Portrait// Sandor Clegane (1)

2. Muse

Out of all the people Avalon drew she found that the ones the world deemed as perfect, the most beautiful were the least entertaining to draw. Cersei had many portraits, her children as well, although Avalon did like drawing children better. She loved the faces they made, their air of innocence as they spoke, how they thought themselves invincible.

But her muse was the one person she could never seem to stare at long enough. Sandor Clegane. The Hound. Scars littered his face and his eyes were sad turned down, she had maybe a hundred drawings of this man, all half done, never able to see his scar long enough. To sketch them to perfection. She had one sketch of Sandor, one she really liked, he sat drinking at a tavern outside of the castle, the cup to his lips, his scar not visible. She outlined it roughly as she sat across the tavern, he sat and drank, ignoring most people that came up to him, barked at him, but Avalon was intrigued by this man that she had never spoke to.

The king had gifted her sketch books and supplies, even allowing her to stay in the servants quarters at the castle as she sketched the family. Over the months Robert instructed Avalon to paint the castle, Marcella wanted an ocean on her walls, Tommen a jungle, Joffrey requested... demanded a lion, tall dark and strong. Avalon got to work. She spent endless hours sketching before showing the queen and her children. The children nodded eagerly as Avalon got to work.

'Me first, since I'm the oldest.' Joffrey told her.

'Of course my prince.' Avalon said. He pointed to the wall he wanted the lion on and sandor came in moving furniture out of the way, Avalon watched him, trying to memorize every inch of his face. But he turned his face to her, lifting a dresser with ease, she watched his muscles move under his armor. He turned back to her, staring down at her. she had never been this close to him before, she stared at his eyes. The speckles of color mixed in she needed to sketch him but he looked around the room awkwardly.

'Anything else?' he said gruffly. When Avalon didn't answer he took a step forward. "Girl?' he questioned.

'No,' she said quickly. 'thank you.' He nodded heading out but he stopped at the door.

'What are you doing?' he questioned.

'I'm the artist.' She told him simply. "Avalon.'

'I know who you are you girl.' Sandor told her. her heart fluttered, he knew her. 'what are you doing? What are you painting?'

'A lion.' Avalon had gotten quite good at lions over the year she spent in the capital.

'Boy's a stag.' Sandor told her.

'I do as they say,' Avalon told  him, 'same as you.' Sandor nodded heading out.

Avalon started with a led pencil, sketching out the lion, the mane, the paws, the eyes. She spent hours recreating the giant beast on the wall. The sun disappeared from the sky and her stomach started to growl as she lit another candle, the room was a glow, burning little fires everywhere.

'Go to bed Avalon.' Joffrey told her as he prepared for bed.

'Of course my prince.' She started packing up her pencils, sealing her paints, she had just finished painting the wall blacks and greys, leaving the middle blank, the outline of the lion standing strong among the darkness. Sandor watched her from the door.

'That's going to be awesome.' Joffrey told her.

'Thank you my prince, I hope you like the finished product.' Avalon said as she left, sandor walked with her, unintentionally. But by the time Avalon got the courage to open her mouth sandor was closing his door leaving her alone in the darkened hallway.

Avalon made her way to the kitchens, it was empty, pastries and tarts were cooling for the next morning. Avalon popped a few lemons tarts in her mouth before heading outside, she stared up at the stars. The moon.

Avalon looked down to her blackened hands from the paint, moving to the water, washing herself off before heading back inside, leaving little puddles on the floor leading back to her room.