Minas Tirith: Mellonin
Apparently the boy expected to be called Aeron now, instead of Faran. Mellonin wondered whether the name change was a daily occurance. Aeron's eyes smouldered with resentment, and the ranger looked less than happy. Raefindan was a little on the damp side.
Mellonin smiled brightly, and turned to the ranger. "Well, good sir, " and she fished the coin out of her pocket and juggled it in her hand, "your patience is remarkable, and now I will hasten to bring you your due." She went to the bar and poured a large frothy ale. Then she went to the counter, and reached underneath for the bag to deposit the coin.
Somehow, it settled differently. Her eyes came up above the counter and she glared at the boy, still seated between the ranger and the red-haired man; the hatless, hapless thief met her gaze, and froze.
Holding his gaze, she picked up the bag. Hefting it, she paced one step at a time from behind the counter towards the threesome. Ravion watched her approach.
She picked up a dirty soup bowl in her free hand as she walked past a table. Morien saw what she was carrying, and came to watch. Ravion moved nearer the boy, guessing he would bolt.
Mellonin drew up a small table near the three . She put the bowl and the bag on the table, and then drew up a chair and sat facing Aeron. . Ravion glared, Raefindan tried not to laugh, and Aeron tried to look innocent. Mellonin put her elbows on the table, interlaced her fingers and rested her chin on her knuckles. "What have we here, hmmmm? Perhaps you can tell me."
Aeron shrugged.
Mellonin opened the drawstring, and slowly poured the contents of the bag into the dirty soup bowl. From the very top of the bag, several coins dropped out, clinking muddily into the film of soup. The coins were followed by a steady clatter of pebbles and stones.
Mellonin set the empty bag down beside the bowl of rocks, put her chin back onto her knuckles, raised her eyebrows and smiled at the boy.
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