Chapter 20

One month ago at Winterfell.

Lord Eddark Stark and King Robert Baratheon were seated at the great hall of Winterfell. It was grim. The King arrived in the morning and bad news already awaits him. The moment Robert saw Ned's face and his wife teary face, he knew something was wrong.

Still, Ned embraced him like a long lost brother; He then hugged Catelyn and found her crying in his hug. He looked at his friend's resigned face.

"Cat, come now. Let Robert rest," He pulled his wife from his friend. Their King looked confused but concerned.

"Winterfell is yours, Robert" Ned said to him as he passed his wife to their daughter in law.

Lord Stark knew the first thing Robert would do was to visit Lyanna's grave – always.

"What the fuck is going on, Ned?" Robert asked as they enter the Catacomb.

"Why don't you see Lyanna's grave and rest before..."

"Buggering hells! What the fuck is going on?!"

Moments later, Jon, Robb and Arya heard King Robert cursed like a mad man from the tombs. They were standing by the tomb's entrance.

"Arya, leave." Robb looked at his sister.

"I don't care if he swore. It doesn't bother me!" She said defiantly.

"Now!" Robb looked at her.

"Come Arya," Jon pulled her away.

"It's not fair, just because I am a girl! Leana is my cousin too!" Arya was really annoyed, she was the last to know about everything.

=/n

That night at the great hall of Winterfell.

"I am going to wring that woman's neck!" Robert shouted.

Lord Eddark Stark, King Robert and Lady Stark were seated around the stone table. Candles were lighted; the servants had cleared supper.

"Robert, you know exactly why she did this!"

"I never thought she has the guts to do it!"

"We have to bring her home, Robert. Please. As a friend, help me. And for the love you once have for my sister..." Ned looked at his friend.

Robert was furious, "...for the love once I have for your sister! How dare you! I still love Lyanna! I still love her as the day I met her!" he stood from his chair, his face red with anger.

"How dare you," he finally murmured, feeling emptiness in his heart – his broken heart. He wondered whether he could be a better King if he had Lyanna beside him.

The silence was deafening and painful. Catelyn Stark looked at her King whose heart was broken and never healed. "Please, your grace," she closed her eyes, tears fall from her them.

"When did you receive the first raven?" Robert asked wearily.

"About three months ago," Lord Stark answered.

"She married her off soon after I left King's landing," Robert rasped bitterly. "That Lannister bitch! And to the Clegane!" the woman is cunning.

"Robert, you can have the wedding annulled." Ned looked at his friend.

"It's been three months Ned! Do you think the Hound didn't fuck her? She might be with child already! Have you not considered it?"

"Robert..."

"Fucking Lannister cunt!" he shouted and chucked his goblet to the ground.

He closed his eyes wearily; he remembered telling Leana Stark that she will go home – one day. In his heart he thought he could keep her safe there at King's Landing. In his heart he thought it was the best for her, his niece by marriage...by his side, safe. He thought wrong.

Sandor Clegane, he was a Lannisters' butcher, he liked that he killed without question, fast and fucking efficient. So he used him more and more. The man was discreet, quiet and deadly. The perfect killer. Cercei married Leana to the scarred brutal man. He couldn't look at Leana in the eyes anymore, he failed her.

"The Starks and the Lannisters...South versus North. When is it over going to FUCKING END!?" Robert shouted in frustration.

"You did this to her!" Robert looked at Ned, blaming him. "YOU DID THIS TO HER!"

"My King," Catelyn tried to talk only stopped by her husband's hand, telling her to stop.

"Aye!" Ned Stark admitted his fault.

"The second your brother married the Lannister woman, they signed Leana's fate! You all failed her! You and your House of Stark fucking failed her! She should have never been placed with the Lannisters!"

"Robert..."

"Shut up Ned. I am not done!" Robert roared. Catelyn was sure the whole household was awake now – listening.

"Then you continued hating each other. The pride of the wolf against the strength of the lions! Fuck you all! I CAN NOT RUN THE SEVEN KINGDOMS WITH YOU GUYS AT WAR!"

"And this happened! An innocent girl caught in the middle of your war. She was fucking innocent. All she ever wanted is to be home! Look at her! Look at her now! Married to my killer! A CLEGANE! NARRIED TO MY FUCKING HOUND! Are you happy now Ned?! Are you happy?! Are you going. To. Stop. This. War!?"

"When are we going to learn? After what happened to Lyanna...you sister!"

An hour ago, Robb Stark was standing outside the great hall with Jon – listening. Now she saw his sister Arya, crying in Jon's arms, she cried for Leana, their cousin.

"Is father going to take her back to Winterfell?" she asked Robb.

Robb nodded at her sadly, "I am sure father will take her back. She belongs with us."

"Arya, get back to your chamber. Listen to me, sister." Robb said to his sister with a tone that she knew she had to obey, he was serious.

"Jon, call Jory...ready our men,"

Jon nodded; he knew Lord Stark would go to King's Landing, no matter what.

=/n

"Where is Benjen?" Robert asked as he drank his red wine.

"He joined the night watch as he returned from the Lannisters," Ned Stark remembered the day as if it was yesterday. His brother looked like a mad man when he arrived in Winterfell after he left his only daughter at Casterly Rock. He was found drunk at a tavern by one of the guards.

Ned saw his brother cried with grief for his dead wife and lost daughter – the following week he left for the Night's Watch. He came home once a year and when Rickon was borne. Not a day went by without Catelyn and he thinking about the little girl abandoned at Casterly Rock.

"Robert, please. I have to bring Leana home...before it's too late,"

"You want to bring her home...And if she is with child? A Clegane child?!" Robert looked at the Lord and Lady of Winterfell.

"It doesn't matter, your grace. We'll love them. We will raised the child as a Stark...it doesn't matter. We just want Leana back and her child if she has one." Catelyn looked at both men. She is truly sad and angry – Women hardly have a say, traded like cattle for alliance. She didn't have a say when her father marry her to the Stark.

"Ready your men, we'll ride hard in three days." Robert finally spoke.

"There is one more thing Robert..."

King Robert couldn't believe his ears, what else?!, "What now?!"

"Leana was betrothed when she was five,"

Robert turned his head, looking at his best friend in disbelief, "Then why wasn't she married already? And why wasn't her betrothed get her while she was on Casterly Rock when she was of age?! AND WHO IS IT?!" He roared.

He could felt his blood boiling. The Stark would obviously alliance themself with their bannermen or the Northerners, not the Southerners, which means more conflict will arise.

"Ser Beric Dondarrion, your bannerman, Robert." Ned Stark answered. "She was promised to him when she was five, he was barely twenty then,"

"Dondarrion..." King Robert knew the man well. He was a loyal bannerman to the Baratheon, a good honourable man; a good friend with Lord Stark, the perfect match for the girl. Even he would approve of the match.

"He was summoned by you and he was placed to hold Harrenhall for the uprising with your brother Stannis. He is back now." Stark continued, "When Leana was taken to Casterly Rock, he wanted to take her from the Lannisters, but Benjen said no, she was with her family and to avoid war, Robert."

"Leana never mentioned any of these...arrangements."

"She was a child, Robert. They met once or twice. She wouldn't remember."

"She was still sucking her thumb and wetting the bed, then!" Catelyn Stark lost her patience. What do they expect from this girl? And she saw her husband's surprised face. But she was not done yet. She had been biting her lips and holding her tongue as a good wife of a Lord should be.

"Leana was taken from us when she was barely nine; she was taken to be with the Lannisters. Her father had no choice. If he did not, The Lannisters will start a war, between the South and North."

"Cat," Ned tried to stop her.

"Enough is enough. Leana is not a chattel! She is not a slave to be traded around to serve or to make people happy."

She looked at King Robert, she walked and kneel in front of him, "Your grace, I am begging you...please right what was wronged. I promised her mother...on her death bed...I promised her that I will love and take care of the little girl as she was my own, please Your Grace. I am begging you."

=/n

Sandor Clegane saw his wife's face one last time before he left her; he stood above their bed, just watching her... he saw his chamber for one last time with his wife in it. It looked very different then when he first arrived in King's Landing – all dark and grim, with a stench of sour wine.

Their life was about to change dramatically. He lay awake all night wishing that he wasn't borne a Clegane, wishing that he could keep his wife and child. But wishing was not going to make any fucking difference! He made his choice - his wife and child have to live.

The King would arrive soon and their fate was in his hands. All he ever wanted now was their safety. With his Dog's helmet in his hand, he closed the door and walked toward the castle in his full Kingsguard armour for his Baratheon King.

The second they were married and he placed a cloak on his woman, she was his. His to love – his to cherish and his to protect and he will not fail her...just like everyone else who failed her. He might be a fucking Dog but he loved her more than his life.

Leana woke up alone in bed, she was awoken by the activities around the quarter. She felt happy but sad at the same time. She placed her palm on her belly and said, "It's almost time to go home,"

She quickly dressed herself, she donned a new dress because her old dress didn't fit her comfortably anymore now that she started showing. Her uncle sent her gowns one more beautiful than before befitting for her growing stomach. Still the same Clegane color, she smiled and wore it proudly. She walked to her Uncle Tyrion's quarter, she wanted to be with him.

She was in her uncle's chamber with Bronn and Shae when her uncle was summoned by the King. She kissed her uncle before he left her, he gave her a knowing look and she saw his eyes glistened.

"My little wolf is all grown up, leaving me – as it should be." And the imp walked away with Bronn behind him. I did not disappoint you, beloved sister, I loved your daughter as she was mine. Tyrion remembered his sister smiles, her kisses on his stunted head, she was the only one who ever loved him - the Lannisters' dwarf.

The old crow who worked at the kitchen said that she was the one who took care of him along with a wet nurse when he was a babe even though she was still a child herself when he was born.

He saw his sisters green eyes on the little twit Leana when she was nine and he caught her stealing food in the kitchen, the little thing had forgotten her mask. That was when he felt his sister begging him to take care of her only daughter and he did. I did not fail you sister...

He remembered the little nine year old twit asking about her beloved mother, what was she like? Is she pretty? Can she shoot an arrow? Would she like White her dire wolf? The little girl could talk!

He told her that her mother was an angel who had the same green eyes like her; they both ended up healing each other's loneliness. He wondered what would become of him without Leana.

He was in the Queen's keep, he cringed in horror when he found out that his sweet Leana was to be married to the melted face Clegane. He was so worried for her safety and well being.

He felt a hell lot better after the wedding and found his niece intact without new bruise or cut from her new husband. Obviously he bedded her. He knew so from Leana's blush when he asked how she was the morning after. He thought blushing was a good sign from the new bride rather than tears of pain from being beaten up.

Slowly but surely, his niece gained weight, she smiled more often, started talking like a damn chatterbox again. Even Bronn reported to him that the fucking Hound no longer patronage the brothels.

No one dared touch her now that she belonged to the scarred monster...who worshipped the ground she walked on. The scarred man even paid Bronn to protect Leana when he was away. Bronn would have done it for free, but extra coins wouldn't hurt the man.

He often wondered whether his dead sister played a part with the fucking match, Cercei planned was to wed Leana to Gregor – until her beloved shit of son thought the scarred Sandor Clegane was a better match for the glass faced Stark. Fate and Gods played an important role on that fateful day.

I did it sister. Your daughter grew up beautifully. I did my very best...She is leaving me now, just as you left me...to be with the Starks. I did not fail you, sister. You would have been proud of this Lannister Dwarf.

"What is it?" The imp was awaken from his day dream by his sellsword.

"She is leaving," He looked at Bronn.

"As planned...As you wanted it." Bronn replied as crudely as he could muster, reminding him.

Tyrion continued his walk to the Iron Hall...Robert is going to be fucking furious...

TBC

Things are about to go down hill for the next few chapters.

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