An Inconvenient Flame [Sandor Clegane]

Chapter 41 - Beyond the Wall

"No!" Jon spun back around. "You will not be coming with us! It's too dangerous beyond the wall!" Jon continued. I frowned at him as they all continued to change into wilding clothes. They were better for the wild weather on the other side of the wall. "You will stay here with Ser Davos." Jon ended the argument without even letting me open my mouth to protest his decision.

I heard the chuckle of Sandor behind me. "Listen to your brother." I spun around to face him instead. "Shut up." I growled at him. "You cannot force me! I'm here for a reason! Let me help!" I had turned back to Jon again, not intending to let it go at all. He raised an eyebrow and looked at Elric at my side. "She is fairly capable. She's been trained and do know how to handle a sword." Elric decided to defend me as the only one.

For a moment Jon looked quite conflicted with himself. "No." He ended the argument. I exclaimed an angry sound before storming out of the room. I sat down on a bench by a table in the main dining room and covered my face with both my hands. I was getting tired of this. I was a woman, yes, but not a child. I was just as capable as the others.

The sound of footsteps alarmed me of someone approaching. "Hurry milady." It was Elric. He placed a bundle down on the table. It was wilding clothes just like the ones he was wearing. My eyes shifted between his mischievous smile and the bundle of clothes before quickly standing up. I lost my cloak while Elric held up a jacket. "I believe this is your size." He smirked.

I got dressed, with the help of Elric before he guided me back down to the gate leading out to the northern side of the wall. I had pulled the hood over my head and pulled a small scarf up over my nose. It was impossible to see my face and I kept back between the wildings that had been chosen to accompany us. The only thing that was noticeable was my green eyes. Sandor would most certainly recognize me, that was why I kept my head low when he passed me.

I followed the company outside, staying quiet until Elric found me again. He smiled to me, and I took it as a sign it was safe enough to pull down the small scarf. The winds where biting at my cheeks, but I had to admit I was enjoying it. Walking gave you some warmth, and I wasn't as cold as I had feared I would be.

"Beautiful, eh?" I heard Tormund's voice through the crunching of snow beneath our feet. "I can breathe again." He inhaled deeply. "Down south, the air smells like pigshit." Tormund insulted and I chuckled. The wide smile that followed stayed on my lips.

"You've never been down south." Jon argued making me realize how close he was. I swallowed and pulled the hood further down.

"I've been to Winterfell." Tormund argued. Jon turned to him with a raised eyebrow before quickly saying. "That's the North." But Tormund only disrespectfully blew raspberry at him. I bit down a chuckle, smiling widely beneath my hood.

The wilding's reaction was as hilarious, but it made them aware of me. Jon had to look back at me twice before he completed turned around to look at me, and the disappointment painted across his face made my smile fade from my lips. "Come on Lyra!" Jon groaned. "How did you even-" he trailed off when he noticed Elric at my side. "Of course." Jon rolled his eyes and turned away from us again.