Hey guys! I know this chapter is relatively short but what can you do! And I also know that I've spent a lot of time on the tourney side of things but it's a major part of the story anyway. The events in this chapter, and the following, aren't exactly the same as the events in the book. I'm sorry, but when I start to write I don't write with the book open beside me. I hope you enjoy this chapter and please review, they are so very heartwarming!
Keep reading!
Slightlynerdy.
Wolves and Hounds.
Chapter 24.
"I don't like this Sandor, why would the Queen want to plot against me. I've done nothing malicious towards her, I don't even go out of my way to speak to her. I just don't understand."
She rested her hand against Sandor's chest, feeling his heartbeat beneath her fingers. It was rhythmic and soothing, his breathing was lighter than usual, as if he was falling asleep.
"Try to. You're the one with a maester's mind. You can tell what are poisons and what are medicines, you can diagnose ailments just by running your fingers over the afflicted area, you can read and translate in three languages and you can invoke three men, from three different backgrounds to fall in love with you. Surely you can understand why Queen Bitch wants to see you fall."
She flinched at his words, she knew that Queen Cersei was cold and callous but she didn't want to believe that she would be willing to see her and her reputation reduced to ash. It would be even worse than death.
"Then what do I do? She's the queen, I can't openly go against her..."
"Then join her, whittle away her defense, find out what it is that she wants with you."
Bile rose to her throat at the thought of becoming friendly with the queen, "I won't join her, that would be hypocritical of me, I hate how she treats those around her with such disdain."
"In that case all we can do is be careful and watch her."
"We?"
Sandor chuckled, placing his hand over her hand which was still on his chest, "Whenever someone threatens you they threaten me. I'm going to protect you wolf, have no doubt about that. Wolves and Hounds both deserve a pack..." He tilted her face up and gently kissed her lips, "You're not alone in this hell hole."
She smiled faintly, toying with the strings at the top of his shirt, "Thank you..."
They laid together still and silent for a time. That was before Tarynn noticed the shadows on the tent side beginning to recede, the sun was setting and it would soon be dusk.
"I have to go, my sisters will be wondering where I am. As will my father. I'm sorry, I wish we could have more time together."
He squeezed her hand, "No, no, go. I get it. I can only have you for so long."
"I wish it was different Sandor, truly I do."
She unwrapped herself from his embrace, standing up and placing a chaste kiss to his lips. He squeezed her hand as she fled from his tent, leaving him lying sprawled on his temporary bed. She hated leaving him, it always felt like she was leaving a fragment of herself with him. She didn't feel whole without him.
Her walk back to the keep and more specifically the Tower of the Hand was uneventful, she didn't notice anyone, and the place was pretty much deserted par a couple of the guards on the evening patrol. Their gold cloaks were twisting as they walked, the golden wool proudly stating their positions. One of them nodded to her as she passed, the other just gave a nonchalant glance. Both were young men, not much older than herself, one had hair the colour of flames, the other had a darker countenance and the beginnings of a beard. She knew that they had known Toby, perhaps they had even been friends.
Guilt presented itself in the form of a stomach ache as she took the steps that led up to her rooms two at a time. She wanted nothing more than to strip, bathe and sleep. The day had been emotionally and physically fatiguing... She would also have to help prepare for Toby's funeral. Grand-maester Pycelle would no doubt need some assistance in prepping the body as he didn't have an apprentice. She would gladly help, if only to give Toby the burial rites he deserved. Besides Sandor was right, no one knew the anatomy of the human body as well as she. The day after tomorrow she would visit the Maester and give Toby's body her attention, it was the least she could do since it was she who had caused his demise.
She pushed open her door, and admitted herself into her room. Candles had been lit and the curtains drawn to ward off the approaching night. The scent of lavender and honeysuckle greeted her, as did the sound of running water. She went to the bathroom and found Tilly, kneeling beside the bath and pouring an assortment of oils into it The liquids swirled and danced, spreading out into the water like tendrils.
"I thought that you deserved a bath, I had brought these oils from a merchant from Myr specially for the morning of your wedding but I feel that you deserve them now. There will still be enough for your special day."
How I wish I could let you in on the plot... But the more people that know the more troubles we will come up against. Ser Loras and I need to do it quietly and secretly.
"It smells wonderful... Do they stand for something?"
"Yes, the honeysuckle stands for fertility and motherhood, the lavender soothes your mind when you sleep, the rose represents beauty and there are hints of this rare flower that you can only find in Myr."
Tilana's voice grew wistful as she placed the stoppers back onto the bottles of fragrance. Tarynn unlaced the front of her dress and Tilly helped her with the corset. When she was naked she hesitantly dipped her foot in the water, testing the temperature, not wanting to be scalded. She got in, sighing as she sunk into the warm water, the muscles in her back loosening. The aroma calming her mind. Tilly returned with a comb and some hair oils. Gently she began to brush out the knots in Tarynn's long dark hair, humming as she did so.
Tarynn gazed at her body beneath the water, her skin was almost white, the scars from her bouts of acne still prominent over her chest. She sighed, running her fingers over the marks.
"Do they bother you Tarynn?"
"No, no. They are a part of me, and if people can't accept that then I won't accept them. If none of us had any flaws or differences, if we were all the same, then the world would be a very boring place."
"Wise words... If you had been born a man perhaps your life would have turned out differently."
"What do you mean?"
"Perhaps you would have been able to travel, to see the world and to learn of its wonders."
Tarynn's heart constricted, that was something that she desperately wanted, to see the world, to learn of it's mysteries. And knowing that she couldn't do it because she was a woman was heart breaking.
"Please don't talk of such things. I know my duties and why I was placed on this earth. I have to do right for my family and foolish dreams do not help that fact."
"Is that so? So tell me then, my Lady, why is it that you labour over that Valyrian book if not for wanting to know it's contents and gain more knowledge? Is it your duty to know if a man has fractured his rib or has a disease? Is it your duty to tell poisons apart from medicines. You are constantly going against your duties by doing these things, and yet that's what makes you, you. So don't ever call your dreams foolish, because you have started to live them."
Her Myrish handmaid stood and reached for the bottle of oil, pouring a large amount onto her hand and running her fingers through Tarynn's un-knotted hair.
"Thank you Tilly."
"Why are you thanking me? I speak nothing but the truth, you are a clever woman who despite her tender age has seen much already. And I fear that there is still a lot of disruption in the future for you."
Tarynn dined alone that evening on a meal of flat bread, grapes, cheese and wine. She didn't have much of an appetite and she was glad that her father hadn't insisted on her dining with the others in the great hall. All she wanted was solitude and quietness, something that she seemed to be getting less and less of lately. She had dismissed Bronte and Tilana for the evening, asking Tilana in Myrish to watch Bronte and make sure that she said nothing else about her, she didn't need any added scrutiny.
After she had finished eating she tidied the plates, stacking them neatly. They would be collected in the morning. She then moved to the looking glass, braiding her hair before going to bed, she wanted an early night.
She was wearing just a long night dress when there was a knock at the door, "Tarynn? It's me, Sansa."
Tarynn finished her braid, "Come in San."
The door creaked open and Sansa stepped into the room, closing the door softly behind her, she too was dressed for bed. "I... I can't sleep, is it okay if I sleep here?"
Tarynn appraised her sister, her cheeks were drawn and her pallor was quite pale, more pale then usual.
"The tourney." Sansa didn't say anything, she just nodded. Tarynn gestured for her to get into the bed, "I understand Sansa I was scared too."
"But you didn't show it, you ran towards... Towards Toby, you pulled that... Lance out of his throat, you never flinched, not once. Arya thinks you're the bravest person she's ever known."
"Now you know that's not true, I did what I had to, Maester Pycelle is old, he couldn't get over there in time and the majority of the crowd were loosing their heads. I had to think fast."
"Still, I'm impressed. I just wish it hadn't been Toby."
So do I.
"The Gods take those who they need, stop thinking about it Sansa, it's just going to disrupt your sleeping."
She picked up her vial of sleep medicine and gulped it down, the bitter tang spreading down her throat before blowing out the candle and getting into bed. Her sister was curled up beside her, her long red hair tied neatly into a bun.
"Tarynn?"
"Yes Sansa?"
"You're not going to leave, you know when you marry Renly."
If only you knew.
"I'll never leave you Sansa, I'll always be there for you, but yes, when I marry Renly I will have to move to Storm End. I am to be his wife and that means that I must run his household, my duties will lie there."
"You and father always make so much out of duty."
"That's because we are Starks, all of us, and duty is the thing that we do best. Now my little one, sleep. The last matches of the tourney are tomorrow and you need to look beautiful for Joffrey."
"Yes, beautiful for Joffery."
Soon enough Sansa was sleeping, but Tarynn lay awake, her mind conflicted over thinking of Toby or of Sandor. Ultimately weariness took over her, and she slipped into the realm of dreams.
When morning dawned, Sansa had gone. Tarynn got up and out of bed, prising the band from her hair and allowing her hair to fall naturally around her shoulders. The plates on the table were also gone and there was a dress hanging up on the door of her wardrobe. She moved to it, running her fingers over the embroidered skirt and bodice, a stag was stitched onto the left of the bodice, she knew who had given her the dress.
Renly... Wanting to cement the fact that he has a Stark as his fiancée. However he will soon find out that he doesn't.
She changed and put on her underskirts, she waited patiently for either Tilana or Bronte to turn up. When Bronte did she sent her away and requested for Tilly. The older handmaiden swept into the room in her traditional Myrish dress.
When Tarynn gave a pointed glace at Tilanas dress, her closest friend in King's Landing gave her a response in Myrish, "I fancied a change, it's not everyday a mere handmaiden gets to sit beside her Lady in the Royal Box."
Tarynn tried to keep her face void of any shock, "The Royal Box?"
"Yes, the king has insisted that Renly is brought out for some fresh air, and the Lord of Storm End has said that he will only do so if you are with him. Hence the Baratheon style dress.
She almost inadvertently groaned aloud.
"How? He has broken ribs, he can barely walk."
"They found this sort of wheeled chair, he is going to use that."
"Right, well help me into this thing. It looks heavy."
She was right, the dress was heavy but beautiful. Many of the other ladies in the court complemented her, apparently crimson suited her well. She was use to wearing blue all the time. She touched her pendants for strength and willpower. Many of the men looked at her as well, often their eyes were drawn to her bosom, which was pushed painfully up. Her hair was braided and then tied into a bun at the nape of her neck, her face powdered. She felt far too dressed up, but Tilly had insisted that that was how Renly would want her.
She was to sit in the Royal Box, eyes would be on her at all times. She needed to look the part. That had been Tilana's logic.
Tarynn took a deep breath as she climbed up the stairs to the box, she could hear the king's and Renly's laughter. She touched her necklaces once more before pulling back the curtain. Renly and Robert stopped laughing, their gazes were drawn to her. She gave a small curtsey as was courtesy before taking a seat beside her Fiance. He took her hand and pressed it to his lips.
"You look divine..." He turned to his brother, "I am a lucky man am I not?"
"Very lucky... She looks like Lyanna reincarnated."
She caught her father' eye who was sat on the otherside of the King, he shook his head discreetly, warning her not to thank Robert for the compliment, not even to acknowledge it. She didn't.
Tarynn withdrew her hand from Renly's grasp, placing her hands on her lap. Her eyes sweeping over the tourney grounds. The grass had started to look muddy and trampled from the number of horses cantering over it. She had been told the names of the semi-finalists; Ser Loras, Ser Gregor Clegane, Ser Jaime and Sandor. The only man without a knighthood. She was glad of that, the whole concept of knights was pretentious.
Sandor was to ride against Jaime Lannister first. The kingslayer was kitted out in lannister gold as he strolled into the jousting field. His blonde hair streaming behind as he walked, his helm tucked neatly underneath his armpit. He raised a hand to the crowd, and they cheered but it wasn't nearly as loud as the cheers that Loras garnered from the people however they were cheers none the less.
When Sandor walked on the crowd grew quiet, Tarynn longed to scream and clap for him but she couldn't, not without making a fool out of herself and revealing hers and Sandor's relationship. Instead she sat timidly with Renly's hand still clasped around her own. She hoped to catch Sandor's eye so she stared at him continuously, not breaking her gaze until he looked at her, his endearing half smile crossing his face. He gave her a small nod of acknowledgement and she surreptitiously blew him a small kiss as good luck.
Sandor turned when he heard Stranger approaching from behind him, he took the reins out of Teddy's hands and gave the boy a gentle clasp on the shoulder. She had a feeling that Sandor was so use to being a sort of father figure to Joffrey that it was just natural for him to do the same for Teddy. Another quality of his that she adored.
Both competitors mounted up, Sandor upon Stranger and Ser Jaime Lannister on a chestnut stallion his golden helm covering his golden hair. They readied themselves, and when the flag went down the joust began.
Sandor rode hard and fast, his aim steady as he battered Jaime's shield, scraping the white paint and revealing the wood beneath it. He rode against him two more times, and on the last, sent the Kingslayer flying, he landed on his back amidst mud. Two squires had to help him out and she saw Teddy punch the air in triumph as he saw that Sandor had won. She smiled, she had wanted to do that as well but she quietly suppressed it, instead she joined in with the clapping.
"The Hound rode well." There was a hint of bitter resentment in Renly's voice .
She leant over to speak closer to Renly's ear, "He did indeed, do not be sour Renly, people get hurt in jousts, it is a violent game."
"I'm not sour, he deserves a victory, I pity the fellow, what with his hideous scar. I doubt he will ever experience holding his own child or true love like we will." He went to take her hand again but she stood. The clapping died out, and she was aware of a hundred eyes on her.
She heard her father's voice, "Tarynn what are you doing?" And felt Renly trying to tug her back down. She ripped her hand from Renly's grasp and stalked off and out of the box. Tilana went to follow her but Tarynn lifted her hand as a sign that she should stay where she was. She glanced briefly at the jousting field and saw Sandor rooted to the spot, his helm under his arm, his black hair matted to his forehead with sweat. He was staring at her, along with the other spectators. But Tarynn felt that at that moment she truly did not care.
She walked onto the field, still with everyone's eyes on her. From her bodice she withdrew a white handkerchief, trimmed with blue lace. She held it so that everyone could see it in her hand as she approached Sandor who was still very much rooted to the spot. He was facing her, his grey eyes focused only on her. When she reached him, she went on her tiptoes, and he bent his head, she place a kiss on his cheek and then stepped back, presenting him her favour. Gasps rippled through the crowds but she ignored them. Sandor took the thin piece of fabric between two of his gauntleted fingers. She nodded to him, and he nodded back before she turned on her heel and walked back towards the royal box, her heart thundering due to her daring display of respect and courtesy.
She knew he was no monster, she had seen the good in him, experienced the loving nature that he possessed. And it wasn't right that those who did not know him would label him. She had to make an example, that looks and reputation did not matter, it was what lied within.