I kissed Sandor on the cheek and left him sleeping in my room while I went downstairs for morning duty.
Sansa was sitting alone, absently fiddling with the large iron ring on a chain about her neck. She looked around as she heard me come down the stairs.
"Good morning, Your Grace," I offered quietly. She started slightly at my voice, turning her head towards me with her brow furrowed in worry.
"Good morning...I need to apologize-"
"No," I cut across her quickly. "Everything is fine. Sandor explained to me last night how there was nothing between you two."
She looked relieved.
"I'm so glad," she said with a smile. "I owe so much to Sandor looking out for me all these years that I'd never forgive myself if I ever ruined his chance at happiness with my careless way of talking." She looked upon me with a broader smile. "I've never seen such a tender look on his face when he was looking for you after you left."
"He was so gruff when I met him. Was he always so cross and vulgar before?"
"Yes!" Sansa said with a laugh. I had to giggle as well. "Although his heart and intentions are truer than any knight." I nodded in agreement.
"I take it that it went well last night," said Arya as she appeared at the bottom of the stairs.
"Sandor Clegane lives to see another day," I joked. "Come sit. I'll get tea going for us." I hurried into the kitchen to put on the teapot and fire up the oven and stove for breakfast. I returned with a full teapot and a plate of scones with jam. We all dug in and resumed conversation a moment later.
"How long do you plan to stay at King's Landing?" I asked.
"A month at least, but it all depends on the outcome of our council," said Sansa. "I'll visit the market and pay respects to the statues today."
"I do appreciate it, Your Grace."
"The North remembers," she said with a smile tinged with sadness.
"I'll join you," said Arya to Sansa. "I need to pay respects as well before I head off to Essos." We chatted a bit more like old friends as we finished off the scones.
Jon and the free folk were late risers, it seemed, so Sansa and Arya set off for the village as I set up for the day. Opal joined me in the kitchen a few moments later, eyeing me in what I thought was a peculiar manner until she spoke.
"You seem to have left a snoring Hound in your bed," she said. I turned a brilliant shade of red.
"I...I surely hope there were no other stray sounds that bothered you last night," I said. Opal actually burst into giggles.
"Well, it certainly didn't bother me in particular. Better to hear those noises than the ugly arguing before."
I covered my head with a pot, which spurred more giggles.
"Silly girl. Don't get embarrassed. I'm just glad that you've found happiness." She let out another giggle. "And it wasn't your noises that I overheard. Your man has such a deep timbre to his voice."
My laughter echoed inside the pot.
Fred walked in at that moment, meeting eyes with me as my head emerged from the pot.
"I'm just going to pretend this is normal," he said with a light jest.
"Good. Expect more of this," I shot back, my mood soaring.


Sandor was present when the Royal party departed the inn. He approached Sansa and Arya and accepted a hug from them both. Tormund and him then got into an impromptu shoulder-clapping showdown that drew laughter from onlookers. Jon brought up the rear, clapping his shoulder as well and giving him a nod.
The line moved on to me. Sansa and Arya both hugged me as we exchanged well-wishes, as well as Tormund, who muttered, "You both have happy eyes now. Keep on with it, my ginger sister."
"Your generosity and hospitality are always appreciated. And I'm glad everything worked out between you two. I'll have to bring my wife and son here when he gets older." Jon said as he gave me a small hug.
"I had no idea you had a little family!" I said, pleasantly surprised.
"I do. My wife Ygritte and my son Little Ned."
"You'll be more than welcome here."
Sandor and I stood together and watched until the last of them had rode over the crest of the hill in the distance. He slid his arm around my shoulders as we walked back into the inn.
"I've got you all to myself right now," he said in a low voice.
"Hm. What shall we ever do?" I asked.
He steered me to the stairs and patted my bottom as if to propel me upstairs.
"I've got some ideas."
"Oh no, you don't!" cried Opal as she intercepted us on her way downstairs. "Kezya, I need you to wash the dishes. Sandor, you help Fred muck out the stables. You can surely control yourselves until evening."
Sandor and I exchanged guilty smirks from being scolded and kissed before going our separate ways for the day.


I had Fred help me bring up the big bathtub into Sandor's room before sending him home. I was lounging in it much like Sandor did on our first night together when Sandor walked in that night. He immediately closed the door behind himself and locked it, eyeing me with great interest.
"Take those clothes off," I softly commanded, running my eyes over his build. He fixed me with a lustful stare before he shrugged off his vest and tugged his shirt off over his head. He met eyes with me again, casually scratching his chest, smirk in place.
"Off," I urged, nodding at his trousers.
He approached me slowly, eyes dark and piercing under his stern brow. I felt a shiver go down my spine despite the heat of the water. He undid his trousers and let them pool to his ankles, kicking them to the side.
I took in an excited breath as he leaned over the tub, bracing both hands on either side of me. Our foreheads touched before we kissed. He stepped in, and I rearranged myself to sit on my knees. He easily slid his legs on either side of me as he sat, and I took in the affection in his eyes as he settled his hands on my hips. I leaned in and kissed him as his hands started to roam, splashing water lightly to wet my skin. I did the same, cupping palmfuls of sudsy water over his muscles. He hummed in appreciation as I lightly massaged his arms. We washed one another while at the same time catching a cheeky feel or two. Sandor spent quite some time making sure my breasts were squeaky clean before pouring water to clear the suds off.
I started lathering him up, lightly straddling one of his legs to be able to reach his mane of hair. He nuzzled my breasts as he enjoyed me washing him. I rinsed him off with care and shared another kiss, enjoying just being able to relax together. It soon turned more lustful when his hand slipped between my legs and brushed my sensitive nub. I gasped lightly, my hand reaching underwater to grasp him lightly. We kissed sloppily as we pleased each other with our hands, our breathing getting more labored with sighs and moans escaping us.
"Take me on the bed," I finally begged. Sandor wasted no time. He picked me up as he stood up out of the water and maneuvered us with ease to the bed, dropping me lightly on my back. I enjoyed seeing the lustful smirk he gave right before he sank into me.
We were both still dripping from the bath, but we didn't care, our moans mixing as Sandor drove his hips fluidly into mine. I held on to his shoulders tightly, kissing his neck amorously. This seemed to light a fire in him as he groaned low, cupping my ass as he moved his hips with a passion.
I muffled my moans into his neck as he made me find release twice before settling back to a slow rhythm. I grabbed his face, kissing him passionately, loving every feeling of him inside me. He continued his slow passion running his hands up and down my thighs. We took it slow for the rest of the night, just feeling one another's touch.
Then, to Sandor's surprise and delight, I slipped down to his waist and was the reason behind his fit of amorous groans as he enjoyed his release clutching onto my shoulders.
"You sucked the damn soul out of me," he sighed wearily after catching his breath.
I giggled from where I was perched at the end of the bed, cleaning myself up from my washbasin.
"Your soul is mine now," I whispered.
He looked at me silently for a moment before nodding, his gaze filled with affection.
"So it is," he agreed. "If I can have yours." I smiled and slipped back into bed next to him, leaning my head on his chest.
"Of course. You already have it, my love."



Three Months Later

According to the raven we received, Sansa and Jon were coming back up from King's Landing, this time accompanied by King Bran and his court. The conclusion of their treaty had been successful after a few revisions, and Bran had accepted accompanying his siblings to the north for a couple of months. I reminded myself to give Sansa a big hug for thinking to prepare me to accommodate them way ahead of time.
I invited Sandor to stay with me in my room once his fortnight was over for his room. He accepted, and I had him move his belongings in. He still had the armor he wore on his first night. He set it all down at the bottom of my wardrobe and propped his sword next to the door. I had sat there watching him, dreaming of him making more of a mark on the room. He lay beside me that night, whispering between kisses and touches that he wanted to know what it was like to live a life peacefully at my side.
Opal was overjoyed when I told her Sandor was staying, and she spared no time in putting him to work. Opal and Sandor clicked immediately. I remember Sandor saying he hadn't known his mother, but Opal doted on him just as much as she had with Fred and Declan. Sandor fell into his role with ease. He did the more laboring jobs we couldn't get to while running the inn. He even dragged Fred around to teach him a task or two, and the boy soon got used to Sandor being around so much that he was soon comfortable with acting like the shy but moody teen that he was with Opal and me.


Today was the day the Royals were to pass through again, and I felt like absolute shit since the moment I woke up. Sandor was startled awake as I vaulted out of bed and unceremoniously hacked and coughed into my washbasin.
"Shouldn't have played that drinking game with me last night, woman," he said groggily.
"Don't ever let me drink mead again, Sandor," I said, my voice echoing in my washbasin.
"I make no promises when it makes you do wicked things at night," teased Sandor.
He chuckled when I glared at him from the top of the washbasin. He slowly rolled into a sitting position and then stood, grabbing his clothes off of the floor to dress.
"I'll grab some mint for you to chew before I get started on my rounds," he said, tapping me lightly on the bottom.
"I knew there was a reason I loved you," I said gratefully.
He made a quick trip down to the garden and brought me a good handful of mint.
"Keep chewing it. Take a rest when you feel too sick. I won't have you making yourself worse," chided Sandor.
"Yes, love," I said obediently as I did up my laces to my skirts. He kissed my forehead before going downstairs to help with preparations. There was no doubt Opal would put him to work like a pack mule when she heard I was feeling sick.
Opal took it easy on me and had me peeling and chopping potatoes for her stew. Chewing mint seemed to help because I was feeling much better by midday.
Sandor came into the kitchen after chopping an impressively high pile of firewood. My eyes roamed over him freely and appreciatively. His shirt was covered in wood splinters and dirt, and the skin of his chest that peeked out from his shirt glistened with sweat.
"My, my, I think something tasty has walked right into my kitchen!" He deposited wood into the rack, eyeing me up and down.
"I'd gobble you up before you could even get a piece of me," said Sandor.
"Guys, come on," whined Fred from where he was polishing cutlery in the corner. "I don't want to hear that!"
"Shush, boy!" Sandor growled. Fred boldly glared at him back.
"Bah! You do the same to us with your little gal pal from the market!" I said, teasing Fred.
"We're not disgusting like you two are," insisted Fred.
"One of these days when you get your dick wet, boy, you won't be bothered by it anymore," said Sandor in what he thought was a reassuring tone. Fred now looked outright scandalized, but he tucked his nose into his work and stayed silent. I had to giggle.
Sandor caressed my shoulders lightly as he came up behind me.
"I'm feeling loads better now," I said. "But no drinking game for me tonight."
"No," he agreed. "Got to break you in easy from now on. Let your stomach rest today."
"I was serious about not drinking mead again," I said. "The smell makes me want to gag now."
"We'll find you your drink," said Sandor. I grimaced.
This whole mess all stemmed from Sandor finding out that I didn't drink because I didn't like the taste. The wine we had made me pucker-faced, and I hated the burn of ale, so Sandor had the idea to have me try the honey mead a merchant had sold us just weeks before.
It was very sweet, almost like a fruit wine. I found myself downing the little taste Sandor had poured for me, licking and smacking my lips in approval. He was very amused by my enthusiasm and proposed playing a drinking game of questions. I only remember getting steadily more giggly and flirty as the night went on. I even sat on his lap, where things started to get frisky and hazier in my memory. Opal was more than amused to fill in the blanks in my memory.
"You sat in your fellow's lap and fell asleep slobbering on his neck. You'll have to ask him for the rest because he was the one that carried you up to your room and not a peep from either of you for the rest of the night."
I asked Sandor to fill in the details over lunch under the shade of our favorite tree in a clearing behind the stables.
"You had fallen asleep, so I carried you up to the room. You woke once I set you on the bed, and you insisted on pulling me down with you. You then got on top of me and started stripping us both. We kissed for quite a while, and you were a cocktease, rubbing all on it. I played with your nipples and got you so hot that you got right on my dick and started riding me good. You were so fucking horny that I just lay back and let you do what you wanted. And you kept going for a good while. You probably came on my dick at least three times before cuddling up to me and falling asleep like a rock. You can use me as your pleasure toy anytime." My cheeks heated at his words, and I felt a warmth pooling in my belly.
"Did you get to finish?" I asked, scooting closer to him.
"…You were drunk and asleep, love. I wasn't going to do anything to you," he said, softly running a hand over my hip.
"I think, then, that we should get you taken care of," I whispered, my hand trailing along his waistline.
He slowly inhaled, his eyes closing as my fingers brushed his growing hardness. I pulled his trousers down and set to work immediately. He groaned as I took him into my mouth, my tongue swirling. His hands gripped my shoulders before getting tangled in my hair as I brought him in deeper. He growled his pleasure before gently tugging me back up off of him. I made a noise of protest cut short by him pushing me onto my back on the grass. He swiftly moved my skirts and chemise up out of the way before putting his mouth upon me. I tilted my head back in pleasure, my moans frantic and encouraging as he used the assistance of his fingers and immediately brought me to orgasm.
"It was supposed to be your turn," I said weakly as I caught my breath. He sat up and grinned lecherously.
"Don't worry. I'll get mine when I'm deep in your pussy." I giggled shrilly as he knelt over me, holding my legs in the air as he slid in easily. My giggles turned to moans as he thrust generously.
I held Sandor close as he braced his weight over me, hips rolling into me even further.
"Yes, oh yes!" I urged, tossing my head back. He growled in response, thrusting out of rhythm as he found his release and nudged me into mine. My cries of pleasure echoed across the clearing as he thrust firmly, and I felt him release into me, filling me. I felt myself clenching around him instinctively, and he gave a loud moan.
"So fucking tight," he growled in pleasure.
"Milking you for every drop," I breathed. He ground us together, drawing a needy moan from me. A few more quick grinds, and I muffled myself in his shoulder as I came hard again, Sandor growling in satisfaction. He sat up and caressed my legs as I stayed lying in the grass for a while, my breathing slowly coming back to me.
Never before did it occur to us to have afternoon delights out in the clearing alone, and I had to admit it was a lot more comfortable and fun than our occasional quickie in a stable stall surrounded by the smell of hay and manure.
"Let's do this here from now on," I said, finally sitting up with a smug smile of satisfaction. I leaned into Sandor and kissed him sweetly. He gave me an amused smirk.
"I'll do it with you wherever you want me to, love."


The Royal party rolled in that evening. We were introduced to King Bran and some members of his court that had traveled with him. I hugged Sansa, Jon, and Tormund, welcoming them back.
King Bran was wheeled in and had his chair placed at the head of a table with Sansa and Jon on either side of him. He seemed like a very stoic young man. I hadn't really seen him laugh or smile since he had arrived. I found myself beside him as I set down a jug of blackberry wine for the siblings to share. Jon and Sansa were in discussion with Sandor. I was startled when Bran spoke to me.
"You're the woman who has tamed the Hound."
"I wouldn't say tamed, but yes, he's mine," I said, breaking into a smile. There was a hint of a smile on the young man's face.
"He needs your nurturing nature if great things are to come from his name."
I blinked, astonished by his way of speaking.
"Rest assured, I'm willing to give him my everything. I love him so," I said, my smile widening.
The rest of the table had been unaware of our little exchange. Sandor noticed the look of love I was giving him and bashfully returned it.


The next morning, I vaulted out of bed to vomit into my washbasin. Sandor sat up, concerned.
"I think I might have come down with something," I croaked. "I might ask that Samwell fellow if he has anything in his kit that will help."
"I'll get you more mint, love, so you're not miserable in the meantime," said Sandor as he dressed.
"You're the best, my love," I gushed. He kissed my forehead before dashing downstairs to get some. He returned with a good handful of mint and looked victorious.
"Samwell is downstairs having breakfast with his family. I asked if he could take a look at you, and he said he'd be up in a moment." He kissed my forehead again as he placed the mint in my hands.
"Thank you, Sandor. I'll let you know what he thinks I have. I don't want to make you sick as well."
"Alright. Chew that mint for your nausea, Kezya," said Sandor sternly before closing the door behind him.
There was a knock on the door shortly after Sandor left.
"Come in," I called.
Samwell entered along with his wife Gilly, who was carrying a tray.
"Good morning, heard you weren't feeling well," said Samwell pleasantly.
"Not too hot. Woke up nauseous again."
"I've brought you hot water for your stomach," said Gilly. "You can stir some of your mint leaves in if you'd like."
"Thank you," I said, accepting the cup of hot water. I took her suggestion and put about a pinch of mint in it.
"What have been your symptoms?"
"Nausea, and it gets worse from certain smells."
"Lasts all day?"
"Only until about noon."
"Hmm...Do you take moon tea? If so, how often?"
"I take it regularly and...oh...shit." Samwell and Gilly looked at me, concerned. "I just realized that I forgot to get more. I've skipped a few doses trying to stretch it out, but…."
"Have you noticed anything like breast tenderness, perhaps?"
Gilly nudged my left breast, and I jumped.
"Do you really think I'm…"
"Yup, sounds like you're expecting!" Samwell quipped cheerily.
"Congratulations!" Gilly said, grinning.
I stared at them in shock, not able to speak.
"It'll be alright. You have your man, and you'll both be wonderful parents," said Gilly soothingly.
"I'm scared," I said in a small voice. "I lost my first baby years ago. Stillborn."
"Don't worry," said Samwell. "We can make sure you're all healthy during this pregnancy."
"I still have to tell Sandor," I groaned.
"That will be the easiest part," said Gilly. "He loves you. I don't even think he is the type of man that would hate this type of news."
"Seven, help me," I fretted, burying my nose in my cup to try and inhale the mint.
"Try not to stress," said Samwell sternly. "I'll make sure you have all the herbs you need to make sure everything goes right for you. Shall I fetch Sandor?"
"Yes, please. Thank you both," I said, starting to feel calm.
"You know where to find us if you need us," said Gilly, waving before she and Sam left.
Sandor came in shortly after. His expression was apprehensive.
"Kezya...what's the matter?"
"Sandor...I'm with child."
I watched Sandor slowly work through an array of emotions. He finally settled on cupping my face in his hands and kissing me deep and slow. When we pulled apart, my eyes were pricking with tears.
"How did my seed take root if you took that tea?" He wondered aloud.
"There's been a couple of days I've missed when I was too tired to remember to replenish it," I admitted. He nodded, biting his lip in thought.
"I should make you completely mine under the gods' eyes if you're having my child."
The tears that I was holding rolled down my cheeks.
"Get you a nice gown made. I've still got my old cloak to drape on your shoulders at the ceremony," continued Sandor. I threw my arms around his neck.
"The gods have been very generous, sending you to me."
"As they've been absolutely merciful to me, having you love me."
I kissed him slowly and tenderly as he held my waist snugly.
"I love you, Sandor."
"I love you, Kezya."