(Approximately 50% of this post is the work of [@Masterkeun] )

William turned. A dimunitive woman just jumped out of nowhere and started insulting him to his face. Odd.

"And a good day to you too, my lady," he said, brows narrowing.

"I'm no lady, not anymore anyway," Mable said a little disheartened by the comment.

"Can't you see that we're busy? It's like you can't have a civilized conversation with a major member of a major house these days without an ugly whore out of nowhere suddenly start disagreeing with you," William tried his hardest not to smile. Gods, he could read her face like an open book.

Mable's face contorted in fury. Sansa was not a whore and Mable was unsure who he was intending to insult. Sansa herself was still in ear shot and it was to easy to turn this against the foolish lordling. "If you call Sansa Lannister a whore after begging her for your keep you'll lose more then just your birth right." Mable gently raised an eyebrow her back to Sansa only William able to see the playful smirk across her face.

"Ooh, that's a substantial amount of big talk from a woman who just crawled out of the bad end of Flea Bottom," William quipped. As long as people kept randomly coming up to him looking for a fight, he hoped this day would never end. "What next? Are you going to threaten my mother as well? Perhaps my little kitten back at Ethering?"

Mable looked rather surprised at his last comment. It seemed William didn't take after Ramsey. It was possible the rumors of his necrophilia and animal torture had simply been conjecture. Mable could respect a man who could have his own pet at the forefront of his mind. "It seems the majority of the rumors about you were false, though your still the drunkard I've heard of. I'd never dream of hurting a kitten. I'm more surprised that you'd care for one."

"Enough with the flattery. What do you want? What could you possibly have to gain from approaching someone you don't know or care about just to hop on a bandwagon fifty leagues long?" William said, crossing his arms. Perhaps he is letting this girl get on his nerves a little too much. Angrily, he recalled that he was keeping the cat a secret from court.

A whisper only audible to William escaped Mable's lips. "Perhaps to offer you advice in the form of criticism and a way to regain your fortress. Maybe just to tease a man to willing to let the starks keep seeing him as an enemy or a beggar. Arya is too close for you to let your guard down and she'd be happy to end our houses." Mable's eyes were deadly serious for the first time as she moved past William to join her cousin.

William just stood there, watching the strange woman leave. That was odd indeed. What did all that even mean? Was there some sort of plot? He hastily checked his surroundings, turning this way and that, half expecting Arya Stark to leap from the shadows armed with a big sword marked exclusively for him. Realizing there would be none, he sighed, mentally berating himself. How could you let some stupid girl get into your head like that? Grandfather must be turning in his grave right now.

Steffon raised a hand his cousin joining him keeping a gentle eye on William hoping Arya wouldn't kill the young lord for his rudeness. It was good the man was looking worried. It would hopefully keep him cautious. They were both in the territory of the assassin and rumored sorceress. They must be careful.