[Amanaduial the archer]

Aman spotted Ruby and Buttercup by the bar, apparently talking earnestly and was about to move over to them, now rather intrigued by Ferumbras's 'inventing', when another hobbit accosted her. As soon as she turned to him, he began to speak quickly.

"Hello my Lady, I am Harold Brandybuck, you may not have noticed me but I have been here and I have heard that you are the Innkeeper, and I would like to ask you whether I am allowed to hang my carving above the fireplace, Master Regin Handhammer had asked me to make one." The gushing passage seemed to come out as a continuous sentence from the energetic, flushed looking Harold and the Innkeeper stared at him for a second as her mind caught up with the passage which had taken her somewhat by surprise. The hobbit was watching her with an air of holding his breath and Aman smiled, shaking and nodding her head a little all at the same time as she spread her hands.

"I don't see why not, Mr Brandybuck, certainly not if Regin commisioned you. But may I see the aforementioned carving first?" She then smiled and remembered her ever impeccable manners, and chanced upon a thought that she thought woulld please the hobbit. "And of course I have noticed you around - if you are keen on carving, may I suggest you tarry for a while at the Inn if it wasn't already your intention? A friend of mine, the stablemaster at the Inn ordinarily, is returning here even as we speak, and shares the interest. I am sure Derufin would be pleased to make your acquaintance."

She smiled to herself as well as to the hobbit as she said this last part. She had not been as close to Derufin as Pio had always been - the half-elf and the stablemaster had been very close - and in Aman's time at the Inn, the stablemaster had spent much of his time with one of the strays the Inn picked up, a refined, nervous girl by the name of Uien who had appeared at the Inn terrified and been taken in in reply for some stablework. And not long after that, back had ridden Pio, Mithadan and the twins, along with two friends, Gilly Burrowbanks and this exotic character Zimzi. Why the girl had quite captured Derufin's heart, which was why he had swanned off with her when she travelled with Pio and Mithadan as far as possible when they left.

The Innkeeper did not begrudge the stablemaster, far from it - and she found she had missed him, even though she didn't knwo himn as well as the four hobbits who worked at the Inn. It would not be at all long until Cook, Derufin and Zimzi reappeared the Inn - they were expected any minute now. Aman could only hope the perfectionistic Vinca would approve of the...redecorated Inn; she hoped to get to know Derufin better before he went away again, with Zimzi, she thought - they would no doubt set up in a home away from the Inn rather than continuing to live here. That is, Aman thought so anyway. And as for Zimzi - well, the exotic and mysterious beauty was so sweet-natured, from what Aman had seen of her, and she looked forward to becoming better acquainted with her if she was indeed to stay in the Shire for any amount of time.