Love Can Kill / Sandor Clegane (3.1)

21. Foreplay & I Love Yous

"She still wants us to go south." Rieka realized. They were a few days out from winterfell and setting up camp for the night, if they were lucky the snow would lighten up and they would arrive by nightfall tomorrow but that was unlikely. 

"She wants to take Cersei down." Sandor agreed. 

"She wants to risk our men." Rieka countered. 

"Are their yours now?" 

"I'm the eldest Stark, yes, they are mine." Rieka agreed. "And Jon's but he's king so does he really count?" Sandor chuckled building the base of the fire. Rieka struck the flint catching fire to the twigs, Sandor took a step back. 

"We have went years without dealing with the capital. Let Cersei run her region to the ground." Rieka decided. "As long as they dont come up who cares?"

"You want to hide here forever?" Sandor countered. 

"Cersei was my friend." Rieka corrected. "She... I know it seems weird but we were like family, we looked out for each other." Rieka informed him. "But I think losing her father changed things, he provided them with strength just by being alive and then she lost her children. I felt that loss of losing my baby for a long time after she was gone. I can't imagine losing not one, not two but three living breathing children. It changes a person. I dont need to see her to know she is a little bit broken if not completely cracked." 

"She?" Sandor questioned. 

"What?" Rieka countered. 

"You said she?"

"Cersei." Rieka agreed. 

"Your baby."

"Oh... I dont know," Rieka shrugged. "I had a dream." She admitted. "I... she was beautiful, she was little like Tyrion." Rieka added. "She had the biggest smile and the most beautiful little green eyes... I dreamt of her a lot back then, when you were dying and I had nothing to do but think. Let my mind reel."

"You never told me." Sandor countered as they settled in for the night. She curled up beside him. 

"I didnt think you would want to know." Rieka admitted. 

"Why not?" Sandor countered. 

"Because it was my child with Tyrion." Rieka offered. "And you two hate each other."

"But I love you." 

Rieka's lips moved wordlessly at his confession. He pulled her closer. 

"I love you." He repeated. "You dont have to hide shit from me. I want to know so I can be there for you, like you were there for me... my wife. Thats what being fake married is right?" He teased kissing her neck. Rieka nodded. 

"I would really like that, fake husband." Rieka agreed. 

"When are we consummating this fake union to make it real?" Sandor questioned for what was probably the millionth time. 

"Please go to bed." Benjen begged. "I'm her uncle and can't handle the foreplay." 

"Sorry uncle benjen." Rieka giggled back in the darkness. 

"Just.. no funny business, wait until you are back at the castle please." Benjen added. 

"You got it." Rieka agreed as sandor countered. 

"No promises."

"Sandor!" Rieka laughed out. 

Tyrion hated it, hated how much Rieka liked Sandor, how much they loved each other, how Sandor got to hold her when he didnt. How she told the hound about their baby but not him. 

When the morning came the sun streaked through the trees giving a warm glow over them. Rieka stayed curled up into Sandor until Jon tapped a gentle foot against her own. 

"Time to go." Jon whispered. "Up and at 'em."

"Five more minutes." Rieka whined. Avalon licked at her face as if to say nope, get up. Rieka reached a hand up and Jon pulled her to her feet. "Im up." Rieka agreed running her fingers through her hair as Sandor rose up. 

"Winterfell today if we hurry." Jon reminded her. 

"Real bed." Sandor agreed with a wink. Benjen shook his head as he passed getting his horse ready. 

"What are you thinking, about the dragon lady?"  Rieka pondered. 

"What do you mean?" Jon countered. 

"Winterfell is just a pit stop for her but Winterfell is our home." Rieka reminded him. "Are you... you are not planning on going south with her are you?"

"I... dont know, I had not thought much on it." Jon admitted. 

"Why not? She has been trying to convince you into bending since you met her it seems. Are your morals holding you back?" Rieka questioned, Jon gave her a pointed look as he gave her a boost onto her horse.

"Can we not?"

"Sure, but Sansa is going to be a bigger bitch about it if you wait any longer to tell this woman you are not fighting her battles for her." RIeka countered. 

"Lets just get home." Jon requested. "Then deal with... the queens." 

"You got it... King Jon."