Not dying took quite the load off. My hand cut was not very deep, but it stung like a bitch. Raff and Eggon's fat purses jangled from my waist in tune with my horses steps.

I need to clean it soon before infection sets in.

After dragging the naked bodies off the road and loading their horses, we had lost the bit of day we had left to reach Clegane's Keep. I really don't want to be on this road at all. I want much less to be food for a wandering wolf pack or lion. Mosquitoes are also a great irritant once the sun lowers in the sky.
We rode to the nearest peasant's farm. Polliver held the horses while I knocked on the door. I heard hushed whispers.

"Whos knockin'?" A deep male voice asked from inside.

"Tyrek Lannister and companion. We need shelter for the night. I have two dragons for the trouble." I answered in the politest voice I could fake. I slapped a mosquito on my neck with a grimace.

I glanced over at my companion. Polliver had a disappointed look on his face. He looked at the ground and shook his head, grumbling quietly to himself.

"Go away. Ain't No Lannister that travels with just one guard. Much less a boy. Liar." was the reply from inside.

I lost my temper and kicked the bottom of the solid door to my regret. The door was much more solid than my foot.

Now my hand and foot hurt.

"I said I will pay gold to take shelter for the night" I tried again to stay civil.

I slid two dragons under the door and into the sturdy wooden farmhouse. "I am injured and need to take care of my wound."

According to Polliver, lions and wolves both are attracted by the scent of human blood. I didn't doubt it.

"We can't help you. No maester here. Move along."

I had already paid them for the night's shelter.

"You are going to steal from a Lannister?" I yelled, steaming mad.

"You ain't no Lannister. Get gone!" Was shouted from inside in turn.

I turned to face Polliver. I threw him Eggon's sack of coin.

"You were right, lets do it your way." I muttered.

See if I try it the nice way next time.

Polliver's boot caved the door in with a crash. The screaming started from inside as I waited with the horses for a few seconds. When the Male's screams ended and a woman's wailing started I led my horse into the house.

Horses are too valuable to stay outside.

A man's body lay face down in a pool of blood just in the door. I took the gold coins out of his hand as I passed. Polliver had the wife bent over the table.

It was a one room house with a stench that was horrendous. Two little twin girls sat huddled in the corner of the straw bed. Their little faces were twisted in anguish, streaming tears as they looked at the hell their life had become in the blink of an eye. Little bushy haired brunettes. They held each other and sobbed. They couldn't be more than five and six years old.

"Aye Polliver." I called to get his attention. He looked up, upset at me for interrupting him from his entertainment.

"You gonna make those little girls watch that shit?" I asked, appalled.

He shrugged and went back to his fun.

Lazy fuck.

I turned to the girls and smiled as gently as I could and walked toward the bed slowly. "Hey. Look at me. Not over there."

I must have scared them. The six(I think) year old ran at me with a knife, crying. I kicked her in the chest and sent her back onto the bed. The knife fell at my feet. I picked it up before she recovered from getting the wind knocked out of her and stabbed her in the chest, directly in the heart. Warm blood soaked my hands for the third time today.

Her little sister sat catatonic and silent as I approached.

She shouldn't live with ghosts like this haunting her for the rest of her life.

She didn't move as I slid the knife across her throat.

The sick wheezing gurgling sounds she made as she died, eyes wide open brought a strange feeling to my chest.

It was similar to the feeling out ice water pouring through your veins. That look in her eyes as she realized it was all over for her and her family.

The Boogy-man is real.

Pure fucking ecstasy.

666 666 666

I was a lot more chatty the next day as we approached the Keep. Despite my exhaustion from not sleeping the night before.

I had found some blue-green molded bread and wine in the farm-house last night. After heating the wine to a boil and cooling it, dawn was upon me. I had washed my hand and wrapped a sterilized rag around it. I had rubbed penicillin into the wound. Hopefully, it will heal alright.

"So, Polliver." He glanced over at me and raised an eyebrow.

"What do you do most of the time? You don't seem the type of man to work a farm and raise spawn on your off days." I inquired.

"I don't get no days off." he snorted. "Mostly, I guard Ser Gregor and collect taxes."

"Thats it?" I asked

Sounds boring.

Polliver looked back over at me and grinned, showing off how bad his dentist was. "Most of the guarding is on the road. Ser Gregor is the greatest knight in the seven realms. We travel nearly everywhere for his tourneys. We collect taxes at the far borders of the Westerlands on the way back most of the time."

"Come tax season he puts us all to work. He has to collect on the River Road from Lannisport to Crakehall." He glanced over at me and grinned again.

Smiley mother fucker.

"That sounds really boring." I replied.

He gave a strange cough and bit his fist in what I think was an attempt to stifle laughter.

Why is that mother fucker laughing at me?