The Hound, The Imp, and The Cripple // Sandor Clegane

He saw Her

The next week was spent exclusively in tyrions bed.

Tyrion told kitty that he was having a new leg made. Sturdy but lightweight and he could have anything she wanted decorated on it. She asked if he could put flowers and vines along it like jon had done. Tyrion told the blacksmith, who told an artist and wa la. Beautiful and elegant and hopefully comfortable.

Tyrion insisted kitty stay with him while her leg was made and her body rested and he loved every minute of it. When he wasnt doing his hand duties he was in bed listening to kitty play her new ukulele. After her previous one was long forgotten when her mother took them, tyrion knew the girl needed something to keep her mind off her troubles and he quite enjoyed when she sang. It became a tradition. Every night they would sit on the balcony and kitty would sing him songs. Song old hymns and other songs she created.

Tyrion quite enjoyed the simplicity of it. Falling asleep and waking up wrapped up in the same persons arms day after day.

No matter where they started their night kitty had always ended up curled into him by morning. Tyrions arms wrapped around her pressing a gentle kiss to her head. He let himself imagine that this was his life. That katarina was his wife and everything was fine. No wars. No dead fathers. But someone always came knocking pulling him out of his fantasy. He peeled himself away from her begrudgingly and made his way to the door. Her leg was ready. For once it wasn't someone asking him for something, demanding something, this was a good thing.

Thank you. Excellent work. Tyrion moved back to his desk and pulled out some coin for the man.

'My lord' the smith said with a bow before running off. Tyrion looked over the leg. Stronger than wood but not as heavy as the metal one he had seen her with when they first met. He hoped she liked it. When he looked over at her she was still under the covers but she was smiling at him.

'Is that for me?' She asked sitting up. Beautiful tyrion thought as he got closer.

'May i?' She nodded pulling her legs over the side of the bed. Tyrion wrapped the leather around her thigh his fingers lingering as he fastened it before pinning it in place.

'Oh tyrion it's beautiful,' she stood up and gave it a whirl. 'And light. And sturdy.' She moved around happily. Tyrion had added fur to the top where her knee met the steel just as jon had done.

'I truly do not deserve you tyrion.' She kissed his cheek before sitting back down and looking at the flower detailing. Different from the one jon made her but still so beautiful.

'I am also having a new cane made for you as well my dear.' Tyrion said once she finished

'Oh tyrion i will never be able to repay you for all this!' She exclaimed hugging him.

'There is no need my dear. You are worth every gold silver and copper in all westeros.'

She didn't know what to say. To everyone she was nothing but to him she was everything. When Tyrion left for work as the Hand katarina knew she could move along the palace again but she didn't have any desire to leave still. She had a new leg and her fleshly leg was healing nicely again, her cuts and bruises healing yet she liked the safety of Tyrions room. She liked the security of this place, she felt untouchable here. Like the world couldn't hurt her. even if they tried, Tyrion would protect her. she believed that. She believed that he would keep her safe. But he was only one man and the world was vast and large and mean, if she stayed hidden, if she stayed in his room she could pretend that she was safe a little longer.

She went back over to the balcony and started to play.

She knew that Tyrion and Sandor saw her, really saw her but to everyone else it was like she was a ghost, invisible and not worth letting in the light. Tyrion saw her though. She thought Sandor might too.