"So, I am just going to come out and ask it - do you know where the Brotherhood is?" Lana asked while at a large Inn in Maidenpool, eating her kidney pie. It was a rather dull day for business, and she was grateful for the quietness.

"What business you got with them?" the Innkeeper asked, narrowing one eye, his bushy, white eyebrow furrowing low.

"Just business, as many do," she said, wiping some crumbs from her chin.

"Somewhere in the Riverlands is all anyone knows."

She couldn't help it. She had to ask. "You haven't seen a large man with a burned face roaming around, have you?" Lana asked.

He ruminated on that, rubbing his chin as he looked off, a dull grating sound heard from the stubble on his face.

"There was a rumor traveling the lands that a giant, hardy woman with a squire took down such a man. That was a while ago, though."

She nearly choked on her pie. "Excuse me?" she asked, her voice cracking.

"Rumors travel all the time, my lady."

She couldn't tell if her veins were warming or growing cold, or if it was a mixture of both. Either way, she felt a surge of something entirely unpleasant in them. "Who is this woman?" Lana asked, looking at the floor.

"She's nearly his size, with a Lannister pommel."

Chills washed over Lana. There is no way this is true. If so, that changes everything. "How certain are you of this rumor?" she asked, looking back up to him.

"It's got good details at an Inn in the Riverlands, where the woman resided afterward, getting cleaned up after the fight and all. She was in rough shape."

"You're telling me that a giant woman beat a man with a burned face? Called the Hound?" Lana asked, slamming her elbow on the table as she spoke with her hand, her breathing growing shallow.

"Aye, about the woman and the burned face. Don't know if it was the Hound or not. There's been no reports of him anywhere, though," he said, crossing his arms to rest them above his growing belly.

Lana looked down at her pie and put it down, the crust crumbling. She started to feel sick. She hadn't considered that he would be bested out here. Why was he back in the damned Riverlands after taking Arya to her aunt? Even if he wasn't coming for Lana, he should have gone to a Free City to sell his sword.

What had in the seven hells happened to him?

"What is the name of this woman?" Lana asked with a tone she hadn't used since she was a Crimson member.

"Don't know, my lady," he said, unnerved by her sudden change in demeanor.

"How old is the rumor?" she asked, pushing her plate away and donning her leather gloves on after wiping her hands on her dress.

"Almost two years. You alright?"

"Yes, thank you for the pie. It was delicious. I am just full now," she said curtly, dropped a good tip, and got up to leave. She barged through the door of the Inn, stepping hotly into the grass of the Riverlands.

It made her throat burn, as the surrounding world was so much like it was nearly two years ago, and it only made her think of Clegane. He might actually be dead. She got on her horse, put her bag on the back, and began heading along the river.

She rode in the direction she supposed was the correct one, according to the map, nearly panting with rage as she tried to numb what threatened to bubble in her chest.

There was no way Clegane died. He was the best fucking fighter in the seven kingdoms. But she knew he was infected, hungry, and probably lost a significant amount of muscle mass. Those rumors were nearly as old as she had been in Meereen, which meant he went straight to the Riverlands after the Eyrie, no doubt dropping Arya off.

She gripped the reins tighter.

The threat of her throat burning unnerved her, and a part of her even wanted to cry about it. She didn't know why. She had only known him for just over a month, and that was a long time ago.
She had been so mad at him, thinking he abandoned her.

Perhaps it was guilt that got to her the most. This whole time she hated him, and yet he might have just been killed.

He might truly be gone.

It hadn't been much later, when the sun was still high in the sky peeking through the puffy clouds, that she came across a large group, of about a dozen or so, traveling. She was somber at this point, still grappling with the potential truths she learned.

They were all resting on the roadside, fixing one of the wagon wheels, regarding her with caution. She nodded in their direction.

"Traveling alone, my lady?" one of them shouted.

"Depends on why you want to know," she said, halting her horse.

"Well, if you're alone, then you could travel with us. It's not safe for a lady to be alone. Where you be heading to?

"The Riverlands."

"You're in them."

She nodded, looking around, her lack of keen directional awareness showing. "To the west, in the area where the river forks out to the ocean," she said. The Brotherhood was rumored to be among there.

"Well, we are heading west. Would you like to join us?"

"Who are you?" she asked with a furrowed brow, looking over them.

"Some villagers who have had their old homes razed in the war. We're going to build a new village along the Blue Fork," a woman said.

"You're far," Lana said, finally knowing some things about these lands.

"We came to the harbor to collect some items that they don't sell at Fair Market."

She looked around and saw women, children, and some elderly. Unless they were all Faceless Men, they were rather harmless. "Why offer travel to me? You don't know me."

"Not safe to travel alone. Just thought I'd offer. You seem blameless enough."

Lana sighed. After learning about Clegane, she didn't want to be alone out in these lands by herself. It was too easy to get lost in her head. "I wouldn't mind traveling with you, if you'll have me."

When they fixed their wheel and got back on the road, Lana spoke to a few of the villagers and learned that they were just trying to rebuild, certain that the war was over. Little did they know that Daenerys would be arriving in the coming months to start it all over again.

Lana learned that the kingdom sat under King Tommen, and soon Queen Margery. Dorne was still in alliance with the crown as Myrcella was with her betrothed. For a moment, Lana wondered if it was even worth it. The people here were tired of war, and she understood that. Tommen was no Joffrey, whereas if that arrogant prick still sat on the throne, there wouldn't be any question.

As they rested for the night, Lana lied there, staring at the stars. She wondered if Clegane had done the same when he was struck down, or if the woman killed him clean.

Needless to say, Lana didn't sleep well that night, haunted by thoughts of Clegane dying out in these lands, somewhere, alone. What if his corpse was still out there? She was not used to someone having such an impact on her, even though she only knew him for a short period. Time didn't seem to help either as over the next few weeks of travel, she couldn't stop thinking about Arya or Sandor.

Her mind was granted some rest when they crossed a large bridge to reach the Blue Fork, coming upon the village they were all from.

She gently smiled as she saw they were building a steeple. It was such a peaceful scene of everyone working together for a common goal.

It prompted Lana to heavily reconsider if it was right for Dany to come through and challenge all of this. As she contemplated, Lana rode over and tied up her horse to a makeshift stable where a man was tending to them. She had the special dagger at her hip, the pommel wrapped in leather with the rest of it concealed.

It wouldn't leave her body until Thoros of Myr was before her.

An older man with salt and pepper curly hair approached. "The name is Ray. Who are you, traveler? I don't recognize you," he asked, and Lana noticed the seven-pointed star around his neck. She hoped he wouldn't mind if he ever found out she followed R'hllor.

"The name is Lana," she said with a smile, taking off her leather gloves to leave with her bag. "I come from Essos and have a message for the Brotherhood without Banners."

He snorted, revealing surprisingly nice teeth. "Good luck. You and half the kingdoms."

"I heard they should be in this general area," she said, turning to face him.

"They are, but catching them is like trying to bottle a storm. You can hear them, see them, and even track them, but they are just damned impossible to capture," he said, and she smiled. It was refreshing to see he wasn't like normal septons.

"Well, your villagers have been most kind. I wish you good fortune in building this place."

"You speak like you are leaving soon."

"Well, Lily offered me some food for the night, but I don't know if I am allowed to just stay here."

"Nonsense, stay for a while. I'll be honest. The Brotherhood does travel these lands. You're better off staying put. We see a lot of travelers here. Can always pass on the news you're seeking them out. What message you giving them?"

"That the Lord of Light wants a word."

"Well, in case you can't tell, I am a Septon. So sorry if my religion offends you."

She smiled even bigger. She could get along with him no problem. "It's alright. These people are happy with it. It's not harming anyone."

"Ah, see? Now that's the attitude I like. Stay for a few weeks, then if they aren't here, you can go out and find them," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder and guiding her towards the village.

"Thank you, Ray."

"Of course. And even though you're a guest, don't be afraid to help around here. It could use every pair of hands that we can get."

"Absolutely," Lana said with a light laugh.

She spent some time among the people, helping the women sew their crops and pull some food for a dinner that would feed the whole village. It was really something to witness all of them coming together to build this place. These were the people Dany was coming to rule, not the lords or ladies.

Lana would have to tell her sister that if Dany could take the Red Keep in the most warless way possible, that that would be ideal. People wouldn't want to follow a warmonger now that the dirt had settled. Overall, Lana wondered if this was why the Lord sent her here alone, to find these people, and to learn about them for Daenerys.

After a time, the man name Ray started to help the village wrap up as stews warmed, the vegetables cooked, and the men even came back with a fresh deer they butchered for dinner.

Lana was helping distribute bread when a few men emerged from the woods with logs on their shoulders, finishing up for the day. Most of them teamed up to carry a log. By the time they appeared, the sharpness of the sun's rays was far behind the hills.

Then there was one man who carried an entire log by himself.

Lana glanced at him and smirked. Guess these lands just produce men like that.

Then she stopped what she was doing, and slowly looked back up. She had recognized him nearly immediately, but was so certain that he was dead, that her mind simply didn't register it.

No. There's no way.

And yet, very few could mimic that scar, his size, his hair, and that scowl that he always carried.

He seemed healthy, thick, and capable.

What the fuck? He's just living out here this whole time?

She mindlessly gave bread to someone as she stared at Clegane. When he threw the log down, she left her post without a word and walked over in his direction, pulling up her dress to allow a faster gate.

"Sandor?" she shouted. "Clegane?"

The man turned around with wide, angry eyes.

Those were his eyes.