Chapter 42

The day had yet to truly brighten, still in the breaking of dawn, when Jaime became aware of the press of cold steel against his neck. He knew who it was before he even opened his eyes, Sandor. He didn't move, just slowly opened his eyes and looked into the eyes that he knew hundreds of men had looked into before they died. He couldn't figure out why he wasn't scared, he just watched him. He could tell that Sandor had been drinking, probably all night, it was just another reason to just see what direction this would go. He felt that the Hound wasn't going to kill him, he would have already done so.

Sandor's voice was flat and dead as he said," Get your arm away from her. She is mine."

Jaime slowly moved him arm, trying to untangle himself, his eyes never leaving Sandor's. Shalene was instantly awake, not in fear but anger at Sandor's words. She didn't have a chance to say anything before he grabbed her by her hair and pulled her off the bed. In his single-minded rage, he had forgotten how she was, as he started to pull her to him she elbowed him in his ribs hard enough for him to loosen his grip on her which she took full advantage of. Jaime thought she would run and was amazed when she turned on Sandor and kicked him on the inside of his thigh, close to his groin. Sandor let out a grunt of surprised pain and wasn't quick enough to move as Shalene stomped down on the arch of his foot, causing him to go to his knee. Jaime almost laughed to see this little thing bring the beast that Sandor was, to his knees, but he kept his mouth quiet for once. With Sandor now down, closer to her level, she again kicked him, right below his ribs, effectively knocking the breath from him before she turned around, grabbed the bed sheet, covering herself, and left the room.

Shalene stormed down the hall, Edgar just looked at her and shook his head. Tyrion had been heading to the dining hall, he knew she had spent the night with Jaime, he hoped that his brother wasn't the reason for her rage but then he saw Sandor struggling to stand in the doorway of Jaime's room, looking like he had just been kicked by his wicked horse. He was afraid Sandor had done something to Jaime until he saw him step around Sandor with that ever present smirk on his face, shaking his head. Tyrion knew then that Shalene had done this to the Hound. He laughed until he had to hold his sides.

Shalene already had her breeches and boots on, she had a dagger strapped to her thigh and was securing her weapons belt, that held her throwing and palm knives as well as those deadly throwing stars, when Sandor made it into their bed chamber.

They were both still in a boiling rage, neither needing to be around the other at this time but Sandor was determined that she was going to listen to him. She was his, he wasn't going to share her with anyone. Thoughts of the last time he acted like this and that he freely found pleasure in other women, never crossed his mind. Only his need to control what he felt was his. He started across the room to Shalene but was quickly brought up short by a sharp pain in his left shoulder, right below his collar bone. When he looked down, he saw one of Shalene's throwing knives buried there. He didn't hesitate as he reached up and pulled it out, throwing it on the floor, and takes another step towards her. Shalene didn't back away, she reached to her belt and before Sandor knew it, he had one of her throwing stars in his right thigh, his eyes never left hers as he pulled it out and dropped it.

His next mistake was lunging to grab her, she kicked him in the groin with all the force she had. He was on his knees again, hands over his crotch, with waves of blinding pain and nausea rolling through his body. He had never had anyone knee him in the balls, he couldn't think, it took what strength he had left not to vomit. He just let his head ease to the cool floor, sweat rolling off of him.

He hadn't even taken in a decent breath when he felt Shalene straddle him and jerk his head back, exposing his throat, he felt her blade drag across his throat from below his right ear to the middle of his throat, he could feel the hotness of his blood as it ran down his neck. He had a brief, lucid thought," It wasn't deep enough to kill me," when she let his head go and it thudded to the marble. As she stepped away, he desperately grabbed for her and was rewarded with a solid kick to the side of his head. It made him see white flashes before his eyes.

He was too much of a killer to give up, he tried to move to get to his knees when Shalene kicked him in his ribs, causing him to fall again. The marble was slick with his blood but he tried again, gasping," Stop this, Woman. What the fuck is wrong with you? You are mine, you should never have been with him!"

Shalene kicked him again and yelled," I belong to myself! I have told you so many times, you can't posses me! Why is what you've been given, not enough? Why are you not content with the life I've laid at your feet? Was it so much better living the way you were compared to what you have now? There will be no marriage, Sandor. I can't be with someone who wants to change me. Who wants to treat me as a thing he owns. I have never stopped you from being you. You take your pleasure in any woman you chose, Yet you made it impossible for me to have the one man I have loved all my life. He never wanted to interfere with you and I, he just wanted to be in my life as he always had. But you are so greedy! You are so selfish that you want to smother me, hide me away as if anyone looking at me will take for their own. Live your life, Hound, by yourself."

He grabbed for her one more time but had underestimated her rage, having no experience with a woman who could be as much a killer as he was, he heard her scream, he'd heard that sort of rage many times in battle, and again, felt white hot pain, this time in his back, on both sides, as she had stabbed him above each shoulder and drug her blades down his back, leaving him bloody and open from his shoulders to his hips.

Shalene grabbed her tunic and went downstairs, leaving Sandor bleeding and in pain on the floor. She entered the dining hall, all present looked up and were stunned to see her approach, she had blood splattered across her face and in her hair, her tunic had soaked up the blood that was on her chest, her hands and forearms bear Sandor's fresh blood. Sansa fainted. Tyrion was shocked but didn't say anything. Jaime finally asked," You vicious little minx, is he dead?"

Shalene replied, as she was eating," Not yet, but if you leave him there long enough, he could be."

Edgar stood and scolded her," Child, what have you done, now?"

Shalene shrugged and replied," He wanted to fight and act like he owns me, I'm not the one, Edgar, you know that. There will be no marriage between me and the Hound. Continue to prepare for one, but this will be for Lucian and Jonete'. They love each other. Send Leelou when it's time, don't tell him where I'm at. I don't care what he says."

Edgar nodded in his fatherly way. Shalene looked at Jaime and said," If you still think you're such a deadly lion, and you're not scared, meet me in the stables in half an hour. Either way, makes no matter to me."

Edgar sent for the healer and for Mathew to come help with Sandor, being unsure if Shalene left him able to move on his own. She's such a willful young woman. Tyrion assured Jaime he would watch over Tommen, Brienne was there anyway and Sansa had been providing the lessons for Lucian and Elezbeth, Tommen would join them. Shalene loved the twins for a few minutes, and kissed little Jaxsan, who really wasn't so little. Jaxell assured her he would watch over them. She met Jaime at the stables and he got a surprise as she called for Aulonex. He looked at the steed with open appreciation and laughed when she said," Endel." And the horse bowed down so she could jump on him. As they rode out of the gates he said, "You're going to have to teach me that command," and gave her his famous Lannister grin, only this time, it was sincere.