Lonesome / Sandor Clegane (2)

11. Beast

''When I was a child my brother would tell me a bedtime story about the man that murdered my father' Daenerys told Jaime as he stood before her. "The man who stabbed him in the back and cut his throat, who sat down on the iron throne and watched as his blood poured onto the floor... he told me other stories as well about all the things we would do to that man once we took back the seven kingdoms and had him in our grasp.' Dany looked over Jaime Lannister. Standing before her, he didn't look too much like a king slayer right now. 'Your sister pledged to send her army north..."

'She did' Jaime answered.

''I do not see an army I see a one handed man. It appears your sister lied to me.' Dany told him.

'But Cersei lied to me as well' Jaime informed her. 'She never had any intention of sending her fleet north, she now has greyjoys army and the golden company from essos. Even if we defeat the dead she will have more than enough to destroy the survivors. I swore to fight for the living and I intend to keep that promise.' Jaime told her silently pleading for his life.

''Your Grace I know my brother-' tyrion began.

''Like you knew your sister?' Dany countered.

"Come on, these are stupid." Sandor assured. 

"You dont want to find out what happens to Jaime?" Verena countered. 

"Lannisters always get away." Sandor corrected. 

''He came here alone why would he do that if he were not telling the truth?' Tyrion suggested.

''Perhaps he trusts his little brother to defend him right up until the moment he slit my throat!' Dany threatened. Verena got up, she never felt like she belonged at the head table, her siblings fit the role but Verena didnt. She got up taking the hand sandor offered but Sansas next words made her falter. 

''We cannot trust him he attacked me my father in the streets and he-' sansa began.

'If you want me to apologize, I won't.' Jaime told them. 'we were at war, everything I did, I did for my house and my family and I would do it all again.' He informed them. 

"He would do it again." Verena whispered. "He would start the chain reaction that... led to my fathers death..." But she supposed it was her mother taking tyrion that started it but her father was innocent. She wondered what dear old Ned would think if he could see them now. See what had become of his children.

''The things we do for love' Bran said and Jaime looked to him, clear panic in his eyes. 

''So why have you abandoned your house and family now?' Dany questioned.

''Because this goes beyond loyalty, this is about survival.' Jaime told her. Brienne of tarth suddenly stood up, catching everyones attention. Sandor pulled a distracted Verena away. 

"I miss him... my father." Verena remarked as they walked. Gracie ran ahead of them playing in the snow. "Do you miss your father?" 

"No." Sandor corrected. "He was awful." Verena nodded slowly. 

"What happened to him?" She asked after a long moment. 

"He died." Sandor answered. "Gregor might have killed him, he might have drunk himself into a stupor. Got into a bar fight, he was always getting into those."

"How did you know he was gone?"

"He asked for money a lot." Sandor remarked. "Always drank away whatever he earned at the docks. He was always asking for money, stealing what he could do get another fix, another drink. He stopped showing up. After a moon a went looking." Sandor admitted. He shrugged. "Found him dead."

"I'm sorry." Verena didnt know what else to say.

"Not as horrific as your fathers death. I still hate that I couldnt help." Sandor admitted. "He seemed a good man."

"He was. He was the best man." Verena agreed leaning into sandor. "Maybe second best to you." She added. Sandor stared down at her and he believed her when she said it. Believed that she believed it at least. 

Sandor let her go taking a step back. Verena hesitated turning to him. 

"Whats wrong?" She questioned stepping towards him, her feet crunching in the snow. 

"You dont want me." Sandor remarked. 

"I do. I really do." Verena corrected. 

"No. I'm... I can't make you happy."

"You already have." Verena corrected, confused on his sudden change of attitude towards her. Sandor shook his head aggressively and took another step back when Verena reached for him. She let her hand drop to her side. He looked to her beautiful face, confusion spread across it. 

"Why do you think you can't be happy with me?" Verena questioned. Sandor took a step closer and Sandor met her gaze touching her cheek gently.

"Because beasts don't get the beauty."

"You are not a beast, you are a good man. A man I love." Verena corrected.

"Love." He repeated. 

 "And I'm no beauty." She added. Her thighs were too large, her face was too oily, she didnt have big breasts, she was portioned all wrong in her mind. She wasnt beautiful like sansa, effortlessly so but when sandor looked at her, she felt like she was. 

"You are to me." Sandor corrected. She tucked her hair behind her ear.

"You are no beast. Not to me." Verena agreed. "but even if you think you are, I don't think you know the story." Sandor stared down at her eyes narrowed. "Beauty does get the beast and he turns into a prince and he wasn't a monster after all just lost and lonely and... needing a friend."

"So I am or I'm not?" Sandor mused.

"You are mine. If you are a beast, you are MY beast." Verena clarified.