Ok, I'm doing something a bit different again. If anyone is OOC my apologies.

Sandor and Arya had been travelling for some time before they came across the mysterious woman. During her short time with the pair she had said nothing apart from some things in a language that neither Sandor nor Arya had ever heard.

When they met her, they had been setting up camp for the night when they had seen the glow of what they thought was a campfire in the distance. Sandor had told Arya to stay where she was while he investigated, but Arya being Arya she had refused.

"Who do you think it could be?" Arya whispered as the pair creeped closer and closer to the glow.

"I know as much as you do girl, now be quiet." Sandor grumbled as he drew his sword from its sheath.

Instead of finding the camp that they had expected, they found a simple small fire with a figure under a light cloak next to it.

"Is it a person?" Arya asked.

"We'll see in a minute." Sandor answered as he slowly removed the hood from the figures head.

Sandor stumbled back slightly when he saw the face underneath. It was a young woman, older than Arya but still not too old. Her pale skin was decorated with tattoos which made intricate patterns in her flesh; Sandor had never seen anything like it before, but instead of marring her beauty the tattoos only served to enhance it. He had never heard of a people in all the Seven Kingdoms that did such a thing. She moved slightly, and waves of hair, as red as the setting sun fell around her face and neck accentuating her pale skin all the more.

"What is it?" Arya asked from behind him.

"It's a woman." Sandor answered.

"Shouldn't we wake her? She shouldn't be out here alone; the gods only know what could happen to her." Arya told him.

"Well what do ya expect me ta do? We don't know who she is, or what she is capable of." Sandor huffed, his eyes looking over the sleeping form.

"Sandor, she has no weapon, she is on her own, and she doesn't look like she's any threat to me. What I expect is for us to take her with us." Arya's raised voice instantly woke the sleeping woman. A pair of bright yellow eyes stared at the two before the woman sprung to her feet, and quickly bolted for the trees. Arya followed, quickly running after the fleeing figure. Sandor groaned, cursing under his breath as he chased after the two females.

By the time Arya had caught up with the woman her lungs and muscles burnt as she desperately gasped for breath. She watched as the woman in front of her seemed to shake a little, not from fear or anger but something else that Arya couldn't quite put her finger on. The woman wasn't out of breath in the slightest, in fact to Arya it looked as though she had flown through the trees, gracefully avoiding branches and limbs as she fled.

Arya put her hands up. "I am sorry milady, we did not mean to scare you, we just want to help." Arya said as her eyes looked straight into the yellow orbs of the woman.

The woman turned her head slightly, her eyebrows furrowing as if she had not understood anything that Arya had said. Sandor rushed up behind Arya, his sword in hand.

"Alright, ya cornered her, what do we do with er now?" Sandor asked as the woman flinched when she saw the sword that he was wielding.

Arya glared at him. "Will you put that away, can't you see that she is no threat?

Reluctantly Sandor sheathed his sword.

"I don't think she understands us." Arya said as the woman continued to look at the pair curiously.

"Ya coming with us girl, cos if ya don't I'll never hear the last of it from this un." Sandor said, indicating towards Arya.

The woman looked at him inquisitively for a moment before she walked up to the large man, until she stood straight in front of him. Slowly she reached up her hand and placed it on his scared cheek and brushed her thumb over the marked flesh. Sandor stiffened, he wasn't used to being touched; especially by such a beautiful young woman; he saw no fear or disgust in her eyes which was something that he was used to, instead she smiled gently and spoke in a language that he could not understand. Her voice was soft and made him feel calm; she reached up on her tiptoes and kissed him gently on the cheek.

Sandor coughed self-consciously as he heard Arya chuckle next to him. "Looks like someone likes you." Arya joked.

"Never mind that, let's get her back to the camp, we can't stay out here all night." Sandor huffed as he carefully took the hand of the woman, pulling her out of the forest. The woman stopped suddenly and let out a high pitched whistle; Arya and Sandor looked at her puzzled for a moment until they heard the noise of something running through the trees. Sandor went to grab his sword, but a soft hand stopped him; she shook her head as all three watched a huge white stallion thunder into the clearing. It stopped in front of the women, its head bowing deeply to her as she climbed up onto its back.

>>----------------------------------<<

All that was days ago now, and still Arya and Sandor knew nothing about their new travel companion.

"Who do ya think she is?" Sandor asked Arya quietly as he watched the young woman through the flames of the fire.

"I don't know, I've never heard a language like the one she speaks, and I have never seen a woman look the way she looks. Maybe a Maestre at my aunts will understand what she is saying or know where she is from." Arya said, as she too looked over at the woman.

In the days that she had been with them she had barely eaten and kept a strange distance from the fire even though the clothes she wore were not warm enough for their current surroundings. Sandor had caught her on a number of occasions studying his face as they travelled, she never turned her gaze from him when he caught her, she just merely smiled instead, before turning her eyes back to the road.  

"Ay, she's a strange one I'll give ya that. Beautiful though." Sandor mussed.

Arya chuckled. "Sounds like someone's in love to me."

"Don't be daft, I'm just sayin that she's not unpleasant ta look at that's all." Sandor grumbled as he took out his sword and started to clean it.  

"Well she seems to like you. I've noticed that she is always looking at you, she can't keep her eyes off you." Arya joked.

Sandor looked up, his deep brown eyes meeting her golden orbs. A small smile tugged at his lips as he felt himself melt under her gaze.

Tearing his eyes away from hers he shook his head, no one could be interested in him, not after everything he had done; he didn't deserve to have someone so beautiful be drawn to him. The scar scared most people away, and his gruff disposition didn't help any either. He shook his head again.

"Don't be stupid girl, now get some sleep, we head out early in the morning."  But as Sandor lay there, looking up at the stars he knew Arya was right, there was something about the woman that spoke to him; every time the two looked at one another there was a feeling in the pit of his stomach like nothing he had ever felt before, it was as if a fire burned within him, a fire so fierce that nothing could extinguish it but her.

>>---------------------------------<<

Sandor woke suddenly as he heard the breaking of twigs, he assumed for a moment that it was the woman's horse returning to the camp as it did every night from only the gods knew where. He peered into the slowly subsiding darkness, to make sure that both Arya and the woman were still sleeping; but instead Sandor met the wide open eyes of the woman that were glowing brighter than he had ever seen them. He watched as she slowly brought her finger up to her lips, indicating for him to stay silent; she then pointed into the darkness. Sandor immediately knew what was going on, the noise hadn't been her animal returning but the sound of intruders.

Sandor slowly and carefully reached over and grabbed his sword while the woman reached out her hand and softly roused Arya making sure that the girl stayed quiet.

A sudden yell split the late night air, as men seemed to come from every direction to surround the three travellers. Sandor sprung to his feet followed by Arya, his sword cutting through the intruders; but despite his strength and size the pair were quickly subdued under the hoard of men. Sandor watched as even more men stalked over to the woman.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here boys; what's such a pretty thing doing travelling with these two?" One of the men called out as he drew closer and closer to her.

He looked over at Sandor. "This ya woman Hound?" The man asked, to which Sandor didn't reply.

"Nah, didn't think so; nothing this beautiful would even give you a second glance." The man chuckled.

As the man took another step forward the woman finally spoke.

"Don't come any closer, I don't want to hurt you." She shouted out, as her eyes began to glow even brighter.

Sandor and Arya looked at one another in disbelief, after all this time the woman had just spoken, and she had spoken perfect common tongue.

The man laughed. "And what do ya think ya can do? Ya ain't got no sword and ya don't look like a fighter ta me. And if ya hadn't noticed ya outnumbered."

A slight smirk came to the woman's face. "You should never judge a book by its cover; but it does prove one thing, you are as stupid as you look."

The man growled. "Who do ya think ya are girl, talkin ta me like that? I'm gonna take great delight in hurting you."

"You hurt me? HA! Don't make me laugh; all brawn and no brain, that's all you are. Just because your big doesn't mean you scare me."

Suddenly the woman burst into flames, the heat forcing the men near her to cower away.

"I told you not to come any closer; I told you I didn't want to hurt anyone, but you insisted on pushing me!"

Sandor and Arya watched in disbelief as the woman rose up from the floor, a pair of fiery wings growing from her back. The fire around her became incandescent as balls of flames flew from her hands to surround the men that held on to her new companions. The screams of the men filled the air as the flames engulfed them until all that was left were piles of smouldering bones. The woman gently descended back to earth as she faced the last remaining man who was now cowering on his knees.

"W-w-what are ya?" The man stuttered out

She leaned over and took his face in her hand. "I am the last thing you are ever going to see." With that fire engulfed him, a heat so intense that when it abated there was nothing left but ash.

"Quick, get to your knees." Arya said to Sandor, who was still wide eyed looking at the piles of crumbling bones.

"Do it or that burn on your face will be nothing; I know who she is." Arya said, trying to encourage the big man to his knees.

"Forgive us your Grace, if you had told us who you were, we would bowed before." Arya said, keeping her eyes firmly planted on the floor.

"And what do you think you know of me Arya?" The woman asked as the fire disappeared.

"I know that you are (Y/n) the lost Phoenix Queen. I know that many people are looking for you since the rumours of your arrival in this land spread your Grace. Most don't know whether you are real or a legend, but all would give a king's ransom to have you on their side; or kill you so that you can't be used against them."

The woman chuckled. "I can assure you Arya that no one, but no one uses me. And I am not that easy to kill. Now for goodness sake, will you two get off your knees there is no need to bow to me."

>>-----------------------------------<<

As the morning sun finally appeared over the horizon, the three companions packed up their belongings for the days ride.

"Why didn't you tell us you could speak common tongue your Grace?" Arya asked as she sat in front of the queen on her horse.

"Firstly Arya, my name is (Y/n). Secondly, I find that if people don't think you can understand them, they tend to talk more openly. I have found out more about you and Ser Clegane in the last few days by not speaking than I ever would if I had asked you for the information."

Arya nodded her head. It was true what the queen said, she and Sandor had said more than they probably should have, believing that she did not speak common tongue. 

"(Y/n)." Arya said, getting the attention of the young queen. "Can I ask you something?"

The queen nodded. "If it is within my power to answer you, I will give as truthful answer as I can."

"Well, I have two questions really; why are you here? I mean your all alone, unprotected and so far away from your homeland, why did you come here? And why are you interested in Sandor?" Arya asked, causing the (Y/n) to laugh quietly.

"As to your first question, I am here because for me it is safer than what may be left of my homeland; we were invaded by ungodly creatures that killed anything and everything in their path; before I could fight, my advisors made me leave, fearing what the creatures would do to me, I don't know if any of my people are still alive or if my home even exists anymore. And as you have already seen Arya, I do not need anyone to protect me." (Y/n) said as she looked at the big man on his dark horse as he rode in front of them.

"And as for Sandor, I can only imagine the pain he went through when he was kissed by the flames. I feel a connection to him, it is rare to find someone that has come so close to the fire and survived as well as he has. Fire can give light, and warmth, but can also kill, and destroy, wiping out everything in its path. Someone used the flame against him, trying to destroy him, but despite his scars, he is strong and brave with a good heart, and very handsome."

Arya looked up at the queen. "You really think that he is handsome?"

(Y/n) laughed. "You must learn to look deeper than the skin little one. To find such a man as Sandor is a rare thing; underneath that gruff exterior beats a heart of gold, and a fire, and that is what makes him attractive."

The rest of the day was spent quietly, apart from Arya constantly asking questions of (Y/n). Sandor couldn't help but watch the young queen as the two females conversed, despite Arya's incessant questioning, (Y/n) had answered all the enquires with a smile. If it had been him, he would have told the girl to shut up and leave him alone, but (Y/n) was happy to tell Arya everything she wanted to know.

Night drew in quickly as the three companions set up camp, (Y/n) sat her usual distance from the fire and watched as Arya slept, and Sandor cleaned his sword. She found herself happy to be with the strange pair and thanked her gods that they had found one another, that she had found a man such as Sandor.

"Er.... could I sit with ya, ya Grace?" Sandor asked as he looked down on the queen, feeling unsure as to whether he should be so bold with her.

She smiled, patting the log where she sat. "Of course Sandor, I would very much like for you to join me."

Sandor sat quietly for a few moments, unsure what to say as he watched the flames of the fire dance in (Y/n)'s yellow eyes.

"Did ya mean what ya told the lass earlier today?" Sandor asked quietly, as he continued to watch (Y/n).

"You heard what I said?" She asked as she turned to face him, watching as the large man nodded.

"I meant every word Sandor. Unlike many, I always mean what I say; I see little point in saying otherwise. You are brave and strong, and I do feel a connection to you; you were touched by the fire from which I was born, the flames created both of us." (Y/n) said, as she slowly reached up her hand and caressed his cheek.

"You are a greater man than you think you are Sandor, a fire burns deep inside you, and I cannot help but be irresistibly drawn to it. I need a man like you by my side, a man to be my lord, my king. You were kissed by the flames Sandor; tell me....... would you kiss the flame back?" (Y/n) asked, as she looked deep into his eyes.

For a moment he was confused by her unusual question, but as he watched her eyes look down to his lips, he found himself pulling her close so that she straddled his lap, his lips connecting with hers in a kiss so natural it was as if their lips had been made for one another. Normally Sandor would question any woman that would want to be so intimate with him, especially when they weren't being paid, but somehow this felt as if it was meant to be, and Sandor was not about to question it. She had told him that she wanted him, wanted him to be her lord, to rule with her, him! The Hound, who had always been ruled and controlled by others.

"Are you sure you want this (Y/n)? Ya a Queen and I'm nothing." Sandor asked, as the pairs lips separated.

"I can feel your fire, it belongs to me Sandor; just accept that sometimes things have been written, and we are destined to meet our future in ways we don't expect." (Y/n) said as she pulled Sandor into another kiss.

The fire that Sandor thought had destroyed his life, had created a life that he could not foresee, had brought him a woman that he would never believe would be his, and a future with untold possibilities.