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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cor Azer" data-source="post: 5632994" data-attributes="member: 870">Maester Karlon busies himself with a damp cloth on the brow of Lady Palla Lynderly, gently trying to soothe her tormented dreams. "She is waking, of a sort, young one," he says over his shoulder, trying not to stare as Jace rewraps the cloth tightly around her breasts. "Soon. Perhaps a bit longer. It seems more sleep now than unconsciousness.""Thank you, maester." Formal, polite, but Karlon hears the layers of emotion in her tone. She does not trust me, he thinks. I doubt she trusts anyone. Not with her lady."If she will not wake for a bit, I will speak with your lord.""My lord is far from here, young one," he replies. "I travel here with Ser Gough at my lord's behest. But I would not counsel you to speak with him; Ser Laton and Ser Jarl of House Vantri saved you and your lady." No need to put her anywhere near Ser Gough needlessly.Jace nods, pulls on her tunic, and then pins her cloak about her neck with a twined snake brooch.Just after the girl leaves, Maester Karlon hears her talking briefly with someone outside his cart.Then a knock."Maester?" Karlon looks up, and recognizes the Vantri sarjeant, Haken Stone."Yes?""Ser Laton wanted me to let you know that he secured a room for the pregnant lady and her... uh... squire.""Jace just left to speak with him." Karlon takes the damp cloth from the lady's brow and wrings it out into a bowl."Yes, I spoke with... uh... the boy. Sent... him... on his way.""Lady Palla will not be able to walk for some time. Even if she wakes soon, I'd advise her to rest. Do you think perhaps you might find one or more of your men to help me move her into the inn?" Karlon changes the subject from Jace; the guard is obviously uncomfortable with carrying on the young girl's ruse, and the maester figures he'd best help the guard not overthink it."Certainly, maester. I'll be back with a few."While waiting for the guards' return, Karlon begins looking through his supplies. I'll need Dawlyn's help to keep Ser Gough busy tonight. It'll do no good to have Ser poking around the inn."Everything alright?" Another visitor to his cart. The steward, Karlon recalls."Yes, Robin. The lady sleeps, but will recover soon I think. And the squire Jace just went off to speak to your Ser." Karlon pauses for a moment in thought, and then fetches a small pinchpouch from one of the many hidden pockets in his robe. "I wonder, steward, if in fact you might do me a favor. I dare not leave the lady until I know she has fully recovered, so I was wondering if you might give this to the Lady Dawlyn for me. It's an... herb... that she likes to take with her meal. An... ahem... aphrodisiac." He whispers the last word, slightly embarrassed. "Without Ser Gough's knowledge., if at all possible."***Heavy feet, Jacelynn thinks as she steps onto the floor of the inn. Men, even boys, have heavier steps than me. She scans the room, noting the innkeep behind his desk, the wench serving drinks, several House Vantri guards in one corner. Is that one really sleeping? A fat knight and two ladies sit closer on a bench, apparently deep into a take from the knight. Sellswords in another corner. No, not all sellswords. Damn, not them. Jacelynn swore to the Seven beneath her breath. The two knights must be Ser Laton and Ser Jarl.Jacelynn takes a deep breath, and plods across the common room to the two knights. Heavy feet. "Ser Laton Vantri? I am Jace Weatherley, protector of the Lady Palla Lynderly. I must thank you for you aid out on the road. Our horse slipped in the mud -""Squire Weatherley!" shouts the Pentoshi from across the room. "I know you, I do! It is I, Raquinno Teaira. Pray tell me, has your lady come searching for me? I still have my spices for sale. Always for sale, they are.""Forgive me Ser Laton." She looks up from the two knights to address the Pentoshi merchant. "No, Raquinno. My Lady Palla has no interest in your wares... " Jacelynn glares at him, hoping he would finally take the hint. "Spice or otherwise.""I understand," says Raquinno politely, smiling. Gods, thought Jacelynn. Why does he always smile?</blockquote>

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