[VanimaEdhel]

"Well, well, well! If it isn't Castar and Windy back at the Horse! How have you two been?" Castar rose quickly as Aylwen came and sat. "Sit, sit!" she said, "No need for formality after these years! I reiterate: how have you two been?"

"No worse for the wear, m'lady," Windheneb said, "Although with Brytta, that wife of Castar's...I do not know. She may have him living in the stables soon. And he would say that he liked it."

"That is not true!" Castar said, smiling, but blushing a bit as well.

Windheneb apparently thought to say more, but decided that he would not embarrass his friend any further for a moment. He took a sip of his ale, then turned his attention to Aedre, who was bustling about the room. However, it was still apparent that most of his attentions were still directed to listening to Aylwen and Castar's conversation. Aylwen followed Windheneb's gaze, and when it alighted on Aedre, she laughed a bit.

"You still like the women that work here, Windheneb?"

"Some things never change," Windheneb said, turning back to Aylwen, "We were just discussing that when you came over, actually."

"Really? What examples did you use?"

Castar cleared his throat, "Well, mostly Windheneb's fascination with creatures far too young for him. I keep telling him he should slow down--"

"Why can't they keep up with me, then?" Windheneb asked, his eyes glimmering with mischief.

"The girl you were with when you met me seemed to be able to do such a thing," Castar said, smiling at his old friend. He then told Aylwen about the girl Windheneb arrived with. Windheneb added details about who the girl was as Castar went along. Aylwen asked after Brytta and Deneth, and Castar recounted a story in which Deneth somehow managed to get her hands on one of the horses, and went riding through the blacksmith's shop.

"That has the taste of something one of my sister's would have done," Windheneb commented. Castar smiled: it did, indeed, sound like something one of Windheneb's relatives would do, especially his sister Kalia. She was still, at thirty, one of the best horsemen Castar ever saw. That probably had to do with the fact that she never married, and therefore never gave birth. This enabled her to keep in shape. If Castar ever had an errand to run, he called on Kalia. When his parents were still living, she rode up to their farm nearly every weekend to verify that they were safe and did not need money.

Castar's parents died roughly five winters ago. He sold the farm and the animals, as he now lived in Edoras with Brytta and Deneth. Castar wondered how Deneth was getting on with her friends.

When Castar came back out of his own thoughts, he caught some bits of Aylwen and Windheneb's conversation.

"--more to life than just pretty women?" Aylwen was saying. Windheneb feigned shock, his eyes growing wide.

"I have been telling Windheneb that for years, m'lady," Castar said, joining in again, "And I have yet to see him listen to me...on any topic, really."

"Perhaps it just takes the right woman," Aylwen said. She rose then, excusing herself, as she saw a matter that needed her attention. After she left, Windheneb ordered another ale from Aedre, complimenting her on something at the same time. Castar did not pay enough attention, drawing back into himself and into contemplation.