Baelish walked slowly past the travelers, barely glancing at Brienne and Podrick and Arya before pausing in front of Sansa and shaking his head. "My dear, you should have trusted me. There was no need for you to run away from the Eyrie. I would have let you go if you had asked."

"Would you?" Sansa's voice was contemptuous. "I know what you did to my father. Why would I ever trust you again?"

Baelish eyed her thoughtfully, then turned to the Hound. "Just what have you been saying about me?"

Sandor lunged forward and his guards wrestled him back. "The truth, and well you know it. You betrayed Ned Stark to his death. I was there, I saw you."

The Lord of the Vale turned away with a wearied air. "Take him out and kill him."

"NO!" Sansa ran forward and caught Baelish by the arm. "Please don't hurt him. Please. I'll…" She swallowed hard, staring at Sandor, and he gave her a murderous glare and shook his head. She looked away. "I'll do whatever you want. Just don't hurt him."

Baelish bent his head with a courtly gesture. "Of course." He nodded to a guard and the man reversed his sword and struck Sandor on the head, dropping him unconscious and bleeding at Sansa's feet. She knelt beside him and Baelish pulled her up. "He'll be all right." She hit him across the face and he laughed and pushed her at a guard. The man caught her, pinning her hands, and Baelish turned to the others. "As for the rest of you…" He shrugged. "Brienne of Tarth. I remember you. You could be quite the nuisance if you wanted, with that oath you took to protect these girls." Arya was staring at him with an expression of pure hate and he shivered mockingly. "Little Arya. I might be quite afraid of you if your strength matched your fury." His eyes moved to Podrick. "Who are you, boy?"

Podrick raised his chin. "I am Podrick Payne, squire to Lady Brienne of Tarth."

"Dear me! That sounds rather grand. I'm afraid I can't let any of you go, you know, but you'll be made comfortable until Sansa and I get to where we're going." He waved a hand and the guard holding Sansa dragged her outside. The rest of the men surrounded Baelish as he walked to the door, where he turned to survey the room. Melwys and Sandor lay senseless, Emrys was just beginning to stir, and Podrick had a protective arm around Arya while Brienne stood in front of them both. Baelish smiled slightly and murmured a few words to the guards, then went out. His men followed, slamming the door, and there was a steady thudding sound.

Brienne ran to the door, pulling at it, then beat it with her fist. "Damn it! They've nailed it shut!"

Podrick and Arya ran to the windows, only to find boards being nailed across. "They're sealing us in!" cried the squire.

Arya looked around, then disappeared into the kitchen as Sandor groaned and reached for his head. Brienne bent down to help him up and he held onto her, shaking his head to clear it. "What the fuck?"

"Baelish took Sansa," said Brienne rapidly, "and he's had the door and windows boarded up."

Arya returned from the kitchen. "I was hoping to find a window they missed." She shook her head at Brienne's hopeful expression. "It's not so bad. I did find this." She held up a heavy meat cleaver. "I think we'll be able to break out."

Podrick was starting at the ceiling in horror. "I don't think we're going to have time." A faint wisp of smoke curled down into the room, catching at their throats. "They've set fire to the roof!"

The Hound's head went around, his eyes wild with fear, and Arya dropped the cleaver and ran to him. "Sandor? Sandor!" She pushed him with all her strength, screaming his name, and he gulped and took hold of her, squeezing her arms so hard she winced with the pain of it. "Sandor, listen to me. We have to get out of here. You and Brienne can break the door down, can't you?"

"There's no need." Melwys was sitting up, leaning against his foster son Emrys and smiling weakly. "If you will all just follow me…" Emrys helped the old man up and they staggered into the kitchen, followed by Brienne and Podrick.

The Hound was frozen and Arya tugged at his hand. "Sandor, come on. Come on!" She struck at him with her fists. "Damn you, move!" she shouted. "We have to get out of here!"

He was trembling with fear but he allowed Arya to pull him into the kitchen after the others. Melwys held onto the table, blinking and coughing as the smoke thickened, while Emrys pulled up a trap door. "Down here."

Even in her desperation, Brienne was suspicious. "A root cellar?"

Melwys smiled. " A root cellar with a tunnel. I had it dug a few years ago for extra storage and Emrys made an outside door so he could come and go without me knowing."

Emrys turned red. "I wasn't doing anything wrong."

"I know, son. Let's get these people out now." Melwys held out a hand to Sandor. "You first."

The Hound shook his head. "Let him go first." His arms tightened protectively around Arya and he bent his head over hers as sparks began to fly through the air. "I'm not walking into another trap."

Melwys sighed and turned to his foster son. "Go ahead, Emrys. Take the lady and her squire with you."

The young man started down the stairs, followed by Brienne and Podrick, and Melwys turned to the Hound. "Let us go now, Sandor Clegane."

The Hound pointed to the stairs. "I'll follow you."

"Very well." Melwys went over to the stairs and walked down out of sight and Sandor loosened his sword in his sheath and followed, one arm still around Arya. The tunnel was dank and dark and the air was very hot and for a moment the Hound felt as he had when his brother pressed his face into the fire. He shuddered and Arya took his hand, holding on as tightly as she had that terrible night they escaped the Red Wedding, and the fear passed and he was able to move, and after an eternity in fire and darkness, they came out into the cold clean air of the night.