Before he knew what was happening, he felt a pair of fists hitting him across his side. “Shut up!” Arya yelled at him fiercely. For such a small thing, she packed a surprising wallop, and he quickly restrained her.
“Enough,” he told her, feeling more calm than he had since taking her. She struggled against his hands for a moment, but soon enough she realized it was futile. When he saw the fight go out of her, he let go of her hands. “You'll want to learn to control that temper of yours, m'lady.” Every once in a while, Sandor would use the girl's title just to annoy her. “Might be one day the person you hit will decide to hit back.”
When she finally looked back toward him, Sandor felt the breath go out of him. The little bird had reminded him often enough of his sister. Joana had been a gentle thing, like her. But Arya was closer to her in appearance, and sometimes she'd get this sad look in her eye that he would swear only belonged to Joana, herself. The first time he'd seen the little Lady Stark look at him like that, he hadn't known what to do. He'd gotten angry, drunk himself to sleep, and refused to look her way for a week after. But now, he felt a strange surge of protectiveness for this little girl. It wasn't her fault that she was annoying as seven bloody hells. Or maybe it was, he didn't know. Irritating as she was, Arya Stark was just as alone in this world as he was- maybe even more. She needed to be with her family.
Sandor realized he'd been staring at the girl for some time, but he could see her steely refusal to turn away. The burned side of his mouth twitched, and he turned back toward the long road ahead. With a flick of the reins, he sent his horse into a trot. “Come on,” he called brusquely over his shoulder. “The ride to Riverrun isn't a short one.”
Long Road Home, 2/2
“Enough,” he told her, feeling more calm than he had since taking her. She struggled against his hands for a moment, but soon enough she realized it was futile. When he saw the fight go out of her, he let go of her hands. “You'll want to learn to control that temper of yours, m'lady.” Every once in a while, Sandor would use the girl's title just to annoy her. “Might be one day the person you hit will decide to hit back.”
When she finally looked back toward him, Sandor felt the breath go out of him. The little bird had reminded him often enough of his sister. Joana had been a gentle thing, like her. But Arya was closer to her in appearance, and sometimes she'd get this sad look in her eye that he would swear only belonged to Joana, herself. The first time he'd seen the little Lady Stark look at him like that, he hadn't known what to do. He'd gotten angry, drunk himself to sleep, and refused to look her way for a week after. But now, he felt a strange surge of protectiveness for this little girl. It wasn't her fault that she was annoying as seven bloody hells. Or maybe it was, he didn't know. Irritating as she was, Arya Stark was just as alone in this world as he was- maybe even more. She needed to be with her family.
Sandor realized he'd been staring at the girl for some time, but he could see her steely refusal to turn away. The burned side of his mouth twitched, and he turned back toward the long road ahead. With a flick of the reins, he sent his horse into a trot. “Come on,” he called brusquely over his shoulder. “The ride to Riverrun isn't a short one.”