[Envinyatar]

He scratched his head in consternation. It had been here just a few days ago, now where had it got off to? Derufin poked about in the stables, and finding no sign of the missing ladder, went over to the workbench just inside the stable entrance. ‘Might as well gather the hammer and roof nails I’ll need.’ he said to a curious horse, whose head stuck over the door of its stall. The horse nodded his head, as if in agreement, and followed the progress of the man at the workbench.

The tools were all sorted and each hung on the wall above and to the side of the table in easy reaching distance. Nails were sorted by weight into small kegs which sat beneath the bench. He took the number of nails he thought he might need, securing them in the pocket of a small leather workman’s apron. He put the apron round his hips and looping the ties back around to the front, knotted them well. The hammer he needed, he could not find. An irritating start to what was to have been a simple project!

The summer’s day warming up. He rolled his tunic sleeves above his elbows, in preparation for climbing to the roof which now took the full heat of the sun. ‘But first, the ladder and then hammer.’ he muttered.

Derufin walked back into the inn, his sight dimmed from the bright sun. He stood looking about for someone who might know where the much needed equipment had gone.

That woman, there, with the red hair, he thought. He’d seen her since he first arrived at the Dragon. Surely she might know other places where the ladder and the hammer might be found. He walked to where she sat by the fireplace, grinning in his most charming manner.

‘A moment of your time, if you would, miss.’

[ February 02, 2003: Message edited by: Envinyatar ]