[littlemanpoet]

Her tray restocked with six more tankards of ale, Rowenna came out of the kitchen into the Hall looking for a table of thirsty warriors. There were plenty.

Her roving eyes caught Nydfara and Aldric in close consultation. Aldric was looking put out and sullen, and Nydfara was smiling in that subtle, holding back, way he had. Were they talking about her? No doubt they were.

She took determined steps away from that table and found the table occupied by Quin and Léof, and Garreth the smith and his brother Harreld, as well as Garstan and Stigend. She laid the tray down before them and did not have to wait long for all six tankards to be taken, with proper thanks offered.

She smiled. "Be sure to wave to me when you're ready for more, men of Scarburg!"

She turned, playing with the tray as if it were an old wheel rim off a wagon that she and her childhood playmates had rolled along the ground with the help of a stick. She had been pretty good at that! Well, better than most of the girls. It had not been long before she had stopped being the "girl-pal" of all the boys, and they had started looking at her differently.

Which brought her thought back to the present, for there were many eyes watching her in that same way. She was used to it. But two pairs of eyes didn't look at her that way anymore. There were Nydfara and Aldric, the latter staring at her with undisguised annoyance. Nydfara appeared to be laughing into his sleeve.

She almost stopped in her tracks with a sudden suspicion. Had Nydfara put Aldric up to that? Her lips tightened and her jaw did too. No, she said to herself, do not just figure that he did. Ask him to his face. Yes, she would do that, and soon. Her steps were quicker and she did not smile so quickly for the rest of the night.