…
The stars above us were like the ones my father used to tell me when I was younger. It was like the gods had blown a dandelion into the sky. They were glistening with the black mirror of the heavens against the light of the half moon. It was the color of a reddish pearl, rising slowly behind the tall oak trees surrounding us. The frogs and crickets sang a symphony of nature and its own secrets. I was envious of those frogs and those crickets; they sang for themselves and their loved ones. They were not as lovely, yet they were as free as the birds.
I laid on an old mossy log, my dress already caked in dirt. Part of the hem was already torn. It was as if exiting those gates had shed me of all courtesies. I did not look like a Lady, but I must not forget who and what I was.
Nero was nestled near one of the towering trees, nibbling on a tuft of grass. Even from a distance, he seemed as aggressive as his master. Sandor, asleep near the clear brook, breathed deeply. I made sure not to wake him. But something drew me to his horse.
I slowly and gently approached the beast as its eyes met mine, offering another tuft of grass. He eyed me with a distrust that seemed almost human. My fear reached its limit as his front legs started kicking the dirt, grunting and neighing menacingly.
"You might want to stand back, little bird", a voice declared behind me.
Sandor seized the reins of Nero, pulling his towering head down. His other hand pushed me softly back, out of the beast's territory. After some minutes, Nero's sturdy breaths calmed to a passive mood. Even as I turned toward the brook, I could feel the creature's eyes on my back.
"That is no pony. Don't approach him without me near, unless you want to be killed," Sandor said, as he sat on the sandy edge of the brook. I looked toward the creature yet again.
"Why does it want to kill me…?", I heard myself ask. A laugh echoed in the trees.
"Don't take it quite that personally, little bird. It wants to kill everything. Except me; it's smart enough to know I'd kill it first," Sandor replied. "That beast has killed more than 20 men. It met its match with yours truly."
He said the words with disdain. And then there was silence.
As I looked upon the sky again, the continent seemed even more cosmic than ever before. I did not know where I was. Tyrion warned me not to find Robb, nor my mother. But I did not even know where they were. I knew they were safe. I was not. And there was only one place I could think that could be a safe haven, not just for me, but for Sandor.
"What's wrong, Little Bird? Frightened?" he rasped. He was right, but now, I had to show some of my courage.
"No, I-"
My voice betrayed me, as it cracked, to Sandors amusement. He straight looked at me for the first time since we left Kings Landing; I did not see malice, just interest.
"And where is this Little Bird going to do now? Already going back on her actions…?"
"No! I do not take anything back. I accept my actions. And I am relieved to have you with me".
Yet another laugh.
"Well, it was that or my head, now wasn't it? And to think; a little bird saved me". Sandor's words were not bitter. I saved him because I owed him, but deep down, that was not the only reason. I wanted him to come with me.
He noticed my quietness. The oak trees rustled in the cold, night wind. As I sat on the hard log, Sandor sighed deeply and got up toward me.
Kneeling beside me, the scent of metal and wood crept into my nostrils. It was not an unpleasant smell. Sandor looked straight into my eyes. The moon's little light reflected the dark in his eyes.
"And where do you want to go, Little Bird?"
I had a natural drive to find Robb and my mother, to be together with them again. Bran would be with them also, with Rickon close behind them. Arya would be annoying me, fighting endlessly about my "stupid" curtseys. I even missed Jon, as quiet as he was. And as I remembered each one of them, my heart ached and my eyes watered. I made sure Sandor could not see; I knew this was no place for childish tears. Thank the gods for the darkness.
At that moment, I thought of the only place that could be safe, for me, and for Sandor. Joffrey would not look there. I might have been trusting Tyrion too abundantly, but once the idea was in my mind, I could not let it go.
"Winterfell", I replied.
Sandor had not looked away from my face for even a glance around our surroundings. I could feel a smirk forming on his face.
"Going back home, aren't we? If that is what you want, then North it shall be."
I did not want him to feel pushed into coming with me. I did not want to pull anyone farther into a worse fate. We were both already wanted traitors. If Sandor were to be hurt because of my foolish actions, I do not think I could live with myself.
"Ser…", I began to say, until he glared at me. I quickly called him by his first name, the only time I had dared.
"Sandor...what will you do..?"
At this, he laughed. My cheeks flushed scarlet. It was a sincere question. He could leave me; I would not have minded. He had already done so much. His answer surprised me out of my thoughts.
"I will go wherever you'll go, Little Bird. A Little foolish bird. You thought I would leave you? You'd die in the time it takes you to flap those small wings of yours. Besides…what does a dog do best? Follow."
I did not mean to cry. It came involuntarily. The sincerity in his voice made me smile for the first time since my father had been alive.
"You will go with me..?" I asked; I had to make sure this was not a jest. That his promise was real…
He sighed again, approaching even closer than before. Sandors hand reached to cup my chin, again, surprisingly gentle.
"Yes, Little Bird. I will go with you. And you will be safe."
I could not help but smile, for him, for my family I will see again. Even in the darkness, I could see he was smiling too. His burn twitched with the sudden movement of his face, yet, it was a lovely smile. I had so much to say to him, and so much I owed him.
"Thank you."
….
It wouldn't be long till dawn. I had to get us moving again. She hadn't said anything, but I knew the Little Bird was starving.
I helped her upon Nero when I noticed her auburn hair shining against the little light that was still giving off the half moon.
It was beautiful.
She had to disguise it in some way. The Tully in her could be seen for miles.
My cloaked swayed behind; the Kings Landing emblem was sown into the white of the fabric. I had to get rid of this.
"Here", as I tossed it at her. "You have to hide that flaming hair of yours."
She quickly ripped the emblem without even thinking. The Little Bird looked shock at her own action; I smiled, reassuring her.
She quickly folded the fabric into a veil, covering her hair entirely, except for some unruly hairs in the front.
I laughed. She looked just like her Septa.
We rode even after sunrise. A crossroads laid in front of us; I suddenly recognized the area. We were near Rivverun , but I knew better than to approach a castle. A small inn would be sufficient, but Lannister dogs could be everywhere.
Hours passed. The Little Bird fell silent. She needed nourishment.
It was around dusk when a light stood apart in the distant hills of the terrain. For a moment I thought it was a farm of sorts; but a few horses outside told me otherwise. It was a small inn.
I hesitated to come near the small house. There were only two horses outside on the posts. Yet it was too noiseless.
"Little Bird, we'll have to fine another shelter. Not this inn, nevertheless."
The few coins in my pocket could buy the Little Bird meal for the night.
And maybe some wine for myself.
….
Sandor left me near a small clearing in a wooded area; it was near enough of the inn, yet hidden from any traveler. It was not safe to go to an inn at this point. I knew Joffrey would want my arrest; he would look even beyond the Wall for me. He would be quite pleased to bring me back to Kings Landing, torture the life out of me, and then use me as nothing but a child-giving form.
The sky grew dark quickly. Nero was left far away from me; I watched it from a safe distance. My stomach growled painfully; this is what it was like to be truly hungry. I had been blessed all my life and I had not even known it.
Today was a moonless night. Septa used to proclaim moonless nights were when luck sprouted from the flowers in the valleys in Westeros. Perhaps this was one of those nights. Perhaps every night should be like this.
A rustle was heard in the leaves of the bushes surrounding me. My heart starting racing until I saw Sandor appeared through the green.
"Calm down, Little Bird, its only me. Here", as he placed a piece of bread and a sort of meat in my hands. I had never seen this type of meat, but my mouth starting watering. Before I had taken my first bite, I tore the bread and meat in half, offering it to Sandor. He grinned, refusing my offer and declared how he would be fine with a bit of wine, helping himself to some. Nero ate grass peacefully way from us, as I started to eat the bread.
The air was crisp, not as cold as the day before, but comfortable. My hair ached for the feel of the light wind, but I knew had to keep my wrapped veil on.
I soon dazed into a semiconscious state. Sandor seemed to be asleep. Or perhaps, he was just in thought. I had noticed we both dazed into these dreamy states of mind. I slowly closed my eyes, ready for sleep to take over, when, a sudden rustle of leaves sounded above in the tree towering over us.
Sandor was alert in seconds, pushing me behind him as he unsheathed his sword. The metal reflected the moons beams.
A black form moved above the trees. I started panicking, witnessing its quickness. I soon noticed it was not just a form; it was four deftly moving men.
As they fell from the tree, they swiftly commenced circling us. They were dressed in all black: black armor as dark as Nero's coat while their visors masked their faces. The lion emblem was etched into their chest plates. They were not guard, nor soldiers. These were Lannister assassins.
The first man, the largest of the men, struck first, aiming at Sandors unprotected head. Missing him by a few inches, Sandor struck him down as another assassin attacked with a small sword. The third man struck from behind Sandor, holding my neck against a dagger. Sandor quickened his pace, striking the smallest of the forms down, cutting deep into his shoulder. The fourth man was at his heels, grazing Sandors knee with his blade. He growled in pain as the assassin tried blocking Sandor's swipe. He was not as fortunate as to miss Sandors sword, as the assassins head flew through the air. The blood fell upon Sandors face as he faced the last assassin holding me tightly against his blade.
I tried pushing through his arms, but his body was twice as large as mine. I felt useless as Sandor battled for both our lives.
The assassin suddenly threw me against the grown as he threw another dagger straight at Sandors eyes. But it was of no use; Sandor blocked the attack with his own sword and sent his own blade into the side of the assassins head. The air had fallen silent once again.
Sandor growled under his breath.
"Damn them all to Hell."
He extended his bloody hand, trying to help me to my feet. His breath fell silent as swift footsteps ran toward him.
The smallest assassin rushed forward, the blood oozing from his half-attached shoulder. He was near Sandors neck in seconds, and the trembling blade would fall successfully.
I do not know what happen after those. It seems the clouds stopped moving, while the trees hushed their limbs. It was not until I glanced down at the dagger belonging to the other assassin in my hands that this was not a nightmare.
The dagger fell deep into the neck of the last assassin. His warm blood fell like a river on my fingers, dripping and staining my dress. My hands were shaking against the limp body. Sandor gently and wordlessly took my shaking limbs off of the blade, letting it fall unto the ground.
The stars took upon a scarlet hue as my scream echoed through the heavens.