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“No Mama, I want to do it.” she whined as she reached to grab the wooden spoon from Sana’s hands. “Alright, alright. Just remember not to stir so fast, we don’t need the buckwheat batter everywhere. Okay Love?” Sansa moved the stool so that Eleanor was able to stand and reach the table, and placed a kiss on top of her her daughters head.
“Okay mama.” Her little hands grasped onto the spoon and the other to the bowl as she started to stir. Sansa glanced over at her daughter and laughed. Eleanor’s face was stern, she was concentrating so hard that her tiny tongue stuck out as we worked. Her daughter took after her father in every which way. She had rich dark beautiful brunette hair, her eyes a deep pool of grey and her noes was as cute as a button. And that is not where the resemblance stopped, oh heavens no. Eleanor
was stubborn, when she had her mind set on something, even at the age of six, she wouldn’t stop until she was happy with the result. Whether that be learning to ride
her mare, or when Sansa was teaching her how to knit and sew. She wanted to do everything by herself, especially when it came to making things for her father, just like this breakfast.
Earlier in the month, Eleanor had come running to Sansa after she was finished with her riding lessons. “Mama! Mama!” she cried excitedly. Sansa looked up from one of her letters, smiling brightly towards her. Sansa pushed away from her desk to turn towards her as she ran into her arms,“Yes my love, what is it?” She said with a laugh behind her words; as she picked up her daughter and placed her in her lap. Sansa started to fix her hair, a tangled mess from her riding lessons. Ellie pushed her
hands away and whipped her hair from her face herself before she started to speak again. “Do you, do you know what holiday is this month Mama?” Ellie asked. Her
little hands where balled into tiny fists and she squirmed in her mothers lap with excitement. Sansa knew all to well but chose to act as though she had no clue.
“Hmmm? What holiday? Umm, could it be Hallows Eve?” Sansa questioned. Ellie shirked out a laugh, her mama was so funny sometimes. “No Mama, thats in autumn!
It’s Father’s day!” Ellie whispers the last part as if she’s either trying to give her mother a hint or if she’s afraid her father would hear and the surprise would be ruined.
Sansa smiled down at her daughter. Her voice filled with realization, “Oh is it? How is it that you are so smart my love?” Sansa asked as she tickled her daughter. “Now
what should we do for your father huh?” Sansa asked her daughter. Ellie giggled and squirmed. “Well I'm not five anymore, I’m six! I want to make him breakfast, his
favorite breakfast. It’ll be the most greatest most finest breakfast Papa has ever had!” Ellie was jumping now in her lap. She couldn’t contain her excitement anymore.
Sansa couldn't help but smile at her. Oh gods, how she loved that her daughter had so much love for her father. She remembered a time when she was pregnant with
Ellie. As she was sitting up in bed reading a book, her husband came into their chambers stumbling and muttering curses under his breathe. He had been
drinking, but this was the first time in a long time Sansa had seem him like this. He sat down on his side of the bed, sniffing while he rubbed his face. “Sandor?” Sansa
set the book down, yet Sandor didn’t turn. She made her way towards his side of the bed and kneeled between his long legs. “Sandor, what’s wrong. Did something happen?” She asked in a warm sweet whisper.
Sandor kept his head down, his face wore a frown. “It’s nothing Little Bird.” His voice rough yet there was no anger or rage behind it, only sadness. Sansa reached up
to place her hand on his burnt cheek. She felt that it was wet. He had been crying. “Sandor, talk to me; please.”
Sandor was quiet, dead quiet. He shook his head and grunted. “What if the babe…. dammit.” He started to say. Sansa didn’t say anything, she was patient and she let
him finish is thought. “What if the babe is afraid of me, afraid of this?” Sandor whispered, his hand pointed to his burns. Sansa’s heart broke then, it broke for him. “Oh
Sandor, no, no, no.” Sansa stood and made her way to his lap. Her arms wrapped around his neck bringing him as close, he buried his face into her neck. Sansa pulled
away, she looked him in the eyes as she spoke. “You are going to be their father Sandor . Children are born innocent, you said it yourself. Its this world that is awful.
Our child will be loved and they will spread love. They will see your heart before they see your skin. Besides Sandor, they already love you, believe me I know.” Sandor
shook his head at that. “How? How can you know that Sansa?” he choked out.
Sansa smiled and placed his hand on her belly. “They can hear you, you know. Whenever you talk they know its you, they know it’s their father. They kick me every
time. As if they're excited to hear you." Sandor's hand stayed pressed to her stomach her hand on top of his. Sandor’s eyes searched her face for a lie but he couldn’t
find it. He sighed a deep and heavy sigh, still uncertain. “Little Bird-“ Sandor started to speak but was cut off when he felt three kicks under his hand. Sandor looked
surprised and Sansa smiled “Keep talking Sandor, talk to him.”
“You mean her, Little Bird. If your gods are real then I pray it’s a girl. A little mini you with your bright red hair and with all your beauty and grace.” Sandor said, They
got ready for bed, and the kicks kept coming as Sandor spoke all night to their babe as they laid in bed.
Sandor had been right about their babe being a girl, yet he was wrong about their daughter being a miniature Sansa. Sansa wasn’t mad about that at all, in fact she
loved that Eleanor took after him, and she so beautiful. She also wondered if that's how Sandor's late sister had looked like, though she would never ask him. She
wanted to name their child after her since she was Sandor's only sibling he loved. She wanted to commemorate the only other woman who was dear to Sandor. He had
been a little taken back when Sansa had offered to name her after his and not hers; but he was touched by that, so he agreed.
And Sansa has been right about their daughter not being afraid of him. From the moment she was born, Eleanor was infatuated with Sandor. As an infant, Sandor was the
only person Eleanor would never cry for when she was held. If anyone other than Sandor had been holding her she would burst into a fit and would cry until Sandor
took her.
By the time she learned to crawl, she’d try to follow him out of every room. When Sansa and Sandor taught her how to walk, they learned that Sansa should be the one
to hold her while Sandor kneeled, arms stretched out at the other end of the room. “Come here my El, come to Papa.” Sandor called to her. Her head would whip
towards the sound of his voice. She would clap and laugh, happy to see him and would take off. She would get about three steps before falling on her little butt. But
Sandor encouraged her, “Come on my girl, get up and come to me.” Ellie looked back at her mother, then back to him. She got her little body up and waddled to her
father. He smiled and laughed when she waddled into his arms. He lifted her up and twirled her around the room with a proud smile on his face. After that, Eleanor was
able to walk then run where ever her father went.
Now Sansa looked down to at her daughter who wore the most brightest smile on her face when she had proposed the idea of cooking breakfast for her father. “I think
that is a fabulous idea Ellie. I think he would love it.” Sansa smiled and they began to plan out what they would make for him. “I love you Mama.” Eleanor said when
they were finished. Sansa hugged her daughter tightly and kissed her cheek, “I love you more.”
The night before Father’s Day, Sansa and Eleanor had made sure the kitchens were prepared for their plans. She made the head cook aware that they will be in here
working on the breakfast for her husband. Once that was done, they made their way up stairs to Sansa and Sandor's bed chamber where a bath was waiting for
Eleanor.
When they stepped into the room they saw Sandor sitting on a chair near the fire while he held their infant son who was sound asleep. Ellie made her way towards her
father to see her brother. She kissed both her father and brother on their cheeks then ran to where the tub was to get ready for her bath. As Sansa washed their
daughters hair. Sandor eyed his daughter suspiciously, she kept glancing over to her father and giggled as if she had a secret. His eyes met Sana’s and his wife simply
smiled at him and went back to scrubbing her daughters hair.
With the bath finished, Sandor and Sansa took Eleanor to her room where Sansa sang to her and Sandor tucked her into bed. Sansa watched from the door way as
Sandor finished up with his tucking. “Goodnight my girl, I love you.” Sandor rasped softly. “Goodnight Papa, I love you too.” Eleanor said before she nodded off to
sleep.
In the earlier hours of the morning. Sansa woke to a small creek coming from their door. She opened her eyes to see Eleanor there eagerly waiting for her to rise so
they can start with their surprise. Their son, Rob made small sounds from his crib next to her and Sandor's bed, though he kept on sleeping. Sandor was snoring
heavily on the other side of her. Her head was laying against one of his arms while the other arm was wrapped tightly around her waist. His face buried against her
neck. She looked over at her daughter and she pressed her index finger to her lips, signaling to her to keep quiet. Ellie smiled and mimicked her mother’s actions
letting her know she wouldn’t make a sound.
Carefully Sansa grabbed her husbands arm and moved it off of her body. Little Rob stirred a bit, both her and Eleanor looked at the babe and prayed he wouldn’t start
to cry. Sansa successfully got out of bed without waking her husband. She made her way to Ellie and the door. Once outside Sansa moved just a bit away from their door,
she kneeled down so she was eye level to her daughter. “I’m going to go back in just to check on your brother to make sure he’s alright and dress. You stay out here.
Okay?” Sansa whispered.
“Okay Mama.” Eleanor whispered back. She waited patiently outside till Sansa came back out. Sansa looked down and smiled, she took her daughters hand and they
made their way towards the kitchens.
They made about twenty buckwheat cakes. Eleanor wanted to make sure that her father had plenty to eat, even when Sansa insisted that twenty maybe a bit much but
never the less she let her daughter do as she pleased. They talked and laughed while they cooked. Sansa taught her daughter when it was the right time to flip them
and when they were done. Once they were finished they placed them on platter with a tableware cover. Sansa went to carry the tray but was stopped when Ellie tugged
on her skirts.
“I wanna carry it for Papa Mama, please?” Her daughter asked,
“Let me carry it till we get to my chamber door, there I will give it you to and I’ll open the door. You’ll head in first and I’ll follow. How does that sound?” Sansa asked.
Eleanor let go of her mothers skirts, and contemplated her mothers request. When she decided that it was a better plan she agreed. “Okay Mama that works.” Sansa
shook her head a little and they made their way.
When they got back to her mothers rooms, Sansa stopped and turned towards her daughter. She carefully gave the platter to her daughter. “You got it?” Sansa asked
worried that she may not actually be able to handle it. “Yes, I got it Mama.” her daughter said. Sansa let her daughter go ahead of her, she reached over a bit and
opened the door. There her husband was snoring still asleep, yet now he was cuddling with her pillow. Sansa checked on her son, still sound asleep like his father.
Sansa bent down to whisper to her daughter. “I’m going to wake him okay? When he’s awake, that’s when you say Happy Father’s Day, okay?” Eleanor nodded, her little
tongue out as she concentrated on not dropping the platter.
Sansa made her way to her bed, she took at seat on her side while she gently began to shake her husband awake. Sandor grunted, yet his eyes didn’t open. “Sandor,
Sandor wake up.” Sansa whispered. “What is it Little Bird, ready for round five then eh?” Sandor grunted with a smirk on his face. Sansa’s cheeks grew a deep red.
Thank the gods her daughter was still so young she would have no idea what he meant. But that didn’t stop her from asking.
“What does round five mean?” Her voice rang throughout the room. That got Sandor up. His eyes shot open to find himself cuddling with Sana’s pillow. His wife sitting
beside him rubbing his arm, her cheeks redder that her hair. He then looked over to see his daughter, standing there with the brightest smile he ever seen as she
fidgeted with a platter in her hands. “El, my girl what’s going -“ Sandor started to say, “HAPPY FATHER’S DAY PAPA!” Ellie said loudly and excitedly. Sandor moved to
sit up in bed. His good brow furrowed confused, he wiped the sleep from his eyes. Little Rob was up as well after his sister’s outburst. He started to cry and Sansa
made her way to his crib. Ellie made her way to her parents bed, laying the platter on Sandor’s lap. She climbed up on the bed and wrapped her small arms around her
father’s neck. Sandor scooped her up into a hug, she planted a kiss on his burnt cheek.
“What’s all this my El?” Sandor looked at his daughter and couldn’t help but smile when he saw that she was looking up with her big grey eyes. “I made you breakfast
Papa. your favorite!” She explained. Sandor lifted the lid to see twenty small/ medium buckwheat cakes on a platter, with a side of butter and berry molasses. He had
been touched that she and with the help of her mother had put in so much effort for him. Sandor cleared his throat and looked back down at his daughter then back at
his wife who was also smiling. “Happy Father’s Day Papa,” Sansa made a voice that sounded, he figured was supposed to be their sons. She made her way towards the
bed with their son in her arms. Sandor placed Eleanor to his side and then grabbed the platter as he scooted over to make room in their bed for his wife and son. Sansa
stole a kiss from his lips. "So this is why you made me put on trousers before bed last night." Sandor whispered so only his little bird could here. Sansa laughed,
“Happy Father’s Day my love.” She wore a radiant smile, happy for him; and began to feed their son his own breakfast from her breast.
Sandor couldn’t believe the sight in from of him. He had once dreamt of this long ago before his brother had maimed him. Then he had thought for a long time after
that, that it would never happen, but it did. Sandor looked down at his huge breakfast. “Papa it’s going to get cold if you don’t start to eat!” His daughter exclaimed.
The whole family stayed in bed, he let his two birds peck at his breakfast, and Sandor ate every other single bit of it.