An Inconvenient Flame [Sandor Clegane]

Chapter 40 - The wall

We once again had a purpose. What Sandor saw in the fire that day, had sent us further north than I had ever been. We passed by Winterfell a few days ago. I had been able to see it in the distance. It had made me halt for a moment, just to look at the all too familiar towers that stood tall in the distance. Surprisingly, it hadn't installed anything in me. I no longer felt that it was my home.

I heaved a sigh and turned away from the sight before Sandor could pull me with him. We had become a small party because Thoros and Beric had dismissed the brotherhood, not allowing them to join us. They were needed to keep the peace as we traveled north.

The small party only consisted of Thoros, Beric, Sandor, Elric and me. We moved quickly though the lands, keeping on our feet for as long as we could because it was too cold to rest anywhere. The road was long, but it didn't take us long to reach Eastwatch, where the wall met the sea.

I had heard from father once, that Eastwatch was one of the few manned places on the wall. The place wouldn't be manned by many but there would still be some, however, to our great surprise I had been miserably wrong. It was manned by many, even by wildings.

"What have we here? Lost crows?" We were surrounded in mere seconds. Five people stood around us, whereas three of them had arrows pointed directly towards us. "No, not crows." The same man said again. His appearance was not known, I couldn't place where he was from.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Beric asked. None of us had even managed to raise our swords before we were surrounded. The man who had announced their presence scoffed loudly. "We do not answer to crows. Get their weapons and take them back to East Watch. Tormund will know what to do with them." The man ordered.

"They're wildlings!" It was a realization that hit me not long after. I had seen that attire before, the way they dressed was unique. And uncle Benjen had mentioned how the wildings referred to the men in black as crows. "What are you doing south of the wall?" I asked without thinking of the consequences.

"We don't answer to southerners." The one closest to me growled at me as they searched us all for weapons. I eyed the wilding that had dared touch me. He only smirked before roughly yanking at my clothes to make sure I had nothing concealed. "Come on!" One of them yelled and gestured forwards.

The wildlings brought us towards Eastwatch. They had us placed in a cell within long because their Leader weren't there. It took a few hours before the man presented himself. Tormund Giantsbane, a wilding who looked just as crazy as he sounded.

He had also been kissed by fire, he was a bit pale with the most orange hair I had seen in a long time, it was even brighter than my sisters. "Why do you want to go beyond the wall?" Tormund asked. He raised an eyebrow at us because he didn't believe our words for a second. "Have you any idea of what is going on out there?" He grunted. "The dead is on the march-"

"We know." Beric argued crossing his arms. Tormund scoffed. "Mad fuckers. You're not getting out there. Send words to the crow king." Tormund ordered before they left us again. I raised an eyebrow, crow king? Who was he referring too?