There was a particular tavern in town that catered to a more well to do clientele. It was called The Warm Hearth. The tavern wenches were dressed in fine fabrics, the food was splendid, and only the best spirits were kept on hand. The proprietor prided himself with his service that he offered. It seemed the better the service, the better the coin.

The building had once belonged to a lord, but it had been abandoned when he died, having no heir to take it over. When the proprietor, Marcus Olangus, was searching for a new location for his business, he chose the lord's house. It was away from Fleebottom and all that sort of low life.

There was one servant he was particularly fond of. She was homely looking with long red hair that show signs of her age. She wasn't young anymore, but she wasn't ancient either. The one quality she possessed that Marcus took advantage of was her observation skills. She would stand in the shadows observing the patrons, or she would overhear their conversations as she cleared off nearby tables, then report to Marcus.

"What have you for me today, Finella?" Marcus asked looming slightly taller than her.

"It's been quiet," she responded in a soft voice as she brought in a used plate and cup into the kitchen.

"Well done. Keep me informed," he said before he went out to the tavern floor.

"As always." Finella returned to cleaning off the tables.

Salvael had heard of The Warm Hearth and was going there after his meal with the king. He needed to get away from the castle. He knew Lord Baelish's true intentions and he needed to clear his head. The Baratheons had taken a bit of a fall but were holding steady, but the future looked bleak for the Lannisters. He entered and sat down at a table near one of the two hearths where it was warmest.

"Good evening, milord. Can I get you something to eat or drink?" a slim blonde asked of Salvael.

"Wine, red wine," he answered.

"Very well, milord," she said as she curtsied and went off to fetch the drink.

From her usual shadow in the corner by the kitchen door, Finella had watched Salvael enter as she had with every person that walked into the tavern. He sat facing her, his face brightened by the glow of the fire against the darkened atmosphere. He intrigued her. She only looked away to watch another man enter and sit near the door. Then she looked towards the lord again, not able to take her eyes away from him. She stopped the blonde on her way to get his drink.

"Tersa, who is that?" Finella asked quietly.

"You seem to know everyone around here. I was about to ask you the same thing," she said with a hand on her hip.

"I haven't seen him around here before," she said still staring at the Lord.

"He's old. He doesn't seem to be very important. Where do you think he's from?" Tersa asked turning around to observe him as well.

"He's not that old, definitely a lord, but since we've never seen him before, I think his House is small," Finella surmised. "What did he order?"

"Wine."

"When you take it to him, ask him where he is from."

"Why don't you?" Tersa said walking away and laughing. Finella scowled.

Tersa often teased Finella about her shyness. Finella did not talk to the patrons unless they spoke with her. It was another reason why Marcus kept Finella. She didn't bother the patrons with unnecessary conversation, doing her work in silence. Her pudency kept her honest, amongst other things.

Finella's eyes darted back to the man who had entered after the lord. She recognized him as that of one of Lord Baelish's men after he put his cowl down. The man would look in the lord's direction occasionally, especially when Tersa returned with his wine or asked him if he needed anything else. It was suspicious. She went to find Marcus but when she did, he was having his way with one of the wenches in his study. She contemplated interrupting his escapade. This had happened once before. Finella had interrupted him during on of his sessions with a woman. He had scolded and punished her for doing so. She was unable lay down for two days. Now, she panicked, thinking something would happen to the lord if she didn't tell Marcus straight away, and then, something would happen to her again.

Finella went back to her shadow fretting about how to tell the lord, wishing she could write a message to him, wishing she could approach him to tell him. Perhaps she could tell Tersa to tell him? Tersa had already laughed at her for not inquiring from whence he came.

Seeing a table that needed to be cleared Finella went to it, passing right by the lord. At that moment, a knight sitting at a table next to the lord swung out his arm as he told a story. Finella went to avoid it and knocked right into the lord. He had been raising his cup to drink and it spilled down his front. Finella turned abruptly, catching the lord's unexpected gaze. He looked more striking up close. She immediately looked away.

"I'm terribly sorry, milord," she said as she dabbed at the lord's front with a cloth she carried with her.

"It's all right. Just an accident," the lord said. He gently took Finella's hand, taking the cloth from her, and attending to himself. He noticed how she didn't look him in the eye. She was very wary, seeming as if she were about to flit away. "What's your name?" he asked gently.

Finella didn't know what to say. Should she answer or return to the kitchen? She frantically looked around as if someone were there with the answer.

"It's all right, woman. I'm not going to bite you," he said calmly. "Here, let me start. My name is Lord Salvael Musgood. Now, tell me your name." His serene tone helped her to relax.

"F-Finella," she answered as she kept her gaze on the table.

"Finella, be a dear, and get me more wine," he told her as he handed her cloth back to her. Finella curtsied and went to get Tersa.

After getting back to the kitchen, she found the blonde drying cups.

"Lord Musgood needs more wine," Finella told Tersa in a hushed voice.

"Who's Lord Musgood?" Tersa asked putting down the cloth and shelving the cup.

"The unknown lord," Finella returned.

"Oh, you found out his name. Why does he need more wine? I just took him some. He drink it that quickly?" Tersa said getting the wine jug but noticed the guilty look on Finella's face. Glancing at the red stained towel she saw in Finella's hands, her small mouth fell open. "What did you do, Finella?" asked in a raised voice.

"I . . . I didn't do anything. I . . . I accidently bumped into him," Finella said in defense.

"What's this?" Marcus said entering the kitchen. "Why are you shouting, Tersa?"

Tersa had grabbed the wine soaked cloth from Finella's hand. "Looks like Finella spilled wine over our unknown lord out there. I bet he's in a right mood now, thanks to her."

"Is this true, Finella?" Marcus asked a bit more mildly.

"I accidently bumped into the lord and spilled a bit of his wine, sir," Finella answered timidly. "He's not upset. I swear it! He only asked for more wine."

"Tersa, go attend the lord. Make sure all is well," Marcus instructed.

Tersa looked from Marcus to Finella. Finella was looking at the floor. She scoffed and then left the kitchen.

Marcus took up Finella's hand into his. She flinched slightly. "You're first accident in a very long while. It happens. Go back to your duties."

"Yes, sir," she said and went to stand in the shadows when she remembered the table she had meant to clear before the mishap. Taking a deep breath she went towards the table again. Keeping her head down, she swept her eyes here and there for potential hazards.

After gathering the plate and tableware, she looked up at the back of Lord Musgood's head. She gazed over at Lord Baelish's man by the door. Looking down at the plate in her hand perplexed at what to do. He had been kind to her, not getting upset as many other lords would have. She had to warn him, if only to repay him for his gentleness. On her way back to the kitchen, she walked by the lord and pretended to drop the fork on the floor.

"Milord," she said softly from the floor. "Don't look, but there is a man sitting by the door, alone. He followed you and has been watching you. I know him to be one of Lord Baelish's men," she said to him without looking at him.

Lord Musgood didn't say anything as she stood. Finella returned to the kitchen. Placing the dishes in the wash basin, she gripped onto the edge breathing heavily. She hoped she had done the right thing.

After Finella cleaned the dishes and put them away, she slipped out to her shadow once more. The lord was gone and so was his follower.