Sort of a filler until the end part.
Kess woke up slowly, the sun over her back warming and waking her at the same time. She was lying naked in a tangle of sheets, her head resting on Sandor's chest as he slept on his back, an arm snaked around her. Kestrel lifted her head slightly and saw that he was still asleep and smiled slightly, looking around the room.
She noted idly that there were few personal touches, barely even any books. As she was lost in thought, Kestrel traced her finger over the healed wound on Sandor's chest that had become a scar, noticing from his breathing that he was waking up.
As he flickered his eyes open, Sandor was surprised to see that Kestrel was there, realising that it had not all been an incredible dream. He was also as surprised that she had not already left as he was sleeping.
'Good morning Ser' he grimaced slightly at the title 'I am not a Ser'. She smirked 'actually, you are. You might not want to be, but you have been given the title by the king'. He made a grumbling noise and felt Kestrel shift slightly under the covers, suddenly very aware that the entire length of her naked body was lying against his own.
'I need to leave soon, Joffrey expects me before the feast tonight, I don't know why- I wasn't really listening'.
Sandor looked a little confused 'feast?'. Kestrel sat up, holding the sheet around herself 'The Engagement Feast… for us… my Mother has organized it… Sansa will be there, Margaery, Loras, my Father and his men… the royal retinue... How can you forget about that?'.
Sandor shrugged, running his hand lightly down her spine 'I don't know, I am not a man of feasts and ceremony'.
Kestrel stood up, dropping the sheet and pulling on her silk dress from the night before in one swift movement, turning back towards him 'maybe so, but in the same way I am going to become a Clegane, you are going to become the Lord of Oldtown at some point- you should remember that'.
Sandor wasn't sure if she was annoyed at him and merely made a noise that wasn't really anything in particular as Kestrel started to braid her hair loosely, securing it with a ribbon.
'It's early still, the corridors are quiet, I can't hear anyone in the courtyard below either, and the sun isn't fully risen yet- I should leave before I'm missed'.
Sandor nodded awkwardly 'I can walk you back to your rooms?'. She half nodded and he quickly dressed himself, glancing down at her again 'about last night, I-'. She cut him off with a swift kiss 'don't apologise, I am hardly complaining'.
She pulled the cloak around herself and they left the rooms, Kestrel slipping into the empty corridor and moving through to the courtyard, where Sandor met her so it was less obvious what they had done.
At the bottom of the stone steps to her rooms Kestrel turned and gave Sandor a very ladylike curtsey, both aware of the people milling around near them. He nodded curtly at her and muttered 'Good day, my Lady' before turning and leaving, wishing he could have done more but holding his hands back and walked back to his quarters.
Sansa was finishing changing when Kestrel slipped in through the door, the redhead giving her a quizzical look 'you weren't here last night…?'.
She was surprised by the blush on Kestrel's cheeks 'yes, I, uh- I was visiting Sandor…'. There was a pause between them before Sansa blinked 'did you…?'.
Kestrel nodded slightly 'we do things a little differently in the South Sansa, you shouldn't be so shocked. Is the bath run?'.
'Yes, it's still burning hot though'. Kestrel laughed hollowly, removing her cloak and tossing it on the bed 'In case you forgot, fire and boiling water isn't really a problem for me Sansa'.
She saw the bitter look in Kestrel's eyes as she disappeared into their bathroom.
A little while later Kestrel re-emerged, wearing a green dress with her hair down, looking relaxed and calm.
Sansa looked almost apologetic 'Can you braid my hair?'.
Kestrel sat down beside her cousin and started to slowly brush it 'Kestrel, have you ever seen Winterfell?'.
She murmured a yes 'you were very small, a little redheaded baby who was only just learning to walk. Robb, Jon and Theon were there, I'm not sure but I think Benjen Stark was there too… My father sent his men to rest and Ned took my father and me down to the crypts… My mother is buried there, Baelor wanted me to know who I was and where I came from. They were speaking for a long time and I grew bored, walked to the fire and started playing with it… your father was shocked'.
Kestrel laughed slightly at the memory, starting to braid Sansa's hair 'he said he was glad I'd been raised a Hightower'.
'Why?'.
'Because I was far enough away from Robert Baratheon that I wouldn't accidentally give myself away, they were speaking about dragons and fire, and I just got bored… that's my only memory of Winterfell; and the feast that night, Theon, Robb and Jon kept fighting all night, kept us all amused'.
Sansa smiled fondly, turning around to tie the end of her hair and look at her cousin 'They always did, I think it was always hard for Jon, not knowing who he really was and just coming back with Father from the war'.
Kestrel stilled slightly 'how old is Jon, is he older than Robb?'.
Sansa shook her head, standing up to look out the window
'Robb is a little older, after my parents married my Father quickly went off to war and Robb was born whilst he was away... My Father brought Jon back with him at the end of the Rebellion'. Kestrel blinked 'how old was Jonn when your father brought him home?'.
Sansa thought for a moment 'I think my Mother said he was about four months old'. Kestrel stilled, her mind racing and slipping things into place.
'Why? What's wrong?'. Kestrel waved a hand as if it was nothing 'Jon's mother, who was she?'. Sansa shrugged 'no idea, now he's gone we might never know… My Mother always said he looked more like a Stark than the rest of us, we knew he was at least half a Stark'.
Kestrel made a thoughtful noise of agreement, not listening to Sansa anymore.
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