|
Having herded his small group up the path from the stables to the back door of the kitchen, Rochadan opened the door only to find the kitchen quite crowded already. Finian, Ĉdhral, and Nell the Cook were all seated around the table before steaming bowls of soup. Beside them, halfway between the table and the stove stood a beaming, rather perky-looking dwarf. Surprised, Rochadan did a quick double-take, then smiled and nodded to the dwarf. Having fought at the Battle of Five Armies and acted as messenger between the various camps, Rochadan had conversed and become somewhat friendly with a number of dwarves. He just had not ever seen one quite in this context, though he supposed dwarves did cook. After all, they had seemed generally pretty fond of food in his experience.
Holding the door open for Earcwen and the two children, he stepped out of the way so that they could enter. "I hope there's room at the table for four more," he said to no one in particular. "I have two children here who could do with a hearty bowl of soup."
"Oh, of course!" exclaimed Ĉdhral, jumping up instantly to add four more place settings to the long table. "Allow me to introduce Stoney! He's going to be helping Nell in the kitchen."
As Rochadan introduced himself and the two children to Stoney, and Earcwen to everyone, he noticed the dwarf shifting rather uncomfortably from one foot to the other.
"Is something wrong?" he asked pleasantly, meanwhile settling Sallie into her own little high chair.
"Ooh...erm," said the dwarf. "There isn't anymore soup. I served it all out into equal servings for those who were already here. I didn't know there were more coming..."
"Around here, there are always more coming!" Finian grinned.
"Never fear!" said Nell the Cook, rising quickly to her feet. "There is still a bit of stew left from lunch. I saved your share, seeing as you were late." She gave him a pointed look. "You should be more mindful of the time, Mr. Rochadan. If it weren't for those children I might not have saved you any at all. Maybe then you would learn to come to luncheon on time!"
Rochadan grinned and caught the plump older woman around the waist, giving her a playful spin around the kitchen. "Oh, you wouldn't do that to me!"
Trying very hard to maintain a frown, Nell freed herself and gave his arm a sharp slap. "I would indeed!" Then, she laughed in spite of herself. "Oh, go sit down." She disappeared into the pantry and came back out with stock pot of leftover stew from lunch, which she immediately set on the stove to reheat.
Taking a seat at the table between Sallie and Earcwen, Rochadan turned to the dwarf. "Welcome to the Vineyard," he said. "Don't mind Cook's temper if she ever has a chance to turn it on you. Her bark is much worse than her bite." He paused to wink at the cook, who was still doing her best to preserve the appearance that she was angry with him. "If you don't mind my asking," he continued. "How do you find yourself here in Esgaroth? Do you come from the Lonely Mountain?"
|