He'd been drinking. He had never needed the fortification of drink in any battle or tournament before, his anger and hate had always been enough; and he took another long draught. The flames, the fear, and he wanted to get to her before Stannis Baratheon's soldiers descended upon the house. They would not be kind. The room smelled of the sweet fragrance she wore. He knew he stunk of battle and drink. He heard as she entered her bedchamber, and as she rushed to bolt and barricade the heavy door.
When she turned round with her lantern, she was surprised to see him sitting there, in the dark.
"Why are you here?" she asked of him, her voice strained in her fright, but it was no longer him she was afraid of. Despite his sometimes rough manner at first, she had come to feel safe in his presence and at the soothing sound of his voice, and hearing his name for her, little bird. He was a gentleman.
"I am leaving. I will no longer be in the service of the Lannisters." he said. "I thought you should know."
His eyes were moist; and there was a woundedness in them.
"Where will you go? How will you get by?"
"I don't know, wander maybe. To the North, might do. Could do." He glanced over at her cautiously, trying to gauge her reaction.
"As a Hedge Knight!"
He rose from the chair and came towards her.
"Come with me!" he finally blurted out. "Winterfell is your home; I could take you back there with me."
"I cannot."
But she felt the pang of the realization that she wanted to, and would miss him dearly. When the time was right, she would want a man, not a cruel, spoilt boy.
"I know you would never hurt me, Ser Sandor." He towered over her; but her goodness pierced his chest as sharply as any sword. He winced.
"No, little burde, I could never hurt you."
"I know you to be a most honourable man; worthy of knighthood."
"I am no knight." She would not think him very honourable if she knew how much he wanted her. "A deserter, now."
"What does it matter now anyway? My father is dead. I don't know where my brother Robb is, nor my mother and sister. I've not received a message by raven from Bran, Rickon and Maester Luwin in ages. Even Lady is gone; taken so cruelly. She quickly searched among her things, found the handkerchief that he had first given her to stanch the bleeding of her lip when King Joffrey had ordered one of his guards to strike her, to return to him.
"Here, keep this with you," she said. "And this should help you some along your way." She then gave to him as many Gold Dragon coins as she could without drawing suspicion. The soldiers would only take them anyway.
"When the time is right," she told him, squeezing both his hands in her hands. "I'll send word."
"My lady..."
"Be safe."
He would stay with her until the siege was over.