Episode one: A Cold Whisper {Game of Thrones} (COMPLETED)

Marei

The young, thin, yellow headed girl rode along beside the bulky man in a long, uncomfortable silence. The air was getting colder the further north they rode. The sun still shone a golden beam, however it did not seem to be the same sun that shone back in Kingslanding. Marei found herself craving her home at Chataya's brothel more than ever before.

Marei and her new companion, Sandor Clegane, had been travelling for almost three days and two nights. They had spent their two nights sleeping on the cold earth, waking up shivering and dirty. Marei still found little bits of mud in her hair while they continued their travels. She hadn't washed herself since the day she and Sandor had bumped into one another.

Tonight was different, however, for they had finally reached the outskirts of Maidenpool, and as dusk approached, were keen to find the nearest brothel to rest comfortably in. After some exploring of the small city of Maidenpool, the two of them finally came across a brothel down a flight of wooden steps in a cellar beneath a knacker's barn, named the Stinking Goose. Sandor was forced to crouch down at the extremely low and grim ceiling.

"Finally," he grumbled when they reached the front door to enter the tavern, "I need some fucking ale."

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Inside, the tavern was sordid and disreputable. The tables were old wine casks, grey and worm holed, and the seating was a thinly dispersed set of stools and a bench.

However, they were in no short supply of drink, and when presenting Sandor with his tankard of ale, were very generous with the amount given.

"What's the plan now then?" Marei asked him kindly while he took several large gulps of his drink, her tankard empty and untouched.
He swallowed hard, "plan?" he growled.
"Yes, plan. What happens next?"

The large man eyed her and let out a great big sigh. He picked up what was left of his ale, and finished it in one swig.

"Dunno, think I'll keep going north, maybe, as far away from that shithole city as I can."
"Kingslanding?"
Sandor gave Marei a look of disgust.

"Ale?" a young girl appeared by their side and filled up Sandor's tankard.

"Ale?" she turned to Marei.
Before she could refuse, Sandor held her tankard up to the young girl, and she filled it up to the brim before skipping off to the next table. He slammed it down on the table, the drink sloshing over the sides of the tankard and spilling slightly onto the table.

"Drink this, you look like you need it. Maybe even more than me."

Marei hesitated before lifting the tankard to her lips and sipping the ale. It tasted strong and bitter on her tongue. She wanted to gag.

"Drink it properly, girl, or not at all."
The Hound demonstrated what drinking it properly meant with his own drink, which also demonstrated an example as to why people called him the Hound in the first place.

Marei screwed up her face, picked up her tankard and took two large gulps of her ale, which caused her to splutter and cough.
Sandor chuckled at her, "you'll get used to it."

Marei sat back in her chair, the warmth from the ale spreading through her body. She could already feel the effect it was having on her blood, pounding furiously in her veins.