The First Snow

PART VII: The Inn at Crossroads

There was a buzz among everyone in town. They were foolish enough to believe the war was over. That Tywin Lanister was going to retreat to Casterly Rock and Stanis was going to return to exile.

"I haven't seen a single crow all week, how do they know?" Arya bit her tongue when she heard the name Walter Frey.

"Men talk, now hush Girl" The Hound was wearing a cloak that masked his face, but nothing could be done about his size.

When the idea hit her, Arya chuckled. She thought of Hodor and wondered if the Hound taking on the personality of a simpleton would draw more or less attention to him.

"Something funny, Girl." he didn't look back.

Arya found herself telling the Sandor about Winterfell, about Old Nan and Hodor, Bran and Rickon. She couldn't bear to talk about her parents or Rob so she focused on the ones who might still be alive.

"You haven't mentioned your sister." Sandor had been waiting for her to mention Sansa.

"There is nothing to mention." Arya fell silent so Sandor didn't press her.

As they approached the main keep, Sandor pressed coin into her hand.

"Get a room, nothing fancy order food and ale--tell them your father is dealing with the horses"

Arya obeyed. She pushed up to the bar.

"Oi, my father and I need a room, you got any available" she tried not to sound proper and tried not to sound like a girl.

"Depends, you got money." Arya slapped a piece of silver down.

"Guess we got a room then." The keep produced a key, " top of the stairs to the right all the way to the end."

When Arya didn't move, the keep leaned over the bar. "Anything else?"

"Do have Venison stew, brown bread and perhaps beer." Arya looked hopeful. When the keep frowned she realized her voice had gotten someone higher. She coughed.

The keep waived over a woman in a plain muslin dress. "The boy here wants some food." "He does, does he?" The woman smiled and disappeared, when she returned she bore a tray with steaming stew, a loaf of brown bread thick slices of cheese and two mugs of beer." Arya drooled and reached for the tray.

You can't carry this boy, you arms are the size of twigs. She motioned to a table. Sandor suddenly appeared behind Arya. "We're tired and will take our meal in our room."

"As you wish" The woman's look was not lost on Arya. It started at his boots and drifted toward his well shielded face.

"You're a big man aren't you." The woman said. Arya wanted to kick her..

When Sandor didn't respond she trudged up the stairs, when they reached the top, he took the tray from the women and nodded at Arya who handed her the other coin.

"Thank you" Arya hurried to the door.

Opening the door to the room she cursed. While there was a fire and small wash tub there was only a single bed. Arya angrily marched to a small table and chairs and waited for Sandor to put the food down.

He set it down gently then locked the door.

"What's eating you Girl."

"Nothing, she bit into the cheese then the bread before ladling soup directly into her mouth.

"For a highborn you have the manners of a pig." The Hound sipped his beer before breaking off a chunk of bread and dipping it in his stew.

"I may eat like a pig, but you are one." Arya mumbled around her food.

"Still want to kill me girl." Sandor chewed a gristly piece of meat.

"I haven't made up my mind." "Who gets the bed?"

"Ah and there lies the source of your anger." "It's a big bed, you take one side I'll take the other--I have no interest in children."

Arya looked longingly at the tub. Following her gaze the hound rose and peered inside there were two buckets filled with water, a small chunk of soap and thin towel. He took one of the buckets and hung it over the coals.

Arya watched him look away from them, at first she thought she was going to douse the flames.

He sat back down and finished his food, ever so often he would look at the fire. After draining his ale he stood and walked to the door. "The water is hot, I will be back in 25 minutes." with that he shut the door.

She quickly finished her food and stripped shaking out her filthy clothes she poured the hot water into the tub and stood in it washing quickly. She wanted to wash her clothes but they wouldn't dry by morning. Wasting no time she dried herself quickly pulling her undershirt and breeches on she climbed into bed. She thought she was listening for the door but she never heard him come back in.

When she woke it was to the sound of water splashing. She opened her eyes just in time to see him rise from the tub. She squeezed her eyes shut before opening one a hair.

She had seen her brothers naked but they just babes. He was leaner than she thought, muscled and scarred. As he dried himself he turned to look back at where Arya lay likely checking to make sure she still slept. She continued to breathe deeply before stirring slightly and turning away. Minutes later he pulled back the top cover and laid down, the bed sunk considerably causing her to roll in his direction. Scooting away would only give her away so she remained. He cursed then rose from the bed, walking around to the other side he lifted her and placed her clear on the other side. Taking the cushions from the chair he divided the bed and climbed back in.

Somehow the rejection hurt, Arya turned away from him.

When she woke the room was filled with light and a pile of fresh clothes lay next to her on the bed neatly folded. She pulled them to her nose inhaling deeply she could still smell the dye. They were new. Removing her old underwear she pulled on the new under garmets and the boys breeches and doublet, they were a little big but they were soft and not crusted with the smell of dirt and fear. She wanted to burn her old clothes but tucked them into pillow casing instead. When she opened the door, her blood froze.

"Who the fuck are you?" The hulking mass in the door bellowed as he ducked to enter the room.

"Have you seen my father Sir?" Gregor Clegane didn't recognize her, she had served the man food but she was nothing more than an ant to him.

"Please Sir, I'm late and he'll whip me." When Gregor's back was to her she fled, out of the back door of the inn. Her heart pounded as she headed to the edge of town. She was going to be alone again, she would cry about it later.

She heard a cry raise behind her and the bellow of the man called the Mountain.

She wouldn't look back. Hooves were barreling down her, two sets she dodged to the right. "Come on" Sandor was mad eyed, driving a medium sized cart with two large draft horses. She changed direction and lept into the cart barely losing her stride.

"Where is your brother?" she looked behind the nervously.

" I ran the bastard down." Sandor smirked.

"Is he dead?"

"The Devil doesn't die, sit straight."

Arya continued to look over her shoulder well into the evening. Even after the left the main road for the mountain pass.

They made camp near a small creek off the main road. A fog crept over them like a thick blanket and Arya feared what it carried within it's reaching tendrils. When Sandor started to snore she moved her meager pallet next to him and laid down squeezing her eyes shut against the dark and cold. Sandor's arm shot out causing her to jump and pulled her close. Arya felt a growing vulnerability that she didn't like. She didn't want to be attached to anyone, not anymore.