Rain had been falling since I'd dragged myself out of bed in the morning. I could hear it pounding on the roof all day. It was exactly the kind of weather that made me feel both sleepy and sad.
"Put a smile on your face, you look miserable."
I looked up from the table I was cleaning and found the woman with black hair grinning in front of me. Of course I'm miserable, I wanted to say. I just narrowly escaped both getting raped and starving to death, I don't know where my love is, I'm as alone as I've ever been, I spent three days ill in bed because I could hold no food or drink down, and now that I'm feeling better I have to clean after the drunken sods here to pay off my debt.
But she had been kind to me. The woman I had mistakenly believed was just a barmaid had ended up being the daughter of the innkeeper, who had let her take charge of the tavern. She had taken me in in my time of need, and even gave me an old dress of hers to wear. I couldn't be rude to her, it wasn't warranted. And it just wasn't in my nature.
"I'll do my best, Loralye," I told her, forcing the corners of my lips to turn up.
"That's all I ask, Ella," she sighed playfully, grabbing a mug from the table we were at.
I gulped when Loralye used the false name I had given her. I had panicked when she asked the morning after she had given me the room, but I was able to pull the name Ella from the recesses of my brain just in time.
"Remind me where you hail from," Loralye looked at me from under her black eyebrows.
"Oh, er, a bit from here, a bit from there," I told her. It was less of a lie, more of an absence of detail. "I've been traveling recently."
"Aye," she regarded me as if she knew more than she was letting on. "And who was that frightfully big man you were traveling with?"
I looked down at the table and thought about what I should say. "He was my protector," I finally said. Again, an absence of detail.
"Your protector?" Loralye asked. "What was he protecting you from?"
"My own stupidity," I said darkly.
Loralye cocked a brow and slung the rag over her shoulder so she could pick up the mugs. She looked like she was about to ask me one more thing when the door to the kitchens opened up. Her dark-haired boy, Collyn, stepped through and walked over to our table.
"Mum, they're back," he muttered.
"Who?" Loralye furrowed her brow, putting the mugs down and grabbing her hips instead.
"The Brotherhood," Collyn specified. "I saw them coming."
Having successfully wiped away the crumbs and spilt ale from the table, I moved along and hoped that Loralye wouldn't become any more suspicious of me before I'd paid off my debt. I started cleaning the next tabletop, scrubbing around the man who was sitting there, picking under his fingernails with his dagger.
"They're not fooling us into letting them not pay again," Loralye wagged a finger at her son. "If I hear Thoros tell me one more time how Wylla on the crossroads lets him eat and drink for free, I swear I'll…"
She had trailed off, but I felt my body freeze at her words. Thoros. I began to wonder if perhaps it was the same Red priest I had befriended prior to Ned Stark's execution.
No, I told myself. It's too good to be true.
"Those bloody bandits," Loralye shook her head. "Think they can drink all our ale just because they fought the Mountain on the wolf's orders?"
The man picking at his fingernails looked up at me and I resumed cleaning the table. But I couldn't stop thinking about what she was saying. I tried to wrack my brain so I could remember what felt familiar about her words.
"Ah, well," Loralye sighed and put her hands on Collyn's cheeks. "Best get back, my dear. Many thanks for the warning." She kissed the seven year-old's forehead and grabbed his shoulders to turn him back around.
I felt her eyes on me as I moved to another table and I prayed she wouldn't continue her interrogation of me. If she knew of the Mountain, she likely knew of the Hound. When Nymeria had returned me to civilization and I stumbled through the doors, Loralye had remembered my protector having a "burned-up face", one of his more recognizable characteristics. I wasn't sure enough of Loralye's loyalty to the Crown to risk telling her too much. Would she have turned me in if there was a bounty on me? She seemed nice enough, but Sandor had warned me far too many times not to be so trusting of people.
There was a pang in my heart at the mere thought of Sandor's name. I wanted to find him with every fibre of my being, but I felt helpless. It had been so many days since I last saw him in this very tavern and he was the expert tracker, not me. If I had set off on my own, with my luck, I'd be riding Shevaun in the opposite direction of him. In a strange way, I felt like my chances were better staying here until I received more information.
"If my son is correct and the Brotherhood comes in, I'll be needing your help, Ella. And you'd best be smiling," Loralye smirked.
"'Til my cheeks hurt," I assured her, forcing another grin.
Just then, the door the tavern swung open. A large group of men, sopping wet from the rain, came loudly parading in. I took one glance at the party and turned to another table. There was a sticky puddle of half-dried wine on the top and I started scrubbing at it. The scent of the drink hit my nose sharply and I leaned my head away from it, afraid of what it might do to my stomach.
"You've returned, lads," said Loralye when they had quieted down.
I spared a moment to look over at the black-haired woman. Her irritated tone from before had disappeared completely. Now she was all smiles and softly clapping her hands together.
"The usual?" she asked. "Ale, brown bread, and stew?"
"You know us too well, Loralye," a deep voice said.
"Well, you've been the most consistent men in my life since Collyn's father ran off with that Dornish girl," Loralye cooed.
"And what a fool he was for doing so," the deep voice said. "Come, sit with us. We've missed you."
"But not before you've fed and watered us," another man drawled.
The hair on the back of my neck stood up. The second person sounded breathy, lazy, and familiar. And if he was who I thought he was, the sound of his voice made me feel conflicted. If it truly was Thoros, it would have been a delight to see him again, but he might recognize me and my blow my cover to Loralye.
"Your company is always desired, but we've worked up quite an appetite after our hunt," the familiar man continued, garnering a loud cheer from his men.
"Well, lucky for you, my friends, we've more help around here since you visited last," Loralye said. "Ella, dear, please get these men some ale. Tell Collyn they'd like brown bread and stew as well."
Afraid to turn my head too much, I barely glanced over my shoulder and nodded. I threw my rag over my shoulder and hurried into the kitchen to obey. When I came out, carrying as many mugs as I possibly could in one arm, with a pitcher of ale in the other, I finally saw the large group of men sitting at two different tables that had been pushed together. Loralye had pulled a seat up to the head of one table, her body leaning towards one of the men. He was a handsome fellow with dark hair and a beard. A quiver of arrows sat on his back and he had a large bow resting against the table.
I felt a lump grow in my throat when I saw a man in faded red with shaggy blonde hair that curled due to the rainwater. His back was to me, fortunately, but that didn't mean he wouldn't see me eventually. Anxiety flowed through my body as I came closer. I could practically hear my heart pounding in my chest.
"You've been busy, I see," Loralye said flirtatiously, her hand on the bearded man's forearm.
"Someone has to keep these woods safe," he smirked at her.
"And what are you keeping me safe from, Anguy?" she crooned.
"We've been hunting lions," the voice I recognized as Thoros' interjected. "Raiding party of about twenty. Traveled a day's ride south for 'em. Might've lost a little lady on the way, but…"
I came up to the large group, standing behind the Red priest, as I felt it would be the best way to hide myself. I reached over his shoulder and placed the pitcher in the middle of the table.
"Ah, finally," Thoros breathed. "This pitcher's a sight for sore eyes, innit?" He angled his head upwards as if to address me, but I moved away to start placing mugs before the men. I could have sworn his eyes followed me, but I tried to pay him no heed. "I could marry you right now."
"You'd best not take Ella from me," Loralye grinned up at me. "A bit morose, but she's some of the best help I've ever had. I'll cry the day she's paid her debt to me."
"She owes you a debt?" one of the men who hadn't spoken yet looked up at me. "What for?"
I turned away as soon as I ran out of mugs, but I could hear Ella try to explain to the men as delicately as she could.
"Ella's traveling, you see. She came with a man, planning only to spend a night. They paid for a room and two stalls in our stables…"
I returned to the kitchens and found Collyn ladling the stew from the vat into two large buckets for the men. He looked at me curiously, but said nothing, allowing for me to grab more mugs for the table, including one for Loralye if she wanted to partake with them.
"…fell ill, the poor thing. I let her stay until she recovered and now she's working it off. I do hope she'll stay, though."
"Well, gents, I suppose once we've all filled our cups, we should raise them to this dear sweet Ella. Loralye's friends are our friends," Thoros said, pouring ale into his mug from the pitcher.
I tried not to wrinkle my nose at the smell too much. In fact, remembering Loralye's orders before this group of men entered her establishment, I forced a smile as I continued to hand out mugs.
"Is there anything else I can do for you?" I asked Loralye in a hushed voice once I was finished, my back to Thoros' body in case he looked over.
"Ah, a shy one, she is," murmured Anguy, covering Loralye's hand on his arm with his gloved finger. "Do we scare you?"
"Leave her be," Loralye admonished him playfully before turning back to me. "Go on and help Collyn bring the food, dear."
I bowed my head and hurried back into the kitchen. I hoped that I could make it through without having too much attention put on me. The sooner the men were finished in the tavern, the better.
When I entered the kitchen, I stacked together several bowls and grabbed one of the buckets of stew. Collyn grabbed the other and stacked two loaves of bread. He used his back to open the door to the kitchen and hold it for me. I nodded my thanks and ambled through the tavern to the large group, Collyn at my elbow.
"Ah, there it is," Anguy smiled as the boy and I carried the food across the tavern.
I looked at the ground below me, careful not to spill any stew or drop any bowls. I could feel at least some of the men watching me as I walked. Without a word, I lifted my bucket and put it down on the side of the table where Loralye and Anguy sat, then I started giving out bowls.
"Er, Loralye," Thoros piped up. "What did you say your help's name was, again?"
"Ella," she answered. "Why? Are you interested?"
My mouth felt dry. I could tell Thoros was watching me. I found myself praying to every god I knew that he wouldn't say anything.
"She's very pretty," the bearded man in a yellow cloak that I was placing a bowl in front of purred at me.
"She reminds me of someone," Thoros said quickly, casting the yellow-cloaked man a dirty look. "An old friend."
"You've got friends besides us?" another man chortled.
Ignoring him, Thoros turned his kind blue eyes up to me once more, forcing me to meet them. He seemed to be telling me something, but I couldn't quite read it.
"She was a lovely girl," he said out loud. "I met her in King's Landing. We had a nice chat in a tavern down there. Told me I was the worst priest she'd ever met."
Both Thoros and his men laughed. I smiled genuinely for the first time that day.
"Smart girl," Anguy snickered.
"I was led to believe she might be dead, but…I'll always have hope that Fallon's still out there," Thoros continued, staring straight at me. "I would like to see her at least once more."
"I hope one day you'll meet again," I bowed my head to him.
"Fallon, did you say?" the man in the yellow cloak piped up. "Wasn't that the girl you went on about in the trial?"
"The very same, Lem," Thoros sighed.
"Hound said she was dead, didn't he?" Lem furrowed his brow.
I felt my heart skip a beat. They had spoken to Sandor. He must have been close. And he thought I was dead… But what was that about a trial?
"Clegane only said she was taken from him," Thoros corrected Lem. "No one knows for sure what's become of her."
"Poor dear," Loralye crooned, not realizing who exactly she was talking about as she turned to glance at me. "You may take an hour's leave, Ella. You've worked very hard for me, but I think I can handle it from here."
"Many thanks," I nodded to her. I offered Thoros a small smile and scurried back into the kitchens to hang up the apron tied around my waist, trading it for my gray cloak.
"Begging your pardon, sweet boy," I looked at Collyn over my shoulder.
Still stirring his vat of stew, Collyn met my eyes.
"I'm on my way to visit my horse in the stables. She'll be utterly upset with me if I come empty-handed, won't she?" I smiled at him.
"Take some," Collyn cocked his head towards the carrots that sat on his chopping board on a nearby table.
"Thank you, sweet boy," I took them and left the kitchen, my cloak hanging over my arm as I went.
I strode through the tavern, not feeling Thoros' eyes until I went past him. I wanted to throw my arms around him and tell him how happy I was to see him and to know he was still alive and well, but I knew it wasn't the best idea to keep me safe. I ignored his gaze and kept on walking.
Fastening my cloak around me and throwing the hood over my head, I opened the door to the tavern and stepped out into the rain. Heavy drops were falling on the earth, causing the mud puddles to splash up. There was no way I was going to make it to the stables without getting dirty, but I found myself grasping at my skirts anyway and making a break for it. Though I slipped two or three times on my way, I was thankful that I managed to reach the stables without falling onto the ground. Once inside, I lowered my hood and pulled my carrots out, approaching Shevaun's stall.
My heart felt heavy as I passed the empty stall beside hers. I wondered when Sandor had come to collect his angry horse. Was it before or after he'd given up on finding me alive?
Shevaun nickered and lowered her head over the gate to her stall, sniffing at the carrots in my hand. I raised one and allowed her to eat it. We stayed silent for a moment, hearing naught but the rain falling and the crunching coming from my horse's mouth.
"There you go, girl," I muttered, stroking at her nose softly with one hand, feeding her the second carrot with the other. "Nice and easy."
"You've cut your hair."
I jumped at the sound of another person's voice. I hadn't heard the man approach due to the heavy rainfall. But I felt much calmer when I saw the priest standing at the entrance of the stable.
"Not by choice, I assure you," I smiled bitterly, touching my brown tresses.
"It's been some time, sweet Fallon," he said as he came closer.
"Aye, it has, Thoros of Myr," I grinned at him in his wet surcoat.
"You're supposed to be dead. I had a drink in your memory and everything."
"Yes, well, I appreciate the sentiment, though I feel you wouldn't have needed much more of an excuse."
"You know me too well," Thoros sighed, finally stopping in front of me. "I wish I knew you as well as you know me. Who, pray tell, is this Ella supposed to be?"
I felt my cheeks heat up at his question. "She, er, she was a scullery maid I knew long ago."
"Please, tell me more," Thoros reached out and scratched Shevaun under her chin.
"She was employed at Winterfell," I began. "She caught me sneaking food out of the kitchens when I was a child. Grabbed me right by the wrist and told me she was taking me to Lord Rickard and Lady Lyarra to be punished. But then Lyanna happened upon us. She saw me, not yet six years of age, skin and bones, with raggedy hair and fear in my eyes, and she ordered Ella to let me go. She lied for me. Said she had asked me to fetch her the bread and cheese I had. Ella didn't release me until Lyanna insisted she would tell her parents about my mistreatment."
"And how long have you been using her name?" Thoros asked.
"Not very long," I shrugged my shoulders. "It seemed the safest course of action after I was…"
"Taken from the Hound?" Thoros filled in.
I nodded glumly.
"I've known Clegane for many years," he said. "Don't think I've ever seen him happy. But I'd bet good money he'll be as close to that as ever when he sees you again."
"When did you see him last?" I asked. "I heard you and your men bring up a trial. Is he in trouble?"
"We were tasked by Ned to bring the Mountain to justice not long before Stark was executed. We found the Mountain, but ultimately failed in our mission. My men found your friend just a few days before this and decided that he could answer for his brother's crimes. He denied any wrongdoing, but another friend of yours accused him of an unrelated murder. He fought Beric in a trial by combat and the Lord of Light deemed him innocent and allowed him to win."
Or, more likely, Sandor was the better fighter, I couldn't help thinking.
"We haven't seen him since," Thoros finished.
"But he's nearby?" I asked hopefully.
"Could be."
"Wait—you said another friend of mine was there. Who were you talking about?" I furrowed my brow.
"I believe you once said she was like a sister to you," he gave me a toothy grin.
"Arya?" I gasped. Happiness shot through my body when I realized what he was saying. "She's with you? She's safe?"
Thoros's lips slowly pressed together. "I'm afraid she ran off two nights ago. We weren't able to find her."
A knot grew in my throat. I felt my eyes welling up, but I hoped I wouldn't cry in front of Thoros.
"Sh-She's a smart girl," I stammered. "If she's made it this far—"
"We were going to bring her to Riverrun. Her family's there," Thoros cut me off, a look of guilt in his eyes. "She was upset when Clegane won the trial. She was upset when we sold her blacksmith friend to the priestess…"
I furrowed my brow but didn't ask anything else. That information wouldn't have helped me find her or Sandor.
"…And she was upset when we got sidetracked with the lion hunt that brought us here to you," Thoros patted my arm with his gloved hand. "She's likely on her way to Riverrun. Little wolf seems to know her bearings, if that makes you feel any better."
"It doesn't," I admitted, chuckling bitterly. "But I am relieved to know that she's alive. I've worried about her every day since the Lannisters turned against the Starks."
"She still cares about you," Thoros told me. "Should've seen how she reacted when she thought you were dead. Accused Clegane of murdering you too."
I sighed and glanced down at my feet. "She doesn't know him the way I do. No one does."
"That's because he won't let anyone else know him the way you do. You're lucky…I suppose," Thoros shrugged.
"Do…do you know where he is?" I asked, stroking at Shevaun's neck. Out of nowhere, I started to feel lightheaded. The sound of rain began to mute, as did my own voice. "Please. I need to find him."
"It's been days since I last saw that ugly face of his," Thoros shook his head. "I'd have a better chance of finding the Stark girl." He then grabbed onto my free hand with both of his. "Are you alright, Fallon? You look pale."
"I h-haven't been feeling well lately," I told him. "That's why I'm here, with Loralye. Didn't she tell you?"
"She did," Thoros said. "And I told her I was feeling more generous than usual. Paid the rest of your debt off, my darling. Everyone seems to think I did it to spend a night with you, but…Fallon?"
The concern in Thoros' kind blue eyes was the last thing I saw before darkness clouded my vision and my body became weightless.