[Folwren]

“Not much at all,” Quin replied, taking the reins of the two horses handed to him. “Most of us are just sitting about, not talking much, and probably eating less. I don’t think anyone’s comfortable here.”

Léof looked at him with a raised eyebrow and gave a significant nod. “I shouldn’t think so,” he said quietly.

They walked their horses out side by side. “Did you see how they greeted lord Athanar?” Quin asked in a lowered voice. “He was positively rude! I haven’t seen anyone get away with being that disrespectful to lord Athanar before. I swear he even made fun of him at that one point.”

--

In the Kitchen at Scarburg

Saeryn did not answer Falco’s rather poignant question for a moment or so. The others stood silent as well.

“It’s not as easy as you may think, Falco,” Saeryn finally said. “I don’t know how it is in the Shire, but it’s not such a simple thing to pick up and move here.”

“You’ve done it…several times,” Falco noted.

“Aye, but I am one person, and I was foolish then, and unhappy. People here are happy, or were, and in many cases, as in Stigend’s and Garstan’s, they have more than themselves to look after. Stigend cannot just decide to leave on a minute’s notice and uproot his family to go who knows where.

“As for me, I could not leave as I used to, even if I wanted. I am chained here, in a manner of speaking, because I am Eodwine’s wife, and until he has returned or until word has come that he will never return, my place and my duty is here. Not to mention that I have a child to think of and prepare for.”