Bad Dreams / Sandor Clegane

10. Ser Duncan the Tall

"That was stupid." Amelia remarked.

"He provoked me." Sandor offered. Rumlow was gripping and cussing up a storm.

"He broke my arm!" Rumlow snapped back. "Im not getting paid enough for tormenting the little bastard-"

"Im going to break more bones." Sandor decided hearing Rumlows bitching. Amelia laughed out and it was nice to see her smile again. Sandor held onto her. "You want to go Amelia?" Sandor whispered into her hair. 

"Bran just woke up, things will start getting better." Amelia assured. Sandor didnt know about that. "But I still want you right here." She assured. Sandor nodded kissing her temple. He wrapped his arms around her and she felt safe, she didnt feel like she was living a bad dream when Sandor had his arms around her. 

Sandor knew that Amelia loved the little starks. They adored her. He knew that when he convinced her to leave, that things were not getting better, that Bran and Rickon would be hard to leave. Bran already had a crush on Amelia and Rickon had been clinging to her since Catelyn vanished. Sandor worried what she was up to. He knew it was nothing good. 

'Don't listen to it. Crows are all liars. I know a story about a crow.' Old Nan told Bran.

''I hate your stories.' Bran told her as Amelia rested her head against his. Bran and Rickon were the only ones that didn't treat her like she was some monster. Sandor never wanted her to feel like she was the problem. Joffrey was the monster but Robb had made his perfect Amelia lose her smile. They stole her smile, made her heart ache in the worst ways but Bran and Rickon made her smile, even if it was a sad smile. 

When Bran asked her what happened but she honestly didn't know and Robb wouldn't tell him anything. But Amelia still spent most of her time with Rickon and Bran. She traced her fingers along his arm and down his fingers, it was one of the only places she felt normal again, like she wasn't under attack. Sandor didnt leave her side and she was grateful for it. 

'I know a story about a boy who hated stories. I could tell you about Ser Duncan the Tall. Those were always your favorites.''

"I like Ser Duncan the fall."  Amelia remarked.  

''Those weren't my favorites." Bran corrected. 

"It's a love story you know." Amelia remarked her gaze shifting to Sandor. "A hedge knight fell in love with a princess. He thought she was way out of his league but she fell in love with him, because she saw his heart." Bran's face scrunched up. 

 "My favorites were the scary ones.'' Bran corrected. Amelia laughed out as he leaned into her.  "We can a love story though, you and me... but until then... scary stories." 

"Hold me Bran, I don't like scary stories." Amelia mused and Bran held tight to her hand as she kissed his cheek. He didn't understand why Robb was acting so harshly to Amelia but if Robb pushing her away meant Amelia in his bed, then Bran was okay with it. Sandor didnt care for the stories about the knights and princesses falling in love but he liked Ser Duncan. He came from little and worked his way up. He fought a trial of the seven and won not only the princesses heart but a knighthood if he wanted it. Sandor liked that Ser Duncan rejected the knighthood but got the girl. Amelia smiled back at him like she could read his mind. Sandor had to turn his cheek. 

''Oh, my sweet summer child. What do you know about fear? Fear is for the winter, when the snows fall a hundred feet deep. Fear is for the long night, when the sun hides for years and children are born and live and die all in darkness. That is the time for fear, my little Lord, when the White Walkers move through the woods.' Old nan told him and Bran smirked, a scary story. Amelia felt like she was living a scary story at times.