The Hounds Flower {Sandor Clegane}

Chapter 16

When they broke apart from the kiss, Zyta was smiling. "I want to go walk around the castle, care to join?" She knew the answer was going to be yes, Sandor didn't trust the Northerners with her. 

"Yes." It was a short answer with more attitude than what was necessary. Zyta got off his lap and stood up, fixing her shirt. 

As they walked around, they were stopped by maids, Kings Guards, and Northerner common people. Each of them saying hello or giving them weird or concerned looks. But Zyta kept her head up, saying hello to everyone that they passed. 

"Tomorrow your brothers and the Stark boys are practicing swords. Should be interesting to see." Sandor said as the walked along the fallen tower, just to say something. 

As Zyta walked, she remembered small facts about Winterfell that she read in books, or stories she was told since she was young from her father. Zyta read all about Winterfell and its founders. As she was walking around, she wasn't paying much attention to her fiance or the person she almost walked into. 

"I am so sorry my princess." The young man said. Zyta looked up at him, his brown eyes held false apologies. 

"Oh its quite alright Ser." Zyta smiled kindly at him. She knew who he was, but she wasn't sure what to say to the young man in front of her. 

"I'm not a Ser, my lady." He said blushing. He was aware that he didn't use the right term for the girl standing in front of him. He was going to apologize once more but he couldn't find the right string of words to say. 

"What's you name kid?" Sandor said besides Zyta. 

"Jon Snow." 

"A bastard." 

"And Ned Starks son. Have a nice evening Jon, hope to see you again." Zyta glared at Sandor at what he said. Of course Jon knew he was a bastard, he didn't need people telling him that though. Zyta smiled at Jon and continued to walk to her next destination, Sandor gave him a final look before stalking off next to Zyta. 

Jon was confused. He knew that Zyta knew who he was. She had asked Robb why he wasn't in the line with them when the Stark family greeted the Royal family. Robb and Zyta didn't know that he over heard, he wasn't even trying to over hear, he was just walking towards his room and had past them. But nonetheless Zyta, the princess of the seven kingdoms, talked to him like he was worth something, like he was important and not a burden. That was something that he was going to remember forever. 

Zyta continued to walk until it got dark and it was time for the feast. As she walked through the doors of the feast with Sandor she saw her mother staring at her, silently telling Zyta she disapproved of who she was with. "I'm going to go to my mother." 

Sandor nodded his head and stood at a corner of the room, where he could see Joffery and Zyta perfectly. He didn't want anyone to hurt Zyta, he also knew that he was Joffery's sworn sword so he had to make sure that he was protected. 

"Lady Stark. Mother." Zyta curtsied to the both of them. 

"Where were you?" Cersei asked. She was furious that she wasn't in a gown and her hair wasn't done. She was furious that she walked in with Sandor. Robert had told Ned about Zyta's engagement to Sandor, and Ned called off his son meeting Zyta, so Cersei was furious about that also. She was furious at Zyta for wanting to marry a Hound, she was furious that her husband made her come to the North. She was just furious. 

"I was walking around with Sandor. Winterfell is very beautiful, the books don't give it justice." Zyta said. Her innocence displayed on her face. 

Catelyn was relieved that Zyta wasn't going to marry Robb. Although Zyta was very nice, Catelyn didn't feel like it was a good match. She watched as the mother and daughter talked. Cersei was very beautiful, but Zyta was gorgeous. Something that was rare in the north. 

"Well go and eat. I'm sure you are hungry." Zyta gave one last curtsy and walked away towards her brother and sister. She ate peacefully, and when she looked up she saw Robb staring at her, a look of disappointed clear across his face. 

When the hall started to get full and more and more people were getting drunk she brought her younger two siblings to bed. She wanted to go to bed herself but she wanted to wait for Sandor. She got Tommen and Myrcella to bed with no problem. She went across the hall to her room. 

She walked up to her window and looked down. She saw Jon Snow with a practicing sword hitting a shirt filled with hay. She watched him for a while, seeing his Uncle Benjen come and said hello, and her uncle Tyrion come, before decided to go down their for herself. 

"Hello Jon." She said, she laughed as Jon jumped and dropped his wooden sword. 

"Princess, shouldn't you be at the feast?" He asked. 

"It's not my type of thing. Why aren't you at the feast?" 

"Not my type of thing." 

Zyta smirked at him. Jon was handsome, more than his half brother Robb. And looked more like a Stark than any of the Stark children. "Lady Stark didn't want you there because you're her husbands bastard, thought it was disgraceful for you to be there." 

Jon didn't know what the princess was playing at. He went back to practicing, trying to forget that everything that Zyta was saying is true. 

"It's not true. I can care less what someones last name is. You are still Lord Starks child. You should be in there with your siblings." Jon turned around, Zyta was sitting in the dirt, with a stick in her hand, making letters in the ground. 

"Why are you here, my princess?" Jon Snow asked. 

"You can call me Zyta, Jon. I'm here because you're alone and so am I. Now, whats the real reason why you're taking the Black." 

Jon and Zyta talked for hours. About her mostly, Jon not being open enough with a stranger to tell them about his childhood. But he told her some things. Things that he hasn't spoken or thought about since it happened. He talked about how he was treated, not thinking that Zyta would understand what he felt. But she did, she understood exactly, or at least made it seem like she did. 

She didn't try to tell him to stop or start to talk. They took turns, sometimes Zyta taking many because wouldn't start talking. By the time they were done, many people stumbled out of the dinning hall and went to their homes or rooms in the castle. 

"Hope to talk to you again Jon Snow." Zyta said to him. He was the one that got up first, he reached his hand down to help her up. She kindly expected it and gave him a toothy smile. 

"As do I, Zyta Baratheon." Jon gave her a small smile, feeling like all his worries washed away when he talked to her. 

Zyta walked away, going back up to her room. Candles filled the hallway and made it easy to find where she was to go. 

She walked into her room and saw Sandor taking off his armor. "Hello, love." 

"You were talking to the bastard for a long time." Sandor had a blank face. No emotion in his face. 

Zyta rolled her eyes and began to undress, getting ready for sleep. "His name is Jon and his a very nice man." 

"I know he is or you wouldn't of talked to him." Sandor got into bed and waited for Zyta to be done. 

Zyta smiled at him and got into the bed next to him. Zyta snuggled into his chest and closed her eyes. Peaceful sleep took over her.