An Inconvenient Flame [Sandor Clegane]

Chapter 23 - No longer Innocent

It hadn't been a very pleasant time afterwards. The rumors of the Frey's betrayal had traveled through the lands extremely quick. I had barely spoken a word to Sandor after we had broken up camp this morning. We were still too close to the towers for his liking. He had even kept his cloak on, with the hood pulled over his head.

Arya was seated in front of him on his horse, and I was on my own. Sandor had been quick to voice his distrust of Arya and me. He didn't trust us at all and feared that we would try to escape if Arya was allowed to sit with me. They had been bickering about it the entire time until we reached a forest, and voices alarmed us to the presence of others.

Four men sat around a small fire where three rabbits were cooking. The sight made my stomach curl. I was hungry without a doubt. I wanted to look away but the banner swaying in the wind at their side made me understand to which house these men were loyal. "That's house Frey." I whispered before I could stop myself.

Sandor raised an eyebrow at me but looked at the banner as well. He grunted in agreement, he had made the same conclusion. When the smell of the cooking rabbits finally reached my nostrils, I felt my mouth water. It was almost painful, and I wasn't the only one feeling like this. I could see the hunger in Sandor's eyes. Arya didn't react at all, not until the voices if the men became distinguishable. "-and that's what she sounded like. A cow in heat!" One of the men had gotten to his feet while talking.

They all laughed, apparently finding the story funny. It took me awhile to understand what precisely they were talking about but when I did, I wasn't the only one. "Aye but not for long! Black Walter shut her up right quick. None of the Starks had anything to say about that meal." One of the men laughed hysterically, giving me the last information, I needed. They had been at the twins during the weeding. They had been a part of the slaughtering of my family.

I felt my eyes burning as tears flooded them. I wanted so badly to jump down from my horse and attack them. I could imagine it. It would be an easy thing to do. I would be able to seriously injure one or two of them, but not all four. And that was what kept me seated on my horse. consumed by my thoughts I had not seen how Arya suddenly slid down from her place on Sandor's horse. It wasn't until Sandor cursed loudly. "Get back here girl!"

"Arya!" I hissed after her, but she ignored the both of us and headed directly towards the four men. I raised my gaze from Arya to them when the conversation continued between them.

"I tell you what. The hardest thing was getting that wolfs head to stay on the body!" One of them explained. It made me halt and the horse neighed, fighting against my demand. "You sewed it on? I bet anyone would say that!" They clearly didn't believe him.

None of the four men noticed Arya as she slowly approached them. It was as if time stood still because Sandor and I both waited for what she would do next. When they finally noticed Arya, one of them turned to her with an angry scowl. "What do you want?" he asked, looking her up and down, assessing whether she was a genuine threat.