The White Horse Inn, Act III

[Hama Of The Riddermark]

Hama was leaning on the bar, mumbling, with an ale in one hand and a pipe in the other. He barely looked up when the inn door opened. When Eodwine said that Alrik looked familiar, and that he had maybe been in one of the wars, Hama spoke quietly, but hoarsely, "It is a known thing that few warriors take great joy in disscussing previous battles, even victories...the horrors that a man sees linger for the rest of his life, and talking about them only accentuates them."

Eodwine looked up at Hama. "Sorry, Hama, I forgot what-", Hama interjected "Never mind, Eodwine, what is past is past, and thinking about it cannot change it."

[Witch_Queen]

Adu sat in the corner looking around at the people in the inn. She looked down at the floor noticing every bit of dust that had collected in the corner beside her. Hearing the sound of a very familar voice Adu looked up and immediately realized that one of the men setting at the bar was Hama. For some reason the men setting beside Hama looked familar yet like strangers to her. Adu sat by herself trying to decide when it was best to talk with Hama.

She couldn't wait any longer. She stood up pulling the hood of her cloak back over her hair. She began walking towards the bar. She placed her hands over Hama's eyes and began to talk. "I knew I would find you here somewhere. You of all people should know you cannot hide from me." Adu couldn't keep a strait face anymore. She pulled her hands from his eyes and removed the hood of her cloak. Once again her hair fell around her shoulders before she was able to catch it and place the black hair behind her. "Do you mind if I join the two of you?" Adu stood there waiting for a word from one of the three men.

[Boromir88]

Alrik lifted his head up, after the innkeeper greeted him, "just put on some eggs for me....Oh, and a cup of tea." The inkeeper nodded and walked away; Alrik got a funny feeling in his stomach. He sat for a while, with his head down on the table. Then another man approached.

"Good day and well met. I am Eodwine of the Gap, messenger of King Eomer." Alrik looked up, he hadn't intended on attracting this much attention. He simply wanted to deliver the message his father gave him. He was to find Fastrod and give him the message. At first Alrik acted like he was just going to ignore the man, then he decided it was best not to, "Alrik," he replied.

"You seem somewhat familiar to me, Alrik. Of course, I travel much for the King of Rohan, and may have seen you anywhere from Pelargir to Bree! Or was it the war?" Eodwine asked. "Do I perhaps know you from the war? I was with the muster of Rohan to Pelennor, and then at the Gates of the Morannon with King Elessar. Were you also in one of those battles?"

Alrik began to move nervously in his seat. He barely knew the man, but yet he wanted to know about his past? Alrik replied irritably, in attempts that the man would leave, "I served under Forlong from Lossarnach. I'm sorry, but you don't look familiar." There was an awkward pause, which was what Alrik was intending. Then lo and behold! comes another man! Alrik was beginning to get quite irritated by all these people. They whispered something between the two of them, clearly it wasn't ment for Alrik's ears, so he didn't pay any attention.

He was about to move down a couple seats, when a woman approached. She began to talk merrily, not with Eodwine, but with the other. Obviously they hadn't seen eachother for a while, and were pleased to have met again. Alrik heard her say "the two of them," and figured he wasn't one of the two, so he began to walk down towards the end. He sat down, away from the commotion and chatting. He began to look frustrated. Where was his food? He had only ordered some eggs.

[Nurumaiel]

"Maercwen, whatever are you doing?" Frodides put her hands on her hips and gazed firmly at the young lassie, who had been sitting by the window and staring out dreamily. "There's a poor man out there who ordered some eggs, quite a few minutes ago. No doubt he's wondering where they've got to."

Maercwen stood, and hastened to the eggs, casting repentant glances towards her mother. "I'm so sorry," she murmured, her tone telling that she was also humiliated. "I was just thinking... what do you think Hearpwine is doing now? And Uncle Liornung? The recent commotion made me recall the days when the Common Room resounded with their music."

"Well, my dear," said Frodides, with a little teasing, tender smile, "I hope when they come again you don't leave their eggs to grow cool, and their stomachs to grow empty. Off with you now."

With the plate of eggs in one hand and the cup of tea in the other, Maercwen took herself out to the Common Room, and drew in a long breath, as if she had just stepped out into the fresh air. She did not mind working in the kitchen with her mother, but she missed the days when, as a little girl, she could sit in the Common Room all the day, if she pleased, and listen to the songs and tales of far-off lands. Now she was only briefly out of the kitchen, to pass a plate to some traveller, or pursue the baby laddie.

She spotted the man sitting in a quieter part of the room. She paused for the briefest moment to survey him, and try to guess what she could from his appearance. She could not hear what tales he might have to tell, but she would be able to see him. He was clearly not from Rohan, and his dark hair led her to guess that he was from Gondor. His clothes were worn and ragged. Perhaps it was from travelling, or perhaps he...

But the poor man's eggs!

Maercwen abruptly broke off her thoughts and hastened to him, hoping that her cheeks were not blushing to testify to her forgetfulness, and fearing that it was otherwise. Yet she had spent many years in the Inn, and did not lose her calm because a plate of eggs had taken some time.

Setting the eggs and tea before him, she spoke in her most courteous, official manner, saying: "Your eggs and tea, sir, and my apologies for the delay."

[littlemanpoet]

"Do you mind if I join the two of you?" asked the new woman. Alrik walked away, clearly wishing to be left alone.

"I would not mind at all," Eodwine said, "except that duty calls me. Forgive me hasty leaving, but I must away to Meduseld." With that he bowed to the man and woman, and joined Falco, Gudryn, and Saeryn; they were ready to go. Harreld and Garreth offered to come along with them as far as their paths led the same way, and Eodwine welcomed their company. Ayeth also joined them, happy to have company as far as she had to go. With that, the party left the Inn, those promising who were able, to return for the evening meal, with any news they might have to share.

[Bêthberry]

I must be getting away as well," spoke up Ruthven, taking a good hard look at the unsocialable man.

"You'd best get used to friendly folk around here, mister. For a man who puts people off, why, he's just more likely to bring 'em on. Some types just can't resist the challenge, you see, of turning people 'round." Alrik stared almost angrily at the old woman but instead of retaliating with a rude outburst, he slightly grinned, shrugged his shoulders, and dug into his eggs.

Ruthven cackled a little to herself and nodded to new woman, who seemed so eager to catch Hama's attention. Silently to herself she wondered what kind of day her friend Bethberry would have.

She caught the Innkeeper busy at her desk, reading over small piles of paper and marking items in a ledge, her hand neatly, with great deliberation, writing in a large leather-bound book. Sometimes, Ruthven thought, her friend sought out that ledger as a way to avoid too much of the chitchat of life in an Inn.

"You'll have a full house today, I warrant," said the grey-haired woman to the Innkeeper.

"That I will, I think. Will you be back at dinner?"

"I shall. I don't think I want to miss Eodwine's enterprising ways with that solemn stranger there."

'If he stays the day. He hasn't said much yet," replied the Innkeeper, watching him from a distance and wondering what journey brought him hither. "But I wonder if Hama has his hands full." Bethberry nodded ever so slightly in the direction of Adu.

Ruthven grinned. "You'll have tales to tell me this evening." With that, she was off, her old cloak wrapped loosely around her and her old feet treading a slow shuffle on the worn wooden floor.

[Boromir88]

"I don't care about meeting anyone." Alrik muttered under his breath, but somehow he got the impression that the inkeeper heard him. "I'm not staying long anyway." Alrik hungrily dug into his eggs and finished them quickly. Then he sat quietly sipping his tea.

Where is he? He's supposed to be here. Durn him, if he makes me wait..I'll...Alrik stuck his hand in the same pocket he stuffed the paper in. "He better get here." he grunted. Alrik waved over the inkeeper and asked her to bring him some more tea. "Hold up," he shouted, "are there any rooms available? I get the feeling I'm going to need to stay the night." The lady continued to study him, and appeared to be debating whether she wanted Alrik as a guest or not. "Well...are there any rooms or not?" he said impatiently. He was beginning to get fed up with the people around here.