Of Kings and Knights

Summary: Unexpected events change the course of the War of the Five Kings: Sansa flees King's Landing with The Hound during the battle of Blackwater Bay, things do not go as planned when Catelyn meets with Renly, and the Kingslayer is not safe at the dungeons in Riverrun. The King in the North has important decisions to make.

Note: This story will contain a sort of relationship between Sansa and The Hound. It will NOT be romantic of any kind. I respect all ships, but I just bring myself to write a romantic (let alone sexual) relationship between a sweet naïve young teenager and a forty-something-year-old man. I'm sorry, I just can't see them together … Their bond will be somewhat different.

Also, this story will contain graphic descriptions of violence – though if you watch the series or have read the books, the warning is pointless.

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1) I am no Ser. (The Hound)

"Please ser, stop!" the girl pleaded. But he didn't listen. He wouldn't. The girl was his, or so his brother had said. Gregor. How he hated his brother! What he had put him through, what he had made him suffer, what he had turned him into. "Please ser, stop!" she had kept repeating. But he never did. Sweet little bird, no more than fifteen years of age he had reckoned. Pale skin, hair the color of mud, dark brown eyes. "Please ser, stop!" but his ears were deaf. "I am no ser."

"Please, Your Grace stop!" her desperate plea brought Sandor Clegane out of his reverie. How many times had he stood by his King as he abused and tormented this little girl? How many more times will he have to? The Courtroom was full of highborn lords and ladies obediently nodding to their boy King. Nobody dared utter a word of dissent, nobody even cared probably. What was this wretched girl to them? Nothing but the daughter of a traitor who had had the nerve to imply Joffrey was not the rightful heir. Yes, he had heard the rumours: Queen Cersei and her brother the Kingslayer had been fucking for years and had sired not only King Joffrey, but apparently Myrcella and Tommen as well. But what did he care? What difference did it make to him who wore the crown over their heads? Joffrey had made him a member of the Kingsguard. Did he deserve it? Probably not. I am no ser.

"Please Your Grace. I had nothing to do with my traitorous father!" the girl cried as Meryn Trant kicked her again. She was curled up on the floor, her dress torn to shreds exposing her bare back to the mocking crowd in the Hall.

"And your brother?" the smug boy King retorted. "Did you know he is ravaging my lands? Him and his wolf. They say they are one and the same. He turns into his wolf at night and pillages my towns and kills my loyal subjects. I guess it's a good thing we killed your wolf before we got to King's Landing. It would have been no use having such a savage creature roaming the streets of our fair city. What do you say?" he asked the members of his court. All the men cheered in agreement while many ladies gasped at the mention of such wild beast. "What do you have to say for your traitorous brother who raised up arms against his lawful King?"

"I have nothing to say, Your Grace" the poor girl replied. "He is a traitor and deserves none of your mercy, Your Grace" she continued with tears in her eyes.

"Then, for you, my love, I shall bring you his head" King Joffrey replied.

"Or maybe he'll bring me yours" she muttered quietly to herself.

"What did you say!?" Joffrey taunted the girl. "What did you say!?" and he instructed Meryn Trant to beat the girl again.

"Nothing Your Grace" she managed to reply.

"Hound, be a good dog and take her away. Take her to her chambers."

Sandor Clegane, removed his cloak and gently covered the girl with it as he helped her get on her feet. "Come little bird" he softly told her.

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They were on the way to her apartments when they passed by the battlements. Looking up they could still see Lord Eddard Stark's head on a spike, his eyes gone, his face pecked on by the birds.

"Don't look up, little bird" he cautioned her.

"Why not? He was a traitor, he deserved it" she replied coldly.

"You know better than that. You do not need to lie to me. You know as much as I do your father does not deserve to be there. I know you wish that were Joffrey's head on that spike. I know what you said at the courtroom and I don't blame you. You're doing your best to survive, Lady Stark"

"There is only one Lady Stark, and that is my mother"

"True, and hopefully you'll see her again one day, Lady Sansa" he said as he took out a small handkerchief and gently wiped the blood from her split lip. "But in the meantime, you have to survive. Do what you must. Give in if you have to. Save yourself some pain, little girl. Just give him what he wants"

"Why do you help me?"

"I am not helping you little bird"

"But you re always kind to me, Ser."

"I am no Ser"

After locking Sansa in her chamber, the Hound hesitated whether to return to the Courtroom or go to the tavern. Ale was always good medicine for that sick feeling Joffrey always caused on him. So ale it was. Fuck Joffrey! Fuck the King! Fuck his duty!

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So, what do you think so far?

Next chapter we'll see Robb and Catelyn ... The POV in the chapters will alternate between the characters and they will come together at some points.

Thanks for reading.