A Portentous Reunion? Chapter 6 - Aftermath

Note:

More SanSan Shipping. I can't seem to stop the flow of scenarios.

Arya makes a decision.

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Previously:

Jon nodded, "You are a one-man army, Clegane. I would like to appoint you as the sworn shield to my siblings."

The Hound's eyes bugged out, "You want me to guard your sister?!"

He was about to argue about the notion of 'his past crimes', but instead replied, "I am not a knight."

"I would knight you so you could take this position. Would you accept knighthood?"

Sandor imaged himself attired in proud armor, standing next to his little bird. He slowly nodded, "I would, but only because it is necessary for what you want me to do." He would not elaborate, he might say too much.

Jon stood up and reached way up to clap the man on the shoulder. "Good! Let us go inform Lady Sansa on our agreement."

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The armies were preparing to move out. Jon calmly told his younger sister that the Hound was not going, but had agreed to remain in Winterfell as their remaining siblings sworn shield. Arya was not pleased and went to find him, a determined look on her face. The wolf girl found him in the armory, serenely putting an edge on his weapons and polishing his new armor, with a thoughtful expression.

Glaring at him with her familiar disapproving countenance, Arya frowned, "I heard that you were staying here. I thought you wanted to kill your brother!"

Clegane set down the sharpening stone and looked her up and down. She was dressed in her richly-embossed leather tunic, breeches, polished boots, and thick woolen cloak, all cleaned and brushed like new. It was the attire of a wealthy squire, and with her short hair severely tied back and out of her face, she would definitely had appeared to him as the squire of a Great House, except for the fact that the previous evening he had seen her at dinner wearing a gown for the second night in a row, and this gown had a lower neckline.

Sansa had goaded her sister into wearing a more feminine gown that revealed a modest amount of cleavage, which annoyed her, for she was constantly pulling it up, to the amusement of her brothers and the constant attention of Gendry. The wolf girl and the smith frequently and unconsciously brushed forearms and hands, and when they made eye contact, it was obvious to the Hound that the couple would rather be off fucking somewhere than suffering through a dinner with her amused siblings.

With her hair brushed out and glossy, and a small amount of make-up, she was beautiful. Sandor heard some greybeards among the bannermen and vassals, who had managed to survive all the wars, murmuring, "The spitting image of our Lady Lyanna Stark, Gods bring her peace." For himself, Clegane had been startled to realize that the wolf girl had been hiding her modest but shapely figure, and a pair of small, but entrancing teats, under her leathers all this time.

Now she was scowling at him with her 'bitch face', a vertical furrow on her forehead and her arresting eyebrows forming the letter "V".

The Hound regarded her coolly, "The dragon boy asked me to guard the raven, princess."

"Do not call me princess!" she snapped as he knew she would, "Ha! You didn't have the nerve to say that you are staying to guard Sansa too!"

"He said that if I looked after your sister and brother, the dragons would forget my crimes from when I served the Lannisters."

Arya scowled and ignored that statement, "You just want to be near my sister!"

"The little bird cannot handle a sword like you. Neither can the raven. It is too dangerous to leave them unprotected." Sandor did not react, he remained unemotional.

Now the angry she-wolf's eyes narrowed and her thick eyebrows appeared menacing, "You think that she will fuck you!"

"You can't accuse me of that! I have never mistreated her!" The Hound finally lost his temper, "I should have fucked you, wolf bitch!"

"Why didn't you?" Arya was truly curious.

"You were always complaining and criticizing me," Clegane retorted, "How can a man's cock stay hard with you running your mouth all the time?!"

"So you did think about it?" This line of questioning had been in the back of her mind for years. During all the many emotion-filled months they traveled together, he had never once acted inappropriately with her. She had never even thought about it until Polliver asked him if she was a good fuck. At that moment she realized how safe she had been traveling with the Hound.

"Aye, there were days you made me so angry that I wanted to pull down your breeches, bend you over a log, and ram you from behind! But you would put on that bitch face and start yammering and I wilted."

"Bitch face, huh?"

"Aye, sour enough to curdle milk! I should have stuck my cock in your mouth just to shut you up!"

"I would have bit it off!"

"Don't I know that?! You were always a savage little bitch!"

"As if you were any better!"

They hadn't had a good argument in years. Arya actually felt thrilled as she traded barbs with her old adversary, and the repartee was as satisfying as if they were sparring in the training yard. Reflecting on the fact that he just admitted that he had considered fucking her, she continued, "You never gave me any idea that you thought like that."

"Well, it would have been improper. You may have flowered, but you really were still a child. No matter how awful you think I am, I don't fuck children!"

"Really?"

"Well, once I did. I was traveling with Gregor, the sick bastard! He liked children and insisted that I fuck one. She was my last. I hated all the screaming and crying."

Arya was brooding about his appalling confession, "I'm going to kill the Mountain, and I'll give him your regards when I put my knife through his black heart."

"Aye, do that for me. I showed you how to do that."

"Your lessons were useful when I faced the Night King."

Sandor's face briefly took on a soft expression, "I'm proud of you, little wolf."

She caught his eyes, trying to remain unemotional, "Thank you." Inside her heart she enjoyed his praise. She turned to leave, but just as suddenly her resolve returned. Arya sternly ordered, "Don't fuck my sister."

"I don't intend to!" the Hound snorted and glared at her back, all the sentimentality gone.

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Since Clegane was to spend more time in Sansa's presence, he started to bathe more often and made sure that his clothing was clean and free from odors. He grew his hair long and brushed it to cover the worst of his scars.

Sansa told him that he must be measured for his cloak, and ordered him to sit on a stool while her handmaidens took the seamstress's tape to his torso. Even sitting down his huge frame dwarfed the fluttering girls. Sansa exclaimed as they measured his shoulders, "Ladies, have you ever seen such wide shoulders?! It is a wonder that Ser Sandor can even fit through a doorway!"

The maidens, possessing merely ten and three namedays, were young, innocent, and influenced by Sansa's books. They tittered and fussed around the self-conscious soldier and were a bit in awe of Sandor's obvious excessive masculinity. Sansa had warned them to get used to the sight of his damaged face, as that was the one thing he was sensitive about, and she wanted him to be comfortable among them.

The impressionable handmaidens were intrigued with the men in their lady's life – they thought that Lord Jon was unusual for a fighting man, as he was shorter than their lady and his dark hair was as curly and pretty as a girl's. His eyes were a soft grey and he was also quiet and polite. They thought of him as adorable. Even his white wolf was quiet and well-mannered. Her crippled brother Bran had proud Stark features and was very dignified, but he was usually aloof and withdrawn, and also somewhat weird. Gendry the smith was impossibly handsome and sweetly humble and shy, and with their youthful romantic inclinations, they thought that Gendry and Lady Arya were the most romantic couple in Westeros.

Ser Sandor was not like the others, he was huge and rough, and was known to be a fierce and dangerous fighting man, but actually seemed to be awkward when in the presence of dainty ladies. The impressionable maidens were thrilled by the size and strength he exuded, and imagined him seizing them with lust-full glowing eyes, ripping their bodices, fondling their small breasts, and ravishing their young bodies with fervor. The Hound wondered why they always seemed to be blushing when they were near him, and sometimes he found it annoying. For their part, the girls were amused by the fact that Sandor obviously was in awe of their lady and always deferred to her. They found that behavior to be romantic also and they sighed when discussing it by themselves.

The maidens and Sansa were measuring his arms and girth, and Sansa exclaimed again, "Girls, look how muscular Ser Sandor is!" Sandor had been blushing from all the cooing women fussing around him, and without really thinking, he flexed his muscles. Sansa had put her hand on Sandor's arm and said, "Ooh, girls! Feel this, his biceps are so hard! Ser Sandor must be as strong as an aurochs!"

Clegane was delirious from his little bird's attention, and he rasped quietly so only she could hear, "My bicep is not the only muscle that is hard!"

Sansa smirked playfully, "Really, what else should I be aware of?"

He hissed, "Send you maidens away and I will show you!"

Lady Stark appeared as though she was considering his suggestion, but she softly replied, a slight blush on her cheeks, "An interesting suggestion, Sandor, but it would not be proper." She stroked his forearm, "Mayhaps some other time."

Sandor jolted upright and beads of sweat broke out on his forehead, I must go see Ros as soon as I leave here!

Sansa returned him to reality by stating, "your cloak will soon be ready and the knighting ceremony will take place in the Godswood, mayhaps tomorrow. Are you ready?"

Her Tully blue eyes were wide and expectant, and the Hound choked out, "Aye."

Lady Stark fixed him with a small, sweet smile, and Sandor thought, why am I such a green boy around this woman?! I cannot think straight! But his little bird had always had that effect on him.

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Arya's Decision

When Arya accepted her role as 'no one' at the House of Black and White, she considered that she had left the love of family behind her and would never experience it again. She also thought that she would never need, nor want, the love of a man and experience normal womanly cravings and affection. But since she had left the House and become Arya Stark again, she rejoiced in the love of her siblings and was pleased to be home. And since she had discovered her old friend Gendry again and experienced romantic love with him, she felt fulfilled and had begun to enjoy the pleasure a man and a woman could share. But now she had to decide what to do about the possibility of carrying Gendry's babe in her belly. Was she ready to be a wife and a mother? After serious reflection, she came to the conclusion that she was not exactly sure, but she certainly knew what Gendry's wishes were and she truly desired to meld her life to his.

Sansa and Arya met Gendry and their brothers in a quiet hallway outside the Great Hall, and everyone seemed to be looking at her expectantly. Arya took Gendry's arm and gazing at each sibling in turn, nodded and said, "I have decided not to drink moon tea. Gendry and I need to have a talk. We will see you all later." Sansa smiled, Bran was neutral, and Jon appeared concerned.

There was a small table in Arya's chamber and she sat down in a chair on one side and indicated for Gendry, smiling widely with delight at her words, to sit across from her. She stared into his eyes and stroked his forearm as she stated, "Gendry, I know you want to plan our future, but my list is not complete and I still have work to do."

Gendry knew this was coming, but frowned anyway. She continued, with almost a pleading tone in her voice, "Gendry, it is too soon for us to dwell on the idea of domestic bliss! The war is not over and neither of us can rest until Cersei Lannister is defeated and replaced. I still hope to skewer her myself on Needle to revenge my family!"

Her stormy grey eyes were flashing with anger as she pronounced these words, and Gendry sighed, entwining his fingers with hers, "I suppose you are right. I must fight also. The Lannisters are my enemies too. I will go where needed."

"I am thankful that you do not oppose me," Arya smiled.

Gendry gazed into her eyes with love and replied, "It is just that I had lost you and was so pleased that we found each other again. We have learned that we can be happy together and now there is the possibility that our lives will end before we have the chance to experience the love we have found."

Arya had a determined countenance, and firmly stated, "We are not going to die! We have survived too many dangers to end now! Gendry, what do we say to the god of death?!"

Gendry knew her words and immediately replied, "Not today!"

"Aye!" she leaned over the table to kiss him and decisively announced, "We are going to kill Cersei and then make our lives what we want!" Relaxing back into her chair, Arya sighed, "Jon will not be content until we are wed. He will have nightmares about me striding alone through the courtyard with a bulging belly. We need to talk to my siblings soon."

Gendry nodded with agreement, "Aye, but not right now." He pointed and suggested, "I see that you have a featherbed. I have never had the pleasure of sleeping in one." His bright blue eyes twinkled, "I would enjoy the opportunity to share it with you."

"That is an excellent proposal!" Arya grinned, "And it is much too warm in here for all these clothes!" She stood up and dropped her sword belt and immediately began to unfasten the buttons on her tunic. Gendry followed suit and they found themselves removing garment after garment, interrupting their ministrations with frequent kisses, all the while inspecting each other's wounds and cleaning each other with towels and warm water from the washbasin near the fireplace.

Soon they were naked, their skin shining and clean, their hurts tended, and they fell together into the featherbed. They did not have to rush their lovemaking as they did the previous night, taking the time to tenderly learn about each other's bodies, to explore and worship the flesh that they valued. Arya was aware that her scars distressed her lover, but only kissed his cheek and murmured, "Someday I will tell you the whole story. But know that my enemy is dead, and we have no reason to fear." Gendry sighed in relief and initiated a deep kiss.

They stroked and fondled the areas that they had learned would cause their partner to groan and thrust, and grow warm and wet. As Gendry was lavishing attention to Arya's breasts, moaning that he could do this forever, she whispered, "Gendry, I am ready, enter me now!" Their coupling was slow and sweet, not frantic as in their desperate need of the previous night, throbbing and luxuriating in bringing each other to an unhurried climax. As Arya came, stars exploding behind her clenched eyelids, her lower lip between her teeth, her strong thighs squeezed Gendry's narrow pelvis, pulling his manhood deeper inside of her, insuring that his hot seed would be trapped in her womb, confirming their desire to procreate. As Gendry groaned and became limp, he slid off of his love, glancing at the wetness between them, then leaned back to kiss her lips, murmuring, "I have loved you since you pushed me to the ground and stormed away on the Kingsroad. You were still a child and my feeling may have been inappropriate at the time, but that is long past and I am extremely happy that we are together now!"

Arya stretched herself out to cover his body, her head lying on his chest, as she stroked his chest hair, "I was mainly annoyed with you during that time, but once I saw you shirtless at Harrenhal, I began to imagine what it would be like to kiss and touch you. I would never have admitted it, but it is true."

He kissed the top of her head, "We are lucky to have found each other. We must take pains not to die and lose one another again."

She looked into his eyes and simply replied, "Aye."

Gendry shifted, fondling her round arse, and patted the mattress with his other hand, "I like this bed," he smiled, "I never want to leave it!"

Arya kissed his cheek and adjusted her position to cover his stiffening cock with her damp center. "We do not have to leave," she purred, and began to demonstrate once again her affection for the young smith, avoiding for the moment, the necessary meeting with her siblings.

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Note: Next - More SanSan – knighting the Hound. Jon and Sansa have plans for Arya and Gendry.