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Hilderinc
Hilderinc looked up when the door to the kitchen opened and a woman came out. In the light coming from the doorframe, he could see her better than she could probably see him; he recognised her, but she was one of those he hardly got to know during his stay. He had not managed to get to know the women in Scarburg very well anyway, it had taken him at least some time (even though he had been ably aided by the gossiping of some riders like Áforglaed or Baldwic) to remember all the women's names and also (as a sort of unwanted result of listening to the gossip) to learn which of the local women are already "taken", as the riders put it.
Maybe as another result of some of the riders' attitude, the woman addressed him with probably similar thoughts in mind.
"If you're looking for someone I don't mind letting her know."
Hilderinc grinned involuntarily, his mood had been still lightened up somehow.
"No, thank you, but I am not in fact looking for anyone," he replied. "I know that I might be the only one, but I was just outside, clearing my head a bit. Even though," for the first time in a while he frowned slightly, remembering Scyrr and his mood at the time when he had left the hall, "even though there might be others inside to whom it might do some good to get some fresh air, too," he said, more like to himself. But he had immediately put himself into present again, recalling his good manners.
"But whatever is happening inside now - let me thank you for the meal today – a feast indeed, it was delicious," he added, half-acting a polite bow. "And these are not empty words, mind you – I have been in service in many different places and I know something about what it means to have good food on the table."
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