Lone Wolf || Tyrion Lannister

Chapter Thirty Two

But with several strikes to the face with a rock and a kick, Sandor Clegane fell over the cliff he stood on. Ignoring Brienne's calls, Arya left her rock and made her way down the mountain to find her traveling companion. He was alive, though terribly injured, with the bone of his leg sticking out from his flesh.

"You're still here," he grunted in surprise when he saw her. "Big bitch saved you. Go on with her, she'll look after her."

"I didn't need saving," Arya replied.

"No, not you, you're a real killer," he stated. There was an almost fond tone in his voice as he spoke about her. At least one thing he did was teach her how to kill, how to properly take care of herself. The two traded more jabs before Sandor grunted again. "Go on, do it. You can cross another name off your list, you kept promising me."

However, Arya didn't move from where she sat. She wasn't going to kill him, that would be a mercy. Part of her wanted him to suffer; however, another part of her didn't want him dead. She had come to begrudgingly respect him. Had it not been for him, she would have been handed off to her mother and brother and probably would have died alongside them.

Had it not been for him, Arya probably wouldn't have gotten as far as she did when she ran away from the Brotherhood. She owed him a debt, and she wasn't about to let him die. However, Arya also knew that she couldn't save him.

"Come on," he said. "I cut down your butcher's boy," he tried, baiting her to do it. "He pleaded for his life, begging me not to do it." Arya realized now that Sandor only killed her friend because he was ordered to. He swung the sword, but it was because of Joffrey and the Queen that Mycah died. "I remember your sister, your pretty sister Anari," if she wouldn't kill him for her friend, then maybe she would if he mentioned her family. "The night the Blackwater burned, I could have taken her any which way I wanted. At least them I'd have one happy memory."

He regretted the words that came out of his mouth the moment he said them. Not only did Arya's gaze harden and her lips to purse together tightly, her hand flexing on the pommel of Needle, but Sandor would never do anything like that to Anari. No, not to her. He didn't save her from that very fate only to do it to her himself. Anari was too good for something like that to happen to her.

"Do I have to beg you?' he questioned when none of the things he said worked. Arya stood from her rock and walked over to him. Sandor swallowed, his throat dry as he waited for her to kill him. However, instead of sticking her sword through his heart, Arya bent down and took his silver bag.

Without a word, Arya left him on the side of the mountain.

After hours, Sandor's heavy lids closed as he gave in. However, his final thoughts puzzled him, as they were memories. A memory of a sweet voice and grey eyes the color of storms.

I'm not afraid of you, the voice said. I hope we meet again someday, for you truly are a good man. If he could, Sandor would frown. Do you know what I say to death? Not today. You better not die, Sandor Clegane.

He didn't know how long he had been out for when he slowly started to wake up again. His will returning the moment he remembered who said those words to him. He wasn't going to die, not like this. As unbearable as the pain was, Sandor fought past it enough to cough.

"Oh shit!" a startled voice said nearby. He hadn't the strength yet to open his eyes; however, Sandor knew that perhaps now he had a chance. With this new chance at living, Sandor was going to see that wolf girl again. No matter the cost.

~

The sunlight shining in his face was what woke him up. He was lying on his back, his left arm fully extended to his side, and his right arm across his chest. His hands were closed in a fist as if he was holding on to something. For a moment, as his eyes opened, Tyrion swore he could feel a soft hand in his and a warm head pressed into the crook of his neck.