Wolf's Manor

[Deleted]

Mally gave him a dazzling smile through her tears. "Oh, thank you my lord. I am good at cleaning and washing up, I will be a very good maidservant." She curtsied very deeply and walked into the house.

On finding the kitchens, Mally nodded to the cook, common woman to common woman. "I'm the new maid, Cook, and willing to give you a hand in anything and everything. Anything need to be carried up to his lordship's rooms, anything to be cleaned?"

[Deleted]

Seeing that everyone was extremely busy, Mally found a basket of freshly washed and pressed laundry. The doublets were grey velvet with white fur trimming, and so were the cloaks, while the breeches were black wool. She picked up the basket and climbed the stairs to Lord Stark's rooms, wondering what she might find there.

[The Smith]

Lord Stark's bed room consisted of a plain smallish room with a single bed. It is empty besides that.

[Deleted]

Mally put the laundry away in his cupboards in neat and organized piles. Then she saw a bunch of old tomes on military theory lying on the floor, tsked, and took them up the Lord Stark's solar.

It was empty.

As she put the tomes away, Mally noticed a few papers strewn on the table. She bent over the table to read them - she could read fairly well. It took a little while to correctly decipher all the words, but Mally finally managed it.

She slipped out of the solar without touching anything, and spent the rest of the day working hard and visibly, so that nobody could fault her work. At the end of the day, she was asked to go get eggs from the market. Mally seized the opportunity to go back into town and tell Dane what she'd seen.

[Deleted]

Mally returned quietly, cast her cloak aside, and put the eggs in the pantry. Then she began doing her nightly duties of lighting fires in the large sitting rooms and occupied bedrooms.

[The Smith]

The guard Turren finds Mally and approaches her, "How are you little thing? Isn't it much nicer in here then out in the cold? You look very warm."

[Deleted]

They were in the landing just outside Lord Stark's chambers, and the light from one of the wall torches was enough to make it seem as if Mally was blushing shyly. "Er, yes, and so safe and quiet in here too. Shouldn't you be out guarding us, though?"

[The Smith]

Turren shooks his head, "No Polet took over. I am done for the knight. Just looking for a good place to bed down." He smiles

[Deleted]

And he thinks it's with me? Mally smiled and nodded towards the stairs. "I expect there are some empty bunks down in the guards' and servants' quarters. Might be some hot stew left too, if you hurry." She returned to kindling the fire.

[The Smith]

Mally feels a pinch on her exposed butt, and then Turren cheekily walks down the stairs.

[Deleted]

Her temper flared, and Mally ran after Turren with her dishcloth. She pounced on him with surprising strength, and they rolled down the hallway, Mally hitting him. A tall statue fell over loudly enough to wake up the house.

[The Smith]

The whole house turns out. Most come from downstairs, and they pull apart the two combatants. Lord Benjen Stark stands at the top of the staircase looking down at the fracas. "What has happened?"

Turren whose lip is bleeding, and has a black eye and several chipped teeth speaks first, "I am sorry milord it is my fault. I thought this one had the look of a tease about her, so I grabbed her. She didn't like it so she kicked my ass down the stairs."

Stark turned his gaze to Mally, "Do you have anything to add?"

[Deleted]

Mally's long hair was in disarray, and her dress was torn from the fall and all the kicking. "Forgive me m'lord, but he pinched me." She lowered her gaze. "What Turren says is true."

[The Smith]

Stark sighs and starts walking down the stairs, "Turren do you remember that inn a little bit up the King's Road? The one called "King's Best Rest". If you wish to be in my service you will run there, you may buy one flagon of ale, and then run back before morning. Do you understand?"

Turren nods, then turning he exits out of the manor house. Turning to look Mally in the eye Stark frowns, "I am sorry for his rudeness. I can not stand such thoughtless acts. Would you like him flogged. I can brand him also if you wish?"

[Deleted]

Mally met Lord Stark's eye, her own soft and glimmering. "No, m'lord," she said softly. "He was good enough to tell the truth. Honest northmen, in this house. Good, honest northmen. I don't often see that sort." She took a little step closer.