[Nurumaiel]

Ruddyn opened his eyes and blinked in the bright sunlight that was streaming through the small window by his bed. He blinked again with confusion. He was sure he had closed the curtains earlier that morning when he had told Fendadia he was taking a short nap. Fendadia must have crept into his room and pulled them open. She would do that back home, as well, if he were sleeping in too late. So what time was it?

Ruddyn threw back the warm blankets and sat up in bed. What a beautiful bed, as well! Ever since he and Fendadia had left Gondor it had been roots as matresses and rocks as pillows. He felt amazed to think how they had ever kept up energy to reach the Shire. Why, after that sleep he had just had, he felt as though he could walk a week without stopping.

Reaching down to the floor, he picked up his boots and slid them on his feet one at a time, quickly lacing them up. Standing up, he grinned as his feet hit a wooden floor. When was the last time he had walked on wood. He could just imagine Fendadia's voice saying, "This morning, when you walked into the inn."

It didn't take Ruddyn long to get downstairs. He was accustomed to sleeping in his clothes so Fendadia and he could set out from wherever they were camping in just a few minutes, and he hadn't yet got out of that habit.

His boots hit heavily on the stairs as he traveled downwards, his nostrils catching the smell of food baking. No doubt Fendadia was already eating, or had finished. As he finished the last few steps, he asked himself again what time it was. He had forgotten to look up at the sun to see when he had woken up a few minutes earlier.

Fendadia was sitting at a table right by the stairs, probably to wait for him. He didn't even see her and was about to walk right by her, but she caught hold of his sleeve and pulled him down into the empty chair across form her, grinning widely as if she had just played some good joke on him. "You're finally awake," she said, chuckling softly.

"What time is it?" Ruddyn asked, confused. No need to ask what was so funny. He would most likely know that when he knew what the time was.

"It's afternoon already," his little sister replied, and then she laughed aloud as she saw his bewildered amazement. She pointed to an empty plate in front of her. "Dinner is already through, and they're probably getting ready for supper right now, but if you're really hungry you can ask for a late dinner."

Ruddyn was starving, but he felt embarrassed having slept in so late, and he didn't want to go apologize for that and ask for a late dinner. The bother they'd have to go through, and soon everyone at the inn would know that he had slept in late. He took a deep breath and then smiled pleasantly at Fendadia. After all, he had only taken a very long nap. "I'm not hungry," he said. "I can wait."

[ June 19, 2003: Message edited by: Nurumaiel ]