The Journey We Face (A Sandor Clegane Fanfic)

To Us

Part 1
Reader's POV:

The journey back to Winterfell resumed.

After they had gotten their clothes dried, the horses watered, Nymaira and Sandor fell back into the rhythm of riding.

"You know, even though this trip started out scary, then sad, then just terrible. That bath was just what I needed." Nymaira smiled, feeling the warm sun graze her skin. "Aye, but the little bird is still too far from her cage. she ought to be getting back to her pack."

Sandor had remarked. steering Stranger with one hand, while the other lay on his lap. "Which is it Sandor, wolf or bird? Because birds don't normally stay in packs. And a wolf knows no cage. Only that of freedom."

"You're a wolf, when you aren't a scared little shit."

He smirked, looking over at Nymaria who rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Being scared, an being shocked aren't the same thing. If you hadn't noticed, I'm not all that used to seeing a mans guts fall out of his stomach like you."

She mocked, dragging out the last word in a playful tone. "Well then, you should spend more time with drunk men. After awhile, they throw up their guts too."

Nymaira laughed. This was a odd feeling for Clegane, he was being sarcastic, but not in a mean way. He was being true, but not harsh. Laughing, but not at someone. With someone. He was..happy.

It was new to him and he didn't know how to process such a emotion.

Breaking his thoughts, the calls of Nymaria brought him back. "Sandor? Hello? Sandor?" He whipped his head around, looking at the girl.

"What?" He said, a little annoyed. "How about a drink? You still owe me after that rejection for my first offer the night at the feast." He noticed that she was pointing at a good sized inn just off the bank of a small creek.

It was old, and by the looks of it, had seen better days. The roof practically caving in on itself. And the brick which it was built, now broken and falling into crumbs.

Sure, it wasn't much to look at, but what had been coming from inside the inn seemed much more appealing then the outside.

The sound of drunken laughter and loud voices covered the surrounding area of the hut. There was cheering and the clanking of cups colliding into one another.

The sounds so inventing and warm, Nymaira couldn't help her curious mind. Nor could she help the growling stomach, and parched tongue that licked across her thirsting lips.

Sandor had felt the ache of hunger, rage in his stomach for the tenth time that day, so the whole idea didn't seem half bad. Gods he had gone far too long without some wine.

"Ladies first, little bird." He jumped down from his horse and began the ritual of tying Stranger to whatever would hold him.

"I'm thinking shepherds pie, with a big cup of ale to wash it down." She was already planning what else she could eat after that.

Nymaria jumped down from the horse, repeating the previous actions of Sandor with her Silvermain.

Grabbing his arm, She linking it with hers, They walked through the old creaky door to the inn and the sight before her..beautiful.

For most if not her entire life, Nymaira only knew that of big feast, with handsome knights in they're shiny armor an fine ladies in pretty silk dresses.