[Nurumaiel]

"Good morning, Miss Aylwen." The voice was unmistakable in its cheeriness. Liornung was sitting in a dark corner of the Inn, his fiddle in his hand and his feet on the table. "It's lovely to see that I'm not the only one awake. I have a sorry habit of getting up very early. I'll be gone today, for I wish to see my friend Hearpwine win the honor of Bard of the King, so I decided I should go exploring a little before daybreak." He put his fiddle up. "It was a lovely song you sang last night, and one that is quite familiar to my ears." Softly he played the tune, the gentle waves of music rolling over the room like the waves of the sea. And the music seemed to be the sea, and the thunder, and the cries of the sailors, and a memory of dead men, and a white sail unfurling in the wind. As the tune finished Leofan and his wife Frodides entered the room, and Liornung sprang to his feet.

"My dear Frodides!" he said, taking her and kissing her cheek. "I did not see you yesterday and it grieved me sore. You did not even come to dance. How sweet it is to see your fair face now!"

"And your face is fair as it ever was." Still she stood tall, and though grey was mid the gold her hair still shone bright, and her eyes were as tender and motherly as ever they had been. Youth's face had left her but her spirit was still young and she delighted in everything yet, most in the sight of her children going here and there and the touch of their little hand's on her own, and their faces upturned to hers, pleading help and vowing love. A smile lit her face now, and she spoke again. "Sad though it be that I must depart from you so soon, it is so. Aylwen will need help with hungry guests clamoring for the breakfast, you not the least of them, brother."

Liornung glanced at Aylwen and, smiling mischievously, nodded. "Oh, yes, in all truth hunger plagues me now and I would desire at least a hot drink to warm my shivering bones. Good Leofan, poor Leofan, you must go out through the cold to the stables and tend the horses. I'll sit and make people warm as I make them dance."

"Gomen shall be joining me shortly," Leofan said, "though I would not keep him from spending time with you. If he so desires he will go with you and Hearpwine today to watch the contest of bards. Alas that little Mae cannot go, for she would, but she is needed to help her mother in the kitchen and with the small children. Bring word to her of how Hearpwine has fared."

"The good man should soon show his face, if I am not mistaken," said Liornung. "If he is as any other bard competing for such an honor he will not have slept at all but merely wondered if he had forgotten any words to his song, or if he would on the morrow. Ah, I see you must go to the stables now. Good luck on your work, and you, dear sister, in the kitchen. I would help you, but I'm too cheerful today for such dismal work." He winked at each in turn as they left before returning to his conversing with the Innkeeper. "Miss Aylwen, might I have that hot drink?"