A Beast's Heart (english version)

4.

"Well, look at that! Did you actually find ONE, Arn? Ser Gregor will be thrilled!"
The soldier and I reached a clearing where a tangle of men were walking around. One had noticed us and was coming towards us. Ah, so my great companion's name is Arn, I thought, making no bones about it. Good to know.
"At least I found him alone, Luthar! And not hiding behind the others like you!"
Luthar patted Arn on the shoulder and they both laughed. I felt stupid standing pointlessly by and continued to look around.
"That seems like a strapping fellow!" said Luthar, now looking at me. I returned his gaze coolly and did not speak a word. Now my period of silence began again.
"I wonder if Lord Tywin would spring a few gold dragons for that one?" said Arn, leading me with Luthar to the others.
"You'll be lucky if he doesn't have you executed! As slow as you always work!"
The two began to playfully shove each other and wrestle a bit. I felt more and more stupid next to these idiots. So I kept my distance as far as possible - thanks to the leash, this was about barely ten feet - and kept my stare straight ahead.
"Now if the children could just get back to adulthood?" suddenly spoke a slightly older man with raven-black hair. Arn and Luthar let go of each other.
"Do you hear me, Arn? Get out of the nursery!" cackled Luthar and Arn nudged him in the side.
"Ser Alrik is not always there to protect you!"
"Now come on!" raged the man from a moment ago again, who I deduced must be Ser Alrik, "We're supposed to be in Harrenhal in three days at the latest and you know Ser Gregor!"
"Aye, the great Gregor Clegane! Do as he says or he'll sit on you!" quipped Arn. Luthar shook his head.
"No, he'll push you into the fire like his brother!"
"He'll tear you both a new ass if you don't shut up now!" roared Ser Alrik, snatching the leash from Arn's hand, "I'll take him to the others now!"
So now Ser Alrik had me by the hand. I felt like a dog. All that was missing was them kicking at me and trying to teach me tricks.
"Sorry about those two idiots," he muttered and patted me firmly on the back, "Not everyone can be clever."
I just shrugged and let him lead me to the group of prisoners. They looked at me scrutinisingly, some with clearly more greed in their gaze. What had Arn meant earlier? They should all go to the wall... I was dealing with a bunch of criminals! My senses told me to be extremely careful. A lot of rapists came to the wall, my father had told me. And he had never lied to me!
A little boy immediately caught my eye. I guessed him to be about ten or eleven. Short dark hair and big round eyes. The features were too gentle, though. I had met some ten and eleven year olds before and some had gentle features, but so gentle? No, this definitely had to be a girl! What would a girl want with the wall? Or was I wrong after all and it was a boy?
He...she...it stared at me questioningly. I returned the look and immediately saw the tall young man at her side. His hair was also raven black and his eyes blue as the sky.
"Arry, don't stare at him like that!" he hissed.
I nodded gratefully at the tall one and immediately heard Arry's squeaky voice in response.
"Who are you?"
She - or he, I didn't want to commit - already seemed cheeky and forward to me. I remembered my brother, who had once acted like that too. My grin widened as I then thought of Dad's scolding afterwards. He had hated rudeness more than anything - and had drilled it into us kids to the hilt.
"Maybe he can't talk?" the tall one suggested, eyeing me piercingly. I was supposed to be a boy? I needed a new name fast!
I cleared my throat to lower my voice and grabbed the first name that came to mind.
"My name is...Lenn."
"Lenn? What a silly name!" laughed Arry and I looked down at him - or her - soberly.
"Well, Arry's not exactly normal either."
Arry fell silent and turned away in a huff. The tall one grinned and held out his hand to me.
"Arry's a stubborn one, ignore him. I'm Gendry!"
"G'day, Gendry," I retorted and chimed in. At that moment I was once again grateful for my powers of observation over the past few years.
"Gendry's daft!" shouted Arry before he lifted a pile of bits and pieces and Gendry slapped his hand against his forehead.
I continued to look around.
"Who all do we have here?", I asked quietly, surprised that Gendry had understood me.
"Rapists, thieves, murderers.... Mainly raping murderers. And what have you done to be here now?"
I didn't look at him, but continued to look around as I answered simply.
"I've been walking for years."
Before he could inquire, Ser Alrik's bark rent the air.
"Come on, you miserable sons of bitches! See that you gain land, we want to go on!"
I left Gendry and ran off to help carry the bales of straw and hay. I certainly wasn't going to trust anyone here even remotely. No one was to know who I really was. Lenn was my mask from now on. Let's see if I was suitable as an actress...