Chapter 1. Escaping
"Yes" Sansa Stark replied. She was breathless, and her hands were trembling uncontrollably. She could still hear the drums from the distance, the rhythmic tune of death. Sansa's eyes lifted up towards The Hound, his body towering over her, whilst his face bold and emotionless. His armour bloody from battle, she could see the blood oozing out from the hilt of the falchion sword that clung to his side.
"Get your things girl". He said in a grating voice. He leaned closer to continue "I'll be back. Get whatever you need, but don't overdo it. This won't be like your last journey to this shit hole". He left, but Sansa knew he would come back. She grabbed blankets and laid them out firmly on her bed. She packed the green gown the queen had given to her first. Sansa didn't care what happened to it, but she couldn't bare to think about ruining her other dresses, even if it meant leaving them behind. Some she had made, and some were gifts from her father. Sansa put each item on her bed. She packed jewellery, her pearl tipped hairbrush the queen had given her, some silver coins she had stashed away, and a grey cloak. She wrapped her things in the blanket and tied it off. Sansa thought about her Direwolf Lady. If Lady had been her, she would protect me, keep me safe on this journey, Sansa had said to herself. She heard a whisper in the back of her mind; it seemed to say 'You will be safe'.
The decision had been hard to make. Stannis Baratheon won't hurt me, she told herself. He would see her home safe to Winterfell. If he had taken the kingdom, he would slay Joffrey Baratheon himself. The thought of that pleased her. But if he failed, the outcome would be her still trapped and would soon have to share a bed with him, and the thought of that displeased her very much. She felt a warm tear travel down her face. She could go home if she went with The Hound, she could go home. Sansa sat on her bed waiting. For a moment she was afraid he wouldn't come back, and that made her heart pound loudly in her chest. But he had returned. He carried a large empty sack, and another which was smaller, that was near full. He dropped it on the ground in a hurry, and had searched to see what Sansa had packed to take on the journey.
"We can sell these if need be" he said, pointing at her jewellery. She didn't care. Sandor Clegane pulled out something grey, then scooped up her things and dumped them in the sack, and wrapped it around him. "Here" He said, shoving the grey hooded cloak to her. Sansa took it. "Wear it; it will keep weary eyes off you". She didn't know what he meant, but she did as he bid, and put it on. He lifted the hood up over her head, and then he drew his sword. The sound scraped, and the tiny hairs on Sansa's arm pricked up. Just before he was about to leave Sansa spoke.
"Do you promise to protect me?" She asked "I mean... I... You will take me home to Winterfell safe?" She paused. "You will not hurt me?" she heard him take a deep breath.
"No Little bird I won't hurt you. I will take you home safe." And with that, they left. The courtyard was near empty, the guards had all fled to the mud gate, most likely needing as many men possible to keep it held up. There were small amounts of townsfolk running around in terror, but none noticed them. The night was dark. But in the distance she could still see the green flame swirling in the sky. She had seen it before in her bedchamber out the window. It had frightened her, but it must have also frightened The Hound. Sandor walked in front in a steady pace, the green light shone on his back and there was more blood on him then she had thought. He was walking slightly on hinge, he was drunk after all. It made Sansa feel very timid. Sansa tripped, she could scarcely see where she was going. But before she tumbled to the ground Sansa leaned out her right leg and stopped herself from falling completely. Although her hands scraped on the gravelly ground, and whilst landing on her right knee, she grazed it through her garment.
"Careful Little bird, don't want to be dead before we leave the city" He clutched her right wrist with his left hand, yanking her up. He wore dark gloves, with small metal embroidered on it. That too was bloody, and she felt the stickiness already beginning to dry on her. Sansa's eyes watered in tears. She was afraid. What of her sister? What if they're caught? Joffrey will have her head. "No time for tears girl" He hurried her along. Where are we headed? She asked herself. This was not the direction to the gates. Sansa hesitated, pulling back.
"Where are we going?"Sansa asked fearfully. She distrusted him; her fear had clouded her mind, and was wary of everything at this point.
"Getting a horse" He grumbled. Sansa calmed herself. Feeling foolish for distrusting the man who saved her life when no one came back to rescue her in the siege of King's landing. Sansa bit her lip and decided it would be much better to let him decide what would happen. After all, she had no experience in deceit and no knowledge of the king's guard tactics to find people, and she knew The Hound would know how to keep hidden. Nothing mattered, at this point escaping was the only thing on her mind, and she could tell it was on The Hounds too. The palm of her hands ached, she could feel the stones digging in, and so she brushed her grazed hands on her lovely blue dress. There were only three horses to choose from in the stables, Sandor had chosen the youngest and fittest one. It was black with a grey patch around its left eye. It was a beautiful stallion, although Sansa had preferred white ones, they seemed more gallant and did not frighten her as much as the wild black ones. Sandor discarded his sword and wrapped a saddle on its back then tied the sack with Sansa's items to the side. He carried the other mystery sack on the side of his back. Sandor lifted Sansa up from her waist, as easily as picking up a young babe, then sitting her on the far end of the horse. Its feet brushed on the ground and let out a small nicker. Sandor then mounted himself up, clutching the reins.
"Don't fall" He said, whilst letting off a small chuckle. Sandor whipped the horse with the reins and it charged off with a loud whicker. Sansa gasped then clutched tightly around Sandor's waist. She buried her face in his back, paying no attention to the blood rubbing on her cheek.
"Gods save me" She whispered. Sansa's auburn hair blew to the side, wailing recklessly in the wind. She turned her face to the lining of her hood, biting it in so it wouldn't fall off in the wind. Then she snuggled her face in it, keeping the wind off her face. The continuous jerking and jiggling of the horse made it hard for Sansa to even close her eyes. Not indenting to doze off otherwise she might fall. No, all she wanted was to close her eyes and not think. She didn't want to cogitate about whether or not kings landing had been taken. She prayed that Shae would be safe. The queen had said all the women would be raped if the city had fallen. She prayed to the gods for their safety also.
It was finally dawn when they stopped for a rest. They had been riding all night. Sansa wondered where they were. The Hound climbed off the dark and fearless horse, and then lifted her off also. Her legs were shaking and her fingers didn't move. Yet somehow she was following him. She touched her face, it was sticky. She looked down at her stiff hands, they were bloody. Sansa shuddered. Breathing in and out, she felt sick and light headed. She was still on her red flower.
"Be strong girl" Sandor had said. She calmed herself.
"Where... Where are we?" Sansa asked.
"On the other side of Blackwater Rush, we have to avoid the King's road, we will pass by Harrenhal". His voice sounded clearer, less croaky the usual. Perhaps it was the fresh air. Sansa turned to him quickly.
"You're taking me to Harrenhal!?" Sansa felt tears in her eyes.
"No. We will travel by Harrenhal, still far from it. I'm taking you to Riverrun. Heard word your mother is there", Sansa felt a strong relief. Thank the gods. Sansa had forgotten her courtesies.
"Thank you sir, I am forever in your debt" she forced herself a smile.
"There's no one around Little bird. Let your chirping be at its end here. I have no use for it, and no septa will tell you off and no Joffrey to snap your pretty little wings". His voiced cracked like a whip in Sansa's ears. She was foolish for saying that. I'm a stupid little girl who never learns, what have courtesies brought me so far? She asked herself. I begged mercy for my father, yet he is dead. His body likely buried in an un-marked, un-visited grave. I spoke with courtesies to Joffrey, and he still treated me monstrously, and I was kind to the queen, who obviously hated me from the beginning. I was so stupid not to see it! Sansa silently let out her anger and humiliation within herself.
"You will be safe at Riverrun. You hungry girl?" he sat himself on a high flat rock. Sansa steadied herself on the ground. The leaves were dry, and crushed when she sat on them. The sun was still low, and seemed it was fighting to be seen. Sansa looked, her eyes blinded, she shielded them with her hands. Finally Sansa shook her head as a reply to him. It was a lie, of course. She was starving. Sansa knew she was a terrible liar, and The Hound could see it.
"Don't be foolish, I'll cook some meat" He said
"What meat? We brought no food" Sansa added. The Hound reached his arm into the sack tied around him, then pulled out a whole raw chicken. Sansa smiled, and the chuckled a rasping laugh.
The smell made her appetite even more starved. The smell was delicious, she had barely eaten. It was roasting on a spit fire; Sandor gently twirled it over the flames. She looked at him, his eyes pinned to the roasting chicken. She wondered about the fire on Blackwater. Had he truly been scared? Sandor caught her gaze.
"What?" He asked, flicking his eyes from the chicken, to her, then back to the delicious tender chicken.
"Nothing" Sansa replied.
"Spit it out", he didn't seem mad but he was anxious to know what she was thinking. Sansa could tell.
"I just... I can't" said she. The Hound stopped twirling the chicken, and looked at her for a time. It was silent, his eyes glared at her. "Did you fear the fire?" Sansa asked quickly and nervously. She twirled her thumbs around each other, awaiting an answer. "I feared it" Sansa admitted, then lowered her eyes to the ground. For a time, she thought he wasn't going to answer, nor say anything until...
"Yes" He finally said. Sansa's eyes flicked up to him.
"It does not make you weak, it makes you strong". When she said that, The Hound filled up an outburst of rage.
"And how, little chirping bird, does that make strong? Tell me Little bird, tell me how gallant I was riding off into the night, and how noble my shitting horse never spared a moment of breath because he was so 'audacious'. Tell me Little bird!" He stood up violently shouting. Sansa looked to her feet, "TELL ME!" he repeated. It was silent; he stood there eminently over her. She kept her head to the ground, whilst tears filled her eyes and dropped on her messy blue dress. She looked up at him, red faced filled with sorrow. Sansa's eyes always sparkled a light blue when she cried, she knew from spending so much time watching her tears fall down her cheeks in the mirror of King's landing, weeping for her father, and weeping for her pain. The Hound's face had turned from anger, to understanding. Sansa looked to the ground, not wanting to see any more rapidly changing facial expressions on his disfigured burnt face.
"Sansa" He spoke softly, his voice calm and dilute. Sansa was shocked.
"You... called me by... my name" She looked up once again. He was handing her the cooked leg of the chicken.
"Be strong" He said.
"From porcelain, to ivory, to steel" She said, he did not understand. But saying that gave her strength. She look the leg and nibbled it, she had her dignity after all. She could still attempt to act like a lady.
Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear feed back, judge away! I'd like to know if there is anything that needs that little extra fix up! (eg. their relationship, setting, speech etc) I will be updating, if things go well! Also I will be doing a Walking dead Fanfic, check it out if you watch The walking dead.
