So Sorry it took so long to post a new chapter! My old computer broke, didn't have money to fix it, and this story and all my notes were on it! So new computer, new ideas, yay for Game of Thrones!
10: Sandor
Sandor glanced around at the ragged brothers who huddled in the shelter of the cave, the tiny fire trying its hardest to burn but producing nothing but smoke. In the two days after Jack and Lem's death, the rain had poured from the sky like the gods were trying to drown them all. When it became impossible to see where they were going, Dondarrion called a halt under the shelter of a tree, for the brothers to have a bite to eat and tend to their horses . . . what was left of them anyway. Dondarrion, the red priest, Merrit, and Edric were all on foot. The Mummers had killed two of the horses at the scene of the fight, Merrit's horse had been shot with an arrow and died soon after Jack. Edric's destrier broke a leg the day after, and they had to kill the beast to put it out of its misery.
The rain continued to pour from the skies after they had eaten, but they had trudged along anyway. When Anguy miraculously found a small cave, the brothers entered the shelter gratefully. All of them were cold and soaked to the skin. The little wood they could gather was sodden and took hours to even coax a small flame into existence. It was clear they could no longer continue their journey back to Oldstones until the rain let up, and Sandor was furious. "Sansa, my little bird, I could have been in your arms this evening but for this gods be damned rain! A man could freeze his balls off in this . . ." he fumed inwardly as he closed his eyes, thinking of his beloved wife's beautiful face. He glared at Dondarrion, who sat calmly before the smoky fire, gazing in its depths without speaking as he did every night. The others sat silently as well, trying their hardest to keep as warm as they could, an impossibility in the cold, dark cave. Sandor leaned back against Stranger and continued his complaints in his mind.
"Listen!" Merrit whispered suddenly, breaking the silence. Dondarrion glanced up, his expression impassive as usual.
"What is it, Merrit?" the knight asked calmly.
Merrit stood and went to the mouth of the cave. The red priest, Edric, Anguy and Watty all watched him carefully as they reached for their weapons. "There's someone out there," Merrit mumbled, drawing his own sword. "More than one someone, I'd guess."
Dondarrion and the red priest stood and joined Merrit, swords drawn. The entire group held their breath apprehensively. Sandor stood slowly, drawing his own sword as the faint murmuring of voices approached the cave entrance. It was impossible to see out due to the rain, but the voices could be heard all the same. Dondarrion nodded at the others and as one, all of them took up their fighting stances. When the voices grew loud enough for Sandor to assume they were right at the mouth of the cave, Dondarrion and Thoros of Myr leapt into action. Sandor braced himself to fight as the shouts of two men, the scream of a woman, and the crying of children echoed through the cave, only seconds before he heard Dondarrion shouted for the brothers to lay down their weapons.
Sandor didn't relax until Dondarrion and the red priest re-entered the cave, followed by two men, a woman, and three raggedy children. One of the men was old and walked unsteadily with the aid of a cane and the elbow of the other man, who was dressed in rags and missing an eye. The woman may have been beautiful once, but she was skinny as a rail, her face gaunt and sunken, her golden hair hacked off around her ears. She shifted against the wall of the cave, and Sandor noticed she clung to a babe at her breast under her tattered homespun cloak. Two of the children, a boy and girl of about six and nine who looked alike with mouse brown hair, brown eyes, dirty snot-streaked faces, and bare feet, clung to the woman, while the other, a boy who looked to be the same age as Edric, stood sullenly apart from the little group.
"Please, m'lord," the younger man began to beg, "please, we're just tryin' to make it t' Riverrun. M'lord of Tully will protect us, he will. Please . . ."
Dondarrion raised his hand and the man fell silent. "You have nothing to fear. We will not harm you. You are welcome to share this fire and all we have until the rain lets up. We are the Brotherhood without Banners, and we are pledged to aid all who need help in the name of R'hllor, Lord of Light."
At the mention of the Brotherhood, the two men exchanged fearful glances and the woman pressed herself more closely into the rock wall of the cave. The oldest boy fisted his hands and looked at each of the brothers with hatred. Dondarrion shook his head. "As I said, we will not harm you."
"Isn't that, m'lord," the younger man mumbled. "Its just that . . ." Here the older man gripped his comrade's arm and he trailed off, not finishing what he was going to say.
Dondarrion glanced at the red priest. Thoros stepped forward and motioned towards the fire. "You are welcome to the fire, such as it is. May I have the pleasure of knowing whom I'm addressing?"
The younger man looked fearfully at the priest. "The name's Alvin, an' it please m'lord. This be m' father in law Carr," he motioned towards the older man, "his daughter, m' wife Edra, my children Garret and Posy, hangin' on t' 'er, and Gared." When Alvin said the eldest boy's name, he glared back at the man and then to the ground. "The babe is m' youngest, Salla."
"How is it you are wandering the forest in this weather?" Dondarrion asked, motioning for the group to sit. They did so, reluctantly, except the boy Gared.
Alvin shook his head, water dripping down his face. "Our town was burnt, m'lord. Far as I know, we're t' only survivors." He put his hand on his wife's shoulder as she stifled a sob. "Lions, it were, m'lord. Looking for you."
The old man glared at Dondarrion. "Th' lions gathered us all in the sept, and took one a day for th' torture and killin'," he spat angrily. "Asking if we knew where the Brotherhood were, if we had gold, or jewels. Children they took, an' us old folk, it didn't matter. Tortured them right in front o' th' rest o' us, they did. Raped th' women, even m' poor Edra, even though she was with child. Killed m' eldest grandson, Alvin's pride." Edra began to weep, and the children clung closer to her as Alvin put his arm around her, tears on his own face. "They smashed m' foot with a mace and one put out Alvin's eye w' a hot poker. They would 'ave done worse, but somethin' called them away afore they could murder all o' us. A rider came t' their leader, a giant o' a man. He hollered for his men t' pack up and burn th' sept. We got out, but th' rest didn't. I'll be hearin' th' screams 'til I die. M' poor Edra started her labor hours after we took t' th' forest. Twas a difficult birthing, an' she lost lots of blood. Th' babe still may not live."
Dondarrion and the red priest exchanged glances. "The Mountain," Dondarrion said solemnly. Thoros nodded.
"It be your fault!" the boy Gared suddenly shouted. "Your fault! They raped m' ma, an' m' sisters. They was only ten! They slit m' pa's throat, bashed m' brother's face into nothin' but bone and meat! It's your fault, yours!" He slid down the wall of the cave, sobbing loudly, beating his fists on his thighs. "Your fault! They was lookin' for you!"
"They may have been looking for us, lad, but the fault belongs to the Lannisters, not to us," Dondarrion said gently. "If you would, all of you, come with us, we will see your wounds tended and your bellies filled. We can keep you safe, with the others who have come to us for succor. We are only a day away from our destination, and we will leave once the rain subsides."
Gared didn't answer, but Alvin and Carr looked at each other in disbelief. It was Edra who finally answered. "Will m' babes be safe?" she asked quietly.
Dondarrion nodded. "You have my word. And we have a midwife, and an herbalist skilled in the arts of healing. Either may be able to help you."
Edra nodded. "Alvin . . ."
Her husband took her hand and looked up at Dondarrion. "We will come," he said quietly. "You're th' only hope we have."
The rest of the night passed quietly. Sandor leaned against Stranger long after the others went to sleep. He couldn't take his eyes off the little family and the boy who had escaped with them. Edra's arm tightened around her infant as she slept and all Sandor could think of was what he would do in the same situation, if his love had been raped in front of him, forced to give birth in the forest with no help, clutching their own infant to her breast trying to keep it warm through pouring rain and his blood boiled with rage. He drifted to sleep eventually, dreaming scattered dreams of Sansa being harmed, his child being harmed, and being able to do nothing . . .
When he woke the next day, miraculously, the rain had stopped. Anguy was passing out biscuits and deer jerky to break their fast. Dondarrion at the cave entrance talking quietly to Alvin while the rest of the brotherhood packed their gear. Edra tried to nurse her fussy babe while her children and Gared wolfed down their meager breakfast like it was their last. Carr watched his daughter and grandchildren with a fierce, protective look, wincing now and then as Thoros tended to his foot. Sandor stood up slowly and began tending to Stranger, who whickered at him as he rose. He accepted his biscuit and jerky from Edric as he strapped on Stranger's saddle. Snatches of conversation between Dondarrion and Alvin drifted to him and he stopped to listen.
"You are sure, Lord Renly is dead?" Dondarrion asked incredulously.
Alvin nodded. "'Tis so, m'lord. I heard th' lions talkin'. One o' them said th' Young Wolf's ma killed th' lord in 'is tent, right before 'e was t' battle 'is brother. Others said it twas a shadow, another one of th' lord's own guard. But no matter 'ow twas done, Lord Renly's dead an' gone, for sure."
Dondarrion nodded. "Any other news?"
"They talked a lot, th' lions did. Never expected any o' us t' live t' repeat their gossip, I think. Word's that the Young Wolf's sister got away from Evil King Joffrey an' disappeared during th' battle on Blackwater Bay. As for me, I'm glad she did. Many told th' tale that th' Lannister boy beat 'er and stripped her naked in front o' 'is men. Not a way t' treat your betrothed, if y' 'ad any honor, m'lord. That's my opinion anyway."
"And mine, Alvin," Dondarrion answered. "And no one knows where she might have gone?"
"Not that I 'eard, m'lord. Some are saying King Joffrey murdered her since 'er brother took th' Kingslayer captive."
Dondarrion looked about as astonished as Sandor had ever seen him. "Excuse me? You're saying Robb Stark holds Jamie Lannister captive?"
"Aye, m'lord. Took 'im as th' Kingslayer was tryin' t' take Riverrun. 'Tis old news, m'lord, if y' don't mind me sayin'. Latest is th' Young Wolf won a victory over one of t' lions at Oxcross. Th' lions that raped my wife were sayin' that was th' reason the Evil King beat that poor Stark girl bloody. But this was months ago, m'lord. Surely y' 'ave 'eard? That's why th' lions are prowlin'. Lord Shits Gold is on th' march to avenge 'is kin an' get 'is boy back."
Dondarrion shook his head thoughtfully. "No, but thank you for telling me, Alvin. You will want to see to your wife. We will be leaving soon." Alvin nodded and came back into the cave.
Sandor turned his back and pretended not to notice as Dondarrion approached him. "You heard, I presume?"
He grunted. "I did."
Dondarrion nodded. "Did you know of the Lannister defeat at Oxcross?"
"Of course I did," Sandor growled. "I was there when bloody Joffrey beat Sansa for it. The Imp stopped them." And I gave her my cloak to cover herself.
"Why didn't you tell us?"
Sandor rolled his eyes. "You didn't ask."
Dondarrion sighed. "Did you know of Renly's death?"
"No."
"Do you think Lady Catelyn . . ."
"Not bloody likely. That woman's too honorable."
"Will you tell Princess Sansa?"
Sandor looked him in the eyes. "Of course I will. She should know."
Dondarrion looked thoughtful. "It has been months since the battle at Oxcross. That we learned about this just now . . ." He shook his head. "News is traveling slowly. I will have to speak to Wenda about this. We need to find a way to get reliable information much quicker. If King Robb or Stannis Baratheon defeats the Lannisters, we should know immediately." He glanced at Sandor. "Is there anything else? Any information we need to know, no matter how small? Knowing the Kingslayer is a captive at Riverrun does ease my mind, and is a cause for celebration."
Sandor ran his hand back and forth on Stranger's saddle, thinking hard. "Cersei had all King Robert's bastards killed as soon as she found out Stannis was spreading the word the Kingslayer is the true father to her brats. She's spread the word that she had both Sansa and the younger Stark girl, but she only had Sansa. The younger girl's been missing since her father was arrested. The Imp sent whores to Joff thinking having his first woman would improve his temper, but instead of fucking them he had them beat each other. The Imp's Hand of the King in place of his father, which didn't please the queen at all, especially since he took control of the gold cloaks and brought his own men to King's Landing. Wild men, from the Vale."
Dondarrion was silent as he contemplated the information. "If she killed Robert's bastards, it would be because she has something to hide. Perhaps the rumors are true, and the children are the Kingslayer's get. Abominations." He ran a hand through his thinning hair. "The boy Joffrey's behavior towards the whores, Lord Stark, Sansa, and from what I heard, his own people, sickens me. The Targaryans were all children of incest, and they tended towards madness and violence. Aerys was the worst of the lot. It seems to me incest breeds insanity. What do you think, Sandor?"
He shrugged. "I was his sworn sword. I didn't question, nor do I give a shit."
"What do you think happened to Stark's youngest girl?"
Sandor shrugged again. "Can't say. All I know is she was at a dancing lesson when the Lannister guards came for her, but she got away and disappeared. Not even the eunuch's birds could find her. Probably dead."
"Just the same, I'll send word out for the men to keep an eye out for her."
Sandor snorted as he turned away, leading Stranger out of the cave. "You do that. At least you'll have one Stark to ransom, if you can find her, that is."