When Sandor next woke up it was several hours later and he woke with a start, gasping for air as he snapped his eyes open quickly. The first thing he noticed was the beautiful brunette woman sitting on a chair beside him, wearing a simple light green dress, her hair long and loose in curls.
The sun was streaming in through the windows onto her and he couldn't help but be slightly taken aback by how beautiful she looked. She smiled slightly and sat forward in the chair
'You've suffered no injuries that won't heal in a few weeks…you will need all the rest you can get. What happened to you? I heard you were missing after the battle?'.
Sandor was still feeling disorientated and dizzy, shaking his head and feeling as though he would be sick 'captured- Stannis's men- three weeks'. She nodded and wiped the sweat of his forehead as he turned to look at her and muttered 'Kestrel?' before he collapsed back onto the pillow, out cold.
Nearly another hour later Sandor woke up again, this time feeling more aware and conscious, looking over at the young woman.
'Why are you here?'.
She glanced up 'I have some knowledge of healing; I was the only one available when you came back, and the soldiers were being treated still'.
He sat up slowly; looking confused still 'a woman, who is a healer, things cannot have changed that much in three weeks'.
She shook her head 'no, I am not from King's Landing. My Father is Baelor Hightower, I am here as a guest of the Royal Family'. He heard the slightly off tone of her voice and glanced at her, realising that she wasn't one of the Highborn women who became simpering messes over being around the King and the Royal family.
She sat back in the chair, glancing out of the window briefly 'Stannis and his men…Joffrey and his men...when men begin to fight their own family…that is where evil lies'.
Sandor looked up at her with a dark expression 'you know nothing of evil, you are a sheltered lady of the Manor'.
Kestrel stood quickly, drawing Sandor's own sword from the scabbard beside the bed in a swift movement and held it against his neck, their faces an inch apart as Kestrel spoke, clearly livid.
'I am no 'sheltered lady', I can fight any man you put before me, any Ser, Knight or Kings Guard you give me. And do not tell me I know nothing of evil'. Kestrel dropped the sword to her side, still angry 'you have no idea the things I have seen, we have both seen the face of evil haven't we?'.
Sandor looked over the young woman quickly, still shocked by her reaction. He said nothing and she filled the silence 'your 'dear brother' is the true face of evil'.
His response was immediate 'I am not my brother'. Kestrel nodded, stepping back a little 'I am glad to hear it. Now, sit down, I need to check your injuries'. He didn't move and Kestrel put her hands on her hips, looking annoyed
'SIT! I am here to help you, please, just let me'.
Begrudgingly, Sandor sat down on the edge of the bed, grumbling slightly as every muscle ached and his injuries pulled and strained at him. Kestrel leant down slightly, checking over the healing cut on his shoulder and the bruise on his eye.
As she was checking him over Sandor suddenly reached out and gripped her wrist with incredible force, stopping her suddenly. Her hand had brushed slightly over his scarring and his eyes were dark 'you cannot 'fix me' girl, I am already broken enough'.
With surprising strength Kestrel wrenched her arm from his grasp, looking annoyed again 'it is only scarring, stop distracting me, or else I will never finish checking these injuries'.
Sandor looked incredulous 'only scarring? Look at me girl, I am a monster'. Kestrel exhaled deeply, looking seriously annoyed now 'so, are you saying that everyone who has a scar or mark is a disfigured monster? Well, thank you, you can look after yourself from now on'.
She turned to pack her things away and he stood quickly, taking her arm to turn her back towards him 'what are you talking about girl?'.
Slowly Kestrel unlaced the front of her dress slightly and shrugged her dress off the shoulder, showing a deep, twisted line of scarring, which was clearly from a stab wound to the area.
He blinked in surprise and she shrugged a little, pulling her dress back up and lacing it up again as she spoke 'It took so long to heal that my father thought I was going to die from the pain at one point. I remember mother crying a lot'.
'How?'. She shook her head with a half smile 'A story for another time perhaps'.
She looked up at him, clearly unafraid and he blinked 'you are not afraid of me?'. She shrugged 'Your brother burnt your face as a child, that makes Gregor the monster, not you. I should leave, Joffrey will want to see you, just to prepare you'.
He snorted and muttered something darkly under his breath, making her laugh slightly 'I'll tell him you are resting'.
With that, she left the room, closing the door behind her before Sandor could say anything. Despite himself, the Hound found himself oddly captivated by the beautiful young woman. She had looked at him without fear, without judgement and without horror. He was intrigued and baffled at the same time, sitting back on his bed and slowly falling asleep again, still exhausted.
Kestrel slipped quietly out into the corridor and walked out towards the courtyard, seeing a Knight there who turned to her with a slight bow 'my Lady, you look lost?'. She smiled lightly back at him 'Not lost, but looking for the King'.
He nodded 'I shall escort you, a woman as beautiful as you should not have to walk alone'. Kestrel put on her sweet, dignified persona as the Knight took her hand, kissing it 'Ser Osmund Kettleblack, my Lady'. She blinked her long eyelashes at the tall Knight who fell for it immediately, leading her down the winding, twisting corridors to the Throne Room, where she was announced to Joffrey, Osmund looking sad to leave her.
The Throne room was relatively empty, save for a few Knights and Ladies there, allowing Kestrel to walk right up to the stone steps, where Joffrey smiled slightly as he saw her.
'And how is the Dog today?'. Kestrel blinked in confusion 'your Grace, what do you mean 'Dog? I don't follow this'. He laughed a little 'The Clegane brothers are called the Mountain and the Hound, Sandor is the Dog'.
She merely nodded slightly 'I see. He is wounded, but not grievously. Stannis's men captured him, held him for weeks, he's lucky to be able to return alive frankly'. Joffrey nodded, gloating to her about various things until she made an excuse about seeing Margarey and she excused herself.
Kestrel was being idle and walking through a small courtyard of the Keep when she recognized the tall, dark silhouette of Sandor at the edge of the stables, attending to an enormous black horse beside him. Kestrel watched for a few minutes before walking over, Sandor glancing up as she approached.
'I seem to remember I ordered you on to bed rest'. He shook his head and continued brushing the horses mane 'The horse is mine, he has served me well, I cannot abandon him in the stables. And none of the stable hands will go near him;.
Kestrel gently put her hand out and Sandor was about to pull her back when the horse sniffed at her hand before letting her stroke down his nose, making no protest and snuffling into her, much as he did with Sandor.
He was literally gaping at her 'I have never seen him behave with anyone before'. She snorted slightly with laughter 'They have said the same thing with you accepting my help'.
Sandor raised his eyebrows but said nothing, still looking intently at the beautiful woman before him who was the only one to ever calm Stranger.
'Can I ask you a question?'. He grunted in what she assumed was a yes and picked some hay from the bale at her feet and held it out for Stranger. 'I have heard that you have been a protector for Sansa Stark whilst she has been here…the relationship you two have…'.
She trailed off and Sandor filled in the gaps himself, understanding the insinuation, finding himself being honest and open with this woman in front of her.
'I had a sister, she died when she was young…Sansa reminds me of my sister. I am not attracted to the Lady Stark in the way you insinuate. How do you know the Stark girl?'.
'Ah, Ser Clegane, that is a very long story to tell'. He understood that the conversation on that vein was over.
Sandor looked at her sharply 'Do not call me that, I am no 'Ser' My Lady'. She smirked slightly, leaning over to him, voice slightly hushed as she laughed 'I'm not much of a lady either' she winked and left the barn, leaving him to watch her closely, closing his open mouth.
Cersei had made sure that Sansa was still occupied and not plotting her escape, and had then spent several hours considering an appropriate husband for the young Hightower girl.
Obviously Joffrey was no longer an option, he was to marry her cousin, there were no Lannister's possible. Cersei knew that when Baelor became the ruler of the Oldtown then Kestrel would have to return to the City, but until then, she would stay near her husband. Cersei wanted to broker a closer relationship between King's Landing and the incredibly rich and incredibly well manned port of Oldtown.
She had been considering Balon Swann as a suitor for the girl, he was attractive, a formidable soldier and a member of a very well respected house. Ser Osmund Kettleblack and his two elder brothers were showing more than a mild interest in the Southerner, but Cersei came to the conclusion that they were better Knights than they would be husbands.
Tyrion had come to see her, still bandaged, and had told her that Baelon and his brothers wanted Kestrel to marry someone who was strong enough to protect her at all possible costs.
They knew of how skilled Kestrel was with a sword and it narrowed the possibilities down to much less men, thse who could out-fight the petite brunette. Cersei was still considering Balon Swann when Tyrion muttered from the window 'Hmm, how interesting'.
She looked up 'what?'. He looked back over at his sister 'I can see the stables from here, Sandor Clegane is tending that vicious animal he calls his horse…Kestrel is talking to him…the horse is allowing her to stroke it…I've seen him take off a man's ear. Hmm, she must be doing something right'.
Cersei stood up and swiftly moved to the window, watching as Kestrel said something to Sandor and walked away, leaving him watching her leave.
Her voice was quiet and thoughtful 'interesting…very interesting'. Tyrion looked up at her 'what are you planning, sister?'. She turned, walking back to her rolls of parchment 'maybe we can find a way to keep the young Hightower in King's Landing, then the Hightower's cannot remove themselves from us'.
I always think Cersei is both a bitch and a good person at the same time. She will do so much to protect her family, and she has to do so much to cover her secrets up.
A bit more Sansa to come, and Loras returns.
Please review and let me know what you think :)