The Forest Child {Sandor Clegane Story}

Winterfell

Warning - Spoliers for Seasons 8 from here on out.

For the first time in many years, Natari rode towards the gates of Winterfell with Jon and his queen leading ahead and her large army marching behind in deadly silence. To their sides the people from the many towns and holdfasts within the north stood and watched. Some looked on with hope and excitement, but most stared at the mysterious dragon queen with suspicion and fear. As the dragons flew through the sky over head, the group finally walked through the gates of Winterfell, the sigil and flags of House Stark once again covering the great old castle walls. 

"I warned you. Norther's don't much trust outsiders" Jon smiled at Daenarys. 

Natari was the first to jump from her horse, pushing past Jon as she ran up to Sansa and hugged her quickly. 

"Where's Arya?" Jon asked as he approached the two girls.

"Lurking somewhere" Sansa replied, looking over at the dragon queen and then back to Natari with still eyes. 

"Queen Daenerys of House Targaryen" Jon introduced as Daenerys walked over to them and shook Sansas hand.

"Thank you for allowing us to your home Lady Stark. The north is as beautiful as Jon and Natari claimed... As are you".

"Winterfell is yours, your grace" Sansa replied coldly as she looked the woman up and down and then turned back to Natari. 

Daenerys quickly took her leave, angered by their hosts cold welcoming. Jon sighed heavily and looked over at Sansa who simply shrugged. Jon then quickly left to walk with Daenarys, finally leaving the two girls alone. 

"I hear you are Lady Natari of House Clegane now?" Sansa smiled as she looked behind at Sandor. 

"It is true, are you annoyed at me sister?" Natari blushed. 

"No, we don't have any time for weddings now. The wall has fallen and I have called all the northern houses and bannerman to Winterfell. I am happy for you though.. cousin" Sansa remained her. 

"Shh, you will always be my sister. You are my family Sansa. You, Arya, Bran, Jon and Sandor".

"And you Queen?" Sansa smirked. 

"All your men to the hall. I shall unpack and see there" Natari replied, ignoring her question before turning back to Sandor and disappearing into the city walls. 

Later that day the large hall of Winterfell was filled with the bodies of men and women who lead over the other northern houses. It was clear that Sansa had been busy in seeing over the day to day matters whilst they were away, and she cleared had a talent for it. 

"Shouldn't you be up there with others" Sandor whispered into Nataris ear as they stood by the side of the wall and looked up at Sansa, Jon, Daenerys and Tyrion sat at the top table. 

"No, I have no time for politics anymore. Sansa has learnt, she has grown and she leads the north well. I fear she does not been my protection anymore. No, my place is down here, with you". 

"Aye, your're stuck with me and the lesser houses now" he teased and slapped her ass which caused a small smile to creep across her face as the small Umber boy tried to remember to address every lord, lady and queen at the top table. 

Soon an argument broke out over Jon no longer claiming himself King in the North. 

"Aye, you proclaimed me your King, it was the honor of my life, but when I left Castle Black I told you all we needed allies or we would die. Now I have brought these allies back, to fight beside us. I had a chose, keep my crown or protect the North. I chose the North" Jon called out across the room. 

Despite his best efforts, people still moaned and called out as they discussed the words there once King just spoke. Natari watched silently at her brother as he looked struggled across the room. She was still so angry at him, for the chooses he had made, but she would never let him stand alone. Quickly she stormed out in the middle of the hall and shouted over the hundred voices. 

"If we survive the war to come it will be my brother we have to thank. He risked his life to show others that the threat is real. Thanks for this efforts we have brought back the greatest army the world has ever seen... and yes, two full grown dragons. We must fight together now or die".

Later that day, Jon and Natari went to speak with Arya and Sansa in private. Sansa was sat by her desk, which had once been her fathers, as she read out word of another northern family which would not join them at Winterfell. 

"They said they would stand with Starks" Jon sighed as he flopped down into a chair. 

"They said they would stand by you as King in the North" Sansa hissed as Natari went to Arya who was stood by the open fireplace. 

"I told you we needed allies" Jon shot back.

"You didn't tell me you were going to abandon your crown".

"I never wanted a crown. All I have ever wanted and still want is to protect the north. I brought two armies home with me, two dragons".

"And a Targaryen Queen. She may be you aunt, but we are still your family. I was once you sister" Sansa spoke now in a raised voice as she rose from her seat. 

"You are still my sister. We are all still a family, but do you really think we can defeat the Night King without her? You want to worry about who holds which title, it doesn't matter Sansa, not when the army of the dead show up at our gates and without her we don't stand a chance".

Sansa remained silent as she looked over at Natari who was awkwardly biting the inside of her cheek as Arya continued to look into the flames. Jon sighed at their silence and turned to his sister. "Do any of you have any faith in me at all?" 

"You know we do" Natari answered for all of them.

"She'll be a good Queen. For all of us. She's not her father" Jon spoke back and turned to Sansa.

"No, she's much prettier. Did you bend to save the north, or because you love her". 

As Sansa asked the question, Natari's wide bulged out wide. She had no idea where that had come from, but the moment she said it allowed, it almost made sense, but Jon and Danearys where related, they all where. They couldn't possibly. The thousands of questions washing through Natari's mind where quickly answered by the way in which Jon feel silent and looked away from all of them. Sansa only scoffed back at him before quickly storming out of the room, leaving the rest of them in an awkward silence. 

"I'll speak with her" Natari sighed, but still Jon would not look at her as left the room. 

Only Arya and Jon remained in the room which had once been their fathers study. A hundred Starks had sat at this desk, surrounded by these walls, but Jon bet none had felt the same level of shame he did in that moment. 

"They both think they are smarter than everyone" Jon finally spoke as Arya moved away from the fireplace and came to stand by Jon. 

"Natari is the smartest person I have ever met. She has trained me well to fight and Sansa even better in other ways".

"You, your'e defending Sansa" Jon had to laugh at the idea which had one point would seem almost unthinkable. 

"I'm defending our family, so are they".

"I'm family too" Jon sighed heavily again. 

Arya leaned down to hug him, holding him tightly as she once had as a child and placed her mouth close to his ear. "Exactly, don't forget that" she whispered. 

A.N - Thanks for reading. Will update again soon, just been working on some steamy Sandor and Natari chapters for you guys. Don't forget to vote and let me know what you think. Love reading comments from you. Always, what did you guys think of the first episode for season 8?!