[Nurumaiel]

Andhun sat uneasily at his table, unsure of what he should do now that Cynan was gone. He thought he might seek out Rochadan, but he did not know the lay of the Tavern and did not want to risk being lost, just in case his master was still about. Instead he betook himself to the window to watch for Rochadan, and at the same time he watched those who passed by the Tavern, gazing studiously into the face of each. His attention was directed especially to the face of every little girl, trying to decide if she were his sister or not. He remembered her only vaguely, for he did not remember very much from before the fire. Yet he had those vague memories.

When the door opened and a short woman with black hair came in, calling her greetings, and she temporarily caught Andhun's attention. It was drawn away very soon, however, for another woman entered the room, silent and reserved, but with a quick, bright eye and a firm bearing about her. Andhun started and blinked several times, for this woman was almost the perfect image of his mother. Indeed she was the perfect image, save that she was still very young, certainly no older than one-and-twenty. She called out no merry greetings but merriness flowed from her, just as with his mother, who had always been a quiet one but with a presence of cheer and good will. This young woman had, like his mother had, dark hair that was between black and brown, and soft, shining blue eyes that looked here and there with warmth, as if bestowing good wishes to all they rested upon. Her step was quick and lively, and she moved with confidence and grace. Her face was lightly freckled from the sun, but they were also rosy from some recent exercise. As she cast her glance across the room, taking it all in for thoughtful consideration (for it was always what Andhun's mother had done), her eyes fell upon Andhun, and she contemplated his burns and scars, and a cheery smile flashed upon her face, and she winked at him before moving on.

He watched her with emotions swelling up in his heart, and he felt the heat of tears rushing to his eyes and he tried to drive them away. He felt an intense longing to see his mother again, and to put his arms about her neck and feel her gentle kiss upon his head, and to look up at her and say, "Mamma." Was it only a year since the fire, since he had lost his home and family? Since then he had felt a harsh kick in the place of a mother's loving embrace. The tears would not be held back, and so he let his head sink to the table so no one could see that he wept. If his mother were there she would take him and hold him and say, "Hush, my little darling, and don't cry. What have you to weep for, blessed as you are?"

A gentle hand ran through his hair, a tender arm went about his shoulders, and his head was pulled from the table and he was held close to someone. "Hush there, darling, hush," a soft voice said, and as he looked up in amazement his eyes met with eyes like his mother's. The young woman sat beside him, and with her apron she dried his tears, and then held out her hand to him, which was full of little sweets. "I do not know if it will be a comfort to you to eat them," she said, "but I do not doubt it would give you great pleasure to keep them with you and give them to whomsoever you choose." Andhun smiled at this, took the sweets, and put them in his pockets, and looked up at her once again. "Now," she said with no little degree of satisfaction, seeing that she had cheered him at least a little, "what was the cause of your grief?"

"I was just being foolish," he said, "and crying for my mother, who has been dead for some time now."

"Foolish?" The young woman with no little surprise. "It's never foolish, m'dear, to weep for your mother. Isn't she the one closest to the heart of every young boy? So don't be ashamed of that, or think yourself foolish, or any other such nonsense." She smiled in a bright way at him, and then spoke again, saying, "My name is Eacwen, and I will be staying at the Tavern for a little while at least. I do hope we can be friends."

"Certainly we may!" Andhun cried with strong feeling. "And I will introduce you to all those who have been kind to me at the Tavern so they may also be kind to you. My name is Andhun."