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

Chapter 22: Sansa

      It was official, Sansa hated Kings Landing. She'd thought enough time had passed that coming back here would be alright, but that was stupid. Coming back here was never going to be alright. It didn't matter how many years had passed, how much she had grown, when she was back in this castle she still felt like a stupid little girl. You are a queen, she chided herself. A queen of a nation that you won for yourself, stop letting these petty things that don't matter effect you so much. Everything was perfectly fine until she found out about The Hound. Wait, he was Sandor now, that was still so strange to her. She'd told him it didn't matter to her that he'd survived, but if she was honest it did matter. It mattered quite a bit. Her feelings about Sandor has always been complicated, there was a time in her life when he nothing short of terrified her. She could barely look at his face. Yet even then, even when he was hateful, and cold. He had always looked out for her in his own way. It took her meeting the real monsters to understand the kind of man he truly was. When she'd heard he'd died she'd been saddened, hadn't she? She wasn't even sure anymore. She'd lost so many people. The sting of death had been dulled for her long ago. But now, to have him here, like this. It was strange, she decided. She didn't know how she was meant to behave, and it was making her unsettled. There was a knock on her door.

"Come in." She said. Brienne opened the door and poked her head inside.

"Good afternoon my lady." She said, "Am I interrupting you?"

"Of course not." Said Sansa motioning her to come into the room. While Sansa had been most anxious to visit her brother and make sure he was doing well, he didn't make for the most stimulating company. Tyrion's company was always enjoyable, but he had his duties as the Hand so for the most part her day had been spent here in her rooms.

"Did you enjoy your feast last night?" Brienne asked, sitting down at the table.

"It wasn't an unpleasant evening," Sansa answered, "I feel like I've been to about a thousand just like it in my life to this point. At least the company was interesting."

"What do you mean by that?" Said Brienne.

"Well....I was able to speak with Tyrion's friend Tessalynda for quite some time. She's a very unique person isn't she." Sansa said.

     She saw the look pass across Brienne's face and felt instantly self conscious. She wasn't sure what bothered her so much about the woman she'd met the night before. She was pretty enough, but not an exceptional beauty. She seemed to have an unique story, and everyone liked her, but none of these things were reasons for Sansa to dislike her. There was one reason, a voice whispered in the back of her mind, but Sansa chose to ignore it.

"She's definitely lived an interesting life to this point." Brienne agreed, "and she's not just Tyrion's friend you know. She's become very dear to all of us here."

"Yes, that was quite plain to see...." Said Sansa, and she could tell by the look on Brienne's face that her tone had not gone unnoticed.

"Sansa....." Brienne said, giving her an knowing look. Sansa felt her cheeks flush. She was acting like a petulant child, and she knew it. She had absolutely no right to dislike this woman simply because others cared so much for her.

"Go ahead." She said, "Tell me I'm being spoiled, and selfish, and unfair. I know it's true."

"That's not what I was going to say at all actually." Said Brienne, "I was going to say, I understand why Tess would seem like a threat to you. She's come in very quickly and worked her way into the hearts of many of the people you care for. But Sansa, I think you should give her a chance. She's not the type who would want to take anything from you, and I think if you let yourself get to know her, you might actually like her."