[Folwren]

Things would have been marvelously comfortable in the kitchen. Thornden liked a warm blaze and merry company on grey and rainy days, but that wasn't to be this time. Fordides made that very clear as soon as she realized what was happening.

'I won't take any of your plumfoolery here, young fellow!' she cried, snatching up a spoon and advancing more quickly than he would have expected. 'Don't you think I have enough to do to keep the meals coming out in time without all my counter space being taken up with people sitting and talking?'

'Don't be hasty,' Thornden was rather inclined to say, but he didn't get a chance. The cook was continuing, and that spoon was getting to move more quickly than he liked.

'I'm all very well good and happy with stories being told, but not in my kitchen. The place wouldn't be fit to be seen, much less to cook in, when it came time to cook dinner if you stayed here. Take everyone out! Out, out! Or else there'll be some real reckoning to do.'

He didn't know if she was actually intending to apply the ladle, but he ducked nonetheless and dodged to the other side of the table.

'Alright, everybody,' he said, barely keeping enough wits about him not to run and loose whatever dignity he had left, 'it doesn't appear that we're welcome here after all. We'd better all get out, or else face consequences.' He shot a glance towards Fordides who raised an eyebrow rather meaningfully. The hand with the spoon, now resting authoritavely on her hip, twitched slightly and he nodded as though he understood. 'So, let's gather to the Hall, or what's there of it. Miserable as it may be, perhaps story telling and some ale will warm us properly.'

He added to himself, though not aloud, that it wouldn't be half as nice, but that couldn't be helped. Not when Fordides guarded the kitchen like a dragon its lair. They'd have to make do with the damp, and, really, it probably wasn't half as bad as he made it out to be. It wasn't really cold, but he ignored that fact. Sending another pleading glance towards Fordides (which was replied with and killed by a withering glare) he led the entire group towards the door.