Gravedigger II

On the first night, while the Little Bird and her "mother" were tending to the girl he stayed outside the cabin, listening and watching them work through a gap in one of the windows. While he was certain that the dark-haired girl was the Little Bird – he couldn't have mistaken her for anyone in the world, after all – she seemed different, changed somehow. The way she behaved, so calm and collected even in such a difficult task was a stark contrast to her previous self, always frightened and vulnerable. It was only when she sang for the little girl that he was able to see something of her old self: the pull to comfort those in suffering, like she did to him when she sang the Mother's Hymn amidst the green fire of the battle on that fateful night.

When all was done and the Little Bird stepped outside the cabin, he retreated even more to the shadows. When she left with brother Narbert he watched her, and for a brief moment their eyes locked and although she couldn't see his, covered by the cowl of his monastic attire, he saw a glimpse of something in hers… It didn't last long, for she retreated to the kitchens with brother Narbert, leaving him and the Elder Brother alone. The older monk broke the silence:

"You can come out now, brother."

Sandor didn't realize he has been caught. Grunting, he stepped out of the shadows and said:

"I am not a bloody brother"

"Yes, I am aware of that" the old monk said. "So, are you going to tell me what is happening here or not?"

Sandor sighed and shook his head, before saying:

"It is her. The healer's daughter, I mean… Alysanne or whatever… she is the Little Bird. She is Sansa Stark"

The Elder Brother looked at him quizzically for a moment, seemingly doubting him. Sandor couldn't blame him: if he hadn't seen her in person, he wouldn't believe either. After all, the last he heard about the Little Bird was that she disappeared after helping her husband murder King Joffrey. Who would believe that she was living in the Riverlands, under the guise of a healer's daughter? That was an outcome neither of them was expecting, to say the least.

"Are you sure?" The Elder Brother asked "I thought that Sansa Stark had red hair, like her Tully mother. This girl has black hair…"

"It is her, I am sure. She must have dyed her hair or something, but it is her. I know for sure"

The Elder Brother pondered over his words for a moment, before he spoke:

"And how Sansa Stark became a healer in the Riverlands?"

"That remains to be known. But it is her"

"And what do you plan to do now, Sandor Clegane?"

The question caught him of guard. He certainly didn't expect to meet the Little Bird again. Sure, he wanted to: the thought of seeing her again has always been on the back of his mind after he left her, but he never really planned much further than that. What should he do? Apologize? And for what? For not being a knight in shining armor when she desperately needed one? For not helping her against the lions? For putting a knife to her throat and demanding a song? For leaving her alone to face the outcome of the battle? For her marriage to the Imp? His head was spinning, but he didn't have an answer to Elder Brother's question:

"I don't know" he answered honestly.

"Well, then it is a good thing she thinks you are a brother. She didn't recognize you, that should give you time to think about it."

Sandor didn't answer. He was relieved she didn't know it was him, for he could at least avoid the confrontation with the Little Bird. But there was a part of him longing to know how she would react upon seeing him. "Of course she will cower and flee, your bloody fool" he thought. "What do you think? That she would run into your arms like a maiden in a bloody song? She barely could stand you before, how else would she react after what you did that night?". The Elder Brother was speaking again, but Sandor barely registered, so lost in thoughts as he was:

"What?"

"I was saying that maybe you should retire for the night. Go to bed, think about it. I will see if Lyara needs anything"

Sandor nodded and retreated. He knew, though, that he wasn't going to sleep that night, at all. The Little Bird haunted most of his dreams even before. Now that she was there, so close to him it would be no different. "It will be a long night" he thought, while he made his way back to the cloisters.

The next morning, he didn't see the Little Bird at all. She and Lyara spent the whole night and most of the day tending to the girl, inside the cabin, while the brothers would bring them meals and the herbs they needed. He spent the whole day drinking and grunting, and that night he went to bed, drunk like a pig. Sandor woke up the next day with a fine headache and way moodier than usual. He had a restless drunken dream the night before, and woke up with thoughts of the Little Bird plaguing him. So, he decided to dig. His work mostly kept him busy, and helped him to vent his anger. He was viciously digging and pondering about his situation when he heard the Bird's voice:

"Good morning, brother." She chirped. He was caught by surprise. Moments before he was thinking of her, and almost like his thoughts conjured her somehow, there she was. He didn't know what to do or say, but he remembered that he still had his hood on, and he could just as easily avoid saying anything, under the pretense that he made a bloody silence vow. But he had to acknowledge her somehow, he realized, because he was a bloody "brother", and therefore could not behave like a rude bastard. He turned at her direction and nodded, before continuing his work. He could sense she was still there. "What does she want?" he thought. The Little Bird spoke again.

"The girl is faring better now. We arrived just in time. Since you were the one sent to fetch mother and I, I think you could also take some credit in saving her life"

"Yes, that would make for a bloody change, wouldn't? Saving a girl's life instead of ruining it?" he thought, but said nothing. He just continued working, while the Little Bird sat upon a rock nearby. A tense silence fell for a moment, interrupted only the sound of the shovel ravishing the ground. "We are alone now" he thought. "I could tell her. I could say something, or even take of the hood and show her my ugly face". But he never worked up the courage to reveal himself. It was so strange: he was a warrior, a fierce one. He was afraid of nothing but fire, and yet he didn't have the courage to face her. "That's because you feel guilty" he thought. He never felt guilty about any of the terrible thinks he had done before: while he was traveling with the little She-Wolf she would ramble about the butcher boy he killer, and he never felt anything about it but annoyance. The boy meant nothing to him, no one he ever hurt had ever meant anything to him, but the Little Bird was something else. She was, after all, his deepest regret.

After a few moments she retreated, and he was left alone with his thoughts. He knew it wasn't right to keep her in the dark like that: she had a right to know he was there, alive and well. She deserved something from him: if not an apology, at least the chance to scream at him and beat him for all he has done to her. "Like hell she would do that" he thought. The Little Bird he remembered wouldn't ever do such a thing, even to a brute like him. But then again, she wasn't exactly like the Little Bird she remembered.

That night he had half a mind to drink himself to sleep again, but the Elder Brother called him, so he postponed that plan. He found him in the Hermit's Hole, praying:

"You summoned me" he said, and the Elder Brother turned to him.

"Indeed, I did" he said. "Have you made your mind about your… situation?"

Taking a seat, Sandor shrugged and answered:

"As I matter of fact, I didn't."

"So you have no idea what to do?"

"I was thinking about drink and denial, actually"

The Elder Brother chuckled at that, before answering.

"You know, you are a better man than you give yourself credit for, Sandor Clegane"

"Oh, I know lots of people who would disagree. Including that girl"

Since his arrival at the island, he would often come to the cave to talk to the Elder Brother. They spoke at length, and about many things. Sandor never held anything back, never sparing the Brother even the most disturbing details of his tale. He told about everything that he had done, and yet somehow the Elder Brother liked to insist that there was goodness in him.

"That remains to be seen" the Elder Brother continued "but since you can't seem to make a decision about that, I might as well interfere. I have a task for you"

"A task? What kind of task?"

"Lyara will remain here for a few more days, to make sure the girl fully recovers. But 'Alysanne' needs to return home. I want you to escort her, that's all."

Sandor got up quickly, chuckling nervously while shaking his head.

"You want me to take her back home? Me, of all people?"

"Yes" the Elder Brother answered, in a calm voice. Sandor started to pace around, his anger boiling in the surface.

"You know how I feel about this. You fucking know!" he shouted

"I do, indeed"

"Then why? Why the fuck you want to do this? You know I can't…"

"All that I know is that you need to do something about that girl…"

"I can't…"

"Yes, you can, you are just afraid!" the Elder Brother said, in a firm and commanding tone Sandor never heard before. He remembered the Elder Brother was a soldier in the past, but that part of him seemed to be long buried since he met him. It was a surprise to see that side of the old monk. After a few moments the Elder Brother continued, in a warmer tone: "You know there are unsolved things between you and the girl, and the only way to put your past to rest and heal is facing them"

"What if I don't want to heal? What if I want to stay like this forever?"

"Well, that would be your choice, of course. I cannot force you to do this. The decision is all yours. But I can advise you, and my advice is: talk to her."

Sandor didn't answer. The Elder Brother continued:

"I will not force you to do this. If you don't want to go, then don't. I will send someone else to take her home. But if you are willing, she wants to leave at first light. You just have to be there by then."

Sandor nodded and left without a word. Part of him felt betrayed, but there was another, bigger part that knew the Elder Brother was right. The ghost of Sansa Stark would haunt him forever if he didn't do anything about it. So the next morning he was up and ready to go an hour before sunrise. He saddled Stranger, fed him and patted him. He thought he could saddle her mare, so she wouldn't have to share a saddle with him, and bring her back to the Isle afterwards, but then he remembered the Little Bird was an awful rider and decided it was best for her to ride with him. "That's just it. No ulterior motive" he said to himself. The Little Bird arrived shortly after, already cloaked and carrying her belonging. She didn't seem surprised to see him, and greeted him like the polite little lady she was. He raised her to the saddle before mounting.

The ride back to the healer's house proved to be even harder than the previous. Not only he had to feel her slim body so close to his own, but the Little Bird decided to chirp all the way back, as if trying to enroll him in conversation, even though he was supposed to be one of the so called "silent brothers". He listened her rambling about herbs and medicine and all of the wonderful things that she learned, and how she expected to become a great healer one day. He didn't say a word, but that didn't seem to damp her enthusiasm. When they arrived at the village, he stopped and dismounted, for the Little Bird was supposed to buy some supplies before going home. He followed her around while she went on her business. When she was done, they went to the Inn where she would deliver some tonics in exchange for fresh food. The innkeeper greeted her:

"Alysanne, dear, ya back. What did ya bring this time?"

"I have some tonics here. This one if to bring down a fever, and this is for stomach aches. What do you have for me?"

"Hah, just what I need. I have cheese and wine for ya, lass. Bessa will prepare them. Wanna a drink while ya wait?"

"Aye, that would be fine"

"How's old Lyara, heh?" the innkeeper asked while pouring wine on horn cups for the Little Bird and Sandor.

"She is fine. We went to the Quiet Isle to tend to a patient. She will remain there for a while, but I am to return home"

"Good, that's good. Lyara is a fine lass"

"She is. Oh, how's Lilly? I don't see her"

"Oh, she is fine. She is with her sister today. Now, lass, I need to go. I have patrons to tend to. Help yourself, aye?"

"Thank you, Eyrik."

The innkeeper nodded and went on with his business, leaving him and the Little Bird alone. It wasn't impossible not to realize how much she changed: Sandor never thought he would see the Little Bird so comfortable in such an environment. She was raised as a sheltered little lady, always having someone to tend to her and do her bidding, and there she was, conducting business with innkeepers as if she did that her whole life. Sandor was amazed, and willing to learn exactly how much Sansa had changed since they parted ways.

The girl seemed to be at ease, but Sandor had been a soldier his whole life, and that part of him never really left. His instincts told him something was off, so he surveyed the place, looking for potential threats. And then he saw a group of three soldiers sitting on a table nearby, suspiciously looking at them. His hand went for his sword, but he remembered he didn't have one, not since he started to pose as a brown brother. He cursed under his breath, remembering that he even left the knife he uses to carry on Stranger's saddle. After a while one of the soldiers approached and Sandor tensed, readying himself for what was to come. The guy stopped and looked at Sansa:

"I know you. You are her, right? The girl we are looking for"

"What?" she asked turning to face him, and when she saw his face her eyes grew big. "She recognizes him" Sandor thought. The girl was clutching her dress tighly. "Whoever he is, she is afraid" he thought.

The Little Bird shook her head, saying:

"I have no idea what you are talking about, ser"

"Oh, you do. You know who I am, girl. Your father sent me, along with many others, to look for you. I don't know what the hell happened or why you fled, but I am sure he can forgive you, if you come back with us now"

"Clearly you have mistaken me for someone else…"

"Look, girl, I don't have time…" he started, but was interrupted by a large blonde woman who arrived with a satchel and said:

"Here, Alysanne. I put everything in there for ya. That should last you a moon or so, if ya need more just come by. Oh…" she said, in a hushed tone "I put some bread for ya there as well. Just don't tell Eyrik, ya know the old boar is stingy as hell"

"Thank you, Bessa. Tell Lilly I came by."

"Aye, lass, I will."

"Now, if you excuse me, ser, I have to return home. My mother is waiting for me. Have a good day" she said with a nod, and hurried outside. Sandor followed her, intrigued. The soldier said her father was looking for her, but her father had been dead for years now. One of the soldiers had the falcon of house Arryn painted over his shield. But Lysa Arryn was dead, and her sickly son was just a child. It was no secret that Littlefinger was commanding the Vale. Then realization dawned upon him "Of course. That fucker…" Sansa's disappearance, shortly after Joffrey's murder, had to be Littlefinger's doing. That's where she had been hiding, until she somehow escaped. "She doesn't seem so keen to go back". And she wouldn't. Sandor would make sure of that. When they reached Stranger he hurriedly strapped her satchel to the saddle, before mounting with her. He put Stranger into a fast pace, wanting to put as much distance between them as possible. "That won't work" he thought. "They just have to ask some questions in the village and then they will be flocking to her cabin in no time". He would have to worry about it later. First, he had to get her home safely.

The Little Bird was trembling all along. She was silent all the way back to her home, and Sandor wondered what Littlefinger had done to make her so afraid. He had no love for Littlefinger: after all, the fucker was the greatest liar he ever met, and Sandor hated liars. And the way Baelish used to look at Sansa never escaped Sandor's notice. She was the spitting image of her mother, and it was common knowledge how Littlefinger had been so smitten with Catelyn Tully that he challenged an experienced Stark warrior to a duel. The outcome couldn't have been worst for Littlefinger: not only had he lost the love of his life, but he was also humiliated. Maybe he wanted Sansa as a surrogate for her mother. Could it be that was why she fled him? Nonetheless, there was no use wondering now. First, get Little Bird home. Then, deal with the fuckers, including Littlefinger.

It didn't take long before they arrived at the cabin. Sandor dismounted and helped the Little Bird out of the saddle, giving her all of her belongings before mounting again. He was certain those soldiers would come after her, which meant he had to go after them first. The Little Bird seemed to snap out of a trance when he kicked Stranger's flank, for she screamed after him:

"Wait! Please, wait!"

He stopped, not turning at her direction. She approached him and said:

"Please, who are you? Please, tell me, ser"

He smiled at her choice of words, although she couldn't see him. He looked down at her, and said, before riding away:

"I am no ser, Little Bird".

He didn't turn to see her. There was no point looking back now, for he had to concentrate on the task ahead. They rode fast, so they had to be at least a few minutes ahead of the soldiers of the Vale. They would come from the main road, for sure: it was the fastest way, and besides they didn't have to avoid been seen. There was a clearing less than a mile away from the cabin, he remembered. If he was smart enough, he could take them. He didn't really have any good weapon, but he had to improvise: the knife he carried could be strapped into a wood branch, making it into a lance of sorts. If he could surprise them, and get at least one of them with the lance, then Stranger could take care of another one, leaving him to fight the remaining man. Yes, they were better equipped, but Sandor wasn't called the Hound for nothing. He hurried through his preparations, removed his cowl to better see, chose a hiding spot for his and another one for Stranger, and waited. A few moments later, he heard the noise of hooves. The only problem was… there were four of them, not three, as he assumed.

That was a game change. But he had no other choice. Those bastards were coming for the Little Bird, and he was the only thing standing between them and her. And he would not fail her again, not matter what. His blood was boiling, and he had a death grip on his lance. He could see them approaching, but waited until they were so close that he wouldn't miss. One of them, the one who spoke to Sansa, was riding in the front, with a red-haired man riding at his side. The others followed on foot, probably squires or something. When they reached his range distance, he threw his makeshift lance at the fist soldier, hitting him in the neck. It took only a moment for the others to realize what had happened, but soon they were drawing their weapons. Sandor whistled and Stranger came at charging speed at one of the riders, knocking him to the ground. "Two down, two more to go" he thought. He charged at the direction of the fallen soldier, and took his sword. It wasn't as broad as his previous one, but it would do the trick. While Stranger was stomping upon one the soldiers, Sandor was left to face the remaining two:

"You know who I am, right? You heard about the burnt Clegane dog"

"You… you should be dead"

"Aye, I should. And soon you will be"

They both launched at the same time, but Sandor masterfully avoided their strikes, managing to wound one of them in the process. "That should slow him down a bit" he thought. The other, a young and trembling boy, tried unsuccessfully to launch an attack at Sandor. "He is just a lad, doesn't even know what he is doing" he thought. The boy tried to attack again, but was way too slow, giving Sandor a breach to slice open his abdomen. He fell to the ground, screaming. When Sandor turned to face the other soldier, he felt a pang of pain into his side. He grabbed his throat and growled, throwing him to the floor. There was a cut in his belly, bleeding profusely.

"Please, don't…" the soldier screamed, before Sandor slashed him open.

After it was done, he surveyed the scene before him: they were all pretty much dead, except for the one Stranger stomped over, who was still breathing, but barely. Sandor gave him the gift of mercy, not wanting to risk. He mounted Stranger and tried to follow the other two horses, finding them by the river nearby. After some time, he managed to tie the two of them to Stranger's saddle, returning with the three horses to the glade. He knew he couldn't leave the bodies like that, so he started to work: he tossed two of the bodies onto Stranger's saddle, and the remaining two at the saddle of their horses. The pain Sandor was feeling was excruciating, but it was vital that no bodies would be left to tell the tale, especially so close to the cabin. Sandor knew that eventually Sansa would have to leave, that it wouldn't be safe for her to stay there, but for now she would be fine. He returned to her house, tripping all over. His wound was bleeding profusely, and he felt weaker with every step. If he managed to get back to the Little Bird, she would know how to fix him. His wound was hurting so much he could barely stand, but he was so close now. He finally saw the front of the little cabin, just as his forces were about to fade away. Suddenly the front door swung open, while the Little Bird ran into him.

"Sandor!" she screamed.

"Little Bird…" he said, just as the world went black. Her scream of terror was the last thing he heard before falling into the void.