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Ealasaide · 07-14-2004, 09:35 AM

Having seen the boy, Andhun, safely delivered into Bêthberry's hands to begin the treatment of his many burns and bruises, Rochadan took a final look around the common room. The young scamp, Cynan, was busy playing with another guest's dog. Finian was at the bar with Ærosylle. The tension of the encounter with Harstan had subsided and the other guests had all returned to their own thoughts and affairs. For the moment, all was once more right with the world. Rochadan sighed and looked toward the kitchen.

During the altercation with Harstan, he had heard Sallie's voice piping above it all. She would undoubtedly be well-finished with breakfast by now. It was about time he collected her back from Ædhral and Cook and returned to the stable. He still had not done anythng about that lame horse that had brought him into the common room in the first place. Turning, he went back to the kitchen and, after a brief word with Cook, left through the back door with Sallie perched happily on his shoulder, chattering away happily about the dog, the mean ugly man, and the two new boys. Rochadan only half-listened, throwing in an occasional question or exclamation where it was needed. Having opened his big mouth and volunteered to foot the bill for the care and keeping of Andhun, he was now worrying about how he was going to pay for it. A big heart and a shallow pocket were not always the best combination, not that he had any regrets about doing it. He would just have to figure out a way to manage was all. There were plenty of folks in Esgaroth still who were in worse financial straits than himself.

He sighed again and lifted Sallie off his shoulder to set her down outside the stable. She scampered off ahead of him to look for the new litter of kittens that one of the barn cats had delivered a week earlier. It was times like this that he missed his days as a messenger. While the job had kept him away from home for long periods of time on a fairly regular basis, the pay was very good. Excellent, in fact. He had managed to save a fair amount of money over the ten years he had spent as a rider, but it was beginning to dwindle, even though he tried not to dip into those funds unless it was completely necessary. Taking on Andhun, and possibly his little sister, would put a strain on the salary he got from Finian, but he couldn't see that he had a choice in the matter. Andhun must not be allowed to return to Harstan, not if the boy wanted to live to adulthood.

"We'll manage, won't we?" he asked, stopping in front of the stall that housed his own horse, Alydar. The horse reached over the stable door and nuzzled Rochadan's shoulder.

07-14-2004, 09:35 AM	#43
Ealasaide Shadow of Tyrn Gorthad Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: The Fencing Lyst Posts: 810	Rochadan Having seen the boy, Andhun, safely delivered into Bêthberry's hands to begin the treatment of his many burns and bruises, Rochadan took a final look around the common room. The young scamp, Cynan, was busy playing with another guest's dog. Finian was at the bar with Ærosylle. The tension of the encounter with Harstan had subsided and the other guests had all returned to their own thoughts and affairs. For the moment, all was once more right with the world. Rochadan sighed and looked toward the kitchen. During the altercation with Harstan, he had heard Sallie's voice piping above it all. She would undoubtedly be well-finished with breakfast by now. It was about time he collected her back from Ædhral and Cook and returned to the stable. He still had not done anythng about that lame horse that had brought him into the common room in the first place. Turning, he went back to the kitchen and, after a brief word with Cook, left through the back door with Sallie perched happily on his shoulder, chattering away happily about the dog, the mean ugly man, and the two new boys. Rochadan only half-listened, throwing in an occasional question or exclamation where it was needed. Having opened his big mouth and volunteered to foot the bill for the care and keeping of Andhun, he was now worrying about how he was going to pay for it. A big heart and a shallow pocket were not always the best combination, not that he had any regrets about doing it. He would just have to figure out a way to manage was all. There were plenty of folks in Esgaroth still who were in worse financial straits than himself. He sighed again and lifted Sallie off his shoulder to set her down outside the stable. She scampered off ahead of him to look for the new litter of kittens that one of the barn cats had delivered a week earlier. It was times like this that he missed his days as a messenger. While the job had kept him away from home for long periods of time on a fairly regular basis, the pay was very good. Excellent, in fact. He had managed to save a fair amount of money over the ten years he had spent as a rider, but it was beginning to dwindle, even though he tried not to dip into those funds unless it was completely necessary. Taking on Andhun, and possibly his little sister, would put a strain on the salary he got from Finian, but he couldn't see that he had a choice in the matter. Andhun must not be allowed to return to Harstan, not if the boy wanted to live to adulthood. "We'll manage, won't we?" he asked, stopping in front of the stall that housed his own horse, Alydar. The horse reached over the stable door and nuzzled Rochadan's shoulder.