Among the Lions: The Second Cub (tag: Madeline)

The task was none too difficult, it was simple cleaning after all and it seemed that the young lady kept her room pretty clean already. Mira gently smoothed out the bed sheets tucking in all the corners as she hummed softly, the work reminded her of when she used to take care of her little sisters though their beds were nothing like ones like this. A little bit of envy ran through her a moment, the lions cubs were very well looked after but then again that was the nature of the lion's pride. She finished the bed moving to arranging the flowers just right on the nightstand she wanted everything to be perfect on her first day because that way she may make a good first impression. After all if their father was such a good man then perhaps there would be nothing to fear from the cubs, she was a bit hopeful of that. Hopefully the Lord was not getting into trouble for taking her on, she had sort of sprouted out of no where, a waif the lord had brought into his home and given a job an important one too from her understanding. Her mind occupied from such thoughts as she took a moment to smell the lovely floral display when she was done.

Madeline was walking in the hallway, keeping in her arms some of the most beautiful flowers she had found in the fields around the castle. Wildflowers were her second favorite type of flowers, after roses: they were so unpredictable and a bit 'wild', growing where they wanted and without caring about the appearance. In a way she could related with those flowers, even if it was only for a small part of her.
Smiling proudly to herself for her 'harvest', Madeline entered in her room. It was a surpise that she didn't let the flowers fall or screamed, when she saw a woman in there, busy to smell some of the flowers. All could Madeline do was to stand and observe the woman from the entrance, not sure about her identity or what were her business there, in her room.
"Excuse me." Maddie finally cleared her throat announcing her presence in the room "What are you doing here?" her tone still calm, but it could leak some nervousness.

Mira fixed the last of the petals just so, enjoying the scent when the voice spooked her she almost looked ready to jump out of her skin. Instead she managed to say something really really fast and entirely apologetic not to mention in a completely different language. Recoiling back like Madeline was to strike her as she turned seeing it was the young lady, Mira looked immediately ashamed and embarrassed. Trying to recover she took a couple deep breaths before smiling softly "I am sorry m'lady" she said making the commoners mistake of pronunciation not to mention she had an accent that make all that she said almost have a melodic cadence.

Her curtsey following shortly after was nothing to say much about either, it was actually worse than the youngest of the lion cubs. All the signs of someone trying to act much more on formal standing then they were used to or at least a different custom. Her eyes never met Madeline's seeming to prefer the floor or feet with her head slightly bowed "I-I'm... I am your new sl-servant mistress" while she caught herself on slave she did not catch herself of the mistress part. It was an old habit one that had been whipped into her it would be hard to forget. "I was tidying the room and arranging the flowers..."

Her eyes blinked a few times as the woman turned to her and spoke what seemed a foreign language. It seemed like that she had been scared by Maddie's improvise entry, like she didn't even expected someone coming in.
Madeline kept eyeing her as she finally recomposed herself, finally speaking the common language. From her voice it was clear that the woman wasn't from Westeros: too many mistakes in a phrase five words long. And her bad curtsy only confirmed some of Maddie's thoughts about her: or that woman wasn't who she said to be or she didn't know how a maiden worked.

"Mistress?" she couldn't help but repeat her last word, no one had ever called her 'mistress' just lady. "If you're a new servant why I've never seen you before? Did my father hired you?" her gaze never left Mira, she wanted to see if she was really saying the truth about the whole servat thing.

"I am new yes, please forgive the phrasing the language of Andal is..." she paused seeming to search for a word "...trying" getting it as close as she thought she could blushing a little in embarrassment as she kept her eyes and head down. She stood very still with her hands infront, it was a very practiced stance not proper like a ladies though and not as stiff as a soldier. "M- Lord... Lord Lannister saved my life" she admitted finally gaining some sense of self as her voice was now just a bit above a whisper.

Trying to smile warmly but it was obvious the woman was nervous almost afraid, strangely enough with her hands in front it was easy to see that they were gloved with lovely little embroidery on the cuff. She was at least dressed the part of a lady-in-waiting, her hair looked recently washed and though her clothing was a somber black she didn't look like a beggar or a thief.

"Indeed..." Madeline nodded as Mira spoke, trying to not remark the mistakes she made in her phrase. The woman seemed uncomfortable enough, without any grammar lesson from her.
"He saved you..." that was something her father could totally do, he was a noble man in the end "What's your name?" she asked after she finally took some steps inside the room towards Mira, placing down her flowers on a little table.

"my apologies!" she said in a rushed tone like she had done something horribly wrong as she fumbled into another curtsy though it was more of a bow. She even kept her head low "my name is Mira, m'l- my... my lady"

"Mira..." Madeline repeated as to see how it sounded in her voice "Where are you from Mira? From your accent you don't seem from the Kingdom of the Rock, but neither Westeros..." she wanted to know all the possible things -if not everything- about that Mira. Now she was standing right in front of Mira, her hands tangled together on her back.

Mira seemed a little glad that Madeline did not seem to take offense, she was even asking her questions perhaps this child was alot like her father. Those thoughts seemed to calm her as she smiled a genuine soft smile this time "No my lady.... I am not born to Westeros, I was born in Lys. I speak most Free City dialects and know a bit of Dothraki but this is only my fifth time speaking the Andal tongue in conversation"

Madeline nodded as Mira spoke. She was answering completely at all of her questions, however there was still something that still bothered her, a question that she still wanted an answer to.
"Lys is one of the free cities of Essos..." she said slowly keeping her look on Mira "How did you arrive here in the Kingdom of the Rock?"

Mira smiled until that was asked at that she looked further down and idly let one of her gloved hands rub a wrist, it was an impulsive gesture she did not even realize she was doing "By boat my lady.... I.... I was a ummm.... I do not know the word for it in Andalan.... hide-... hidden? away yes."

Madeline frowned as Mira spoke again. Hidden? Did it mean that she was on the run? Was she wanted in Lys? Or in any other city of Essos?
"What do you mean?" she turned to Mira, her hands still on her back "Hidden? Hidden from what?" or who...

Mira seemed to shrink at little "I am sorry m'lady my Andalan is... poor still... hidden from sailors, I did not pay. Your Lord father stepped in when I was caught. He is very kind, and we are indebted to this house. I am your humble sl- servant mistress" bowing this time very deeply in a practiced way though the gesture was foreign as she kept her head and herself down. Not even realizing she had said the wrong word at the end.

Madeline was still not convinced by Mira's words, however as she mentioned again her father Maddie couldn't help but believe at least at that part. Saving damsel in distress was everyday businesses for her father Phoebus, at least that was the way that she had always portrayed him.
"That's enough for me." she said as Mira bowed again, this time it seemed that she wanted to touch the floor with her nose. She was quite satisfied by her story, now it was time to understand what she could do.
"Lady..." she said "You have to call me lady... not mistress." she waved her hand sightly at that word, it just sounded wrong.
"Mira... what can you do?"