me that my daughters had been found and that she had been rescued. What is your name boy?"

"Sandor Clegane my lady" he answered nervously.

"So, you are one of Samuel boys, the younger one whose face has been burned" Her grey eyes keep inspecting him and Sandor had to crush the impulse to fidget "You take more after your grandfather in looks than your father it seems" In that moment Phoebe entered the room wearing a blue dress and hunting boots and her mother embraced her.

"You scared everyone when nobody could find you, I'll hang those craven sons of a dim-witted whore by their toenails to the bowsprit of my ship and after piercing their hearts with Thorn their bodies will be thrown to the sharks" The sadistic smile on lady Meria face was terrifying in Sandor opinion "Sandor Clegane you shall be rewarded ask for something and if it is in my or my husband's power it will be given"

"I don't need a reward my lady, I only did what was right"

"Don't be daft" intervened Phoebe "You saved me from being used by those peacocks and then discarded somewhere in the city, most people would agree that your actions deserve to be rewarded and I'll make sure that it happens so don't try to get out of it"

Sandor saw her looking at him stubbornly and decided that it was best to ask for something to appease her.

"If you insist lady Phoebe" her brow twitched at being called a lady and Sandor smirked internally "I would be grateful if you could find me a place to stay while the festivities continue"

"That's easy to arrange, you can stay here I'm sure my husband will be happy to host the young man who saved our daughter"

"Thank you my lady" he said bowing slightly in sign of respect.

"Stop being so formal Clegane" grumbled Phoebe "I'll show you the house" the girl caught him by the arm and guided him to the door "Mother, I presume he will stay in one of the guest rooms near the gardens?

Sandor heard an affirmative answer from the lady of the house who was trying to contain her laughter.

Phoebe was combing her golden reddish hair while sitting on the rail of her balcony when someone knocked the door.

"Come in" her father entered the room with a relieved look on his face, she laid down the silver comb with engraved flowers given by her father on her tenth name day on the table and got down of the rail. "I'm so relieved to see that you are safe" Gerold embraced his daughter go for a few minutes "When I was searching the streets and you were nowhere to be found I thought that your mother and I had lost you, only imagining those pieces of filth laying their hands on you makes me want to catch up to Tygget and disembowel them.

"I'm all right father, Sandor saved me before they could anything to terrible and I'm sure aunt Genna and Uncle Gerion will make sure that their stay at the Rock will be really unpleasant" Phoebe smiled reassuringly to her father who was still clinging to her.

"We will ride for the Rock tomorrow, I will ask lord Tywin to allow me to execute them personally and find a suitable reward to the boy who saved you"

"But father Sandor only wants a place to stay for a while" Phoebe said separating from her father.

"And I believe your rescue is worth more, I'll give him two hundred golden dragons and I'll suggest that he squires under Kevan, Tygget or Gerion"

"If you believe it's better that way father"

"If he stays at the Rock you'll be able to see that Sandor Clegane more times" Gerold smiled like the cat who got the canary while Phoebe reddened "I'm happy to see you safe, I love you my little lioness"

"I love you too father"

Phoebe was in a field full of flowers, near her stood a savannah cat with a crown of flowers made of emeralds, a scarred black hound was next to it playing and all was all right for a while but then a shadow covered the field and the hound snarled at its owner. Phoebe raised her head to see a giant dark brown three headed hound, the black hound snarled and attacked trying to defend his companion and was swatted away from her, the monster buried his fangs on the savannah cat who clawed at him but died moments after and the beast left. The hound approached the dead cat and whimpered in sadness, from the blood of the beat and of the dead cat a Serval cub was formed, the hound licked the remnants of blood and took the cub away east, then Phoebe saw the cub growing stronger and bigger with a fawn by his side until it turned into a powerful creature and the fawn into a beautiful doe. Winter arrived the doe went south following a storm while the serval travelled north with a she-wolf and the hound hunting for the monster, before she could see any more the earth shattered under her feet and a skeletal unicorn with teeth like daggers rose from the dark deeps of the earth and dragged her with him while the earth closed above their heads.

Phoebe woke sweating and with a scream buried in her throat that she didn't release, her hands were shaking and her eyes slowly adapted to the darkness of the room, suddenly the door to the balcony opened letting the light of the moon in, she quickly caught the dagger she hid under her pillow but returned it back to its place when she saw that it was only her savannah cat Visenya. The imposing feline walked graciously to her owner's bed with her soft blue silk ribbon tied around her neck.

"You scared me for a moment Visenya, it's good to see you and it seems you have finally returned for wherever you go when you disappear for weeks" The cat chirped happily while her owner was stroking her spotted fur "You know I had a really strange dream it got me terribly scared but it's probably nothing just a strange product of my imagination after all that happened today" Visenya chirps happily and licks Phoebe hand soothingly "I'm happy to have you back and that these time without an injury, we have a guest but I'm sure you'll like him since Sandor saved me from that half-wit of Lorch" the cat waves is tail happily "The weather is getting warmer by the day so you won't have to go taking food to were you go when nobody is looking, I wish you could talk to know what you do when you're away"

Soon the cat and her owner were sleeping profoundly dreaming of running through the plains and forests of the southern part of the Westerlands hunting and exploring their territory free without knowing that in three years both were going to be dead.