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Ealasaide · 12-01-2003, 04:42 PM

Having finally caught and retrieved her dog from the inn's back yard, Sigrid was relieved to follow Aylwen into the White Horse common room, where the assistant innkeeper addressed all the assembled guests and townspeople. Having left Kajsa outside under a sit-stay command, which she hoped would keep the dog out of trouble, she found a seat on a bench, where she was joined by her new acquaintances, the cousins, Olav and Ragnar. She was still feeling a bit breathless from the fire and all the running about. Also, she couldn't quite shake the haunted feeling she had that came from remembering the long ago fire that had killed two of her cousins. Altogether, it left her feeling a bit light-headed. She put her head down on her arms on the table, listening quietly as Aylwen spoke, thanking all who had helped extinguish the fire in the stable.

After Aylwen finished speaking, a bounteous luncheon was served, which Sigrid tucked into gratefully. She not eaten much in the last several days as she had been trying to stretch what little money and food she carried with her. She felt a little guilty, eating for free, when all she had done was what any citizen with a half of a conscience should do under the circumstances. She only wished she could have done more. To her right along the bench, however, Olav and Ragnar did not seem to be suffering any pangs of conscience. Taking what was offered to them with wide good-natured smiles, they dug into the food with relish. Watching them, Sigrid smiled gently to herself.

Once she finished eating, Sigrid looked idly around the room at the other diners. It was a varied bunch. If the Innkeeper needed people to help rebuild the barn, she had a feeling that plenty of volunteers would be available. Suddenly remembering her other new friend of the morning, Sigrid looked around for Faran. Finding him on another bench nearby, she smiled and nodded encouragingly.

"Carpenters!" she mouthed the word to him as soon as she caught his eye. When he grinned and nodded in return, she pointed toward the assistant innkeeper. "Talk to her!"

Faran nodded again and turned his attention back to his plate.

Olav and Ragnar, in the meantime, had risen to their feet and gone over to a far corner of the room where they could speak together privately. While she could hear nothing they said to one another, Sigrid could tell by their body language that some kind of argument was taking place. Each of them looked as equally peeved and impatient as the other. She couldn't help but wonder what the discussion was about, but, since they had gone to the trouble to move out of her earshot, she would have to let it go. She watched as another woman came into the common room by way of the kitchen and posted a notice on the chalkboard. Her eyes widened slightly with hope.

Jobs!

Eagerly, Sigrid waited as the new woman - the innkeeper, perhaps? - finished posting the notice, then spoke quietly for a moment with an older man who had also come in by way of the kitchen. When they were finished, Sigrid tiptoed nervously over.

"Excuse me, ma'am," she said softly to the woman who had posted the notice. "I'd very much like to apply."

The Innkeeper turned to her and gave her a friendly, though appraising look. After a moment, she smiled warmly at Sigrid, which gave the girl additional courage.

"I'm Bethberry, the innkeeper of the White Horse," the woman said pleasantly. "I don't believe I've seen you here before."

"Oh, no, ma'am," Sigrid flushed and bobbed a nervous curtsy. "I've only arrived this morning. Just in time for the fire, I'm afraid." She paused in a fluster, then remembering herself, continued. "My name's Sigrid, Ivar's daughter. My father runs a sheep farm in the highlands. I-I was hoping for work."

"What do you do?" asked Bethberry kindly.

Sigrid shrugged. "Most anything, I suppose. I can do all manner of cleaning and chores. I'll work hard for whatever you'd be willing to pay me - laundry, wait tables, scrub floors. I don't have any experience other than what I used to do at home taking care of my little brothers and sisters, but I don't mind a bit of hard work." She smiled hopefully. "I'm even willing to learn a bit of carpentry, if it's called for."

[ 9:29 PM December 01, 2003: Message edited by: Ealasaide ]

12-01-2003, 04:42 PM	#231
Ealasaide Shadow of Tyrn Gorthad Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: The Fencing Lyst Posts: 810	Having finally caught and retrieved her dog from the inn's back yard, Sigrid was relieved to follow Aylwen into the White Horse common room, where the assistant innkeeper addressed all the assembled guests and townspeople. Having left Kajsa outside under a sit-stay command, which she hoped would keep the dog out of trouble, she found a seat on a bench, where she was joined by her new acquaintances, the cousins, Olav and Ragnar. She was still feeling a bit breathless from the fire and all the running about. Also, she couldn't quite shake the haunted feeling she had that came from remembering the long ago fire that had killed two of her cousins. Altogether, it left her feeling a bit light-headed. She put her head down on her arms on the table, listening quietly as Aylwen spoke, thanking all who had helped extinguish the fire in the stable. After Aylwen finished speaking, a bounteous luncheon was served, which Sigrid tucked into gratefully. She not eaten much in the last several days as she had been trying to stretch what little money and food she carried with her. She felt a little guilty, eating for free, when all she had done was what any citizen with a half of a conscience should do under the circumstances. She only wished she could have done more. To her right along the bench, however, Olav and Ragnar did not seem to be suffering any pangs of conscience. Taking what was offered to them with wide good-natured smiles, they dug into the food with relish. Watching them, Sigrid smiled gently to herself. Once she finished eating, Sigrid looked idly around the room at the other diners. It was a varied bunch. If the Innkeeper needed people to help rebuild the barn, she had a feeling that plenty of volunteers would be available. Suddenly remembering her other new friend of the morning, Sigrid looked around for Faran. Finding him on another bench nearby, she smiled and nodded encouragingly. "Carpenters!" she mouthed the word to him as soon as she caught his eye. When he grinned and nodded in return, she pointed toward the assistant innkeeper. "Talk to her!" Faran nodded again and turned his attention back to his plate. Olav and Ragnar, in the meantime, had risen to their feet and gone over to a far corner of the room where they could speak together privately. While she could hear nothing they said to one another, Sigrid could tell by their body language that some kind of argument was taking place. Each of them looked as equally peeved and impatient as the other. She couldn't help but wonder what the discussion was about, but, since they had gone to the trouble to move out of her earshot, she would have to let it go. She watched as another woman came into the common room by way of the kitchen and posted a notice on the chalkboard. Her eyes widened slightly with hope. Jobs! Eagerly, Sigrid waited as the new woman - the innkeeper, perhaps? - finished posting the notice, then spoke quietly for a moment with an older man who had also come in by way of the kitchen. When they were finished, Sigrid tiptoed nervously over. "Excuse me, ma'am," she said softly to the woman who had posted the notice. "I'd very much like to apply." The Innkeeper turned to her and gave her a friendly, though appraising look. After a moment, she smiled warmly at Sigrid, which gave the girl additional courage. "I'm Bethberry, the innkeeper of the White Horse," the woman said pleasantly. "I don't believe I've seen you here before." "Oh, no, ma'am," Sigrid flushed and bobbed a nervous curtsy. "I've only arrived this morning. Just in time for the fire, I'm afraid." She paused in a fluster, then remembering herself, continued. "My name's Sigrid, Ivar's daughter. My father runs a sheep farm in the highlands. I-I was hoping for work." "What do you do?" asked Bethberry kindly. Sigrid shrugged. "Most anything, I suppose. I can do all manner of cleaning and chores. I'll work hard for whatever you'd be willing to pay me - laundry, wait tables, scrub floors. I don't have any experience other than what I used to do at home taking care of my little brothers and sisters, but I don't mind a bit of hard work." She smiled hopefully. "I'm even willing to learn a bit of carpentry, if it's called for." [ 9:29 PM December 01, 2003: Message edited by: Ealasaide ]