Hear me Roar - English version

Chapter 46 - How I wish I could erase it all

               Since our reunion, we haven't stopped walking. For even if the hounds had stopped howling, it seemed obvious that the men would not be long to follow. I know Ramsay will do everything in his power to find me, and that he loves to hunt.

               It is only once night falls that we set up our makeshift camp. Tonight, we will certainly sleep with one eye open, but we will sleep.

               Settled against a tree, I bite as hard as possible into Robin's belt to keep from screaming while Podrick disinfects my wound. I need more advanced care but will have to make do with this until our arrival at Castle Black.

"Try to sleep," I tell Sansa, who is sitting next to me. "We leave again in less than three hours."

"We shouldn't stop for so long," Brienne replies. "Podrick has finished tending to you; we must keep moving."

"If we do not rest, we will die of exhaustion before the cold penetrates our limbs."

"Ramsay must already be searching for you..."

"Last I heard, Ramsay was in the middle of a battle and two of his hounds are dead. Without them, the few hours it might have taken him to find us turn into days."

"My lady..."

"Yes, I am your lady, Brienne. So, I order you to lie down and sleep."

               Of course, Brienne is right. Every second spent here brings us a little closer to Ramsay and does not bring us closer to Castle Black. However, if I take one more step, I risk losing the use of another limb, or my mind.

               Furthermore, it is obvious that I am not the only one who needs rest. Sansa and Theon huddle against each other to find sleep, Podrick sets up his bedroll, while Brienne chooses her guard post. Arrow rests her head on my thighs. My left hand gently strokes my wolf's silky fur, and my right hand, bandaged with a piece of a cloak, is delicately placed in Robin's.

"Come here..." he tells me, opening his arms.

               Exhausted, I rest my head against his chest. I knew we would eventually find each other again, even if it took longer than expected.

"Your wounds... Your lip... I saw the bruises on your legs. What did he do to you?"

"Robin... You know what he did to me."

               To reassure me, my friend runs a hand through my hair.

"I will kill him," he promises.

"Please, leave that pleasure to me."

♐︎

               We have been walking north for a week now, and at last, the Wall appears before us. Hundreds of meters high, it represents our only rampart against the atrocities locked away on the other side. Today more than any other day, it is a symbol of hope and protection.

"It makes me want to vomit," Robin articulates, his eyes fixed on the top of the Wall.

"Don't look," I reply with a light laugh. "And if you vomit, just try not to do it on me."

               Theon gave us the slip, convinced that his place is with his own people in the Iron Islands, though I am rather convinced it is an excuse to avoid crossing paths with Jon.

               Granted, I could be harsh with him in difficult moments when I needed to find someone responsible for my suffering. However, I wanted to help Theon. I fear Jon won't be as lenient as I was.