Suzana had been sent to tend to the queen, and Margaret had ordered Rowan to sweep and clean their room. Fair enough, it wasn't a difficult task; she and the other girl slept in a box barely large enough to fit two narrow beds, separated by a small table, and a lopsided wash stand.

Before she did anything, though, she dragged her chest out from under her bed. It contained little save a few keepsakes from her past: a bone knife from her father, a short axe with dragonglass head, her old fur cloak, taken straight off the back of the white bear she had slain on her first hunt. The beast's very skull lay under it, fashioned into a rather effective helm. Touching the snout, she wondered what Sandor Clegane would think of it. As of yet he knew nothing of it. What would he say when he saw the bite mark on her shoulder, the lines its claws had made in her back? Would he be impressed?

She put it aside. Questions for another day. The very last thing was her purse, now bursting with gold thanks to her patron. More coin than she knew what to do with. Far too much to leave here.

From her pocket she pulled the pouches she had fashioned from scraps. A handful of coins went into each one, ringing pleasantly against one another. When she was done, there were five purses in all. The big one went back under her belongings. The next she stuffed into her mattress, burying it in straw. A third found its place behind a brick she had pried loose from the wall. The fourth and final one she hid under the creaking board by the washstand and prayed no rats got at it.

While she was changing the bed linens, Shanda knocked on the door. Rowan called her in and she peeked into the room. Seeing Rowan with one knee on the bed, busily tucking a clean sheet under the heavy mattress, she bowed slightly.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, but the queen has requested to have beef tonight and we're short of seasoning. I need to to go out and pick up a few things. Bring Suzana with you, she'll help you find your way."

"Right." Rowan replied. "Just give me a minute and I'll be done here. I'll come to the kitchen shortly."

Shanda nodded and closed the door after herself. As soon as her steps faded down the passage, Rowan slid her hand into her mattress and extracted the purse full of coins. Slipping this into her dress, she hastily fixed the two beds and ran to the kitchen.

Suzana was more than happy to accompany her on her errand, merrily swinging the satchel Shanda had given them as they strolled along the Trident. It was a bright afternoon, but cool, and despite the long walk Rowan hardly broke a sweat.

The market they had been sent to was by far not the best in the city, but it was where the middle-classes were to be found, so Shanda and Margaret had cleaned them up accordingly. They still looked like servants, but people would know they came from the Red Keep and treat them properly.

Rowan had the better memory, so she spoke to the shopkeeps while Suzana handled the money. Coming from beyond the Wall, even after all of these years, she could not understand how one of the bronze ones equalled to an apple, one of the silver for a ribbon or some stockings. As for the gold ones she had hidden away, she had seen them exchanged for daughters, horses, jewels and coats alike. She knew she would be swindled without the other girl's help.

But herbs and spices, food and drink, those she knew. She could tell a bad sprig of rosemary from a fresh one, a newly-plucked chicken from one left out. And wine, she had always had a good nose for wine. She checked the produce while Suzana kept the vendors in check, and when they were done they had change leftover for Shanda.

"We could always buy a few apples." Suzana mused. "A whole bunch. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if we for them for everyone."

"We'll get the apples, and plenty else besides." Rowan told her.

Suzana stopped. "But we shouldn't -"

"We won't use Shanda's money. Come on."

They had passed through this street on the way down, Rowan had marked it in her mind. There, on the corner was the shop that had caught her eye. She took Suzana's hand as they entered.

The other girl's face lit up. They were second-hand, all of these dresses, but they were far nicer - far newer - than anything either of them owned. For once, Rowan imagined donning a colour other than grey or brown. She could see the same thought passing through Suzana's head.

"But how can we afford any of these?" The other girl questioned.

"I'll cover it."

"But how -"

"Don't worry about that, just pick one."

Suzana had wasted no time, and was already fitted out in a pale green gown by the time Rowan came to a decision. It had caught her eye as soon as they'd entered, but she'd not been sure. It was nothing too showy, of course, and she had warned Suzana to pick something similarly reserved. But it was the colour - a muted yellow. Would it seem too presumptuous, wearing his house colour? Or would he like it? Once again, her thoughts looped back to would he care?

She liked the colour, though, and Suzana had said it suited her complexion. So she settled on it.

If he didn't like it, he'd just have to take it off her.