Chapter 25

Nathan

Nathan opened the front door and stepped in quietly, shutting it softly behind him. It was nighttime now, and he knew his mom was going to be madder than a hornet that he had been gone all day. The lights in the house were dim, and he heard the faint noise of the TV coming from the living room. He could only hope that Cersei had fallen asleep watching the news.

As he crept towards the stairs, Cersei suddenly appeared from out of the kitchen. He froze as her flaming green eyes seared through him. "Where. Have you. Been?" she asked through clenched teeth. Swallowing, Nathan tried to think of the best way to answer that question. "Um…in the woods." "The woods," his mother repeated, folding her arms. "And what, pray tell, were you doing in the woods all day to come home this late? I have been worried sick, Nathan! The police are looking for you!" "I left a note," Nathan said sheepishly. He hated being yelled at, especially by Cersei. She was scary when she was upset.

The blonde woman closed her eyes for a moment, as if she was trying to muster every ounce of patience she had left. "A note is not permission, nor does it excuse you," she said. "You're grounded. You'll go to school, and come home. That's it." Nathan felt desperation course through him. He couldn't be locked up in his house now! Not when they were so close to weakening the curse some more! "Mom, look, I'm really sorry to worry you, but this is important!" "Important? Nathan, you don't understand what's going on here. This magic is dangerous, and you need to just let it go!" "How do you know about it?" Nathan asked, setting his backpack down. "How do you know about the curse? And why are you so scared?" Cersei stared at him, and he could almost see the gears working in her head, trying to formulate and answer. "I can't tell you, Nathan. It's none of your business!" His mother took a deep breath. "Now…go to your room."

Nathan lowly turned and began walking up the stairs. Half-way up he paused and looked down at Cersei. "I don't understand why you won't help us," he said quietly. "But I'm not giving up."

Arya

Instead of heading for home, Arya cut across town back to the antique shop. Her mind was racing with what she and Nathan had seen earlier in the woods. At last! They actually had proof that magic was indeed real. A boy half-swallowed into a tree was not an everyday occurrence.

She reached the shop and knocked on the door eagerly. A light turned on, and Mr. Steel answered. "Arya," he said. "Back so soon?" She brushed past him into the shop. "You won't believe what we found!" she exclaimed as the man shut the door. "Nathan and I went back to the woods to look for those people, like you said. They turned out to be a boy and girl living in the woods. And they showed us something that really proves magic!"

Mr. Steel walked over to the counter and leaned on it. "And what was that?" he asked. Arya explained to him about the boy in the tree, and what Jojen and Meera had told them. His eyes widened and he scratched his chin. "Interesting…that he would be here like that…" he mused. "What do you mean?" Arya asked. "Do you know that boy?" "I know of him, yes," Mr. Steel answered mysteriously. "Oh, let me guess: you can't tell me how," Arya said sarcastically. He smiled. "All in good time, my girl. The more you weaken the curse, the more you'll find out. And now, I have something for you."

He led her over to the wall of swords and took down the thin, sharp little sword Arya had admired weeks ago. "This sword…it belonged to a girl who was much like you," Mr. Steel said, an almost fond note in his voice. "I think it's time you have it." He held it out.

Arya took the sword from him gingerly, weighing it in her hand and studying its make. "But I don't know how to use it," she said. "And when am I going to need a sword?" "You may know more than you think," he said, a twinkle in his eye. "This is a valuable weapon, and it may come of some use to you soon."

The girl left the shop and hurried back to the hotel, clutching the sword. It felt…good, somehow, to hold it. There was already some sort of emotional attachment to the weapon, and Arya wondered what had happened to the girl who owned it before her. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to do with it though. Then she smiled. It was a sword, and the result was simple: stick 'em with the pointy end.

Sansa

Arya had crept in late that night, and Sansa couldn't keep from admonishing her over the escape from the hospital and then disappearing. "For goodness sakes, Arya: the police were looking for you again!" "I'm fine! See! I just had to go back to the woods for something," Arya argued. The room was dark so Sansa didn't see the sword until the following morning.

"Where did you get that?" she asked as she dressed for work. Arya mumbled in her sleep. "Mr. Steel…gave it to me…" "Why would he do that?" "I don't know…" Arya yawned and rolled over to fall asleep again. Shaking her head, Sansa combed her hair quickly and left the hotel room, locking the door behind her. She pulled her coat tighter around her and headed down the stairs. It was early, so none of the other residents seemed to be up yet, including Petyr.

Sansa walked briskly down the sidewalk, glancing at a building next to her, and stopped dead in her tracks. Someone had sprayed graffiti on the wall. In bold yellow letters it read, "The red-head's a whore". Sansa stared in shock. Who would have done this? She hurried on, and discovered more an more graffiti littering buildings and signs, all saying the same thing until she reached one that said "Sansa is a whore". Another one near it read, "Sansa likes to f %& older men".

Sansa had never felt more mortified in her whole life. Icy numbness filled her body, and her heart beat in panic. Several passersby had noticed the writings as well, and they were pointing at her. Some even laughed. Sansa felt a deep red blush creep up into her face and she forced herself to move. She rounded a corner and reached the diner, gasping when she saw that the usually spotless building was covered in crude words along with her name. She was rooted to the spot, tears pooling in her eyes, unable to do anything.

"Hey whore, you made the news!" a man sneered as he passed by, shoving a newspaper in her hands. Shaking, Sansa stared at the article in front of her. It was a whole column about how she was an innocent and pretty girl on the outside, but inwardly she was nothing but a whore who liked to sleep her way around the bars, sometimes for money, and showed particular interest in older men. It even mentioned the Hunter as her newest conquest. Sources included Harold Wing, and some other names she didn't know. The author of the article was gossip columnist Varys.

Sansa crumpled the paper in her hands, tears rolling down her cheeks. Most of the town was awake now, and everyone was staring at her and the graffiti. Some of them were laughing and shouting insults at her. Even those who were regulars at the diner!

"Sansa!" Cateyln had opened the front door to the diner and was rushing towards her. "I tried to call the hotel but you had left already," she said breathlessly. Sansa sniffled as she slowly began to tear the newspaper into shreds, a mixture of anger, embarrassment, and horror coursing through her. "Maybe you should go back home," Catelyn said, putting an arm around her. "I'll worry about the diner, ok?" Sansa nodded and turned away, walking as if in a daze. People continued to snicker and call to her, but all she saw were the graffiti words painted on every building, leading all the way back to the hotel.

Sandor

The phone call with Sansa had been unexpected, but welcoming. He didn't really remember writing his number down for her and decided it was something he had done while they were at the bar.

He'd never even given his number out before, not to any of the girls before Sansa or anyone else in town. He was a solitary man, and he liked it that way. The only reason he owned a phone in the first place was in case of emergencies. But now he was very glad he had one: it gave him an excuse to communicate with Sansa when they couldn't see each other.

As Sandor drove along the winding dirt road through the woods, he thought about quickly things had escalated between them. The smoldering feelings he had kept under wraps for so long were igniting into flames, and she had become the single most important person to him. Sandor couldn't say whether she felt the same way or not; in fact, she would probably feel alarmed if she found out he felt this strongly about her. He was rough, brooding, vulgar, man, older than she, and certainly not what someone would have paired with a pretty girl like Sansa. She had accepted all his advances so far though, shyly and hesitantly, but accepted them all the same. He decided that when they hung out together later he would talk to her about whatever it was that was happening between them.

The conversation with the mayor had rattled him, and he couldn't stop thinking about it. He would protect Sansa no matter what happened, and it was foolish to think that the mayor bitch could stand between them, but he had a strange feeling that something was going to happen, that she wouldn't heed his threat.

He pulled into town and began driving to the hardware store when he noticed that several building had graffiti on them, and many people were pointing and talking about it. He slowed down and rolled down his window for a better look and his jaw fell open at what he read. "What the…" He stopped the truck and got out, slamming the door. Some people saw him and scurried away, but he paid them no mind. He marched over to the building and stared at it. Large yellow letters spelled out Sansa's name along with the words "whore" and "bitch". His eyes narrowed dangerously and he clenched his fists. Turning to look down the sidewalk, he saw that the writing continued on several buildings.

A furious rage erupted inside him, similar to how he had felt the night Sansa was almost raped. He spun on his heel and climbed back into the truck, driving to the mayor's office. He saw more graffiti on the way and it fueled his anger. He was going to throttle that…that bitch!

Arriving at the office he burst inside to see Cersei calmly working at her desk. "Sandor?" she asked, surprised but cool and unflustered. "You," he seethed, stalking towards her. "How dare you do something like this to Sansa." Cersei blinked at him. "I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about, Hunter." "The graffiti. You're behind it, trying to mar her image. Disgrace her to the whole town." Sandor placed his palms on the desk and glared at her, his mouth twitching. "I had nothing to do with that," Cersei retorted icily. "I'm not involved in such childish antics. I'm the mayor, for goodness sakes. If anything, Sansa has brought the shame on herself." She tossed the morning's newspaper at him and tapped a place on the page. "Read for yourself."

Sandor snatched it up and his eyes scanned the article, his face turning red with anger. "This is the biggest piece of shit I've ever read," he snarled, tossing it back on the desk. Cersei shrugged. "You've no proof that she hasn't done any of that, and here we have sources of her behavior. It's a real shame," she sighed, shaking her head like she was truly sorry. "Sansa seemed like such a sweet young girl. It's a pity that she's been living such a trashy life. And right under our noses. It looks like she made someone very unhappy, probably because they saw her with you." It was all Sandor could do not to reach over and snap her neck. "I know you had something to do with this," he rasped. "And I'm sure the Sheriff will be very interested in hearing what I have to say." Cersei merely raised a brow and examined a perfectly manicured nail. "Honestly, Sandor, sweetie, as if that little threat could rumple me? Whose word do you think Jaime will believe? Mine, or yours? The mayor, or the drunken hunter?" She smiled at him sweetly. "Now please leave."

"You won't get away with this," Sandor growled, fuming. He nearly wrenched the door off its hinges as he left. Stomping back to the truck, he let loose a colorful string of swear words, all directed at Cersei.

He cranked the truck and drove to the diner, shocked to see that it, too, was covered in graffiti. A cop was there listening to Catelyn ranting about the state of her building and how it was going to be bad for business and why in the world would someone make up such things about a sweet girl like Sansa? He didn't see the red-head anywhere in sight.

Petyr's hotel wasn't too far, and Sandor decided to check there first before asking if anyone had seen her. He parked and walked through the front door. Petyr was sitting behind the counter, and he gave Sandor a frosty smile. "Why, hello, Hunter. Need a room? Or are you perhaps sharing one with a certain…somebody?" Sandor cast him a dark look. "Mind your own business." He climbed the stairs, ignoring whatever smart remark Petyr had most likely been cooking up all morning, and headed down the hallway towards Sansa's and Arya's room.

He paused before the door, trying to listen for any sounds within, then he knocked softly. "Sansa?" he asked in a low voice. "Go away," a small, sniffling voice answered. He sighed. "Come one, Little Bird. Open the door for me." There was silence, but then he heard the sound of a lock being unbolted, and the door opened.

Sansa must have changed from whatever perky outfit she was going to work in. She wore instead a pair of navy sweatpants and a green hoodie. Her wavy hair was mussed, and her face was streaked with tears. Her eyes were watering as she stood there looking at him.

They stared at each other for a few moments before Sansa's shoulders started to shake and she lifted a hand in an attempt to cover her face as she broke down into sobs. Sandor reached forward and pulled her into his arms, and she accepted the embrace, crying into his chest. He walked them backwards into the room and shut the door behind them, keeping her wrapped in his arms as she sobbed. "There, there, Little Bird," he rasped, "You're alright." Sandor was never good at giving advice or comfort, and he felt a bit lacking in knowing what to say. So he just held her as the tears flowed freely, and he hated that she had to suffer this kind of anguish. Arya was nowhere to be seen, so she must have left for school already. Sandor wondered if the younger girl had seen the graffiti yet.

After a bit she pulled away slightly, wiping her face on the sleeves of her hoodie. "I'm sorry," she sniffled. "For what?" he asked, brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes. "That you got pulled into this," she whispered, her lip trembling. "That article…" "Bugger that article. I don't care," Sandor rasped. "I already have a bad reputation; it's not like a few words on a page will make much of a difference." Sansa looked at him and sighed, then leaned forward to rest her head on his chest. "Take me away from here," she whispered.

Sandor's heart swelled at her words, and he nodded. "You can stay with me as you long as you like, Little Bird. Bring whatever you need." Sansa gave him a smile and a hug, then pulled away. She went to the closet and pulled down a worn leather weekender bag and began stuffing it with clothes and other necessities. Sandor watched her quietly, and took the opportunity to survey the rest of the room.

It was cramped living arrangements. He could see a tiny bathroom adjacent to the left near the closet. On the right, opposite the bed, the room jutted out into a few feet of empty space. A kitchen-like area held a small fridge, a stove, a sink, and couple cabinets. The girls didn't have a table or chairs, but Sandor could see that they were using an old wooden crate covered by a thin blanket to eat on. A rusty heater growled under the window. He shook his head. He liked to live simply, but this…this was not fit for Sansa. She deserved to live in a mansion and eat off fine china plates.

He looked back at Sansa and saw that she had come to stand near him, her bag on her shoulder. She must have noticed him glancing about the room for she said, "It's…not much. But it's all we have." She gave him a small smile, and the desire to whisk her away with him grew so strong that he turned and nearly took the handle off the door. "Wait. I'm going to leave a message for Arya." He waited while the girl scribbled something down a piece of paper and left it by the phone. When she was done she followed him out into the hall and locked the door. Sandor took her bag from her. "Ready?" he asked, placing his hand on her back. She took a deep breath and nodded, pulling hood up on the sweatshirt, and they went downstairs.

Petyr was still behind the desk, and he stared at them, his cool eyes taking in Sansa, Sandor's hand on her, and the bag. "Ah, going somewhere, Sansa?" he asked in a frosty voice. Sandor steered her towards the door as Sansa nodded, biting her lip. "Don't forget the rent is due soon," Petyr quipped. Sandor held the door open for her, then turned and gave Petyr the middle finger before following her out.

Sandor threw her bag in back of the truck and got in. Sansa was already inside, her legs pulled up on the seat and she glanced around furtively. Sandor realized that they would see some of the graffiti as they drove out of town. "Maybe you should lay down," he said, his raspy voice sounding loud in the still cabin. "That way…you won't see it…" he trailed off as Sansa turned her sad blue eyes on him, but she shifted in her seat and lay down, her head resting near his leg. He started the engine and drove, grimacing as the graffiti soon came into view. People were still pointing at it, and the reporters for the town's newspaper were out and about, asking questions and taking pictures.

He cursed at them inwardly. Bunch of stupid cowards, to turn so quickly and eagerly on an innocent girl. He rested a free hand on Sansa's shoulder and rubbed it gently. "We're almost out, Little Bird." They reached the last light and turned off the road that led out of town, and Sandor felt Sansa's hand come up and take the one he had rested on her shoulder.

Arya

Arya sat in the classroom, steaming. She had left for school soon after Sansa had left for work, and it hadn't taken her long to reach the beginnings of the graffiti. She couldn't believe her eyes. Whoever had written all those horrible things about her friend was going to pay, and pay big time. Arya pictured herself stabbing the evil-doer with her sword, and blood poured out from the wound.

She shook herself in her seat, trying to look like she was paying attention to the lesson. The entire town seemed to be in an uproar over the graffiti, and a lot of the kids had wasted the morning asking the teacher questions about some of the words. Arya had been a subject of attention as well, not just because of her disappearance the other day, but also because of her association with Sansa. The adults in the hallways had given her either sympathetic or suspicious looks, and on the way to school several people had tried to stop and ask her questions about the writing. It was all so stupid. Didn't these morons know that Sansa wasn't like that at all? Couldn't they see she was being framed?

She needed to see Nathan. He would know if it was his mother behind all this. Arya had an inkling that it was, but who could the mayor have got to do such a nasty business? A new thought hit her. What if it was the same men who had attacked her and Nathan the other night? She chewed her pen, thinking it over. It was a possibility; for some reason, the mayor had targeted Arya. And now Sansa. But why? It couldn't just be because they were trying to break the curse. After all, Sansa didn't even know about it. I should have told her, Arya thought. She should have told Sansa about the curse, that way she at least knew things weren't as they seemed in this town and she wasn't being targeted for no reason. The older girl was probably in hysterics over the graffiti, and Arya couldn't do anything to help until school was over.

Recess finally came. Though it was mostly for the younger kids, the older students were allowed some time outside to relax and stretch after being in classrooms for so long. Arya spotted Nathan and hurried over to him. "Dude, what the heck is going on? Did you see…?" "Yea…I saw," Nathan answered miserably. "I'm really sorry…I don't know why my mom did this." Arya took a deep breath. "So it was her." Nathan nodded. "I asked her about it, and she said that Sansa had simply brought this on herself, and she had nothing to do with it. But I could tell. She was lying, the same as she was about the curse."

A younger boy suddenly ran up to them. "Who…oh hey, Rickon," Arya said, giving the boy a friendly slap on the arm. "I have to tell you something," Rickon said, hopping first on one foot, then the other. "It's about…" he lowered his voice and leaned in. "I think it's about Sansa." Wide-eyed, Arya and Nathan drew Rickon off to the side of the playground away from the other children. "What's this now?" Arya asked. "Yesterday I was playing around my house, and I heard these men talking, and I listened. One of them asked if they had everything they needed, and then they said they would do it tonight. They also said this girl wouldn't put up as much of a fight, and that she was prettier." Arya and Nathan furrowed their brows and glanced at each other. "Is that all they said?" "No, no," Rickon answered. "One of the men said he wasn't sure why she was so obsessed with two girls, but the fact that she gave them this job showed she still trusts them." He paused. "Who's "she"?" Arya grabbed Nathan's arm. "Nathan…" she whispered. The other boy swallowed. "I know. I knew it. It is her."

"Rickon, did you see what these men looked like?" Arya asked. The younger boy scrunched up his face. "Not really. I looked, but they were gone. All I saw was that one of them was wearing a leather jacket and limped a little, and they were smoking." Arya exhaled and ran a hand through her hair. "Do you two know what this means?" Nathan clenched his fists. "It means it's time for my mother to step down as mayor."

A/N: I realize that Sandor has much more of a...potty mouth in canon, but I'm not really into cussing so I'm keeping his more foul language to a minimum. It's fun coming up with creative substitutes :3