Arya

When she saw the side of his face with the burns, flung to the side by a well placed thrown rock to the face, she felt like all her prayers had been answered. Vindication and excitement coursed through her limbs, along with the overpowering need for justice and revenge. When she had heard the men say 'a Lannister dog' she had thought they had come across a passing soldier, a deserter they might even let join their ranks. Now she knew that was not so. It was not 'a Lannister dog' they had captured, but 'the Lannister dog.' Before she could help herself she was reaching down into the muck, collecting a handful of filth in her already stained hands and made to swing. Had it not been for Gendry catching her by the wrist it would have landed all over his disgusting burns. She kicked out at him but Gendry kept a firm hold on her wrist, looking down at her in disappointment.

"You'd join in with this mob? On a defenseless prisoner?"

"That's the Hound!" she snapped. "Joffrey's Hound."

"I know who he is," Gendry snapped back just as harshly. "He never gave me so much as a copper when I worked on his armor or sword, but he's defenseless, no threat. We are not animals."

"No, but he is," Arya reasoned, the mud still gripped in her hand, though some of the slime was dripping down her wrist.

"You'd kick a defenseless dog?"

"Kick me all you want girl!" they both turned to look at the Hound at the sound of his deep rasp. He had a cold smile on his warped lips, a hateful glint in his eye. His face was for the most part clean, except for the filth of a standard week of travelling, but he had to lower his face again to keep the abuse being flung at him away.

"Lady Arya!" she heard Lem call and she looked toward him. She saw the Hound look up too, sharply and astutely, but she ignored him. "We have someone for you to see."

"I want to see her too!" The Hound shouted and a soldier came and smashed him hard on the head with the butt of a sword. His body slumped and he was gone to the world. At least for a time. Arya dropped the handful of muck and glared at Gendry as she walked passed. He followed her toward Lem, and the two walked into the little tavern they had been sleeping in. The moment she entered the room she heard her sister's voice, but she shook her head. Sansa was at King's Landing, a prisoner of the Queen's.

"I demand to see him right now," the voice said as they got closer and Arya's ears perked up. It sounded like Sansa, it had Sansa's imperious tone.

"He's going to be tried for his crimes. If he is found not guilty you will be able to say goodbye to him, Lady Sansa," she heard Tom say and Arya began running for the door. Gendry, on hearing the name, followed in nearly as much excitement.

"No, I want to see him now. He is my protector and I demand to see if he is being treated with respect."

When Arya rounded the corner she could see her sister had been crying, he eyes were red and puffy, her face tear streaked, the dust on her face leaving clear tear tracks against her skin. She looked thinner too, but taller, more womanly. She looked so much like their mother in that moment that Arya could have cried, but she only remained rooted to the spot, staring in disbelief. Sansa wanted to see the Hound? He was her protector? It did not make any sense.

"Lady Sansa, did the dog violate you in any way?" Tom asked and Arya watched indignant rage flash across her sister's face. Her skin turned red, her neck slightly blotchy, and she looked like she could kill Tom. Arya herself was shocked at the idea, but then she realized it was true. Sansa only ever looked like that when Arya told their parents Sansa had done something mean and was trying to deny it. Arya felt a hatred for the Hound then, so powerful it eclipsed anything she might have felt before. He must have threatened Sansa to lie for him so they could get away and then he could violate her some more.

"He never touched me!" Sansa snapped.

"Then you wouldn't mind letting one of our midwives examine you?"

"I certainly would! My honor cannot be questions by a bunch of thieves that capture an innocent man and an innocent lady while they are sleeping –"

"Innocent!" Arya found herself shouting. Sansa looked over at her, surprise and shock all over her once devastated, then angry face. Her lips parted and she made a face that Arya always thought resembled a fish when it was on dry land. "He killed Mycah!"

"He only did that because I lied!" Sansa shouted and Arya felt like she was hit by the admission. Though she knew it was true, hearing it come from Sansa so blatantly, almost proudly, hit her hard. "He was Joffrey's sworn shield he had to!"

"He didn't have to you liar! You're lying now like you were lying then! He killed Mycah and he raped my sister!"

"He never raped me!" Sansa screamed and it was like they were right back at Winterfell screaming at each other in front of their parents, only now the topics had changed. "I want to see Sandor right now."

"Sandor?" Lem laughed from the corner of the room. "Maybe the rabid dog's been tamed?"

"Don't talk about him like that," Sansa snapped. "I want to see him."

"You'll see him later tonight, darling girl," Tom said. "Right now why don't you get cleaned up? Catch up with your sister. Oh, and I think the Hound must have taken this from you, we found it in his pocket."

Arya watched Tom hand something small to Sansa and watched Sansa's eyes fill with tears. Arya felt even more hatred for the Hound as Sansa brought whatever it was Tom gave her up to her heart, pressing it to her chest with closed hands. The Hound had threatened Sansa, made her say all these things. Once Sansa knew she was safe all would be well. The Hound had to die.

"Please, just let me see him," Sansa begged as the men began to leave the room. "I just want to see him for a moment, I don't even need to talk to him, just let me know he's alright."

Tom glanced at Lem who gave a little shake of his head.

"Sorry, Lady Sansa. You'll see him tonight."

Arya was left alone with Sansa but for a long time all either girl could do was stare. Arya had imagined being reunited with family before and every time it ended in a tears and a hug, but right now Arya felt a bigger gulf between them than ever before. She looked at her sister, crying over the Hound, and tried to remind herself that the Hound had threatened and raped her. Sansa was only confused. But the vehemence in which Sansa defended him made her sick and aroused an anger she could not dampen.

"You are with these thieves?" Sansa finally asked, a bite in her voice.

"The same way you were with the Lannisters," Arya replied coldly. Gendry looked between them in shock.

"I was never with the Lannisters," Sansa snapped.

"Exactly," Arya snapped back.

"Ladies, please," Gendry said stepping further into the room. "You are sisters."

"My sister would never defend a murderer," Arya snapped, her anger out weighing her reasoning that Sansa was a victim of the Hound.

"I would say the same, but you would most certainly ally yourself with thieves and outlaws," Sansa replied and moved to the window on the far side of the room, craning her neck to look around.

"He's on the other side of the building, being kicked and having shit thrown on him," Arya told her sister, pleased with the horror that came across her face. "He deserves it too. He murdered Mycah! He's Joffrey's sworn shield! He's a Lannister!"

"He is not! He left them and rescued me! He took me away from Joffrey when Joffrey was going to rape me! Sandor saved me from the riots and –"

"Don't call him that!" Arya shouted. The door opened behind them and Gendry moved out of the way for Tom to come back in, a frown on his face.

"We had thought this was going to be a happier reunion. Perhaps, Lady Arya, you should come outside and let your sister rest," he offered and when Arya looked back at Sansa she could see she was trying not the cry.

"I don't understand why she is defending him," she whispered to Tom. Tom jerked his head to the side and took Arya by the arm.

"Come on, let's go, you too boy," he called and they left the room. Arya stalked out of the room angrily and stomped her way over to the Hound. He was beginning to come too, his eyes still closed but his head lolling form side to side. Gendry once again grabbed her before she could get to him. She wanted to kill him herself for turning her sister into the enemy. She fought against Gendry, squirming in his arms, hardly hearing him call for someone to help him restrain her.

"I hate you!" she yelled at him. "You raper! Murderer!"

"Raper?" the Hound rasped. "Is that what she called it?"

Arya let out a shriek and kicked Gendry between the legs. He went down hard, gasping for air and grabbing onto his valuables. She would have gotten to the Hound had Anguy not got her around the middle and dragged her away from him. She was dragged away from him and brought into another room in the building Sansa was being held in.

"If you can't behave yourself you won't see his trial tonight, and I guarantee you you'll get what you want, understand?" Lem scolded her. Arya ignored him but quieted herself, rage pulsing through her. She was left in the room for the rest of the day, silently praying she would get to see the Hound's dead body come night fall.

()

The hood was taken off of Arya's head first but she wished it had been after Sansa. She was angered when she saw Sansa look from side to side, searching eagerly for the Hound. As angry as she was all she wanted to do was cry when she saw it. When her sister's eyes did land on the Hound they lit up and dimmed at the same time, a sad, trembling smile coming to her lips.

"What is this place?" Gendry asked as he was unhooded.

"An old place, deep and secret. A refuge where neither wolves nor lions come prowling."

"I know you," the Hound rasped as the ropes were removed from his wrists, flakes of dried blood following. Arya looked to Sansa and noted the parting of her lips as Sansa examined his wrists from her distance. She did not even seem to care about the way the Hound looked in the torch light, glowing red and orange, even more terrible than usual. Arya ignored the back and forth between Thoros and the Hound. She was too busy watching Sansa watch the Hound. She heard him deny the crimes they leveled against him, but watched Sansa, nodding in agreement, like she had any idea what the truth really was.

"You killed Mycah!" she cried out when his defenses seemed too much. "Jory said you cut him nearly in half and he didn't even have a sword."

She watched him glance toward Sansa and yelled at him again.

"Don't look at her!" She screamed.

"He saved me from King's Landing!" Sansa finally put in. "He rescued me from rapers during the bread riots and he took me away from King's Landing. He was going to bring me home."

"Going to sell you, you mean," Tom said and plucked at the strings of his harp. "How much did you plan on getting for the girl, Clegane?"

"As much as you planned on getting for yours, I would assume," he replied stonily. "Where'd you pick yours up?"

"Do you deny killing the boy, Mycah?"

"The Butcher's boy, correct?" The Hound asked and looked at Sansa. "Yes I killed him, but it wasn't murder. I was Joffrey's sworn shield and he attacked the prince. What was I supposed to do?"

"He was unarmed," Arya told them. "He cut an unarmed boy in half."

"Nearly in half," the Hound corrected her.

"It was my fault Mycah died. I lied to them, to the king, the queen, my father. I lied!" Sansa cried but no one would listen. Arya found it just that no one would hear her plea for the Hound, just as no one had heard her when she begged for Mycah.

When the pronouncement came down that the Hound would face trial by combat Arya felt her stomach sink into her toes. Sansa had mixed emotions, her face showing delight and dread all at once. The Hound laughed and began daring all the men, confidence written all over his vile face.

"Sandor!" Sansa called out as he was given his sword and shield.

"Do not worry little bird," the Hound called, his voice deep and rasping. "I'll steal you away again soon enough."

It sounded like a threat to Arya and she renewed her prayers he would die. When the flame burst into flames, her heart swelled as she saw terror cross his face. Sansa cried out but the Hound only stood there, staring into the flames. When the fight began she held onto hope and when the Hound's shield caught fire she felt blood thirsty victor rush through her, but when the Hound swung the last time the sword broke through Beric's flames, cleaving into him as he had Mycah. Sansa was screaming as the Hound tried to get the flames out and someone let her go.

Arya watched with everyone else as Sansa ran to his side and touched his weeping face, trying to console him. What she said to him Arya did not hear, her anger and disbelief were so great.

"I'm burned, little bird," he cried. "help me, I'm burned."

Sansa hovered a hand over the oozing flesh, disbelief and horror on her pretty face. Arya looked at him, his crying face, like a big baby, and grabbed the dagger from Greenbeard's scabbard. She moved before anyone could stop her, but she stopped just in front of him, as the Hound looked up at her with a snarl.

"Go on, girl. You want me dead so bad. Put it right in," he raised his chin so his throat was bare, but Sansa's delicate hand went to his throat, as if to shield it. "It's cleaner than fire. Go on, make the pain stop. You'd be doing me a favor."

"Arya, no," Sansa cut him off, moving to block him from her more fully. "He won now you have to let us leave. Like you promised."

She looked to Tom who shook his head.

"He can go. You stay," Tom answered and Sansa moved to help him and another lift the Hound to his feet. As a large piece of skin sloughed off his arm he fell back to the ground, his head swaying in pain. "Someone come see to these burns."

"I have to go with him," Sansa said. "I can leave with Sandor."

"I am sorry lady Sansa," the voice of Beric Dondarrion came through the dark cave, sending a shockwave through Arya, Sansa and the Hound himself. "He can go but he leaves you and his gold."

"The girl's mine," the Hound rasped, getting to his feet this time. His face was gaunt and pale, his scarred flesh looking more horrible than ever.

"She was, no longer," Dondarrion replied. "She stays."

"No! No I –"

"Little bird, stop chirping," the Hound rasped and she turned to face him. Arya thought she looked like she was about to cry. "Just stay here. We were going to part ways sooner or later anyway."

"But I don't want to!" she cried, tears running down her cheels. The Hound brought up his good arm and touched her cheek wiping a tear away with his thumb.

"I've got a good nose, Little bird. I'm a dog remember."

Arya frowned in confusion, but Sansa nodded. She hugged him then and Arya felt her grip on the blade tighten. She took three steps, catching the Hound's eyes as his good arm wrapped around her sister's small form, but her wrist was seized and the knife fell. That night she watched the Hound ride off into the darkness to the sound of her sister's disgusting weeping. Arya had never felt so cold in her entire life.

()

A/N: Thank you all sooo much for the reviews!

OK, I did not want to go through everything that was written in the book and so I just filled in the holes that occurred with Sansa being present. I really hope you guys like it. And I thought using Arya's POV made for an interesting perspective of where Sansa and Sandor's relationship is from the outside in.

Please Review! Much love!