Running Through The Woods - Sandor Clegane

Chapter 23

Jon requested that Tormund and his people, man Eastwatch-by-the-Sea they were present at Hardhome and saw the Night King. Tormund agreed to defend the castle. I watched as Brienne and Podrick Payne sparred with swords.

"Lift your sword Podrick," Brienne told him and Podrick was struggling to defend himself. He dropped his sword as Brienne knocked it out of his grip. "His stance is wrong," I spoke, making my way to them. "All your weight, you push on your left leg." I slapped the leg that was behind him. "It causes you to fall back and easier for your opponent to defeat you."

Showing him how to stand, he did so, and Brienne proceeded to attack. He stood strong, keeping his ground, however still dropped his weapon. "Better." I smiled. Tormund walked toward us, eyes stayed on the big woman.

"You have a long way to go, young lad," Tormund said, slapping his back and kept making eyes at poor Brienne, but she refused to meet his. "Are you leaving now?" I said, taking his attention away from the blond woman.

"Aye I am, little hound, and want to say my goodbyes for now." He hugged me, kissing my head and winking at Brienne before taking his leave. Jon, Sansa, and Davos discussed the letter they received from Tyrion.

"What is your opinion, Sansa?" Jon asked while Sansa remembered that Tyrion was kind to her and was unlike the rest of his family. "It is authentic," Jon confirmed the letter as he read did again.

"How do you know?" I stood behind him, reading over his shoulder. He pointed to the last line "For all dwarfs are bastards in their fathers' eyes." I read out loud.

"That was what Tyrion told me when we first met." Even so, Sansa worried it was too big a risk and Jon conceded that it was not the right time to go to Dragonstone. Davos said that Dany would make a good ally in the war to come against the White Walkers. "Jon wights are killed by fire and what creature just happens to breathe it?" I said, knowing that the Mother of Dragons would be our salvation.

Days went by, and Maester Wolkan brought Jon a message from Samwell in the Citadel. Jon gathered the Northern lords in the main hall and announced that Sam's letter revealed there was a vein of dragonglass beneath Dragonstone. "Lord Tyrion has invited me to Dragonstone to meet with Daenerys Targaryen and I have decided to travel to Dragonstone to convince her to join our fight against the White Walkers." Jon declared he planned to travel with Davos to White Harbor and sail to Dragonstone island.

Lords Yohn Royce and Robett Glover voiced their opinion that a Targaryen could not be trusted, citing the atrocities committed by Daenerys's father. And all I could think about was that Jon did not include me in his travel.

"I urge you, King in the North to stay home." Lady Lyanna Mormont said. Jon accepted that he was taking a risk but stressed that the fight against the White Walkers was more important, and we need Daenerys's aid if the North was to be saved. "I know the North is my home, it is a part of me and I will never stop fighting for it. Sansa will be the ruler of the North in my absence as she is my sister and a Stark." Jon emphasizes and announced. The meeting had ended, I followed Jon to his room as he started to back for his trip.

"Please do not be angry with me for going." Jon saw the fury in my eyes as I aggressively packed his things.

"I am not angry that you are going, I knew it will be for the best, but I am furious that you did not include me." I huffed sitting on his bed. Jon sat next to me and took my hand in his.

"I did not include you because I want you to stay here. I need someone to look after Sansa, I do not trust her alone with Lord Baelish." I nodded, agreeing with his reason. We said our goodbyes and for the first time after the incident, I felt alone again.