[Amanaduial the archer]

"Goodness me, child, what happened to your head?"

All in the small corner of the room turned around to see Aman standing behind them, her arms crossed. Sure as ever, sun had come after the rain, and the light from the window under which Marigold sat seemed to spotlight the Innkeeper, highlighting on the light, elusive golds in her hair and glinting off the horseshoe necklace which was visible due to the heart neckline of her pale blue dress. She noticed Snaveling's eyes fall on it and hover there for a brief second, squinting at the necklace, before his eyes moved up to her face. Aman remained standing still, eyebrows raised. Tapping one foot lightly on the floor, she made a small decisive sound and sighed, before she smiled with tired eyes at Snaveling and Mithalwen, wrinkling her nose a little so that the pale freckles danced. "What?" she asked slowly. "You both look like naughty schoolchildren caught in the act."

Mithalwen laughed, grinning at Aman as she rose. "Good morning, Aman - or should I say good afternoon?" she added with a wink.

"Good afternoon indeed." Ruby's voice huffed from behind them as the hobbit bustled past Aman to clear the table in front of Snaveling of it's debris. "Someone," she continued ominously, wiping the table. "Someone had a little too much to drink last night, courtesy of those no-good brothers of Zimz, I'll be bound; and consequently spent this morning sleeping off the night before..." she trailed off and set Aman with a disapproving look that would rival Cook's very own collection of choice matronly expressions. Aman raised one eyebrow and returned her gaze steadily, but she couldn't hide the tired rings around her green eyes, and eventually had to break the gaze when she stifled a yawn. Ruby looked satisfied and gave an impish, 'told-you-so' smile as she continued clearing the table. Aman glared at her then asked Mithalwen if she could join them. The elf accepted gladly and Aman made her way around the table past Snaveling to sit on the padded bench beside Marigold, under the window - as she moved past Snaveling, the back of her dress brushed his legs and a whiff of freshly washed hair caught his attention, and his curiosity. The Innkeeper wasn't prone to taking a shower or bath in the morning...

Ruby, by nature, was not quite spiteful; but the hobbit did have a certain sense of humour that rather enjoyed Aman's evident discomfort. The hobbit server was not finished yet - spinning balletically on her heel, her hands full of china and glass, she left a few parting shots: business as usual. "Several people called for you this morning, Aman - one delivering a letter, another with a message, he says, and one other who was asking if he could help about the place, although I think...I think Cook is dealing with that request..." she trailed off, looking around the crowded Common room. Aman's gaze fell on the certain individual who Ruby was looking and her eyes widened - the man was a giant! Looking alarmed, she glanced at Ruby for an explanation. The hobbit shrugged, a hopeless expression on her face. "He asked for you earlier, but then, he also asked for various other strange characters...coffee?"

Aman raised an eyebrow and grinned properly at Ruby. "Thank you for that insight, Ruby." She paused, she added, "Oh, and yes, please, coffee would be perfect. What sort of characters?"

Ruby tipped her head onto one side, thinking. "Well, he mentioned something 'bout dwarves...and the white wizard..." she clicked her fingers and beamed. "And was askin' about Mr Bilbo Baggins!"

Aman blinked. "Bilbo? Why on earth-"

Ruby shrugged unhelpfully again, the china cups clinking musically against each other as she moved away. "Who knows, Aman - like you say, all sorts..." she called over her shoulder, chuckling to herself. Aman watched her go for a moment, then shook her head and rubbed her eyes, turning back to Marigold. Concern replaced tiredness as she saw again the fresh blood on the girl's forehead, and she raised one hand to it, tipping the girl's chin with her other hand so that she could see better. "Goodness, Marigold, how did you manage that, you silly thing?"

Marigold giggled at Aman's choice of words, then answered, "I fell off your horse, Falfar...Folaro...Felfalo-"

"Felarof," Aman corrected. Although she did not turn around, she sensed Snaveling freeze up. Continuing her inspection of the little girl's head, she made a face, then continued, "Why on earth were you all the way up on Felarof, Marigold? I was under the impression both my horses were snug in their stalls..."

The hobbit girl squirmed slightly, avoiding Aman's eyes. "I...I wanted to see what it felt like. 'Cos," she rushed on quickly, wanting to justify herself. "'Cos he's such a lovely horse, so pretty, and after all, you can't keep all of these mysterious gifts to yourself..." she trailed off coyly, giggling. Aman let go of her chin and looked Marigold in the eyes, smiling - the little girl's amusement was delightful, but she was somewhat confused, to say the least.

"Mysterious gifts? Why, I don't think I've had any of those for a while..." she answered, scratching her head comically as if thinking. Marigold nodded, her curls tossing lightly, spun to gold in the light of the rain-drenched sun, and she wagged a finger at the woman in her best childish impression of a hobbit goodwife. "Nice try, young lady," she reprimanded Aman sternly, doing a startlingly good impression of Vinca. "We all know who gave you Falforo-"

"Felarof," Aman corrected automatically. She looked Marigold dead in the eyes. "And who exactly would that be?"

Marigold pursed her lips, raising her finger to them.

Aman sighed, then leant down, beckoning the little girl to whisper it into her ear. The little hobbit lass leant forward conspiratorially, her lips tickling Aman's ear, her breath warm against the Innkeeper's skin. "Your lover!" she whispered breathily.

Aman's head shot backwards, her eyes wide. "My what?"

Marigold giggled delightedly and clapped her hands in glee, then beckoned Aman back down again. The Innkeeper leant forward, now almightily confused, to hear Marigold's account of this incredible character who had now entered her life. Marigold cupped her hand to Aman's ear and continued, this time in a whisper loud enough for both Mithalwen and Snaveling to hear perfectly well. "Your lover! You have a love, but it has to be a secret; he's wildly in love with you, but sends you gifts from afar to express his devotion for you. A Gondorian ranger, deeply in love with a beautiful Rohirrim maiden..." she clasped her hands to her chest melodramatically and swooned.

The action was so overdone and comical that both Mithalwen and Aman couldn't help but burst out laughing. Snaveling, Aman noted, managed only a sort of strained smile. Aman regained her breath and tickled Marigold gently. "And the identity of my secret Gondorian? Tell me or I'll tickle you to death!"

Marigold laughed wildly as Aman's fingers wiggled their way around her stomach, batting against the Innkeeper's grasp as she squirmed. Mithalwen joined in and all three of them were soon laughing, before Marigold finally elicited her answer.

"Snaveling!"

Aman's tickling faltered and stopped abruptly as she stared at Marigold, her laughter halting. "Sn...Snaveling?" she stammered.

Marigold nodded, swinging her feet childishly on the seat. "Yup yup yup! I know it's him, 'cos he told us it was!"

"Aman-" Snaveling began, as Aman turned to him in confusion and outrage.

"Your Gondorian lover! Tar-Coriander!" Marigold crowed delightedly.

No-one corrected the little girl this time, and there was an awkward pause as Aman stared at Snaveling in confusion and hurt, and the silence that reigned was really anything but golden: it was a murky and dark shade of confusion, splattered with patches of scarlet-shivering hurt. None of the three adults spoke for a moment, before Snaveling began.

"Aman, I didn't tell her-"

"Coffee!" Ruby's singsong voice broke the awkwardness along with the merry clatter of china cups on the tray. Aman and Mithalwen both leapt around to face her, and Aman's face broke into a practised smile as she stood to take the tray from Ruby, thanking her profusely. Ruby winked and leant in conspiratorially, not unlike little Marigold. "Take the edge off your hangover, Miz Aman," she murmured, tapping the side of her nose with her forefinger.

Aman smiled weakly and sipped the strong coffee gratefully as Marigold began to chatter vivaciously again about Felarof and the other 'horsies', taking the edge off the awkward silence rather than Aman's supposed headache. Mithalwen glanced at her carefully, but turned her attention to distracting Marigold, chattering back to her patiently.

Snaveling's eyes didn't leave Aman's face.