Dawn was just breaking when the Hound finally found a suitable campsite. They had rode all night and the horse was exhausted from running so hard. The Hound pulled him to a top and dismounted before lifting Sansa off. He gently set her down on the ground.
"He's too tired to carry on for now and we need to rest." He explained, stripping the horse. She nodded, not even sure if she cared. She felt numb, like she was walking through a dream. None of it seemed real.
The Hound crouched down, slipping off his armor to examine his wound. He grimaced as he pulled back his sleeve. The blood had dried, the fabric adhering to his skin. Once he had separated it from his arm, he set to work trying to sew it closed.
"Wouldn't it be better to burn it?" She asked as she watched him struggling.
"No." He growled, fumbling with the needle. His bloody fingers kept slipping every time he tried to insert the needle into his flesh. Automatically, Sansa rose and knelt down beside him, taking the needle from him.
"My septa always said that I did the best stitches she'd ever seen." Gently she pinched the skin together, pushing the needle through his skin. He gritted his teeth as she slowly pulled the thread taunt before pushing it through again.
The Hound looked at her, her brows puckered in concentration. "When I was a lad, my brother and I got toys from a visiting merchant. He was too old for toys and I very much wanted his toy - a shiny knight. So I took it to play with. And that's where this scar came from." He pointed to his face, averting her eyes as Sansa paused, looking up at him for a moment. She had heard the story from Petyr Baelish, but it sounded different coming from him.
"He was so angry that he held my head in the fire. He never said a word as I scream, the flesh burning from my face. My father never told anyone, he always said that I fell into the fire, that I was a clumsy child. He was so proud when my brother was knighted." He murmured as she tied off the thread. He glanced at her neat stitching, gingerly stretching his arm to test their strength.
"Thank you." He said quietly, slipping back into his armor. He moved over to reclining against a rock as Sansa watched him, slowly wrapping up the thread as she thought.
"Arya and I would fight horribly and there were times when I thought that I could kill her." She moved near him, recalling the days at Winterfell. "But I can't imagine actually hurting her."
The Hound kept silent, watching the horse drinking before taking a swig from his wine skin. After a moment, he spoke.
"What will you do now?" The Hound asked, stretching out on the grass.
"I don't know." She answered, looking up. "I have nowhere to go and the Lannisters will surely be looking for us still."
"We could sail across the sea, maybe go to Braavos or Pentos." He suggested, his voice growing fainter as he closed his eyes against the sun.
"Maybe." She whispered, curling up. She closed her eyes for a moment but all she could see was Robb's mangled body tied to the horse. She rolled over, looking up at the brightening sky. Tears rolled down her cheeks and onto the ground beneath her as she silently sobbed.
She could never go back to Winterfell, not as long as any of the Lannisters were still alive. It would probably be best to get across the Narrow Sea. She could hear the Hound snoring softly behind her but she knew that he was completely aware of what was going on. She lay still, tears streaming down her cheeks as she watched the birds flying overhead, the gently breeze caressing her face.
A few hours passed and she heard movement behind her. The sun had dried her tears and she pushed back her hair, sitting up. The Hound was awake and studied her face as she turned. Knowing he could see her dried tears, she lifted her eyes to match his gaze.
"We should get moving." He stood, reaching out to her. He pulled her to her feet, gently brushing back a stray hair before dropping his hand. He turned to the horse, quickly saddling it as Sansa drank from the stream and filled the water skin.
The Hound gently lifted her into the saddle, swinging up behind her. They rode in silence for awhile, the steady beat of hooves the only noise.
"We should cross the Narrow Sea." Sansa said quietly, her eyes trained ahead. "We need to get as far away from the Lannisters as we can."
"What about your aunt in the Eyrie?" He asked.
"If they could find my mother and Robb at the Twins, they will be able to find me at the Eyrie just as easily." She twisted slightly to look up at him. "I can never be free here."
He nodded, prodding the horse faster, the wind whipping through their hair. Dusk was quickly falling as the horse climbed the path, picking his way through the rocks. The sound of creaking wheels caught their attention from behind and the Hound stiffened, glancing around.
Around a large cluster of rocks came a wagon, an old man and little girl perched atop it. The man pulled the wagon to a stop. "Hello there."
"Hello." The Hound nodded at him as the little gazed curiously at them.
"And where might you be heading?" The old man asked, glancing at Sansa.
"My daughter and I are heading across the Narrow Sea." The Hound answered. "I've got some business over there for the king."
The man grunted thoughtfully and then beckoned to him. "Well, come along home with us. I can give you a good night sleep and some food before you leave Westeros." He slapped the reins and the wagon rumbled down the path, past the horse. The Hound nudged the horse and followed.