Mountain Part 14 - Reunion

Melicent woke in the early hours to find Laoch lying stretched out beside her in the huge bed. Nella was not there, and she realized her sister must have slept in the chamber with the younger girls, in order to make room for the big dog. She wondered if Laoch had given Nella a choice, and thought that perhaps he hadn't. She felt weary, and a bit foggy from the dreamwine, but her mind was racing all the same. She lay with her eyes closed, stroking the hound's shaggy head and tried to push the thoughts away. What would happen to Arys, she wondered. Surely Lord Gregor would not allow him to live, but she hoped he would not suffer too much. Or perhaps she hoped he would suffer terribly. She tried to be honest with herself, but she wasn't entirely sure how she felt,, or how she should be feeling. Nothing in her life had prepared her for this, it was very frustrating, not knowing the right way to behave.

She decided to make a mental list of things she was sure of. She was sure there would be a wedding before the week was out. Her wedding. How odd, to think of how it had all come about.
Laoch groaned and rested his head on her tummy. She laughed softly and scratched his ears... she was certainly sure of the big dog. She was certain that she wished Lord Gregor would return. She would feel safer if he were here. Arys would be dealt with. She could stop wondering. She also admitted to herself in a tiny whisper inside of her head, that she wanted to see him again. She felt so strange when he was near her, when he touched her she felt... unlike herself. Yet she felt more herself than she had ever felt before.

She had begun to drift off again when something startled her awake. Laoch jumped up and stood at the end of the bed, hackles raised, growling softly.
Melicent pushed herself groggily up onto an elbow as she realized she could hear raised voices. There was a commotion and the door to her apartments crashed open. Fully awake now, she sat up straight and waited.  Then the bedchamber door flew open, and the doorway was filled with a hulking form so massive, she knew it could only be her betrothed. LaÖch sprang forward off the end of the bed, snarling. Before she could react, Lord Gregor grunted something and the dog retreated to his place near the fire.
 
"My Lady," he barked, crossing the big room in three huge strides, "Are you well?" He gripped her by the shoulders and shook her gently. She felt it was taking all his concentration not to shake her very hard to make sure she didn't rattle, that she wasn't broken. She somehow found this endearing. Although his face was clouded with anger, she felt safe in his grip, knowing instinctively that his anger was in no way directed at her.

"Yes... yes, I'm alright. I wasn't really hurt. Not very much." She smiled to show him that she was well, but suddenly the events of the previous day came rushing back and she felt like she might cry. She wasn't badly hurt, it was true. But although her nose had not broken, it still hurt her.  Her lip was split and puffy and her cheek was bruised and sore. Her ribs ached, so did her arm, and her head throbbed. The worst part though was the memory of Arys Dayne's cold hand between her legs, groping, probing... she blinked her eyes several times and tried to maintain her smile.

She could tell that Gregor was not fooled by her attempt at bravery. His frown deepened and he picked her up. She gasped as he did so, pain shooting through her ribs. He grunted and loosened his hold on her as he crossed the room. Again, he was clumsy, yet gentler than she would have expected in his handling of her.  He placed her in a large chair by the fire, and she noticed the dog followed them with his eyes, but stayed where he was. She was conscious of being clad only in her bed gown, but she knew better than to protest. He knelt in front of her, lifting her chin with a finger so that she looked up at him. When she did so, his expression darkened and she knew the firelight had allowed him to see her bruises more clearly. She wondered if they had worsened since she last looked. He touched her split lip with a finger, then he proceeded to examine her arms, scowling at the finger shaped bruises on her forearm and at her sharp intake of breath when he touched her there. She smiled a little, apologetically.

"It’s only my ribs," she said quietly. "and my head. Otherwise I'm alright... really ..." she looked up at him and for a moment she saw it again. He looked hard at her and touched her hair with his fingertips. His face softened. A confusing flash ... of what? Of compassion, perhaps? She did not know, and she suspected he didn't know any better than she did. Then the scowl returned as suddenly as it had gone. He stood and turned his back to her, looking into the fire.

"I can see that you are very much hurt, my Lady. You needn't try to spare my sensibilities." He began to pace. "You need not worry that the Dornish Snake will touch you again. We've met, and he no longer has the ability to do so."

"Have you... is he...." she began to ask, but not quite able to form the words, she trailed off.

He turned to her and smiled, or at least he seemed to try to smile. "No, he is not dead. I have not yet killed him. However, I have removed his fingers, so he will no longer be able to abuse that which does not belong to him. He lives, for now. I will kill him tomorrow... or later today, as it were."

"Are we... to marry later today, my Lord?" She asked, feeling a flash of panic.

He stopped pacing and looked at her sharply. "Have you changed your mind, then? The contract was sealed, it cannot be broken." He growled, leaning toward her causing her to lean back in her chair.

"Oh no!" She shook her head, feeling slightly dizzy. "I don't mean that at all! I... I... want to marry you, my Lord! Truly, I do!" She said, surprising both herself and Lord Gregor. His face registered first shock, then confusion.

"Why then? What is the matter, girl?" His brow furrowed and he moved to sit in the chair facing her, resting his elbows on his knees and rubbing his face, suddenly looking exhausted. Concern flooded through her as she realized this Mountain of a man was a human man, who had been riding all night and needed to rest. She stood gingerly and crossed the short distance between them, standing in front of her husband to be, not needing to bend to be on a level with his face.

"My Lord, I only meant that it would be ill luck to kill a man on our wedding day. I'm sure that it would... Could it not wait until the following day?" she stood there, waiting, until he finally lifted his head to look at her.

"It could, although I'm anxious to kill the snake. Waiting... would that... please you?" he stared at her, as if trying to work out an extremely complex puzzle.

She nodded and smiled sadly. "As pleased as I can be, given the situation. I've known Ser Arys for so long. This is... difficult... for me."

Gregor nodded. Then I will kill him the morning after we wed." He looked her up and down, and smiled. "Or perhaps in the afternoon." He reached out a huge hand, placing it on her waist and running it over the curve of her hip. She was suddenly very conscious of the thin bed gown she was wearing. His touch made her shiver and her cheeks burned.

"Come here girl." He said gruffly, and without thinking, she moved closer, their mouths meeting, opening, tongues engaged in a complex dance that they both somehow understood. He pulled her against him and she could feel his manhood straining against her tummy. Her heart pounded in her chest as her arms looped around his neck, one hand caressing him there as his huge hands slid over her back, her hips and down to her thighs, touching her, holding her. Instead of the terror she had felt with Arys Dayne, she felt safe, protected. No one could hurt her in the arms of the Mountain.

He broke the kiss to lower his head to her breast, his mouth finding her nipple through the thin fabric and closing around it. She gasped as his mouth began to work, sucking and nipping, making her moan softly.  He laughed, a deep rumble in his chest and lifted his head, bringing his mouth to hers and grunting "Mine..." before claiming her lips for another kiss. Sliding his hands under her thighs, he lifted her easily, never breaking the kiss, and carried her to the huge bed.

He bent forward, lowering her and she clung tightly to him, keeping him close, his body covering hers. "What in Seven Hells are you?" he growled, sliding a hand up over her tummy and cupping her full breast, rubbing her nipple with his thumb as he stared down at her.

"I... I'm not sure what you mean ..." she answered, confused. "I'm just a girl..." She breathed the words against his lips, cupping his cheek with her tiny hand.

"You're not." He growled. "Aren't you afraid of me?"

She shook her head slightly, still looking into his dark eyes. "No. I'm not afraid of you ..."

He scowled again. "Why not? Everyone else is."

"I don't know." She answered him honestly. She didn't know.

"Hmph." He said, because he didn't know what else to say. "I don't know what you are. But I want you, girl." He groaned and pulled away, sitting on the edge of the bed and she sat up slowly. "We marry today, I will not take you now and break the contract. After we're wed, I'll make you mine in all ways." He stood and turned to her, smiling darkly. She saw then that his eyes changed and he suddenly looked extremely tired. He turned to go, but he paused at the door when he heard her speak.

"My Lord, I'm not afraid of you." She took a deep breath, then whispered, "I'm afraid to be without you..."

He took his hand from the door handle and turned back to her again. He looked at her for a long moment, then crossed back to the chair by the fire. He lowered himself into the big chair, leaning back and closing his eyes, his head throbbing. "Sleep  now, Little Doe," he said. "You are safe."


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Comments

  1. :D :D !! yey!!!

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  2. AMAZING!!!!! I was carried away by reading all chapters at once and... wow awesome! I`m out of touch with reality!
    Dear Houndgirrl, thank you for writing and sharing your story, I love it sooo much!
    You know what? You`ve changed my opinion and attitude to Gregor completely! Omg, I`m going to fall in love...))
    I haven`t read something so beautiful and thrilling and hot and sweet for a long time. By the way, I really appreciate your writing style.)

    Can`t wait to read MOAR!!!

    And one more time - thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

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  3. wot? omg, you're so lovely, thank you!!! thank you & thank you!! i always struggle with my confidence, so i really appreciate the comments. it helps me keep going. i love to write it, but i also get negative feedback about choosing to write gregor, being wrong or even 'disturbed' for choosing to write him as "human" underneath, etc. i do appreciate negative comments too, as it helps me keep things in perspective. i honestly believe that no one is *completely* a monster and that even the worst must have the ability to be human. it doesn't hurt that conan stevens is HOT and its easy to ship him with lady melly, or anyone, really! ;)

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  4. Oh God, this is definitely one of my favorite chapters.I have now read already eight times and could cry every time, as beautiful is that
    I love it sooo much,it is so beautiful and so sad
    "My Lord, I'm not afraid of you." She Took a deep breath, then whispered, "I'm afraid without you ..."
    Great, I would hope so, that Chapter 22 will appear!
    Great work!!!Wow!

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