[Nurumaiel]

The man turned and retreated out the door once again. He ran his hand down the neck of his bay horse and smiled. Now that he had some little job he didn't need to worry anymore. He wouldn't need to sell his horse, whatever else may happen. At least not yet. Just because he had a job now didn't ensure that he would all his life. But maybe, just maybe, he could regain his old work in Edoras, where he was paid a handsome sum.

The man (whose name, by the way, was Leofan, meaning Pleasant One) reached into one of the two saddlebags and pulled out some rope. He took the bridle of the horse off and skillfully made a halter from the rope. Giving a little clicking noise, he led the horse into the stable. The smell of horses greeted him and the whinny of horses as he gently urged his stallion in alongside him. The clip-clop of the horse's hooves on the wooden floor was like music to his ears. Here he was at home. Swordplay had always frightened him and he had always felt unsafe when he ventured to do something. But in a stable, when with horses, he felt safe and strong.

"Mihtig," Leofan said, addressing his horse, "take your rest here. Soon we will be riding back home again to fetch your mistress, and your younger mistress, little Mærcwen." He thought of his little daughter's sweet, innocent blue eyes and the waves of gold that spilled down her back and he smiled. Soon he would see that freckled, smiling face satisfied with more food that she had had in a long while.

He felt inside him that Bethberry and the rest of the staff at the inn were good people. They would do their best to help him and they would not find his daughter annoying. After all, had he not seen other children as he had went out the inn door? Mærcwen would be a sweet friend for them all, and Leofan was sure she would be a little joy to the staff and guests at the inn as she was to he and his wife.

Leofan went to fetch some hay from the loft above so his horse could have some dinner. He removed the saddle from his back and then settled down to watch his horse eat. Leofan considered Mihtig as the twin to his daughter, for both the horse and the child had been born on the same day within a space of a few minutes. Mihtig loved the whole family, and they loved him as well, especially Mærcwen, who simply called him 'my brother.' Where that idea had come from, Leofan never knew, but he suspected that she had heard the joking and laughing over the day of their birth and had taken it up. So now Mihtig was known as Mærcwen's twin.

The horse finished eating and Leofan waited a few more minutes to let the former settle what he had just eaten. Then he tacking him up again and led him outside. Poking his head into the door of the inn, he found himself face to face with Aylwen, who gave him an inquiring look. He spoke quietly, hoping that his horse wouldn't be too startled by the noise from the inn. "Would you please tell Bethberry I'm off to fetch my family and I'll be back later today?"

"Yes, I will," said Aylwen, giving him a reassuring smile. Feeling sure that his message would be delivered, Leofan gave a little nod and withdrew his head, ducking it just in time as it nearly collided with his horse's, who had leaned forward to see who his master had been talking to.

Leofan mounted and slipped his right foot into the stirrup. Gathering up the reins, he glanced back at the inn with a wide, shining smile. Hopefully this wasn't all a dream. Hopefully he wouldn't be waking up to find that he had no work and that his family was still going hungry. But, as Leofan turned Mihtig's head in the direction of home, he knew that it wasn't so. A little flick of his right heel and they were off towards home at a good, steady canter. But they would come back, with his beautiful wife and sweet little daughter.

[ June 23, 2003: Message edited by: Nurumaiel ]