[littlemanpoet]

"I am glad to see that my offensive cup has done you no more damage than a stain soon gone," Eodwine greeted the lady Giedd with a smile as she returned from Saeryn's room in a new dress. The dress was such that a young woman might wear. Eodwine took note that though Giedd was doubtless ten, maybe even twenty years Saeryn's senior, the dress became her. An enchantment, after a fashion, for dress and wearer seemed one, so well it fit her. In fact, Eodwine saw that she was fair to look upon, which her own day-clothes had hidden.

Eodwine held out her chair for her and she sat, giving him another smile of thanks.

"What a pretty dress!" Gudryn exclaimed. Giedd thanked the girl.

Eodwine sat down and still smiling, looked at the lady Giedd. It was not as if he had been dead to the world, but he suddenly felt as if he had woken up, for here sitting near him was a woman who was the wife of no man, was not too young nor too old, and she was not ugly - far from it - and he had just been talking earlier of how he needed a mother for his foster-daughter, a wife for himself. And here was this woman. She looked his way and flushed at the attention, and looked at the table before her. Eodwine did not look away.

"Tell me, lady Giedd, where do you live in Edoras? May I hear of your family?"

"Aye, Lady," said Garreth loudly, "tell us somewhat about yourself!"

Eodwine glanced at Garreth briefly, then looked back at Giedd. Gudryn's eyes were wide, darting back and forth between the woman and her foster-father. Yes, she had woken to the same thought as had see, it seemed. He winked at her and was rewarded with a big grin. Gudryn then turned to the lady Giedd.

"Yes, Lady, please do tell us all about yourself!"