I saw hunger in his eyes, as well as the fury.

That really scared Sansa. After she turned onto her own side, left her back to the Hound, she almost cried out. No, it can't be true! She remembered that day, after she went to the godswood and found her Florian, she bumped into the Hound's chest on the serpentine steps. He mentioned her teats and said she was almost a woman, then he talked about what were a man's needs, true wine and…a woman. That memory was like a snake slithering over her naked skin, Sansa shuddered in dread. He thought me as a woman, so, he…wanted me, like a grown man wanted a real woman…

She was so startled that for a moment she was speechless. But the Hound told her he slept in her bed once, she must say something back to him, since she rejected his touch abruptly. He was to touch her face, Sansa saw it in his eyes. Those eyes, were still full of anger, but among them was a flash…which also went out of his eyes days ago before he cut off her long hair. Sansa recalled more scenes when she met him by chance in the Kings Landing, he liked to touch her, he always touched her, her chin, her wrist, her waist, he even kissed her! Oh, Gods, that's a real kiss. That was the feeling when a man kissed a woman, not the kissing game. Sansa quivered again. She managed to squeeze some words back to him, then he told her he would take her to get a bath. A bath…he thought about a bath! He knew I had my moon blood too! Now he can do anything to me if he like, I can't resist him since he is so strong and broad…Mother have mercy, please, don't…

That night, he came to me for a song, before he got it, he shove me onto the bed then lay atop of me, his face was so near, I can still remember his ragged breath with wine and blood scents. Gods, I thought he meant to kill me if I wouldn't give him a song, but…he might rape me before he killed me! Yes, he must have thought that too. Somehow he cried in my song…and took me away afterwards. He never told me why he did this, why he wanted to save me. He did promise to keep me safe, from others…not from himself…Sansa felt her heart thumped wildly in her chest, she barely breath smoothly now. We are heading to the Riverrun, aren't we? Or he takes me to somewhere I don't know and keep me as his…wife? Or just a woman, a whore? No, please no. He was so ugly…if I have to say. How can I let him do that thing to me? Though I have accepted his kiss…which didn't feel so bad, if I closed my eyes. His rough lips pressed on my own…Stop! How can I think of that! I can't let him do that again. He told me if I didn't like what he did to me, I should stand up to forbid him. That means…he won't do that thing to me if I don't like? Don't be stupid! There's no like or not, this matter is not subject to discussion or consideration! She desperately needed to fall into sleep right now, but she didn't dare to sleep with the Hound lying beside her. She heard his breath nervously and tried to know if he had been in sleep or not. That's ridiculous to sleep with him like this, he should stay away from me and sleep there, beside a tree! Last minute I tried to accept him as one of my brothers who acted like Arya, he was really like one, with Jon's hair and eyes, father's hair and eyes. But Jon Snow won't have that…lust for me. Of course the Hound is not my family, what a stupid little bird of me! Little bird! He gave me that name! Sounded like a nickname, lovely and sweet…No! I won't be his little bird, I can't allow him keep me in his cage!

That night Sansa scarcely slept, she dreamed of Joffrey ripping off her dress again, and laughing aloud at her. Then he threw her in his bed, so strong and powerful, she tried to cover her breasts with her hands, but he forbade her. He undressed himself quickly and climbed into the bed to kiss her, before he did that, Sansa screamed, because that face, was no longer Joffrey's, he became the Kingslayer. He kissed her hard, Sansa couldn't breath at all, she tried to push him away, but he was so heavy on her, she slid her fingers to cup his face and tried to scratch his face, then she touched the scars on one side. "I'll have a song from you." He tilt his head and rasped, his rough finger tracing the line of her cheekbone, "Sing, little bird, sing for your little life."

She woke in a ragged breath, the sky was still dark and fire had gone out. Sansa stared at Sandor's shoulder, how could such a strong man wipe her blood from her mouth so gently like summer breeze caresses snowflakes?

But still his face made her uncomfortable. She sighed, how sweet it would be if he had the Ser Loras's pretty face. Sansa shook her head immediately, Joff had a lovely face, see what a monster of him? What use is the knight to have a handsome face if they don't protect the weakness?

Though the Hound didn't protect the weakness either, he only protected me, except the Lannisters. He protected me because he wanted me, like…like…like what? Florian and Jonquil? He said Florian was a fool…and Jonquil was…Besides, he hated my knights, he never vowed to be one. But the Mountain was not a true knight, so far in my heart, there was no true knight at all. When I was beaten by Joff, who ever said a single Enough! Only the Hound…

Sansa sighed again. Gratitude is one thing, love or whatever feelings are another, which I'm not able to give. 20 days, only 20 days later I'll be free from him, I won't try to talk him again, I'll be good and meek and make no troubles to irritate him…He will forget me and find other women who can give him what he wants. I'm Lady Sansa, not a common woman, I shouldn't let him say my name. I won't do these stupid thing again. Never!

After they mounted Stranger again, Sansa tried to stay quiet and straight in the saddle. The feeling of his male part pressing against her waist was so weird, it almost sent shivers up her spine and warm flush between her thighs in the meantime. She doubted it was her flower blooming or what. She wanted to make water too. It had been three days since they succeeded escaping. Until now, Sansa knew it was his…near her hips. She always thought it was his armor or sword, Gods, how silly of her!

The disturbing feeling and silence finally got broken by the Hound's voice, they reached a small inn.


When she finally climbed in the tub, Sansa couldn't feel anything but tired. She immersed herself up to the chin in the steaming water, while watching her small clothes on the edge of the stone tub. Her flowering ended bleeding a day ago, then what was that strange wet earlier?

She scrubbed her arm, eyes still staring at the door. The Hound was outside now, she told herself, the steam was so thick she couldn't see the door clearly. She feared if she closed her eyes for a second, when she opened again, the Hound would be here, with those eyes devouring her. Sansa shivered despite herself, even the water was still hot. It startled her when the innkeeper lead them here earlier, the tub was so large, for a moment, she thought the Hound might stay here and shared the bath with her.

She washed her short hair, thinking how the Hound would bathe later, the water was still clean and warm, would he ask for changing it? He had money, of course he needed a hotter one.

The hot water and moist air made Sansa exhausted, she didn't know how she fell into sleep, when she woke again, the bathwater already cooled down. She jumped from it when she heard the Hound stroke the door fiercely, sending a wash of water across the tub.

After she got dressed again, Sansa opened the door for the Hound. The rage was spouting from his eyes, and he drank again!

"What were you doing, little bird?" His rasped in a low voice. Sansa had to lean to hear him.

When she didn't answer, he caught her by the wrist and shook her. "What were you doing?"

"W…washing, my lord." She didn't dare to say she fell asleep.

"Aye, in your bloody lady's way." He yanked her closer, Sansa could smell him: a stink of sweat and wine. "What were you doing?"

Sansa was confused, why did he keep asking this, she was bathing. What else did he want to know?

"Pardons, Ser. I don't know what…"

"Bugger your Ser, bugger your Lord, What were you doing?" He kept shaking her, Sansa felt dizzy and wanted to vomit.

"You're hurting me, Sandor, let me go!" She tried to step back, but he dragged her into his arms. Her breasts pressed against his chest tight, Sansa found he was already out of his armor. His breath and skin were so hot, she almost melted like butter. An absurd thought hit her: would he kiss me again? She lowed her eyes but still kept her head up, flushing despite herself.

"The little bird can't bear to look at me again, can she?" He snorted, "You were avoiding me the whole day, weren't you?"

"No…no, I'm not!" Lie, an awful lie!

"Think I'm a fool?" He growled with anger, "I don't know what you are doing. Let me call your name to show me your bloody kindness then kick me away like I'm a blind dog. What do you want? Little bird, what the fuck do you want?" His grasp hurt a lot.

Sansa was too terrified to think, some instinct made her slide her arms around the small of his back, hugged him tightly, she buried her head into his tunic and couldn't bare to look at his face now. He never yelled at me like this, Sansa told herself, he was so angry that he might beat me if I said something wrong. Please, Mother, please gentle him now, gentle his rage.

Suddenly the Hound's back turned as stiff as a lance. He released her but didn't push her away.

How long they stayed like this she couldn't have said, when Sansa raised her head again, she saw the his eyes closed tight and his face…the muscles on his unburned side relaxed in an unfamiliar way. That face was so strange, which almost never belonged to the Hound once. Who are you? Sansa wanted to ask him, who is the man in my arms?

She reached her hand to touch his burnt face, these scars felt like stiff leather. He didn't avoid her touch, still stood there like a huge cliff.

Without those fury, he looks younger, and not that horrible any more. Sansa lay her fingers on his eyelid, murmured sorry to it.

"It wasn't you who burn it. Don't feel bloody sorry for that." Sandor rasped suddenly, kept his eyes shut.

"You can feel me?" Sansa thought he couldn't feel anything through this burnt part.

"I can smell you, little bird." He cleared his voice, "Now loosen your grasp, I can barely breath."

"We can sleep here tonight." He turned to put one hand into the bathwater, "Not too cold."

"I can tell the innkeeper to take hot water here to get it changed." Sansa advised.

"You?" He smirked and his eyes lingered on her chest for a while, which made Sansa feel uneasy again, "Put another tunic on, it would be cold outside."

Lie! Sansa understood it at once. She did need another tunic, not for keeping warm, but hiding her bosom curve from view.

"And no, you can't go." Sandor took off his tunic and tossed it to the tub.

Sansa averted her eyes immediately, "I'll wait outside."

"Stay here."

The sound of water lapping against the stone panicked her, "What? Why?"

"I can't leave you outside alone when I got bath here. Who the fuck will know if there's someone planning to steal you away."

"But…"

"No fucking but, stay quiet."

"Why don't you change the bathwater? It's cold now." Sansa faced the door, tried to distract herself from the embarrassment.

"This tub is made for several men bathing together." He snorted, "Still think you're a girl? All the men in the inn see you as a boy. I should have shared the bath with you earlier."

He's mocking at me, Sansa pouted, "Of course I'm a boy, M'lord."

Sandor laughed out, "Say something to me, Sansa."

"Say what?" Sansa smoothed her clothes nervously, keeping her eyes shut. I don't want to see him naked. This is very improper to see him naked.

"Anything."

"You …look better when you're not that angry." That was all Sansa could think, which was the very truth too.

"What?" There was uncertain in his tone, "Pretend that you're a boy squire and say something. You don't sound like a boy at all."

"Oh!" Sansa's face was suffused with a blush of shame. Foolish!

"Do you want me to wash your clothes now, m'lord?" She tried to make a boyish voice, which sounded like Joffrey's crying for his mother.

"That's better."

A moment later, Sandor came up to her again. With his fingers holding her jaw gently, he lifted her face up to him, "Keep these bloody curls down over your eyes and ears, when we eat in the common room. And without permission, do not speak." He messed up her hair before she could try to avoid his touch.

The feeling was just the same as father ever rubbed her head when she was with Arya, only when she was with Arya, which was really a feeling of family. Or closeness?


They chose a corner and ate in silence later. There were girls in the common room. Some sat on the lap of drunken men, giggling and laughing. Some said filthy words to young boys. Sansa looked around curiously and found a girl smiling at her. She has a sweet smile, Sansa watched that girl, and is just of my age, I guess.

Sandor drank his wine quietly, when the innkeeper passed by occasionally, he asked him some questions. Which Sansa couldn't hear clearly. She ate up all the food in her dish, almost devoured in a wild way. After that, she can't help but laugh out.

"Now you eat like a starving she-wolf." Sandor was amused too.

Before Sansa could make a response, that smiling girl crept towards them and sat on the edge of their table.

"Sweet boy," Her voice was sweeter than her smile. In the meanwhile, she touched Sansa's hand with her long fingers, softly. Which surprised Sansa so much, she didn't know what to say. She turned to look at Sandor, who seemed not notice what happened.

"What?" Sansa lowered her tone.

"Do you want someone to warm your bed tonight?" The girl slid her fingers up to Sansa's bare arm and gave her a squeeze there.

"Ah, thank you, but I don't think it's proper, M'lady." Sansa drew back her arm carefully and flushed at her words.

"I can sing you a sweet song when we stay together tonight." She whispered to Sansa's right ear, like a cool wind kissing her bare neck, which sent her into a slight flutter.

"That's enough." Sandor burst into laughter and pulled her to her feet, drew Sansa back to senses. "He's still a green boy, never touched a woman yet. Go to find others."

When Sansa passed by the girl, she tried to show her a small but shy smile, "I'm sorry, M'lady."

"Come, boy!" Sandor yelled at her. When Sansa looked up to him, she realized she was taller than that girl, almost taller than all the girls in the inn. No wonder she could be mistaken to a boy.

"Give me a little kiss as goodbye, sweetling. I'll miss you tonight, as well as every night." She held Sansa's wrist gently, didn't want her to go.

Sandor cleared his throat and waited for her on the steps. Sansa saw anger in his eyes and his mouth twitched.

"Goodbye, sweet girl." Sansa kissed her on the cheek, before walking towards Sandor.