[littlemanpoet]

"How did you sleep, Miss Gudryn?" asked Eodwine. The lass looked at him briefly, then turned her staring attention back to Hama, who seemed every bit the slap-handed schoolboy under Ruthven's severe tutelage.

"Shush now," Ruthven scolded. "Let the poor girl eat."

Eodwine looked balefully at the old woman ... after she had taken her eyes off him and was watching the girl.

Falco chuckled and took his pipe out of his mouth. "It was you, Mizzuz Ruthven, as ordered us in here. What for if not to talk to the girl?"

"Don't you sass at me, you ... "

"You what? . . . Mizzuz?" Falco threw back at her, giving a wink to Saeryn, who sat on the far side of Gudryn's bed, nibbling on the last bites of her breakfast. It made Falco all the hungrier and irascible, not having had his first yet.

Ruthven had been about to say something about runts, but thought better of it when the hobbit's brow started to get thunderous. She knew Men well enough, but her edeecation on Hobbits was a might bit sketchy. Best to turn the manners just a bit to tweed with 'im.

"I was saying don't you sass at me, for I brought you in here so you could see the lass was well. And now 'tis time you saw after the prowlers last night."

Falco closed one eye and watched her suspiciously.

Eodwine spoke up. "The lady did speak of strange visitors last night."

"Ah yes," puffed Falco. "The Inn under attack."

"Tracks outside," Eodwine continued.

"Gouges at the door of the back ... where?" Falco looked questioningly to Ruthven.

"Near the kitchen, I told you," said Ruthven. "Someone tried to break in."

"Very well," said Eodwine. "Let us have a look at all these signs, the sooner accomplished, we can break our fast."

"And show Lady Saeryn to her bed while you're at it! She's been up all night, unlike you lalligags, and needs some rest."

Falco eyed Ruthven for having it both ways, as it were, but with a puff of his pipe, let it go. He turned to Saeryn. "Lady?" Saeryn got up without a word and took up the rear behind Falco and Hama, who followed Eodwine's long striding heels down the hall.

Ruthven's last imprication followed them down the hall. "Men! Always thinkin' on their stomachs!"

Falco wondered briefly about the giggling laughs that had followed the imprication, but thought no more of it. Best get this little bit of shirriffing done so as to get to first breakfast the sooner. Musn't let second breakfast run into lunch! No, that would never do.

They stopped off at Saeryn's room and saw her in with a please and a thank you, and a goodnight-even-though-it's-morning, and continued on their way.