Once Benia was brought safely to her parlor, the ranger Silvanis turned to Vanwe, asking her what might required to ease Benia’s discomfort. While Vanwe paused in thought, Gilly excused herself to collect the rest of Benia’s things that were still strewn about the bottom of the stairs.
“Lass, indeed!” She muttered as she went. “As if I were a child, frolicking around the Shire, and without a care.”
The hobbit was deeply thankful to Silvanis, but was having a great deal of trouble reconciling it with her long held mistrust of Rangers. Old prejudices were still rooted in her psyche despite the many revelations brought to light after The War.
It doesn’t hurt to keep your eyes open , she thought as she stooped to pick. up the dried fruit and other items lying on the floor.
Suddenly, remembering the second Ranger, the one from the yard, Gilly looked up toward the commons room. There across the room sat the heavily scarred man sipping at a tankard and watching her. As she caught his glance he raised his tankard to her and then fluidly averted his glaze to a small group of animated guests near the door.
|