Carliene Stark

Chapter 34

Euron

It had been a long night and I woke in the morning, stiff and cold. I hadn't been able to get much sleep, as troubling thoughts had kept me awake. I kept imaging a host of redcloaks storming into the Inn and dragging me back to the rock, throwing me in some cell in the caves where I would be forgotten.
Giving in to the Lady's request had been foolish. I had realised it with every hour the moon wandered through the sky. And my adventurous tendencies had gotten the better of me. I had gotten up quite a few times, to wander past Lady Carlienes room. Making sure the door was locked and the guard awake. Never mind being thrown in a cell, if anything happened to her, they would behead me for sure.

Sunrise came as a relief as it gave me an excuse to rise and hopefully leave my troubling thoughts behind in the hard bed, which had been far too small for me. Passing the Stark girls room I nodded to the guard, who's name I had forgotten. "Bring the Lady downstairs once she's woken"

The guard nodded, stifling a yawn.

This early in the morning the Inn was still quite empty and quiet, although the first early risers were already saddling their courses outside. Is at down in my seat from the night before, next to a hearth filed with cold ash. I stretched and yawned, hoping the Stark girl would rise soon. I wanted to bring this tourney behind us as fats as possible.
She's a Lannister now, I had to remind myself.

"Well well well" I turned to the familiar voice. "If it isn't Ser Euron himself". Servin was the innkeeper. A large round man, nearly as fat as maester Creylen. His chin always looks like he shaved it with a blunt blade and there was always a layer of sweat on his brows. "You still owe me a game, as I recall" he sat down in Lady Carliene's spot, barely fitting between the table and bench. 

"I recall having won the last game rather fairly" I retorted. 

The large man chuckled. "It's good to see you, been too long"

"Well you do have an inn in the middle of nowhere" I pointed out. 

He laughed again, gesturing for one of his girls, probably to bring us some ale. "You're heading to the Rock?" he asked studying me. 

I shook my head, "Down to Lannisport"

Servin nodded as two cups of ale were placed before us and he grabbed one with his fleshy hands. "We had some fellows from Lannisport heading to the Rock yesterday" he started after a sip. "One of them had gotten down with a pretty nasty fever, must be something in the water"

Great, I thought. The last thing I need was for the little Lady to fall ill on my watch.

"A toast to good ale then" he announced cheerfully and raised his cup. 

I sighed and clinked my own agains it, but sat it down without taking a sip. There had been a time when I would start drinking ale in the morning and only stop once I passed out in the evening. But those times were over.

Before Servin could comment, the Stark girl appeared at our table. "Good morning" she looked as tired as I felt, with bags under her eyes. Maybe she shared my worries?

I rose to my feet almost too quickly. Somehow I didn't want her thinking that I was drinking with the innkeeper this early in the morning. "My Lady" I greeted, offering her my chair.

She waved it off and instead pulled an empty stool from the next table, seating herself at the head of our table.

"Well Euron, this is lovelier company than usual" Servin sneered. I wanted to punch him, my heart quickening in embarrassment.

"My Lady, this is Servin the innkeeper" I explained, still standing next to my chair. "Servin this is Lady.." I realised that I didn't really ant him to know who she was. His head was always full with ale and his mouth loose like an old man's tooth.