I can't believe I screwed up my own upload schedule. I'm so sorry. Hopefully this chapter makes up for me being a day late!
Please leave a comment, it genuinely means a lot and I try to reply to any I get!
I have more to say but I'll put it at the end of the chapter to avoid spoilers
"You need to sit!" Sandor practically shouted at her.
Saebyl stomped her foot, "I'm fine!"
"Tell her to rest!" He bellowed at Faelin who was passing by.
Saebyl, in fear of her due date, never sat down long enough to think about how big she had grown and how any day her child could be here. Everyone tried to make her sit and rest but she always seemed to find something to keep her moving. It was all going too well, nothing in her life had been this simple, not even when she was a child.
"Saebyl, you need to rest, your body needs it." Faeling said, gently taking the basket of food from her arms.
"I'm fine! Why does not one seem to understand this?" She practically shrieked, others started to stare at her outburst.
"Can't you just listen to what the fucking woman says?" Sandor snapped back.
Sae shot a glare at him, "I don't expect you to understand a thing that's happening to me right now."
"Moonbeam-" He growled, towering over her.
"Woah, hey! What's going on here?" Septon Ray marched through the crowd, finding the source of interest.
"Nothing's wrong." She snapped, feeling like her face was on fire in the frustration and embarrassment of this whole scene.
"Obviously something's wrong, is it the child?" Ray asked, eyes quickly flicking to her midsection, concern written all over his face.
"The only child with an issue here is her." Sandor cut in.
Sae opened her mouth to retort but Faelin stepped in before most nasty insults could be thrown, "She's just anxious. She's not resting when she should, it's normal so close to the end." She offered sagely.
An expression of understanding washed over the septon, "Ah, I see. Well then," He hooked his arm around Saebyl's, "It seems like you need to rest, maybe I could keep you some company while you do so?"
She glanced around at everyone smiling and nodding and she caved, allowing Ray to escort her away from the small crowd that was forming to a pleasant little bench under a tree.
"I didn't mean to make a scene." She apologized as he helped her to her seat.
"That's alright, we're just concerned for your wellbeing." He replied, taking a seat next to her.
"I'm really alright." She said, even though that short walk had her out of breath. "Despite what it may seem."
"Must be a little scary, being out here, not really knowing anyone, friends and family miles away." The man sympathized.
Sae smiled sadly at him, "I'm scared because this is the happiest I've been in a long while and happiness has never lasted long for me." She sighed, "No one is trying to kill me here, or expecting anything other than a 'good morning' everyday. It's hard to believe…"
"My dear, I have no intentions of having this all to go away-"
"I know, but every time I find a place I think I'm happy with it blows up. I was happy as a young girl, playing with my friends freely but I had to be taught on how to be a proper lady, to grow up and be more clever than all of them because of my name. Then I thought I could be happy in the arms of a mercenary I had met when I snuck away from my mother's watchful eye. He told me he loved me but then he left and never came back. I thought I'd be happy with my Lannister baby, secure with the gold and Casterly Rock behind him but Cersei took him from me." She twisted Tyce's pendant around in her hands, "Then I thought I had it in the company of Sansa Stark, she treated me well and kept Cersei's eyes off me. I even made a friend in a lover I had-" She let out a watery laugh, "but I ran my mouth and the Blackwater was on fire and, like that, it was gone again. That only led to an adventure of disappointments. It's all starting to feel familiar here."
"Aye that is a harrowing tale but you are safe here, probably the safest person I know. You've got that big beast watching over you at all times." He reassured her, taking her hand in both of his and giving it a squeeze. "And Faelin is an excellent midwife, I have no doubt she'll bring your child safely into this world."
"Then what? I live happily ever after with that brute?" She gave a cheeky smirk.
"Well, I could talk him into marrying you so you can call him husband." That made Saebyl let out a loud laugh.
"You're very funny, you know." She giggled, giving him a nudge with her elbow.
The man shrugged, "People seem to respond better to humour than lecture." He glanced at her, "I don't know what the future holds, Saebyl. I'm not some oracle, just a man who found his path. I can't- nay- I won't tell you it's going to be an easy road. Winter is in the air and that's difficult for the lowest of peasants to the King's and Queen's that seem to be all over this land. But you- you're a survivor, he's-" He pointed to Sandor across the way, "is definitely a survivor. As long as you don't lose faith, you two will survive."
"Faith in what?" She asked, looking at the septon with tired but hopeful eyes.
He smiled with a little shrug, "Just faith,- in yourself, in him, in each other, in your will for survival."
"A septon that doesn't encourage prayer, odd." She smirked.
"If it keeps you on the side of the living, don't stop what you're doing." He laughed boisterously. "Your life is just beginning. Enjoy what you have right now, don't worry too much about the future." He patted her hand in a fatherly way. "This is all my philosophical way to tell you to rest."
"Fine, but I don't have to like it." She mock pouted, making him laugh.
"You'll have plenty of time to be busy once this child comes." He said, getting up from his seat, "I'll let him know that you've finally given up your protest and are resting. Is there anything I can fetch you?"
"Some sewing maybe? Something that doesn't require effort but will keep me busy."
He gave a nod and was off, leaving Saebyl alone with her thoughts and active child within her. Her time was getting closer and with that her nervousness grew, as would any mother. She just hoped and prayed that their life would hold up a bit longer for her to be able to have her child safely. She didn't fool herself into thinking they would be here with Ray forever, that never seemed to be the case for her but perhaps they could stay until their child was a little older, stronger, able to travel. Maybe they could go to Winterfell before winter comes fully, Sansa had always made it seem so quaint compared to the hustle of King's Landing. Of course, she had no idea who was ruling since nearly all the Starks were either dead, being held hostage or missing.
Her troubling thoughts were shadowed by Sandor looming over her, "Finally listening?" He grumbled.
Sae rolled her eyes, "Yes, I'm resting. Are you happy?" She shot back.
He grunted in approval, "Was told to bring you this." He presented her with a cup full of steaming liquid.
She leaned in and peered into the cup, wrinkling her nose at it, "What is it?"
"Dunno, Faelin told me to give it to you." He replied. When she took it from his hands he wait a few moments more.
"You don't need to watch over me at every second. I'll be alright." She said, testing the liquid and finding it to be quite pleasant.
"Moonbeam-"
"What?" She groused.
"Don't like you sitting alone. Something could happen. Doesn't have to be me, just stay close to someone." He explained, still looming over her and not trying to ease his tone in anyway. She glared at him, still feeling defiant despite septon Ray's efforts, "Please." He added to the end.
Sae blew a stray curl from her vision, "Fine. I'll stay close to someone. Nothing happens to me without someone knowing about it." She conceded. "Don't you have work to do?"
"It can wait." He replied, still not moving from his spot.
She sighed, "It's lovely that you care and all but you do not need to be my shadow. Ray is coming back soon." His glowering stare told her he was not budging until someone else came to relieve him of duty. "You gonna stand there until you take root or are you going to sit?"
"I'm fine here." His gaze obviously flicked down to her ample bosom that could not be contained even in this more modest dress.
She gasped and covered up, "You beast!" She scolded, a smile on her lips.
"You're not disrupting her rest are you?" Ray's voice called from behind Sandor.
"He's just being a lecherous mutt, but now he can go." Sae said, laughter still in her voice, and waved Sandor off. With one more blatant look down her neckline he stalked off. Saebyl grinned, despite herself, liking that at least someone was finding her desirable in her engorged state.
Just when she thought she couldn't get any larger, she did and kept on going. She was done being pregnant, the weight she carried was exhausting. Most days she was last to wake up and first to retire, but it was next to impossible to sleep. She was up almost every hour trying to get comfortable, she knew it drove Sandor insane but he had the decency never to voice his annoyances. Though guilt rested deep in her stomach whenever she wished for it to be over. She had thought that she wanted to enjoy the feeling of safely carrying a child to term because of the loss of her first son. She wanted to remember every feeling, every kick, even every food that turned her stomach; she wanted to remember it because she had so few memories of Tyce.
She didn't even remember giving birth to him, she knew must have but her mind had blocked all memory of it, protecting her from the horror. She never even got to hold her son, he was swept away to be buried gods knows where and she was off to King's Landing before she could even ask. Sae knew she had been too young the first time, too immature and especially to care for a child with such a wealthy and dangerous name. He would have never been safe if Cersei's first attempts hadn't have worked.
A pain wracked through her body, making her jump up straight in bed. Sandor was up with her, fear like their tent was on fire in his eyes. She breathed deeply and the pain subsided quickly.
"The babe?" He asked, hand going protectively over her midsection.
"Faelin said that there may be pains near the end, my body is practicing for when the time comes." She explained, but failed to mention how she had been feeling these pains, though not so intensely for the last few days. Her heart swelled at his concern but she attributed his overt caring to his sudden wake.
"I'll go get her." He moved to pull his trousers and boots back on.
She caught his arm and pulled him back, "It's fine. Nothing is happening, no need to worry." Even in the dark she could feel his unconvinced glare. "I'll talk to her in the morning." She conceded.
"First thing-" He added.
"First thing." She agreed, helping him settle back into the pillows and nuzzling into his warm chest, letting sleep take her again.
Though morning came fast than anticipated and with another violent jolt. Though this time she was not rocked as hard and could wince in silence and not alert the man beside her. She dressed quietly, trying to sneak out before he would wake and interrogate her about her pain.
"You're going to see her?" His grovely voiced asked in not so much a question but an order.
She rolled her eyes, "Yes, I couldn't sleep, my back was too sore." She lied, quickly leaving the tent. She made it to the table where breakfast was being prepared when another wave of pain hit her. She breathed deeply, trying to ignore it as best she could.
Before she knew it Faelin was at her side, "Are you alright? Is it time?" She asked, concern on her face, checking the young woman over.
"I'm fine, they haven't been coming in a pattern yet, like you said." She explained, allowing Faelin to help her to a seat on a bench.
"It seems like you'll be meeting your child soon though." She put a hand on her stomach, smiling earnestly.
Sae shook her head, "It's still too early. I have time."
Faelin smirked, "Not much. I will prepare your tent just in case. Don't do too much, unless you want this baby to come quicker then I am ready for it." She gave her hand a little squeeze and got up to go to Saebyl and Sandor's tent to prepare it for labour. Sandor had been just behind her and nearly walked into the brisk woman's trajectory, "Ah, ser- you're going to have to find new accomodations for tonight." She informed.
Sandor glared to her then to Saebyl, "What the fuck that's supposed to mean?"
"It means that your child could be coming tonight and we'll need that bed." Faelin explained. "I'm going to prepare it now, so you best be asking someone if they can lend you a cot." Sandor opened his mouth to argue with her but she gently pushed passed him and continued on her way. His glare settled on Saebyl who was overtly avoiding his eye contact.
"Moonbeam-" He growled, but she acted as though she could hear him, "Moonbeam!" He said more forcefully.
"What?!" She snapped back.
"Why is that woman kicking me out of my bed?" He asked rhetorically.
Sae's eyes narrowed, "You know why! She just said!"
"And I thought you said you 'were fine', who am I supposed to believe." He snarled. She shrugged her shoulders, like she was an obstinate teen. "Moonbeam!"
"I don't know! I've never done this before!" She yelled, definitely waking anyone who hadn't got up at the crack of dawn. The fear was starting to settle in the pit of her stomach, she wasn't ready. Her lip trembled as she tried to bite back the tears, she hated looking weak in front of anyone but especially him.
"Fucking hells, woman!" He marched over to her and took and aggressive seat beside her. "How the fuck am I supposed to watch over you if I don't know what's going on?" He said, voice much lower as though he were confessing a secret.
"I don't know what's going on, this is all new to me." She hesitated on her words, "And I'm so scared, Sandor." Her right hand pulled and twisted nervously at her pendant.
He sighed, and with more gentleness then she'd even seen him offer, delicately took her hand from her necklace and firmly gripped it in his, "I know, Moonbeam."
The tears that she had been damming up overflowed, "I don't want to die." She whispered, looking him in the eyes.
"You're not going to die." He squeezed her hand a little tighter. "If you wouldn't let me, I'm not letting you."
She let out a choked laughed, "Okay," She sniffled. Another wave of pain washed over her, making her squeeze his hand tightly but she remembered what Faelin had told her, how to breathe properly. "I can do this."
"You the most stubborn fucking person I know-" Sandor said, holding her hand steady.
"That's saying something." She said through the contraction.
"Aye, it is." He released his grip on her hand when the wave of pain passed and she relaxed, "Better?"
"It's only the beginning." She said with a little laugh. "I think it may be a long day." She sat closer to him, resting her head on his arm, terrified of what the day would bring her.
On Faelin's advice, Saebyl went about her day as usual. She sat with the women and tried to get some work done but the contractions would come steadily and keep her from the work as well as all the others who were concerned for her. The mothers of the group all offered their advice and recounted tales of their births but Saebyl didn't want to hear it. She was so focused on getting through this so both she and her baby happy and healthy.
Sandor was never far off though, his usual wood chopping or heavy lifting duties seemed to have been shirked for today as he hovered on the outskirts always within view of Saebyl. He was first to her side when she cried out as she went to go get her dinner. The pain nearly dropped her but he was quick to catch her arms.
"I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm-" She tried brushing off until she felt a rush of liquid running down her legs, a sign of quickening labour. "Get Faelin." She said, quickly changing her tune. Sandor was quick to hand her off to septon Ray.
"I know your man would scoff and swear at me but we've all been praying for you and our child's health. We'll continue to do so- and if you need anything else, of course." Ray said, helping her to a chair while they waited for Sandor to return with Faelin.
She chuckled, "I can only imagine what he'd say about your prayers," she put a hand on his arm, "I appreciate them. Even if it just means you're thinking of me. I would ask that you look after him, if something were to happen to either me or the child. No one wants to talk about if I were to die, I just need my wishes to be known, please."
"Of course, my dear." He took her hand in his, "We'll watch over him and the child. I know it won't be easy but I won't let him slip away. We'll keep him going."
"Thank you. I can't even mention it to him. He gets so angry with me." She gave a small laugh, "I just need to know he'll be okay. Despite my best efforts, that brute has grown on me."
"It would be hard not to care about someone who's that devoted to you." He smiled back. Another contraction hit before Sandor could return with Faelin and Ray held her hand and gave a quick prayer to the Mother, to watch over Saebyl as she prepared to give birth.
"Come, my dear. I have everything ready." Faelin offered her hand to Saebyl once the prayer was done. She hoisted herself up with great difficulty and hooked arms with the midwife. Sandor made to follow after them but was stopped by Ray.
"Where do you think you're going?" the septon asked.
"Where the fuck do you think I'm going?" He shot back, fist clenched.
Ray shook his head, "That's women's work in there, my friend. We can't help but I've got something that might. If you'll follow me for a moment." He started walking towards his tent but stopped when he saw the Hound routed to the spot, unsure of which direction he should go in. "It'll just be a moment, then I promise we'll sit outside the tent on guard duty until your child comes into this world."
"Fine." He groused and stalked behind the shorter man. He disappeared into his tent for a moment and returned with two bottles. "I thought with could celebrate."
"Wine?" He asked, snatching one from his hands.
"Who knows how good it is? I just got it from-" Ray tried explaining but the cork was off and already being emptied as he spoke. "Any good?" He asked when Sandor came up for a breath of air.
"It'll do." He replied, turning his back and marching to his tent.
"Do you really want to be so close? It's not quiet work, childbearing." He tried to get him off his track but with no avail.
"I'll hear her regardless where we sit. If something's wrong at least I'll be close." He replied, not looking back.
"Ah, I see. I'll be back then." Septon Ray turned quickly on his heel and left Sandor to find a large log that he could use as a stool. He could hear the two women talking softly though it was too faint to make it out. A musical giggle from Saebyl settled his heart rate somewhat but he sat poised, ready to help at a moments notice. He barely noticed Ray drop a large wooden crate beside him. "We're going to be here a while, thought you could use distraction." On top of the crate he threw down a leather pouch.
"I don't need distracting." He replied, glancing at the display being made beside him.
"Sure you do! Finish that bottle and play dice with me." The septon said, withdrawing the cup and collection of dice inside the satchel. "One round, then I promise we can stare at that tent all night."
Sandor polished off the rest of the wine in his bottle, "Fine. One round."
Saebyl adjusted herself to be more comfortable on the bed. Faelin had procured a plethora of pillows, sheets and blankets, all in preparation for the birth. She had everything she needed neatly arranged and ready to go, including the finished bassinet that she had seen one of the young man working on for a few weeks now.
"How long will it be?" Saebyl asked, already feeling like she was cooped up in the tent.
Faelin gave her a warm motherly smile, "Hard to say, dear. Sometimes it is quick, other times it's- not so quick." She said tactfully. "It's often longer with the first."
"This isn't my first though." Sae responded quickly.
"Oh yes, I'm sorry." the older woman bowed her head in respect.
"It's alright, I don't talk about it much. That was a painful time in my life." She explained, twisting her locket in her hand, "My life would be so different-"
Faelin sat on the bed and took her free hand in hers, "We cannot dwell on the past, only learn from it."
Sae gave a little smile and was about to respond when another wave of pain crashed over her. She breathed deeply with Faelin's coaching and it seemed to help, the woman sat beside her holding her hand tightly like her mother would have and in her low soothing voice, talked her through it. Sae crashed back onto the pillows tired from the increased frequency that the contractions came.
"If you're tired, rest, you still have sometime. If you're uncomfortable laying down, get up, move around, it may help." The midwife instructed, getting up and double checking her supplies.
"Will it?" She asked earnestly, propping herself up on her elbows.
Faelin gave her a smile, "Of course, laying in bed is not the best way to have a child. It makes hard work harder."
"But the Maester-"
"The Maester never gave birth to any child, I've done it personally four times and helped countless other women. Who are you going to trust?" She smirked.
Sae chuckled, "I guess the answer would be you then."
"Smart girl." Faelin went back to organizing her tools while Sae pushed herself off the bed. She knelt beside it, resting her arms upon it and allowed her belly to hang, stretching her back. She sighed contently as she had already found laying on her back painful. She rocked her hips and changed position, enjoying the freedom she had been given. Even when the pain hit again, she was better prepared, knowing how to breathe and being in a more comfortable position. Faelin only asked her back onto the bed when she checked on the progress.
"I don't remember the first time." Sae finally confessed. Faelin looked up from her work, patching a pair of trousers while they waited, "I must have done it. I remember being in pain but I don't-" She sighed, frustrated, "I don't know how to explain it. It wasn't like this anyways."
"Sometimes we block the painful things." She replied softly. "To protect ourselves."
"I wish I hadn't." Sae said bluntly, she lay her bed on the mattress where she knelt. "I wish I could have seen him. I would have liked to see how different he would have been from this one." Another wave of pain took her, coming much more frequently and painfully.
"Lay down dear, let me see if we're ready." Faelin said, softly guiding Saebyl back into bed once the contraction had passed.
"Gods I hope so," she panted, exhausted from the hours of enduring pain.
"Looks like it to me. When the next one hits, I want you to push, okay?"
A harsh scream shook Sandor from his dozing to his feet, nearly knocking over the makeshift table between him and septon Ray. He was halfway to the tent before he was stopped.
"Get out of my way." He growled.
"No, I've told you, that's women's work in there." Ray said, throwing his shoulder into Sandor's midsection to try and push him back.
"I said get the fuck out of my way." He bellowed louder than Saebyl's anguished cries but Ray only pushed back harder.
"I'll let you go if you can tell me exactly how you're going to help in there!" Ray said, trying to reason with him.
"Fuck off." He spat back.
"Tell me!" Ray took a step back between Sandor and the tent. When he couldn't answer Ray relaxed, "If they need something, they will tell us."
"She's in good hands?" Sandor questioned.
"The best. Faelin has helped more women then I could count and has four children of her own. Your little spitfire will come through this without problem." The septon chuckled and gently tried guiding the larger man back to their seats.
"She better. Anything happens to her-"
"I have no doubt that you'll strangle everyone of us in our beds." Ray smirked.
"Damn straight." The Hound couldn't help but give a glimmer of a smirk back.
Though Ray got him back to his seat, and managed to 'find' another bottle of wine for him, it did nothing to satiate his nerves. Saebyl had gotten him this far, he wasn't sure what he'd do if he didn't have her. He always had something to protect, whether that had been his younger sister when he was a child, or Joffrey, Sansa from Joffrey, Arya- Saebyl had been the biggest nuisance of the lot of them.
As terrible and awful as Joffrey was, he didn't care about the prick, it was just a job. His time away was his own. Saebyl, however, occupied every moment of every day. Even when they weren't right next to one another, she was lingering in his thoughts. His actions were now dictated on how she'd react to them, either positively or negatively. As often as he'd like to toss her off the nearest cliff, he also wanted to pull her into his arms and breathe in her scent. Especially now, with her heavy with his child, she was nearly irresistible to him. The worst part was that she knew it.
Love was an unfamiliar concept to him. His mother had loved him, but she had died when he was very young he could hardly remember her. His sister had loved him, but she didn't make it much longer than his mother. His father had always defended his monster of a brother, put too much stock in his first born son who was supposed to be a noble night. That idiotic thinking got him killed just like anyone else who spent any time around the infamous Mountain. Sandor was one of the few to actually survive one of Gregor's attacks.
He hated thinking about his brother, that night and the ruins of his meager house. It filled his pit with dread, what if Saebyl gave birth to another Gregor? A terrifying monster with no empathy or love. Not that he was much better but he had been molded by his surroundings, built a thick skin and a strong frame to be able to deal with any assault that came his way. He shouldn't have a child, he shouldn't be anywhere near children. With every cry from the tent it spurred him to leave, to run for the hills and let Saebyl raise the child right, without a grotesque father looming over them.
He wanted to protect Saebyl and now he wanted to protect his child. The growing anxiety in his chest was lying to him and telling him that the best way to do so was to leave. Let Ray and Faelin help Saebyl raise a kind gentle child without the dark mark of Clegane marring their life. The child would be better off sharing its mother's name and not his.
A particularly harrowing cry got him to his feet again, it was the one that was going to make him leave. He had taken a full step when another made him stop. A muffled infant cry, there was no mistaking it. He remembered sitting by his mother's door when she laboured with his sister, he wasn't allowed to be in the room to protect her but he sat just outside on a little wooden crate, practice sword in hand.
He felt something tug at his arm, stopping his path back to his tent, "Not yet, wait until they get us." Ray's voice sounded like it was miles away but it came through. Sandor stood stalk still, waiting for any signs of movement. It took a while, he could hear Saebyl's voice, softer than ever but could not make out what she was saying. His knees had nearly locked into place with Faelin's head finally poked out.
She beamed at him, "I think she's ready to see you." The midwife informed him, wiping her hands on a rag and moving out of the tent.
He nodded, feet carrying him, mind racing. He didn't know what he was going to walk into but fear settled deep in the pit of his stomach. Pushing back the flap of the tent he was surprised at how warm it was in there. His eyes caught a pile of bloody rags before daring to look up at the bed but a gentle little coo snapped his eyes up to Saebyl's.
"You going to come over here and say hi?" She asked softly. He just stared at her, even in this dim lighting she looked like she was emitting her own light. She looked exhausted, eyes dropped barely staying open, hair more wild and curled then he'd ever seen it but a serene smile played on her lips. It wasn't until she cocked her head to the side and raised her eyebrows that he realized that it was still real life. With a few strides he was at her side, hovering over her and what he saw he could believe even less.
"Two?" He finally managed to gasp out.
She laughed lightly, "Twins- boys, the both of them." She explained, gently maneuvering so that both of their tiny faces were visible.
"Seven fucking hells." He whispered under his breath. "They're-?"
"Healthy, came through easily… or at least I'm told it was easy. Didn't feel that way." She looked up at him with tired eyes but he was firmly fixed on them. "Sit. You can hold them."
"No-" He replied stiffly, that fear and panic gripping him again. They were so small and untainted. He didn't want to damage them.
"Don't be stupid, sit." Sae said more forcefully and it were nearly as good as her taking a hand and pulling him to the bed, he sat immediately beside her. With the greatest of care she awkwardly maneuvered one babe into his reluctant arms. "See? Not so bad."
He was so light, he could barely feel him in his arms. His weight rested entirely in his heart, pressing down on the black shrivelled lump that he thought was incapable of the feelings he was having. Sandor didn't dare move for threat of displeasing the tiny thing in his arms that controlled him more than the woman beside him did.
"That one looks more like you." Saebyl said, resting her head on his arm. Glancing at his other son in her arms he could see she was right. The one he held boasted a rich crop of dark black hair that plastered to his head and wore a scowl that was undeniably Clegane. The other looked like he had no hair at all but upon a second glance actually proved himself to have more hair than his brother, only it was nearly translucent and stuck straight on end.
"You alright, Moonbeam?" He finally asked as he felt her weight grow heavier on him.
"Apparently I'm a natural." She chuckled but catching a yawn, "I'm just very tired."
"What are we going to call them?" Truthfully, Sandor hadn't even thought about names. He had been walking in a daydream since Saebyl had told him and didn't consider it.
She sighed contentedly, "I was thinking-" She changed the position of the son in her arms so his head was close to his twin's, "I remember reading about two brothers, Targaryens- Valor and Volos. I thought that would be nice."
Sandor looked between the two tiny cherubic faces, "Valor-" He jostled the one in his arms, "Volos." He nodded to the other in hers.
"I guess they wouldn't be Waters- not actually sure where we are-" She pondered but got caught by a yawn half way through her thought.
"Clegane." Sandor said curtly. "They'll be Clegane."
The comment jolted her back awake, "Really? But we're- that's not really the way?"
"Don't fucking care what the proper way is. They'll be Cleganes and maybe bring a bit of dignity back to the name." The words came out before he could stop them. He had always thought the name would die with him, had planned on the name dying with him. Not much good had come from the name, but holding this tiny little person in his arms, he finally felt like maybe something could. He'd be damned if he let them become his brother or work for selfish pricks like the Lannisters. Out here, maybe they'd have a chance and if he knew Saebyl at all, he knew she was far too stubborn to let her sons become anything but model citizens.
"Valor and Volos Clegane…" She smiled and leaned back onto his arm, "That's got a good ring to it. Could be names that go down in history."
"I hope fucking not." He retorted.
She laughed softly, eyes drooping and surrendering to sleep, "Right, because we're staying here, not going anywhere."
"Damn right." He said, but she was already fast asleep. Sandor relaxed a little more, letting her sleep at a more comfortable angle, all the while carefully watching the three of them sleep. Because Sandor Clegane always had something to protect and nothing would come in the way of him and his family now.
I can't believe I practically ended my last story with the birth of the twins. They're going to be in it a lot longer and this story has already surpassed the length of the old one (The old one was like 112 pages in the word doc but this one it already up to 130 and I'm just starting season seven). I'd really like to know I should end this story, I have two ideas floating in my head. Should I write it in cannon with the season 8? Or should I twist it so (SPOILER ALERT) certain people (AKA one certain dog) doesn't die in the end?
Or should I write both? They're drastically different endings, maybe it'll be a choose your own adventure :P
Please let me know in the comments!