"Please, if you wish to sit down, I would be grateful. I would be much glad of the company. Indeed it has been many weeks now since I have heard any voices in deep speaking with my own, save the neighing of my fair pony. But I would be glad to hear anything you may say, if you have anything to offer. I myself too have many a tale, but unfortunately, I find I can talk for a bit too long."
"Th-that's all right," Niniel smiled. "I--I find i-i-it hard t-to talk too much." She added under her breath, "Besides, I--I don't h-have much t-to talk about."
She looked away and tugged on her braid, a little embarrassed that she had said that last part almost aloud. It made her wonder just what there was about this Inn, and this Shire, and the people here, that made her want to tell them everything. Well, everything that she could remember, which wasn't much.
She glanced over in the corner, to where Soronume sat with the elven lady. The two of them seemed to share a rapport, a rapport that Niniel could never hope to have with someone who was so different from her as was an elf, who could remember whole centuries, to whom her missing sixteen years would be like forgetting what you'd done yesterday. She bit her lip. It was hard to remember sometimes that there couldn't be anything between them.
She shook her head to rid it of those foolish thoughts and turned to the man beside her. "I--I'm sorry, I d-d-didn't in-introduce myself. You can c-c-call me Niniel. What sh-shall I--I call you?"
|