Jaslin had been dreeding her first ball or feast in the south. She may be a high born, but she was from a simple and small part of the North. The Starks had been good to her, but she did not dress in the fine clothes and dresses which the ladies in the south choose. She knew if she had asked Lord Stark for some new dresses, he would have brought her all she would ask for, but it had never felt right to her.
Instead, Jaslin settled on one of her old dresses for the feast and party to mark the end of the tournament. It was not like the dress she chose was ugly, it was the colour of the ocean, tight around her chest with gold embellishment, but free and flowing from there downwards. Having still refused her handmaidens, Jaslin had also had to style her own hair, which of course would not be to the standard of the south.
"Curse it. That will do me fine" she groaned after giving up on her appearance and heading out to the sun terrace at the red keep.
"Jaslin my child, you look beautiful as always" Ned had beamed when she joined them at the top table.
"Thank you Lord Stark and as does Sansa, but where is Arya?"
"She's rather be a wild cat than a lady and join us" Sansa huffed.
Jaslin raised her eyebrows at Ned and smiled as he just shrugged and grabbed for his ale.
After the meal, the feast turned more into a party and Ned Stark had obviously had enough for one night.
"Please father, please let me stay" Sansa begged him as he stood to leave.
"I shall keep an eye on her my lord" Jaslin chuckled and smiled at Sansa.
"Aye, fine" Ned groaned as Sansa quickly hugged her tightly.
Not long after Ned had left, Queen Cersi had called Sansa to her side. It was made painfully obvious that Jaslin was not invited, so she stayed at her place and drank down her fill of wine.
"Jaslin, come here child" Queen Cersi called out to her after a while.
Nervously, Jaslin stepped out from her table and went to stand by the top table, facing the queen.
"I was just saying was a beautiful sourthen lady Sansa has become. She is truly meant for Kings Landing" Cersi smiled wickedly as she folded a piece of Sansa hair behind her ear.
"Yes your grace. Sansa is a true and pure beauty".
"But you still dress like a northern... lady. Perhaps if you were not so quick to dismiss the hand maids I picked out".
"I fear that would not even help, your grace. I do not have the luxury of the southern dresses and fashion".
"Well I shall send my personal dress maker to you tomorrow. We shall have you become a southern lady as well. Then perhaps we can arrange a suitable marriage for you. Someone of your age should be married by now. I heard about the joust today, perhaps I shall arrange for you and Ser Gregor to meet. He is from an honest and loyal house".
Jaslin felt her body freeze and she could also see the sudden shock and fear on Sansa's face. Jaslin knew Cersi was trying to get a reaction out of her though, and quickly she remember her manners.
"That would be too kind of you, your grace".
Sansa spent the rest of the evening and into the night at the top table. Closely, she sat with her Prince, smiling and blushing as he complimented her and made silly jokes.
Jaslin was sat back away from the royals, drinking the wine at an increased pace as she had an internal melt down over what the queen had said.
"You look a true beauty" she heard someone announce behind her.
"Ser Jamie, thank you. Please, will you join me?" She asked with a sweet smile.
Jamie took a seat on the bench next to her and smiled warmly. "How is your head?"
"Worse than it looked. A couple of stitches and some rest had me back" she replied.
"I am glad to hear it. You were so dizzy when I found you. Did you enjoy the tourney?"
"It certainty was interesting" Jaslin chuckled.
"I'll say, I have heard your name mentioned quite a bit today. How you stopped the Clegane battle".
"I fear my soft womanly ways may have outward my better judgement" Jaslin replied but chuckling inside at the reply.
"Ah yes. The soft heart of women. I have seen you fight though. I am no fool Jaslin".
"By Ser Jamie, I couldn't possibly know what you mean" she smiled and played shocked.
Jamie laughed as he raised from his seat and bid her goodnight. Meanwhile, the queen was staring them both daggers with her eyes.
Prince Joffrey had escorted Sansa back inside later on. The queen had soon left as well, unable to watch her disgusting husband flirt and laugh with the whorish women that surronded him. Jaslin knew she should probably also return to her room, but was enjoying the wine and cool night air too much.
"Perhaps you've had enough girl. Don't need people talking about you any more than they already are" Sandor suddenly announced as he walked to her table.
"And what business is it of yours? Shouldn't you be at little fingers pleasure house with the other knights by now?" Jaslin shrugged back with confidence after all the wine she had drank.
"I told you before. I ain't no knight" he grumbled.
"Like you're any different from the rest of them" she huffed before finishing the rest of her wine.
"You don't know shit about me. The very thought of me disgusts you. But I am still trying to work out why you stopped the fight".
"I did not wish to see another man die. Especially with Sansa sat watching. I saved your life again Clegane, and yet again no thanks" she smirked and raised from the table.
"You didn't save shit. I've waited years to fight my brother, you took that away from me today" he hissed.
"And so you hate me even more".
Sandor didn't reply as he watched the young lady stumble around. Slowly she began to head back inside the red keep. Sandor wasn't finished speaking with her yet though, a small part of him also worried she'd bump into his brother when alone. She had caught his attention now, and he knew it would not end happy for her if he got his way.
"You say you've waited to fight your brother for a long time. Is it because of what he did to you?" Jaslin asked as she walked down one of the corridors inside the keep. She had known he was following still, and the wine was making her want to push him further.
"What do you know about that huh?" He grunted behind her.
Quickly, Jaslin stopped and turned around to face Sandor. Remaining completely silent she took two steps closer towards him and reached up to his face.
"I heard a story today. A sad one" she whispered and gently stroked her finger tips across the scars on his face.
Sandor quickly closed his eyes to her touch. No one had ever touched them, not even the whores he paid occasionally. Jaslin didn't seem to care though, there was never a look of disgust when she looked at them and now she even touched them. It quickly became too much for Sandor to understand as he grabbed onto the girls wrist and pushed her back against the wall of the corridor.
"What are you doing girl?" He hissed.
Jaslin didn't know what to say. Hell, she didn't even know what she was doing. She knew the wine had definetly taken effect though. Her continued silence seemed to anger Sandor more though as he pushed his large and muscular body harder against hers.
"I did not mean to cause offence. I too know what it is to be looked at in disgust and shame. I too know pain" she whispered.
Sandor had now let go of her hand, and gently took hold of her chin. "You'll know a whole more pain if my brother takes an interest in you. That's not a threat or a promise girl. It's a warning. Do you hear me".
Jaslin could see the seriousness in his eyes. She knew he wasn't trying to scare her, only warn her, but then she remembered what the queen had said she became suddenly panicked and scared. Burning, her eyes began to fill with tears as she flopped her head forwards against the man chest and sobbed.
"What is it girl? Why you sobbing so?" Sandor demanded to know as she pushed her shoulders back forcibg her look at him.
"Cersi, the queen... tonight... She said that she would arrange a marriage for me, she mentioned Ser Gregor".
Sandor felt a sudden chill run through his entire body. "Look at me girl. In the morrow, you tell Lord Stark this. He knows what kind of man my brother is, he won't allow it. Just keep your head down".
Slowly, Jaslin wiped the tears from her cheeks and looked up at Sandor.
"Thank you" she whispered.