An Inconvenient Flame [Sandor Clegane]

Chapter 26 - Dead men don't need silver

I had slept better than I had done for a long time. When I stirred waking up, I stretch my arms over my head, quickly getting the sleep out of my body. I pushed myself up onto my elbow and looked around. Sandor wasn't here anymore, it was only Arya and me. I gasped and spun around trying to find him. His armor parts were gone as well but before I could get up from the hay, screaming alarmed me of something happening outside.

Arya jerked upright, pushing herself up with her hands. She looked around as well, looking quite surprised for a moment. When her eyes found mine, another scream made us both get up onto our feet again. Arya grabbed her sword before she followed me outside.

The sight that met us both was Sandor briefly kneeling before the farmer lying on the ground. I saw the bag of silver in Sandor's hands when he stood up and turned away. "What did you do?" Arya screamed when she dared move toward the farmer and his daughter. The look she carried when looking at Sandor wasn't entirely unknown, most looked at him like that. There was genuine hate.

My gaze shifted between the farmer and his daughter, and Sandor who walked away. "Sandor!" I yelled after him when Arya's yell didn't gain anything from him. This time Sandor halted. He lowered the silver in his hands before he turned halfway around to look at us. I dared look at the farmer again, but he only pulled his daughter closer to him. It was then I noticed the wound on his forehead. "Why?" I asked and returned my gaze to Sandor.

"Get your horses saddled." Sandor ordered when Arya decided to run to him. Her anger were boiling.

"You told me you weren't a thief!" Arya screamed at him. "He fed us and took us in-" Arya was visibly angry at him. She was right, he had told us once before that he wasn't a thief, he had a code.

"Yes, he took us in. He's a good man-" Sandor hesitated and looked at the farmer. "-and his daughter makes nice stew. And they'll both be dead come winter." Sandor added before he turned away again.

I hesitated, wanting to apologize to the farmer, but also to run after Sandor and punch him. "Sandor, how can you know that?" I yelled and began running towards them.

I stopped beside Arya. "I do know it. He's weak. He can't protect himself. Dead men don't need silver." Sandor argued making Arya release an angry growl before she sprinted after him.

"You're the worst shit in the seven kingdoms!" Arya screamed at him and tried to hit him. And this time it annoyed Sandor enough to stop and spin back around to face her.

"There's plenty worse than me. I just understand the way things are. How many Starks they got to behead before you figure it out?" Sandor snapped at her. That was a low blow even for him.

Arya looked extremely crossed as she closed her mouth again. She remained quiet for once but when I took a step around her, I noticed the tears leaving her eyes. "I hate you!" Arya screamed after Sandor before she turned towards her horse.