Picture to Burn // Sandor Clegane (2)

31. Chicken

'I'm hungry, youre hungry.' Arya complained as they looked through the bushes at a tavern.

'five horses. Five men. More than I feel like killing on an empty stomach.' Sandor told them. But arya wasn't ready to leave. Two men walked out to take a piss and arya grabbed sandor's hand stopping him, as she pointed at one of the guards.

'I know him, the small one... his name is polliver. He captured me and brought me to Harenhal. He killed lommy.' Arya said watching him from afar.

'what the fuck is a lommy?'  sandor questioned 

'he was my friend.' Arya told him. 'polliver stole my sword and put it right thorough his neck... he still got it...'

'got what?' sandor asked.

'my sword.' Arya said and she looked at the mans belt, there is hung, 'Needle.'

'Of course you named your sword.' Sandor said with a chuckle

'lots of people name there swords.' arya replied.

'lots of people are cunts.' Sandor told her. but arya was off sandor followed quickly after. 

'Get back here!' sandor demanded. 'Arya!' sandor snapped but arya was determined.

'my brother gave me that sword.' She said. 'he killed my friend!' sandor grabbed her arm stopping her.

'I don't care if he ate your friend. We are not going in there!' a man came out a step and saw the size of sandor and ran back in.

'I guess we are going in.' arya questioned following sandor. The tavern went silent as they found a seat, all eyes falling on them. A woman was being harassed, the men pulling at her clothes. arya wanted to help she tried to stand up but sandor kept her in her seat. Sandor didn't like the look of this.

'I know you.' One man said rising up, sandor reached for his sword holding the hilt in his hand ready for a fight. 'you're the hound!' he said happily and they all let out a collective breath of relief. 'pour our new friend a drink.' The man demanded. Coming to join them. 'what brings you so far north?'

'I could ask the same of you...' sandor replied. 'what are you doing up here?'

'just keeping the kings peace,' the man said still smiling.

'no need, the war is over.' Sandor told him as they were brought drinks.

'so ive heard.' His eyes left sandor and wandered to arya. 'stannis defeated at the backwater, robb stark killed at the twins and where am I for all of it? Stuck with your brother. Meaning no offense.' The man added quickly.

'none taken.' There was no love between him and his brother.

'I mean hes good... the mountain... best at what he does but torture, torture, torture... you spend enough time putting the hammer to people and you start to feel like a carpenter. Takes the fun out of it... whats life without a little fun?' again he looked to Arya licking his lips,  'but I don't need to tell you that aye?' 

'shes alright, ive had better.' Sandor lied glancing at arya. 

'you know what? You should come with us! Gold, silver, daughters, we can always get something,' the man said excitedly. 'and there is plenty in between here and kings landing.'

'I'm not going to kings landing.' Sandor grumbled.

'think about it, we do whatever we like wherever we go!' the man went on. 'these are the kings colors no ones standing in his way and that means no one is standing in ours. '

'fuck the king.' Sandor pat finishing his drink.

'I heard that jofferys dog had tucked tail and run from the black water but I didn't believe it but here you are.'

'here I am. Bring me one of those chickens.' Sandor said he was ready for a fight.

'you got money to pay for it?'

'you will pay for it.' Sandor informed him.

'we are the kings men. So you got money?'

'Not a penny. I will still take that chicken.'

'tell you what? We will trade ya. One of our little chickens for one of yours... give us a go at your friend.' he smirked looking at Arya.

'youre a talker... listening to talkers makes me thirsty.' He took the mans wine drinking it down. 'and hungry. I think I will take two chickens. '

'you don't understand the situation.' He said

'I understand that if any more words come pouring out of your cunt mouth I'm going to have to eat every single fucking chicken in this room.' Sandor said nodding.

'you've lived your life for the king. You're gonna die for some chickens?' He asked.

'someone is.' the man rose but sandor flipped the table on him. Arya jumped up.

Arya watched scared. Not scared for sandor but scared of what would happen if he lost, what would happen to them... Was this the moment the hound died? But no sandor bashed the mans head in. arya felt the courage when she saw sandor stab a man through the eye. She picked up a helmet and smashed it over one of the mens head. Then she saw polliver.

'something wrong with your leg boy?' she questioned him, he sat on the ground looking up at her, she had anger coursing through her.

'what? What do you mean?' he asked trying to scurry away.

'can you walk or do I have to carry you?'

'Carry me?'

'fine little blade... maybe I will pick my teeth with it.' Then recognition set in the man just as she stabbed Needle through his throat and into his skull.

Arya got her own horse, having took the men they killed horses and they were off again. To her aunt Lysa, the lady of the veil.

+

"where are we?' Arya asked looking around, she didn't recognize anything.

'near fair market... I think.'

'you think?' arya questioned. 'you don't have a map?'

'No I don't have a map.'

'maybe we should get one.'

'alright just point out the next map shop you see and ill buy you one.' Sandor joked.

'how far is it to the errie?'

'Far.' Sandor replied.

'and you're sure we are going the right way?'

"believe me girl I want you there as soon as I can. I want my gold and I will be on my way.' Sandor said.

'where will you go?' arya questioned.

'Book passage over the narrow sea, start over somewhere.' Sandor told her.

'I would like to see Bravvos one day.' Arya told him.

'Avalon was from Bravvos." Sandor murmured. 

"I have friends in Bravvos." Arya told him. "You think Avalon will go home?" 

"She hasnt been back there is years. I don't know that she thinks Bravvos is home." Sandor remarked. 

"Then where?" Arya countered. 

She had once said that home was with him but she didnt know where he was and he couldnt go back to the capital.