[Merri]

Elanor stood in the shadows of the inn, flabbergasted. She had long ago stopped being useful, so nobody took any notice of her, something for which she was very grateful.

Maybe I should have stayed home with my books, she mused, watching as Miss Pio dealt with the wounded man. One thing was for sure, however, books were a lot less interesting than live beings, though perhaps a lot easier to deal with.

She stifled a yawn and looked around for Miss Pio. Suddenly, the innkeeper seemed to be nowhere in sight.

"You'd best get off to bed," Tom approached her with his good-natured smile. "You look awful tired, Miss Elanor."

"Oh, I'm not tired, re-really," She stifled another yawn. "And anyway, I'm supposed to help Miss Pio, and there are still lots of guests that- (yawn) seem to be needing assistance-" She decided that would never get used to working at an inn, and hoped that this temporary employment would not hinder her in getting her to her sick cousin, Daisy.

She looked around the inn. There were at least three people left, someone reading to the wounded stranger as he was being carried up to the room, a hobbit drinking by the bar, and an elf who seemed to be half asleep.

As the one reading seemed more than slightly eccentric and therefore intimidating to Elanor, and she had always been frightened of elves, she approached the drinking hobbit first, hoping that he wouldn't be too drunk to notice her.

"Please, sir, is there anything you would be needing? It's late now- perhaps you would like a room for the night? Everyone knows it isn't mighty comfortable to spend the night at the inn's bar." She smiled her lopsided little smile, and nervously fiddled with her apron as she waited for his response.

[ December 31, 2002: Message edited by: Merri ]