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Old 12-16-2003, 10:33 AM   #244
Ealasaide
Shadow of Tyrn Gorthad
 
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Sting

Avarlond

"Silly creatures, the both of them," thought Avarlond, casting a backward glance over his shoulder at Isabel as she joined the dark-haired woman, Edelis, at her table. Isabel was the fiancée of Airefalas, Avarlond's younger brother, while Edelis was someone he knew socially by way of her husband, a man of similar standing to his own in Gondorean merchant society. In Avarlond’s opinion, the two females shared barely a wafer of true substance between the two of them. Nonetheless, he could still see their appeal. They were highly ornamental, both of them, with their large eyes and flowing hair. One could cut a fine figure at court with either one of them on his arm. And both were more than adept at navigating the complicated waters of Gondorean high society. Avarlond had to admit that though he preferred a woman with a little less looks and a little more character, his brother could have made a worse choice in terms of a wife.

Even as beautiful as she was, though, Avarlond found Isabel a little tall for his tastes. Slender and straight as a willow wand, she could stand in her stocking feet and look his brother straight in the eye... not that he had ever seen dear Isabel in her stocking feet. (What would proper society say?) He actually preferred them smaller with a few more curves, like his own wife, Tessa. Thinking fondly of his wife, he turned his back on the two beauties at the table by the fireplace and continued across the common room toward the bar where he had last seen the innkeeper standing.

“Ah!” he repeated to himself. “There’s the fellow now.” He raised his hand in greeting and was just stepping forward to speak to the man, when a red-haired young man stepped in front of him and addressed the innkeeper regarding a job. He had the look of a vagabond, which made Avarlond’s habitual frown deepen slightly. Here Avarlond was, a wealthy and powerful man of business, waiting while the riff-raff begged for handouts.

Wasting his time, more like. He should be back at his office, working, seeing to the important business of the day, not hanging about an inn. Well, no matter. He had intended to ask the innkeeper which of the two elven women was Madame Piosenniel, but, seeing the man occupied, Avarlond decided to take a more direct tack. He drifted in the general direction of the largest group, carefully eying each of the two elven women, trying to determine which would more likely be the woman he sought.

Just then, he heard a very elderly man say to one of them, “Please forgive me for asking, but do you and your husband still have that splendid ship that sails under the emblem of the Lonely Star? For we wish to hire a vessel...”

The Lonely Star! That would be the vessel that Airefalas had sailed on to Umbar, which meant that this woman would be Piosenniel. Watching her as she spoke to the elderly man and his companion, he studied her face and was struck instantly not only by her beauty but by the air of wisdom and strength that she carried about her like a cloak. Those two bits of fluff in the corner would do well, he thought, to spend time at this woman’s side. They could learn quite a lot from the likes of her, that is, if they were capable of learning anything other than which fan to carry with which gown and who should be seated next to whom at a banquet.

Avarlond’s characteristic frown turned to a bit of a smirk. He knew he should be more charitable in his judgments of others. His wife and his dear mother, who was the most generous, good-hearted soul he had almost ever encountered, reminded him of it constantly, but he found their generosity of spirit hard to maintain. The truth was, Avarlond was a busy man. And, as a busy man, he was also an impatient man. And, nothing made him lose patience quicker than the spoiled fatuousness of women like Isabel and Edelis.

He edged closer to the elven woman’s group. She was still busy with the elderly man and his companion, but Avarlond would see to it that she would not leave before having a quick word with him, as well.
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