Knuckles tapped on the outside of their wooden door, awakening them from the post-meal nap they fell into. Myrna was the first to open her eyes. Another quick tap urged her to pull away from the warmth their bodies had made. Drowsily she crawled over his broad torso and at the same time he ran a hand down her waist and across her stomach as if it were a lazy attempt to keep her near. Wearing her brown trousers again made her move easier but her legs felt numb and there was a familiar pain in her back when she stood. She nearly tumbled to the door, trying to ignore her body that was telling her to stop what she was doing.

When she cracked the door open Ryler's pale, concerned face appeared. "Might I come in?" his voice shook.

"You're the elder, you needn't ask…" Myrna's voice cracked slightly from still waking up. She opened the door wider for him so he could enter and the room filled with bright afternoon light.

His eyes examined her new, or rather old, outfit but he did not comment. Other things were on his mind. By this time Sandor was sitting up on the bed and yawning. Myrna went to sit next to him after Ryler closed the door, letting out a relieved sound. Ryler leaned back against the closed door, his dark blonde hair tussled with sweat. "My mother isn't anywhere… I fear what is going on with her."

Sandor grew agitated. "You think she's hiding here? Want to check under our bed?"

Myrna scolded him with her eyes before replying to Ryler's concern. "This morning when I was speaking with Katherine we saw her leave. She told me Thalina goes into town when she is upset."

He rubbed his chin. "I suspected that. But I do not fear where she is. I fear what she is doing."

"What do you mean?" Sandor asked hoarsely.

The troubled young elder fidgeted. "I think she might be trying to find a way to get you two out of here. Even if it is by force. She knows who you are now, and everyone knows you two are wanted by the Lannisters…"

"She wouldn't do that!" Myrna exclaimed.

Sandor disagreed. "No. I could see her doing that. Perhaps it's time for us to find another place to settle down…"

"No!" Myrna yelled, now widely awake. "I'm tired of running! This was supposed to be our home!"

It was clear Ryler became uncomfortable. "Perhaps I should leave you two to discuss what would be best…" he murmured but before Ryler reached to open the door he stopped as if something was bothering him. Then he gave them a stare that almost seemed envious. "I can see I was wrong now. You two clearly belong together."

Quickly the door clicked behind him, not giving them a chance to thank him. Myrna squirmed where she sat but Sandor was still as stone. "We need to think of our safety," Sandor rasped.

"You don't understand. There's something I never told you. Something I never told anyone," she rubbed her thighs nervously.

"And what is that?" he asked sharply.

Myrna still felt the ache in her back but her legs felt normal now. It had been a long time since her legs felt that way. Not since her old childhood friend was still alive. That frightened her. "A year after I left Beaumont Hall, after the fire broke out, I was able to see a maester near Moat Cailin. It was the first one I had been able to see since I was hurt. When he examined me he told me the damage did not stop at my skin…"

He sat closer to her. "Go on."

"The maester used fancy words I did not understand. But the gist of it was that there will be a point in my life where I will be bed ridden. There is something wrong with a part of my spine, and one day my legs will stop carrying me," she explained. "One day I can't run anymore. I will be stuck where my legs give out on me."

Myrna could tell Sandor was deep in thought. He was as quiet as the house. There was no telling what he was thinking, but all she could think of was how unfair the whole situation was. In a way she had it coming for lying to Thalina and the rest of them. If anything, part of it was for their safety along with hers. If anyone knew she was Myrna Beaumont a single villager could have ratted her out a long time ago and taken the coin.

Then she wondered if Sandor was beginning to regret what they had started between them. Was he thinking about her impending disability? This was the very first time she told anyone, in fact sometimes she forgets herself that one day it would probably happen. The maester made it clear to her all those years ago that he had no clue when it would happen. At first she thought maybe the old man had no idea what he was talking about so it had left her mind for some time until of recent years. Her back had begun hurting more and more as time passed.

Putting her thoughts aside she needed to hear Sandor speak. "Listen. I would understand if you want to stop this now before we…" she began.

He pulled her in and squeezed tight. Myrna could not move. "Shut up. That's not happening," he rasped. "I just need to figure this out."

"There's nothing to figure out. I think our best bet is to just trust Thalina won't do anything and… stay."

Sandor made a disapproving growl. "Fine. We stay. For now."

"Besides, this bed has importance to me now…" Myrna smiled at him and touched his arm.

His tone lightened. "Is that so? You care to look at this face a little longer?" he asked in a husky voice, and they toppled over on the bed once again.

For the next couple days Thalina never returned. Myrna would stay with Katherine and her parents when Sandor would work out in the fields with the men. Katherine's father had an old injury in his leg and often helped out with the cook inside the village. They would end up staying in the company of her mother who seemed to be Katherine's twin. They even spoke in the same annoying mannerism. The current talk of the village was actually about Ryler, and Katherine was becoming increasingly worried about him. The two of them would not stop speaking of him.

Every day that passed Ryler seemed more distant. Myrna greeted him the fourth morning after Thalina's disappearance and he did not even acknowledge her. He walked like an old man with his lame leg past her doorway, staring straight ahead at nothing. Ryler seemed to not even to bother to comb his hair and he wore the same clothes for the past couple days. His walks had no destination. He threaded through the small village as if looking for something but he just kept walking. Ryler's current state truly frightened Katherine.

"What will my parents think? Would they call off our wedding if they continue to see Ryler like this?" she ranted.

Myrna was helping her scrub the pots and dishes from their mid-day meal. It was their turn, and some of the women from the village who did not want to return to their houses stayed to socialize under the cook's tent. A storm had rolled in and there was a wall of rain around them. Some disobedient children ran off to play in the rain but no one bothered to gather them. Katherine's mother was part of the group of noisy women, being the center of gossip. Like mother like daughter.

"I did not think you two were officially betrothed yet." Myrna replied to her question, trying not to pry into the conversation going on next to them.

"No, but it will happen! But now… what if it won't? Oh, I wish Ryler would go back to his old ways…" she sulked as she scrubbed. "His smile… I miss his smile… and how gentle his words are."

Trying her best not to roll her eyes, Myrna took the clean dishware out of her water bin and set them out to dry. She took a second to stand still and stretch. Her back ached again today and standing for this long was not helping. Without warning two children ran inside, almost knocking down the table that held the dishes. "Be careful!" Myrna scolded. While giving the children a disapproving glare she wiped her hands on her trousers and made her way back to Katherine's side. Ever since Myrna went back to her old clothing she could see Katherine's disapproval.

"I thought that pretty ruby stood out nice amongst your dress. Now it even stands out even more with… that," she looked Myrna up and down with her green eyes. "And not in a good way."

In secret Myrna had been trying to get her maiden's blood off her dress. It was embarrassing so she had not told anyone the truth about what happened to it. Ever since she lost her maidenhood she felt like people might be able to look at her and see something had happened. It was surreal that something so big could happen in one's life but nothing really changed from it. Perhaps I always made too much of a big deal about it… she thought. I was silly then and I am still silly now.

Today Myrna had her own troubles on her mind. Sandor and the men had gathered enough harvest from the fields surrounding their village and went to town today to do some trading. When he announced what the plan was today Myrna almost begged him to stay. Thalina was still in Fairmarket and she worried what would happen if he ran into her. He assured her an old, fragile lady had nothing on him. Since he left Myrna had been very impatient on his return. It was not exactly Thalina she feared but her word spreading of them being in the area. There was probably still good coin on their heads and people willing to take it.

"By the Gods, who is that?" they heard Katherine's mom call out from the group.

The group of women stood up and the children stopped playing so they could stand by their mothers. Myrna and Katherine stopped scrubbing to see what was happening. Riders made their entry mounted on large stallions. The first was a round man with barely any hair. His legs were hardly long enough to reach the stirrups on his horse. Behind him was about a handful of men. One wore a shaggy red beard and another with short brown hair that seemed barely a man. Myrna assumed he was younger than even she was but the frown he wore on his face made him look older. There was a man right behind them, cloaked entirely in black that matched his black stallion. Fear struck her like a lightning bolt and Myrna slowly took a few steps back so Katherine would block their view of her.

These are Gregor's pets, she realized. They found me.

The door to Thalina's house opened and Ryler stepped out into the rain with his usual limp. He was soaked almost immediately. It would seem the threat to his village sparked some life back into the young elder. "What brings you lot to my village?" he had to shout over the roar of the rain.

It was the heavy set man in front of the group of bandit-looking men that answered. "We're looking for Myrna Beaumont. Give her up and we'll leave as peacefully as we came."

Some men snickered behind him and Ryler squinted his eyes at them through the rain when he replied. "There is no one here by that name."

"Don't play stupid, boy. Your mother sent us. We know Myrna is here."

Sandor was right, Myrna thought as she felt a twist in her gut. The commotion led to the few men left in the village to back up Ryler, including Katherine's father. "If our elder says no one by that name is here, he means it."

The leader disapproved of that comment. He lifted a finger as if giving a signal and something dashed right before their eyes. An arrow from the back of the group flew through the men, and it appeared it was the man cloaked in black that had released the shot. Katherine's father's eyes bulged out of his head, his hand grasping at his chest with the end of the arrow sticking out of it. Ryler just stood there, mouth gaping open.

"Papa!" Katherine squealed as Myrna roughly put a hand over her mouth to stop her from making noise but that would not matter. The women and children next to them started screaming and scattering.

Myrna tugged on the crying girl. "Hurry, before they see us!" she ordered.

The two of them whirled around the edge of the tent and dashed into the rain and tried to find a place to hide. The shrieks of women and children were loud behind them as they ran towards the middle lane where most of the local's houses sat, including hers. Katherine was already dragging behind, her salmon colored skirt now a darker pink hue from soaking in the rain and making it difficult for her to run.

"Where are those two going!? Get after 'em!" they heard the bald man cry out.

Katherine collapsed, slipping out of Myrna's hands. Myrna saw the man walk towards them from around the tent where they were just standing under. The only way Myrna could tell Katherine was sobbing was from her wails; the rain blended in with her tears. She stared down at Katherine, back at the leader of Gregor's men approaching them quickly, then back down at Katherine.

The heavy-set bald man gawked at them once he was only a couple steps away and stopped walking. "You! Dark-haired wench! Tell me your name!"

Myrna knelt down and held the girl. They had no hope of escaping, not like this. All she could do was hope that if she cooperated people would be spared. "I am Myrna Beaumont."

Katherine's cries slightly diminished as she gave Myrna a confused stare. She still had not known about her true identity just like the others. "Oi, lads! I found her! I fucking found her!" he hooted back at them as if he just scored a winning, and she could see rain trail down the back of his hairless head.

Katherine's green eyes reminded her of another she had betrayed. Roughly she pushed Myrna away, and she landed on her rear onto the muddy dirt below them. Myrna could not hold in a pained yell from her back feeling the impact. "Who are you? What have you done to my village!?" she demanded.

Before Myrna had the chance to answer Katherine screamed as the man came from behind her and grabbed her wet golden hair. He used her hair to throw her off to the side. "Touch boss's lady again and we'll turn you to fresh meat!" he threatened as the other men began to regroup behind him. Their eyes were all on her like she was some trophy.

The one with the red beard gave an ugly grin as he barely had any teeth left in his mouth. "Aye, she can't be touched. And a shame, that is."

"The fuck you guys standing around for? Start gathering these shitters up so we can get going," the bald leader ordered.

Gather? Myrna wondered. Am I not the only one they are taking?

Katherine lied crying on the ground, face down in the dirt and her dress more brown than pink after being shoved. The man with the red beard yanked her by her arm which made her cry out harder. His response was to use his other hand to smack her across the face.

"Stop!" Myrna hollered from the spot where she still sat.

"He'll stop when she stops being a bitch. Come now," the leader went and yanked her to her feet as well.

"No! I can't leave yet!" Myrna argued. When she stood she noticed the rain had softened to a drizzle.

The bald man sneered at her. "Why's that? Forget your dress?"

Myrna put her shoulders back. "Well, I… um…"

"She wants to wait on her man's return," Katherine squealed on her. "He's off at Fairmarket."

"Your man?" he choked with surprise. "Oh, boss isn't going to like this. All the more reason to get going! And hopefully your man doesn't catch up with us." Then he stopped and stared at her chest. Myrna instinctively looked down to see what caught his eye and saw her ruby pendant. He approached her but she was too stubborn to back away. Then his hand quickly nabbed the pendant, breaking it off her neck.

She gasped and tried to grab it back but he was too quick. "What are you doing!? That's mine!"

"I'm betting your man gave this to you. This will only make it more difficult for you to get over him," he smiled and gave a wink to Red Beard who chuckled himself as he held a firm grip on a bewildered Katherine.

Myrna did not notice the boy with the heavy frown was standing amongst them until he spoke. "You still a maid?" he asked out of the blue.

Even though she thought that was a rude question she felt compelled to answer. Every one of Gregor's men had their eyes on her and they seemed rather serious for the type of men they seemed to be. "No," she replied.

They all looked like they had received the worst news in their lives. For once they remained silent. It was awhile before Myrna had heard them speak. Red beard continued to roughly lead Katherine towards the exit they came in. The stallions they dismounted after Myrna and Katherine ran were still grouped together outside the cook's tent. There Myrna saw the black cloaked man still mounted on his stallion, herding the women and children of the village like sheep. It was clear he was skilled with an arrow and if anyone would try to make a run for it they would not survive the attempt.

"Ryler!" Katherine howled. He laid on the ground next to her father and the rest of the men who had stayed behind from the trip to Fairmarket. There was one other man Myrna did not know too well who had an arrow in his chest but the rest were killed with steel. Ryler had a gash across his stomach and blood had poured from his mouth before he died. When Myrna walked past him it were as if his cold gray eyes watched her. "Rylerrrrr!" Katherine continued to scream until she had another smack across her face from Red Beard. Myrna winced and felt a flash of anger.

"Why?" Myrna asked the leader who handled her. "This was the son of the woman who hired you."

He wouldn't respond. The leader had a sour look on his face. When they approached his stallion he was the first to mount, then he made Myrna ride double with him. At first she wanted to run, but when she turned her head she was met with the cloaked man from afar reaching for his bow. When they were set to leave they did not leave as quickly as they came. They had to make sure the women and children of the village followed them. They led the group on his stallion and she would occasionally peek around his fat body to see them. They were wet and cold but knew better than to complain. The two children who had nearly knocked into her earlier now clutched to their mother. Myrna recognized the clothing she had hemmed at Thalina's just a few days ago but now they were soaked and filthy. Katherine doubled with Red Beard and she stared lifelessly at her mother who walked with the group miserably.

Riding double with this man made Myrna uncomfortable. It was nothing like when she had rode Stranger with Sandor. He breathed hard and he had a horrible odor. There was hardly any room for Myrna despite how skinny she was because his stomach took up so much room. Even when Myrna looked ahead at the wall of fog that had rolled in she could feel him stare at her. She longed for Sandor. If he were there he'd kill them all for her.

It was when she started to wonder how long they were going to be riding when they followed a small trail that led up to a small, isolated inn on top of a hill. Beyond the hill and around them was more white fog slowly creeping through and Myrna was unable to tell which direction they had been traveling. Wherever they were heading she knew Gregor was going to show up. Once in front of the inn their stallions stopped and Myrna ignored the leader as he had trouble getting off his horse from being so huge. Red Beard made a jape at him but the leader held his tongue. Once Myrna was finally able to climb down Red Beard and the others led the women and children into the small inn. Myrna wondered how they all were going to fit in there.

"You get in there. I need to find a place for these fucking horses," the leader ordered. Myrna gave a mean glare before obeying. Everyone was inside when she walked in through the door. Her trousers and tunic and undershirt were sticking to her skin from the rain. The clothes she wore started to become cakey from the mud on them. While observing the inn she wrung out her black curls. Apparently the owners of the inn were not expecting them, and Gregor's men had no intention of paying. The people who ran the inn were a middle aged couple, and the husband tried arguing but he would not be heard. Gregor's men had weapons while they had nothing. There was no way to argue without losing his head. The wife rubbed her temples as the husband touched her in a reassuring way, gently touching her waist as he spoke to her.

There were a few tables in the large room in front but they were pushed to one side so the villagers had a place to sleep. One child was beginning to cry when their mother tried to hush them. Katherine was finally reunited with her mother and they held each other as they sat. Her mother rubbed Katherine's back as she sobbed quietly into her mother's neck. After taking a step towards them she stopped to think. It's not right for me to sit with them, she thought. First Tysa, and now the rest of them. It's all my fault.

The door behind her opened up and it made her jump. It was the leader and he gave her a cautious eye when he went to sit with his fellow brothers. They sat on tables and benches where they had moved them. Red Beard and the boy drank with each other while the cloaked man sat off by himself near the hearth of the fireplace inside the inn. Wanting to warm up and perhaps get some answers she decided to walk over to him.

Cautiously she approached the man. He sipped out of a wineskin before he noticed her standing there. The last time she had seen this man was at the inn at Maidenpool with Shitmouth, the man her and Sandor killed so they could have coin to use the ferry. His face was still a mystery to her and her curiosity grew. "Mind if I join you?" she asked.

He made a gesture next to him and Myrna sat crossed leg not too far and not too near him. Once seated she did not know what to say. Her gaze was drawn to the villagers. They had begun speaking softly amongst each other. It was the most noise they had made since they had been taken from their village.

"So, how's the Hound?" the mysterious man asked a question.

Myrna blinked. "How do you know I was with him?"

"You had quite the fight way back when with one of our men. All to save that grumpy guard dog," he replied and pulled down his hood.

She gasped. "You… It's…. You!" Myrna leaned forward as she tried to make sense of who was sitting in front of her. "You're from the Brotherhood! You tried stealing my dagger!"

The man grinned and it was a warm and genuine grin. "Let me refresh your mind. I'm Anguy. The best archer you'd ever meet."

Even though his smile would have been easily contagious she refused to smile with him. "I thought you and your Brotherhood wanted Gregor dead. You almost killed Sandor and me because of it. Why are you working for him now?"

Anguy bobbed his head as if he held in a laugh. "Oh, if only we could tell you everything that is going on. But, alas, I cannot. Boss would have my head if you found out."

"Boss? So you really are one of Gregor's men now? Is it just you or the entire Brotherhood now!?" she demanded to know.

He looked down at his wineskin and changed the subject. "Why don't you give me another look at that dagger you have? It sure was some pretty steel."

Myrna groaned, but her eyes went wide when she patted herself. Then she stood up. "Oh no… oh no, oh no…"

"Hm? What, did you forget it?" he asked honestly.

"We have to go back!" she started marching but Anguy stood up halfway and grabbed her arm. He shook his head and she knew she had no choice.

He sighed. "Sorry, lass. Trust me, in time you will know what is going on. Why don't you get some rest now? There is a room waiting for your taking in the back corner. No one will bother you there, I promise."

The fire crackled next to them. She stared at it. "I know what is going on. Gregor is waiting for me."

His grip loosened on her and he went back to sit down. She felt ignored and she felt tired. Myrna decided on taking the offer and finding her room. In order to make it to the back rooms she had to pass by the villagers. When she neared they quieted their conversations and stared at her. There was no doubt they blamed her. Katherine and her mother had identical cruel stares. While Myrna had access to a mattress these people had to sleep on the cold wooden floorboards. She picked up her pace so she could tear away from their judging eyes. They had every right to be furious at her.

There were three doors in a short hallway with a window at the end of it. Myrna opened the closest one and found an empty, dark room. With her arms stretched out she wandered in and ran into something low and made out of wood. Walking around it she finally found the bed and crawled on top of it. Myrna did not like the dark but she did not know if there were any candles in the room or if she would be able to light any if she did. Instead of falling asleep her mind ran. Did Sandor run into trouble as well in Fairmarket? Or is he going to find the remains of the village? Will he think I'm dead? All she wanted was to lay next to him once more. There was no way of telling if she would see him again.

"Please find me, Sandor…" she whispered to herself.