The Queen in all her splendor could not compete with Sansa's simple, yet elegant bridal gown. Her gown was silk, in the grey and ice white colors of House Stark, elegant light grey silk stitched with a darker grey floral design, the bright white of the inner lining peeking out through her long pointed sleeves and held together on the right side of her waist with a rather large dire wolf head pin. Sansa's hair was mostly loose pulled up only at the top in the northern style and braided through with a silver chain, a style that Sandor preferred and had mentioned to her once or twice. Her fiery hair, plump pink lips and blue eyes shown even brighter against the pale colors of her house.
Her eyes were on him as her father led her down the aisle, he stood just behind the Prince who was dressed to the nines in his black and gold Baratheon colors.
"Hmmmm, tonight might not be so bad after all Hound." the Prince snickered at him.
"No." he answered, tonight would be one of the worst and best days of his life. He held on to the secret that his Little Bird had shown him right before he left her to her father, a black dog with a red bird on his muzzle stitched on the inside of her gown right over her heart.
"What if the Prince sees?" he'd asked her worriedly.
"I'll tell him it's a dire wolf." she grinned at him, "he'll easily believe I'm stupid enough to stitch a wolf that looks like a dog."
"My clever Little Bird." he barked out a laugh.
He held onto that memory as the ceremony went on before him. She was marrying the Prince but her heart was beating for him alone.
XXXXXXX
He stood behind his charge and his former charge at the feast. The festivities seemed to drag on forever, his mouth itched for a few swallows of Dornish Red to keep his nerves in check, his Little Bird sat and smiled, laughing at the Princes stupid jokes and praising every gift presented to her as if it was a dragon egg. The entire court was in love with her and Joffery basked in the glow as if it was for him.
The time came for the bedding and Sandor gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, he had made a few choice comments to the Prince in the hopes of riling up his jealous greedy nature, after all a Prince should not have other men touching his wife, should they? a simple
"I'd bugger any bastard that touched my wife with a sword." here, and a,
"No man would ever see my wife naked, save me." there,
and Joffery was sure that no man should lay a finger on his beloved wife.
When an old Lord shouted out for the bedding to commence the Prince stood and shouted over the excited crowed.
"Any man who lays a finger on the future Queen will be an arm short, shortly thereafter." the crowd fell silent, "I'll not have my wife disrespected. Dog!" Sandor stepped forward, "Escort my wife to the bridal suit. I expect her fully clothed when I arrive." Sandor bowed, letting out a breath of relief that his scheming had worked.
"I will not however,"' the Princes voice followed them out of the hall, "deprive the Lady's of their sport. Have at me."
The shrieking and yelling commenced again as they made their way to Sansa's new private rooms.
"Was that your doing?" Sansa gave him a small sad smile.
"It was all I could do." he answered gruffly.
"Not all, I think you also managed to convince him that we should have separate rooms."
"No, I just reminded the bloody idiot that he is a Prince and can do as he pleases."
"He didn't want to share a room?" she didn't sound hurt.
"He didn't want to give up his nightly activities and his sweet stupid wife obviously cannot know of them." his answer was gruffer than he intended it to be.
"hmmm, " she answered.
They arrived at her chambers and he opened the door for her, slipping in before Joffery arrived.
"I will be here when he leaves. Have him drink a cup of wine from this cup." he pointed to a golden cup set on a table with a silver cup and a flask of white wine, "He will be awake long enough to do his duty and that is all." he crushed her thin body to his and kissed her hard. "I will be outside," he let her go and rushed out to wait for the blasted Prince to come claim his woman.
XXXXXXX
He stood outside pacing in front of the closed doors, he could hear nothing. There were no grunts, or screams, no cried of passion, there was silence.
"Times like these I am glad not to be burdened with desires."
Sandor whipped his head around to find Varys looking on him with pity in his eyes. "What in the bloody fuck are you on about?" it unnerved him that the spider could sneak up on him like that.
"I mean I know your pain." the bald man tilted his head, "I know about you and Lady Sansa."
The Hounds blood ran cold.
"Oh," Varys waved his hand dismissively, "There is no cause to worry. I mean you and the girl no harm, in fact, I am here to help you."
"And why in the bloody hell would you do that?" there was no use in denying it.
"Because Joffery is mad, worse than the Mad King given time and there are whispers of idiotic plans to make the child a King."
"So stop them, isn't that your job?" Sandor was confused as to why Varys would want him to join in whatever game he was playing.
"The plan is just too stupid to work." Varys answered lazily, "but just in case it does, it would be nice to have the future Queen on my side." he lifted a brow at Sandor.
"And why would I trust you? Might be I'm nothing but a brute and a sword, but I know better than to trust someone who plays the game as you do, believe that."
"True, but you forget, I already know your secret. I can rain hell upon you quite easily already." he gave a soft chuckle as Sandor stepped toward him angrily.
"How about a gift." the Spider smiled, "A token of good faith."
Sandor growled in response.
"Follow me Hound." he turned to lead him away.
"I'll not leave her, I said I'd be here."
"No worries Clegane, you'll be gone for a moment and she won't be in any position to notice."
That brought another growl from the big warrior. "It is your deepest desire I am handing to you Sandor Clegane." all the teasing and intrigue was gone from the older man.
His deepest desire, his only desire was Sansa, he followed the Spider.