Bride To Be // Sandor Clegane

62. Victory

'I was a soldier once and all my superiors thought I was brave but I wasn't. I never ran from a fight I was too scared to admit to my friends that I was afraid.' Ray had gathered everyone around for a sermon they all sat listening intently while Sandor stood in the back.

'I was a coward but I followed orders, want me to burn that village? Fine I'm your arsonist. Steal that farmers crop? Good I'm a thief. Kill those young lads so they won't take up arms against us? I'm your murderer.' Ray went on.

'I remember once a woman screaming at us calling us animals as we dragged her son from her home. We weren't animals,' Ray explained, 'animals are true to their nature and we had betrayed ours. I cut that young boys throat myself as his mother screamed in my friends held her back. That night I felt so ashamed. The shame was so heavy on me I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, all I could do was stare into that dark sky and listening to that mother screaming her son's name.' There was a sadness in his eyes as he spoke and sandor connected with Ray. He had done terrible things all because he was good at following order. He did as they said, killed as they instructed, killed that damn butchers boy. Arya kept trying to kill him for that, as though he didn't feel bad enough about it. He liked the kill but not kids, not innocents, but he was a dutiful servant just as Ray was. Yet Ray looked so calm and content as he was trying to start over, build something good. Sandor didn't see himself being good, changing though. He was who he was. He was a monster. Everyone saw him as such, for he looked the part and he had done monstrous things his whole life.

'And I hear screaming every day all my life. I know I can never bring that lad back all I can try and do is bring a little goodness into this world with a life I have left.' Ray went on, his group listened intently. 'Damn lucky for all us because if I was still that cunt.' Ray added. 'That's all any of us can do never too late to stop robbing people, to stop killing people, to start helping people... it's never too late to come back.' Ray said looking at Sandor. The neigh of horses approaching caught their attention though. 'And it's not about waiting for the gods to answer your prayers it's about learning to answer your prayers yourself.' Everyone stood as three riders approached.

'Seven saviors my friends.' Ray said coming towards them 'how can we help you?' The men looked around at the herd of people.

'What are you doing here?'

'We are talking about life.' Ray said simply. 'You?'

'Protecting the people.' The man, Lem answered.

'Well we thank you for your protection.' Ray told him. 'Who are you protecting it from?'

'Do you have any horses?' Lem questioned looking around.

'No horses,' Ray answered, the smile never left his face, 'no gold no steel.'

'Food than.' Lem said 'protecting the people is hungry work.'

'I'm sure it is.' Ray agreed 'you're welcome to stay for supper but we have hungry mouths here as well.' Lem looked around the group again before locking eyes on Sandor. A tense moment passed before a crooked smile Crossed Lem's face.

''Stay safe... The night is dark and full of terrors.' Lem said as they wrote off, Sandor didn't like the look of them they were brotherhood without banners Lord of light followers.

'Come on everyone, back to work.' Ray remarked.

+

Queen Margaery along with her family all waited anxiously for the trial to begin Loras was brought forward in rags his hair cut his hands bound.

'They'll be no need for a trial.' loras said Margaery stood next her father waiting patiently. 'I confess before the seven and freely admit my crimes.' he told them all

'Which crimes will you be confessing?'

'I lay with other men including the traitor Renly Baratheon.' he told them 'I purged myself before the gods.' he said kneeling before the high sparrow. 'I take full responsibility for my sins and I of my desires... my only wish is to devote my life to the seven.' Loras told them 'may I be a living example of the grace for others to witness. I will denounce my lordship and my claims on high garden.' mace Tyrell's face dropped. Loras was his golden boy his name was going to die off now for sure.

'Brother Loras I ask you to dedicate your life to the seven gods.' the sparrow said. They lifted his chin branding the mark into his forehead and his father erupted with anger.

'Faith is the way father.' Margery told him but she was outraged.

+

'You mutilated him you gave me your word.' Margaery said as Loras sat on the ground blood dripping from his forehead.

'I've kept my word.' the sparrow told her 'once the Queen's mother's trial is completed your brother is free to leave.'

'And where is the queen mother?' Margaery asked

'The queen mother never left the red keep.'

'It appears the queen mother doesn't wish to attend her own trial.' The high sparrow said 'go to the red keep and show her the way.' his sparrows set off

Unfortunately all men must die.

'There's something wrong.' Margaery told him as the waited.

'There is nothing to worry the trial will begin shortly.' the sparrow told her

'Cersei is not here. Tommen is not here why do you think they are not here?' Margaery said her voice growing louder and louder. She was never going to see thea again and it was all cersei's fault.

'If the accused is not here she will be tried regardless we cannot escape justice of the gods.' The sparrow said calmly.

'Forget about the bloody gods and listen to what I'm telling you!' she demanded 'Cersei understands the consequences of her actions and her absent. She is absent.' Margaery told him. The room was filled with people awaiting the trial something was wrong she could feel it in her bones. 'she is absent anyway which means she does not intend to suffer those consequences. The trial can wait we all need to leave!' she told him.

'We need to leave!' she demanded.

'What?' the sparrow questioned.

'We all need to leave now.' she told them all 'Loras,' she said holding his face in her hands 'come with me.' They tried to cleared out but the sparrows men blocked all exits. Margaery knew something was wrong tears in her eyes as she tried to push through, the high sparrow didn't know what but from the urgency in her eyes and voice he knew they had to get out of here.

'Let me through let me through.' she demanded they tried to break through as Margaery looked between her brother her father and the high sparrow. He understood her need to leave but it was too late now. A haze of Green fire erupt, destroying the Sept, killing everyone within it. It blaze down upon flea bottom destroying the majority of it as well. Cersei stood victorious.