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Sandor
Sandor rushed the hallway down. They didn’t have much time and he need to finish the job before the police will arrive. The other hitmen will certainly care about the left guards. He still couldn’t believe that the Senator had such a calculated safety system. After this mess Sandor need to talk with his client about the payment – it was far too less for this job. The estate wasn’t as large as other politician’s ones, but was highly equipped with cameras, guards and security locks. Luckily it wasn’t hard to knock the ones in the garden out. They seemed quiet bored and distracted so Sandor shot both of them in head. A merciful death. His brother took care of the other ones, but Sandor knew he shouldn’t give Gregor Clagene credit for his work. It was always sleazy and bloody. The bombs in the west wing were completely unnecessary. With that much attention they’ll have less time to finish their work. Sandor turned in the left corridor and ran into a young boy.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
The boy just looked shocked and sprinted the hallway down. Sandor considered to shot him, but repudiated the thought. His only aim will be the Senator. No innocent soul will be harmed – the Senator was his job. The guards know for who they were working for and were prepared to die for their job and the servants were in the guesthouse deep in sleep because of a gas bomb.
Finally he arrive the heavy mahogany door. Carefully he opened it with his left hand, holding his gun in his right one ready to aim. The door opened with a quiet squeal. With heavy steps Sandor entered the room.
It was dark – only the desk lamp lighten the room. Large book shelves rose behind a dark wooden desk. The tall man between the desk and shelves looked pleadingly in his eyes. His hand were up behind his head with the dark and silver hair. The Senator opened slightly his mouth to form his plea.
Sandor shoot him in the heart. Merciless.
He looked down while the Senator bleed on the floor. His books were covered in dark red. Suddenly he heard a sniff. Sandor passed the desk and watched as a small red headed girl covered under the desk with horrified wide eyes looking on the corpse.
“Daddy…” she whispered and silent tears ran over her beautiful pale face.
Before Sandor could even do something his walkie-talkie buzzed.
“Sandor … kzz … you must bunk off … kzz … you Brother hid a bomb in the room, if you wouldn’t success … kzz.”
“A bomb …?”
All of sudden everything was a mess of red and black.
xxx
10 years later
Sansa
Daddy looked angst-ridden after the call. Sansa doesn’t understand anything of it. Barely few minutes ago her father taught her about her false behaviour to the new servant’s son and now he made several calls. As it seems it doesn’t helped because he looked even worse than before.
“Daddy are you okay?”
“Daddy is alright. Do you want to play a game?”
She furrowed her brow. Wasn’t he mad at her? It shouldn’t be the right time for games. But after all better to play than to be scold. Sansa nodded.
“Sweetling we play hide and seek, okay? You will hide under the table and remain silent until I say otherwise. If you can be like this for an hour you will get a hundred lemon cakes!”
“Promise?”
Daddy nodded with a serious expression.
“Promise.”
She hide under the table and looked to her father while he still tried to call someone. Suddenly he stopped and looked up. She realized that the door opened. Heavy steps approached. Her heart beat so loud she feared that her father will scold her for being to loud.
Then a loud shot.
Her ears were ringing. She looked to her father. But something was different. He looked pale. His chest wasn’t moving at all. Something red strained the perfect white shirt. Mother will truly scold now him for making it dirty. Still he didn’t move. It scared her. She doesn’t like this game at all.
“Daddy …” A rasping sound. For a moment Sansa was shocked. Suddenly rough hands packed her and dragged her out.
Heat.
Then an explosion.
With a heavy breath Sansa woke up. Her heart beat so fast she feared it might burst out. Slowly she wiped her sweat from her forehead away. She hated this nightmare. She doesn’t remember much from this night. Just her father dying in front of her and then … a giant explosion which destroyed the whole house. Her family – her kind mother, her annoying but adorable siblings – all dead. Sometimes she couldn’t believe that she survived.
“Good morning little bird.” Sandor greeted her with the smell of coffee. He stood behind the stove and made some fried eggs. It was kind of funny to see such a broad man in an apron.
“Nothing is good at this kind of morning Sandor.”
Somberly she took a seat and placed her hands on the small kitchen table. The flat was cramped with two little bedrooms – one for Sandor, one for her – a bath room and a petite kitchen, where they often sat together.
“Dreams are just dreams little bird.” He placed her plate in front of her and poured some coffee in her favourite mug.
Taking a sip from the hot coffee Sansa grimaced. Sandor took the opposite seat and already shoveled his food in his mouth. Although Sansa know every detail from his face for years she couldn’t help but watch the burned side of it. It was one of the proofs that there were still heroes in the world. Even if Sandor denied it every time. His face was the proof that he helped to escape the sea of flames, where her whole family died.
“You know, one day I will find them. And then they will pay for it.”
“You wouldn’t even know how to kill them.”
“Then teach me already to use a gun!”
“You’re still a kid little bird.”
“I’m 17!”
Sandor shoot her a look that end the discussion. Still Sansa mumbled a few harsh words in her mug. He maybe was one of the security guards for her father back then, but that doesn’t mean he can act like her real father.
“So what job do we have?” Sansa tried to change the subject.
“I will get the request today from Bronn.”
“Can I come?” It wouldn’t be so dull if Bronn would visit them.
“Don’t smudge the car this time with your make up.”
“It was once! And I just fall asleep on the seat!”
After the breakfast both drove to the docks where Bronn usually awaits them. Sansa waits impatiently in the car when Sandor left it to greet him. Seems like they want a fast transition.
Sandor
“Does she still doesn’t know who killed her parents.”Bronn greets him with a lopsided grin.
“No, she should have a normal childhood.”
“Living with the killer of her father seems pretty normal, doesn’t it?”
“She’s still too young.”
“You know one day she will find it out.”
“Let that be my business.” With a grim glare Sandor took the papers from Bronn.
“You should do this one. Top priority.” Sandor read through the report.
A picture of a young man with dark hair and grey eyes was over the text. Under it were placed several deaths.
“Jon Snow. Who is this?”
Bronn lit a cigarette and took a long puff. “Seems like you were a bit sloppy. He is escaped during the night.”
The boy. He shook his head. Sandor should had killed him when he had the chance.
“Now he hunts the ones who were involved during that night. You and your brother are the only ones left.”
“Why doesn’t he kill him? You know I’m not a hitman anymore.”
“He has the same report. Just think about it. The payment is grand.” With that Bronn flipped his cigarette on the ground.
When Sandor got in the car Sansa was already playing with several music stations.
“So what’s the job?”
“Nothing” he grumbled.
“What are those papers? … oh my god the payment is over one million dragons!!”
“We are not doing this job.”
“Are you kidding me?? It’s so much money! Wait what did this guy?”
“Nothing.” Sandor tried to hide the papers in his jacket but Sansa was faster. With quick fingers she already had the report in her hands. A serious expression spread over her face.
“He was there.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “That night. He was there. And he killed so many people – look at this list!”
She shook the papers in front his eyes. “I … I bet he’s the one who killed my father. He’s … familiar.”
Sandor ripped the papers from her hand and teared them apart.
“You won’t go near this guy. Understand?”
“Don’t you wish to avenge my father’s death? You were his guard!”
“My job is to keep you safe.” Again he shoot her a look to end the discussion.
She isn’t ready. Not now.
Sansa
Sandor can be really mean but he never done anything bad towards her. So Sansa knew she wouldn’t get any consequences when she entered the Night Watch. It was a bedraggled bar in the industry area and more important the place, which this guy visit very often. Sandor maybe can tear the papers apart but Sansa isn’t stupid. She made a mental note about every helpful detail in her mind.
After Sandor fell asleep she sidled outside with one of his guns. She will find this man, who killed her father and even if he didn’t do it, he still could have useful information about this night.
So she sat by herself in the bar and observed the customers. After a few hours he appeared. The man wore a black suit and obviously a gun, which he hid under his jacket. Sansa couldn’t believe he was so close. He sat there and laughed with some colleagues while drinking beer.
How could he laughing when she never will hear her sister’s giggles again? How he could be so happy when she never will see her whole family together under the Christmas tree?
It costs her every single self-control just to sit there, drink her water and watch.
After what seems an eternity he finally left the bar. With careful steps Sansa followed him. It wasn’t easy, because he kept changing the direction and the industry area was like a maze. Finally he stopped and turned around.
“Why are you following me?” His voice sounded as cold as she imagined.
Sansa stretched with shaky hand the gun out.
“Did you kill my father?”
He looked incomprehensible.
“I said did you kill me father?!” Her voice sounded shrill in her own ears. “Did you kill Eddard Stark you cold-hearted asshole?!”
Suddenly his grey eyes went wide and he looked disbelieved at her. “Sansa?” He breathed. “Sansa you’re alive.”
She doesn’t understand anything at all. Who was he? Why did he know her name? She lowered her gun and kept shaking. A few moments later warm arms embraced her and hold her tightly.
“I can’t believe that you’re still alive! I thought I’m the only one.” His voice sounded shaky. Did he have tears in his eyes?
“Who are you?” Sansa asked confused, because his face was familiar, but the murder of her father wouldn’t hug her this warm.
“Don’t you remember me? I’m Jon. Jon Snow. You know. The one why you were in trouble.”
“The servant boy…” Slowly she realized it. “This night. You made fun of my hair. I shoved you. Daddy was angry with me… you’re alive.”
With wide blue eyes she looked at his face and stroked his hair aside. Yes now she saw the small boy with curly hair and high cheek bones.
“Jon, do you know who killed him?” She pleaded.
His bright face quickly went dark.
“Yes. I’ve killed every single one who was there this night. Tonight another will die in his home with a bomb. And the other one I’ve picked last. His name is Sandor Clegane and he will pay for everything.”
Sansa’s blood turned cold. This must be a mistake. He couldn’t be the one.
“A-are you sure?”
“Sansa I saw him. I was the only one who was in this wing. I … I didn’t do anything. I just run away.”
He had tears in his eyes and looked entreatingly to her.
“I-I’m sorry that I didn’t do anything.”
“Jon.” It broke her heart to see him like this. “Jon look at me. You were barely ten years old. You couldn’t have do anything.”
“I should be the one who should comfort you.”
Sansa smiled sadly. She stroke a defiant curl from his face away.
“I need to do something.”
“No I just found you! I need to be sure that you’re safe. You can stay with me or with a friend. I could pay you an apartment if you want!”
“Jon.” She stopped him with a finger on his full lips. “I need to do a job and then I will come with you. Wait for me here. It won’t take long.”
xxx
Sandor
He woke up with a strange feeling. Normally the house wasn’t this silent. Sansa always spoke in her sleep and since the walls were thin he would hear her. But it remained silent. Too silent. Carefully he left his room and entered the kitchen. She sat on her usual place with her red mane and a sad look on her piercing blue eyes. In her right hand was his gun. Slowly she stand up and lift it towards him. Her eyes seemed glassy and her lips quivered.
“You killed him.”
It wasn’t a question but still Sandor nodded.
“You … you killed him. And all these years… I believed you were my saviour.”
“I always told you otherwise.” He said with a rough voice.
“Shut up!” She screamed. “I should kill you. You lied to me. You told me you were his guard but … you were the reason he needed guards.”
He remained silent. She was right.
“Why?”
Such a simple question. But he didn’t know the answer. He didn’t know why he saved her this night. Was it her heartbroken sobs? Or she looked like his little sister? Because she was innocent?
“I don’t know.”
Her face fell. She lowered her gun. With a cold look in her eyes she hushed the following words, which hurt more than his burn will ever do.
“I should kill you, you know. I really should. But then I’m not better than you. I show you mercy. For … for the past years. Run. Run away. And never turn back. Or else I will fulfil my vow and kill you.”
With that she walked out of the room.
His little bird flew away.