Chapter 35 Chapter Thirty-Four: Arya

Eyes adjusted to the dark.When Harwin removed the hood, the dazzling red light in the cave made her blink like a stupid owl. A large fire pit was dug in the middle of the mud, and the flames crackled and spiraled upwards, reaching the top of the cave blackened by smoke.The walls were half rock, half earth, and huge white tree roots twisted and coiled in them like a thousand slowly wriggling white snakes.She watched men emerge from among the roots, emerging from shadows, to see the faces of their captives.They poured out from the mouth of the dark tunnel and from the cracks and crevices in all directions.Farther from the fire, the roots formed something like a staircase leading to a hollow in the earth above, in which sat a man, almost buried in the tangle of weirwood roots.

Lemon lifts Gendry's hood. "What is this place?" he asked. "Old place, deep and hidden. A safe haven neither wolf nor lion can find." Neither ruthless nor lion can be found.Arya's hairs stood on end.She remembered her most recent dream, and the smell of blood as it tore a human arm from its shoulder. The fire is huge, the cave is even bigger, and it's hard to tell the boundaries.The tunnels in them may be only two meters deep, or they may be as long as two miles.Men, women, and children all watched the visitor warily. Greenbeard said, "This is our wizard, little squirrel. Your questions will be answered in no time." He pointed to the fire, where Tom Sevenstrings was standing talking to a tall, thin man in a battered A pair of tattered old armor over his pink robes.This couldn't be Soros of Myr.Arya remembered the red priest as plump, with a smooth face and a shiny bald head; this one had a gaunt face and a mop of gray hair.Tom didn't know what to say, and he looked at Arya, as if he was going to come.But when the Mad Hunter pushed the captive into the light, she and Gendry were forgotten.

The Mad Hunter was a stocky, well-built man in patched brown leather, with a bald head and a broad jaw, giving him an aggressive look.In Stone Hall, when they asked him to hand over the captives to the Lightning Lord in front of the Ravencage, he looked like he would tear lemons and greenbeards to pieces.The hounds came round, sniffing and growling, but Tom Sevenstrings calmed them down with music, Tansy came to the square with an apron of bones and fat mutton, and Lemon pointed to Ann standing at the window of the brothel, ready to shoot. cover.The Mad Hunter curses them for being useless, but eventually agrees to bring the captives to Lord Berry for trial.

They had bound his wrists with twine and a noose around his neck and a sack over his head, but even so he was dangerous, and Arya could feel it from this side of the cave.Soros—if that was really Soros—leaves the fire and goes toward the captives and escorts. "How did you catch him?" asked the monk. "The hounds caught the scent. He fell asleep drunk under a willow tree, believe it or not." "He was betrayed by his own kind." Soros turned to the prisoner, pulling back his hood. "Welcome to our humble hall, The Hound. It's not as grand as Robert's throne room, but the people are nicer."

The flickering flames cast an orange shadow over Sangfeng Clegane's burned face, making him look more terrifying than usual.The Hound tugged on the rope at his wrist, and small pieces of dried blood fell down, and his mouth twitched. "I know you," he said to Soros. "Yes. We were in the joust at the same time, and you cursed my flaming sword, and I beat you three times with it." "Thoros of Myr. You used to have your head shaved." "To show humility, although my heart is full of vanity. Besides, I lost the razor in the forest." The monk patted his belly. "I've lost a lot of weight, but I've gained a lot. A year of outdoor life has worn away my skin and flesh. If I can find a tailor to measure my clothes, I believe I will rejuvenate again and win the kisses of beautiful girls."

"Only the blind! The smelly monk." The bandits yelled and cursed, and Thoros' voice overshadowed them. "That's it. I am no longer the hypocritical priest you know. The Lord of Light awakens in my heart. The power that has been sleeping for a long time begins to wake up. The power of good and evil gathers on the earth. The holy fire has given me many perceptions." The Hound was unmoved. "To hell with you and your flame." He looked around. "Monk, your companions are very strange." "These are my brothers," Soros said succinctly. The lemon cloak squeezed to the front.He and Greenbeard were the only ones tall enough to look the Hound in the eye. "Don't bark here, dog! Your life is in our hands."

"Wipe the shit off your hands first." The Hound laughed. "How long have you been hiding in this hole?" Hearing his allusion to their cowardice, Anguy the Archer burst into anger, "Ask the goat if we are hiding, Hound, ask your brother, ask Lord Leech. We made them pay for it all." "Just you guys? Don't make fucking jokes. You look like pig breeders, not fighters!" "There were pigmen among us," said a short man Arya didn't know, "and cobblers, singers, stonemasons . . . but that was before the war came." "Leaving King's Landing, we belong to Winterfell, to Darry, to Blackhaven, to House Mallery and House Weld. Among us are knights, squires, soldiers, nobles and commoners, for the common good Go forward with your goal." The voice came from the man who sat among the roots of the weirwood trees high up in the cave wall. "One hundred and twenty strong men set out together to let your brother accept the king's trial." The speaker walked down the tangled stairs to the ground. "One hundred and twenty brave and upright men, but the leader is a fool in a star-patterned cloak." He was dressed in rags, the black forged star-patterned cloak was already tattered, his iron breastplate was battered and battered by battles, and his thick golden-red hair almost Covering the entire face, save for the hair above the left ear - where his head was dented. "More than eighty of our comrades are now dead, but many more have taken their arms and carried on their legacy." He reached the ground, and the bandits moved aside to let him pass.Arya saw that one of his eyes was missing, the flesh around the socket was scarred and wrinkled, and there was a dark circle on the side of his neck. "Everyone works together and fights side by side, for Robert and for the country."

"Robert?" Sandor Clegane said in a quizzical voice. "We are sent by Eddard Stark," said Lucky Jack in the rusty half-helm, "but he is the Commander who sits on and off the Iron Throne, representing the King." "Robert is the Worm King now, so you held a council of council for him in the dirt?" "The king's man is dead," admitted the ragged knight, "but we are still his men, though we lost our royal banner at Mummer's Ford when your brother the butcher and his executioners attacked us." Fist touches chest. "Robert has been murdered, but his country remains, and we guard her."

"Her?" The Hound snorted, "Dondarrion, is she your mother? Or are you a bitch?" Dondarrion? Beric Dondarrion was handsome, and Sansa's friend Jenny had fallen in love with him, and no little girl could fall in love with this man.Arya watched carefully, and saw scattered forked purple lightning bolts on the opponent's cracked glazed breastplate. "Rocks and trees and rivers, that's your country," said the Hound. "Do rocks need guarding? Robert doesn't think so! Nothing to fuck or fight or drink is boring to him. You don't look the same to him." Not worth the money... my good warriors."

There was a burst of anger in the cave. "Call it like that again, dog, and you'll have to swallow your own tongue." Lemon drew out his long sword. The Hound eyed the sharp weapon contemptuously. "Threatening the bound people with weapons, what is a 'warrior'? Why don't you let me go? Let me see how brave you really are." He glanced at the crazy hunter behind him. "And you? Left all your guts in the kennel?" "Bah! I should have left you in the crow cage," the mad hunter drew out his dagger, "It's not too late to make up for it."

The Hound laughed loudly at him. "Here we are brothers," declared Thoros of Myr, "brothers holy, to our lands, to our gods, and to us we have sworn to each other, to do the justice of heaven." "We're Brotherhood Without Banners." Tom Sevenstrings plucked the strings. "Knight of the Empty Mountain." "Knight?" Clegane sneered at the word. "Dondarrion is a knight, and the rest of you are just a bunch of poor bandits and cripples. I can shit better than you." "Any knight can be knighted," said the ragged Beric Dondarrion. "Everyone you meet here once had a sword on their shoulder. We are forgotten companions." "Let me go, and I'll forget you too," Clegane said hoarsely. "If you're going to murder me, do it quickly. You've taken my sword, my horse, and my money, and I have only one life left, so take it... But one thing, don't whisper to me, pretend Piety!" "You'll die soon, dog," Soros assured, "but that's not murder, it's justice." "That's right," said the Mad Hunter, "compared to the crimes you have committed, the arrangement of fate is kind. You call yourself lions, but you raped girls of six or seven years old in Shell Village and Mummer's Beach, and left them in the arms of their mothers. Nursing babies cut in two. No real lion would be so cruel." "I've never been to Shell, nor to Mummer's Ford," the Hound told him. "Put your dead baby on someone's door." Thoros replied, "Isn't your House Clegane built on dead babies? I saw them lay the dead bodies of Prince Aegon and Princess Rhaenys before the Iron Throne. Your coat of arms should be two Bloody babies, not those ugly dogs." The Hound's mouth twitched. "You think I'm like my brother? It's a crime to be born into Clegane's family?" "Murder is a crime." "Who did I murder?" "Lord Rosa Mallery and Ser Gladden Wilder," said Harwin. "My brothers Lester and Lennox," declared Lucky Jack. "Good Baker and Mercy, the miller's son, from Donnellyn," cried an old woman from the shadows. "The warm and loving widow of Merriman," Greenbeard added. "The monks of the muddy pond." "Ser Andrey Charlton and his squire Lucas Root. The men and women of Fieldstone and Moutston." "The wealthy Baroness and Mrs. Daddings." Tom of the Seven Strings counted points, "Erlyn of Winterfell, Jos the Quickbow, little Matt and his sister Randa, Amver Lynn. Sir Ormond. Sir Dudley. Pate of Morrie , Pate of the Spearwood, old Pate, Pate of Shemerin. Vail the Blind Butcher. Mrs. Mary. Loose Mary. Becca the Baker. Ser Raymond Darry, Lord Darry, Young Lord Darry The bastard of the Brackens. Will the arrow maker. Hasley. Mrs. Nora—” "Stop!" The Hound's face tightened with anger. "Talking nonsense. I don't know any of these people. Who are they?" "Men," said Beric, "great and mortal, good and bad, young and old, all fell to the Lannister's sword." "It's not my spear and sword. Damn, who said I did it? It's a complete lie!" "You work for the Lannister family in Casterly Rock." Soros said. "Yes, it used to be. I've served his family with thousands of others, and shall we all be sentenced for crimes we don't know?" Clegane spat. "Perhaps you are knights. You are like knights." Lying as much as lying, disregarding human life as riding dirt." Lemon and Lucky Jack yelled, but Dondarrion raised his hand for silence. "What do you mean Clegane?" "What do you mean? Phew, knight, a hide, a sword, a horse. And oaths, holy oils, and women's tokens, well, the ribbon on the sword. Maybe the ribbon The sword is more beautiful, but its function has not changed, it is still killing! Bah, fuck your mother's ribbon, put your mother's sword in your ass. The only difference between me and you is that I don't lie for myself. Kill me quickly, but don't call me a murderer while saying your shit doesn't stink. Do you understand?" Arya squeezed past Greenbeard so quickly that he didn't even react. "You're a murderer!" she screamed. "You killed Mikay, don't deny it! You killed him!" The Hound stared at her without recognizing her. "Who's this Mikay, boy?" "I'm not a boy! But Mycah is. He's a butcher boy, and you killed him! Jory said you nearly cut him in two, and he never held a real sword." She felt people looking at her, Those men, women and children who call themselves knights of the empty mountain. "Who is this?" Someone asked. It was the Hound who answered, "Seven Hells! That sister, the little girl who threw Little Joe's beautiful sword into the river." He burst out laughing. "Everyone thought you were dead." "No wonder, you are the one who is doomed!" She retaliated at him. Harwin took her by the arm and dragged her back. Lord Bailey said, "This girl accuses you of being a murderer. Do you deny killing the butcher's brother Mycah?" The big man shrugged. "I was Joffrey's bodyguard, and the boy attacked the dauphin." "Lie!" Arya struggled in Harwin's grasp. "It was me! It was I who struck Joffrey and threw the 'lion's tooth' into the river. Mycah did nothing but treat me Just run away as ordered." "Did you see that boy attack Prince Joffrey?" Lord Beric Dondarrion asked the Hound. "His Royal Highness told me personally, and I have no right to question the royal family." Clegane pointed to Arya. "That's what the fellow's own sister said to your dear Robert." "Sansa is lying, too," Arya raged again at her sister, "not what she said. No!" Thoros pulled Lord Berry aside.While Arya was furious, the two discussed in low voices.They will kill him.I have prayed hundreds, thousands of times for him to die! Beric Dondarrion turned to face the Hound. "You are charged with murder, but no one here knows whether the charges are true or not, so we cannot decide. Only the Lord of Light can decide. I declare that you will be tried by combat." The Hound frowned suspiciously, as if he couldn't believe his ears. "Are you stupid or crazy?" "Neither. I am a just lord. If you can prove your innocence by the sword, you are free to go." "No," Arya shouted before Harwin could cover her mouth.No, they can't, he'll be free! The Hound is a fearsome and deadly warrior, everyone knows that.He'll laugh at them, she thought. Sure enough, a piercing laughter echoed between the cave walls, full of contempt. "Who will come then?" He looked at the lemon cloak. "Warriors in pee-yellow cloaks? Don't dare? How about you, Hunter? You've kicked dogs, how about me?" He looked at Greenbeard. "You're big, Tyroshi, stand up. Or are you going to let that little girl fight me herself?" He laughed. "Come on, come here if you don't want your life!" "Your opponent is me." Count Beric Dondarrion said. Arya remembered all the legends.He's immortal, she thought with a glimmer of hope.The Mad Hunter cut the ropes that bound Sandor Clegane's hands. "I need a sword and armor." The Hound rubbed his frayed wrist. "Your sword we will return," Lord Beric announced, "but your innocence is your armor." Clegane's mouth twitched. "My innocence is against your breastplate, is it?" "Ed, help me take off the breastplate." Arya shuddered when Lord Beric called her father's name, but Eddard was only a boy, a fair-haired squire of eleven or twelve.He walked quickly, unfastened the buckle, and loosened the scarred iron armor of the frontier lord.The lining underneath had rotted with age and sweat, falling away when the armor was removed.Gendry gasped, "Our Lady of Mercy." The outline of the Lightning King's ribs is clearly highlighted under the skin.There was a dimpled scar on his chest, just above his left breast, and as he turned for a weapon, Arya saw a corresponding scar on his back.The spear pierced his body.The Hound saw the scar too.Is he scared? Arya wants him to be terrified before he dies, like Mycah, and Mycah must be terrified. Ed brought Lord Berry's sword belt and a long black coat.The coat was meant to be worn over armor, so it was loosely worn.On the coat is a purple forked lightning bolt representing House Dondarrion.He unsheathed his sword and returned the belt to the squire. Thoros brought the Hound's sword belt. "Does a dog have any honor?" the monk asked, "To prevent you from breaking your promise, running away with weapons, or taking children as hostages... Angai, Dene, and Keller, once you find him doing something wrong, take action immediately." Waiting for the three archers to set their arrows Drawing the bow, Thoros handed Clegane the sword belt. The Hound drew his sword and threw away the scabbard.The Mad Hunter handed him his oaken shield, studded with iron, painted yellow and bearing the three black dogs of House Clegane.The boy named Ed brought Lord Berry's shield. His shield was badly chopped, and the purple lightning and dots of stars were almost completely obliterated. The Hound moved toward his opponent, but Thoros of Myr stopped him. "Let's pray first." He turned to face the fire and raised his arms, "Lord of Light, please take care of us." Throughout the cave, members of Brotherhood Without Banners responded in unison: "Lord of Light, protect us." "King of Light, guide us in the darkness." "Lord of Light, shine your shining face upon us." "Light us the Holy Flame, R'hllor," said the red priest, "and reveal to us whether this man is honest or false. If he is guilty, strike him down; if he is true, give him power. Lord of Light , please give us your wisdom." "For the night is dark, and every place is dangerous!" Harwin, Anguy, and the others chanted loudly. "The cave is dark," said the Hound, "and I am the worst. I hope your god is more merciful, Dondarrion, and you will see him soon." Earl Bailey solemnly placed the blade of the long sword on the palm of his left hand, and made a slow stroke.Dark red blood gushed out from the wound and flowed down the iron sword. Then, the sword started to burn. Arya heard Gendry say a prayer. "Go to the Seventh Hell, damn it, burn you to death!" the Hound cursed, "and you, Soros!" He glared at the red robe monk, "after I deal with him, it's your turn, Myr bastard .” "Every word you say incriminates you, dog," Soros replies, while Lemon, Greenbeard, and Lucky Jack hurl menacing expletives.Lord Berry waited silently, still as still water, shield strapped to his left arm, sword burning in his right.Kill him, Arya thought, please, kill him! Behind the light, his face had a dead man's mask on it, the missing eye a hideous red gash.The long sword burned from the tip to the gauntlet, but Dondarrion didn't seem to feel the heat.He stood motionless, like a stone statue. When the hound rushed, he moved quickly. The fire sword met the icy iron sword from bottom to top, and the long colored halo drawn out was just like the ribbon that the hound said.Iron and steel intersect, and the sound is sonorous.As soon as the first move was blocked, Clegane immediately made a second swing, which was blocked by Lord Beric's shield this time.Under the violent force, the sawdust flew away.His attacks were violent and swift, up and down, left and right, but Dondarion blocked them one by one.Flames danced wildly on the sword, red and yellow shadows marked the trajectory of movement, and every movement of the Lightning King made them brighter, as if he was standing in a cage of fire. "Is that wildfire?" Arya asked Gendry. "No. It's different. It's..." "...magic?" she finished for him.At this point the Hounds began to fall back, Lord Berry switched from defense to attack, and the air was full of fire lines, forcing the big man to walk at every step.Clegane blocked the blow with his shield, and a dog in the coat of arms instantly lost its head.He took advantage of the situation to counterattack, but was held back by Dondarion, who slashed with his backhand.The bandit brothers cheered loudly for the leader. "He's lost!" Arya heard shouts, and "Cut him! Cut him! Cut him!"The Hound avoided the fatal blow to the head, but the heat on his face made him look pained.He grunted, cursed, and staggered. The Earl of Bailey did not give the other party a chance to breathe.He presses against the big man, arm free; pause.The two swords collided, bounced, bumped, bounced, shards flew from the lightning shield, and the flames kissed the dog pattern again and again.The Hound moved to the right, but Dondarrion stopped him with a quick sidestep, forcing him to the other side... towards the fire pit that was burning with sullen red flames.Clegane backed away until he felt the heat behind him.He took a quick glance to try to make sense of the situation, and it nearly cost him his head.The Earl of Berry took the opportunity to launch a new round of offensive. Thorn Clegane pushed forward again, and Arya could see the madness in his eyes.He took three steps forward, two steps back, and then took a step to the left, but Earl Bailey saw through.He took two steps forward, one step back... The iron sword clang, clang, and the two giant oak shields were being struck again and again.The Hound's long straight black hair clung to his forehead, glistening with sweat.There was alcohol in the sweat, Arya thought, and he was arrested drunk.She sensed the fear rising in his eyes.As Lord Beric's flaming sword whirled and slashed, she told herself happily: The Hound is losing.With another round of onslaughts, the Lightning King forced the Hound back into position, forcing Clegane to stagger to the edge of the fire pit.Yes, yes, he was dying! She stood on tiptoe to get a better view. "Fuck you bastard!" the Hound yelled.The flames licked the back of his thighs, and he charged forward desperately, dancing the heavy sword harder and harder, trying to knock down smaller opponents with brute force, break swords, shields, or arms.But the flames produced by Dondarion's block rolled towards his eyes, forcing him to retreat in a hurry, his legs gave way when he exerted his strength, and he fell to one knee on the ground.Earl Bailey rushed forward immediately, the flaming sword roared and slashed, drawing a wheel of fire in the air.Panting, Clegane raised the shield above his head, and the cave echoed with the loud crash of oak. "His shield is on fire," Gendry whispered.Arya saw it too: flames spread across the chipped yellow paint, consuming the three black dogs. Sangfeng Clegane struggled to his feet and launched a desperate counterattack.But before Lord Berry could fight back, the Hound realized that the flames were burning and rolling on his shield, so close to his face.He shouted in disgust, and frantically knocked on the shattered oak shield, completely destroying it.The shield splintered, one piece spun out in flames, and the other remained stubbornly attached to his forearm.He struggled hard, but instead fueled the fire, his sleeve caught fire and his entire left arm was ablaze. "Kill him!" Greenbeard urged Lord Beric, and the others chanted, "Guilty!" Arya chanted after them, "Guilty, guilty, kill him, he's guilty!" Earl Berry's movements were as smooth as summer silk, he quickly approached, ready to kill the opponent.The hound let out a piercing cry, and with both hands holding the sword, he slashed down with all his strength.Lord Berry blocked it easily... "No no no no no!" Arya screamed. …But the burning weapon was overwhelmed and broke in two. The cold iron sword of the Hound was buried in the flesh and blood of Earl Bailey, cutting at the junction of shoulder and neck, until it reached the breastbone.Dark red blood gushed out all of a sudden. Sangfeng Clegane was still burning.He stumbled backwards, snapped off what was left of his shield, threw it away cursing, and rolled in the mud, trying to extinguish the flames that were spreading across his arms. Lord Berry knelt down on his knees slowly, as if praying.He opened his mouth, but only blood gushed out.The Hound's sword was still lodged in him as he fell face-to-face.The dirt soaked up the blood.There was no sound in the empty mountain, only the slight crackling of the flames and the whimpering of the hounds trying to stand up.Arya thought of Mycah and her stupid prayers. She prayed day and night for the Hound's death.If there were gods, why couldn't Lord Berry win? She knew that the Hound was guilty. "Please," Sandor Clegane said hoarsely, crossing his arms, "I'm burned, help me, someone help me." He was crying. "Good job." Arya looked at him in surprise.He cried like a baby, she thought. "Merry, take care of his burns," Soros ordered, "Lemon, Jack, help me take care of Earl Bailey. Ed, you'd better come here too." The red monk pulled the hound's sword from the earl's body , and buried the tip of the sword in the blood-soaked mud.Lemon's big hand went under Dondarrion's arm, and Lucky Jack picked up his foot.They carried him around fire pits and down dark tunnels.Soros and the boy named Ed followed behind. The crazy hunter spat, "I said we should take him back to Shitang Town and put him in a crow cage." "Yes," said Arya, "he killed Mycah. Really!" "What an angry little squirrel," muttered Greenbeard. Harwin sighed, "R'hllor just acquitted him." "Who's 'Lu-ha-lo'?" She couldn't even pronounce the name clearly. "Lord of Light. Soros taught us—" She didn't care what Soros taught them.She drew the dagger from Greenbeard's scabbard, and ran before he could react.Gendry held out his hand to stop her, but she was always faster than Gendry. Tom Sevenstrings and the women were helping the Hound to his feet.She saw his arm and was too shocked to speak.The place where the shield belt is wrapped around is a streak of pink, but from the elbow to the wrist, the muscles are all split, and the blood is oozing red.He met her gaze, and the corners of his mouth twitched, "You want me to die so much? Then come on, little wolf girl, stabbing down with a knife is much cleaner than fire." Clegane tried to stand up, but moved slightly, A piece of charred flesh fell off his arm, his knees gave way, and he fell down again.Tom grabbed his good right arm and supported him. His hands, Arya thought, were like his face.But he's the Hound and deserves to burn in hell.The dagger was heavy, and she gripped it tighter. "You killed Mycah," she repeated for his confession, "tell them. You killed Mycah. You killed Mycah!" "Yes," his whole face contorted, "I rode my horse and split him in two, and then I laughed. I watched them beat your sister, and I saw them chop off your father's head." Lemon grabbed her wrist and twisted it, taking the dagger away.She kicks him, but he refuses to return the weapon. "To hell, Hound," she could only yell at Sandor Clegane in helpless rage, without the fellow, "to hell!" "He's already been there," said a voice that was almost a whisper. Arya turned around, and Lord Beric Dondarrion was standing behind, clutching Thoros' shoulder with a bloody hand.