I'm so glad you haven't all abandoned me and are still loving the story. If you're not…I choose not to focus on you. I'm incredibly grateful my faithful readers have stuck by me through the pitfalls life has thrown over the past couple of months. At the risk of jinxing myself, its gotta be done now *knock on wood everyone!
We are in fact getting close to the end! Not this chapter but in a few, then it will be on to a new story! This one goes out to Christina! Who loves the story enough to kick my butt into updating : )
The Hound in Sandor wanted to rip the man's head off as he ordered him seized, even more so for daring to lay a hand on his wife, even if it was to hold her back. It brought a little warmth to his chest that his little wolf fought so hard to get to him. At the very least, he had gotten her back to her family. As long as she was safe, he awaited whatever fate had in store for him. This thought filled his head as he was led away…
Sansa's fury made her shake as she was led into the keep of Riverrun towards her brother. She hadn't known what to expect upon their arrival, but she hardly felt complete without Sandor at her side. Indeed, she hadn't been alone with so many people in a long time. She summoned her courage (and ignored that fucking sharp pain in her back) as he knocked on the door of the hall.
Unexpectedly, her breath caught in her chest. She had given up hope of ever seeing her family again after her father died. And now her brother was right on the other side of this door; now she needed that courage to control her breathing.
As she entered, no one spoke. No one moved. Everyone just stared at her. She looked towards the front of the table as Robb slowly rose, covered in great furs and a crown that seemed too large for him, Sansa thought. He also had grown facial hair since she'd left. But he seemed comfortable in the seat of the King—much had changed since her departure.
The open gaping at her figure confirmed just how true that was. Instead of covering herself as she would have once, Sansa stood as straight as her back would allow, facing the King of the North.
"…Sansa?" she smiled at the familiar tone she remembered. Perhaps her brother wasn't so very changed after all.
"Robb," she replied rushing to him and embracing him as best she could. It took him a few moments to hug her back, as his apparent shock prevented it. But eventually he bent down to bury his face in her hair and brought his strong arms around her, stronger than she remembered. When he pulled back, he had a look of bewilderment on his face.
"How…how is this possible? We thought you and Arya dead in King's Landing."
"I am delivered," she replied simply, "by the man you have just imprisoned."
Robb looked confused before Hornwood piped up.
"Sandor Clegane, your grace. He brought her before us and demanded to see your grace."
"He did nothing of the sort!" Sansa shouted at him, as everyone turned at her outburst. Clearly, she was not the Sansa they remembered either. "You demanded things that were not your right to know and then had him seized!"
"That's really not the point Sansa." Robb said in a stern tone. "How did you come to be in Clegane's keeping at all? He is sworn to the Lannisters"
"But he isn't Robb, he's sworn to me." The men at the table looked at her in shock and disbelief, muttering to each other under their breaths. That statement could mean any number of things, and it became clear she would need to speak to Robb alone if she hoped to persuade him. Thankfully, he seemed to be thinking along the same line.
"Clear the hall."
"My lord, what…"
"I said clear the hall!" he boomed at them. Each man bowed a little awkwardly and left. "Hornwood!" Robb called at their retreating backs. "Fetch my mother."
Tears filled Sansa's eyes then, "mother is here too?"
"Yes," Robb replied running a tired hand over the back of his neck. "But I would explain before she gets here what you meant by that."
Sansa took a seat. She had never been a great liar when she was a girl, she could only hope that she had learned from Cersei, and that her story had enough truth to carry them through. The trouble was, she had no idea how to begin, so she just blurted out,
"He's my lord husband, Robb."
Robb spat out the wine he'd just taken a sip of and stared at her.
"What did you just say?"
"He's my husband." She said a little bit louder. Robb just gaped at her. Well this is going well.
"For how long?" Was all he managed to whisper.
She had to scoff a little at that at she gestured to her belly, "about 8 months or so."
"Did…did he force you, Sansa?"
"No!" she exclaimed, "he…he saved me." Robb didn't say anything, just let her continue.
"Its too much to explain before Mother gets here, but he protected me from Joffrey and got me away from the Battle of Blackwater Bay. He brought me back, Robb. I…I love him. And if you ever had any love for me…I need you on my side."
Sansa didn't get an answer before the door burst open and her mother came running in. She pleaded with her eyes for Robb to support her, but she couldn't read his face. She knew if she had any hope of her mother accepting this, she needed to present a united front with her brother.
"Sansa! I couldn't believe it until I saw you," she cried embracing her in a tight hug. "Is it true?" she asked when she pulled away and looked at Sansa's stomach. "That animal is under guard for doing this to you?"
"Mother, no! Sandor has done nothing against my will."
"Sandor, is it?" she replied incredulously. "Sansa, you can't honestly expect me to believe you let that monster put a bastard in your belly." Sansa wrenched away from her mother's hold and glared at her.
"You will not refer to either of them as such, mother," she said putting a protective hand over her belly. "Sandor is no monster, and my child is not a bastard."
Her mother looked as though she'd been slapped by Sansa's cold tone. Both women looked over to Robb, who was warily eying the two of them. Sansa still didn't know what Robb would do, and she worried for Sandor's safety among her brother's men.
"Sansa and Lord Clegane have wed, mother."
Catelyn looked even more shocked, and when she spoke it was barely over a whisper.
"You cannot possibly allow this…"
"Look at her mother! I can hardly annul the match now. Nor would I if I could," he added with a small smile in Sansa's direction. She felt her shoulders relax, though that constant stab in her back remained, as she smiled warmly back.
"Oh Robb, be reasonable!"
"Mother, Clegane brought her back to us, at great personal risk. He obviously cares a great deal for her, as she does for him."
"This is about that girl," Catelyn said with narrowed eyes.
"I have a new perspective on love, yes." Robb replied, clearly becoming more agitated. "But she is my wife, not that girl." Robb was using the same tone their father used when the subject was not open for discussion anymore.
Wait, wife? But Sansa barely had time to think about it as a mind-splitting pain exploded from her core. She couldn't hold back the shout as she doubled over, clutching the table for support.
"Sansa, what's going on? What can we do?" Robb asked in a worried voice. She opened her mouth to answer, but another scream came out instead.
"The child is coming Robb." Her mother interrupted rushing to Sansa's side. "Fetch the maesters and midwives. A surgeon too, to help with this pain."
"Sandor…" Sansa managed to gasp out through the excruciating pain that just wouldn't end. "I need Sandor…" She cried out again as another peak hit her. She rode it out until it subsided, but it didn't abate completely.
"Sansa," her mother placated, "it is hardly proper for him to be in the room."
"Robb!" Sansa screamed as she locked eyes with him, pleading, "please…"
"I'll get him, Sansa, I promise," he said squeezing her hand. He made for the door before he heard his mother's voice again.
"Robb," he turned to look in her concerned eyes. She had turned so Sansa couldn't see her face.
"Hurry," she mouthed to him.
Can't decide if I like this chapter or not. Oh well, its over now. On to the next one!
