Sandor stepped inside the spacious maester's quarters ahead of the others, the man studying the room carefully before he led Sansa and Arya inside. The room itself was clean and spartan, with an apothecary closet stocked with neatly arranged jars in the far corner. A large library of books lined the granite walls. Awestruck, Gendry stared up at them while Arya urged him to follow closely behind Sandor.

"Never saw so many books in my life." The young man whistled low. "You read them all?"

"I have." Elder brother nodded with a gentle smile.

"Can you read?" Arya cocked her eyebrow at Gendry.

"I can read my name," Gendry shrugged. "Other than that, what else do I need to read?"

"In this life there may come a time when you needs read many things, boy. If you would like to learn I'm sure the Elder brother would teach you." Sandor rasped low, to which Gendry eagerly nodded.

"My lord, you and the young man may sit in the solar while I treat your wife, if it pleases you." Elder brother offered. "There you will find wine and fruit for your refreshment."

"Bugger that. It doesn't please me and I'll not leave her until you're finished." Sandor muttered low, the man tensely holding on to Sansa's hand while Elder brother unwrapped the bandaging.

"As you wish, my lord." Overlooking Sandor's brusque ways, the holy smiled genially at the couple. "I'm most pleased to see how well you treat your bride, Lord Clegane. You honor the gods in doing so. Unfortunately such is becoming less and less common."

Clenching his jaw, Sandor said nothing to that, only stared intently at Sansa's laceration. Nudging him, Arya snickered and then complained: "Hound, I can't see. Move, will you?"

"Bugger off."

"Sandor, Arya, please let the Elder brother alone to his work." Sansa chided lightly while casting and apologetic glance at the holy man. "How does it look?"

"So far, very well." Elder brother patiently worked around the hovering pair as he studied Sansa wounds. "You can sit down, Lady Arya, if you would be more comfortable." His gentle manner and calm, reassuring voice remained constant, something that the trio immediately took note. "You can see everything from there."

"No, I wanta watch you up close," Arya traced her toe on the granite floor. "I can help, you know. Our old Maester Luwin used to let me help him all the time. He taught me all about keeping the wound clean, boiling his tools after, to keep 'em clean, how to give milk of the poppy and sweetsleep, and also how to stitch up cuts."

"Well, in that case, I would be happy to have your help, my lady," he gestured for her to come by his side. "You have far more experience than many first year maesters, Lady Arya."

Grinning, Arya excitedly patted her foot. "That so?"

He nodded again, his eyes twinkling as he regarded her. "Would you throw these old bandages in the fire for me? And bring over the bag of herbs handing on the mantle."

"Okay."

"Why, these wounds are healing very nicely, my lady. Lady Arya did an excellent job tending them." Elder brother nodded approvingly. "And the stitches are exceptional."

Arya smiled broadly at his praise. "I sewed it up for her, and I did the Hound's, too."

"You are wounded too, my lord?" Frowning, the elder man turned to Sandor.

"Aye, the wolf girl sewed me up, too." Sandor shrugged his shoulder, wincing as he did so. "I was caught by a blade just before we came up here. Might be you should check it out."

"It would be my pleasure, my lord."

After much poking and prodding, the Elder brother found Sandor's wounds similarly tended well. Attentively the holy man took his time cleaning and redressing their wounds, and then he took them for a tour of the keep.

With his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, Sandor stalked the halls in front of the group as though he expected an intruder, testing the sturdiness of the doors and their hinges, studying the points of entry, and inquiring about the general safety of each room.

He answered Sandor's questions quickly and efficiently, his general knowledge suggesting that he spent some time as a swordsman before he found his calling with the Seven. Afterward, the Elder brother led them to kitchens, servants quarters, the kennels and stables, which delighted both Arya and Sandor with the animals found there. Gendry stayed in the small forge speaking at length with the smithy there.

"Worked for the master armorer in King's Landing, I did," Gendry smiled at the man. "I can start tomorrow, if you like."

"Aye, you're most welcome, milord, but it hardly proper, you work'in fer me."

Sansa walked over to the smithy, who at once bowed low to her. "What is your name?"

"Mads at your service, milady."

"I am Sansa Stark. Glad to meet you." she smiled at the man. "This is my husband Sandor Clegane and my sister, Arya. If you wish for Gendry to work with you, and he is willing, then Mads, you are more than welcome to him."

Delightedly the man turned to Gendry, who then sputtered out, "Thank you, Sansa-I mean, Lady Stark-"

"I would be very happy for you to call me Sansa." Sadly Sansa raised her hand. "Lady Stark is our mother."

Arya nodded.

"Thank you, Sansa." Gendry answered softly.

"Yes, thank ye, milady."

"You're very welcome," she smiled once more and then returned to her husband.

"The structure was built out of granite with wood accents, overlooking the Giant's Lance, and situated to give your family a breathtaking view that dominates the resident rooms inside of the keep." Elder brother's voice came into earshot, the man assuring Sandor as he finished inspecting the outer walls.

"Indeed, magnificent," Sandor rasped, moved by her side and then taking Sansa by the arm. He turned to her. "Cold, are you?"

"Yes, it is going to snow, I think."

"You seem well stocked and ready for us." Sandor commented as the group moved inside toward the family rooms.

"Yes, Lord Stark sent a raven to us announcing your arrival. Everything you need is here, my lord."

"How many men at arms?" Sandor eyed the windows carefully, running his hands along the inlaid wood.

"Fifty."

Sandor turned sharply, his eyes narrowing.

"I was once a knight, in my former life, my lord, so believe me when I say that I understand your trepidation." Elder brother drew a deep breath, waiting for Sandor's response.

"What in the Seven-" Arya shouted before Gendry quickly clamped his hand over her mouth. "Did I hear you right? Only fifty?"

"Arya, please, let Clegane handle this, will you?" He quietly asked as he slowly turned loose of her.

"Quit doing that!" She jerked away from Gendry and stood beside Sandor, mirroring his stance while facing Elder brother.

"Well, then, don't swear in front of the elder man then," Gendry shook his head, casting an exasperated look at Sansa.

Turning away, Sandor slammed his hand against a wooden beam, but still he remained silent.

"My lord, allow me to explain the tactical advantages of the keep."

As the Elder brother spoke, Sansa rested her hands around his waist, squeezing him lightly. Sandor allowed her ministrations, and in turn patted her hands with his own soothingly.

Sandor finally spoke. "No other keep has so little protection."

"The Eyrie does, my love." Sansa softly answered.

Stunned, Sandor stared at her with a frown. "The Eyrie? Truly?"

"Yes, it has very little in the way of men at arms or any other outside fortifications, since nature provides all the security the Arryn's could ever need." Sansa paused as he digested the information.

"How do you know this?" Sandor tipped her face up to him. "I never head such in the Red Keep."

"Learning the major houses of Westeros and the details of their castles, as well as important battles, is part of highborn education, Sandor." Sansa covered his large hand with her own. "I learned that in my lessons with Maester Luwin."

Sandor only grunted his reply while Arya emphatically nodded. "Me, too."

"Ydra ji Valyre?" Elder brother smiled at her.

"Yes, I speak some conversational Valyrian," Sansa nodded. "It's been a long time since I heard it; perhaps I can resume my lessons as well."

Elder brother bowed. "I will do so glady, my lady."

"In the Age of Heroes, a dozen armies smashed themselves against the Bloody Gate, to no avail." Sansa commented as she took in the view from the room.

"Yes, my lady, that is true, and it is for the very same reason this one is staffed so. The only way into the keep is by through the entry you came by. As you must have noticed, it is mostly hidden by trees and shrubs, with a heavy portcullis, guards and watch dogs. The rest of the keep is carved out of the mountain itself. Here, look at the view." Elder brother smiled at Sansa's excited expression as they took in the expanse of the Giant's Lance outside the window of her and Sandor's quarters. "Everything was designed to make the keep blend into its surroundings, both inside and out."

"It certainly was, and what an outstanding effect!" She clasped her hands together. "Sandor, isn't it lovely?" Silvery granite walls surrounded them and then sharply dropped off, giving the illusion of the keep suspended in the air.

"Makes it seem like you are already outside, like you're standing on the edge of the world," Sandor rasped low, the man unable to decide whether he liked the floor to ceiling windows. It was dizzying, almost, but also gave them the advantage of seeing the sunrise every morning. Heavy snowflakes began to drift down, blanketing their view in a cover of white.

When Sansa drew closer to him beside the window, she held out her hands. "Sandor, isn't it beautiful?" Sansa leaned into him and squeezed his arm excitedly once more. "It's almost like you can touch the snowflakes!"

Sandor's deep grey eyes scanned the area carefully before his heated gaze turned to her. "Beautiful, aye," he murmured as he reached out and stroked her cheek.

It had been a long while since they were intimate, and Sandor's overt advances made her suddenly, inexplicably shy. Blushingly Sansa lowered her eyes and then peeked to see if Elder brother had overheard the exchange, and was relieved to see the man was gazing out the window, seemingly oblivious to them.

"It's been so long since we saw snow!" Arya bounced excitedly on her heels. "And we can see it all from inside. It feels like home already!"

"Your rooms have similar views and appointments, Lady Arya, as do yours, Gendry. Follow me, please." Elder brother led the pair out of the room and closed the door behind him.

Sandor watched Sansa step closer still to the windows, staring out at the vastness of the Mountains of the Moon as the sun dipped low in the sky. She did not speak, but he sensed a deep sadness in his wife. Silently he moved behind her and then wrapped his arms around her waist. "What troubles you, wife?"

"It was just so nice being free, you know, free to travel, free to go wherever we pleased, and now-" Dejectedly she bit her lip.

"Now what?" Puzzled, Sandor tipped her face up to his.

"And now I wonder if I have traded one gilded cage for another." Turning toward him, Sansa clutched his tunic. "Don't get me wrong, it is very beautiful here, but just the idea of the necessity of staying hidden worries me."

Sandor regarded her for a while, his eyes softening as he did so. "You can come and go here, wife. No one will see you. I'll be by your side. It won't be anything like the Red Keep."

Pacing, Sansa wrung her hands. "If only I could be certain that Petyr Baelish won't find us here. My aunt is unwell, and has always been unnaturally attached to the man, my mother told me…what is to keep her from finding us and telling him of our location?"

"You leave Littlefucker to me," Sandor snarled low. "You've spent enough time trying to outwit those bastards in King's Landing. He comes here and he is as good as dead. No one will hurt you again or I'll kill them, remember?"

Turning to face him, Sansa pressed herself into his embrace. "I know, Sandor. It's just that being afraid has become second nature, especially where the Lannisters and their people are concerned."

"I know," he seethed, though he kept his voice even. "But I will keep you safe. I'll keep saying it, Sansa-"

"Until I feel it." Sansa finished for him and then kissed him soundly.

"Bloody well right I will." Sandor rasped into her ear.

"Come, let us rest for a bit," Sansa beckoned to him. "It's been a long time since it was just the two of us."

Sandor at once recognized the naughty twinkle in her eye. Easily he scooped his little wife up into his arms and carried her to the bed.