An Inconvenient Flame [Sandor Clegane]

Chapter 57 - Jealousy

The evening progressed slowly, the mood only got merrier and merrier. It was greatly needed for everyone. I carried a big smile on my lips before I raised my cup to my lips again. It was my third or fourth cup already since dinner, and the slight tingling sensation in my fingers had already begun to spread to my body. I wasn't drunk but getting there quite quickly.

Sandor had returned to his foul mood and was brooding at his table. I had seen the few cups of wine he had already consumed in a short amount of time, but I wouldn't show my concern. He was still afraid of others seeing. He hadn't said it but I knew it from the way he was acting whenever there was other people around us.

I had come to stand beside Ser Davos, apparently my fist thought about him being a sailor had only been partially correct. He was smuggler or had been for many years before he came to serve Stannis Baratheon. The man had quite a few interesting tales to share. It took us around the world and beyond Westeros. Even a few of the wildlings had come to listen to Ser Davos.

However, one of them, I doubted his motives because he kept moving closer to me. I had noticed and when he finally dared speak to me, I had not been prepared at all. "You went beyond the wall with Giantsbane, how did you find the real north?" The young wildling smirked at me, sounding just a little like Tormund.

"It's not that different up there. I am from the north-" I tried to smile to him, but he cut me off the same way Tormund had when Jon said something about the north. The man released a barking laugher after he had blowed raspberry quite disrespectfully. "You're from the south, I'm speaking about the real north." He didn't hesitate to use his hands to understate what he was talking about.

I chuckled when he did but only because it reminded me so much of Tormund and the way he was acting. "You don't find many beauties up there-they will just kill you if you're too weak, but down here-" The wildling dared raise a hand and gently move a strand of hair away from my face, securing it behind my ear.

I didn't even get to react before a lot happened all at once. The sound of someone standing up quite abruptly while pushing a table away reached me before a hand was around the wildling's wrist. "Not someone you should just touch." Sandor sneered. A gasp left me when I realized it was Sandor. The wildling narrowed his eyes at him, but he had already carried a similar expression.

"Sandor?" I asked surprised as the moment lasted a little too long. A silence had fallen in the room because the few people still in here had all seen the scene unfold. I had noticed and was quick to place a hand on his, trying to make him let go of the wildling's hand. "Stop it!" I snapped at him.

It took a while before Sandor released the wildling, it wasn't until a low animalistic growl left him. Sandor scoffed disrespectfully before he turned to me. There was something in his eyes that told me I was in trouble. Then he grabbed my hand and dragged me along.

I released a surprised shriek as the motion made me stumble a few steps. I quickly regained my balance and tried to keep up with the pace Sandor had sat, however, before I could register what happened, Sandor had already pushed me up against the wall in the hallway. A small gasp left me when my back made impact with the wall.