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Falco Headstrong stumbled wearily into the Common Room, and found that Marigold had already come down. She was perched on top of one of the tables, and when she saw him she waved frantically. Grumbling, he staggered over to her and sat down heavily in one of the chairs. She lightly sprang from the table to the floor, and likewise sat down.
"I had to sit on the table until you came," she said. "I wanted you to know where I was and I was afraid you might not see me if I were in one of the chairs. There are so many tall folk about. I was very afraid that someone would see me and say I wasn't allowed to sit on the table, and then what would I do? I'd have to give you up for lost, Mr. Headstrong."
He said nothing, but groaned loudly.
"Am I annoying you?" she cried, her face filling with distress. She clasped her hands together and looked earnestly into his face. "Do you dislike it when I talk?"
"At the present moment," he said, "anyone's talk, whether yours or the man in the moon's, will bother me. I have an awful headache that has been going on for most of the night."
"Oh, I'm quite sorry," she said. "But, you know, it just goes to show that names, like appearances, can be deceiving. Anyone who was just introduced to you might think that you had a very strong head. But your head is just as likely to ache as anyone's."
He groaned again, and quickly she closed her mouth and remained considerately silent... for a time. Her eyes darted about the Common Room quickly, as if she were searching for something, and then she took it upon herself to explain.
"I'm so excited for school to start," she said. "I find it so much easier when you're past the first day. The first day, you know, I was very quiet. I was so afraid I would make a fool of myself but saying something ridiculous. But I'm beginning to feel more like talking. After all, many of the children don't know anything, and I know something at least, even if it's not very much. Maybe if I studied all the day, and not only when the school is going on, I would become so wise that I could help teach. And then all through the day the children would come to me asking questions about this and that, and that and this. I'd feel quite important then. Not that I don't usually feel important. I felt important the time I fell off the horse and all the Elves were so worried about me. I suppose you're awfully important when Elves worry about you. But I was hurting all over, so it wasn't as exciting as it might have been. It will be something I can look back upon in my old age, though. Do you think they'll teach us about Elves in school? There are so many Elves here in the Inn we could talk about... and they could come and teach about themselves! Wouldn't that be funny? Imagine if I were to go to a school to teach everyone about Marigold Baker. Don't you think that would be odd?"
She turned bright eyes to Falco, and saw from the expression on his face that he wasn't in the mood to think about anything. Her eyes grew wide and she wondered how long she had been prattling on. She closed her mouth again, this time much more firmly, and this time it stayed closed for a little while longer.
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