It was late in the afternoon before Brienne and Podrick returned, a small elderly man on a mule riding placidly beside them. They all dismounted, Podrick holding the stranger's reins until he was down, stamping his feet and looking curiously at the Hound. "So you have returned." His round face looked a bit vacant with its wide smile, but the grey eyes above that smile were piercing with intelligence and no one made the mistake of assuming Melwys was a simple country maester. He was looking very keenly at Sandor. "I never thought to see you again after you had me bury that poor girl from King's Landing. You must know how dangerous it is for you to be here."

"Which is why I need your help." The Hound leaned forward. "We need a ship out of here. We can pay whatever you ask."

Melwys frowned. "If it were only a matter of money, but you're far too noticeable to board a ship within a hundred miles, Sandor Clegane. Your friends…" He studied the others, his eyes lingering on Sansa. "Except for Sansa Stark, I think your friends could easily find passage wherever they wanted."

Sansa gasped in terror. "How did you recognize me?"

"Recognize you?" Melwys smiled. "A red-headed lady traveling under the protection of Sandor Clegane? Of course you're Sansa Stark. It's not unknown how the fearsome Hound protected the affianced bride of Joffrey Baratheon, until luck married her to a better man."

"It should also not be unknown that the fearsome Hound deserted his post during battle and was never heard from again." There was a dangerous glint in Sandor's eyes.

Melwys held up his hands. "No offense was intended. And if this young lady were to color her hair black, I don't think anyone would give her a second glance if you were not with her. My meaning was that you, Sandor Clegane, are a danger to these people and their chances of escape are considerably lessened if you are with them."

There was a glum silence as everyone processed the truth of that statement, then Sandor said very quietly, "And if I were not with them, could you get them to safety?"

"Forget it," said Arya bluntly. "We've been together all this time and you're not leaving us now."

The Hound glared. "Were you not listening? You want to get away, don't you?" He turned his fierce eyes on Sansa. "Don't you?"

"Not without you." Sansa's face was very pale but her soft voice was firm.

Support for the sisters came from an unexpected quarter as Podrick spoke up. "Ser Clegane…"

"I'm not a bloody knight!" the Hound exploded.

Taken aback, Podrick fell silent, then plucked up his courage and said loudly, "Have it your way, Clegane. Personally I don't care what you do once we get to Tarth but until then we need you. My lady is perfectly capable of guarding these girls but if anything happened to her, I don't know if I could protect them all by myself."

Brienne regarded her squire with amusement, then turned to Melwys. "I think you have your answer."

"By the Seven!" Sandor looked around furiously. "Will I ever get to decide what I want to do with my life?"

"Not today," said Arya, matching his glare with one of her own.

"Yes, well, now that's settled, we should get to shelter." Brienne went over to her horse, the others following her lead and carefully avoiding Sandor's eyes.

All but Melwys. He went up to the Hound with the same tranquil expression he had maintained since meeting them and murmured, "That is why I never married, young man. Women run your life if you allow it."

"Aye," muttered Sandor. "I don't know why I put up with it."

"I have always been told it's worth it...if it's the right woman." Melwys met Sandor's eyes, smiling gently, then went over to his mule.

The Hound hesitated, let out a blistering stream of curses that stopped everyone in their tracks, then flung himself on Stranger. "All right, old man, since the rest of these idiots have made up their minds, do you have a place we can stay in safety while you see about a ship?"

"I'll take you to my house." Melwys turned his mule's head and the animal ambled forward as the shadows lengthened. "It's not far, and my assistant is on duty tonight, so no one will be coming for help. You'll be safe enough for a day, perhaps two. There are always ships coming and going in the bay. I should be able to book passage for all of you tomorrow if you have the money.

"We've got money." Sandor jingled the pouch of coins at his belt. "Any ideas on how to get me aboard with the others?"

"Perhaps." Melwys considered the big man. "You must be disguised, but it's not just your face, Sandor Clegane. Your height, your build, the way you move, you're obviously a soldier…" His voice trailed away for a moment, then he brightened. "Of course! The best way to disguise you is not to disguise you at all." The others looked confused and Melwys went on rapidly. "If we were to bandage your face, your whole face, and your chest and perhaps a leg, have a couple of strong lads carry you aboard ship on a stretcher, no one would look twice at you. Your friends would have to stay away from you until you were out to sea, but you would all be on the same vessel. I know just the lads, too. Emrys, our gravedigger, and his cousin, Moran."

"Can you trust them?" asked Sandor uncertainly.

"Of course! Emrys is an orphan, I raised him myself. He's like a son to me. And Moran, well, you know the saying. Strong in the arm, thick in the head. But a good boy nonetheless." Melwys gestured to a small cottage. "This is my home. You can let your horses loose in the paddock while I fix something for dinner."

He dismounted and Podrick dropped off his horse and took the mule's reins. "Allow me, sir."

"Ah, thank you, young man."

Podrick ducked his head. "It's Podrick, sir."

"Thank you, Podrick." Melwys looked around with a smile. "I shall prepare some food and find you all beds for the night. Emrys may be able to help with that…" He went off to his house while the others unsaddled and rubbed down their horses, then headed inside, looking forward to a quiet night under a real roof.