Secret Flames (Sandor Clegane)

Chapter 5

"Get off me. GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF ME" Tallulah shouted over and over as Baelish dragged her back through the brothel.

"You owe me all the years of comfort and protection" he explained in a bored tone.

"I paid my dos here" she hissed and tried to wiggle free of the man as he pulled her through the main sitting room.

"What's going on here" a voice suddenly announced.

Baelishs grip on Tallulah suddenly relaxed as they both turned to see Sandor Clegane entering the room.

"My property is no concern of you. I am master of coin and this is my establishment".

"I ain't your fucking property. I worked here on my own free will and now I'm leaving on it" Tallulah hissed as she wiggled free of him and stumbled backwards.

"I am not the type of enemy you want to make" he warned her.

"And what makes you think I am" she spat back.

"The girl has been summoned by the red keep anyway. After actions in saving the Lady Sansa, the acting hand of the king and ordered me to come here and collect her" Sandor announced.

"Tyrion, that imp, thinks he can simply steal away my own employee?" Baelish scoffed.

"I'm just here to pass the message on. What the hand of the kings commands ain't mine or anyone else's business to question" Sandor shrugged with a bored and uninterested tone as he turned his eyes to one of the passing whores.

"Well if the hands commands it. Oh and Tallulah, I look forward to seeing you in the Red Keep" Baelish smiled.

Tallulah glared at him, sensing the underlying threat in his words. She was grateful to Clegane though, then gods only knew what would have happened to her if he had not shown up. Tallulah was not about to wait around and find out though. Quickly she picked up her bags from the floor and walked over to the large guard.

"Lead the way then" she announced with a roll of her eyes.

On her second attempt at leaving the brothel she had not been stopped. Although she didn't really know Sandor, she did know there was likely not one person dumb enough in the entire city to stop him. It did not stop people from staring though as they made their way back through the city. Not that she could blame them, it must of been a strange sight to behold. The dangerous and feared Hound stomping through the streets with the healer from a brothel in just a thin silk dress.

"Why did Tyrion command me to take service in the keep. He hardly knows me and I am sure there are others he can call on who are far more suited" Tallulah asked after several moments in silent walking.

"He didn't stupid girl" was all Sandor grunted back with turning to look at her.

"What? Then... wait.." Tallulah she stuttered in confusion and finally stopped walking.

Sandor quickly released she was not longer following and turned around to see her stood still and sraring back at him with a dumbfound expression.

"What?" He snapped.

"You... why did you say... You lied?"

"Aye I fucking lied. Would you have rather me left you to be raped?" He asked and stormed up towards her.

"Well no not really, but why did you help me?"

"You ask a lot of questions for someone whose just been saved" he snorted.

"Well yeah, I'm thankful and all, but if the hand hasn't really commanded my service that means I don't have to go there" she mumbled, trying to figure out where she was going with this.

"Aye, but he'll accept your offer of service. Not like you've got elsewhere to go to".

"I could get a boat, find a ship and sail to the free cities. Little Finger would never be able to get me over there. I'm easy prey to him in the keep".

"Oh yeah and you got gold for this ship. Little Finger won't do shit".

"You don't know him like I do. He may look weak, but he has his ways. You can't know what he will do".

Sandor rolled his eyes in frustration and felt more and more eyes on them as they continued to discuss this out in the open. "Have I given you reason to mistrust me woman?"

"No, but helping me out the way you have, with no explanation or reason is kinda shady" she shrugged.

Sandor had finally had enough of the stupid woman ungrateful attitude. He was sworn protector to the king. A fierce man with famous temper, he would not continue to entertain this discussion any more. Grunting, he turned away from the woman and started walking back to the keep, she could either follow him or go her own way, he didn't care anymore.

"Wait up" she called out and quickly came running after him.

The rest of the walk back to the red keep was completed in silence. Sandor continued to lead the young woman up to the tower of the hand, hoping he would find the imp there.

"Clegane?" Tyrion announced with confusion when they walked into his sitting room and found the imp sitting with his books and wine.

"This is..." Sandor began

"Tallulah Waters" she quickly added.

"Ahh yes the young woman who helped our Lady Sansa. What can I do for you?" Tyrion smiled with a look of amusement to find Clegane bringing the woman to him.

"I wish to find out whether your offer to take service here for the Lady is still available".

"I thought you worked for Baelish. Helping the less fortunate in our city" Tyrion continued to smile.

Tallulah went suddenly quiet, unsure how to answer the little Lord and she stood with her mouth open like a fool.

"He was going to hurt her, rape her most likely when I walked in. Hold the shit you had ordered her to take up the offer of work here" Sandor explained.

"You helped this woman?"

Sandor returned to his usual mean and quiet exterior as Tallulah looked between both men.

"Very well. Come, join me in a drink of wine and I can update you on the ladies current situation" Tyrion finally spoke.

Cautiously Tallulah walked towards the table and took a seat. Nervously she looked back over at Sandor, but he had quickly turned to leave and closed the door behind him without another word.

"He's never been much of a talker" Tyrion smiled softly at her.

"And Baelish, you are fine with what Sandor told him?"

"I have no care or loyalty to that snake. You have my word that I shall keep this story going. Now tell me Tallulah, how exactly did you end up at the brothel?".