Game of Thrones: Imagines and one shots. Book four

Love waits - Part 5 - Robert x Sandor x Reader

"What.........?" Robert asked, as he looked down at the woman before him. Sandor who stood close by, looking at her with equal astonishment.

"I said no, Sire. I will not........." (Y/n) said again, as she held her head up high. Her eyes flitting over to where Sandor was just staring at her.

She had finally been called back to the throne room the next morning, and of course she had found that she was right, that Robert had called her to Kings Landing in order to speak of her about marriage. Yet she was having none of it, and King or not, she was not going to kowtow. She had stood by herself for so long; raised herself to be strong, and she was not about to surrender her beloved father's titles, monies and lands; to surrender herself to some man, that she neither knew nor cared about, just because Robert Baratheon wished it so.

The night before, she had lain awake, thinking about everything that had happened that day. She knew Sandor would be in the capital, yet she had never expected that seeing the younger Clegane again after all these years, would bring back all the feelings and emotions that she had had for him when she was a young girl. That it would bring back all the long buried memories of what she and Sandor had been to one another, during her time in the household of Connas Clegane.

Connas was a vile creature, a bully and a brute. Gregor the only one that the old man had had any time for. (Y/n) often wondering why Robert had allowed him to take her as his ward, when Ned and Catelyn would have been far better. But life, the gods had had other plans; and as much as she would have preferred to have been raised in Winterfell, around what would become a loving family, (Y/n) knew that it would have meant that she would have never met Sandor; and that was something that she didn't like to think about. For even though things had not gone the way that she hoped, even though she had left the Clegane home some time after Sandor had been disfigured, the lady realised that she still had the same love that she had held in her heart for him when they were young; and no matter what, she knew that she could never feel the same for another man, as she did for him. That even though he might never care, even though he sought out the attentions of women whom he had to pay for their time; even though she knew that it was incredibly foolish, it would not change what she felt.

"I mean no disrespect, Sire, but I have no intention of marrying. I have lived this long by myself and see no reason to change that." She continued, her eyes moving between the rotund monarch, and the large man that stood protectively by.

"I remember very little of my father; but I do recall that he was a good man, I do recall that he told me that when the time came, he wished for me to marry for love, just like he and my mother had; not out of duty, not because it was expected, or so that titles could be passed, but because it was what my heart wanted. And if truth be told..........if truth be told, I loved and lost a long time ago. The one I gave my heart to, taken by a vile act; and I would rather join the order of the Silent Sisters than be forced to wed another.........." Robert and Sandor continuing to stare at her as she spoke. The Hound more taken aback than the king was, for Robert saw something that Sandor didn't; he saw a look that he recognised whenever the lady let her attention fall on his guard. It the same look that he knew that he had had whenever he had glanced at the woman he had truly loved, whenever his eyes would fall on Lyanna Stark.

He had often thought about it over the years; about how he, his life would have been so different if things had not gone how they had gone. How he might have been married to the woman that he adored, rather than taking Cersei as his bride, so that he could keep his grip on his newfound position and power. Yet whereas his happiness had been taken from him, perhaps he could help the beautiful lady before him, have what he could not; Robert turning his attention to Sandor, as he looked at (Y/n). The king fighting back a smile, as he saw a glint of something in the feared Hound's eyes, too. But he was still the king, not used to being denied, or having his words questioned, even by such a beautiful woman as (Y/n) was. So............

"I have no desire for ya to be wasted on the Sisterhood, my lady." Robert began, as he got up from his throne and made his way down to her.

"But you, just like all others, have a duty. And even though ya House is not the largest, you are the last of that House and owe it to ya father to continue it, to not let it die. So, ya will remain in Kings Landing until I say. There is to be a tourney after the next full moon, and many an eligible man will be taking part. Even the Hound, will be fighting. I am sure that amongst them, ya will find a man that might please you enough to wed them." The king continued, as he took (Y/n)'s hand and squeezed it. The lady a little taken aback by the gentle gesture.

"Now, I will have Clegane here, escort ya back to ya rooms." Robert holding up his hand as she tried to protest, before gesturing for Sandor to join them. The king placing (Y/n)'s hand into the younger Clegane's, and motioning for them both to leave him, as he made his way back to his throne.