An Inconvenient Flame [Sandor Clegane]

Chapter 53 - The long night

A silence had fallen over Winterfell as night claimed the lands. The news that the dead would be here before morning had cast a shroud of anticipation and fear over everyone. I could feel it whenever I passed by people.

Jon had ordered for us to get some rest before they would be here, but how would anybody be able to sleep when they knew what was lying ahead, approaching rapidly as each minute passed. A shiver coursed through me when I excited out onto the wall of Winterfell. From here I could see the trenches that had been dug around the castle, it was there to keep the dead out for as long as possible.

It was the Night King all this revolved around, he had to show himself. We had to kill him to get the dead to stop, otherwise there would properly be no hope left for us. I had been quite consumed with my own hopelessness to notice who sat on the ground not far from me, it wasn't until the voices reached me that I noticed.

"When was the last time you fought for anyone beside yourself?" Arya's words clearly reached my ears through the silent night. Arya still thought Sandor to be extremely selfish. But then again, she hadn't seen the selfless side of him like I had. Sandor groaned before he looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "I fought for you, didn't I?" He asked, sounding a bit defeated.

I felt my chest tighten as I recalled all those moments where Sandor saved either of us. "Argh-for fucks sake." Sandor cursed loudly when he noticed me. However, it hadn't only been because of me that he cursed, Beric had just stepped out behind me. "It might as well be a bloody wedding." Sandor growled and it made me smile before we both approached them.

"My lady. I regret the way we parted." Beric ignored Sandor and spoke only to Arya who looked quite unimpressed with the man as I sat down opposite of the two. Sandor's gaze shifted between the two before he asked with a mug expression. "Was he on your list?" Sandor pointed at Beric, apparently he had just come to the conclusion.

"For a little while." Arya replied and Sandor released a barking laughed. It made me smile as well when Beric sat down next to me and reached for the wine sack in Sandor's hands. Sandor gave it to him quite reluctantly.

"That's alright. The lord of light has brought us all together all the same. This is his moment." Beric begun, making me raise an eyebrow. I hoped he wasn't going to preach a whole lot. I still believed in the old gods and not in the Lord of Light. If there were any gods. Brother Ray had made me believe that there was something, I just doubted what it was precisely.

"Thoros isn't here anymore." Sandor groaned and raised an eyebrow at Beric. "So I hope you're not about to give a sermon. Cause if you are, the lord of light is gonna wonder why he brought you back 19 times just to watch you die when I chuck you over this fucking wall." Sandor gestured to the wall behind him.

It all made me laugh and sit up properly but Arya also moved when I did. She stood up and turned to leave us without a word. "Where are you going?" Sandor barked after her and we all looked at her.