Carliene Stark

II Chapter 47

Carliene

"Do you think anyone else knew?" I pondered as I sat in the steaming bath, letting my fingers run across the water's surface.

Desmera halted in brushing through my wet hair. "What do you mean?"

"I mean what if this plan of theirs was common knowledge and the only one in the dark was I?" that thought somehow bothered me the most, causing my cheeks to burn with embarrassment again. 

My handmaiden scoffed and went on brushing my hair. "Well I didn't know about it and I am an expert in castle gossip" she stated reassuringly. 

"Really?" I raised my brows, that knowledge might come in handy. I leaned back in the tub, enjoying the warmth if the water. My skin burned slightly from the rough brush I had scrubbed it with just moments before. In my mind it helped to erase the sensation of Vortimer's gentle touches. At least as long as I didn't think about it too much for too long. Realising the direction my thoughts were going into again I decided to distract myself by humming a tune, while closing my eyes and concentrating on Desmera massaging scented oils into my hair.

"Could you sing a song my Lady?" the young woman requested after listening to the tone for a moment. "Something of the north?" she elaborated. 

My eyes opened and I thought for a moment, wondering which of the songs I knew could be considered northern. I decided on Brave Danny Flint, thinking that it almost the situation somewhat. "Oh Danny Flint, you'll never escape the fate the gods have written. And life must seem the cruelest jape oh brave young Danny Flint" it took me a few lines to remember the proper tune. "It is said young Danny still yet walks the Night Forts shadowy halls. A pale form si-" before I could finish there was a nock on the door. Falling silent I turned to Desmera, going her a concerned look. 

She sighed and shook some water from her fingers before she left my view through the curtains separating the bath from the rest of my chamber. Some calm words were exchanged by the door, though I could make out only the voices but no words. A moment later the redhead reappeared, an annoyed look on her brow. "It's Luthor. Lord Tyrell invites you to take your lunch with him" she told me in a sharp tone. 

I snorted unfalteringly and sunk back down into the water. "Tell him he can eat with his horses, clearly he won't even know a difference" My handmaidens face filled with pleased amusement and she returned to the door with a wide grin on her face. By the time she returned I had left the by then lukewarm water and wrapped myself in a towel. 

"That was good of you" she decided. "Put him in his place"

I didn't feel as accomplished as she made it sound. I simply couldn't bare looking at either of them any time soon. In truth I wanted nothing but to remain in these chambers until I left. Hiding away my shame until I could just leave it all behind me. "I should begin packing, will you have my riding attire cleaned? And the new trousers I had made?" I spoke as she helped me into a fresh dress. 

Her expression grew a little concerned. "You still insist on going to war?" 

"It's a siege" I corrected her. 

She raised a brow. "Is there a difference?" I watched as she gently dried my curls in the looking glass and shrugged. "Women have no place in war, my father always said" she went on.

"I have to do this" I said determined, some place in my heart knew that it was right. That I was never meant to remain at Highgarden.

"You say you are well versed on castle gossip, tell me have you heard anything of note about Randyll Tarly?" I asked her as we took our lunch together.