Chapter 9.

Nothing was mentioned, of course, about the night of the feast. Tyrion was kept busy with matters at Court, he and Shalene acknowledged each other in passing, Tyrion felt miserable, he knew Joff had hit Shalene, but she made sure that Shae made him understand that everything was in order and she was fine. Bronn made his presence known from time to time, Shalene always rewarded him with a hug and one of those smiles he loved. Shalene didn't seem to need to talk to or be around Sandor. He watched, as he always did. He waited. He listened. He didn't really know what to do or say, he wanted her to know that he understood why and what she did. He was still cautious but he couldn't figure out how to approach Shalene or if he should. She hadn't asked him to go riding again, part of him wanted her to, he enjoyed watching her and thinking about how her body moved with her stallion. He couldn't count the times he had fucked his hand thinking about her and how she would feel moving on him, his cock deep inside her moving on him like she did that bloody beast. He imagined her dark skin covered in a fine sweat, her firm tits in his hands, dark nipples hard and erect, waiting for him to take them in his mouth. Her throat exposed as her head was tilted back in pleasure, her long, curly, raven hair falling behind her, tickling his thighs and balls as he buries his cock in her sweet cunt, over and over until she begs him to give her that final release that only he can do. And he finds his own soul-shaking release as he has his thick, throbbing cock buried so deep in her, it feels like they're one person.

More and more he finds himself remembering her unique scent, that exotic smell that he can almost taste. But she hasn't wanted his company. Part of him doesn't blame her, she is such a beauty, he finds it hard to believe she ever even looked at him. Old feelings of rejection and self-loathing start coming to him. He has them with him all the time, he hides them better much of the time, but he can feel them right there.

Shalene has spent so much time with Sansa. Trying to get her to know she's not alone. They talk, do the needlework that Sansa loves. He sees them in the hallways of the Keep, walking, giggling, in the library reading, in the gardens gossiping about the other Ladies and looking at the bloody handsome Knights at Court. He keeps his distance, he has learned how to do this over the years, watching and listening. Shalene does seem to be watching over Sansa and trying to give her some symbolence of a friendship and someone to lean on. At least Sansa hasn't started dressing like Lady Shalene, who still wears those thin, loose dresses that he does like, but he doesn't want his Little Bird to dress like that. She wouldn't be able to handle the troubles that would come her way if she did. He wonders if Shalene really knows how she affects men as she walks by but deep down, he knows that she knows exactly what she's doing.

Sansa and Shalene are in Sansa's chambers, Sansa is sitting on her couch, working on her needlepoint and Shalene is laying on the bed, on her stomach reading a book. Sansa looks up at her, really taking Shalene in for the first time. Sansa knows she is slender but Shalene is so small, she wonders what her hair feels like, it is so black and curly. She secretly likes the way the dresses that Shalene wears moves as she walks, she has gotten more relaxed with her but they are so different! She admits to herself that she has been more relaxed lately, she smiles at the memories of walking through the gardens gossiping and giggling. Shalene seems to know so much, she speaks so many languages and seems so worldly. She sees Shalene looking at her and realizes that she has stared at her and Sansa is so embarrassed. She can feel her face and neck flush red. She knows it is so improper for a Lady to stare. She looks away, and hears Shalene giggle. All Sansa can do is apologize for staring and hope Shalene doesn't get mad. She remembers that it was Shalene that saved her from the brunt of whatever set Joffery off that night. She had been so mortified when he slapped the goblet of wine at her, drenching her and ruining her gown. She knew she would be hit next, would he make The Hound do it? And then Shalene had pulled Joff's attention away from her, and led him away, taking the danger with her, but why? She had seen her the next day and seen the split lip, knowing Joff had done it but Shalene had never said anything to her. Sansa was grateful but she felt so horrible that Shalene had taken her punishment. Shalene is smiling again and sits up on the bed, she decides that it's time for Sansa to loosen up, if she can. She asks her what she's thinking, Sansa is at a loss so she just says," I was just wondering what your hair felt like. If it was as soft as it looks." Shalene slowly gets up and glides over to Sansa and kneels in front of her, she takes Sansa's hands and guides them into her hair, using Sansa's hands to rake through her curls. Shalene closes her eyes and turns her head toward Sansa's hand, she moans in the most seductive way. Then she leans into Sansa and kisses her lips so softly it feels like a butterfly brushing her lips. Sansa is spellbound and then embarrassed, but she doesn't know what to do. Shalene smiles at Sansa and asks her if she trusts her. And deep in her soul, Sansa knows she is as safe with Shalene as she is with The Hound. She tells Shalene that she does trust her, and smiles softly, eyes sparkling, still feeling the tingling on her lips, so Shalene asks her to come to her room and Sansa agrees.

For some reason, Joffery had decided that today would be a good day for his Dog to be on watch over the Ladies so when they leave Sansa's room, he is on duty in the hallway. He has stationed himself midway down the hall, truthfully to watch both rooms as they are close together. As they exit, Shalene doesn't even acknowledge him, which for reasons he can't figure out, makes him mad. Sansa looks up at him like she's guilty of something and smiles innocently but they both hurry off to Shalene's rooms and call for Shae so he re posts himself outside of Shalene's door, waiting, watching, listening. He's not sure he likes this, but he really doesn't feel Sansa is in danger.

Shae arrives and looks him up and own, as is her normal behavior. It irritates him that a handmaid and Tyrion's whore, to boot, has the nerve to blatantly look at him like he's a meal to be served up but however, it is arousing not to have a woman turn away from him. Hell, why does he always have to have this battle with himself! He can hear Sansa, Shalene and Shae chirping but he can't make out what they're saying. The maids bring up two baths, hot water comes up bucket after bucket and he growls at each one of the wenches that leave, daring them to look his way and none do as usual.

It seems they have settled in, he can hear them in the bath, talking, giggling. So he decides he can relax a bit. He moves next to the door and relaxes against it, he can hear them better now, he hears Shalene and Shae speaking that blasted Lorathi of Shae's homeland and when he hears Sansa laugh and respond, he realizes that Shalene has done more than needlework with Sansa. He grunts and wonders what they are saying. He can hear the splash of the water and then he can smell that fragrance that has haunted his dreams these past weeks. That earthy, exotic, sensual smell. He closes his eyes and inhales deeply, thinking about both Sansa and Shalene being in there naked, wet, both smiling and happy. One with creamy, white skin, long auburn hair and eyes so blue and deep, all innocent and sweet. And the other one with smooth dark skin, long, silky, curly raven hair and those seductive black eyes that he instinctively knows are telling him the most wicked things but his mind won't let him figure it out yet.

He opens his eyes looking around but the hall is deserted so he allows part of his mind to wander back to his women that are wet and naked behind this door. He jerks himself alert, why did he just think about them as HIS women? Sansa is betrothed to the King and Lady Shalene is the daughter of Oberyn Martell. Seven Hells, he's surely lost his mind with thoughts like those! His attention is quickly brought back to what is going on behind that door when he hears Shalene's sultry voice laugh and say," Sansa, don't be scared, let me show you...see, do it slow... find out what you like about it...watch me, don't be afraid." Sandor wants to bust the door down and see what they're up too in there. What is she teaching Sansa? If she does anything to hurt her..and then he hears Sansa sigh in a way he's only dreamed about.

His mind drifts back to their wet, naked bodies, Sansa with her sweet, pink lips and Shalene with her full, red, juicy lips. His cock is so hard just thinking about those lips. He has to take care of this or he'll never make it. The hallway is still quiet so he steps into a dark alcove, just down from the room, that he knows well, he's spent enough time there watching, waiting. Once there, he leans his massive back against the wall, braces his legs and unlaced his breeches, removing his cock. It is rock hard, thick, long and heavy. Matched perfectly to the rest of his towering, overwhelming bulk. He runs his thumb over the head, spreading the clear essence over and down his shaft. He knows exactly how large he is and secretly takes pride in the knowledge of his size and abilities. He starts to slowly stroke his cock, his mind drifting back to those naked bodies, knowing that their perky tits are glistening in the water, nipples getting hard and just waiting to be touched and kissed. His grip on his cock is strong and he strokes a little faster, breathing harder as he thinks about the sigh he heard coming from Sansa in Shalene's room. Letting his mind run wild, he imagines Shalene taking Sansa's hand and showing her how to touch her teats, rubbing her small fingers over her nipples, making them hard and erect, Shalene touching herself and Sansa mimicking her, watching, learning. He hears himself moan and edges deeper into the alcove, never stopping his stroke, he can feel that familiar tension start to build in his body, his mind goes back to Sansa and Shalene, now on the bed, both wet, aroused, and looking at each others bodies. Shalene takes Sansa's hand and shows her how to trace the lines of her own body, down to her cunt, He can just imagine how much she's blushing.. and slowly shows her where that sweet, special place is that will lead to her greatest pleasure. He imagines Shalene, with her raven hair, on her knees beside Sansa, guiding her, teaching her with one hand while with the other one she pleasures herself.

Sandor is on the edge now, his head is back, breathing hard and rapid, fucking into his hand hard, and needy. In his mind, he sees both Sansa and Shalene sweating, breathing heavily, Gods! He can just imagine those sweet cunts, wet and slick; one dark, one auburn, and then he thinks he hears their moans of release, it's music to his ears! He reaches his own mind-blowing release, thrusting his hips against his hand as he strokes his cock and feels his seed explode from him, his knees buckle as he slides against the wall, his mind is blissfully numb as he strokes one last time, his entire body quivering. He slowly comes down from the Seven Heavens that he's been in, he mentally calms his breathing, heartbeat gradually eases back to its normal steady beat. He shakily raises himself back into standing and tucks his cock back into his breeches and laces them up. Fuck, that was good! Almost as though it really happened. Little does he know how close his fantasy is to what actually did happen behind that door.

Sansa is still dazed about what she just felt. Never would she have thought or even dreamed something could feel that good! She feels herself blushing as Shalene smiles at her, and they both giggle wickedly. Sansa decides that maybe she can relax, but only around Shae and Shalene. Oh, Gods! Shae was there! Sansa looks around at her but Shae is looking through the dresses in the wardrobe, selecting two and gives not a single sign that she was in the room the entire time. Sansa had decided, just this once, to dress like Shalene, they are having a private lunch with Tyrion and its in a quiet private garden off of Tyrion's chambers so she feels safe enough, Tyrion will be there, Shae, Shalene, Bronn, and Sandor. They won't let anything happen to her.

When they finally exit Shalene's rooms, Sandor feels like he was just kicked in the gut by Stranger. Although he's seen Shalene and her buggering temptress dresses, he openly looks at both. Shalene is glowing! She is wearing a pure white almost sheer dress with a very thin lining of rich, royal purple. Her hair is loose and flowing down past her behind in those tight bouncy curls. It is so shiny, he wants to reach out and touch it and his restraint is almost painful. She has many golden bands around her wrists that tinkle musically as she moves. On her upper arms, she has bands that upon looking harder, are golden snakes wound as if they are slithering up her arms. Her skin also has a golden sheen to it almost as if its dusted with gold powder. She has used a kohl pencil to darken around her black eyes making them even more seductive, if that was possible. He looks at her lips, gods, he wants to kiss those red lips. He sees her smile and knows he's starring again like some maiden boy. He then sees Sansa. His sharp intake of breath is met with another smile, this one from Sansa's sweet pink lips. Her face is slightly flushed and a small part of his mind registers that he knows that look is from satisfaction, although it hasn't moved to the front of his thoughts yet. His eyes move to the dress she has on and he is both alarmed and appreciative to see that she has decided to be a little daring. The dark green silky material of the dress, made in the same style as the ones that Shalene prefers; shoulders bare, back exposed, almost down to being indecent. Cut to a deep v in the front gathered around her waist in an intricate pattern of golden ribbons, the same color ribbons gathering the shoulders. She truly looks like a young woman now, not a child. He can smell those exotic oils and scents that Shalene prefers and he can feel his cock again, damn thing never gets enough!

He hears Shae clear her throat and again becomes aware that he isn't supposed to be looking at these highborn Ladies like this, he's only to guard and protect them. He looks forward again, waiting on them to move past him when out of the corner of his eye, he sees that Shalene has dropped something. He kneels to pick it up and too late realizes that Shalene, too, has bent to retrieve it, several things happen at once, Shae starts talking to Sansa, drawing her attention away from Shalene, and since he and Shalene have reached to pick up what she has dropped, he finds his face buried in her hair. He instinctively reaches up with the hand away from Sansa and takes a handful of Shalene's thick, raven, curly hair and buries his face in it breathing deeply. Drowning in her scent. It's so soft and silky, he can't remember ever having felt anything like it in his life and just as quickly he feels her lips on his for the shortest, briefest second. They are sweet, and full, slightly parted and just as briefly he feels her tongue trace his lower lip and then she gone.

Standing up and holding Sansa's hand as they start down the hall. He grabs what she dropped and runs his tongue over his lip just like she did, he tastes the traces of wine that her tongue left there and he steps to catch up with the women. His mind is reeling and he has to focus hard to bring his thoughts and cock; under control. He remembers that he picked up what Shalene dropped and offers it up to Lady Shalene. She smiles at him, over her bare shoulder, and tells him its his, to replace the one she ruined several weeks ago. He nods and in his deep raspy voice just says,' My Lady." And tucks it into his breastplate, over his heart. He doesn't even think about why he's done this because he now notices as Sansa and Shalene are walking in front of him that this style of dress is cut in a way that doesn't allow for small-clothes. The view from behind is as glorious as from the front. Shoulders bare, occasional glimpses of bare backs through their loose hair or when one or the other might turn her head, their asses, firm and high, and to his renewed torture, slightly jiggly as they walk. They lean their heads together to laugh about some shared joke and he's gifted with seeing that long coppery, auburn hair mingled with the raven bouncy curls. He almost missed a step trying to readjust his ever hardening cock in his breeches and hears Shae quietly laughing behind him. Bloody Hells, he'd forgotten about her! He looks over his shoulder at her growling a threat that only she can hear and all the wench does is wink at him and smile. Fuck fuck! These bloody women are going to get me killed! On top of that, he can't even figure out when they stopped being scared of him. What the Seven Hells! He must be losing it when he can't even scare two Ladies and bloody whore!

They reach Tyrion's private garden and Shae moves forward to open the door. She leads them to where their meal is already set up and then takes on the role of server and wine bearer. Sansa and Shalene both curtsy to Tyrion who, of course openly gazes at all three women. Bronn, having the manners of the sell sword he is, eyes Sansa and Shalene lustfully and then smirks at Sandor, when he notices him gripping the hilt of his sword, knuckles white and rage openly apparent in his deep grey eyes, Bronn teasingly steps back hands raised as if in yield and bows to both Ladies. Sandor pulls out the chairs for both Sansa and Shalene, offering his hand for them to use to steady themselves as they sit down. Once he's sure they are comfortable, be dips his head slightly to both and mutters," My Ladies." He steps back into the shade of a tree, out of sight, but close. Just as it is his duty to do. He has learned and figured out much and more over the years from just such a habit.

The meal ends up uneventful so his mind starts to drift to other things, to the day he and Shalene were riding and how she spoke so blatantly and how her hips moved with her stallion. The way he could see her hard dark nipples that day on the balcony and the way her black eyes moved over his body and cock, her red lips, he takes a deep breath and he can still smell her hair in his face, feel it in his hand, those silky curls wrapping around his fingers. The feel of her lips and the way her tongue so briefly licked his lower lip, the lingering taste of the wine that she had sipped at some point. He then remembered what he picked up. He quietly removed it front behind his breastplate and unfolded it, expecting just a plain handkerchief but what he sees is a beautiful emerald linen kerchief, he's not sure what sort of linen it is but it is most definitely expensive. The color is almost shimmery. It has black embroidery around all four sides, done in such a quality and skill that it looks like the curls upon Shalene's head. One corner has the perfect likeness of Shalene's stallion, Aulonex's head and neck, his eyes so black and the mane long flowing just as his is. The opposite corner has an exact likeness of Stranger, ears forward, thick, stout neck with head held high and his nostrils flaring, slightly pink on the inside. His mane, also is long, wavy and flowing. The center is what makes his heart skip. Exactly in the center is a beautifully done bird in flight, he can discern each feather. All of them red tipped with copper. The bird has blue eyes. Surrounding the bird is a deep purple Viper, it's body poised as it to strike, mouth open, fangs exposed, deadly, but he sees that they are facing away from the bird, as if daring anyone to come near. Surrounding the bird and Viper is a Lion. Claws bared and bloody, jaws open in a roar, teeth long and deadly. It's coat is a shimmering gold, it's mane is both a darker golden color with black mixed in it. It has one piercing green eye and one black eye. Finally surrounding this are three black, deadly, Hell Hounds. Massively muscled, poised as if about to leap off of the linen. Hair raised on their shoulders, fangs bared in a deadly snarl, teeth gleaming and white, sharp, ready to bring death. All three hounds have the same deep, deadly grey eyes. The work is breathtaking. He realizes exactly what this means and takes in a sharp breath, he looks up and sees Tyrion looking him right in the eyes. They take in each other for a few moments and Tyrion raises his wine goblet in a brief, private salute towards Sandor. Shae is behind Tyrion and gives him a sly smirk. Bronn just smiles that same bloody aggravating smile and raises his eyebrows for a second and turns back to his meal. Sansa, the Little Bird, is unaware as usual but Shalene glances over her shoulder and blows him a subtle kiss, which surprises him. It takes only brief moments for all this to happen and in that time he knows Sansa will be ok. He holds the cloth a second before tucking it back behind his breastplate, over his heart and gives a nod of acceptance to these unlikely allies. It's best Sansa doesn't know. As long as she is unaware she won't have to stumble over a lie. He doesn't understand how this came to be or why but he doesn't feel any deceit or danger, a hound can smell those things.