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CHAPTER 6

SANDOR

He woke up very early that morning. As usual, the recurring nightmares hadn't allowed him rest properly, so he took the pitcher to leave for some fresh water before the routine of the day began. The sun was about to arise in the sky and the cold air felt good on his bare chest. He enjoyed that moment of the day, when nobody was still awake and the Isle was calm and silent.

He'd just taken a few steps when he noticed a dark shape lying next to the wall of the cabin.

"Seven hells!" he growled

The girl woke up rubbing her sleepy eyes.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I- I didn't want to bother you; I just… couldn't sleep…" She looked at him and blushed like an apple before she looked away again.

"What happen to you, girl? Haven't you see a bare man before? I thought you were married for some time!"

"I'm sorry… it's your arm… is burned too!"

"Stop saying sorry. Yes, the bloody Berric Dondarrion did that. But I killed him, or at least I that was what I though..."

It looked like she didn't want to look at him anymore so he came in and put on a clean tunic. He took also some bread and cheese he kept there and left to sit outside.

"Are you hungry?" She nodded and they ate in silence for a while.

"I can't blame you; I couldn't sleep either if I had to sleep next to such an ugly woman", he said laughing with his mouth full of bread.

"Don't mock at her! Brienne is nice with me and brave. She has helped me so much… if it wasn't for her I'd still be with Littlefinger or marrying Harry the Heir. She is just worried for me."

He snorted. He didn't like her at all. The woman was like some other silly knights he'd met in his life, with their stupid oaths and their useless pride. Only she had breasts.

"And actually she is my only friend", the girl said.

"Well, she's not. There're still people you can trust," he said. She looked at him frowning, "You still have a bastard brother at the Wall, haven't you?"

"Jon. I've heard he is now the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch"

"Well, best for you. The Night's Watch takes no part in the battles of the realm, they say. Probably he would help you; you are his only family left"

"I haven't seen him for so long… I don't know if he'd help me if I asked for his protection. And the Wall is too far, I'll never get to get there. Petyr and the Queen should be looking for me".

"Your sister asked once me to take her with your brother. I didn't, but I could do it for you now".

The girl looked at him with a glaze of surprise and hope so intense he had to look away.

"I can't ask you that. It's dangerous, and I can't pay you"

He shrugged, "Don't fucking care. I'm tired of this shitty island. There isn't enough wine, the food stinks and I can't talk to anybody except you. I need some action before getting too old. It won't be easy, it won't be safe and you'll have to do whatever I say without question. Wouldn't you like to come back to the North, little bird?"

She grinned, deeply moved. He didn't remember the last time he saw her smiling that way; probably never. She took his huge hand in hers and his whole body shook under the soft touching of her skin.

"Thank you, Sandor Clegane. I don't know how, I don't know when, but you have my word that I'll return you this favor".

"Save your words for when we get alive at the Wall, though I'm not so sure of that. Also, I don't want your new friend coming, it isn't safe. I'm sure her fucking pride would ruin the little chances we have"

The girl looked at him seriously; "She won't come, I promise."

She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes to the morning sun. She was still smiling when it dawned and a new day began. Her hair shone in the daylight. He repressed the instinct of clasping her hand into his fingers and caressed it. That thought made him feel silly though he didn't remove his hand from under hers and enjoyed that so simple and unusual gesture to him.

When she opened her eyes again she was a bit blinded by the sunlight. "I need to talk to Brienne" she decided, "I have to tell her we're leaving and I still need to aske for one last favor."

When she rose from the bench and she began to walk, he followed her like the dog he was.

They hadn't walked too far when they found her. She was looking for the girl, as worried as usual and got angry when she saw them together again.

"Where have you been, Sansa? You weren't in your bed when I woke up. You should have warned me you were leaving!" she almost shouted.

"I'm so sorry, Brienne, I couldn't sleep."

"I was very worried. What were you two doing?" Anger made her look even uglier, and he couldn't help laughing at her.

"I'm fine. Please, let's go our place. We need to talk."

Once in the women's cabin, he lay against a wall behind her. That was going to be funny.

"Brienne, I'm leaving", the girl said without further ado.

"You mean we are leaving"

"No, just me. Alone"

"Alone?" Brienne look at him and she understood. "He's with going with you, isn't he?

Sansa nodded.

"But why? Where?" she was anxious, "Haven't I helped you so far? Why are you leaving me now? It's because of him? What has he promised you? Because I'm sure it's all a lie!"

"He hasn't promised me anything. He's just trying to help me. We are going North but I can't tell you exactly where"

"At least let me go with you."

"I can't, it isn't safe for any of us" Sansa took her hands in hers, and spoke to her softly but firm. "Brienne, you've helped me more than anyone since I left my home. You are brave and strong, and I couldn't get here without you. But now it's time I made my own path. There is no safe place for me here and I don't want to die in the South. I need to go to the North. I want to feel the snowflakes over my face again. I want to see Winterfell one last time, even if it's in ruins. Or at least I have to die trying"

"But my lady, what will I say to Jaime? He trusted in me to find you."

"You haven't failed him. Go with him. I know how you care for him. Tell him I'm grateful for having sent you to find me and that I'm now in a safer place." Now she took a breath "Tell him the truth about Joffrey's death. Tell him Petyr Baelish and the Queen of Thorns poisoned him the day of his wedding. I told her he was a monster and she murdered him so Margaery hadn't to live with him. Tyrion Lannister and I had nothing to do".

Now he was as astonished as the woman was. So, that's what really happened. But there was still more.

"Littlefinger also killed my aunt, Lysa Arryn. He threw her through the Gate of the Moon and blamed Marillion for it. And know he's poisoning Robert Arryn so he can get all the power over the Vale."

"How did you get to know that?"

"He talks too much when he drinks", she simply said.

"Why are you telling me this now, Sansa?"

Her voice became somehow darker: "Because I need you to clean Sansa Stark's name or I'll be Alayne Stone for the rest of my life. I'm proud of being a Stark and I don't want to die as the bastard daughter of Littlefinger. And because I want to see the downfall of Petyr Baelish. I hate him, Brienne. I hate him more than you could imagine…"

He tried to think about what kind of things could have Littlefinger done to earn her hatred. Not murdering Joffrey, that's for sure, or killing an aunt or a cousin she hadn't seen before in her whole life. It had to be something different and worse. Something she couldn't bear. The man lived with her mother's family when he was a boy. It was known he was in love with Catelyn Tully, and he'd heard at the Red Keep that he was her first lover. What if he… the thought made him feel so sick he would like to go to the Eyrie to kill him with his own hands.

It was all said then and there were many things to prepare before leaving.

"I'm leaving. Be ready before dawn, girl." he said.

He felt the woman's eyes piercing him when he left. She hated him but, who cared? Most of the people he'd met during his life has hated him too and most of them were already dead. He twitched his mouth into a wolfish smile and felt the fresh morning air. Well, he was still well alive and he was ready to hold a sword again.