Not An Embrace

Sandor had never held anyone so close to him as now, nor pressed a woman’s body so tightly against his. The wenches he had rutted with hadn’t needed it. They had always stayed willingly until the end to receive their coin for the services provided – before hurrying away as fast as they could.

And he had never felt a need to hold them.

Embrace, mummers and singers called it, he knew. Lovers clutching each other in their arms, joining their body and soul – what a load of bull!

It is not an embrace when a hired sword restrains his prey to prevent alarm in the quiet night. The Warrior Maid of Tarth had handed him a bag of gold to steal Sansa Stark from the Gates of the Moon, right on the eve of her wedding, and he was going to do it proper.

It had not been an embrace when he had covered her mouth with his huge palm and clasped her arms and hands in a tight hold, murmuring his intent to her in a low tone. I will harm you not.

It was not an embrace when she nodded her understanding and his hand dropped to her throat, her frantic pulse racing under his fingertips. Nor when she pulled her hand from his grasp and reached for his – but instead of pushing it away, squeezed it tightly, gently. Nor when she pressed her back against him and her whole body – taut as a bowstring a mere moment ago – relaxed and moulded against his.

It could not be an embrace when they stood like that for a heartbeat, two heartbeats, ten heartbeats, precious moments ticking away when they should have been packing, sneaking away, riding out of the Vale. Nor when he inhaled her scent, felt her warmth through her shift, sensed her body trembling and saw her downcast eyelashes fluttering and her mouth forming the words. Just a whisper, barely audible. You. It is you.



Not an embrace.

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© 2016 - 2020 bubug
Illustration of the fragment of "Winter, thy enemy, thy friend" by LadyTP archiveofourown.org/works/1113…, commissioned by lalloo75.

Based on the characters from "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R. R. Martin.


Sansan ficlet written for us by wonderful LadyTP. Thank you, my friend, it's perfect : )

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