What if...

The Brotherhood Without Banners

Sandor didn't slow down when it got dark saying that the people were certainly going to tell any Lannister guards going past. Sansa didn't mind. She no longer felt stiff from riding and the night was light with a full moon. Morning rose again and they stopped briefly to eat some of the stolen food. If she hadn't been so hungry she may have been more hesitant to eat the bread made from wheat farmed by man and baked by the wife. Sansa ate it quickly enjoying the new flavor. They rode for a few more hours until the Hound finally pulled them to a stop. They detoured far from the track and made camp in a dense group of trees. Despite it being daylight Sansa was quick to fall asleep and the hard earth had never felt so familiar.
She dreamt she was in Winterfell shooting her new bow with Bran, Robb, and Arya. Her father was there giving her approving smiles as she hit the target. Her mother was there also holding little Rickon in her arms as he clapped with his tiny hands. Suddenly Joffery appeared behind them and with one single stroke, he slashed her father's head off. Sansa yelled out and awoke with a jerk. It was darkening around her and Sandor was still snoring loudly. Too shaken to go back to sleep, Sansa got up and grabbed her bow and quiver. It wasn't dark enough for a bit of practice, she decided. She emptied her quiver, only a few sticking to the tree she was aiming for. She retrieved them and tried again. This time 5 hit the tree. She discovered the trick was to not focus as much and not to hold her breath which is what she found herself doing quite a lot. When it was dark enough she felt satisfied with her progress and stowed her arrows away back in the quiver.
"You've improved." Said Sandor sitting up groggy from sleep.
"Maybe one day I could hit a man." She replied quietly.
"I doubt it." Sandor scoffed.
"If my life depended on it." She argued, dignified. "Not just for some highway robbery. You said yourself this world is made of killers. I can look at them but I will not partake in the killing of people unless my life or the life of those around me are being threatened." Sansa said surprised by the brutality in her voice.
"You've changed," Sandor said. "Your not the same girl who left Winterfell, nor are you the porcelain princess that spent its life trying to make Joffery happy."
"Nor will I ever be." She replied. "My skin had turned had to ivory."
"Plenty of things are stronger than ivory." He said.
"It will turn to the skin will turn to steel when Joffery is dead at my hand." Sandor laughed.
"Gonna shoot him with your arrows!" He asked.
"If that's what it takes." She replied. "But they say poison is a woman's weapon." Sandor stared at her intently.
"I underestimate you, little bird." He said a little longingly.
"That will be a mistake that many make." She said fiercely.
"A word of advice?" He said. "Keep your cards close." He said as he packed up. "Learn it from Cersei"
Surprised by the sincerity in his voice, Sansa smiled.
"We have a long way ahead of us, Alayn." He told her as he mounted Stranger.
"But we are making good time. You'll see your brother soon." Sansa smiled happily as she got on her horse. It was a good little horse Sansa thought. It deserves a name. She thought about Arya's sword, needle, back at Kingslanding  and how she had been taking lessons in water dancing. Water Dancer, She decided as she cantered on the road. Arya can keep her swords, I have a weapon of my own. She patted her bow on her saddle. That was when she decided something that would change her life. I am going to be the next Kingslayer.

After riding all through the day and night Sansa was looking forward to lying down on her make-shift bed. The Hound stopped in front of her and she too pulled to a halt ready to set up camp. The Hound held a finger to his lips and Sansa suddenly stiffened. She could hear hooves in front of her. She unstrapped her bow and notched an arrow just as a group of 9 men rounded the corner in front of them. The Hound drew his sword and Sansa trained her arrow on the leader ready to fire. When the nine men saw them they drew swords and bows as well but as they rode closer they lowered them a little surrounding Sandor and Sansa with their horses.
"It's the bloody Hound!" Said one in surprise. Sansa looked down trying to hide her face but it was too late. "And I bet my cock that's Sansa Stark."
"You still have a cock then," Sandor said admitted nastily.
"You have a big price on your head my Lady." Said an archer.
"Not as big as it will be when I kill Joffery," Sansa said bravely.
"Shut it, girl!" Sandor said roughly. The men laughed. "I always heard Sansa Stark is a real lady." Said the archer.
"Are you going to hand us in?" Sandor asked roughly
"No." Said their leader. "Your brother has been sighted at Harrenhall. Tywin is at Kingslanding leaving him a perfect opportunity for his younger brother to kill him.
"HOW THE FUCK DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT." Sandor roared standing up in his stirrups.
"It's the worse kept secret in all of Westeros." Said the leader lightly.
"We are the brotherhood without banners. We fight for the free people of the Riverlands, started by your father, my lady."
"What do you think about the Lannisters?" Sansa asked suspiciously.
"It is the Lannisters, lead by Gregor Clegane, that impose the most danger to our cause." Sansa hoped what they were saying was true. Sandor looked suspicious.
"You want ME to kill for you." He asked.
"Sandor, I think they seem like honest people," Sansa said.
"SHUT IT, GIRL." Sandor snapped again and the brotherhood sniggered.
"It is a day's ride until we come to the inn of the kneeling man. We can drink, and discuss further plans." Sandor considered this.
"I'll drink. We would have stopped there anyway." He said grunting.
"I swear, on my life, that we will protect the Lady Stark." The leader said. The Hound said nothing but gave a slight nod.

They arrived at the inn at midday and Sansa felt so exhausted from two days of riding with no rest and the insecurity of other people. She hadn't realized how used she had come of just her and Sandor. The Brotherhood introduced themselves as Beric, Thoros, Lem, Morgan, Steve, Riddell, Gatins, and Anguy. She sat next to Sandor as she ate and drank quietly. No one spoke to her and that suited her fine. Finally, she was given her own room to be guarded by the brotherhood. In other circumstances, she might have been suspicious but fatigue plagued her mind, and she didn't bother to undress as she slipped under the covers and fell asleep.

She awoke many times before she got out of bed. She kept dreaming strange dreams she couldn't remember. The window in her room indicated it was daytime and she began feeling the dirt that had built up on her skin for nearly a week, she hoped there would be a bath for her. She left her room to find one of the brotherhood standing outside the door. She thought his name was Gatins but she couldn't remember.
"Is there a place I may bathe?" She asked timidly.
"Of course M'lady. He said. "Follow me."
"Let me get a new dress." She said running back to her room and getting the nicest one. Then she followed him downstairs and into a bathroom. Horrified there was little privacy between each bath despite all of them being empty, she looked at Gatins.
"I'll wait outside this door." He said. Sansa nodded and waited for him to go before she began undressing. The warm water was welcomed to her skin as dirt, sweat, and horsehair that had accumulated there leaked into the water. She didn't allow herself very long in comfort though and was out not long after she had gotten in but as she left the bathhouse she felt a little lighter in her step. Gatins accompanied her to the bar where she had eaten the night before. She expected Sandor to be drinking but to her surprise, he was wearing full armor and was pacing. When he saw her, he gave her an impatient look.
"You took your time." He muttered.
"Oh? Are we leaving?" She asked surprised.
"I am. Your Not." He replied gruffly. "I going to kill my brother. The brotherhood has agreed to stay with you here until nightfall tomorrow. Then if I'm not back they'll take you to your brother." Sansa was shocked.
"Please don't go." She said quietly. "What if you die?"
"Then you'll still go home." He said.
"Are you sure we can trust them?" She asked.
"Yes," Sandor replied simply. "You've got your knife. And your bow."
"But!" She protested but held her tongue. She had grown close to the Hound since he had taken her away from Kingslanding and she was sad to see him go. She trusted him more than she had anyone in a long time. Sandor went to walk out she ran after him giving him a kiss on the cheek.
"Thank you, for everything." Sandor gave her a rough smile and placed are hand on her shoulder.
"Stay safe, Little Bird."