An Inconvenient Flame [Sandor Clegane]

Chapter 6 - A traitor to the realm

          Father had told us to pack, he was sending us back to Winterfell. Both Sansa and Arya had protested loudly. Sansa had burst out in a rant telling how much she loved the prince and that she was going to marry him, have his babies and all that. Whereas Arya had mentioned her dancing teacher.

I barely got a word in before father dismissed us because he was needed elsewhere. The defeated expression he carried when turning from us after having dismissed us all, made me linger. "Father—" I tried carefully, my hand already extended. Father placed both hands down onto the table in front of him, his things already halfway packed in a hurry. He had wanted to leave with us, but what had happened to make him forsake the king?

Ned Stark didn't even flinch when I placed my hand on his shoulder, but he did turn his head, shifting his attention to me. "Father—what is happening? Why the sudden change?" I inquired but he lifted a hand to stop me from uttering another word. I jumped, already fearing a scolding for speaking up and corrected on my shawl.

"Lyra, please." Father sighed and turned to me. "Help your sisters pack up, make sure they're ready to leave tomorrow." The pleading tone made me comply without protest for once. It was the first time I saw my father this defeated. "This is for your safety—" He tried to defend his actions but I didn't need to hear anymore and threw myself at him, wrapping my arms around my father, embracing him because it was all I could do to show I understood and would cause no problems.

A soft grunt escaped Father at impact but he chuckled afterwards, the deep rumble of his voice could be felt through his chest as he returned the embrace. His embrace had always been tight, and exactly what I needed sometimes. "Go, I'll be back soon." Father encouraged and placed a kiss on top of my head before he made me release him.

I nodded, determined to do this one thing for my father before hurrying after my sisters, quickly finding my way back to the tower of the hand. However not even an hour later, words came that Jory had been slaughtered and father had been badly injured in a fight against the kingslayer, Jamie Lannister.

Everything changed after that and father was bedridden for many days. I had already managed to pack my things, and kept them that way because I knew father would want to leave as soon as he was able to stand again.

He had rejected the honor of hand of king, then attacked openly in the streets because mother had taken the imp captive and the Lannisters wanted him back. Jamie had fled the city, tucked tail and run to his father where he could no longer be touched.

Then the king just left to go on a bloody hunt, leaving father behind to sit on the throne in his stead. He had barely regained his strength, and had a hard time walking without aid. I had helped clean and dress his wounds multiple times a day, learnt what little I could from mother. This had allowed me to see father more than once and to overhear a little of what was going on.

I honestly feared that a war would soon break out between the Lannisters and the Starks. It was no longer safe in Kings Landing, I could constantly feel the eyes on us and they weren't always kind, so I remained in my room for most of the time, until our septa suddenly gave the order for us to pack, because we were leaving tomorrow.