[*Varda*]

"I've been working here for some time," Iona responded. "Not as long as many others, though, and I'm still not feeling entirely settled in. Are you enjoying working here?"

"Yes, it seems like a friendly enough place." Sigrid smiled. A call from the kitchen caused both girls to turn and look towards the direction of the shout, and Iona sighed.

"I'm wanted in the kitchen - they must be able to tell when I'm not working hard enough!" Iona giggled, and picked up her empty tray. "I'll speak to you later, when it's quietened down a bit? I'd love to get to know you better!" Tossing her long pigtails behind her, she hastened off to the kitchen to discover the reason behind the call.

Seeing several bits of broken crockery on the floor, and a teetering pile of dishes on the table beside it, Iona bit her lip. She really had meant to go back and put them in a safter place, but her mind had run away with her, and now it had caught up with her. Shooting a sweet smile at the irate cook, she mouthed a quick 'sorry' and knelt on the ground with dustpan and brush to sweep up the broken shards. Inwardly, she berated herself for not being more careful - this kind of thing was what had lost her her last job - but at least it was more easy going and friendly here at the White Horse.

She really needed to make more friends here, though. She'd been here some time, but had established no real friends, and had begun feeling homesick recently. She told nothing of it in her news home, knowing it would do little but fret her mother, who doted on Iona. She smiled a little, thinking that she might have found a new friend in the serving girl, Sigrid. She was new, and would surely be looking for someone to talk to.