Cook excused herself on kitchen business some minutes after the departure of Derufin, as Laurie had learned the stablemaster was called. The young woman puzzled over his odd behavior for awhile before turning her thoughts instead to his news that Pio would soon be returning to the inn. And with her twins and husband, no less! She smiled, trying to imagine what the babes would like. They would be strong-willed, of course, like their mother! Laurie wondered if the birth had been as easy as the elf had seemed so confident it would be. 'Well,' Laurie decided, 'she was right that there would be twins. No doubt she was right about that too.' There was no question of how long she would be staying now; she needed a good rest anyway, and two weeks seemed just about right to do it.
As these thoughts ran through her mind, Laurie had been studying the common room. It was full of its usual motley assortment of characters, most spread out in clusters of two or three talking together, but there was one man, rather young but dressed in the livery of the Tower of the Guard of Minas Tirith, who sat alone. His head was bowed over a tall mug and his shoulders hunched, the stain of travel was upon his cloak. Everything about his appearance, especially the sword worn openly by his side, seemed a bit out of place in the quiet Shire, leaving Laurie no doubt that he had just arrived from a long travel and, judging from his armour, perhaps from Minas Tirith itself.
A thrill of excitement ran through the young lady, causing her to rise quickly and nearly trip over her dress. "Sir," she nearly whispered as she stumbled over to the his table, "I judge from your dress that you hail from the White City. Perhaps, if you do not mind my intrusion, you would give me news of that region?" Laurie faltered slightly as the man raised his head. His eyes did not seem at first to focus upon her, as though his mind had been elsewhere, and Laurie waited uncertainly for his answer, beginning to hope he would not be angry at her for interrupting his thoughts.
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