[Atarah]

Tulip was glad of Sharya's company. She'd spent many weeks on the road alone, even though she was just a child. The fact that Sharya was also of the race of Man could only add to Tulip's joy at meeting her. She had been quite shocked when her new friend had instantly recognised that she was from Rohan, but then she had smiled to herself as Sharya pointed out her hair colour. Of course her hair would identify her as being from Rohan. She should have covered it better, but then why did she need to? She wasn't hiding from anyone.

The smell of freshly baked scones alerted Tulip to Ruby's return. A quick exchange of thank you's and Ruby went back to serving. Tulip sipped at her wonderfully sweet tea as she watched Sharya take a hot scone, the smell making her forget the breakfast she’d already eaten, only drop it again. Tulip giggled.

"Careful. They'll be hot."

"I just discovered that," replied Sharya with a laugh. She sucked her finger to stop it burning. "I hope they cool down soon. I'm starving."

"But you said you'd already had breakfast." Tulip put down her tea and tentatively poked at the nearest scone. They weren't very hot at all. "You must have sensitive hands." She picked up the scone she'd poked and began spreading some thick honey on it.

"So what is your business with Aman?" Sharya asked, thinking that the term “business” seemed appropriate even though Tulip was still young. She seemed to be very grown up for her age. Even her eyes looked grown up, maybe even wise.

Tulip added a large dollop of cream to her honey-smothered scone. She thought it a childish thing for her to do, then scolded herself for forgetting she was a child. Sometimes she got so carried away with acting grown up that she forgot her age. She contemplated what her answer to Sharya's question should be. If she told her friend that her mother had died, she'd have to put up with another bout of sympathy, and that would only lead to tears. She had to stay strong. If she let anyone here see that she was still mourning her mother's death after nearly a year they'd treat her like a child no matter how grown up she acted. No, she thought, I won't tell her that part just yet.

"I have to deliver a letter from my mother," she finally answered.

"She sent you all that way to deliver a letter?" questioned Sharya.

"I-" Tulip hesitated. She'd never thought about that before. Why had her mother sent her all the way to the Shire when a messenger could just have easily delivered the letter? "My mother thought very highly of Aman," she said quickly. "She would have liked to deliver it in person, but as she couldn't she sent me in her stead." Tulip looked down at the scone on her plate, her appetite suddenly gone. Why was she here?