From the Ashes (ASOIAF) (Sandor Clegane x OC)

Chapter 9: Tess

It was probably one of the last nights that things would be calm in the inn for weeks, Tess thought to herself. The tourney was starting in two days and by this time tomorrow every room would be full. She had been receiving ravens for over a week with people hoping to book lodging with her. Being that she only had five rooms available she had to turn many people away. It seemed like the tournament was the only thing on peoples minds as of late.

"How many men do you have entered?" Pod asked Tyrion, as if echoing Tess's thoughts.

"We have twenty for the joust, not counting hedge knights who are still arriving, and thirty six for the melee. But you should be a little more open minded Pod." Said Tyrion, "Thanks to Ser Brienne here, and the Lady Yara Greyjoy paving the way, we have not one but two women fighting in the melee."

"Is one of them Yara?" Asked Brienne.

"Oh I didn't actually count her. Yes, she's fighting but she makes three." Tyrion answered.

"So I finally get to meet the infamous Yara Greyjoy." Said Tess, "What's she like?"

"Fierce, rowdy, utterly without shame." Said Brienne, "you'll love her. And believe me, she is going to love you."

Tess shot her a questioning look, but Brienne just smirked.

"So is anybody here participating?" Said Tess, looking around at her compatriots.

"I'm going to try my hand at the melee, but I'm not going anywhere near the joust." Said Gendry, "I'm an embarrassment on a horse when no one is trying to unseat me."

"What about you Sand?" She asked.

Sandor was sitting across the table from her and had been focused on mopping up the last bit of his stew with a heel of bread.

"No." He said simply.

"Why not?" She said, "The way I hear tell you we're glorious in the tourney's back in the day. Don't want to get a taste of that excitement again?"

"I think I've had quite enough excitement for one lifetime." He replied.

"Don't,waste your breath Tess." Said Brienne shooting Clegane a look, "I've been needling him about it for weeks and he won't budge."

"It would be a fun call back for those who remember the tourney's as they used to be." Tyrion pointed out, "to see The Hound ride again."

"So you're all going to gang up on me now is that it?" Growled Sandor, glaring around the table.

"Tess!" Elle called to,her from the doorway, "We need another cask of wine from down in the cellar."

"I've got it." Said Sandor, standing and walking towards the gate.

"I'd better go with him." Tess said, "make sure he gets the right one. Don't need any more reasons for Elle to dislike him." She hopped up and caught up with him as he reached the gate.

The cellar was a small room with a low ceiling accessed by a door on the side of the inn, in the alley. Tess and Sandor walked into the alley together and he wrenched open the creaky door easily, ducking his head as he went inside. Tess followed him pointing to the large stack of casks in the back.

"The one on the top left." She told him, and he walked over to grab it, he had to crouch slightly and keep his head low in the small space.

"Sand....can I ask you a question? Without you getting mad?" She said tentatively. He gave a snort of laughter.

"I can't guarantee anything, but that's never stopped you before. Go ahead."

He picked up the cask she indicated as if it weighed nothing.