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

Chapter 30: Tess

     Tess was losing track of time. She wasn't sure if it had been minutes or hours that she had been sitting frozen in the chair. Dorea was preoccupying herself by sharpening a knife and looked up every once in awhile to give Tess a smug smirk.

"If your plan is to sit here with me all night until I die of boredom you're well on your way." Tess said, "if you plan on killing me why is dawn so important. Just get it over with."

"So impatient. You should know by now, we always have our reasons." Dorea answered calmly.

"You know I always knew you and your sisters were petty and vindictive by nature but this feels like an overreaction even for you. You've  sentenced me to die over a perceived slight on your dead sister's honor? Without even coming to me for an explanation."

"I'm sorry....did you think there was an explanation for fucking the brother of the man who killed our father that we would accept?" Dorea asked. Tess didn't answer, she knew the girl was correct. There was no answer she could give that would make a difference.

"So I die, because I fell in love with someone who happens to be related to a man who did horrible things to your family. A matter that he has no choice in and hates about himself almost as much as you hate him for it. It's not fair Dorea. He doesn't deserve it." Tess pleaded.

"Maybe he doesn't. But that is the cruelty of the world Tess. And the irony of the gods. You're not dying because you love him, your love was just the opportunity we needed. A gift to us, a way to finally repay what was owed."

     It was the first time she had confirmed Tess's assumption that she meant to kill her. Tess had known from the moment the woman had revealed herself but hearing her say it plainly was like the final nail being placed in her coffin. She was going to die. There was no one in the city with the knowledge and skill to save her, the Sand Snakes had been counting on it. She was never going to see Sandor again. Never become his wife, or bear his children. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, willing herself not to cry. She would not give the bitch the satisfaction.

"We never believed this debt could be paid." Dorea continued, "House Clegane took from us a person we most dearly loved. How could they repay that debt when the debt that was owed was their suffering. Gregor Clegane never loved anything, how could we make him feel the pain we felt? And then they were dead. Their line was ended and it felt like maybe, that could be enough. But now....." Her smile was cold and cruel.

"Who could have dreamed that there would be a Clegane left in the world and he would find his way to Dorne? Sarella and I likely would have kidnapped him that night and brought him back to our sisters. Making him die by inches would not have satisfied the debt but it would have been a small comfort. But then your dear friend, the large ungainly woman."

"Brienne..." Tess growled.

Dorea stood and began to pace in a circle around the chair Tess was sitting in as she spoke.

"Yes, dear Brienne. She gave us the most delicious piece of information, not intentionally of course, but she mentioned you, and she revealed that you were his. There it was Tessa. The revenge we'd been craving for years. A way to make house Clegane feel our loss. So here we are. We had Obella stay behind to tell Clegane of our plan. Even now your love is racing to you, fighting and hoping with all his being that he will reach you in time. If Obella has timed things correctly he should arrive in that bay by sunrise." She pointed out the window, "I will take you to the spot where my father was slaughtered," Tess's paralysis did nothing to numb the sting as Dorea slipped the blade slowly from her collarbone down to her breast bone leaving a shallow cut welling with blood. "and as the sun rises he will be able to watch you plummet to your death, body crushed as my fathers was, and know that he failed you." She flicked the knife again slicing her cheek, " That he was helpless to save you," a cut above her eyebrow, "and his sorrow will be our justice."