Author's note: please note, this chapter contains violence, sexual violence and strong language. Or, to sum it up - it contains the Mountain.
The day of the melee began as usual for the Hound. He watched the slave girl he did not want get dressed through the slits of his eyes, pretending to sleep still. As soon as she left the room to fetch breakfast from the kitchen, his hand travelled down to his cock.
Joffery is a cunt, he thought, not for the first time. Would have been simpler just to kill the girl, or send her to Littlefinger. But no, as well as acting as a fucking guard dog for a whiny little brat, he now had someone in his room constantly.
The company could be worse, he admitted to himself, slowly stroking himself to the memory of Maud's tits, of how her body sometimes, instinctively, cuddled up to him for warmth during the night. One time, her round arse pressed against him during the night, and she let out a contented sigh of comfort that made his cock twitch. He imagined fondling the globes of flesh, of rubbing his hands over her body, of thrusting into her so she made that sigh again.
Technically, he could take her. He didn't see her falling into bed with him willingly, not after his actions the first morning. It had seemed a good idea at the time, to whip her, to teach her to obey, or else Joffery would have her naked on the street for all the men of King's Landing to take. But now he was just the Hound to her. A ruthless killer. And she was there all the fucking time. He missed peace - being able to have a wank when he wanted. Being able to smash things.
Enjoying his last moments of quiet before she would return, the Hound continued to stroke himself, spitting into his hand to provide some lubricant. He imagined her straddling him, sinking onto his cock, staring down at him with a face full of lust. He let out a deep moan and sped up his motions.
He was just moments away from climax when there was a knock on the door.
"Ser? Raven for you. It's, er, from your brother, ser."
That was never good. Gregor detested writing. If there was a message, it had to be serious.
Cursing everyone and everything, the Hound threw back the covers and walked over to the door, opening it just wide enough to snatch the parchment out the man's hands, before slamming it shut.
He sat on a chair and unrolled the message. Gregor was coming to today's melee - annoying but unavoidable. Not worth a raven. Then he froze.
Met one of Littlefinger's men in a tavern last night. He said that Joffery had given you a whore, as punishment for some slight of hers. I look forward to seeing her broken in, and taking a ride myself.
Fuck. Gregor would take one look at Maud and know she wasn't broken. Although she tried to act like she was resigned to her fate, he knew she was up to something. He'd overheard her whispering to a servant one morning, and a few coins were missing. Maybe he'd been too cocky, leaving her to her schemes. She was locked up during the day, he never left sharp objects around her - there was nothing she could do left with her musty little books.
Knocking over his dog's head helm in his rush, the Hound leapt to his feet and began to dress as fast as he could. He was pulling on his boots when Maud came through the door holding breakfast.
"Where the fuck have you been? Get that food wrapped, we're going for a ride."
"WE'RE going?" came the incredulous reply.
"Oh, are you deaf as well as being a fucking idiot? Yes, you're coming with me for the day. Go to the kitchen, wrap that up and meet me in the stables as soon as you're done. I'll wait for you there," he growled.
The sooner he got her away from the castle, the better. His brother had the attention span of a gnat. He'd spend the day pounding knights bloody in the melee, get drunk and forget all about Maud. Until then, unless the Hound fancied burning Maud's body, out of sight meant out of mind.
Once dressed, the Hound went to remove his name from the melee's tourney lists. No doubt there would be rumours about why he wasn't appearing, and Joffery would make some remark later, but everyone be damned.
At the stables, he was surprised not to see Maud there yet. Bitch must be taking her time. He kicked a bag on the floor out of the way and moved towards the wall to pick up his saddle.
He cursed under his breath as he began to saddle Stranger, letting the big horse nuzzle him gently. He was the only one the horse could stand: one groom famously lost an eye trying to get a stone out of a horseshoe.
Crooning to the horse, and ignoring the barking of the nearby dogs, the Hound stroked his soft mane as he waited for Maud - until he heard a shrill scream coming from the kennels.
Seven hells, he thought, hand on his sword as he headed in the direction of the sound.
Maud screamed as the Mountain dragged her into the kennels by her hair and threw her onto the ground. She kicked him firmly in the shin in hope of disbalancing him, but it had no effect except to hurt her foot.
He slapped her hard across her face for this, and she tasted blood. The whole left side of her face stung, almost as bad as the lashes the Hound had given her. The giant then proceeded to kick her in the stomach, making her wretch and gasp for air.
"My little brother has had a month and he hasn't broken you in? I'll fucking do it in an hour," the giant growled, grabbing her arm and pulling her along the straw lined floor of the kennels, as the dogs barked in warning.
She was going to be killed like her father. Head smashed open, body left mangled and impaled on a pole. Maud sobbed as she tried to pull away, only to have her body wretched along the floor. She felt her elbow dislocate with a sickening noise.
The Mountain leaned down and ripped the dress off her back, the fabric tearing easily in one motion of his giant hands.
Oh, Mother, Maiden and Crone, Maud prayed. Grant me mercy. Save me.
Her prayers went unanswered as the Mountain forced her down. She screamed in horror as she realised it was a breeding stand. She remembered when she was a child, seeing a bitch tied up to allow the larger male access. At the time she thought it was cruel, and had caused the dog owners to laugh when she suggested if the dogs really loved each other, they wouldn't need to be tied.
Maud struggled as hard as she could as the large man tied her to the table with the leather straps, but with her dislocated arm and his 7 foot size, was as helpless as a fly struggling against a hurricane. Now only her thin underclothes protected her from the Mountain. Out the corner of her eye, she could see him prepare himself.
It was the first time she'd seen an erect cock before. She's seen her brother's before, of course, when they were taking a piss or bathing in a river, but nothing like this. The size make her tremble - how could that possibly fit inside a person?
There would be no mercy, Maud realised with horror. I pray for death. I pray to the Stranger. Come for me. I'm ready for your embrace.
Closing her eyes and digging her fingernails into the wood of the stand, Maud prepared herself as best she could for the expected onslaught.
Instead, she heard a voice. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"
Maud's heart fluttered as she turned her head as far as she could, and made out the Hound striding towards them across the kennels.
"I heard tell you were supposed to break this bitch. Break her, or she belongs to everyone, I was told. Well, you couldn't do the job, little brother, so I'm doing it for you. I'll break her and leave her here. After a week of being used by anyone who wants her, I'm sure she'll be happy to do whatever you ask," the Mountain sneered, buttoning his trousers back up.
"Joffrey gave her to me. Cleganes don't share, remember? I've a constant fucking reminder of that," the Hound spat, gesturing to his disfigured face. Maud's eyes grew wide. It couldn't have been the Mountain that burned his face? Who could do that to their brother?
"I'm not sharing, boy. I'm helping you. Fuck off and joust in your fancy dog costume like Joffery's jester. By the time you're done, your whore will be so broken in that she'll willingly lay with you at night. How long has it been since someone has actually wanted to look at that face?"
"Oh, fuck off," the younger Clegane scoffed. "Maud is mine. You took Elana from me. Joffery gave me Maud. This isn't the tossing Iron Isles. This is your bloody King's order."
He bent over, keeping his eyes firmly on his brother, and unbuckled Maud from the restraints. She would have slid onto the floor, had the Hound not caught her.
The exchange was interrupted by a harassed looking servant dashing into the kennels. "Thank the Seven. Ser Gregor, Joffrey has requested your presence at the tourney."
The servant took a confused look around the room, missing the death glare the Mountain was sending in his direction.
"We're not done, Sandor," the Mountain growled, pointing an arm as thick as a tree trunk. He stormed out, the servant giving a nervous backwards glance before scurrying after the giant of a man.
The Hound turned to Maud urgently, taking in her bleeding face and the way her arm hung.
"I prayed to the Stranger," she whispered. "I prayed for death, and you saved me."
She reached up, as if to touch his face. Before she could reach, dark spots began to cloud her vision and she sank into unconsciousness.