The White Horse Inn, Act III

[VanimaEdhel]

Gudryn looked from Giedd to Eodwine, and Giedd could see the girl’s mind working. She looked from Giedd to Eodwine. Giedd could sense that Gudryn was torn between getting to know this new woman or staying with her father.

Selfishly, Giedd found herself hoping that the girl would stay. Giedd always enjoyed doing her chores more if she had someone to talk to. Chores, she discovered, were lonely – even when her feeble parents were alive, it was a comfort to have them to at least speak to while she bustled around the house. Even in the stages when they could not respond, just having another body watching her was nice.

Guedryn bit her bottom lip as she seemed to make up her mind. It was clear she knew time was vital and that she could not waste her father’s time pondering what she wanted to do.

“I will stay with Giedd,” she said in a firm voice. “I suppose if you cannot accept her invitation, it would be good of me to.”

Eodwine nodded without asking for further explanation. “I will return as soon as it is possible, daughter,” he said. After a brief farewell and a few words of apology to Giedd, Eodwine took his leave.

“Will you now come in?” Giedd asked Gudryn after a pause.

“I would like that,” the girl’s voice held a little apprehension in it.

As she opened the door and allowed Gudryn to enter before her, Giedd added, “Though I am sure you would like to be with your father as much as possible, I am glad that at this juncture you chose to spend time with me. I would most certainly enjoy your company, Gudryn.”

The girl managed a small smile up at Giedd. Giedd hoped the girl was not already regretting her decision to remain with a woman she had just met today.

“I hope you will pardon the slightly cluttered state of things,” Giedd apologized, “I was going to tidy up a bit this afternoon. You do not mind, I hope?”

“Would you like me to assist you?” Gudryn asked, looking at the tiny bits of chores lying here and there around the house.

“Well, you can assist me by staying and speaking with me,” Giedd said, smiling as she went over to the small pile of dishes that still needed washing. At this Gudryn did grin, and, displaying a bit more comfort with her situation, went and sat on a chair while Giedd began doing her tasks.

[Bêthberry]

The morn wore on as the sun passed overhead and then on westwards whence men could never follow. Bethberry had spent a pleasing time with the new young waif Æòelhild and Særyn, dawdling over tea while they ate, away from the eyes of the hungry smiths. Sometimes it strengthened one to stay away from such gazes and Bethberry suspected this young one might have reasons to avoid direction recognition. Yet, out of the most innocent of comments stories could be drawn out and Bethberry, while being discrete, had surmised something of the girl's situation. Shortly, though, she had excused herself to attend to business. And as she walked the halls of the White Horse, she mused.

How strange, she thought, to find so many homeless girls astray on the land. What was it that was forcing them away from their homes and families? What drew them to Edoras? People here had no greater use for women than any where else in Rohan; there were no more jobs to be had in the Courts than in any of the other towns and villages that dotted the land. Yet still they came. Was it shelter or desperation?

Finding no easy answer, the Innkeeper turned to the business of running the Inn. She inquired of the maids if anything was needed for the laundry and if anything were missing from any rooms. It was amazing how often towels went astray. You'd think that there was a market somewhere for linen marked with an embroidered white horse the way they went missing. Still, Bethberry knew that was one way travellers came to hear of The White Horse. Paying customers were always needed given the way destitute characters seemed to be calling upon the Horse's good graces.

Later in the afternoon Bethberry attended to her most pleasant task, the designing of a new banner to hang in the rafters in the Meadhall. It was one of the few ways she was able to practice her love of creativity and beauty and she looked forward to the rare opportunity. This banner was to mark the ancient history of the fall of the east and the rise of the Dark Riders, The Shadow of the West it was called. It was a story told in whispers in the days before the War of the Ring, for not much had been known, but since Aragorn had taken the throne in Gondor some people were speaking more openly and directly about events in their history. It was a change Bethberry respected and admired, for those who did not know their past could not be prepared to face their future, she felt.

The Innkeeper became lost in thought as she contemplated the kind of design and the colours for the banner. The day flowed on into late afternoon and soon the many patrons would return for dinner and conviviality....

[littlemanpoet]

There was a knock on Giedd's door. It was late afternoon; Eodwine had left Gudryn with him two hours ago.

"Who could that be?" Giedd asked, to which Gudryn shrugged. Giedd set her dust cloth on the nearest flat surface and went to the door. Opening it, she found Eodwine standing before her, a strange look in his eye. "Good greeting, Master Eodwine. Were you not off to Gondor? Or do you want your daughter with you after all?"

Eodwine shook his head mutely, then licking his seemingly dry lips, said, "Beorctild had it wrong. There was no message to Gondor. May I come in?"

Giedd stepped out of the doorway and let Eodwine pass, her brow creasing. Something was amiss, for the man said less than he meant; that much was clear for his shoulders were hunched and his head lowered in a way that seemed most out of character.

"Would you like something to drink?"

"Aye," he nodded, sitting next to Gudryn, "that would be well."

Giedd busied herself with pouring water from her jug into an extra tankard, as Gudryn watched her foster father with signs of fear and worry growing on her face. Giedd handed Eodwine the tankard and broke the silence.

"Is something amiss?"

Eodwine dropped the tankard from his lips and regarded the woman Giedd. "The King has no further need of me for his messages. I am released from my duties."

[littlemanpoet]

Eodwine approached the door to the White Horse Inn as the sun hid behind the golden hall of the King, casting long shadows over the town of Edoras; dusk was still a way off. He opened the door.

The fragrance of the evening meal wafted out the door and Eodwine breathed in deeply, a smile coming to his unusually dour face. He stepped into the homey light and warmth of the Inn, his stomach growling.

There was Master Falco Boffin at table, just having begun his first supper, Eodwine supposed. The hobbit turned his head to see who entered, and his jaw dropped. He closed it and swallowed.

"Eodwine! You here! Word was you were off on an errand with the King, and without me! What happened?"

Eodwine did not reply, but kept a no-tale face on, walking to the table where Falco was, and sat down beside him.

"That looks like an excellent repast. Is there more of it?"

Falco eyed him with a dubious air. "Not telling, eh?"

"Supper and a good long drink first. Where is everybody?"

"Everybody who?"

"Ruthven. Bethberry. Saeryn. Garreth. Harreld. For example."

"Haven't seen the smith brothers. Saeryn's about ... somewhere. Ruthven I haven't seen in a couple hours. Bethberry's in and out. Where's Gudryn?"

"I left her with Giedd for the evening. I'll pick her up before nightfall."

"Leaving her with the strange woman? Mighty trusting, eh?"

"She's well known in Edoras."

"Is that the all of it, Master Eodwine of the Gap?" Falco was grinning mischievously.

"'Tis enough for now. I'm ready for some supper, watching you fill your mouth with that fare. I wonder me if I should make a foray to the kitchen."

"Do that and you may lose an ear, the way I saw Bethberry handle Garreth over lunch."

"Aye. Maybe I'll wait." Eodwine settled back in his chair while Falco wiped the last bit of stew with a chunk of brown bread.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

"I am here." said Saeryn quietly, joining Falco and Eodwine from behind. "It's been that sort of a quiet day... I'm not certain where anybody else is, though I believe that my young friend from this morning is visiting with Mistress Bethberry near the fire."

She sat beside Eodwine, smiling as he made room for her. She sipped her warm tea, enjoying the warmth that spread through her fingers as she held the cup and breathed softly the scent of the brew. The weather had turned during the day, and no manner of layered clothing seemed to take the chill out of the air. Even the crackling fire only warmed her so much. Cold... she thought... I hate being cold. Beneath her breeches, Saeryn wore thick white hose, with soft kid boots laced up her lower legs, with her breeches tucked neatly into the tops. She wore a thin cotten shirt beneath another borrowed blouse from her brother's stores. She still had no idea where he'd gone, but she was not worried. Degas had left all of his things... he would return. Over all, she wore a fitted scarlet vest, laced tight. Were they not too cumbersome, she'd have considered gloves. She even wore her long auburn curls falling loosly past her shoulders, counting on it's extra warmth on the back of her neck.

"And of course there is more supper, Eodwine. If you like, I'll bring you some so you need not get up again."

[littlemanpoet]

"That would be most kind of you, Lady Saeryn," answered Eodwine. "You have found clothing I see for the change in the weather. It suits you well."

"Thank you," Saeryn smiled, getting up and moving toward the kitchen, and through the door.

"That one," mumbled Falco through the last bite of his first supper, "will not want for suitors."

Eodwine grinned. "Aye." He stretched luxuriously, his spirits lifted by the thought that his appetite was soon to be sated.

Moments later Saeryn returned with a well stocked tray, with food for more than one. Eodwine set to, and Falco went straight into his second supper.

"What have you been up to this afternoon, Saeryn?" asked Eodwine.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

"What I've been up to?" repeated Saeryn, returning to a comfortable tailor's seat on the bench and cupping her small hands around her tea. She thought for a moment, comfortably lazing in the late afternoon light as her companions dug into the meal she had brought them. The shadows were beginning to fall heavily and the lamps had not yet been lit. Her cheeks glowed pink in the flickering firelight.

"After you and your daughter took leave with the lady Giedd, I took my own leave of Æòel, who perhaps you've not seen?" Saeryn queried, noting Eodwine's gentle shake of his head, "and Bethberry, giving them a time for talk. Perhaps Æòel will accept my invitation to stay as my guest. Gudryn is a dove, but I would never dream to impose on your family, nor on Mistress Bethberry for female companionship. I left the lass to decide. Should she accept, she knows where I can be found.

"After that, I searched my dear brother's room for signs of his whereabouts, like any good inquisative sister would." Saeryn winked at the men, showing her jest. "Being entirely unable to find Degas, I looked out the window, considering a ride. Yes, I know." she interrupted Eodwine's start. "I know I'm still bandaged and shouldn't be on a horse until my bruises are less tender... But then I noted the clouds rolling across the fields outside the city and decided that I'd rather not get caught out of doors when the rain began. Only the rain threatened all afternoon without a hint of real wet. The wind picked up as the warmth disappeared... but no rain."

She sighed wistfully, dreaming of the wind in her hair as she rode bareback across the open plains, heavy droplets staining her mare's brown coat with spots of black... No time soon, she reprimanded herself.

"And so," she continued, watching her audience for signs of boredom and seeing none, "I decided that it would be the perfect day for random tasks. So I cloistered myself in my room, mended clothes, put away my things, and frittered a few hours away doing small tasks. By mid-afternoon, I assure you, I was bored and my muscles were stiff and aching with the cold and disuse... so I went to the kitchens where it is so wonderfully warm... and I begged leave to help make supper. I chopped the very carrots and potatoes in that stew, if you'll believe me."

She smiled, content as a child satisfactorily completing her chores. Eodwine did not miss the nearly hidden question in her eyes and hid a smile.

"And the vegetables are most excellent, m'dear. The perfect size, and cooked tenderly as any master could do." She almost managed to hide her delight at the compliment and he almost managed to hide his delight at the child that still showed through her grown up facade. She mistook his smile, and probed some herself.

"And your day, Master Eodwine? I heard rumours of an errand for the King?"