The Hound, The Wolf, The Falcon

[The Riverlands]

The lasting Arryn host marched east passing the Twins some few days back, he needed to move swiftly to make it to the Vale where the Mad Fish, Turncloak and a Sniveling Worm is hiding, he won't be stupid and march into the castle without men to cut down all the traitors. His emotions might be so bad that he will throw all three through the Moon Door.

His hunch was right where it was with his father's death, Lysa Tully and Petyr Baelish would use the death of his father to take him from the Vale so the two cretins would take it. What hurt in all of this was Harrold as he remembered the great company of knights he had made at the beginning of his clearing the roads, even ones that aren't with him.

Lyonel and Lyn Corbray, Andar and Roba, the living are Ben, Mychel, Jon, Waymar, and Harrold. Harrold is a distant cousin and nephew of his father, that made the betrayal even more horrible and that he and the two serpents are in his home and surrounding his brother who is basically a hostage to his enemies. He shouldn't have left the Vale, this is bad.

Turning back, miles off Robb must have his forces needed to continue his war. He hurt the pact made with the boy, he needed him but he can't afford to lose his lands like the Starks have and won't lose another family member over treachery which brings to mind the Lannister's and more importantly, Cersei and his still unborn daughter or son.

The course is still clear to him despite this new revelation, the Lannister's are his enemies and will be his enemies until he thinks otherwise. Petyr Baelish and Lysa Tully will suffer greatly from this treachery which he should have seen but his foolhardy mind wouldn't see it after Lysa told him it was the Queen and her family, he gripped the reins on his horse.

[Few Days Before]

"How can you leave us now? We need you."

He turned to Robb who stopped in his tracks, staring hard he took a step forward to the King whose Direwolf began growling but he didn't care for the animal.

"My people need me!" He shouted, "Savages are attacking my lands, defectors and traitors hold my people hostage, my brother is held in my castle. I am going home, I will stay home and keep the peace for as long as I can if you care for the north instead of vengeance and justice as I had then you will do the same and return home." He left after that with Waymar and Yohn following suit, not too soon after his forces were ready to march back home and retake the Vale of Arryn.

[Present]

There aren't many ways into the Vale. The Bloody Gate will be guarded and a deathtrap for his men, Gulltown by the sea isn't in control by House Grafton which enraged Lord Gerold something fierce and swore to wipe House Shett off the earth. He and the others will ride around through Saltpans and march to Wickenden, the seat of House Waxley and Edmund Waxley's cousins home, the Lady Waxley's forces march with his force and he hopes to go there as a start to reclaim his home.

"Saltpans shouldn't be too far, then its a straight shot to Wickenden," Edmund stated as he rode on with a smile on his face, the man is confident.

"It seems that way." He commented and turned to Lucas who still seemed a little tired but it's expected, "I am sorry for leaving, who did we lose, I never asked before then." He said and started a conversation with Lucas who now holds Lady Forlorn on his waist, while then he mourned his brothers who he hadn't been given time to grieve himself.

"Ben is dead, slain holding off Harrold while we retreated." He frowned and added the heir to House Coldwater to his dead friends.

"We will see them avenged, I promise you." Lucas gave him a look before nodding and stayed silent.

He has failed in everything, trained for the role of Lord Paramount only to lose it all. 5,900 men he has left to him and that could maybe win two or three small battles. He has to win and return to where he should have been since the beginning of this war, to stay in the Vale and remain there. Stannis is a complication that still has yet to be resolved.

His lords are clear where they stand, or the ones that haven't turned against him. Stannis is on his own, and he is only regretful that he hadn't come to a decision sooner. Once he reclaims what is his from Baelish and Lysa and Hardying, he will only worry for his people and leave the rest of Westeros to its fate and never leave it again, for anyone.

The next three-day pass and he and the force were camped on the side of the Saltpans, a town in the Riverlands and two more days of marching and they would reach Wickenden. The people of the town were nervous as was Quincy Cox, the head of House Cox. He was writing a letter to send to the Gates of the Moon and give false information that he is marching that way and demands the surrender of Lysa and the opening of the doors. He dipped the quill in ink before the door opened and Gyles entered with Gerold.

"What's the matter?" He asked and what Gerold said was quite interesting.

"Our boys were checking carts at the gates and a visitor was spotted. The Hound is here." Gerold said with a chuckle.

He couldn't believe it, the last time Sandor was seen was at the Battle of the Blackwater and had been assumed dead or deserted. Now he is supposedly in his hands now and he will decide what happens to the fucking cunt. He smiled and thought how many sons, fathers, and brothers would be avenged with killing Sandor fucking Clegane. He entered House Cox's halls and saw the man on his knees with a small boy with a sword so small it could be a needle, interesting. He made a howling sound and looked at him.

"So, what's Joffrey's trained dog doing so far from his leash? And who's this?" He asked the man two questions in one and the false warrior looked at him.

"We came from the Twins." To be honest, he was surprised with that answer, why hadn't Robb cut the giants head off when he passed through.

"Why didn't Robb catch you then, he was there for a wedding and his men would have spotted you." He went on further and the Dogs companion turned to him and he realized by the face it wasn't a boy, but a girl.

"It was no wedding, only red and fire." He didn't understand until Sandor finished it with a full explanation.

"Robb Stark is dead. And this is Arya Stark, his youngest sister."

He stood in shock, he could have sworn to have talked to Robb almost a fortnight ago. Who killed him? He thought as he took a deep breath to take in the news. He then remembered the Hound saying the girl was Robb's sister and ordered for her to be taken and given chambers and a bath, the same with the Hound for caring for the young girl.

Moments after that the bells rang for trouble and he went and found out the Brave Companions, a group serving Roose Bolton had begun attacking the town. Quincy asked for aid and he armored himself and rode out with several hundred to meet them while he still took in all of the information. Robb's death all but closed the curtain on the Northern cause and an end to the Pact he forged with the Young Wolf. "Give no quarter! They all die!" He gave the order, he is done with being honorable to schemers and oathbreakers.

He was brutal the first man, trampling him with his horse and having the hooves stomp into the raiders face. He deflected a blow and slashed another man's upper torso. He turned a rallied the men, he dismounted sometime after and protected his men by watching their back as any leader should. Before long the leader of the group and his 300 raiders laid dead beneath his horse's feet and he alone killed almost a hundred and sustained a single wound on the left shoulder from a crossbow bolt, his sword and hand mostly red in the blood as he mourned the loss of his ally. He turned around and saw his men surrounding him and bloodied from the fight themselves.

Their expressions were something he hadn't seen since before the first battle, admiration, and loyalty.

"I know, I know I have failed you! I am ashamed to call myself the Lord of the Vale!" He began and the men and the civilians around became silent, they need to hear this. "I will do all I can to earn back this trust, to become the lord you all need, not the one I want to be... " He ended and approached his men and instead of them kneeling to him, he kneeled to them and brought surprised faces from each and every man. He soon found himself raised to his feet by Yohn who instead of anger on his face, it was a shame.

"We are a proud people. Those that betrayed you lost faith in you, thought you unworthy and even I felt such a feeling." His words were true and the next to speak was Gilwood who removed his helmet.

"I have as well, but that you would do such a thing as kneel to your own bannermen tells me one thing. You are anything but unworthy, I apologize for my lord, my friend... My King." Gilwood unsheathed his sword and knelt down to one knee. He widened his eyes in shock and was going to speak but more and more men knelt and repeated the same words, lord and friend and king.

"Stand my friend, OUR KING!" Waymar shouted smirked beside his father. Other names and titles were thrown about by the lowborn soldier to the highborn knight.

"Hail King Rodrik!"

"The King in the Vale!"

"Rodrik the Fierce! Our true King!"