The sun had risen, hit midday, and sunk back below the horizon by the time that Lana was done with her shift. The lessor handmaids would take over after her, in case their lady ever needed help in the hours of the wolf.

As Lana left her shared handmaid's room, donned in a wool dress and cloak, she walked the fire-lit halls with her hood up, her head held high in a display of confidence. The hood was for her hair color, which was easy to spot, but the pride with which she walked was so not too many would look her way. She learned that as long as one acted like they were meant to be doing something, people rarely questioned it.

There was one bonus to living at the Red Keep – her and a few handmaids would sneak out at night and go to a nice tavern that had some of the best wine she ever tasted. They didn't get to drink often in the Crimson Company, as it dulled one's mind.

She smiled to herself, as that was the point. She liked the way it dulled her mind, and the way red wine tasted.

Lana rounded another stone wall to walk down the stairs with a gentle click of her sandals, the stars draping the background of night. At the bottom were two others wearing hooded cloaks. Alissa and Kari both looked up at her, Alissa with the red hair, and Kari with the dark blonde.

They greeted each other with smiles and retellings of the drama of their day as they walked to the tavern that was just outside of the Red Keep's walls. Many handmaids, especially ones that tended to the Queen, didn't partake in this activity. Whores and drunken men were frequent guests at this destination, and thus dishonorable to be around. But the handmaids that attended tonight didn't mind it, and they always dressed in the appropriate garb so as not to bring attention to the nobility that they served.

As they walked among men and women of a much lessor class, Lana saw very little difference. Everyone in King's Landing was nothing more than bags of flesh and personalities. Some bags of flesh were lucky, and had a hefty bag of gold to go along with it. That was it. That was the only difference. How much hold one had at birth determined how they were raised.

A few men eyed them as they walked, some dirtier than others, and most of them missing some of their teeth.

It was amazing what a difference income made.

It was at this hour of the early night that Lana questioned her desire to become a lady. Sneaking out to drink wine in the taverns was absolutely more exciting than talking about which ways to braid one's hair.

As if reading her mind, Kari asked, "Say, Vaella, how did you get your hair so pale? I know men that would swoon for it at my old work." They passed by men that were drinking, men that were talking to pretty whores, and a few getting into verbal fights. It wasn't late enough for the drunken brawls yet.

"I was born with it," Lana said with a smile, used to her pseudonym. She thought of ways to divert the conversation, as she did not want to talk about her heritage. 

"If you had purple eyes, I'd say you're a Targeryen!" Kari said over the cheering of something going on nearby. They kicked pebbles as they walked from stone chippings from the walls and grounds wore away over time.

Lana laughed. "I wish, Kari. Then I'd be queen, and would just have wine delivered to me!" she jested, trying to push it under the rug.

Finally, they approached the destination of Red Herring Tavern.

"You are from Essos, correct? Maybe you have some old Valerian blood in you. Could seriously be Targeryen," Kari said, pressing the matter.

"She can't be a Targeryen," Alissa said. "Her hair is pale, but it's still blonde. And her eyes are blue."

"Some Targeryens had blonde hair and blue eyes," Kari corrected. "It wasn't many, though," she admitted.

"I wouldn't doubt it, but I also cannot confirm it. I grew up an orphan in Essos," Lana said, shrugging her shoulders.

The three women entered the tavern, the noise of it all penetrating her ears. And even though there was much to be distracted by, Lana was already observing the environment, seeing who was drunker than who, who was a stranger and who was familiar, listening in to conversations, and noticing the state of every man and woman inside.

They all three got a cup of wine, to which they sat in a corner to enjoy their drink, the smell of smoke, perfume, and leather permeating their senses.

"One day, I want to go to Essos myself, and find me a rich husband so I can drink wine on my own balcony like the ladies do in the keep," Kari said, taking a sip as she relaxed in her seat, pursing her lips with a smile.

"I'm fine working in the keep," Alissa said, taking a deeper drink than usual. "I get to drink my wine down here, and that works for me."

Kari's brown eyes glanced to Lana. "Why did you leave Essos, Vaella?" Kari asked, nodding her chalice to Lana. "I don't think I ever asked."

"Opportunity. I look like the Targeryens, like you said, but not enough to be an actual threat. Some think it makes their house look more noble to have someone like me serve them," she said, telling half the truth. Her ability to appear demure, kind, and not a threat, paired with her appearance, made her easy to trust. She didn't quite know why, but that's just how it was.

It was how she was able to get close to the elite.

The ladies began to gossip and laugh, getting another round of drink. After a short time, Lana turned her attention to a large man walking in, the heavy sound of his armor catching her attention. He was with two others.

"Have you met the Hound yet?" Kari asked, watching where Lana's gaze went, watching Sandor Clegane herself.

"Briefly, and not formally," Lana said as she moved her gaze back to the women.

"Scary beast," Alissa said and took another drink from her cup. They were running low and would be returning to their rooms soon. They only had one day off, and that was not this day, nor tomorrow, which means drink needed to be consumed in moderation.

"I fucked him a few times," Kari said. For a moment, Lana forgot Kari grew up as a the daughter of a whore, and became a whore herself, before becoming the kitchen wench.

"Well, because he paid you," Alissa said. "From your previous profession," she added, always slightly judgmental about it, her cheeks starting to turn as red as her hair.

Kari snickered. "I wouldn't mind doing it again. His hands are strong, and his arms are thick. It's fun the way he tosses you around. Fucks in a really nice, primal way, like you're a prey and not leaving until he's done. And you're definitely not going anywhere until he is done," Kari said with a dark smile.

"Sounds terrifying," Alissa said, tucking her chin into her neck.

"It's quite fun. I like being handled, you know? You get over his scar pretty quickly."

"And what pleasure did you get?" Alissa asked with more judgement.

"The joy of being properly fucked?" Kari asked with a small chuckle. "What do you mean, exactly?"

"He didn't, you know, tend to you?" Alissa asked meekly.

"I was a whore. We don't get paid to be pleased. That's just a pleasant bonus when it happens."

"How did he get his scar?" Lana finally interjected after taking her last swig, indulging in her annoying, random fascination with Clegane.

"I heard his bedding caught fire," Alissa quickly replied.

"I heard his brother pushed him in the fire when he was younger," Kari said with a mischievous grin.

Lana frowned. "Well, that's sad."

"And also terrifying. You don't want to meet the Mountain," Kari said, her eyes finally showing some fear.

"The Mountain? That's his brother?" Lana asked, looking back to Clegane who took a long drink of ale, slamming it on the table as he sucked his lips to his teeth. He looked up, and nearly immediately, his gaze ran into hers, a loathing quickly expressed. Apparently, I am not the only one who is alert. She looked back to the ladies before her, her heart racing and adrenaline dripping into her veins from being noticed. Her instinct was to leave. Immediately. But he was no threat. Not immediately, anyway. "I have heard of the Mountain. He raped that Martel girl," Lana said, trying to pretend like she didn't want to rush out of there. 

Kari sighed and faced Lana. "The Hound is a grumpy bastard that can kill you with one punch, no, a flick, to the face, but he doesn't seek out torturing people like his brother. He is brutal, but not cruel. The Mountain? He is pure cruelty."

Lana white knuckled her cup as she ruminated on these potential truths. "I didn't know the Hound was related to such awful scum."

"I think he feels the same way," Kari said, slamming her now empty cup on the table.

"I think they are from the same rotten roots," Alissa said, pushing her cup away.

"You shouldn't punish him for his brother," Lana reasoned. "If that is the truth. Could explain why he is so mean."

"I am punishing him for being rude, scar or not. He's just plain mean," Alissa pressed. Lana  gave a conceding nod, as she wasn't wrong there.

The women left for the night, and Lana was careful not to look back at the Hound, despite how much every inch of her begged to do it.

She knew better than that.

Kari went off to her quarters, and Alissa followed Lana to hers as they shared the same sleeping accommodation. Lana had hoped that Alissa would go on her own way, maybe sneak another night with the squire she had been seeing, but instead, she followed Lana. They chatted quietly until they reached their room, where they finally parted their ways.

As Lana went to her bed, she opened up the divider that gave her privacy. From the pockets of her wool dress, she quickly removed her weapons, hair dye, and took off the extra layers of leathers she had on underneath.

She had hoped that she would get to explore the dungeons and crypts tonight, imagining that if there were dragon eggs, they would be with the skeletons. At least, it was a place to start.

Lana left the room to grab some fresh water from a barrel outside when a dirty child ran up to her, handed her a note, and ran off.

She tucked it back into her dress, not bothering to look around. If someone saw, then someone saw. She couldn't do anything about it. Looking around would only show suspicion. Act like I was meant to receive it. Although her heart pounded and her palms sweat as she wondered what could be inside this letter.

Lana's heart thrummed away in her chest as she went back to her bed as calmly as possible, grinding her teeth as she couldn't imagine the letter being anything other than the words she had been desperate to receive.

She opened it up.

The Stag moves, treachery giving him flight. Take caution, and be ready to leave for safety. Five heartbeats.

The Stag. Stannis. He is coming with a siege, like it's rumored. Five heartbeats. Do the deed. She breathed so heavily that her chest rose and fell like she had just finished running a mile.

She would kill Lady Hornley during the siege and flee.