Secret Flames (Sandor Clegane)

Chapter 22

"In all my days, I ain't never seen a man swing an ax quite like that. You never did say, how many men did it take to cut you down again?"

"Just the one".

"Oft, must have been a monster of a man".

"It was a woman". 

Sandor had been with Ray and his small group of simple folk over just over a month. After his battle with Brienne, he had laid down in the dirt and waited for death to hurry and take him. For three nights he begged any god that would listen to take him that night, but each morning he would be made to watch the sunrise. When he wasn't begging for death, his mind was busy with worry of Tallulah and even Arya. He had ordered to her run, but he had no idea if they had made it or whether they were still alive. He couldn't let himself think she was no longer that, if he was forced to carry on living, it was only fair that she was the same. 

On this fourth morning of death, Ray and few of his men had found him coughing on his own blood. It had taken four them to carry him back and for the next fortnight, the women of the group saw to his wounds and health. When he finally felt able to stand on his own and take a few steps, he had search for his armor and weapons, focused on one task only, to find the women he promised to love forever. 

Ray had implored him to stay and when Sandor didn't listen and tried to trek out of their small clearing, but lost his breath and fell not 100 yards away, he was forced to turn back and wait longer. So remained he did, working a little harder each day to build back his strength, eating the food they prepared and sleeping alone, away from the rest of the camp each night. 

Today was no different from the past 40 days. He had worked all morning, chopping wood, and then sat alone to eat his stew as the sun glided past the halfway mark in the sky. 

"I think some of the men are a bit afraid of you" Ray smirked as he approached him and passed a cup of water. 

"I'm used to it" he grumbled and knocked back the drink. 

"You know, when I found you I was pretty sure you had been dead for days. Was getting ready to give you a proper burial when you coughed. Nearly shat my pants, but I took you back here and figured you would die that night. I thought that for the next seven nights, yet you didn't. So now I can't help wondering, what kept you going?"

"Hate".

Ray laughed and sat down on a rock next to him. "Ahh yeah, you say that, but I don't reckon it was hate that had you almost killing yourself to get out of here the moment you could stand. A man only moves that quickly when a woman is involved. Am I right?"

Sandor dropped his empty bowl into the grass and turned his head to look at him. After a few seconds in silence, Ray smiling at him the entire time, he finally nodded and looked back up the valley. 

"Ahhh the power they have on us. I never heard about a Mrs. Sandor Clegange though. Is it a real love?"

"I never forced myself on her if that's what you're getting at".

"I never said anything. Is she a pretty thing then? From some house further South or a sweet servant girl?" Ray smiled. 

"She ain't neither and aye, she's a looker".

"You see Clegane, there's a reason you're still here. A reason you lasted those wounds which would have killed a hundred other men".

"I'm a big fucker and hard to kill. Ain't no other reason".

"Aye maybe, but I believe there's something greater than us. And whatever it is, it's got plans for Sandor Clegane. Well, the gods and that pretty little woman of yours".