Dark Wings (Sandor Clegane)

Chapter Seven

"Jaslin, Arya told me of your fall and Clegane. I have been worried" Ned announced as Jaslin walked over to him and Sansa.

"I am fine. Just a small cut, it looked worse than it was. I am sorry for being late though. Maester Luewin gave me some milk of the poppy for the pain and I over slept. What have I missed?" She smiled and sat down at his side on the benches at the side of the josting field.

"Sansa shall fill you in, I'm afraid I have business in the castle. Enjoy the tourney, for my sins" he mumbled the last part before kissing his daughter on the head and walking off.

"Will you speak to yet sweet Sansa?" Jaslin smiled.

"It was you who has not been speaking to me. I know you heard us in the tent that night, before the clans men came" she instantly blurted at the frown of her septa sat at her other side.

"Yes, but I also heard the words you spoke. How you defended me. I know we have never been the closest, but you mean the world to me Sansa. I am sorry if I have ever made you feel of less worth" Jaslin whispered as she slide up the bench towards her and took her hands in hers.

Sansa looked down at their intwined hands and smiled softly before looking back up at Jaslin. "Do you love me as much as Arya and Jon?"

"Of course. You are all like my brothers and sisters. I have grown up equally with all of you and my love for each of you is therefore equal".

Suddenly the King stood up from the royal balcony and called out loudly. "Start the damn joust before I piss me self".

Sansa and Jaslin suddenly looked at one another and giggled.

"That must be why father only allows us one glass at feasts" Sansa chuckled.

Suddenly the cheering of the crowd grew louder as the first knight galloped out.

"Lord, who's that?" Sansa asked.

"That's Gregor Clegane my lady" a snake like voice replied from behind the two girls.

"Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Petyr Baelish, a fond friend of your dear mother's Lady Sansa" the man continued as he pushed himself down on the bench inbetween the two girls and smiled at Sansa.

"It is an honour to meet you Lord Baelish" Sansa smiled politely and glanced quickly over to Jaslin.

"They call him the mountain. The hounds older brother" Baelish continued as he looked over at the jousting field.

"And his opponent?" Sansa asked.

"Ser Hugh of the Vale" he answered.

The knights were now positioning themselves, ready for the joust as the trumpets blew. As the knights made their first run, Jaslin couldn't help but look back to the royal box. Stood at the back was Sandor Clegane. She wanted to see the man, to try and believe the huge knight was actually his brother. Suddenly he turned his head and caught her eye. His stare was cold and harsh and it made Jaslin quickly look away. Slowly she felt her cheek burn with a blush after being caught looking at such a man.

On the second run, Gregors lance splintered and pierced through the young knights throat. He quickly fell back off his horse. The sound of him slowly dying was overtaken by the scream that erupted from Sansa Stark though and Jaslin quickly reached across to take her hand.

"Not what you were expecting? Tell me, has anyone ever told you the story of the mountain and the hound. Lovely little tale of brotherly love" Baelish whispered as Sansa and Jaslin quickly looked back at the hound.

"The hound was just a pup, six years old maybe, Gregor a few years older, already a big lad, already getting bit of a reputation. Some lucky boys are just born with a talent for violence. One evening, Gregor found his little brother playing with a toy by the fire, Gregors toy, a wooden knight. Gregor never said a word, he just grabbed his brother by the neck and shoved his face down into the fire, held him there whilst the boy screamed. Whilst his face melted. There aren't many people who know that story".

"I won't tell anyone. We promise" Sansa squirmed.

"Sansa, go refresh yourself before the jousting restarts. Septa?" Jaslin suddenly announced, having heard enough of this snakes poisoned words.

Sansa quickly nodded and stepped from the bench, leaving Jaslin alone with the man she knew many people called little finger.

"Stay away from Sansa. If I hear else wise, I promise you Lord Baelish, your little finger is all they will find of you" Jaslin hissed before quickly standing up and walking away.

Jaslin was almost shaking with anger. She did not trust little finger, she had overheard Ned Stark say as much, but she'd kill for the stark girls.

"Girl" Sandors voice suddenly called out as Jaslin tried to calm her breathing behind the viewing stalls.

"Jaslin. I have told you before. My name is Jaslin, not girl" she groaned and turned to the man.

"Your head?"

"Is still attached to my neck".

She could hear Sandor let out a long and pained breath as he looked down at her.

"That man, he is your brother?" She went on to ask as she looked behind at the monstrous man stood far behind Sandor.

Sandor quickly turned around and saw his older brother staring back at them both. Quickly he gripped onto Jaslins arm and pulled her out of sight.

"Aye, he's a brother. You going to defend yourself in front of him as well?".

"Why, do I need to?" Jaslin shot back as she pulled her arm from his grip and glared at him.

"Hate me all you want girl, but stay out of my brother way. Trust me on that" he warned before quickly storming back to where he had come from.

Soon the final joust was about to start. Sansa and Jaslin took their seats, this time without little finger, and sat patiently. As the knights came out on their horses, Lord Stark came back to join the girls and sat at Sansa's other side.

"The night of the flowers" Sansa smiled as Ser Loras Tyrell guided his horse to their stall.

Finally he stood right in front of them and presented Sansa with a single red rose.

"Thank you Ser Loras" Sansa beamed as her father sat up more straight.

When Ser Gregor came back into the field, his horse became wild. Still he pulled the horse at his will and prepared for the joust.

"Don't let Ser Gregor hurt him, I can't watch" Sansa panicked as she suddenly clung onto her father's arm.

At the sound of the horn, the two horses began to charge towards each other. Ser Gregors ride still seemed unrulely, and when their lances clashed, the mountain fell to the ground so hard, Jaslin swore she felt the stalls shake.

Once Gregor had finally risen to his feet, he yelled out for his sword. With one easier sweep, he then dropped the long sword into his horses neck, slicing the head clean off. Suddenly, the cheers from the crowds died down and everyone looked on anxiously.

Raged, Gregor then charged at Loras as the crowd gasped and cried out. Sansa had now also gripped tightly on Jaslins hand as they watched the madness unfold before them. Gregor looked as though he was about to kill the knights of flowers, when Sandor Clegane jumped down from the royal box.

"Leave him be" he roared and blocked a fatal blow from his brother sword.

Soon the brothers were in the middle of a battle to the death. Both men were larger than most and equalled in power, but still Jaslin felt an overwhelming panic bubble inside of her.

"Please, your grace" she called out to the royal box at the shock of both Lord Stark and Sansa.

Suddenly King Robert raised from his chair and roared out across the jousting field. "Stop this madness in the name of your King!".

Sandor quickly bent to his knee and yielded his sword, just about missing one last fatal blow from his brother. Jaslin, still stood up, her chest heaving as she tried to call her breathing looked down at the two men. Sandor was staring right at her, but so was Ser Gregor and he looked more enraged than ever.