The First Snow

PART XVI: Sandor

The girl was worried, as she should be. But she wasn't worried for herself, she was worried for him. He smiled at the top of her head despite himself. His only plan was to protect her and fuck all else.

"We best get back to the house." reluctantly he disconnected them Sansa gasped. "I'm sorry."

She rose naked and didn't reach for a cover instead she found her clothes and began to dress. He followed suit.

When Sansa was dressed her turned her taking a hand full of her hair he re-braided it, securing the ends with the ribbon he had tucked into his pocket He couldn't see her face, when he finished she turned beaming at him.

"Do you have sisters. I thought Gregor was your only sibling."

"I don't have a sister, I have a niece that was raised as my sister. Gregor, the bastard fathered a child when he was still a child himself."

"Where is she?" Sansa frowned already knowing the answer wasn't going to be good.

"After my father died, Gregor married her off when she was barely 11 so she wouldn't burden him any longer. Her lovely husband keeps her pregnant and ignorant and taught her to hate me."

"Why?" Sansa frowned.

"The bastard knows I am going to gut him one day and he wants to be sure that Helene has nowhere to turn."

"I'm sorry." Sansa looked troubled.

Gregor lifted her so they were eye level then kissed her soundly before setting her down gently and leaving the carriage house.

Sansa followed.

When Sandor entered the main house he expected the little one to be awake, guilt flooded him because she had been having night terrors nearly every night and he would pat her back to sleep. They didn't talk about it, it wasn't hard to imagine what the girl dreamt about.

Instead she was curled up asleep partially covered with a blanket. He started to cover her up more when her eyes popped open.

She smiled goofily at him as the sleep faded her eyes hardened then she frowned when she looked over his shoulder where Sansa stood behind him.

Rolling over, she spoke "I'm still tired, you'll have to fetch your own breakfast."

"Do we have any money?" Sansa frowned.

"Plenty, since your sister seems to be an able thief" Arya stuck her tongue out at Sandor without opening her eyes.

"I'll go the market." Sansa offered. "We should probably get as much as we can that will keep for the next day until we leave."

Arya sat up. "You've never been shopping for anything other than gowns, I'll go with you."

She started to pull on her boots.

Sansa smiled at her ragged hair cut.