Tired after having ridden to Maidenpool with little rest, Arthur was half-listening when Ser Myles chattered to the Stark girl.
"This tower is called the Jonquil's Tower, my lady." The knight informed Lyanna Stark as they climbed up the steps towards the room on the upper floors, which was given for the girl to retire and prepare herself for their journey on the morrow. "The tower where –"
"Let me guess, Ser Myles," the girl interrupted in a dry tone. "This is where Jonquil stayed all her life and moon after her Florian?"
Arthur tried to hide the smile at the girl's obvious annoyance. Admittedly, he was also becoming exasperated at the other knight's insistence in telling the tale. Since their arrival at Maidenpool, Ser Myles Mooton had unerringly pointed out the places where Jonquil or Florian was said to have visited, including the spring-fed pools just outside the pink walls of Maidenpool.
"Well, not exactly, my lady." The red-headed knight stated, "This tower is where the beautiful Jonquil waited for her beloved Florian to rescue her from an unwanted marriage forced by her father."
"And did Florian climb these same stairs or did he enter through the tower window?"
"In some of the songs, Florian the Fool was said to have scaled up the tower and enter through the window, where the knight had injured his hand in the process…but there are some who said that Florian simply climbed up these stairs to help Jonquil escape from here."
Finally, the three of them arrived at the upper floor, where they walked shortly towards the open door. Inside, Arthur could see a serving maid preparing a bath for the lady as Ser Myles Mooton had ordered to do before their arrival that day.
The current Lord of Maidenpool was Ser Myles older brother, Lord William Mooton. Arthur had been told by Ser Myles that his brother had accepted to hide Lyanna Stark within the pink walls of Maidenpool so long as they leave within a forthnight. Lord William Mooton was said to be a cowardly man and Arthur understood the man's need to keep his town free of potential disputes between Great Houses as it would certainly force the Lord of Maidenpool to take up arms.
"Good eventide, my lords, my lady." The serving woman greeted them with a curtsy as they walked into the room. "The room have been prepared as requested, Lord Mooton, and the bath as well for the lady, if she desires to wash after days of travel."
"Thank you, Nelly." Ser Myles replied. "You may leave once you're done filling up the tub."
The maid did as bid and poured the last bucket of water into the tub. Afterward, she said to them: "Is there anything else that I can assist you with, my lords, my lady?"
"Yes, hold on…perhaps the lady still needs your help in fact." Ser Myles said before turning his attention to Lyanna Stark, "Do you need Nelly to help you with your bath, my lady?"
"No," came the girl's tired response. "I can wash myself. I don't need anyone's assistance."
"Then, you may go Nelly. Thank you for your help once again."
"It's always been a pleasure to serve your House, my lord." The woman responded, and with a last curtsy to them, the serving maid left.
Arthur watched as the Stark girl dropped the small knapsack she had been carrying on the floor before she walked towards the tub. He heard her sigh of appreciation after she dipped her hand into the steaming water.
"If you don't mind, my lords," Lyanna Stark said, turning to look at them. "I'm rather exhausted after days of travel and I would very much like to retire to bed after my bath. If there is something else you need to discuss with me, perhaps it can wait on the morrow?"
"Of course," came Ser Myles immediate reply, "We apologize for intruding. We will be taking our leave then. Enjoy your bath, my lady."
The knight made a quick retreat towards the door. However, when he realized that the Sword of the Morning hadn't followed him out, he looked back at Arthur.
Arthur simply nodded his head for the knight to go on ahead.
Ser Myles frowned, but after a moment, the knight closed the door behind him.
After the knight left, Arthur allowed his eyes to survey the sparse room, noting the table and the chair on the right wall; the dresser pushed against the corner of the bed; the lantern hanging above the ceiling, and the tub filled with water in the middle of the room.
He could sense the Stark girl waiting impatiently for him to leave, but Arthur didn't, instead he strode towards the window and check outside. A cold breeze hit his face the moment he peered out the window.
The tower was overlooking the busy harbor in Maidenpool and Arthur could see the different ships moored for the night. Noises drifted up to him from below, the sounds of horses hooves, of wheeled carts rolling down the muddy path, the voices of merchants and traders selling the last of their wares, and the drunken laughter and soft music from the taverns and brothels that lined the docks.
The tower was secure. There was no way anyone could scale up the tower without someone sighting them from below. Moreover, the tower's stonework had eroded. Most of the mortar were cracked and loosen, with lichens and vines growing between the stones. It would be very foolhardy, indeed, if someone attempt to climb up the window without fear of slipping.
"Looking for Florian the Fool?"
He heard the girl asked from behind him and he pivoted around to see Lyanna Stark standing close by. While he had been checking outside, apparently the girl had already removed her travelling cloak, revealing to him the disguise she had worn since leaving Riverrun; a servant's clothes procured by the Baelish boy to conceal her.
Despite her state of attire, Lyanna Stark didn't look different from what he remembered at the Tourney at Harrenhall. With the girl's dark brown hair tumbling wildly down her back, her pale white skin nearly glowing as the sliver of moonlight graced her features, her cool grey eyes were the color of a thunderclouds beneath long, sooty lashes, and her graceful cheekbones perfectly accentuated her pink bow-shaped lips. Even the shadows that Arthur noted underneath her eyes from the lack of sleep could never diminish the wild beauty he could see in Lyanna Stark.
Indeed, she was as lovely as dawn as Prince Rhaegar had often told him.
"No, my lady. I'm not looking for the fool. I'm simply checking to see if your window is accessible from below, and ensure that you are safe here." Arthur responded.
The window was not wide enough to accommodate them both, and so Arthur could feel her soft, warm body pressing against his when the girl took this time to peer outside.
"And is it accessible?"
"No." He replied, stepping away from her. Yet her heat seemed to leave an imprint on his skin.
"A pity that." The Stark girl glanced at him, smiling ruefully. "I was hoping that Florian would climb up my window and rescue me from an unwanted marriage."
"I believe that's already been done, my lady." Arthur answered, mildly amused, "Is it not the reason you are here?"
Standing next to each other, Arthur realized that the girl's head barely reached past his shoulder. Lyanna Stark was a short woman. Something he found rather endearing.
"Too true." She remarked, smiling up at him and he could see that her eyes were gleaming, of what he assumed to be, a certain kind of deviousness.
Then without warning, the girl leaned in close and whispered conspiratorially, "So you must be my Florian then? Since you help me escape from my unwanted marriage with Robert Baratheon. Am I right, Ser Arthur?"
Arthur froze at that. He stared at her, speechless.
But before he could recover, the girl suddenly let out a soft, tinkling laughter.
It was a very pleasant sound, which Arthur decided he would like to hear again.
"A jest, Ser Arthur." The girl said, reaching out to pat his arm. "It was only a jest. I don't believe you to be a fool. Now, if you are done checking everything, I kindly ask that you leave and let me have my bath."
The girl let go of his arm and moved away from him.
But as if a spell had been cast upon him, Arthur couldn't seem to tear his gaze off her, even when Lyanna Stark bent down and began removing her muddied boots. The girl's long dark hair fell like a curtain of waterfall down the sides of her face. The girl took a peek at him through her hair and saw him still standing there.
Giving him a teasing smile, she said to him, "Unless you plan to stay behind and watch me bathe, Ser Arthur."
That unfroze him immediately.
"I apologize for lingering too long, my lady." He said to her, marching quickly towards the door. He didn't dare look in her direction for fear that the girl would see the blush that suffused his face. "If you need anything, I'll be outside…guarding your door."
When he thought he was finally free from her teasing, the girl blocked his path and quipped, "If I need anything? So if I need help in washing my back, will you come to offer me your assistance as well?"
Arthur nearly choked at the girl's boldness.
Yet once more, the girl burst into laughter upon seeing his reaction.
"Another jest, Ser Arthur. I apologize. I just couldn't resist seeing the Sword of the Morning rendered speechless, and blushing too…ahahaha…I apologize Ser, truly, I am, but considering that you are going to become my travelling companion until we reach Dorne, I don't see why we can't become…familiar with each other this early on."
Something about the word familiar didn't set well with Arthur. The girl made it sound that she had something else in mind for him.
"No need to apologize, my lady. I quite understand," Arthur replied in stern voice. He avoided looking at her. "I will leave you to your bath then, my lady."
"Yes, thank you, Ser Arthur," the girl responded, stepping aside to let him past. "Truly, thank you for helping me escape from Riverrun."
"I'm only following the Prince's orders, my lady." He said briskly, and with a last bow to her, he exited.
Arthur didn't leave the tower, however. He stayed behind to guard the door just as he had said. Despite his exhaustion, Arthur would never leave Prince Rhaegar's future bride without a guard. Ser Richard Lonmouth would relieved him off his post as soon as the knight came back from acquiring supplies for their travel. However, for now, Arthur would have to stand guard outside the door.
He heard the splash from inside and the yelp that followed, which told him that Lyanna Stark must have entered the tub.
Arthur tried not to imagine more than that.
Not soon after, he could hear her loud humming through the door. The tune was half-familiar. It sounded like the song, "Six Maids in the Pool."
And try as he might to stop from listening in, he could not do so, not with such a thin door. He could hear the little sounds the girl make; a contented sigh there, a throaty moan that somehow left him a little flush, and then he could hear her singing as she bathed.
Arthur silently admitted that she had a lovely voice. He was sure that Prince Rhaegar would love to listen to her sing as well.