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Old 02-21-2006, 04:51 PM   #65
Nerindel
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Ęšelhild had been in the yard stuffing those mattresses that had needed it when Frodides had called her in and asked her pulling straw from her hair and fussing over her apron to help Kara. “His lordship calls for ale and me and young Kara here in the midst of luncheon too,” she frowned her face a deep shiny red not only from the heat of the kitchen but from her own flustering’s too Ęšelhild did not warrant.

But before even Ęšelhild could say that she knew not what to do the cook had pressed a tray of tall ale cups into her hands saying reassuringly, “You’ll do alright lass, just offer Eodwine a cup and then take the horn” she nodded her head towards the large rams horn that Kara held carefully in her hands. “ Always pour for his lordship first and wait, he will instruct you as to who is to be served first, then go round the room and fill for all present.”

Ęšelhild had been listening so carefully to Frodides instruction that she hadn’t realised that the woman had guided them across the kitchen and through the door to the mead hall until she looked up to seeing expectant faces watching her. She swallowed hard and walked gracefully across the hall to Eodwine ,doing as the older woman had instructed and as Eodwine took the cup, drank and addressed the hall she was reminded of an unusual courtesy (well in Gondor at least) that her grandfather would bestow the guests of his house, how strange! she had thought that what she had once thought just another of her grandfathers eccentricities was so like the customs of another land?

But before she could dwell on it more Eodwine had instructed her to pass the horn to a dark haired stranger holding a harp who he named as the halls new bard, she noted that a few eyebrows had raised at this , like the Lord had just paid the young man a great compliment and again she was reminded how her grandfather would have her pour for his most important guests.

The young bard seemed to notice that she had not the look of others gathered in the hall for he looked curiously at her dark hair as she filled his cup from the horn, but he said nothing and instead raised his cup to Edowine and nodded his thanks. She moved on then but not before noting the permanent injury to the young mans eye, a mark of war she wondered as she filled a cup for Master Boffin who had just returned from the kitchens with his plate fully laden.

“So Miss Ęšel what do you make of our new young friend?” He grinned nodding towards the new bard.

“I’m afraid I can not yet say, master Falco, for I have not yet heard him play.” she answered glancing in the young mans direction to see him bent over the harp carefully tending to it’s tuning.

“What… er… no, I meant about him being a Dunlending!” he frowned looking up at her.

“Oh he is!” she answered a little surprised, she knew little of these men other than that they had fought on the side of Saruman during the war and most of this she had learned from master Falco and his stories, she remembered also the heated words of Eodwine and the Twins anytime the Dunlending’s where mentioned, there was not much love lost between the Rohirrim and the Dunelending’s, much akin to Gondor and Harad she thought contemplatively.

“It seems to me master Falco that a man should not be measured in what he has done during war time, as I am sure each thinks his own cause just, but rather his mark is in what he does after war is it not?” she smiled thoughtfully as she continued to studying the young Dunlending. “So I say for now my judgement is reserved, but a greater respect I have now for our new Eorl,” she continued her gaze now shifting to follow Edowine as he walked across the hall to Searyn, “That he can set aside his differences to offer this young man who till very recently was his enemy, work within his halls is a mark of humility rare among nobility,” she pointed out thoughtfully.

“But that is not for the likes of me to comment on” she grinned suddenly turning back to Falco, “I shall pour the mead and hold my tongue and do what I can to make our bard feel welcomed and see what happens from there!” she winked moving off to follow Kara who had continued on as she spoke to master Falco and as she did the Bard began to play, a quiet tune that spoke to Ęšelhild of hardship and sorrow and although she had left Falco in seeming good spirits her heart was heavy with thoughts of her old life, of her father and her grandfather and the dunlending’s choice in tune had brought a slight ache to her heart.

Then reaching the table of Léof and Garwine and hearing the latters harsh opinion of the Dunlening she had started, almost slopping mead over the side of the young Rohirrim’s cup, she apologised quickly and hurried on. Would he think of her thusly if he knew…would the others! she thought anxiously, Guilt now replaced the ache in her heart that she did not know if she could hold herself together much long, she quickly apologised to Kara asking if she would mind finishing passing the horn without her making some feeble excuse about needing air.

So that as the bards tune ended and he lifted his voice to sing Ęšelhild held herself long enough to slip from the inn and find a quiet place behind one of the small out buildings where she then wept silently into her hands.

Last edited by Nerindel; 02-21-2006 at 05:54 PM.
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