Portrait// Sandor Clegane (1)

35. Mountain

'My Lord,' a man came in pulling neds attention to the door. 'your grace, the queen.' he announced before walking away and the queen walked in.

'Your Grace.' Ned said stiffly.

'you're missing your tournament' cersei reminded him.

'Just because it's in my name does not make it mine.' Ned told her.

'Of course,' she agreed looking around the Hand's office.

'My fault your grace,' Avalon said, cersei hadn't even noticed the artist in the corner. 'the light was wonderful and I wanted to get Lord Stark's eyes.' Avalon added.

'you and eyes.' Cersei noted.

'your eyes are most certainly the most interesting I've drawn.' Avalon told Cersei, 'the eyes say so much about a person.' She added mysteriously.

'Leave us,' Cersei told her and Avalon started to pack up. 'I thought we might put what happened on the Kings Road behind us,' Cersei offered 'the argument with the wolves... the need to kill the beast was extreme.' she admitted 'but sometimes we go to extremes when I children not concerned. How is Sansa?'

'Well she likes it here' ned admitted.

'It seems she is the only stark that does, she favors the south like her mother not much of the north and her-' ceresi went on.

'What are you doing here?'

'I might ask the same of you.' Cersei said taking threatening steps forward her heels clicking on the ground 'what is it you hope to accomplish?' Avalon looked to Ned as she headed out, Ned offered her a smile and nod, she left silently, she liked the tournaments, so many faces, emotions, feelings, that begged to be craved, immortalized forever.

'The king called on me to serve him and the realm and that is what I will do until he tells me otherwise.' Ned informed her.

'You can't change him you can't help him.' Cersei informed him 'he will do what he wants what he's only ever done. You will do your best to pick up the pieces.'

'If that is my job then so be it.' Ned said confidently.

'You were just a soldier, you take your orders and you carry on. I suppose it makes sense your older brother was charged to lead and you were charged to follow.' Cersei mocked

'I was also trying to kill my enemies your grace.'

'As was I.' she informed him before turning away mischievous look in her eyes

++++++

'Good Lord who is that?' Sansa questioned Petyr as the competitors in the tournament rode forward.

'That is ser Gregor Clegane they call him the mountain.' Petyr told her 'the hounds older brother'

'And his opponent?'

'Sir hugh of the veil,' Petyr told her as both opponents came forward bowing before the king 'he was Jon Arryn's squire'

'Yes yes enough of the bloody pomp,' Robert said 'have at it,' he said leaning lazily back in his chair. Both riders took their places at the opposite end of the jousting arena the horn blew and both men took off their jousting spears pointed at each other's faces. They missed, they turned around to begin again this time however Gregor did not miss. His lance speared Ser Hugh in the throat and he came colliding to the ground. Blood spewed from his neck as part of the lance was lodged in his throat he spewed for breath before he breathed his last.

Avalon wanted to use that red. She knew it was a vile thought but it was the deepest of reds, blood, Lannister red. That was the color she needed for the portraits, blood. It seemed right when it came to the lannisters for some reason. Avalon sat down in the back row, near Sandor as he stood dutifully bored behind the Prince. But Avalon noticed a smile tugging at his lips just briefly when he saw her. she smiled at him before looking back to the bloody mess before her.

That was another thing sandor liked about Avalon, she wasn't a weak little flower. She liked a little danger but that was probably what drew Avalon to sandor, he thought. She had painted such pretty faces all her life that someone as broken as him interested her. and that was partly true. She had never met a man like Sandor, she saw the sadness in his eyes, the pain and constant torment, she liked that she took away that when he was with her. she didn't see the pain, she saw peace, contentment and love.

Ser gregor stood victorious as ser hugh was carried away. Avalon noticed the glare on Sandors face as he watched his brother stand victorious. Avalon knew that sandor wanted Gregor dead. He told her many times that he would be the one to kill his brother. He had told her that precious moments with her made him forget all the hate, but apart from her, his rage and pain consumed him.

Sandor had confessed that he used to have nightmares, reliving the fire, waking up in a hot sweat, panting for breath. But since he started sharing her bed the nightmares went away. he slept peacefully for the first time in years. Every night she brought him peace.

'Not what you were expecting?' Petyr asked 'has anyone ever told you the story of the mountain and the hound?' they glanced back at sandor. 'a lovely little tale of brotherly love.' Sansa glance back at Sandor 'the hound,' Petyr went on 'was just a pup six years old maybe Gregor a few years older but he was already getting a bit of a reputation some people said that the boy was just born with a talent for violence. One evening Gregor found his little brother playing with a toy by the fire Gregor's toy. A wooden knight. Gregor never said a word he just grabbed his brother by the scruff of his neck and shoved his face into the burning coals held him there while the boy screamed, and his face melted...' he smirked over at a scared sansa. 'There aren't very many people that know that story'

'I won't tell anyone I promise.' sansa assure shim slightly terrified

'No please don't.' Petyr said 'if the hound so much as heard you mention it I'm afraid all the knights and kings landing would not be able to save you.'