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Saeryn's room was near to the hall. After a short but heartfelt cry, she set about to neatening up; a pointless diversion, given her room's spotless state. She fussed about, occasionally tugging at the corners of her blankets. She threw open her hastily closed curtains, hoping that the bright sunlight would cheer her. She splashed the tear stains from her cheeks with cold water and loosely braided her hair afresh.
As she bustled about, considering her hopes and her fears, she decided that what would come would come. She knew what she must do if asked to swear fealty... she would move on. She could not be bound again, no matter who her lord might be. She could only hope that Eodwine would overlook it when ascertaining loyalty of all those under his watch. Perhaps she would stay out of sight for a time... out of sight out of mind, she had heard. She would test it, she decided, and make the likelihood of the inevitable conversation far lower. Saeryn hoped that none of the new arrivals would be inquisitive enough to draw attention to her ambiguous place.
Finally, unable to find either speck of dust in need of wiping or paper out of place, Saeryn sat on her bed with her head in hands. She closed her eyes for several moments and merely breathed. Suddenly the unmistakable and unearthly sound of harp strings met her ears. She looked up and toward the wall that her room shared with the mead hall, mouth open slightly in surprise.
The tense voices had subdued and tentative tuning notes were plucked on the instrument. Saeryn's innate curiosity strove against her new found resolve to keep her head low. Compromising with herself, she slipped into the hallway and opened the door to the mead hall an inch or so, peeking through. She blushed to realize how young and foolish she must look and so slipped her way through the door to stand in front of it. Eodwine nodded a welcome back, though all other eyes were now on the Dunlending. Saeryn curtsied slightly, acknowledging her friend. She stood away from the crowd and waited now to hear what would come.
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