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

Chapter 34: Tess

"Wasn't the reason I got married spontaneously so that I didn't have to put myself through all this shit?" Tess grumbled as Elle unraveled what felt like the millionth cloth from her head and brushed out the curl. 

"Funny...I seem to remember you telling me the reason was that you were so ridiculously in love that you didn't want to spend one more second not being Sandor's wife. I'll have to make sure to let him know it was just about the convenience of you not having to get dressed up." Tess glared at her, but Elle simply smiled and went back to her hair. 

"So what are we doing here?" She asked.

"I don't know this was your bloody idea." Tess grumbled, "I was fine with a braid."

"That dress!" Elle said sternly, pointing to the gorgeous dress Sansa had hand made, which was lying on Tess's bed, "deserves better than a simple braid. So stop being a pain in my ass and give me some idea of what you want."

"Sand likes it when my hair is down...." Tess grumbled, she knew Elle was right and she did want to look beautiful at her wedding feast, "maybe something at the top but leave the bottom loose."

"Similar to what Gilly did for your actual wedding?" Elle asked, Tess nodded.

     This seemed to appease her friend who went about pulling certain pieces of her hair back and then examining her from all angles trying to decide what she was going to do. 

"Tess....there's someone here to see you." Said Gilly from the doorway, "I've told her you're preparing but she said she's your sister." Tess's head shot up. 

"Which sister?" She asked. 

"She didn't give me a name." Gilly said apologetically, " but she's tall and has long dark brown hair closer to Elle's color than yours." 

"Ariella." Tess said, mostly to herself, "go ahead and send her up Gilly."

     Of course they'd send Ariella, in truth Ariella and her father were the only two members of her family she really got along with. Ariella was two years older than her and just about as opposite of a person as you could get, but somehow their different natures had always worked in harmony. Ariella's gentleness, caution, and respectability tamed Tess's wild nature especially when she was young, and Tess's boldness and bluntness pushed Ariella to be more assertive and try new things. It had been years since Tess had seen her. Ariella had done her duty and married a young lord of the Reach when she was seven and ten, Marcus Mullendore. She had settled into her role as lady Mullendore quite seamlessly, and had given him five children to date, as far as Tess knew. Tess had left for Essos only a year after she'd married and for awhile there were letters but slowly they began to be less and less. There was creak at the door, Tess looked up as her sister walked in. 

"Lynnie!" She said happily, using Tess's nickname from childhood, "Gods look at you! You look beautiful! You're a woman grown." She rushed across the room to hug her and Tess stood to accept the embrace. 

"Forget about me, look at you!" Said Tess pulling back and placing a hand on the slight bump under he sisters dress, "do I see Mullendore number six is on the way?"