Courting (Hound and Abigail)

The Hound sighed a little bit as he led some of the Kingsguard down with him to the house that Abigail had requested that he come and see her in to get his stitches looked at. But it was only a week after the stitches went in.

The Queen had found out about how good at matters of healing she was and had gotten the King to order she be brought to him, to become the personal healer to the royal family.

The Hound knew that she would much rather stay where she was but he was hoping she now knew enough to know that refusing the King and the Queen was like asking to be killed,

"Abigail Wallis!" he called out, banging on the door, "Open up in the name of the king!"

He said that for the kingsguard and to cover his obligation before sighing and adding,

"The king has heard of your impressive talents and would like you to become the healer to the royal family." he paused and glanced at the kingsguard, "This can be easy or hard... I'm sorry."

Abigail was happily sitting in her apartment brewing some of the medicine that she needed for the patients that she was supposed to be seeing today. She still had plenty of stock in terms of the herbal ingredients however she hadn't had enough time to create the compounds needed themselves but they were coming along nicely at the minute.

Sighing softly she sat down on the window ledge, one leg almost straddling the stone. She loves sitting outside like this, the hot summers air caressing her, it was so hot she was only wearing a strap tshirt today not her long sleeved one. The jeans and leather coat were the same however, she needed to make sure her 'modesty' was 'preserved'.

The bang on her door made her squeak and she hurried to it, before she heard it was Sandor and she did not want to open the door at all when she heard what he was here for.

Reluctantly she opened the door and her jaw dropped to the floor when she saw just how many people were here to 'escort' her to the Court in Kings Landing. It made her stomach hit the ground and she was instantly nervous.

"I told you I wasn't interested." she stated calmly "Even so I can hardly refuse but the lack of curtosey shown by whoever ordered this is immense, hardly endears me to my new patients."

Frowning deeply she stepped aside and let the guards into the room, beginning to pack her things she felt the anger rising up inside of her in the form of bitter tears. Why couldn't she just stay and help the people who needed it most?! Throwing what little clothes she had with her into a large trunk Abigail began picking up her books and such, the movement of the other guards to grab her arm made her step back with a frightened expression.

"Do I not get to pack my own things without being pressured and manhandled!?" she asked with a growl "My medicine is brewing I can't disrupt it or it will ruin the batch, what am I to do about that, seeing as I'm wanted immediately it would seem."

The Hound sighed a little bit.

He wasn't the bad guy here and he was getting real sick of people just forcing their frustrations about the King and Queen out on him. Shaking his head in annoyance, he waved off some of the more zealous Kingsguard who went to drag Abigail to the keep since she seemed to be dragging her heels as much as possible,

"I know you told me you weren't interested." he told her before shrugging, "The Queen convinced the husband that they needed your services to look after the young princes and princess. It is... an honour, I am told."

He let her know how much of an honour he thought it was.

When she started getting angry his eyes narrowed a little bit,

"Look little bird... I am just doing what I am ordered to do. What my job and my honour demands I do." he waved at the Kingsguard, "By all means I shall have the guards shut the fuck up and stand back. Try not shooting the messenger."

He gestured to a carriage when she was packed up,

"To travel easily."

Abigail was currently seething, she couldn't believe that the only person she thought of as a friend here would send her to the one place that she had expressly said that she didn't want to go. She supposed it wasn't his fault however and she couldn't be angry at him, however it was endearing that he thought that this was her being properly angry.

Finishing placing her things in her trunk she took up one end and began heaving it down the stairs, she didn't trust herself to speak if she was honest because anything she did say Sandor would take as her giving him a jibe when she wasn't. She was speaking to a friend about something that was angering her and she had expected slightly more comfort than what she had received.

Perhaps it wasn't in his nature to comfort?

"I'm not shooting the messenger I never said a bad thing about you." she stated with a sigh "I aired negative emotions in the air around you, I wont be able to do that when I get there I have no doubt."

Accepting no help with her trunk she loaded it onto the carriage herself and sat down on it, her head resting on her hand, a pout on her lips. As if this wasn't bad enough. Now her only friend was probably pissed because she had 'the cheek' to be angry when he'd basically just told her that she was being taken here, and that was that.

Her anger and upset swirled around inside of her until she found herself sprinkling down a few tears, she didn't want to be here! She wanted to be home!

The Hound growled in annoyance and barely resisted the urge to close his eyes and sigh in annoyance. He had been doing that far too often recently. It was his job to do whatever the King asked of him and this was something his king had asked of him. He was supposed to do it without complaint and all this sighing could definitely be seen as a bit of a complaint.

Shaking his head a little bit, he gave Abigail an annoyed look,

"You have a funny description of not shooting the messenger." he commented idly before adding, "Perhaps not, no. The Queen is know for her cruelty at times and young prince Geoffrey had a temper that outweighs any sense of logic he has."

As they were travelling towards the keep, he ignored her until they were to be presented to the royal family and the court. He stood next to her in front of the door. Seeing that she had been crying and was likely to start again, he sighed a little bit and placed an hand on her shoulder,

"You will do fine." he reassured her, "Just speak the truth and the King, the Kings Hand, will see you treated righteously and fairly."

He paused for a second,

"If you should offend the royals... ask for a trial by combat and pick me as your champion." he told her quietly, "I shall defend you."

Abigail had a long think in the silence that fell across the carriage while they were on their way to...well wherever they were going. She also took that time to take in Sandor's features, of course when she had first met him she had immediately noticed his burn mark but had not asked why he had it. She didn't think that it was anything too bad at all. If she had been here it would have healed much...neater but she wasn't here at the time obviously.

Besides that she got to thinking about how old he was. He looked so grizzled that she thought he must be late 30's at least, but then again Knights and Soldiers she read about didn't tend to live to such long ages in times and conditions like these.

Standing in front of the door to the court, Abigail felt like she was naked about to go into a school canteen, everyone would be looking at her because her hair wasn't like theirs, her clothes weren't like theirs and she didn't even speak like them. Yet here she was being part of their court when she hadn't even been here a month ago.

"Thanks, Sandor." Abigail smiled softly up at him "Sorry if I snapped at you before, I didn't mean to."

The fact he was willing to be her champion should she need one made her feel, secure. Unable to stop herself from smiling even more, she directed it to the floor and squeezed her hands together in front of her hips;

"You would do that for me? I mean I'll try my very best not to insult anyone but...I sure do appreciate the offer, just in case." she grinned cheekily.

As the door was opened and she was presented to the court, Abigail stepped forwards and bit her lip nervously, wondering what she should do. Getting to one knee she descended in front of the King with a bow of her head to show respect. Honestly she hadn't a clue if that was right but she probably needed to do something.

"Your Grace." she murmured "I am here as you requested."

The Hound started slightly when she actually used his name before calming himself a little bit. It was always a surprise when someone, anyone, used his real name to be honest. Smiling a little bit down at her, he shook his head slightly,

"You'll learn to control your emotions when dealing with some members of the court." he told her before shrugging, "Or you'll learn how to hire assassins to get them to shut up. All good in equal measure."

He had offered to be her champion... what was wrong with him?

He shrugged it off and turned to Abigail with a small smirk,

"Well if you manage not to insult anyone I shall be very impressed." he admitted, teasingly, "These people live to take offense to things I sometimes think."

There was silence in the court where everybody was watching Abigail without emotion until Robert laughed a boisterous laugh,

"Yer hear that? Yer grace! Requested!" he grinned a little bit, "We both know bloody well yer didn't want to be here so I'll keep it short. I pay yer good gold to give my kids and my family regular healer checks and yer can carry on doing whatever it is yer weirdly dressed people do..."

Abigail thought that the Hound had a really rather dark personality, joking about assassins and such seemed a little out of taste when it would probably become a reality that she would have to worry about in a few weeks time she had no doubt. Somehow though, knowing she would see Sandor in court gave her a little boost of hope, she had at least one friend here.

Grinning cheekily Abigail wiggled her eyebrows;

"Ah you underestimate my abilities at kissing ass Sandor." she laughed "If I come out of there offending more than...two people I will eat my own hat."

The laugh that the KIng gave made her jump in surprise. She hadn't been expecting a laugh. Looking up from the floor she saw that he was genuinely amused and she wanted to be able to laugh with him to relieve some of her own tension but she didn't. What did make her face crack into the biggest smile she had smiled since being here, was that she could still go about treating other patients.

She had been so worried about the people she had promised care to.

"You are most good to allow me the continued aid of patients outside of the court, your Grace. I shall ensure the best care possible for you and your family as upmost priority." she assured with a firm nod, although she still stayed on her knees until she was told to get up.

She wasn't going to lose her little wager to Sandor on this one.