Chapter 53

White Knife.

They were all waiting for their Lord to begin their supper. Their dining hall was massive and could easily fit more than a hundred people; the walls were adorned with big three dogs banners. Sandor did a double take the first time he saw them, and he smiled when he saw a Stark's direwolf banner as well by the wall leading up to the towers.

Regular supper was about twelve of them...waiting for Sandor and Arya.

Meanwhile, Leana was struggling to keep Xander in his seat while they waited for Sandor, her son couldn't sit still, hands grabbing everything and anything within his reach; going up and down, up and down from the bench, she was a little bit too heavy and awkward to move along with him, her fat belly made it harder – Good thing, she had Simon to distract him and attending his whims.

Leana noticed that Jon Snow still looked annoyed; the man was still infuriated with his sister. She heard him mumbled that if she was still five he would have thrash her arse and he needed to inked a letter to his Lord Father.

Leana heard Ygritte who was telling him off and told him to back off from his sister and that she was not a little lass anymore; Ygritte reminded him that Arya was a young lady of fifteen, she could have birthed babes already! The newly married couple were arguing and only stop when they finally saw their silhouette, Arya's small stature and Sandor's massive stance entering the dining hall.

They saw Sandor hugging Arya, he hugged her by her arms as they walked, they were busy talking, followed closely by three dire wolfs.

Leana heard Gendry murmured as he shook his head, "I've never seen such beasts following men," he was standing behind her as he had Xander plopped on his feet and started pulling his boots. "What do you think you can find there, Xander?" he asked the boy.

Arya's face was a mess but she was smiling, her eyes were still swollen, her nose was red. It was obvious that she'd been crying but now talking cheerfully with Sandor, she saw her cousin beamed at Sandor. Her cousin adored the Hound, nothing has changed.

They sat at their places and Leana whispered to her husband, "I am wrong, Sandor."

He looked at her strangely and "I told you that you'd be horrible with a daughter...I am wrong, Sandor. You'd make a great father for our daughter." And she smiled at his stunned face. He opened his mouth but nothing come out, he was about to speak but was distracted by Xander who wanted his attention, by grabbing his collar to help him stood on the bench.

They heard Arya who sat next to Jon Snow said sorry to his brother, before Jon Snow told her that if she was a child he'd tanned her arse before he messed her already messy hair. Jon kissed her head but with a scowl on his face.

He had always seen Arya as his little step sister, a girl – not a young lady; he noticed how she had grown, her brown hair grown long, she had a beautiful smile; people always compared her to the beautiful proper Sansa, and Arya was always annoyed and embarrassed because she was always the ugly one.

Once she asked if he thought she had a face like a horse, she looked so forlorn and she was only ten...he told her that she didn't look like a horse, he told her that she was a beautiful strong Stark – and he was right.

Xander sat between his parents – oblivious to what was going on, oblivious that his aunt Arya and Gendry just got an earful from his beloved father. He was very busy, he was learning to eat on his own, but what a mess he made...Soot, Winter, Ghost, Nymeria and Hammer loitered around him – waiting patiently for splatters of food who they knew would come very often from the child.

Leana saw how Sandor looked at their son eating, well...actually trying to eat - still coordinating his hands around his food and spoon; her Sandor was mesmerised by him.

Once in a while Xander would let out a scream of frustration or happiness. Sandor ended up watching him eat as he tried to help him; ooh the sweet loving look Xander awarded his beloved father was priceless, when Sandor helped him and spooned his food, "papa," he called him ever so sweetly which made Sandor smile.

And when he was done struggling he'd crawled either to his father or mother, wanting to eat some more without the struggle, as he was still hungry.

Any chance Xander got, he grabbed Hammer's fur, the poor dire wolf yelped and ran away from Xander. It was strange on how he only went for Hammer, not Winter and Soot. Arya laughed and called Hammer a wuss as she saw the little boy chasing the wolf, wanting a little bit of his fur. Screaming with all his might as he chased the dire wolf around the dining hall, now that he could walk!

"Be gentle Xander," Sandor managed to grab his son, whistled for Hammer to come close and guided his small hand to caressed Hammer. "Be gentle son," he murmured to him, still guiding his small hand. Xander loved Soot and Winter but he was very partial to Hammer who was tanned, white and grey in colour. Xander would look up at Sandor and smiled while his father's large hand covered his small hand.

Hammer was in Arya's care, but because Xander spent a lot of time with Arya, the boy spent a lot of time with Hammer too. Many occasion, it was late when he finally made his way from his solar to his bed chamber, Sandor found Hammer waiting for the boys in front of their chamber. He felt sorry for Hammer, he let the young dire wolf in with the boys. Winter just sniffed at the intruder and ignored him.

Wolf Girl always said that Hammer loved Xander and she could see that Hammer would follow him.

Now that Xander could walk; Arya spent a lot time with 'her fat little pumpkin' teaching him how to take care of Hammer and spent time with her and their hounds. Since Leana was getting bigger by the day, she bathes Xander.

It was a damn funny sight when Xander managed to slip away from Arya and run toward the stables, not a care in the world – butt naked, with Arya chasing after him as she called for him.

Arya was over the moon the day Xander called her name. She kissed Xander, over and over and over again as she squealed in happiness, and she talked incessantly that Xander called her name.

Sandor noticed Hammer sniffing the boy's arm. He saw the burnt hand which was already fully healed. Half of his son's small chubby hand was now covered with twisted pink scar which was turning to light brown. He still felt guilty, everyday he looked the scar, he said sorry to him. Xander would look at him and smile.

That night he was in his solar with Jon Snow, Bronn and Gendry. They were discussing the training session with the men; Gendry was his squire but he wanted the young man to be involved too. He came in with scrolls from ravens and he was surprised when he was asked to sit with them.

Uncomfortable, he pulled a chair, dragged the chair to the furthest corner of the solar and sat there...both Jon Snow and Clegane were looking at him for the longest time before he realised that they wanted them to sit with them by the table.

That night, Bronn was talking about how Ser Barristan helped and trained his men in King's Landing, and they were concern with how fast their army grew; Jon Snow was from Winterfell and said that his Lord father, Robb, Jory and he knew all of his men; they were all uncomfortable that they did not know their men well enough. They talked of the possibilities of traitors amongst them...they talked about the possibilities of building a moat which made Bronn flinched...that were when they heard laughter and scream.

It took Sandor a few seconds before he realised those are Xander's squeals, amongst Leana's and Simon's laughter. His working chamber was next to his children's quarter. Their laughter made them all smile; Xander's laughs were so innocent, free of worry – the boy sounded like he was choking from his laughs.

"Dog, go to your pups, we got this." Bronn urged him. He saw the Dog looking at the stone wall which separated them.

Sandor looked at his newly married Captain of the guards and the sellword who was in desperate need of whores. Bronn never leave the keep for whores when he was away – Jon Snow told him.

Both men were always there when needed, Jon Snow was never late and if it was even possible, he spent more time with him and their men after he was married.

"We'll continue in the morrow," He ordered them which were received happily.

"I'm going for my beautiful ladies then." Bronn quickly stood up, "Jon Snow it's your turn," They knew one of them have to be on duty.

Jon snow laughed at Bronn who was already exiting the place. He knew how the sellsword loved his whores.

Then they heard him, "I could do it for you, ser, " Gendry looked at Jon Snow.

"Gendry, you know I am no ser," Jon looked at the Baratheon bastard who'd been there for almost six months. Jon looked at Clegane who was looking at Gendry.

"Jon snow, tell him what to do and leave him be...We'll see," Sandor decided, he had a lot of hope for King Robert's bastard son. His army grow rapidly, he needed someone he could trust to help him.

Lord Stark was hoping Gendry could squire for him so he could learn, but the young man was smart and reliable. He was quiet and efficient. Perhaps...just perhaps The Baratheon bastard could be working together with Jon Snow and Bronn. He shall see...

He was sure the King would be proud of him. Too often, he'd seen the look of disappointment the Baratheon King gave at Prince Joffrey, the boy was thin with golden hair, cared too much about his appearance, and what was worse, he didn't give a shit and was cruel.

Gendry was build like a soldier not a weakling like Joffrey. Quiet, hardworking and had kindness in him.

/n

Sandor left Jon gave instruction to Gendry; he entered his children's chamber and he was greeted by laughter. Mainly from Xander and Simon. Xander was laid on the ground with a piece of cloth under him while Simon dragged him around, Hammer and Winter licking the boy's tummy – that was why he was screaming, the boy was excited and ticklish.

Xander seemed to be trapped under his own laughter, he was tickled repeatedly by his mother too and he screamed his laughter until his face was red.

Leana saw Sandor entered the chamber, he saw her happy flushed face from laughing. Sandor decided to join in, he flipped Simon and made him laid on his back and placed Xander on his stomach, asked him to hold his big brother's neck as Simon protectively hold the boy tight against his chest; then he playfully dragged Simon's feet around the place and out the quarter, around the tower. The sound of laughter brought Arya who decided to join the ruckus, along with Nymeria.

It was almost midnight when they finally entered their chamber.

It took Sandor and Leana quite awhile to calm the boys down and to settle them in bed. Simon couldn't stop laughing, face red flushed and Xander refused to stay put in his crib, he was a big boy and he could climb out.

Simon told his parents, that last night Xander fell on his tummy as he climbed out from his crib. Leana asked Simon if she should place Xander in a cage instead. And Simon laughed and said he'd stay in the cage with Xander.

They waited until their sons calm down and fell asleep before they walked to their chamber. That night Sandor spent the whole night feeling his child's move in Leana's belly. The babe refused to stop moving.

Leana said perhaps their child heard all the ruckus they made, the child might heard the laughter and he or she couldn't wait to meet Xander and Simon. Sandor Clegane felt like he was the most blessed man.

They spent the night talking; she lay on his arm, while his other palm rested on her belly, feeling the child's movement. He told his wife that Xander has grown out of his crib and needed a new bed.

He didn't tell her that few mornings ago, he entered the boys' chamber because he heard noises. He opened the door and saw Xander hanging on by the side of the crib, his son managed to climbed off the crib and was about to jump off to the hard ground. Winter was biting his breeches, trying to push him back in while Hammer was pawing him.

He ran to his boy and picked him up by his arse and under his arm, he said his beloved dire wolfs, "good girl, good lad"

Sandor Clegane hold his son up to his eye level, "What am I to do with you, son?" His boy was very active and rambunctious in nature. It was barely past dawn and he was already awake, even Simon was still asleep.

He laughed as he felt his tiny feet already stepped on his chest, trying to climb him. He was big for eighteen months old. How much he loved his boy and he'd do anything to keep him safe...anything...including his life.

At that moment he had no idea that he was about to lose his son to a knife.

TBC

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