"I would like just a simple ale,"
"Brother, you act as though you fear I am too young to drink ale,"
"An ale for me as well, Lady Léspheria."
Léspheria poured the ales and gently pushed them across the bar to Ruddyn and Fendadia. Léspheria chuckled as the young woman took her ale and removed herself to a table close to the bar leaving her brother to pay for their drinks, she often did the same thing to her own brother. Ruddyn clearly like her own bother was used to it and didn't mind in the slightest, he dug in his pouch for the right coinage and held them out to her, as she took them he nodded his thanks then went to join his sister at their table.
Léspheria opened the wooden draw under the bar and put the coins inside. As she closed the draw and rised her head she saw a rather weather beaten, shy young woman enter the inn and taking an empty seat. "So, what will it be?" she smiled walking towards the woman. "A sip of ale would be nice." she replied, her smile lit up her rather exhausted looking features. She walked back to the bar to get the womans drink.
But before she could pour the ale another spoke to her..."Excuse me, mistress, could you direct me to the innkeeper?" She looked up with a smile on her face that only faltered for an instant at the sight of his horribly disfigured left features. She nodded towards the kitchen, gamely finnishing her smile. "You will find her in there, sir, if you can make your way through the mob." she nodded to a door surrounded by a small mob of hobbits that where clambering trying to get a glimpse of what wonders were inside.
"Mathoms," she winked at the confused man before her.
"Ah!" he smiled with the good half of his face. "Perhaps you could help me instead. I am hoping to find lodgings."
"Lodgings," she echoed "Then you will have to speak with Aman. We are quite Full at the moment."
"Then I shall wait," he replied amiably. He then pushed a coin across the counter and ordered an ale, "Ah! that I can help you with!" she smiled. She poured the rangers drink and set it before him. Once receiving his ale he turned his attention toward the busy common room.
Léspheria remembering her other guest drew another ale and walk over to the young womans table, she gently set the drink before the dark haired woman. "It is a beautiful morning is it not?" she ask hoping to elevated Enif's nervousness....
__________________
"Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone you may still exist, but you have ceased to live" ~ Mark Twain.
|