The White Horse Inn, Act III

[Bêthberry]

"My goodness, don't the tears flow! Quick, quick, take my hankie. Oh, wait, it will be drenched and fail to stop the torrent. Here, take up the bedsheets quickly before we all are drowned."

Despite herself, Saeryn's mouth turned up slightly with grins at this remark, which she desperately attempted to hide.

"I hadn't realised what girlish practices you maintained, despite your eagerness to wear those breeches, Saeryn," said Bethberry with a melodious timbre to her voice which considerably lightened the bathetic tone which Saeryn had struck. "If you wish to climb out of the gilded cage, leave the gilded behaviours behind as well, and think more seriously about the consequences of your behaviour."

Saeryn looked at Bethberry inquisitively, as if asking for clarification.

"You had implored us to harbour you safely from strangers and intruders yet here you have brought a stranger to your room yourself without anyone's knowledge. I'm sure your intentions were kindly and well meant--here Bethberry smiled at the forelorn younger girl who seemed rooted to the spot--but you need to think more circumspectly as well."

Saeryn said nothing, chestfallen as she was that her heroic ideals of her actions were dashed.

"Come now," said the Innkeeper, " is this small, wee girl Æòel? How do you do, young miss? And you were hiding in the stable? I'll warrent it wasn't warm enough for you, for you are shivering and look very pale and wan. I am Bethberry, the Innkeeper here at The White Horse."

She put out her hand to shake with Æòel, an action the young girl could barely believe. Never before had anyone respected her well enough to shake her hand, except for her father and family. It was a timid shake, yet the touch cleared the air of any hard feelings and fears.

"You have dressed yourself sensibly, however, and look more than presentable to any group of people, either here or at the Golden Hall."

Here, Æòel's eyes widened with fearful thought of powerful groups of people and fancy lords and ladies. Bethberry noted the sign and responded accordingly.

"Nay, be not so afraid. We are but common folk here, minding our own ways and seeking some bit of cheer at times to lighten our days. We turn no deserving soul away, unless it is by the eagerness of our young lads to speak of marriage."

Bethberry winked at Saeryn and then turned back to young Æòel.

"Come, I think the kitchen has finished serving the meal, but I'm sure I can find something for you, if you wish to a quiet spot by the warmth of the fire and away from prying eyes." The smile on the Innkeeper's face fell warmly upon Æòel's heart as she prepared to reply.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Saeryn was glad to see that Bethberry did not mean to turn the girl away, or to subject her to company she was uncomfortable with. She should have guessed as much, but the circumstances hadn't seemed to warrant any actions other than finding the girl clothes and getting her food. Any cost would have been attributed to Saeryn, and with luck, nobody would think enough to ask where the girl had come from. Surely it was frowned upon to hide in a stable... She hastily wiped her tears and scolded herself for her maidenly display. Tripping slightly over her own feet, she caught up with the Innkeeper and the girl. She caught Bethberry lightly by the arm and the older woman stopped, looking down slightly to meet her eyes.
"I'm very sorry, ma'am. I wasn't thinking. She seemed to offer no harm and I thought I could help her." She spoke more to the Innkeeper's chin than her eyes, but it was a brave effort when she had so unexpectedly suffered the woman's disappointment. "And..." she fell silent. Bethberry afforded her a kind gaze.

"And?" she prodded gently.

"Could... could Eodwine and Gudryn and the twins and... and everyone... and especially Degas... could they not know..." she paused again. "Could we not let them know I acted so... could we not tell them that I cried?"

At this, the woman and the girl both smiled. Saeryn looked up beseechingly.

"I just... when someone cries... everyone thinks they're weak. And it's bad enough to be alone," she spoke quickly, nervous. "but to be alone and perceived as unable... I know my brother is here somewhere... but I would much rather not be seen as... well... as a helpless girl." She finished lamely, sure that this request would be met with another rebuke. It seemed that nothing she said or did, no matter how noble or honorable she thought it, would sit right today.

[Bêthberry]

"Saeryn, my dear, if you wish others not to know, then be the first to act with discretion and I certainly will follow."

Saeryn looked quizzically at the Innkeeper, sniffing a bit and biting her lip and seemingly too all at sorts to be able to follow.

Bethberry smiled. "If you appear in the Great Hall, before all the gallant lads, with red-ringed eyes, tears teetering on your lashes, cheeks moist with lachrymose charm, then, you will give all away. " Bethberry picked up a corner of her apron and gently wiped away the residue of glistening emotion on Saeryn's cheek.

"There, slightly more in control of ourselves now."

For her part, Æòel seemed even more timorous for all this demonstration and pushed herself towards the wall, where a lantern hanging from a dark oak beam nearly beaned her.

"Lass," said Bethberry, "there are better ways to become enlightened than afixing onself to a lantern. Come, don't mind us, as we know one another, which you shall soon too. Let's get some warmth in your belly and colour in your cheek before those lads set their eyes upon you. Fearsome creatures they are, and you will need all your strength to combat them."

A giggle from Saeryn was enough to help Æòe understand how to take all this, and slowly a small, hesitant smile creased her face.

What were the lads to do, thought the Innkeeper, with another lass? Bethberry almost thought she caught sight of at least one of the twins--Garreth?-- wandering the hall, looking towards the kitchen wondering where Saeryn had gone. She herself also wondered how Eodwine was doing with Giedd and allowed herself a slow inward smile.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Saeryn smiled again, relieved to be back in Bethberry's good graces. She politely excused herself back into her room to clean herself up a bit. Splashing her face with water, she washed away the tear stains. Inspecting herself in a small mirror, she noted that her damp hair would be a dead give-away to an impromptu washing and pulled her tresses into a braid. A few stubborn pieces fell away into her face, but she had learned to live with such inconveniences. Her blouse wet, she exchanges that and her now horse-scented breeches for a clean gown. The dark grey fabric paled her cheeks, making her look remarkably more delicate than she had in mine. She pulled the damp shirt and the breeches back on and reappeared in the hall.

"Excuse me one more moment." she muttered, making her way to the next door. She would simply borrow another of Degas' shirts. Upon opening the door, she noted that he was not in the room. Where in the world was he? He tended to rise earlier than she, but she had not seen hide nor hair of him since last night. Disregarding the thought, she raided his bags, pulling a crimson blouse from the depths. She laced it swiftly and left the previously borrowed white one on his bed. It would dry before he knew it.

Slipping back into the hall way, Saeryn looked as refreshed as though she'd never lost control of her emotions. "Shall we eat?" she asked with a mischievous glint in her eye. "All of this activity has made me rather hungry."

[littlemanpoet]

"Ah, there you are, lassy!" cried Garreth. Saeryn had just entered the hall. He bent at the waist to bring his eyes down to the level of the girls. "And who might this pretty young friend of yours be, Saeryn lass?"

"Garreth," said Bêthberry with authority, "since you haven't reserved a room as well as board, I'll not have you dallying about in my hallways. Back to the Common room with you! You can greet the lasses in the better light out there."

"But-" Garreth started.

"Get!" Bêthberry pointed back down the hall.

"Yes'm." Garreth turned, shamefaced, and loped back down the hallway to the common room.

"He and his twin brother Harreld are smiths of Edoras. They eat here often, seeing as many lasses have been known to come and go. Those two are ready to marry the next thing in a skirt that comes through a door. So be on your guard, my sweets."

Saeryn winked to Bêthberry as Æòel nodded her head slowly and earnestly.

[Nerindel]

Even as Saeryn and the innkeeper gently lead her towards the inns kitchens she could not help but look back over her shoulder to the door the young man had hastily retreated through, his easily smile and knavish glint had remained her of another, a wane smile pursed her lips as she was reminded of the dark haired lad who’s boyish laughter and mischievous wink almost always meant trouble even if it wasn’t his intent. But all to quickly the memories of sneaking cookies as they passed through the kitchens to the yard and balancing half full water buckets above stable doors and climbing the bell tower to watch their latest victim enjoy a cold shower vanished and where replaced with the last time she had seen her dearest friend. He was no longer a boy but a young man and apprentice in his fathers accounting business, he had not recognised her at first
thinking her but only a servant of the house until she had spoken. Three years had passed since her uncle had taken over and fired her fathers staff of which His father had been part, Sadly she recalled his anger at the mistreatment she had received all these years an anger that had forced him to confronted her uncle vowing to take her away and promising to make sure he paid for what he had done. But that was to be her last memory of him as after that things went dreadfully wrong and she would likely never see him again…how could she even face him after what she had done! She blinked back the tears fearing they would lead to questions she was not yet willing to answer and turned back to the two women as they pushed open the kitchen door and lead her through.

“I could swear that I left it outside,” a young woman was saying as she shook her head bemusedly, a guilty uneasiness struck Æòelhild as she recognised the woman as the one who had been feeding the birds outside when she had first encountered the inn.

“Well you do insist on feeding those damned ungrateful squawking pests, it was only a matter of time before the greedy things started taking without your leave !” another woman some what older and elbow deep in soapy bubbles answered shaking her head. “ I’m telling you if I catch em at my pies while they’re cooling they’ll feel the bristle end o’ my brush I tell ye they will!” she went on grabbing a nearby broom with a dripping hand and shaking it at the open window.

“Well if you don’t drown us all first, perhaps well get to those pies?” the younger woman laughed lifting a mop and cleaning up the older woman’s soapy trail.

“Soap and feathers a messy combination I’ll warrant!” Bethberry grinned causing both women to stop and turn .

“Ah miz Bethberry what can we do you for, your not here to clean pots I’ll warrant and miz Saeryn I don’t recall seeing you at breakfast this morning and ….ah who is this young thing!” the older woman asked circling Æòelhild appraising her up and down. “Oh my miz Bethberry, who is this child she looks like she hasn’t eaten in months all skin and bones I’m surprised she can support what little weight she has!” the woman remarked astounded.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

"I ate, ma'am," said Saeryn quietly, and nearly ever truthful, "but not much, and early. I was not at breakfast though."

She could still feel the soft bandages, already lighter and looser than before, to remind her of the accident. What on earth had spooked her fearless mare into throwing her? She could not remember. The things that alluded her thought bore into her, dancing on the edges of clarity and driving her impatient with wonder. She loved to know things, and to have jostled memories of her own life from her head was not something she liked much. She had avoided breakfast to sit alone and try to remember more before spending time with men who seemed to know more of her lineage than she. She could remember quite clearly vowing to keep it as secret as were possible, to give the impression of a common lass out for adventure, and yet they seemed to know more than she would have liked. A runaway noble with what family left trailing behind like so many uninvited ducklings. Such thoughts wore her out and made her hungry.

"And yes," she added as an after thought. "I met up with this friend of mine outside a bit ago when I was visiting my mare. I thought it would be nice to share breakfast. Is there anything left?" As was before said, Saeryn was nearly always truthful, and most nearly always for a good cause. Surely in time the girl could be considered a friend, if she stayed, so that was not bending the truth much. She qualified her lie by telling herself that she befriended all in need. After all... there was no need to tell the world that the poor girl had been hiding in the stables. If she wanted the Inn to know, she would tell them. A small lie was rather better than betraying a secret that was not yours.

"Bethberry, would you like to join us?"