CHAPTER 26: A PRETTY PRIZE
"There she is!" Thoros exclaims loudly, his arms outstretched like he's greeting a lover. "Isn't she beautiful?"
Linette rolls her eyes but can't help grinning.
"Yes," she says, pretending to be impressed by the sight of the inn. "I'm so glad to meet your wife."
The ginger laughs boisterously, throwing his arm around the small woman's shoulders.
"Let me introduce you to her," he leads her through the doors of the inn and into the open room of the tavern. "The most glorious sight ever to be seen! Ale flows as freely as a whore's kiss here, lass. Not that there's a shortage of that either. Look."
He runs his hand over the top of one of the tables and pulls Linette close to whisper in her ear, "Had the best girl right here. I dream about her still."
"I bet you do," Linette laughs and pushes him off her, "Though I doubt she thinks of you at all."
He slaps a hand to his chest, feigning injury. "Your words are like knives, lass."
Laughing again, Linette shoves his shoulder. "Enough of your perverted stories. You promised us a meal."
"I promised the kiddies a meal," he corrects, "Didn't say anything about you."
"Just shut it and get the food," she rolls her eyes, making him grin, and walks away in search of Arry, Hot Pie, and Gendry. It isn't hard to spot them.
They're standing awkwardly by the door of the inn, clearly not sure what to do. Each hold their sword in their hand just as they've been doing since they came upon the Brotherhood in the first place. Linette whistles to get their attention.
"Over here," she nudges her head in the direction of an empty table and takes a seat.
The kids look unsure but slowly shuffle over. They sit on the opposite side of the table from her. Linette supposes that's smart, but she can't help but be a little miffed about it. Despite saving Arry the night before and talking with Gendry for hours, they still don't fully trust her. They sit rigid in their seats, watching the Brotherhood moving around them.
"Thoros went to get us food," Linette says, trying to calm them, "He should be back soon."
Hot Pie seems relieved but the other two don't.
"Is he really going to let us go?" Arry asks skeptically, staring hard at Linette. The blonde woman is surprised and a tad impressed by how straight forward the question is.
"I believe so," she nods. "He doesn't have any reason to keep you here."
"Not like he does with you, you mean," Gendry says gently, giving her a pointed look.
Linette smiles. "No. Not like that."
"We can help you," Arry offers suddenly, her dark eyes intense. "Fight our way out maybe. You shouldn't have to stay anywhere you don't want to be."
Gendry and even Hot Pie seem to agree with that. The heavier boy nods enthusiastically while Gendry tenses his jaw and looks over the men in the room, sizing them up. A blossom of warmth grows in Linette's chest.
"That's very kind of you," she gives the three kind smile, "but I wouldn't ask children to fight for me."
Arry frowns defensively, "We aren't children. Besides, we can fight."
"I don't doubt that for a second," Linette nods, completely agreeing, "It's just not what I want for you three. You don't need to fight for me, not when you clearly have other, more important things to worry about. Don't you, Arry?"
The girl looks shocked. Her body tenses and her eyes widen. Linette smiles softly and leans forward, taking the girl's hand in her own.
"I know you're hiding something," she whispers, "I don't know what it is, and I don't need to know, but something tells me you shouldn't be risking yourself for me."
Arry's surprise only strengthens. She looks Linette in the eye before nodding slowly.
"There has to be something we can do," the girl says, "Another way to help you. Something that isn't fighting."
Linette thinks for a second, making eye contact with Gendry and Hot Pie before looking back at Arry. The men around them are loud. It's impossible for them to hear their conversation, but Linette leans closer to Arry anyway.
"There is," she whispers hurriedly, "I need you to find someone for me, if you can. He-"
"What's this little rendezvous about?"
Linette groans as Thoros drops down beside her on the bench. She lets go of Arry's hand and sits back in her seat. The ginger is drinking heavily from a tankard of what smells like rum. He raises his eyebrows above the glass before setting it down and burping.
"Come on," he urges, a twinkle in his eye, "You can share it with me. Just between us girls."
"Didn't know you had a pussy," Graige laughs, taking a seat on the other side of Thoros.
"How could you not?" Linette rolls her eyes. Though she's irritated with them for interrupting, she shares a grin with Graige. He laughs heartily while Thoros chuckles into his tankard.
"Thought you were bringing us food," Arry interrupts dryly.
"I bought food," Thoros corrects, nudging her arm with his tankard. She frowns heavily, but he only grins, "Takes awhile for the kitchens to make things, little lady."
Thoros and the other man quickly finish off two tankards of rum each before a serving girl arrives with the food. Hot Pie's face immediately lights up. He doesn't hesitate to sheath his sword, trading it for the bowl of stew and bread. Gendry and Arry are a little more hesitant. The girl eyes her bowl warily before making Thoros drink from it. He laughs but complies. It's exactly what Linette made Anguy do on her first night with the Brotherhood. That realization makes her even more fond of the girl.
Realizing that they aren't being poisoned, Gendry and Arry eat greedily. Linette isn't surprised. She knows what it's like on the roads.
"I never liked the skinny ones," Thoros comments drunkenly, giving his wide tankard an approving look, "It's like drinking from a puddle. Not that I'm adverse to drinking from a puddle now and again, you understand."
Linette rolls her eyes.
"I don't like ale," Arry says through a mouthful of food.
"That's because you're young," Linette smiles knowingly, earning a nudge of agreement from Thoros.
"There's no story so good a drink won't make it better," he grins as the men around him agree loudly, "You see! They've all suffered through my patch of sobriety. It's very tedious for all concerned."
"You especially," Linette murmurs.
He pointedly ignores her but a twitch of his lips lets her know he heard.
"Now," he says, leaning on the table and looking curiously over the trio on the other side, "How did three children-"
"We're not children," Arry interrupts defensively.
Thoros doesn't look impressed.
"How did three young persons," he corrects with a roll of his eyes, "untrained in the art of war, escape from Harrenhal?"
Linette frowns. "What happened at Harrenhal?"
Thoros and Arry are too busy staring each other down to answer, but Graige answers her after a long sip of ale.
"Tywin Lannister took over. Stationed the Mountain there to hunt us down. It's a slaughter house."
There's a beat of silence. The hairs on Linette's arms stand up. If what she's heard of the Mountain is true, and from his own brother's lips, then to escape him would be something of legend. She watches as Arry chews slowly, deliberating her answer.
"Gendry's a smith," she says eventually, looking over at the older boy, "He was apprentice in the armory."
Thoros nods appreciatively before turning to the dark haired man, "A smith, eh? Where'd you train?"
"King's Landing," Gendry answers after sharing a quick look with Arry, "Tobho Mott's shop."
Thoros scoffs humorously, "That criminal? He charged twice as much as every armory in the city!"
"That's 'cus he's twice as good."
"Aha! A smith and a salesman," Thoros smirks, eyeing the other man curiously. Though he tries to hide it, Linette can tell Gendry's becoming uncomfortable under the priest's gaze.
"How'd you escape?" she asks Arry suddenly, urging her to respond with a raise of her brow. The girl quickly catches on and turns to Thoros.
"Gendry stole us weapons," she says.
"Ah!" the ginger nods, clearly pretending to believe the girl's story, "You fought your way out of Harrenhal, I see."
"He knows how to use a sword," Arry says defensively, a tone of strength in her voice. Her eyes harden dangerously, "And so do I."
The men around them laugh. The girl's strong look slips just a little.
"My brothers taught me…" she says, making the men laugh again, louder this time.
Linette wants to comfort her somehow, but Arry squares her shoulders, the determined look back in her eyes. It makes Linette worried.
"Arry…" she says warningly but it's too late.
The girl jumps out of her seat, her sword drawn and pointed at Thoros. There's a collective laugh from the men. Thoros looks at the tip of the blade, clearly amused, before taking a small sip out of his tankard. As soon as he's swallowed, his own blade is out. Arry backs up, eyes wide, as Thoros quickly advances. He swings at her, disarming her in one blow. The girl's sword clatters to the ground. Fear takes over her face as she scuttles back, away from Thoros who swipes his blade in the air a few more times before stilling. He looks smug.
That won't do.
Without a second thought, Linette grips the pommel of Graige's sword where it sticks out of the man's scabbard on his belt. In one motion, she unsheathes the blade, the steel singing as she deftly swings it to clash with the cross-guard on Thoros' sword. The unexpected attack sends it clattering to the floor. Shocked silence fills the tavern. Thoros takes a stunned step backward, his hand still in front of him as if he hasn't quite registered the loss of his blade.
"Bravo, Thoros," Linette snaps, kicking the sword out of her way as she approaches the priest. Her eyes narrow sharply, a taunting lilt pulling at her lips. "You've beaten a child. Save your celebrations for when you beat me."
He looks like he wants to say something but can't quite figure out what. With a scoff, Linette shoves Graige's sword into his hands and turns on her heels, heading toward Arry's fallen blade. She snatches it up and turns just in time to see Thoros pull himself back together. He turns to another table and swipes a tankard from one of the men, his jovial smirk once again plastered on his lips. He raises the tankard to Arry.
"To your brothers," he taunts, then drinks. The other men take the encouragement, cheering and drinking too.
Linette scowls and marches toward Arry who's glare flits between Thoros and the floor.
"Here," Linette offers the girl a small smile as she hands the sword back.
Arry takes it. She tries to smile back, but it doesn't reach her eyes. Linette sighs and leads the girl back to the table. Thoros is already back in his seat, drinking heavily. Linette scowls and purposefully jostles him as she sits beside him. Rum sloshes out onto his pants. He gives her a peeved look but doesn't say anything. Arry takes her seat across from them and he turns to her instead.
"You can finish your meals before you go," he says cordially, "It may be awhile before you see another."
Arry looks surprised, "You'll free us?"
"I gave you my word."
"You gave her your word too," Arry says fiercely, nodding at Linette, "but you didn't keep it."
Thoros sighs, becoming irritated, "I'm keeping it this time. I suggest you scurry off before I change my mind."
"We're not leaving her prisoner," Gendry insists, his hand on the hilt of his sword as he leans forward across the table.
Thoros raises his brow, his own hand drifting toward his sword.
"Stop," Linette orders, pushing their chests to get them away from each other.
Thoros chuckles while Gendry gives her an incredulous look. She smiles at him gently.
"I'll be fine," she insists, turning her smile on Arry and Hot Pie, "I promise. What's a little more stealing? Things could be worse."
They don't look convinced. Linette chuckles and settles back in her seat. She reaches over to take Thoros' tankard from him. He protests, but she ignores him and takes a large gulp from it. It burns her throat, but she smiles after it goes down and raises the glass to the trio.
"Go," she says, "Don't worry about me."
They hesitate for another moment. It takes a firm nod from Linette to get them to stand. Arry offers her a smile before they turn to leave, Gendry and Hot Pie behind her.
"Before you go," Thoros calls, making them stop. Linette rolls her eyes and looks up at the ginger who stands and holds his tankard out to them, "Allow me to raise a cup to-"
There's suddenly a commotion at the door. The men's conversations still as they all turn to look.
Anguy is the first to appear. He's grinning widely, his arms open wide and holding his bow in one hand. Behind him scuffles in the group he'd taken with him when he left that morning. They're manhandling someone into the inn. The unfortunate man is tied up, a black bag over his head. He stands at least a head above everyone else.
Linette's heart stops at that revelation. She knows only one person that tall. Her eyes fly over the man. She quickly notices the set of familiar, dark armor he's wearing.
A Hound's armor.
Almost in a daze, she stands, jostling everything on the table, the blood rushing in her ears. The man behind her laughs in amusement.
"Looks like your girl missed you, Anguy!" he calls out loud enough for everyone to hear.
Linette doesn't react. Her eyes flit wildly between the bound man and the archer who's smirking knowingly.
"That's an uncommonly large person," Thoros laughs loudly and staggers over to the group with a delighted smile, his tankard in one hand. He turns to Anguy, "How does one manage to subdue such an uncommonly large person?"
The archer grins, "One waits for him to drink until he passes out."
"Poor man," Thoros sips from his tankard then reaches up to remove the bag over the man's head, "You have my sympathies."
He takes off the bag and Linette's breath leaves her entirely.
It's him.
Sandor blinks disorientedly into the light. There are dark bags under his eyes like he hasn't slept in days, and his hair is messy, wild looking. He looks like shit, but Linette's heart lurches at the sight of him anyway. He's here. She wants to run over and throw her arms around him, but he starts looking around, taking in his surroundings, and she remembers everything that happened that morning in Dawros.
She ducks out of sight before he can see her. Her chest rises and falls quickly. She immediately feels a fool, but doesn't make any move to reveal herself.
"Aha!" Thoros exclaims loudly, "Not a man at all. A Hound!"
The men erupt into howls and whistles. The sound makes Linette's heart ache.
"So good to see you again, Clegane," Thoros greets Sandor quietly.
Linette peeks over the table, trying to hear better. She catches sight of the men where they stand a few tables down. Sandor stands tall over everyone else. His scowl dims a little with confusion.
"Thoros?" he says, his voice rougher than Linette remembers. "The fuck you doing here?"
The ginger shrugs and lifts his tankard to his lips. Linette watches as Arry, Gendry, and Hot Pie finally move from their place on the other side of the table and head toward the door, their heads down.
"Drinking and talking to you. Same as ever," Thoros grins before spinning around to face his men. "A pretty prize, lads!"
They all cheer.
Arry just passes Sandor when he catches sight of her, looking surprised.
"Girl!" he yells, making her stop. Linette frowns as Arry tenses, turning to face Sandor with a fearful expression. Sandor scowls, looking back to Thoros.
"What in seven hells are you doing with the Stark bitch?"
Linette's eyes widen with shock. She sits up now, forgetting to hide as she looks closer at the unassuming girl.
"This is Arya Stark?" Thoros asks, astonished, turning back to Sandor for confirmation.
"Aye," he nods, "Wouldn't forget the pup's face."
Thoros stares at the frightened girl for a moment before shaking his head.
"Tsk, tsk," he wags a finger at Arry, "Thought you could trick me, did ya, lass?" He throws an arm over her shoulders. She shrinks a little, but he's quickly guiding her away. "I admit, you almost had me. Almost. But now, we need to have a chat."
He leads Arry… Arya out of the inn. Gendry and Hot Pie try to follow after her, but they're stopped by some of the other men.
"What are you going to do with me now?" Sandor turns to taunt Anguy, looking down at him with a bored expression. "Was he supposed to intimidate me? Seen the cunt before. Not impressed."
The archer smirks, "Neither are we."
He turns his head toward where he last saw Linette. She knows he's looking for her, so she ducks back under the table. Yet, the man behind her grabs her arm with the strength and gentleness of a drunk. She hisses in pain as he hauls her up.
"Got your girl right here!" he yells at Anguy, pulling Linette out from behind the table.
"Don't fucking touch me!" She rips her arm out of his hold, trying to stay out of sight, but it's too late. She stumbles out of the crowd and into the open aisle between the tables.
"Linette."
She hears Sandor breathe her name.
Her heart jumps to life.
She bites her lip nervously and turns to look at him, fully prepared for him to yell at her or worse, dismiss her entirely, but he doesn't. He looks shocked… relieved perhaps. Linette lets herself hope for half a second, letting the longing in her heart spread, until she sees the look on Sandor's face sour the longer he looks at her. The anger she's so used to from him takes over. She smothers the warm feeling in her heart immediately.
Sandor scowls, his lip curling to reveal his canine teeth as the most vicious snarl rips through his throat. He thrashes against the men holding him who only have the upper hand since his hands are tied. He gets as close to Anguy's face as he can.
"She your girl, is she?!" he growls, pure loathing in his dark eyes. "You do that to her face?!"
Linette touches the severely bruised skin around her nose. Anguy chuckles at the situation which only deepens Sandor's fury. With the most animalistic growl Linette has ever heard, he rears back and slams his forehead into the archer's face. Anguy curses, backing away from Sandor with his hand held to his now bloody nose and lip. Linette gasps and runs to him.
"Fuck, lass," Anguy chuckles through the blood. "You didn't tell me he liked you this much."
"He doesn't…" she mumbles, ignoring the heat of Sandor's gaze burning a hole in her head to hand Anguy a rag from a nearby table. He takes it quickly and presses it to his nose.
"Little bird," Sandor barks quietly, keeping his voice low so only she hears. Her scowl is immediate. Anger floods through her, giving her enough courage to finally turn and face him.
"I told you never to call me that," she hisses venomously, stalking forward until she's right in front of him.
She's prepared to yell at him until she's hoarse, but the moment her eyes meet his, she falters. His usually angry gaze seems sadder than normal. She takes a shaky breath in and swallows thickly. She can't seem to look away now, no matter how angry she is.
"Which one of these fuckers did that?" he demands through clenched teeth, his gravelly voice low.
She hesitates for just a second. "They're not here. I killed two of them. The others left. One of them stole my sword."
"How many got away?"
"Three."
"I'll rape their corpses."
Linette frowns, anger resurfacing in her eyes. "Why do you care? You made it abundantly clear how you felt the last time I saw you."
He scowls and shakes his head. "No. I fucked up. I didn't g-"
"Oi!" A large man suddenly appears in the inn's doorway. "Thoros says to pick up the pace or you're staying here!"
"Fuck you all!" Sandor bellows at being interrupted. Linette sighs and takes a step back from him. He calls after her angrily as she starts to walk away: "I'm not done talking to you, girl!"
"Tough, because I'm done talking to you," she says, her voice lacking the fire she wants. She sighs and runs a hand through her filthy hair. Her fingers get caught which only makes her more irritated.
"Fuck!" she curses quietly and yanks her hand out.
"Losing a fight with your own hair. You must be slipping." Anguy appears by her side. He tilts his head back as he walks, the cloth still pressed to his nose. Linette shakes her head and picks up her pace, all too eager to get outside and out of the stuffy tavern. She doesn't feel like talking to any of these idiots right now.
"You think you're good with that bow? You little twat." Sandor's angry voice from behind makes Linette frown. She walks faster toward the cart where it waits a little ways down the dirt road.
"Better than anyone you've ever met," Anguy responds cheekily.
"Coward's weapon," Sandor spits. "I like to fight up close. I like to see a man's face when I put the steel in him."
"Why? So you can kiss him?"
Anguy passes Linette then, shooting her a wink that almost makes her smile. Sandor's rough growl sounds. He's talking to someone now, but she doesn't pay attention to it. She hops up into the cart, watching as Anguy walks up to Sandor with a black hood.
"Apologies," he says sarcastically, yanking the hood over Sandor's head, "but you're one ugly fucker and I don't want to see you no more."
Linette frowns at the insult despite herself. The men push Sandor up to the cart, one yanking on the bindings on his chest to get him to step up.
"Sandor," Linette says instinctually as he puts his foot up, "You should du-"
Sandor's forehead slams against the roof of the cart exactly like she thought it would. She cringes.
"Watch your head," Anguy chastises, grinning happily.
Sandor growls something unintelligible under his breath as he's forced onto a seat across from Linette. She leans back against the wall with a frown and crosses her arms over her chest, glaring at the blindfolded man. Anguy chuckles as he sits down beside her. She doesn't question it for a second, but when he keeps laughing, she turns to him with an irritated frown.
"What the hell are you laughing at?" she snaps.
He shoots her a knowing grin.
"I found your mutt," he wags his eyebrows, "Looked like he's been missin' you. Maybe it's breeding season…"
Linette punches him soundly in the gut at the same time that Sandor sends a powerful kick to the archer's shin. Linette winces at the sheer force of it.
"Don't open your mouth again. Brotherhood cunt," Sandor growls from underneath the hood.
"Fuck!" Anguy wraps both hands around his undoubtedly bruised leg. "You could've broken it!"
"Wish I did."
"Tell you what. Don't open your cunt mouth again, or I'll shove an arrow up your arse."
"Like to see you try."
Linette shakes her head just as one of the other men yanks a hood over her head. She sighs in irritation as her vision is cut off. Sandor and Anguy continue to bicker, but she tunes it out. Her mind is whirling almost dizzyingly fast. She worries her lip nervously, thinking about everything she's not sure how to say to the man she's been unwillingly missing for the last three weeks. She wants to scream at him, hit him over the head a few times even, but still, after everything, what she really wants to do is hold his hand.
That infuriates her. She shouldn't want anything to do with him, not after what he did, but she can't help it. Besides, she knows he'd reject her. Again. He'd just push her off him, remind her of how little he cares for her.
With a sigh, she lets her head bang against the wall behind her and tries everything in her power not to think about the man across from her.