Origin - The Hounds of House Clegane

by Kicollette

The rise and fall of House Clegane. The Lannisters' most loyal knightly House was not so loyal and not so knightly. Sandor and Gregor never knew the true family history. Had he known, maybe the Hound would have understood where his truth and his brother's violence came from. (this is a longer version of my short story Violence, Grace, and Truth)

21. The End

The End

Pup drew short, painful breaths. His horse struggled to its feet, battered by the fall. Pup would not be so lucky, his back was broken, he was sure.

He tried to lift his head off the ground, but couldn't. The autumn sun was blinding him, until a shadow blotted out the sun.

Pup looked up at Gregor. Twenty-one years old. What had Baelor been doing at twenty-one? Happily tending hounds at Casterly Rock, newly married to the love of his life, Audra. Pup at twenty-one had just killed his first man, fighting against the Tarbecks in the early days of the War Between the Lions. Gregor at twenty-one had already killed more men that Pup had met at that age...and killed children. This was what a family on the rise looked like with every passing generation. By The Seven, he wished none of them had ever left the kennels.

And now, Gregor was going to kill him. Just like he killed everyone who stood in his way, or bothered him, or even bored him. Pup had tried to break the marriage contract. He couldn't bear to see that Sarsfield girl hurt. She reminded him too much of what Grace would be like if she had lived. But Jeyne Sarsfield had a dowry that Gregor wanted, and he might as well get control of it and all the Clegane gold while he was at it. Pup had made a bit of coin over the years, always working to improve the land and get more of it.

Pup was not sure what Sandor would be doing at twenty-one, but did not imagine it would be good. Pup had trouble remembering his youngest son's face. It wasn't that he couldn't bear to look at the scars, it was that he couldn't bear to look at the eyes and know how badly he had failed his youngest child.

He hoped he would never see Sandor again, because that meant that the boy would be joining him in Hell some day.

He wondered if he would see his father, Baelor, there. Baelor had kept him from killing Gregor ten years ago, when they found Grace's broken body.

'An accident.' Baelor swore, 'A child that does not know his own strength. He is your son, your first-born son. He is my blood, my world. Kill me instead if you must.'.

Pup had listened to his father, not to Piety, and his world fell apart bit by painful bit each day thereafter. But no, Baelor could not be waiting for him - Aelinor would have found her son even in Hell and figured a way to get him out. Pup was glad that he would never see Grace or Piety.

"I hope to see you soon." Pup told Gregor before the spear pierced his skull.