CHAPTER 21 – SANDOR'S GIFT
The bustle in the courtyard intensified when Sansa arrived. Sandor motioned to his squire to bring Stranger forward, next to Sugar, who Lord Robert had given to Sansa as a gift.
Sansa kissed her cousin goodbye for the last time and joined Sandor. "I suppose we have to leave now," she said with a short, nervous laugh.
"Not yet." He retrieved her gift from his saddlebag.
They stood between the horses; Sandor's back providing coverage from the main party at their rear. Into Sansa's hands he placed a short, narrow tree branch, the base of which was wrapped in wet cloth, covered in leather.
"Thank you," she said, although her confusion was obvious.
"Jamison calls it a 'cutting.' It's from a lemon tree. It'll grow in the glass gardens at Winterfell so you can have lemon cakes."
Sansa looked at the cutting with skepticism. "But, that will take years . . ."
Sandor raised her chin with his fingertips. He looked into her eyes a moment and said, "Aye."
A smile broke out across Sansa's face as she cradled the cutting close to her, and contentment spread through Sandor Clegane with the all warmth of wine.
THE END