Beauty and the Hound - Sandor Clegane

12- The Lady's Return

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He would never let anyone harm her, but he forgot that he needs saving, more than her.
-No one

'I suppose you're doing fine Meela,' the same deep voice spoke to her.
'Have a seat Victor.'

   He smiled at her before pulling a chair for her. A gesture she repeated when he seated himself on her opposite.

'Why are you here Victor?'

'I told you I would return back to ask for your hand in marriage didn't I?'

'Well I believe now is the right time you get married to me.' He added.

'Did King...Jeoffrey send you?'

The word King sounded very foreign for her.

'Well I received a raven a few days ago. A certain lady whom I was supposed to be betrothed to was apparently in a distress. I can't leave her alone just like that now can I?'

'I didn't send you any....'

Meela paused halfway. It all started to make sense. This was Sandor's doing. He did this without telling her because he knew she wouldn't have agreed to it. He never told her about anything. All he said was that she wouldn't like whatever he was doing and that it was only for her safety. She gritted her teeth, her jaw clenching when she stared at Victor.

'As far as the King's concerned, you were in trouble and you seeking your betrothed's help was your last resort. At least that's what I told him. He doesn't know about your lover or the prostitute's involvement in these matters and I'm sure you would like to keep things that way?'

   Meela bit her inner cheek. She was stuck. He was indirectly blackmailing her and she didn't know what to do. All the odds were against her and she didn't have a choice right now. Sandor put her through this mess. And she can never escape from Victor now.

'Are you here to blackmail me Lord Victor?'
'Ah back to the formalities again Milady?'

  She didn't answer him, but kept her stare straight at him. Meela might have been running and hiding all this time but she was still the same bold Heart Stirrer everyone knew. Her eyes stared right at him, keeping an even serious stare when she noticed he couldn't handle the eye contact. She knew it made him uncomfortable and she never looked away. Meela knew she always looked intimidating when she did that.

'I'm disappointed that you're so narrow minded Milady. I thought you out of all of them were actually different. Look at it this way, I'm your last resort. If the king knows where you are the first trying he would do is to lock you up somewhere where even your lover can't help you. What do you think those men guarding your cell will do to a beautiful woman in a dress that barely covers anything? Better me than those men. If I leave now without marrying you again surely the new King would find out who conspired against him to hide you here. And I don't think you would risk their lives just for the sake of escaping an arranged marriage?'

'Everyone has a choice Victor. Just because Sandor left me to deal with you alone, that doesn't mean I can't speak to you about these matters. I choose..'

'Let me get this straight Meela,' he interrupted.

'You don't have a choice. If you come with me now to the Red Keep, we get married in a few days. If you don't, I can't promise you that I won't tell the King about this scandal of yours with the Hound. So make your choice now Meela.'

She noticed the slight change in his tone. She knew he was serious. And she knew she had to listen to him. It wasn't just her life at risk. It was two other souls who had helped her.