Made You Look / Sandor Clegane

24. Well Struck

"Well struck..." Joffrey remarked softly before a wicked smile curved his face. "Well struck, Dog." Joffrey shouted. Sandor removed his helmet. Joffrey turned to Sansa. " Did you like that?" Sasha clapped politely for Sandor, she didnt like these things, too much blood, too much death but Sandor always won so that was much better than the alternative.

"It was well struck, Your Grace." Sansa agreed. Sasha smiled back at Sandor. 

"I already said it was well struck." Joffrey sneered. Sandor looked between them with a groan before returning to his post. His hand reached out for Sasha and she leaned back into him. She knew her sister, the current king and her father would never approve of her feelings for Sandor but love should count for something. 

"Yes, Your Grace."

Joffrey's name day celebration was in full swing and Sansa thought they might kill her it had been two moons since her fathers passing and yet here she was sitting beside Joffrey, he was still to be her husband. SHe no longer wanted him though.

"Who's next?" Joffrey questioned.

"Lothor Brune, freerider in the service of Lord Baelish." The announcer gestures to a man, who then walks over. "Ser Dontos the Red of House Hollard." The announcer gestures in the opposite direction, but no one came forward. ''Ser Dontos the Red of House Hollard!" The announcer yelled out now.

"Here I am." Dontos stumbled down some stairs, awkwardly clutching his helmet and weapon. "Here I am." he repeated as he dropped his helmet. "Sorry, Your Grace." he offered as he put his helmet on backwards. "My deepest apologies." he went on putting his helmet on correctly this time. Sasha looked to Sandor but he nodded to her to face forward. She turned begrudgingly back to the match. 

"Are you drunk?" Joffrey demanded and Ser Dontos took off his helmet to formally address the king. Sasha ran a hand down her dress smoothing it out. Cersei had down her make up today, but it was hot out and Sasha was sure she was going to sweat and ruin it and Cersei wouldnt like that. But since Jaime's disappearance Cersei had been kinder, more vulnerable with Sasha. It only took Cersei losing the person she loved most to open up to her sister. 

"No. Uh, no, Your Grace. I had - I had two cups of wine."

"Two cups?" Joffrey questioned and Dontos nodded. "That's not much at all". Joffrey gestures to some wine before him. "Please, have another cup."

"Are you sure, Your Grace?" Dontos countered

"Yes, to celebrate my name day." Joffrey agreed a wicked smile on his face. "Have two, have as much as you like." Sasha swirled her own wine untouched, she didnt like the way it made her feel. 

"I would be honored, Your Grace." Ser Dontos bows to Joffrey. Joffrey looked over to Ser Meryn.

"Ser Meryn, help Ser Dontos celebrate my name day. See that he drinks his fill." Joffrey sniggered out.

Ser Meryn and two other kingsguard grab Ser Dontos. They bring him into a more open area nearby. Ser Dontos was forced on his knees. One kingsguard kept Ser Dontos down. Ser Meryn and the other kingsguard got a funnel and a barrel of wine. Ser Meryn forced the funnel into Ser Dontos's mouth. The kingsguard with the barrel began pouring the wine down the funnel. Ser Dontos began gurgling and struggled to breath. Sasha flinched back sandor grabbed her shoulder letting her know it was okay, everything was going to be okay.  Joffrey was smiling maliciously.

"You can't!" Sansa sputtered

'What did you just say? Did you just say I can't?' Joffrey questioned

" I only meant... it would be bad luck to kill a man on your name day." Sansa assured. 

''Some sort of peasant superstition.' Joffrey muttered brushing it off.

'No the girl is right,' Sandor told him 'what a man sows on his name day he reaps all year.''

'Take him away I will have him killed tomorrow, the fool.' Joffrey said as the man was thrown to the ground spewing out the wine that was forced down him.

'A fool, you are so clever.' Sasha remarked anything to keep from more death. ''he would make a much better fool than a knight, he does not deserve the mercy of a quick death.''

 Quick death. Mercy. I showed him mercy, joffreys voice rang out in Sansa's head and it only made her want to drown him, strangle him, burn him to the ground until he was nothing but ash. But she held it all down for the sake of her own head. 

'Did you hear my aunt? from this day you will be my new fool.'' Joffrey decreed.

'Thank you your Grace and you my lady thank you.' He said bowing before them nervously. Sasha offered him a smile but a pair of feet coming up the path perked her ears. 

'Beloved nephew, ah sweet sister!' Tyrion said approaching.

"Tyrion!" Sasha declared running to him, she hugged him tight. "I missed you." 

"I missed you," Tyrion agreed. He touched her cheek gently. "Long journey home." 

"I heard." Sasha agreed softly as she rose up. Tyrion looked to Joffrey. 

"'we looked for you on the battlefield you were nowhere to be found.' Tyrion remarked pouring a glass of wine.

'I've been here ruling the kingdom's.' Joffrey said pompously.

'And what a fine job you've done...' Tyrion turned to his younger niece and nephew. 'look at you more beautiful than ever and you, you are going to be than the hound but much better looking,' Tyrion said talking to Myrcella and Tommen. 'he doesn't like me,' tyrion said to Bronn, motioning to Sandor.

'I can't understand why...' Bronn said standing next to Sandor looking him over.

"My lady." Tyrion remarked looking to Sansa.

'Well,' Tyrion took a step back 'I wish I could stay and celebrate but there is work to be done,' Tyrion informed Joffrey. "Sasha, come much to tell you." Sasha nodded she glanced to sandor before following Tyrion inside. 

'Work? what work? why are you here?' Joffrey shouted after them.