***The 'Snowed' Inn ***

[Nerindel]

Aëria hopped on one foot pulling on her boots, while making for the door, Her alburn curls bouncing about her shoulders as she hopped up and down. "Snow! Snow! I can't wait!" she cried, finally pushing her foot into the second boot and holding it up for her mother to lace.

Aëgrin laughed at the excitement on the freckled face of her nine year old daughter as she laced up the eager youths boots. "Patience! Aëria," she chuckled, "you will join your friends soon enough, but you must wrap up! least the cold bite at your ears and nip at your fingers!" she smiled affectionately, pulling a woollen hat over her daughters red curls and slipping a pair of leather gloves on her delicate hands.

"Can I go now! Can I! Can I!" Aëria cried jumping up and down excitedly, as her mother finished fastening her woollen cloak.

"Alright! alright! on you go." Aëgrin laughed, holding the door open for her only child. Aëria dashed out the door and almost ran into her father, as he brought logs for the fire.

"Whoa, now where are you off too in such a hurry?" he laughed, "I'm going down to find my friends." She smiled up at him, her brown eyes filled with a youthful exuberance that warmed his heart.

"And what mischief do you have planned I wonder?" he laughed, cocking his head to regard his daughter.

"Me, father?" she grinned impishly.

Laughing harder at his daughters feigned innocence, he kissed her freckled cheek and pressed a few coppers into her hands. "You mind be home in time for supper." he whispered.

Nodding she slipped the coppers safely into her pocket and ran as fast as she could in the deep snow to find her friends. A snow battle had already begun and she hurried to join in.

"Fellwyne!" she giggled running up to dark haired girl, stopping when a snowball hit the side of her face. "I'll get you for that Hamanullas!" she laughed, scooping up a handful of snow and forming a tightly packed ball, she threw it straight at her attackers chest. "Take that you foul creatures!" she giggled pretending that the children on the other side were orcs and that she, Fellwyne and any others who joined them were the mighty warriors of Rohan.

As she turned to see if Fellwyne was following her lead she noticed a young man, he was patting his pockets and looked like he was about to leave. "Oh! no you don't!" she laughed, grabbing his hand, "You can be our Gondorian ally and help us to build our mighty defences!" She laughed flashing him her brightest smile hoping that he would decide to stay and help.

"Come on Aëria!" Fellwyne cried as another snowball hit her in the chest.

"Pleeeeease!" Aëria pleaded forming another snowball and throwing it, this time at an older boy named Evrett and catching his ear as he chased his younger sister.

"Aedre, come be on our side, we're the warriors of Rohan an' we're fighting orcs!" she laughed.

"You can't be warriors! your girls!" Evrett frowned rubbing his stinging ear.

"Yes we can if we want too!" Aëria cried sticking her tongue out at the older boy and hitting him in the face with a fresh snowball.

"And we've even got us a Gondorian ally!, See!" she taunted playfully, pulling at the man's sleeve. Giving him no chance for escape.

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 8:24 AM December 15, 2003: Message edited by: Nerindel ]