Evermore // Bran Stark

50. Chickens

'I know him, the small one... his name is polliver. He captured me and brought me to Harenhal. He killed lommy.' Arya said watching him from afar.

'what the fuck is a lommy?' Amelia and sandor questioned in unison.

'he was my friend.' Arya told him. 'polliver stole my sword and put it right thorough his neck... he still got it...'

'got what?' sandor asked.

'my sword.' Arya said and she looked at the mans belt, there is hung, 'Needle.'

'Of course you named your sword.' Sandor said with a chuckle

'lots of people name there swords.' arya replied.

'lots of people are cunts.' Sandor told her and Amelia chuckled but arya was off.

'Stay.' He told Amelia, 'Stay.' He repeated and she nodded as sandor followed quickly after. 'Get back here!' sandor demanded. 'Arya!' sandor snapped but arya was determined.

'my brother gave me that sword.' She said. 'he killed my friend!' sandor grabbed her arm stopping her.

'I don't care if he ate your friend. We are not going in there!' a man came out a step and saw the size of sandor and ran back in.

'I guess we are going in.' arya questioned following sandor. He looked back at Amelia she walked forward clinging to sandors arm as they went inside. The tavern went silent as they found a seat, all eyes falling on them. Sandor wrapped his cloak around Amelia pulling the hood high over her head covering her very blonde hair she nodded understanding.

A woman was being harassed, the men pulling at her clothes. arya wanted to help she tried to stand up but sandor kept her in her seat. Amelia's eyes bounced around the room as sandor pulled her closer, he didn't like the look of this.

'I know you.' One man said rising up, sandor reached for his sword holding the hilt in his hand while he kept a hold on Amelia. 'you're the hound!' he said happily and they all let out a collective breath of relief.

'Hound he is.' Amelia agreed smiling up at him

'pour our new friend a drink.' The man demanded. Coming to join them. 'what brings you so far north?'

'I could ask the same of you...' sandor replied. 'what are you doing up here?'

'just keeping the kings peace,' the man said still smiling.

'no need, the war is over.' Sandor told him as they were brought drinks.

'so ive heard.' His eyes left sandor and wandered to Amelia and then arya. Sandor gripped Amelia tighter. After all this time he never expected her to literally collide into him. He half expected her dead, but he had hoped that she had made it home. But now Amelia didn't want to go home she wanted to stay with him. 'stannis defeated at the backwater, robb stark killed at the twins and where am I for all of it? Stuck with your brother. Meaning no offense.' The man added quickly.

'none taken.' There was no love between him and his brother.

'I mean hes good... the mountain... best at what he does but torture, torture, torture... you spend enough time putting the hammer to people and you start to feel like a carpenter. Takes the fun out of it... whats life without a little fun?' again he looked to Amliea licking his lips, she rolled her eyes withholding a groan. 'but I don't need to tell you that aye?' he looked between the girls.

'shes alright, ive had better.' Sandor lied glancing at arya. Amelia clutched onto sandors arm.

'you know what? You should come with us! Gold, silver, daughters, we can always get something,' the man said excitedly. 'and there is plenty in between here and kings landing.'

'I'm not going to kings landing.' Sandor grumbled.

'think about it, we do whatever we like wherever we go!' the man went on. 'these are the kings colors no ones standing in his way and that means no one is standing in ours. '

'fuck the king.' Sandor pat finishing his drink.

'I heard that jofferys dog had tucked tail and run from the black water but I didn't believe it but here you are.'

'here I am. Bring me one of those chickens.' Sandor said he was ready for a fight.

'you got money to pay for it?'

'you will pay for it.' Sandor informed him.

'we are the kings men. So you got money?'

'Not a penny. I will still take that chicken.'

'What are you do-' Amelia whispered but he kissed her forehead silencing her, he pulled up her hood.

'tell you what? We will trade ya. One of our little chickens for one of yours... give us a go at your friend.' he smirked looking between the girls. He would prefer the older but he didn't much care.

'youre a talker... listening to talkers makes me thirsty.' He took the mans wine drinking it down. Arya and Amelia sat watching unsure what to do. 'and hungry. I think I will take two chickens. '

'one for each girl?' the man smirked

'no. I keep my girls.'

'you don't understand the situation.' He said

'I understand that if any more words come pouring out of your cunt mouth I'm going to have to eat every single fucking chicken in this room.' Sandor said nodding.

'you've lived your life for the king. You're gonna die for some chickens?' He asked.

'someone is.' the man rose but sandor flipped the table on him. He pulled Amelia behind him as Arya jumped up.

Amelia moved to the wall, trying to become invisible as sandor began to fight the men. A man had gotten on top of sandor, he got the upper hand. Arya watched scared. Not scared for sandor but scared of what would happen if he lost, what would happen to them... Was this the moment the hound died? But no sandor bashed the mans head in. arya felt the courage when she saw sandor stab a man through the eye. She picked up a helmet and smashed it over one of the mens head. Then she saw polliver.

'something wrong with your leg boy?' she questioned him, he sat on the ground looking up at her, she had anger coursing through her. Amelia couldn't breathe she stared her heart racing in her chest as she looked around at the chaos. She wished to go back to the capital before she knew, before winterfell and be in a state of ignorant bliss.

'what? What do you mean?' he asked trying to scurry away.

'can you walk or do I have to carry you?'

'Carry me?'

'fine little blade... maybe I will pick my teeth with it.' Then recognition set in the man just as she stabbed Needle through his throat and into his skull.

'Arya?' Amelia questioned her breath hitched in her throat as she stepped away from the wall, the men had all fallen. Sandor had an amused look on his face as he watched the girl stab her tiny sword at the man terrified on the ground. At the little pups mercy.

Arya got her own horse, having took the men they killed horses and they were off again. Where too? Her aunt Lysa, the lady of the veil.

They had gotten new horses but Amelia stared back at sandor as arya jumped up.

''Whats wrong gorgeous?'' Sandor questioned

''Can I stay with you?'' Amelia asked in a small voice and a smile pulled at sandors face.

''Of course.'' He agreed. He liked keeping her closer he had protected her all her life being so far away felt strange.

Sandor rested his chin on Amelia's shoulder as they rode, glancing over at arya to make sure she wasn't running off or falling behind. Amelia felt like maybe, just maybe everything would be alright.