[Durelin]

No one turned to look at her as she walked in the door. No one. Good. she thought. She was one with the shadows as she moved to the corner of the inn. It was best not to be noticed, and she had perfected it over the years. Completely covered in a plain black dress with her black cloak, blacker than the darkest night, pulled tightly around her and the hood pulled down over her face, not an inch of skin was showing. She kept her cloak around her has she moved along silently. She reached a dark corner in the northern side of the inn farthest away from anyone. She stood there as a shadow and watched. She saw another woman in black, trying to hide in the shadows. Ha! Everyone can see her. Maybe she is not trying to hide, but, if she is...she's doing a horrible job. She continued moving her eyes over the crowd, not a very large crowd, but big enough. Stupid people! she thought, and her lip turned up in a snarl Look at these pitiful excuses for the fair, immortal beings of elves! Here there are at this swarthy inn, swarming with half brained hobbits! Hobbits! She snarled again and a long, low sound emerged from her mouth, almost a growl. I am here, I do not belong, but do I have a choice? No. They do. They do not know. They will never know, they are blind, they do not watch for antyhing, nothing. They see nothing. In the name of Illuvatar, can't they see? I am alone in this, aren't I? Good. These thoughts came daily, and they always ended in the same way. She liked being alone. Let them be blind. Look at them with not a care in the world. They do not have to... she stopped, she wasn't going to start all over again. She calmly collected herself, still remaining a shadow. She again glanced around the room. Suddenly she jumped. Was he looking at her. She didn't move as the man moved toward her. Then he turned to talk to a woman at the bar. She sighed in relief, he didn't see her. But how long would that last? I have to eat, you have pushed it, three days... Would the inn ever clear out? Or were there always late goers. How late? Her stomach grumbled. She snarled at the sound. Why am I stuck in this wretched body! This body, its so human! She had to get food sooner or later, and it didn't look like the crowd was ever going to clear out. She again moved along the shadows until she reached the bar where a tall elf-woman was bustling around serving drinks. For some reason she seemed familiar, but she shook off the idea. You're tired. She moved in front of her and began to speak, "I need to eat," she said without emotion as she threw a clinking pouch onto the table.

The elf jumped and looked at her fearfully, she hadn't heard or seen her walking to the bar. She glanced at the bag the dark cloaked woman had tossed on the table, then the elf looked up at her again, with fear shown slightly in her eyes, but her voice was firm when she spoke, "I will serve you, m'lady, if you would kindly remove your hood. Village custom," she stopped then added, "And maybe your name, mine is Piosenniel. There are many strange folk coming here, need to be careful, hope you understand."

She looked around, no one was looking in her direction. The crowd had helped, she was one person, and wasn't noticed. Good, and the elf had not asked for much. She removed her hood to reveal long blond hair, and a pale face. And pointed ears. She was pretty, not beautiful, but pretty. "Durwen," she said, again with no trace of any emotion. Another thing she had perfected. No one ever knew what she was thinking, or how she felt. If she felt.

The elf nodded and brought her food, she wouldn't question a customer with a full bag of coin.

She ate in silence, and respectfully kept her hood half way down her head. She glanced around the inn yet again, watching the people milling around. Then she was lost in her thoughts, Darkness is never completely gone from the world. It dwells in too many places.

[ February 01, 2003: Message edited by: Durelin ]