A little late. So sorry! It was my best friend's birthday party last night so I couldn't submit it.
THANK-YOU! I got so many awesome reviews! I'm so appreciative! You don't even know!
I hope everyone enjoys this chapter (the big fight scene), so from here on in, it's all new territory! You will have no idea what I have in store for the everyone!
Just a head up, I haven't read all the books but I have a vague understanding of what happens, but I am no sticking to that. So from here on out, it's going to be AU up the wazzoo (but not out of character, hopefully!)
Enjoy and review please! Or send me a Private Message if you want to talk about the story or anything in general! Maybe send me short story prompts? I've been thinking about doing that! Anyways,
On with the show!
Sandor did not sleep, he watched her all night just to make sure she was real. He had to pinch himself to make sure this was reality and he hadn't died on the King's Road. Saebyl was curled into a tiny ball into his chest, sleeping peacefully, more than he had ever seen during their travels. He placed a hand on her arm to reassure him of her physical existence. She curled up into a tighter ball at his touch. He cursed himself for being so drunk, he would have liked to remember it more clearly.
Then again, it wouldn't of happened if he had been sober. The little minx crawled on to his lap, writhing and saying all sorts of things in his ear. He knows he tried to resist, but it didn't take much convincing. Now he lay in bed, a thousand thoughts racing through his sobering mind.
Surely she would wake up and hate him. Accuse him of getting her drunk and raping her. She would run, leave him to die by some bounty hunters. She'll say it was a mistake, that she regretted it. Every scenario involved her leaving, the woman would have to come to her senses sometime.
She stirred, she was like a rooster, always knowing when the dawn came. Her impeccable timing to be up at first light was alarming. Her eyelids fluttered and she groaned.
"Damn sun, always ruins my mornings." She rolled over and buried her face in his chest. Sandor did not know how to handle this, or even where to put his arms. Never had a woman stayed the entire night, he never paid them enough to do that. He didn't say anything, not wanting to remind her who she was next to, wishing to hold onto this for a couple minutes longer. "I should get Arya and we should leave." Sae murmured but still he did not reply. Finally her eyes opened and she smiled up at him. "You always so chatty in the morning?"
Sandor just watched as she rolled out of bed unashamedly and dressed, still waiting for the other shoe to drop. Beautiful women didn't just crawl into his bed without a considerable amount of coin being exchanged, even then, he never picked the beautiful ones, feeling as if he were unworthy.
"Why me?" The question that had been haunting him since the moment they left King's Landing finally took shape.
"Because, you were kind to me in court. You never disrespected my low name or what I had done to get there. Tywin frightened me, Joffrey frightened me, even Meryn Trant did because they would all not hesitate to kill me. You were the only one that didn't scare me." She explained as she dressed. "Besides, my mother always said I had terrible taste in men. You're the best I've ever picked. You have a name of some note and you aren't a sell sword."
"Not yet." He corrected.
"You're not." She sat on the bed to pull on her boots, Sandor reached out and pulled her arm so she would look at him.
"Am I dead, Moonbeam?" He asked blatantly.
Saebyl laughed musically, "No, you stupid mutt. You didn't get off that easy." As if in slow motion, she reached over, running her hand along the rough and uneven scars of his face and kisses him tenderly on the mouth. "I'm going to be here to torment you until the day you die." With that, she bounded out the room.
Sae poked her head around the door of Arya's room. The girl was still dead asleep, food from last night cold and untouched. The blonde tip toed across the room and shook the Stark, who groaned and tried to roll over. Sae shook her a little harder.
"What?" She drawled out sleepily.
"We're going to go. You've been sleeping for hours. You didn't eat your dinner." The elder explained getting up and throwing open the musty curtains, letting sunlight in. "I'm going to get the Dog, so get ready."
She jaunted back to the other room, where she found Sandor nearly dressed. Stopping just inside, watching him pull his armour over her head, Sae couldn't help but imagine what her mother would say to her if she ever met Sandor. 'A Clegane? You've really lost it this time!'
"Here, let me help." Sae came to his side when he winced to get the shoulder plates attached.
"How do you know how to do this?" He asked as he watched her delicate fingers secure the straps.
She laughed, "I've taken enough armour off men to know how to put it back on. Yours is simple, not there for show, all for actual protection." The Hound was quiet, knowing what man's armour she referred to. "Sorry, I won't talk about him."
He just grunted in response, in a sort of appreciative way. He didn't need to hear about her exploits, she should have never been put in Tywin's hands. She was too good for that cruel lion and far too good for a dog.
"What about the girl?" Sandor finally asked.
"She doesn't need to know about this. This dynamic," Sae circled her fingers to indicate the three of them, "is already complicated enough. She's tried to stab you once, and I don't need to give her a reason to stab me. I don't wear armour."
"Understandable." His face grew even more sour and gloomy. He took his gaze off her and looked to the floor.
Sae lifted his chin, "This is not a one time thing, I mean it. I want you and I want to help you. My claws are in and there's no escape now." She ran her porcelain thumb over his scarred cheek. "You don't say no to a dragon."
Just then, the door banged open, making Sae leap away from her injured pet. Arya tromped in, irritated that she could not sleep longer and that they just had to leave at the crack of dawn. Her scowl was one to match the Hound's, the story of her being his daughter didn't seem so farfetched when you saw them both moping about.
"I guess we're all ready then." Sae said clapping her hands together with a nervous laugh. Without a word, the two dark clouds rose and left the room.
It was midday, when they stopped the horses. They had travelled steadily all through the morning with very little complaints from anyone. The sun peaked behind the clouds offering small rays of warmth in the ever chilling days. It was starting to get unbearable for Saebyl. She had never handled cold well, she always thought that Dorne or across the narrow sea was were she should have been. Now, she clutched to Sandor tightly and tried not to shiver.
Sandor went off one way, Arya another to practise her sword. Sae decided it was good time to check inventory and roughly estimate how long they had on their stores. She was glad she had nicked the bloke at the brothel's coin purse, it gave them greater odds of surviving and getting passage across the sea. Occasionally, she'd check on Arya, she could see the young girl doing her water dances at the top of the hill. She heard her voice echo around the rocks. Someone else was here, possibly for her or the bounty on Sandor's head.
Sae climbed back up the rocks, carrying her pack with her absentmindedly. The Hound joined Arya by her side, hand on hilt. Sae's eyes met a large blond woman, almost as big as Sandor and behind her was a dark haired man.
"Poderick?" Sae gasped out loud. Why in seven hells was he here and why wasn't he with Tyrion?
"Lady Saebyl?" He replied, equally as shocked. Sae instinctively moved close behind Sandor's massive frame, sensing the uneasiness in the air. She could only stare at the boy, while the others talked. She wanted to know what had happened at Blackwater, how Joffrey died, and if Bronn and Sansa were okay.
"Paid by the Lannisters, you here for the bounty on me?" Sandor growled, still ready to withdraw his sword.
"Twyin, he's back." Sae whispered, clutching her necklace.
The woman scowled, "I'm not paid by the Lannisters."
"No?" The Hound moved away from Sae, who's eyes grew wider in fear.
"Sandor, please-" She uttered but it fell on deaf ears.
"Fancy sword you got there. Where'd you get it?" He asked, standing eye level with the giantess. "I've been looking at Lannister gold all my life, go on Brienne of fucking Tarth, tell me that's not Lannister gold."
"Jaime Lannister gave me this sword." Brienne confessed. Sandor looked back to Arya, and they continued to argue but Saebyl again was trying to telepathically communicate with Podrick.
More heated words were exchanged over who should watch over Arya. That sensation that someone was going to die overcame Sae, she needed to stop this fight before it got out of hand. It was too late though, swords were already drawn and clashing together. They moved quickly though the rocks, swords swinging heavily.
"Sandor, don't, let them be!" Saebyl cried after him. She feared going anywhere near the two giants and getting caught in the cross fire.
A heavy punch sent Brienne tumbling down the hill, Arya took the moment to run. Pod looked to the blonde then to the girl and chose the latter to chase after. Sae rocked on her heels, unsure if she should go scream at her dog to come back or chase after a wolf pup. She couldn't see either, but could still hear the swords clanging together. Deciding that Arya might be the easier person to reason with, she decided to follow Poderick.
"Pod?! Poderick?" She called as she rounded a rock. He stood looking confused, two obvious paths the young Stark could of run down.
"My Lady! Are you hurt?" He asked looking panicked.
"No, Pod. I don't have much time, I need to know, what are you doing out here?" Sae asked, slightly out of breath.
"Long story,"
"Then tell it quickly!"
"Blackwater, Lord Tywin returned and won the battle," his eyes darted around still trying to catch glimpses of the scruffy girl, "he became Hand of the King again, making my Lord Tyrion master of coin. They married Sansa to him."
Sae gasped, "That poor girl!"
"My Lord was none to pleased either but at Joffrey's wedding, he humiliated him just before he died, poison, they say. Lady Sansa went missing. They accused the couple of killing the King, they imprisoned Lord Tryion. The Lannisters tried to get me to confess against him, My Lord said it was not safe for me there, sent me with Brienne to find Sansa and get her somewhere safe. Lady Brienne swore an oath to their mother to find her daughters." The boy looked highly upset. Sae put a hand on his arm and tried to give him a sad smile.
"I hope you find her, Sansa is a sweet child and needs to find somewhere safe. Where that would be, I have no clue." She paused, "And what of Bronn?"
"I believe he took the Lannister's bribes so he would not be Lord Tyrion's hero in a trial by combat. He's to marry Lollys Stokeworth." Pod said, almost carefully, as if not to offend.
Sae chuckled sadly, "Poor Bronn." She had met Lollys before, dreadful girl. Heavy set, sad eyes and dull wits. She will drive him mad.
"You should come with us." He looked up at her pleadingly.
"I can't Pod," the cries of the battle echoed through the rocks, "I have to go to him. I'm sorry. Find Sansa, give her my best and that I kept her sister safe, please." She kissed him on the cheek. "Good bye, Podrick Payne." She gave him a last smile and quickly scampered away from him, trying to find the Hound.
Sae ran, she could hear Brienne bellowing like a banshee. When Sae rounded the corner, only the beast of a woman stood near the edge of the cliff. "Sandor." She thought desperately, he had fallen. He was dead. Tears welled in the corner of her eyes, but she bit her tongue and hid amongst the rocks until Brienne left.
Once she was out of sight, she crawled to the edge of the cliff and glanced over. Arya was down there, with the Hound. He could hear him mumbling faintly and her heart skipped a beat. She had to get down there, now. She ran as quickly as she could, trying to find a safe way down the steep rocky hills. It took her far longer than she would have liked but she made it, Arya was already gone.
He was still muttering 'kill me' over and over under his breath, when Saebyl reached him. She knelt at his side, eyes wide and glassy, his wounds were bad. His right leg was severely broken, the bone stuck through the skin.
"Oh my poor hound, what have you done to yourself?" She said quietly, suppressed tears wavering her words.
"Moonbeam?" He tried to look at her but any movement seemed to cause him extreme pain. "Why are you here?"
"Shh, save your strength. I told you, I'm here to make it better. I'm going to help you." She smiled, a few tears escaped her eyes. With great effort he lifted his face to her face, where she held onto it.
"Don't bother with this old dog, put me down. I'm finished." He managed to croak out.
Tears now fell freely down her face, "Don't talk like that. I'm here, I'm going to fix you."
"You're not a Maester, sweet Moon." He let his hand drop, having been a great effort to hold it for any amount of time. He closed his eyes and breathed slowly.
"I'm not a Maester, but I've seen them work and I never forget what I have been shown." She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and pulled her pack off her back and set to work.
The first order of business was his leg, she needed to set that as quickly as possible. She remembered back at Casterly Rock, a young man had been badly beaten in a tavern fight turned sour. The Maester was quick to set his broken arm, she remember how he screamed when they snapped it back into place. Sae looked around, needing something to keep the bone in place after she pushed in back into its proper setting. She thanked the gods when she saw an old dead tree, she pulled two large branches off of it, they snapped off easily much to her relief.
She worked tirelessly to save Sandor, he had passed out after she pushed his bone back into its proper place. There was some god looking over her and giving her strength and courage to care for him. She stitched his leg back together, then noticed deep cuts on his hands, she cleaned and bandaged them. His face was a mess, she cleaned it as best she could, straightened his broken nose and cleaned off all the blood. He was nearly wrapped entirely in bandages when she was done, she was even forced to tear one of her skirts to make more.
It seemed as though some god out there still had plans for Sandor Clegane. His horse wandered to them with out Sae going to look for him. His packs were still full of food, they could survive. When Saebyl got up to stretch her legs, she found Sandor's missing his shoulder plate for his armour. She came back to his unconscious body and sat close to him.
"It looks like the gods want you alive, Dog." She chuckled as she spun the piece of metal in her hand. "I told you it wasn't your time." He didn't respond, but he was still breathing. That's all she needed.
She started a fire as the sun started to set. The tall rocks surrounding them provided good shelter but cast cold shadows in the early evening. She checked Sandor over again after the fire was built, contemplating if any of his wounds need to be cauterized.
"Sandor?" She breathed into his ear. "Sandor, I need to burn some of these wounds. It's the only way I can help you." She explained. His eyes fluttered but he never came fully around.
Sae knew she had to do it, but her hand hesitated. It felt like she was betraying him if she did this while he was unconscious but she knew had to or he would die. She placed a kiss on his forehead, "I'm sorry." She uttered and moved quickly to do what she needed to do. As soon as the flame touched his flesh, he awoke screaming. Sandor was unable to move but in his blind rage he grabbed a hold of her and shoved her as hard as he could. She toppled away from him, dropping her torch.
The action had completely taken her by surprise and as she rolled away from the thrashing dog, the flame caught the edge of her skirt. She put herself out quickly, checking herself for any burns but not finding any. She breathed a sigh of relief, she didn't need to be injured on top of taking care of someone else. Crawling back to Sandor, who had settled back to his unconscious state, she checked the what she had done. Most of the wound was sealed and that was good enough for now.
Saebyl curled up next to him, the cold of the evening now setting in. A shiver ran up her spine, making her into a tighter ball in attempt to stay warm. The great black horse trotted over and sat near, providing additional warmth.
"Thanks, you filthy animal." She laughed, patting his muzzle. "I think he's going to be okay. I'm going to make him okay." She reassured out loud to the horse, though it was more for her own benefit. She pulled their blankets out from one of the saddle bags and prepared for an uneasy sleep.