Chapter Ten-Reunion

Had she been any old woman, the cold would have frozen her long ago. But she was no ordinary woman and had not been for quite sometime. As she stumbled through icy forest, she looked around for a cave or for fallen trees to shield her from the night and as a way to plan for the future.

It wasn't long before she found what she was looking for. An overgrowth of leafless branches and twigs had formed a little tunnel and it was there that Old Nan decided to rest.

Satisfied after making space for herself, she reached deep into the folds of her woollen gown and pulled out her last remaining obsidian candle. She stared at it a long time contemplating on who she should use it on. Who she should watch.

Unless fate could be changed, she doubted Robb Stark would live and she was in no position to make it so. While Bran and Rickon had gotten away safely, she couldn't see them coming back to claim their homeland for a foreseeable future and that was if they lived. The raven after all, had plans for Bran and it was he alone, who could save himself.

She sighed. In over eight thousands years, she never thought she'd see House Stark fall and fall so low. It didn't even appear if it could rise again.

Her only thought was with Jon Snow. Perhaps it was him she should watch and him she should journey to. That was if she was safe enough on the Wall. She could never cross to the other side and any of those wildings who still had the old magic such as those wargs would know at once who she was and seek their vengence.

No it wouldn't do to use her candle yet. Instead she should close her eyes and See. Perhaps that would give her guidance.

Slowly Old Nan leaned back and closed her eyes. She was one of the few left who could See at will instead of suffering through confusing dreams or making stretched interpretations through fire.

She'd been watching for so long. Guarding the Starks, doing her best to ensure the blood line continued for the one that was promised. All nothing. All failure.

Sansa sat quietly on the bed, biting her lower lip and occasionally sneaking glances at the man near the fire side. He had scarcely spoken to her after she had revealed her secret. Oh, he had had plenty to say when she told him and had shook her and called her a stupid whore, but now he had thrown himself into sullen silence.

Podrick was worried sick about her, but she had assured him she was okay and that Sandor wouldn't hurt her. At least she didn't think so.

He seemed…different than before.

No. Not different.

He had always been cruel and crass and rude and hateful.

Now he was just more so. Being lost with no purpose on the road hadn't been kind to him.

It was not the reunion she had envisioned, but what else had she expected? For him to be happy about it?

If anything, her mind had grown considerably in recent months and had stopped looking at the world through the eyes of a naïve little girl.

Men like Sandor didn't fulfil their chivalrous duty and marry the women they had dishonoured. They told them to fuck off.

Well he hadn't told her that yet, but he had stared at her rounded belly beneath her skirts for a long time. His expression…she couldn't quite place it, but it wasn't happy.

"Heard you killed Queen Cersei," he said while taking a huge whisk of his wine. He said it without looking at her. Oh, well he would once she told him the truth.

"I did."

And he looked at her.

They stared at each other for a long time before her burst out laughing.

"Ah, my little bird has become a mocking bird now. What's next? Will you start mimicking like those palace fool cunts?"

His dismissal did nothing to faze her and she stared at him impassively.

"I did kill her," she said again and she looked at him hard.

"I stuck a knife into her heart and fled."

Sandor drank more wine and contemplated her for longer.

"Why?" he said eventually, still deciding whether to believe her or not.

"She found out I was with child. They were going to marry me to her brother the Imp and as much as she hates him, she told me she wanted no bastards in her Lannister family. She was going to have her guards beat the child out of me."

Sandor finished the flagon.

"Fancy shit coming from her and buggar that when all three of her children are bastards."

Sansa smoothed out her skirts.

"Lannister bastards at least," she reminded him.

Sandor stared at the fire again. That was odd too. She was sure he hated fires. Even hearth ones.

"Speaking of bastards, what was your plan with this one?"

She shifted uncomfortably. It wouldn't hurt to tell him would it? She had nothing to lose.

Who would he tell? And why would he? He wasn't a man of honour, but she doubted he'd be the type to betray her for some unknown cause.

"I had hoped childishly that someday I would find you," she said honestly and felt her heart flutter when his face softened.

"To play father to your bastard?"

Just as quickly the feeling fled away.

She smiled weakly nonetheless.

"Yes. But after everything that has happened I became practical. I planned to marry Podrick and head to Riverunn and foist some love story off to my family to save my reputation and to stop their shame. Podrick isn't so bad. Rather shy and kind really considering he is related to Ilyen Payne."

Sandor snorted.

"He's as much a fool as that jester Selyse Baratheon was fucking to beget her misshapen daughter."

Sansa frowned knowing that story for a Lannister lie in retaliation for Stannis leaking the truth about Queen Cersei's incest and adultery. She doubted Sandor believed it, he was just being crude.

"All the same he has helped me and protected me. The question is now, what do you plan to do?"

There was silence for several moments.

And then Sandor got up and strode over to her. He yanked her up by the arm and for a split second. Sansa feared she had completely misjudged his character and that he would hurt her.

Seeing her look he bared his teeth at her.

"Don't look at my like that. I wouldn't harm you."

That placated her somewhat, but she went still when she felt him lifting up her skirts and cupping her womanhood with his hand. She blushed furiously, but was also shocked and attempted to shake him off, but he held her firm.

He stroked the warm moist slit before removing his hand and touching her round belly.

"No need to act like a virgin in spring time little bird. You are far from it. A wife is never to shun her husband from her bed."

The words caught her attention.

"Wife?" She echoed.

Sandor ran his fingers through her hair.

"So you have become a mimicker after all. Yes little bird, a wife. I'll marry ya, you'll be a Clegane. I'll save your precious reputation and mayhap get my land back from my bastard of a brother."

Sansa felt her throat ache and she struggled so hard not to cry in front of him. It was as if all those months of uncertainly and cruelty she had suffered at the hands of the Lannisters came crashing down at once-to something joyful with light at the edge of the horizon.

Impulsively, she hugged him and buried her face against his chest. After a few stunned moments, Sandor wrapped his arms around her and buried his nose in her hair.

"And if I catch that Payne bastard so much as looking at you with a hint of lust, I'll cut off his little cock and shove it up his arse."

It wasn't long before he started tugging at the criss-crossing strings at the back of her dress.