[Aylwen Dreamsong]

Aylwen grinned as the little girl skipped off into the kitchens to get some food to eat. Delia was most likely scarcely more than a few years older than some of the children that were playing tag outside. Aylwen hoped Delia would come out of her shell and not be nervous around everyone once she got used to the folk around the inn.

"Oh yes! Bêthberry," exclaimed Aylwen suddenly, getting the Innkeeper's attention. "Leofan wanted me to tell you that he went off to get his family and he'd be back later today."

"That's fine, so long as he watches his daughter when she's around the stables and she doesn't get into trouble," replied Bêthberry, eyes on the children that sporadically ran by the door of the White Horse playing their games. "She can join the choir."

Aylwen chuckled at this and continued to sweep the floor. The tables still needed a quick clean-up, but Aylwen would take care of that later. Before long Delia came shuffling out of the kitchen, looking a little less shy as she finished the last bit of a piece of bread. She tapped on Aylwen's shoulder lightly, as if she were afraid of any sudden movement.

"All right, let's go. I'll show you the upstairs," said Aylwen gently to the girl. Delia nodded and Aylwen set the broom against the nearest table before leading Delia towards the stairs that led upstairs. Aylwen showed Delia one of the empty rooms on the far end of the upstairs hallway. There were two beds on either side of the window and a simple rug on the floor.

"Now, she said you'd been hired to...oh yes, make the beds and sweep a bit, like the other maids, right?" murmured Aylwen, talking more to herself than to Delia. Still the girl nodded and Aylwen smiled. "Well, I guess we'll assign you to tidy up this room and the six rooms next to it and across from it every morning."

Delia nodded, looking out of the doorway to the room to make certain she knew which rooms Aylwen was talking about. "All I want you to make sure of is that you don't sweep the dirt under the rug. That makes for a big mess later on when you're asked to wash the rug. Now, Why don't we go downstairs and you can ask Bêthberry about sleeping arrangements."

Delia smiled and the two walked back downstairs in silence. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, they were met by the hustle and bustle of Lachlan, Talan, and Tar each carrying a crate into the Inn. Aylwen squinted her eyes, wondering what on earth was in the crates this time.

"What are those?" Aylwen asked Tar, who set his crate down on the floor, dust slightly billowing out.

"Doesn't look like you did a very good job, little cousin," replied Tar absently with a smile on his face. Aylwen glared at him, and he laughed. "More flowers."

"More flowers!" exclaimed Aylwen exasperatedly. Who had ordered more flowers? Had the flower man from before forgotten a few crates? Aylwen sighed and turned to Delia. "Do you know what kinds of flowers these are?"

"Yes ma'am," she replied once she had gotten a look at the flowers in the crate Lachlan had set down.

"Good. You and Talan can figure out something to do with them, right? I'm fresh out of ideas," continued Aylwen, eyeing the flower-decorated banners and tables. Talan pulled the covers off the crates as Delia began to think of ways to use the flowers.

"Tar, since you think you could do so much better about the dust," said Aylwen again, playfully shoving the broom into Tar's hands and ruffling his tousled dark hair. "You can sweep."

"Lachlan, if you wouldn't mind, could you perhaps go and make sure the children stay away from the stables while Leofan is out?" Aylwen finished her orders and went outside to see if anything else needed to be done before the party.

Outside, she heard the obvious notes of a happy fiddle being played over by the sand pile by the kitchen garden. Aylwen looked and walked over to the sound, since she could not see the performer beyond the group of huddled children that were laughing and giggling. The children made way for Aylwen when she walked over, and Aylwenwas able to see the violinist. It was a young woman with long dark hair and tan-brown skin, playing a cheerful song that made several of the children clap and giggle.

"Wonderful! A violinist!" exclaimed Aylwen once the woman's song was done. Aylwen figured that this might solve the problem of finding entertainers for the night's festivities. "Would you happen to know any other musicians around here?"

"I think so," replied the girl, putting the violin back in it's box. "I'm Raven."

"Hello Raven, I'm Aylwen," said the assistant innkeeper, scolding herself inwardly for forgetting her manners and introducing herself. "Would you like to play a bit for us at the White Horse tonight? We're in need of entertainment."