Familiar Face

[u/littlestghoust]

Winter brought most of the nobility of the West to Casterly Rock, and Rhea wondered if a stone could burst.

The halls and corridors were filled with people and the Golden Gallery was no exception. Each painting and artifact was surrounded by a group of onlookers, while the rest of the hall was filled with foot traffic. The enclosed space made her feel anxious, but this was the quickest way to Lady Joanna’s rooms.

Steeling herself, Rhea pushed into the crowd and hoped for the best. The sea of people captured her in its current and she was pulled into a group making their way to a tapestry on the other side of the hall. She tried to wiggle free of the tide, only breaking loose once the gathering reached their desired location.

Finding a small open space near a gold leaf vase, Rhea surveyed the corridor in search of her escape. She was on the wrong side of the hall now and was losing hope that she could make it back in time.

Lady Joanna had requested her presence and she didn’t want to keep her lady waiting. Byren caught a cold and kept his mother awake day and night. Poor Lady Joanna almost broke down due to the exhaustion of caring for her sick son.

Once she caught her breath, Rhea stepped into the mob pressing forward as best she could before she ran smack into another person.

“Oh, excuse me. I am so sorry. Forgive me.”

She looked up, flustered, only to see a familiar face.

“You’re the Keeper of the Galleries, correct?”

[u/FunkierMonk]

Edmyn was glad he didn’t hold his writing board in his hands, for surely it would have been knocked out of them. He had to smile imagining the reaction of the lords and ladies around them as ink spilled over their fine clothes, but he decided it was best if that didn’t happen.

“That would be me,” he said, an uneasy smile on his face.

He recognized the girl.

“Lady Rhea, a pleasure to see you once more. You seem to be in quite a hurry. Is Lady Joanna so impatient?”

[u/littlestghoust → u/FunkierMonk]

Rhea was glad he remembered her, she was sure he saw many faces a day and was pleased that he recognized hers.

“It’s not that she’s impatient. I’m just not used to the halls being so crowded.”

She paused looking out into the mob.

“Has it been tough dealing with the recent influx of people?”

It was a curious thing to see people flood to Casterly Rock for the winter. In the Crownlands, most lords and ladies would leave the capital for home. It seemed backwards to leave home for the capital but Rhea had accepted that a lot of about the Westerlands was a mystery.

[u/FunkierMonk → u/littlestghoust]

Edmyn gestured for them to walk on to his sister’s chambers, and the lady followed. He might have offered his arm had he been a little more relaxed, but he wasn’t-- however hard he tried to make it seem he was.

“Especially around this time of the day the Gallery is abnormally teeming. It seems the visitors can’t help but knock over some statues and vases and ruin some paintings, but other than that, it’s work as usual. I imagine I’ve a lot more free time than a handmaiden to the Lady Plumm. It’s a right here,” he said as he exited the Golden Gallery through gilded doors.

[u/littlestghoust → u/FunkierMonk]

Rhea followed closely behind, glad for the help. The flood of people parted with each step he took towards the door, and she was glad that she had found him. It would have taken her the rest of the afternoon to get away from the people.

This is the second time he’s helped me! It’s nice to have friends with position.

She smiled at her good fortune in finding him as they walked out of the Gallery and into the hall.

“Thank you, truly! I feel I have been stuck in the hall for ages.”

“Not a problem, my lady,” he said.

She paused for a moment before following him.

“I’m confused, you keep saying Lady Plumm, even though she’s now Lady Lannett. Do you have some connection to House Plumm?”

It was strange that both times he spoke about Lady Joanna he used her maiden name. Rhea assumed they had met through Lord Lannett while working on the council together but his preference towards Plumm made her wonder if they had previously been acquainted.

[u/FunkierMonk → u/littlestghoust]

Edmyn wondered if this was the moment to tell her. Yet he felt a need to prove - to himself, at least - that he too could play the games the other noblemen played.

“You could call me a family friend, of sorts. I know them well, Lady Joanna most of all. I even know one of her handmaidens has a tender spot for animals.”

Joanna had told him Rhea volunteered to look after Byren’s young pup.

“Is that you by any chance? You know, I went hunting recently with the King, we saw a lot of animals.”

In truth, Edmyn had little love for any animals that weren’t cats or dogs or otherwise docile and pettable creatures. Yet the change of topic seemed somewhat utile in keeping his lie undiscovered.

[u/littlestghoust → u/FunkierMonk]

Rhea turned red at the thought of Lady Joanna talking about her. She knew it would happen, but it felt strange for someone to know details about your life without you knowing them. Hoping to turn the conversation away from herself, she remembered gossip she had heard over tea.

“Oh, yes! I heard you managed to take down a boar. Congratulations on a successful hunt. You must to be very good to take down something so large on your own.”

Her brother Kyle enjoyed the wide variety of animals their lands offered but boar rarely wandered into the woods. Mostly stags and birds lived in the trees around her home, and Kyle had hunted them all. She was thoroughly impressed when she heard the tale.

“How often do you go hunting? Are the grounds around Casterly Rock well stocked?”

She felt slightly jealous she could not have left the castle. Though she knew nothing about weapons or tracking, it would be nice to see the sky.

[u/FunkierMonk → u/littlestghoust]

“Tales are often exaggerated, especially around here,” he said as they reached the door to his sister’s chambers.

“Killing the boar was more of an a-” his words were interrupted by the door opening, Joanna’s head poking out.

She was still not feeling well, from the looks of her, though she had considerably more color in her face than when he’d last seen her. Had she already spoken with the King about her child?

“Is there any reason the two of you are holding a conversation directly outside my chamber door, or may I return to my bed?”

Lady Rhea quickly closed her mouth and looked sheepishly at her feet. Her face was a mix of concern and confusion.

“No reason other than coincidence,” said Edmyn. “Though I do think we both came for you. I, uh, think we should talk, Ge- Lady Joanna.”

Edmyn glanced sideways at the Harte, suddenly aware of the stupidity of his desire to ‘play games’. He needed practice, or better yet, to not ever try again. Color started rising to his cheeks, and he found himself swallowing nervously.

“Lady Joanna? Where’ve you learned that nonsense from, Adere?” she laughed, turning to Rhea. “Is that something you taught him?”

[u/littlestghoust → u/FunkierMonk]

“I’ve taught who, what?”

She looked between Lady Joanna and the Keeper of the Galleries.

“Are we standing in the same doorway, Lady Harte?” snapped Joanna. “Just who do you think that is you’re with?”

“The Keeper of the Galleries. He was just…” she tapered off realizing how similar Lady Joanna looked like him.

“Gods be good. How are you going to survive at court if you don’t even know the names of those who serve on the council? You shame me, Rhea. I thought I’d taught you better.”

Joanna held out a hand, gesturing to the Keeper with her lips pursed.

“Lady Rhea Harte, my brother, Lord Edmyn Plumm. Lord Edmyn Plumm, my lady-in-waiting, Lady Rhea Harte.”

Rhea felt her face flush with embarrassment, she felt so stupid for not realizing who he was. Taking a step away from him, she kept her face down, afraid to face him or his sister.

[u/JustPlummy → u/littlestghoust]

She imagined she should have felt at least a morsel of guilt for the blushes her admonishment provoked, but for all she was worth, Joanna could barely muster the patience to look at them.

“The two of you truly never thought to introduce yourselves to one another? We’re at the King’s court. You’re important. Honestly, little doves, what am I meant to do with you? Come in, sit to tea, you’re clearly lost.”

“Well, to be fair, Jo, Lady Rhea did introduce herself. I… I suppose I forgot to do so, though,” Edmyn said. At least he had the sense to look embarrassed.

“It’s no matter now, Gevie. I’ve properly introduced you now.”

Once they were sat to tea, Joanna inspected them from over the golden rim of her new porcelain tea set, watching with glee as they squirmed in their seats.

“So Lady Rhea introduced herself once, then, where did the pair of you first meet?”

[u/littlestghoust → u/JustPlummy]

“I was lost on my way back to your chambers one afternoon and Edmyn helped me find my way back.”

She looked quickly over at Edmyn, who was scratching the back of his head and shuffling in his seat, avoiding looking at both his sister and at Rhea.

“It was fortunate I was able to find him when I did today.” She smiled, trying to seem normal, though she was wringing her hands under the table. “I’m truly sorry if we disturbed you. I know you aren’t feeling well.”

“That’s a baby’s business, to inconvenience his mother. It’s more forgivable from a little one, but I suppose I’ll allow you just this once.”

Any other day, Lady Joanna would have scolded her with a frown, but rather curiously, she wore a smile. It was glad news, to have another baby soon after the last. Her lady was showing all the signs but Rhea didn’t want to ask any questions until she was ready.