Se Riddermarket of Approaching Autumn - CLOSED

[Shivased]

Se Riddermarket of Sweltering Summer

The day is warm, but a cool breeze blows and the morning was cooler than in previous weeks. Autumn is approaching, the leaves on trees beginning to turn shades of red, yellow and orange, and the nights are growing cooler. As the marketplace comes to life for the day, the occasional shopper wearing a light cloak or shawl is seen, and conversations about harvests and debates on the severity of the coming winter can be overheard. With the heat of summer easing, a renewed vigour can be felt. Or maybe that is the energy that comes from surviving near-death, felt by so many after the recent fires in Edoras. The lingering smell of smoke and charred buildings easily visible add to the feeling.

It is a typical, hot summer day in Rohan. Though this heat is normal, it isn't pleasant. Working in this heat won't be easy and even shopping will be unpleasant for many.

Welcome to the Riddermarket!

This is a free RP thread with the theme of a marketplace, so Come in, shop, socialize, wander. Feel free to check out shops, or PM the Riddermarket lædenmanger Shivased if you want to open your own shop.

Open Shops

Ye Olde Pet Shoppe ~NPC: Jacen (Shivased) ~ A shop selling animals and horses as well as animal supplies
Pen and Ink ~ Aethelu~ A shop selling pens, inks, parchment and other writing supplies
CweÞ Ciese ~ Thalionwen ~ Fresh cheeses and other fine dairy products as well as eggs
Awesnis gærwe nædleprica ~ Eldreda (NPC of Taethowen) ~ Essence of Needlepoint, a seamstress and clothing shop
Apprentice: Starbreeze (Fairy) Assistant: Seleðryðe (Almarëa)
Glædmód Abiring ~ Daran (NPC of Shivased) ~ A shop for everything sweet. Candy, chocolate and treats galore.
Isengafæme Smithing ~ Rhys (NPC of Rowena)~ A blacksmith shop
Ffermgardd Adref ~ Audley (NPC of Rowena) ~ Gardening and farming supply store
Siltan Bur ~ Elarith ~ A butcher Shop selling a variety of meats
Bits and Pieces ~ Gwai ~ Tack and horse supplies
Golde ge Eorcanstan ~ Aodh Hammerhelm ~ Purveyor of finely crafted jewellery
Holt Leod (Wooden Song) ~ Caddrick (Veowyn) ~ Wooden instruments and trinkets
Treowwyrhta ~ Æric (Windy) ~ Carpenter shop selling tables, chairs, benches and wood furniture, as well as offering repairs for houses, etc.
Se Hæland Æ ~ Sigrid (Windy) ~ Healing herbs, remedies and supplies
The Copper Kettle ~ Shivased ~ A Tea Shop. Selling a variety of tea leaves and mixtures, fine kettles, pots and other accessories.

Temporarily Closed

Leoht Min Fyr ~ Beda (NPC ofEléowyn) ~ Candles and related products

Shops For Sale
Fela Tera ~ For Sale ~ Beadwork, Hair Ornaments and beaded strings for men and horses
Liðefot (The Soft Foot) ~ For Sale ~ A cobbler's Shop. Footwear, shoes and boots
Essence ~ For Sale ~ Essential oils and herbs
Né Fugol of Huntanð ~ For Sale ~ Birds of Prey and supplies for hawking and falconers
Crete Lið ~ For Sale ~ Fine wines
Æghwa ge Beþurfan ~ For Sale ~ A basic grocer selling fruits, vegetables and produce in season
Giong æt Heortes ~ For Sale ~ Toys of all sorts - stuffed fabric or knitted, wooden. Blocks, rocking horses, doll houses
Eldar cú ~ For Sale ~ Archery products - bows, arrows, quivers, and more

More shops will be added as they open or become available to buy.

s

The Cavalry Liaison Office

In the center of the marketplace is the Cavalry Liaison Office. This small building is staffed by Lailorn by request of the Cavalry Marshals, and is the first stop for citizens of Rohan who need to interact with the Cavalry. Rohir can come here to request the help of the Cavalry patrol, report illegal activity, thefts, or other crimes, ask questions about the Cavalry or leave missives and notes for the Marshals.

Shop Rules:
1. Shops must be realistic for Rohan. So no pizza shops, sorry.
2.NO libraries or book shops. The Rohirrim were a people of oral tradition, so would not have had things like that.
3. No repeat shops. If someone sells something already, think of another idea. We don't want overlap.
4.Tag Shivased, the lædenmanger, in the Golden Hall OOC thread for approval BEFORE opening a shop! PM must include shop name and description of what you plan to sell.
5. Shopkeepers are asked to post at least once per thread, to show your shop is still open. Those who do not post for a full thread (approx. 4 weeks) will have their shop placed on the "closed" list, and will be contacted. If the Laedenmanger does not hear from the shopkeeper by the end of the next thread, or they do not post in that time, their shop will be put up for sale.

Thread Rules:
1. Remember, this is a marketplace so posts should reflect that. Shop, socialize, etc. as you would while at market.
2. Red BF0000 is reserved for the lædenmanger
3. Please post your location at the top of your post - Pen and Ink, Streets, etc. so others know where you are.
4. If a shop is listed as FOR SALE, feel free to RP there being a shopkeeper there, within reason. If a shop has an owner, please wait for them to acknowledge you, do not godmode them.
5. HAVE FUN!

[Dimcairien Luiniel]

The Streets

He finally was making his way to the Riddermarket! Éomund had been in Edoras for a few weeks by this point, but between joining the Cavalry, the fires, the entwife hunt, and the disaster of a training mission, he hadn't yet had the chance to make it to the famous marketplace.

There were a handful of folk going about their business, but Éomund was shocked by just how big the place was. In Sceornbeorg, the marketplace was much smaller - a bread stand, a butcher shop, a blacksmith/carpentry shop, and a shop that had candles, fabric, and anything else that could be considered necessary for running a home. Even then, market days only happened a handful of times a week, not on a near-daily occurrence like this place seemed to. And there were shops everywhere! But he would only be able to look in the shops and not purchase anything. He only had a few spare coins as he hoped to send most of his stipend back to his mother. He didn't need to worry about food, shelter, or clothing as long as he was in the Cavalry, but those were still things his mother needed. And as tense as their relationship was, he didn't wish any ill will to befall her. Hopefully she would be able to accept the money from him and not consider it charity.

He shook his head to try and get his thoughts back to the present moment. But he was here now, standing on the edge of the marketplace. He and Grimthain were finally going to get a chance to explore the market, perhaps get something to eat, and talk. Éomund knew he had a lot of things he needed to share with his uncle, from the incident in the After Party Tent, to the entwife hunt, but especially the recent events in the Throne Room. He was genuinely worried about his uncle and hoped that the man was okay. He had never seen so much emotion on the older man's face, or at least that much grief and terror. Éomund reached into his pocket, where he could feel the letters: the one addressed to him and the one addressed to Grimthain. If necessary, he would be happy to share the contents of his letter with his uncle. And, if things felt right, he might end up sharing the revelation he had had at the Memorium: in all the ways that had really mattered, Grimthain had been a father to him, not merely a father-figure.

He glanced down at his side. As stupid as it might be, due to the fact that he still had zero swordsmanship skills which meant that walking around with a sword probably wasn't the wisest of ideas, he had figured out how to strap the sword to his belt. The presence of the sword gave him a sense of confidence, though it slapped awkwardly against his leg whenever he walked. He would have a bruise there the next day, he was certain of it.

Éomund found a bit of shade to stand under while he waited for his uncle to arrive.
@Allacan ob Burzum (Ready whenever you are, but no rush. Éomund and I are both patient.)

[Taethowen]

Eldreda

Awesnis Gærwe Nædleprica

There were few other shops opening for the day yet as Eldreda made her way to Awesnis. She was glad the shop had survived Taeth's sojourn outside of Rohan, and was eager to begin working there again. Eldreda opened the door, stepped inside, and began her perusal.

Taeth hadn't been able to bring her around to the shop herself before she was called away on other matters, so Eldreda was going to have to explore it on her own.

Taking in the shelves lined with bolts of fabric, though, Eldreda smiled. Taeth had certainly been busy during her travels, making connections and finding sources for some very high quality textiles. She knew there were a few Taeth wanted to get her hands on, additionally, but wasn't sure how much of a market there would be for them in Rohan. Such as Haradrim silk. Her cousin had mentioned, possibly, opening some extension of Awesnis in other parts of Middle-earth, though.

First, though, she needed to find the ledger and the change box, which she thought Taeth had said something about them being under the counter, and then figure out what to have the apprentice and assistant work on when they showed up. It might be time, soon, for those seeking new Mettare garb to start showing up as well...

(@Fairy Nuff, @Almarëa Mordollwen)

---

Taethowen

The New Cavalry Liaison Office

The Riddermarket streets were already bustling, and Taeth smiled--though it was tinged with sadness, having received some unfortunate personal news with the arrival of her cousin Eldreda--to see that Edoras was lively and thriving after the struggles that had followed the Summer Festival.

Taeth had been so busy lately that she'd barely had a chance to peek into the new liaison office and see how the repairs were coming. They--the Marshals of the Mark--had decided that renovating one of the vacant shops near the lædenmager's office would be the best bet. After the incident with the stabbing, and some other issues that had come to light in recent days, it had become clear that the people of Rohan needed a place outside of the Cavalry grounds to request assistance or make any necessary reports about goings-on within the Mark.

The smell of sawdust and fresh whitewash assaulted her senses as she stepped inside the building. Inside, there was a fireplace, a couple of small desks, and several chairs. Taeth made note to request some lamps from the quartermaster, since the days would soon be growing shorter as autumn set in. But there was parchment, pencils, and quills and bottles of ink on a nearby shelf. It would be prudent if whoever would be on patrol today would make sure to start obtaining firewood for the winter.

Hopefully Lailyn (@Lailorn) would arrive soon. Technically, Taeth was already on personal leave, but as she'd initiated this project, she wanted to finish handing it over to Lail before she headed out to her family estate in the Eastfold. And there were still a few other stops she needed to make in the Riddermarket before she set out in a few hours.

[Calimir]

Golde ge Eorcanstan

Calimir of Gondor hurried along the main street. He had his cloak on, autumn was already showing itself in the trees and the wind was getting nippy. He'd be a bit warmer in a day or two. Minas Tirith was further south and the summer stayed on a bit there. That's why you could grow lemons in Gondor and not in Rohan, he thought as he reached Sheemie's jewellery shop. The door was closed and locked. Cal' thought his friend might be with Beda but the door of Leoht Min Fyr had a CLOSED! sign hanging on it.

What a few days it had been - Cal' had fought fires, made new friends, learned a bit about jewelry making and had an order for lemons. Luckily Malachite and Amethyst, the Dwarves from the Lonely Mountain, had visited the shop, otherwise him and Sheemie would have been in big trouble. Cal' wasnt sure what the law was in Rohan, but in Minas Tirith taking money for something you couldn't make was something punishable by the King.

The Gondorian lad was just about to sit on the bench on the shop veranda when he remembered Sheemie had given him a key for the shop - and one for a cottage belonging someone called Aodh Hammerhelm. Cal' hadn't slept at the cottage, his room at the Errand-Rider lodge was booked and paid for. He wondered if the Dwarves had and what time they'd come back to the store.

He opened the door and stepped inside. All was quiet and the kiln was unlit, Cal' knocked on the door to his freind's bedroom. "Are you at home, Sheemie? Its Cal'!" he called out. He got no answer so he walked through into Sheemie's room. The little stove was warm so he filled the kettle and sat waiting for it to boil.

[Calimir]

OOC @Aodh Hammerhelm @Elarith @Eléowyn @Taethowen - SORRY FORGOT TO TAG YOU IN MY LAST POST! -

[Aodh Hammerhelm]

The Streets: Over by the Riddermarket Fountain: NPC ~ Sheemie Rheus

Sheemie sat by the fountain of the Riddermarket square and ran through the list in his head. Michæl was fed and safe in the sock drawer, Cal’ had a key to the jeweller’s, Master Mal and M’lady Amethyst’s breakfast was delivered, the orders in the shop were in good hands.

Now for the Beda-sweoster, he thought with a sad sigh. If could find her! Her shop was closed and her ma was dead, or so Malachite had told him. Where had his friend slept if her house was burned to the ground? Out in the cold and the pouring rain with her brothers and sisters - that would be terrible!

The brawny lad clasped a large bag in his meaty fist; a bag filled with fresh buns bought from the baker at opening time, the kind with honey drizzled on them to make them extra tasty. Beda would be sad and hungry when Sheemie found her. He had words in his head that he would say to her, and honey-buns to cheer her up. Now he only had to be brave enough to go down to the hospital and find her.


--
@Calimir, @Elarith & @Eléowyn

[Elarith]

Amethyst Copperpick, streets to Golde ge Eorcanstan

Amethyst had gone to sleep with her head buzzing with ideas of what to do with the commission from Taethowen, and had tossed and turned and muttered to herself all through the night. She had risen early, energised and ready to get started. Fortunately Sheemie turned out to be a lark too, and she'd enjoyed a delicious and filling breakfast even by dwarvish standards, requiring a thorough brushing of her beard afterwards to get rid of all the tasty crumbs.

Dressed in a buttery yellow with a makeshift navy blue headband-cum-bandage holding her dark hair back, Amethyst headed directly for the jewellers, barely sparing a glance at the other shops she passed. Her fingers were itching to get hold of some metal. She'd decided she'd let Mal do the silverwork base of the token, and maybe the embossing if she was feeling generous, and she'd do the fine detail with the copper, the final flourishes.

It was only when she reached the shop that she realised she didn't have a key and had simply assumed someone would be in. Feeling slightly foolish, she reached up and rapped on the door.

@Calimir @Aodh Hammerhelm

[Lail]

The Streets to Cavalry Liaison Office
Well, the day was here. After agreeing to the request to serve as a Cavalry-civilian intermediary in the market, Lailyn had second-guessed her decision more than once. Still, part of her felt honored to have been asked, though still somewhat confused as to why they chose her. But maybe in time by doing this, she could finally let go of old regrets that were creeping back in since returning to the city. She had to stop looking at uniformed Cavalry soldiers and seeing the divide between what they were and what she was not.

The walk from New Town to the market helped clear her head and prepare her for this new endeavor. To ensure she appeared unquestionably civilian, she wore a simple grey dress with no other colors. No green, no blue and no Westmark red. If she was supposed to make people feel comfortable, she would start by looking like one of them.

Shoppers already milled about the streets by the time she arrived. As she passed a young man wearing a sword and standing in a shady spot (Éomund), she gave him a polite smile. She thought he looked a bit nervous but everyone's nerves were frayed a bit these days.

It was strange not to be milling about the market and shopping, but then again, her last visit to the market also turned in more than one unexpected direction...one of which apparently led them to ask her to do this.

She followed Taeth's directions and soon found herself at the door to the Cavalry Liaison Office. With a moment's hesitation, she considered knocking, then changed her mind and went right in. They should be expecting her. She smiled with relief to see who was waiting inside.

"Taethowen!" she greeted her, then corrected herself. "Er, Marshal Taethowen that is...Sorry. I'm still getting used to that." While she knew Taeth had been a Marshal once before, Lail hadn't really been around to see it. She wasn't quite sure how one addressed a Marshal who was also a friend. "Its so good to see you. Tell me I'm not late, am I? Was I supposed to bring anything with me?" she asked with wide eyes, suddenly concerned she had somehow already made a mistake before she even got started.
--
@Taethowen

[Gwai]

Gwai
Streets, heading to Bits & Pieces Tack Shop

Gwai strolled slowly down the Riddermarket streets, munching an apple she had swiped earlier from the Cavalry mess hall, and enjoying the pleasant morning air. She had been fairly productive so far, managing to sneak in some early morning training time with Brightfyr at the Courtyard before heading to open the shop for the day. She wore a simple dark green dress with a square neckline, but after the recent events, she had made sure to keep her sword belted on, and found herself looking around more than usual as she walked the streets. The Cavalry patrols would begin today, and she was relieved there would be extra security between the recent fires and the still unsolved stabbing.

She mentally made a list of things she needed to do today. Sweep the shop, organize the new shipment of bits--I need to hire an assistant, she interrupted herself with a grimace. Cal and Sheemie would likely send word today the special order was ready, so she would need to pick that up. And the Cavalry Liaison Office was opening today as well, and it would probably be nice to check on Lail to make sure she didn't need anything. Gwai looked down at her dress. Visiting Taeth's shop at some point wouldn't be a terrible idea either, she thought wryly to herself. It had been a while since she had new dresses made up, and it was probably past time, she decided as she walked up to her shop, fumbling through her bag for her keys as she tried not to drop the rest of her apple.

[Taethowen]

Taethowen

The New Cavalry Liaison Office

The door creaked open, and Taeth turned just as Lail greeted her by name, and then backtracked to include her rank. Taeth smiled. "I'm still getting used to it myself," she confessed. "The promotion was rather sudden and all. But please, call me Taeth, at least when it's just us. You're not in the Cavalry, after all.

"You're not late at all!" Taeth reassured Lail, and then gestured around the office. "I think, other than needing some lamps and to start collecting firewood for the winter, that everything you should need is here. And if you do find something is missing and you need to acquire it, please make sure to send the expense on to the Cavalry.

"Does it seem satisfactory to you? Is there anything obvious missing? Do you have any questions? I'm about to be gone on personal leave for a few weeks myself, so I don't know who has been assigned patrol today, but they should check in with you at some point."

[Calimir]

Golde ge Eorcanstan @Aodh Hammerhelm @Elarith

"Good morning, Lady Amethyst," Cal' said when he opened the door and found the Dwarf standing on the veranda. "Come in, come in. Didn't Sheemie give you a key? I've just made a pot of tea and I've moved your chair to the work area. If you need any grinding done I can work the pedal wheel for you."

The Gondorian looked up and down the street before going back indoors. @Gwai and @Taethowen weren't hurrying this way , which meant they had time to finish their orders.

"Where's Malachite?" Cal' asked Amethyst, feeling worried when he realised her brother wasn't with her.

[Lail]

Lailyn, Cavalry Liaison Office
Lailyn’s shoulders relaxed with relief to hear she was not late and that it was safe to address Taeth informally at least between them. She glanced around the office, taking in the neat pile of supplies on the shelf and bare desks and the scent of fresh sawdust.

“Well, it seems fine to me…” It was certainly tidy and practical, everything you’d expect from the Cavalry, but it also felt a bit austere. “But I’d be happy to spruce it up a bit if you don’t mind. I think people will feel more comfortable if it looks a bit less...formal. Within reason of course. I won’t go spending Cavalry funds on golden candlesticks or anything!

“I can think of so many questions you’ll never get to leave if you let me ask them all though I admit some of them might be more personal,” she replied with a sly grin. They still hadn’t had a chance to really catch up and Lailyn was eager to hear of Taeth’s own adventures away from the Mark and she was particularly interested in a certain new development.

“I think I understand my role well enough...to pass on people's concerns to the cavalry. But I am wondering...if the culprit has been caught?” she asked with a touch of hope "And do you think it was targeted after all? I mean I don't know Pele but I can't understand why anyone would attack her…is there still cause for concern?"

Not only was she worried for the people of Edoras but she really did not want to deal with another stabbing on her first day. Reason said that whoever was guilty was likely miles away if they hadn’t been caught, but she couldn’t presume to know the mind of a would-be murderer.

@Taethowen

[Taethowen]

Taethowen

The Cavalry Liaison Office

"I think it would be wonderful if you added your own touch to the place!" Taeth smiled. This was exactly why they'd chosen Lail. Despite her own skill in designing lovely clothing, Taeth was ever practical when it came to her surroundings, and she often overlooked the finer art of making a place cozy and welcoming.

Taeth blushed a little at Lail's smirk and mention of personal questions. "We'll have to have a drink at whatever pub is up and running when I return," Taeth promised. "We need to catch up."

As Lail continued, asking about the attack on Pele, Taeth grew sober. "The culprit has not been caught yet," she answered honestly. "But so far evidence points to it being a targeted attack, so there's no need for any alarm, simply vigilance."

Taeth looked up and down Lail's figured, noting that she'd worn a completely neutral color and the lack of anything which might be considered an affiliation to an eored, but saw no obvious sign of a weapon. "Are you armed?" Taeth asked. "Even if you do not wish to carry a sword--and it might be out of place here--do you have a knife or a dagger on you? While I don't anticipate you meeting any trouble, the Cavalry patrol may not always be here with you all the time, and I'd rather know that you had a way to defend yourself if need be.

"I will have to be off soon, though," she confessed. "I have a few more errands to run, and Frost is waiting on me after that."

[Elarith]

Amethyst Copperpick at Golde ge Eorcanstan

The door opened, and Calimir greeted her. "Morning, Cal. Up bright and early too, I see. Tea would be wonderful, thank you," she said, slipping inside the workshop. Her handbag gave a faint 'mew' as she popped it beside the chair she'd been sitting in the previous day, and drew the sketches and notes she'd made for Taeth's commission towards her.

"Hmm? Mal? Oh, I'm sure he'll be along eventually. He doesn't tend to wake as early as me," she replied to Cal, fitting her pince-nez to her nose and studying the design. Ah, yes, the medallion's miniature with the galloping horse. "I might take you up on your pedalling offer, but we need to sort the base of this out first. Where's the silver? If you can find me some I'll get that kiln fired up," she said, then bustled off to find some kindling.

@Calimir @Aodh Hammerhelm

Elarith at Slitan Bur

Hiding a big yawn behind her sleeve, Elarith unlocked the door to the butchers' shop and pushed her way in. She was still dog tired, still not quite recovered from helping with the fire-fighting, and her left hand was still sore and bandaged, though not as badly as it did. It had taken some serious effort to drag herself out of the house, and the bribe of a delicious breakfast from her sister-in-law Blythe.

She went through the motions of setting up the counters, not really paying attention to what she was doing. Maybe if there weren't any customers about she could fit in a quick nap whilst the kettle boiled?

[Shivased]

The Streets
Shivased, Daran and Jacen

Arriving in the Riddermarket with her brothers put a smile on Shivased's face and was a perfect start to her day, she decided. It wasn't often duty and running Braiarwood allowed the three of them to all be together at the same time. Yet they had been able to spend the previous evening at the house Daran had in Edoras and had then had breakfast together and come to the marketplace together. And barring any Cavalry things arising, they would be able to have dinner together that night as well.

I'll try to stop by both your shops around noon with some lunch, Daran said, breaking off from his siblings as he got to his own shop. Nodding, Shivased leaned down from Storm's back to give him a quick hug and continued on. Reaching their shops, Jacen gave a wave and hurried to unlock and open his while she headed to her own, which she was glad was across the street.

The Copper Kettle

Unlocking the door and pushing into the shop, Shivased paused and inhaled the smell of tea and herbs. She quickly set her bag down and took off her cloak, replacing it with a medium-weight shawl over her green gown to keep her warm in the cool morning air. The next task was starting a fire in the large fireplace; in a few minutes she had a small but merry blaze going and, ensuring there was enough wood on the fire, set a kettle of water to boil and moved to start her day. She didn't have a whole lot to do as most of her teas were already made. But she did have some ideas for new brews to try. Pulling a small notebook and quill and ink out of her bag she sat at the counter and started scratching. cinnamon-apple, chocolate nutmeg, lavender and almond....she jotted down the flavour combinations that popped into her mind. She'd have to figure out if they were going to be black, herbal, green, oolong,rooibos....if they needed additional ingredients....it took a bit of creativity as well as trial and error to come up with a new tea flavour, and she loved it.

Glaedmod Abiring

Loud squawking was the first thing that met Daran as he entered his shop, followed quickly by the rattling of metal. I'm coming, I'm coming, he muttered and headed straight across the shop and unlocked Casper's cage, allowing the bird to hop out and fly freely in the shop. He continued grumbling as he got going for the day, opening the blinds on the shop windows and uncovering the trays of sweets on the counter. Casper squawked occasionally as he worked and earned a pet when he landed on Daran's shoulder. That done he spent a few minutes cleaning the bird's cage and filled a bowl with fresh fruit and vegetables, which the bird quickly flew to and started eating.

Once everything was open he studied the shop, taking stock and trying to decide what to start making. Evevntually he grinned. It was time to pull some taffy. It was his favourite thing to make. For some reason pulling taffy was fun for him, and he often had kids stop in to watch since it was a rather odd-looking way of making something. He strapped on an apron and started the fire in his large fireplace, which he'd had specially designed for candy making. It was open on both sides so more than one person could work at the large cauldron that could hang over the fire. It was quite innovative and he was extremely proud of it. Once the fire was going he started adding ingredients. They would have to cook slowly for a while.

Ye Olde Pet Shoppe

The yipping, meowing, squawking and scratching greeted Jacen upon entering his shop. He grinned, but the smile quickly feel and he wrinkled his nose. Now that he was in the shop the smell was almost overpowering. He always forgot how much poop animals made, and how badly it smelled, especially after a night in a closed-up building. He would need to get the shop aired out and the animals cleaned up before any customers came. He was sure nobody would want to be in the shop with the smell.

Getting his apron on and lighting some lamps he got to work with the puppies. It was hard work and he had to be creative to keep the little creatures from eating his broom or knocking over the bucket of droppings and straw. More than once he found his apron tugged on or was gowled at playfully. Once he had managed to get the puppy pen cleaned he put leashes on all three pups and took them out back. It was a bit of a trick getting them out there but, after some leash-chewing, jumping, laying down and refusing to move, getting tangled twice, and a lot of barking, the puppies were out back and romping around in the small paddock behind the shop. It wasn't a big space - enough for a horse or two to walk around - but it was great for giving the pups some exercise.

Bringing them back in he got them fed and settled, then moved on to the Kittens. The birds would be next, then the rodents. If he was fast, he could get things cleaned before the first customers arrived.

[Calimir]

Golde ge Eorcanstan

Cal' took had another look up and down the street before he followed Amethyst into the shop. He poured her a cup of tea, and one for himself, as she started looking at her notes and things. "Would your kitten like some milk?" he asked the Dwarf-lady as he put her mug on the workbench.

He picked up the silver letter that he and Malachite had been working on yesterday. It looked really good, all sparkly and well shaped. Mal had mentioned putting steel hoops on the back.

"All the raw materials and metals are over here," he said to Amethyst opening the doors of a cupboard by the workbench. "There are ingots of brass, bronze, silver and gold. No mithril, sorry."

Cal' selected some bars of silver for Amethyst, and some strips of bright steel for when Mal finally got to the shop. Hopefully that would be soon. That lady Gwai said she would be calling today to collect the F ornament, and Cal' also needed to head of for Minas Tirith before midday.

--
@Elarith @Aodh Hammerhelm @Gwai

[Aodh Hammerhelm]

The Streets and on to Golde ge Eorcanstan: NPC ~ Malachite Copperstick

Malachite strolled along the market high street, he was in fine spirits and looking forward to another stint at the workbench with his sister, Amethyst and Calimir of Gondor.

How quickly a person’s plans could be thrown off kilter by events unforeseen; he would not have imagined practicing his craft in Edoras when he stood at the city gates a few mornings before.

For the briefest of moments Mal's face clouded – did his permit allow him to work in the city? – but the bright morning, and lavish breakfast Sheemie had provided, could not be undone by so trifling a thing.

His grandfather’s axe was at his waist; the cases containing his work samples, and Dooley’s consignment, were safe in hand. A day of pleasing work with a new friend lay before him and, when the work was done, a good drink and meal with his sister.

The Dwarf’s brow furrowed once more. “Corpulent!” he growled, as he stepped through the door of Golde de Eorcanstan.

--
@Calimir & @Elarith

[Lail]

Lailyn, Cavalry Liaison Office
Lail nodded. “Yes we will, it seems we have much to catch up on. And if Frost wants to join us for a drink, I wouldn’t mind chatting with him, either.” She wasn’t sure she’d ever seen Taeth like this before and she wanted to get to know the man who had seemingly swept her off her feet.

But her smile faded when she heard Pele’s attacker had not been reigned in and when Taeth mentioned weaponry, she glanced away for a moment. “I, um...I don’t…” she admitted. “I’ve travelled without a weapon for years...and I almost never had a problem.” She tried to smooth her expression and look confident, but as she spoke she felt her throat tighten. Taethowen was a Marshal and Lail was sure she wouldn’t understand her feelings about it even if she wanted to talk about it.

“I didn’t expect to need them at home, but I suppose...if I have to, I will do what I must. I didn’t bring my weapons when I moved but I will arrange something.” In fact, she hadn’t touched them in years but it seemed she wasn’t going to be able to avoid the issue any longer.

“Don’t worry about me. I’m sure I’ll be fine. I don’t want to delay you especially if Frost is waiting. But I do have one last question...presumably the wigends on patrol will all know about the stabbing? In case any new information comes to light...”

[Taethowen]

Taethowen

The Cavalry Liaison Office

"I'll see if he wants to come along when we return," Taeth smiled. "Frost did mention something at the after-party about that, didn't he?"

Lail's face turned troubled when Taeth brought up weapons, though, and the former pæth couldn't help but notice how the other woman glanced away. She hadn't thought Lail would have an issue with weapons, she was former Cavalry after all, but... clearly it was an issue.

"If you're uncomfortable with a blade," Taeth spoke thoughtfully, uncertain of what might have happened to make her friend so uneasy, "perhaps a simple quarterstaff would suffice? Something you can hold an attacker off with, if ever necessary. But at least not as intimidating, in appearance, as a knife or dagger."

As Lail asked about the patrols, Taeth nodded. "Yes, they have been informed. Hopefully new evidence or information will be found, but it's been long enough now that... well. I'm unsure of how it will all play out. But we will do our best to keep everyone safe. I promise you that."

Silence fell for a moment, and Taeth watched Lail for a moment as she gathered her thoughts.

"Is there anything you'd like me to pick up in the market today, for the here?" Taeth asked as she prepared to make her exit. "I have several stores to stop at today, and can easily drop off whatever you need on my way out."

@Lailorn

[Lail]

Lailyn, Cavalry Liaison Office
“No, it’s fine,” she insisted though her brows knit together. She appreciated Taethowen’s understanding and offer but she did not want to be seen as weak as she still felt sometimes. Especially not in front of a Mashal. “If there’s a spare knife available...I’ll take it for now until I find my old dagger again.” You were a Pæthfindian of the Westmark, she told herself. You can do this.

“I know you are doing everything you can,” she assured Taeth in a soft voice. “With all the trouble lately, I can’t imagine how stressful it must be for you as a new Marshal...” She smiled. “All the more reason for us to get that drink.”

“Thank you but I think it’s alright for now. I’ll sort it out.” Whatever she wanted for the office, she wasn't going to send someone else to get it for her. She waved hand dismissively as if to send Taeth on her way. “But if you happen to see any large dogs looking for a home, will you let me know? I wouldn’t mind having one around now that I’m living alone.” She was half-joking but also seriously intended to stop by Ye Olde Pet Shoppe to inquire.

[Elarith]

Amethyst Copperpick at Golde ge Eorcanstan

The kiln was lit and heating. Amethyst pulled her notes back to her and made some marks on one of the drawings as Cal set her cup of tea down. "Oh, thank you. Krystalle would love some milk, wouldn't you?" she replied, smiling at the polite young man as she reached into her bag and gave the kitten a quick pat on the head. A soft hissing noise could be heard in response.

Cal had opened the cupboard of ingots for her. There was a decent selection for a country that was not renown for its smiths. Amethyst chuckled as he apologised for not having any mithril. "I should be so lucky, I've hardly ever touched it," she said. With a few more scratches of her quill, she was done amending her sketch.

The door opened, and Mal appeared on the threshold. He said something but she didn't quite catch it. "Ah, brother, good timing. Do you want to start on this medallion? I've finished the plans for it," she said, then looked back at him. She hadn't noticed when he first appeared but he had a thunderous expression. "Something wrong?" she asked.

@Calimir @Aodh Hammerhelm

[Taethowen]

Taethowen

The Cavalry Liaison Office

Taeth didn't quite believe Lail's words, but for now she would let it go. The Cavalry patrol should be here soon enough, anyway, so Lail wouldn't be by herself. As for a spare knife...

"I don't have any Cavalry issued equipment on me at the moment," Taeth confessed, "but I can write a note for the Cavalry patrol to acquire one from the armory for you."

Taeth moved to the desk and wrote the note as Lail continued speaking. "With all the trouble lately, I can't imagine how stressful it must be for you as a new Marshal... all the more reason for us to get that drink."

All the trouble lately indeed, Taeth silently agreed as she finished up the note and handed it to Lail. And most of it starting even before I was a Marshal, during the Summer Festival. Hopefully we can get a reprieve for a while now.

As Lail mentioned wanting a large dog, though, Taeth smiled and laughed, then hugged her friend. "I will keep an ear out for one. It's not a bad idea to have a guardian when you live by yourself."

Taeth looked around the new office one more time, and then back at Lail. "You're going to do just fine here, but do let the Cavalry patrol or the other Marshals know if there are any issues or if you need anything. I'll let you know when I've returned and we can go get that drink."

With a smile and wave, Taeth exited the liaison office.

@Lailorn

---

Taethowen | Eldreda |

The Streets to Awesnis Gærwe Nædleprica

It was early enough yet that many shops were not open, Taeth noted. She wondered how many might be staying closed while their owners still dealt with the lingering effects of the Edoras fires, and hoped that soon the city would be back to its bustling self. It was a short jaunt to her shop though, and it wasn't hard to keep an eye on who might be around when there weren't many people around. Taeth was sure she wasn't the only one a little on edge in the Riddermarket streets these days.

Taeth smiled as she tried the door at Awesnis and found it already open, though her smile faltered as she stepped inside.

She was glad to see her cousin, very glad, but the news Eldreda had brought about her family the day before was... a dark shadow over their relationship, at the moment. Not that anything that happened had been Eldreda's fault, it was simply difficult for Taeth to look at her cousin without thinking of what Eldreda had told her.

"Good morning," Taeth managed to say, hopefully without sounding too... distraught. "Has Starbreeze or Selðryðe arrived yet?"

"Good morning," Eldreda replied, and Taeth tried to ignore her scrutiny. "No, neither of them has shown up yet. And I didn't expect for you to stop by before you left."

"Ah, well, I had hoped to formally introduce you to the new help, but it appears that was not meant to be," Taeth fidgeted where she stood. "And I also remembered about a finished order, and thought I might deliver it while I was out and about."

For some reason, Taeth found she felt incredibly awkward in her own shop, but she forced her feet to move and went to the shelf in the back where she knew she'd find Elarith's finished apron. When she'd retrieved it and returned to the front of the shop, Eldreda watched her with thoughtful eyes.

"Taeth," Eldreda said, and Taethowen couldn't help but wince at the... pity that colored her cousin's voice. "Are you sure you don't want to stay a little longer? Not here at the shop, but in Edoras. The estate can wait a few more days."

"No," Taeth shook her head. "I need to go back there. The poor lad I hired as a steward has been managing on his own for quite a few weeks now, and I need to... I need time. You know that grief can't be rushed, Eldra.

"I'll be back in about a fortnight, I expect," Taeth said as she stood at the counter next to Eldreda, nervously fingering the butcher's apron. "We can talk then. Now... is there anything you need to know about the shop before I head out for the rest of my errands?"


((OOC @Fairy Nuff @Almarëa Mordollwen - if either of you want to sneak in here with your characters so Taeth can introduce them to her cousin in person, that'd be awesome!))

[Calimir]

Golde ge Eorcanstan

Cal' returned from Sheemie's room with a saucer of milk for Amethyst's kitten. As he put it on the work top he heard the door open.

"Good morning, Malachite," he said feeling relieved. "Did you sleep well? Would you like a cup of tea. Sheemie said he was taking you breakfast, but I can find something if you're hungry."

The lad from Gondor hoped his Dwarf friend wasn't hungry. He wanted to get Gwai's order finished before midday.

He poured a cup of tea and handed it to Malachite, and it was then he noticed the Dwarf looked a little angry..

[Aodh Hammerhelm]

Golde ge Eorcanstan: NPC ~ Malachite Copperstick

“Good morning, Cal’,” Mal said, taking the mug of tea, and gulping on it mightily as he considered his response to Amethyst.

“Not really,” he said, eyeing her over the rim of the cup. “Oh, well, if you must know… It’s those missing bairns; the dead woman’s children. I can’t get them out of my head, nor why the Cavalry here about haven’t raised a search party!”

The Dwarf thought his glib reply, which was not an outright lie (he was vexed by the lost children!), should stave off his sister’s curiosity for a time. At least until the work in the store was done and evening found the city once more.

“Let’s get your ornament finished, Cal’” he said as he stepped onto his work box. “I’ll be with you in a minute or two, sister, the laddie and I have just got a wee bit of snipping and soldering left to do.”

The Dwarf examined the steel bars Calimir had placed on the bench and took up a pair of tin-snips. “Over you come, laddie,” he said to the Gondorian. “I’ll cut and shape the first hoop. Pay careful attention, now – you’ll be making the second.”

--
@Calimir @Elarith

[Lail]

Lailyn, Cavalry Liaison Office
It was a fair amount of false bravado she put on for Taeth and she wasn’t quite sure she had her fooled. Fortunately, she didn’t push the issue and Lail took the note from her. The hug was a comfort and she sank into it happily. “Thank you,” she said, not entirely meaning just the comment about the dog. “I’ll do my best,” she promised before the other woman was off on her own errands.

After Taeth left, she looked down at the note clutched in her hand and wondered if she could intentionally misplace it. Was a Marshal’s request to a civilian an order or a suggestion? But the wisdom of having a weapon was easy for her to see after stumbling upon Pele and she knew she would pass it on in the end.

She gazed out the window and watched people going about their day. They seemed calm for the most part, maybe even happy. That was all she really wanted; a chance for a quiet life, not more adventures. Not for the first time, she wondered if she should have said no to this position but since she agreed she couldn’t back out now. With any luck, it would be a quiet day and those on patrol would have everything in hand. Since there was nothing else to do, she set down the note on the desk, sat down and scribbled a list of things to get for the office.

[Taethowen]

Taethowen | Eldreda |

Awesnis Gærwe Nædleprica

It was a good thing that Taethowen had stopped at her shop, because Eldreda had needed help with sorting through a few recent orders, and she'd forgotten about a few fabric shipments that were due to arrive soon.

Once all that was sorted, a good half hour had passed by, and Taeth kept eyeing the door a bit anxiously, though she herself wasn't sure if that was because she wanted to be on her way, or because she was hoping that either of the new helpers would still show up. Alas, it did not seem that their arrival was meant to be at this time.

Finally, the two women stood together in silence, finished with their work.

"Well," Taeth said, her voice wavering just slightly. "I'll be off then. I will see you when I return from the Eastfold, Eldra."

Taeth recognized the quiet resignation in her cousin's eyes, and glanced away nervously.

"Be safe, Taeth," Eldreda said. "Ferthu hal."

Taeth winced, but smiled before she ducked out the door, the butcher's apron for Elarith in hand.

Slitan Bur

The shop was quiet as Taeth stepped inside. "Good morning," she called quietly, certain that Elarith must be in since the door was unlocked, but not catching sight of the woman right away. Taeth approached the counter, and set the completed butcher's apron on it as she glanced around while she waited.

@Elarith

[Aethelu]

Dicun, preparing for his first cavalry patrol

It had been a strange few weeks. With cavalry training and the team building exercise done, Dicun had taken a short leave of absence to visit home. It had been quite the shock to receive a note from home to say his mother had been taken ill. It had been a whirlwind as he had gathered himself up, rushed to Edoras to find his sister, and the pair had both hurried home. Thankfully his mother had rallied and started to recover, so the siblings could return only to find Edoras in uproar. A terrible fire in the city, though thankfully his sister's shop and home had been spared. It was all so terrible. Then, within days of him arriving back at the barracks, he had received word he was to patrol the Riddermarket. It seemed a great deal had all happened all at once, but he had to remind himself that he and his family had been lucky, so he needed to get on with things.

He rode into the market place on his newly acquired horse, a gentle mare called Arlette his father had helped him buy while he was back home. She had a dark chestnut coat, a wonderful disposition, and he was so happy to finally have a horse of his own. The ride from home back to the Meduseld barracks had been the first real test of their partnership, but it had gone so well Dicun knew he had made the right decision.

Arriving at the cavalry liaison office, he dismounted and tied Arlette up outside. She seemed quite content to wait, taking her time to look around and take in her new surroundings. Dicun smoothed down his slightly windswept hair, pulled down his tunic, and took a deep breath. He had to be a representative of the cavalry now, out in public, he needed to present himself well. It had been suggested he head to the office first to let them know he was on patrol and see if there was anything they needed help with. It was also the best place to meet his patrol partner it seemed.

As he entered the office, he saw a women (Lailyn) at the desk writing. He coughed gently to announce himself and smiled at her. "Westu hal. I am dryhtguma Dicun, I am here to patrol the Riddermarket." He rested his hand on his sword and pull his shoulders back, in an attempt to stand taller and look more...soldiery. "I thought it best to report here first and see if there was anything I should attend to. And to let you know I was in the market. And to meet my partner." In an instant, he had gone back to being an awkward 19 year old who was still learning the ropes. He was sure he was blushing, it was all experience for him whether good or bad. "How are you today?"

@Lail

[Elarith]

Amethyst Copperpick at Golde ge Eorcanstan

Amethyst frowned as Mal took his tea and told them of his concerns for some missing children. "Oh, the ones from the fires? Haven't they been found yet?" She wondered for a minute whether there was anything she could do to help. But she was a dwarf in a strange city, what she knew about children - and human children at that - could fit on the back of a pipeweed box, and she'd no experience of search and rescue. She was perhaps the singularly least qualified person in Edoras to aid them. She would have a think, put her head together with her brother when they'd finished sorting the orders out.

Since Mal wanted to get straight on with Cal finishing the headstall ornament, Amethyst dug out the mould she had been working on for the medallion. She swapped her pince-nez for a loupe - this would be close, delicate work. Following her new amendments to the design, she carefully scraped and picked at the mould, humming quietly to herself as she did so.

@Aodh Hammerhelm @Calimir

Elarith at Slitan Bur

Elarith had just sat in the chair with her tea and closed her eyes for two minutes. At least it felt like only two minutes, but the way she had to peel her face from her arm made her think that maybe it had been a little longer.

She thought she had heard a noise in the shop. A customer! Elarith lurched out of her seat so fast she almost fell on her face, then stumbled through the doorway into the shop proper. With bleary eyes she looked around and saw Taeth with an apron on the counter. Her tongue was stuck to roof of her mouth, and it took a moment for her to unstick it. "Oh, hello Taeth," she said a little thickly, heart sinking as she remembered that the other woman was now the Marshal in charge of her éored and here she was, looking rather unprofessional. She tried to smooth down a bit of wayward hair in what she hoped was a surreptitious manner. "Is this my new apron?" she asked.

@Taethowen

[Taethowen]

Slitan Bur

Taeth heard a scuffle in the back room of the shop, and a moment later a very exhausted looking Elarith stepped through the door behind the counter. She seemed to be fighting back a yawn, and a moment later greeted her while pushing back a loose strand of hair.

"Good morning," Taeth bit back a smile. "Yes, it is your apron. Can you try it on and make sure everything is satisfactory? Also, I'll be traveling a bit the next few weeks, and I'd like to know what sorts of cured meats you have available."

@Elarith

[Aodh Hammerhelm]

Golde ge Eorcanstan: NPC ~ Malachite Copperstick

With Calimir watching closely Malachite set to work with the tin-snips. He cut a strip of steel, held it against the back of the silver letter, then made a few more adjustments.

"The steel isn't too thick, laddie," he said to the Gondorian. "It's like putting a hot knife through butter with a bit of practice. Have a go and see if you can cut a strip that matches mine for size. Ah, actually make it a little shorter in length, the letter tapers off near the foot, doesn't it?"

The Dwarf handed Cal' the snips, and began searching the drawers of the work bench for solder and rivets. He took a quick peek over at Amethyst. She was totally immersed in her task, humming softly to herself as she worked on the medallion.

He was spared a while longer from imparting the news from home to her. Now he only had to rid his mind of the mystery of the missing bairns, and all would be well with the world.

"You're awfully quite this morning," he said to Calimir. "Did you sleep badly, or are you worried about how your customer will react to your creation? If it's the latter, you needn't be; you've made a thing of beauty, friend."

--
@Calimir * @Elarith

[Calimir]

Golde ge Eorcanstan @Aodh Hammerhelm @Elarith

Cal' watched Malachite cutting a piece of steel. When it was his turn he concentrated hard but he cut his stop a bit too short. He had another go and that was too narrow. The third cut was just right. The lad from Gondor handed it to his Dwarf friend.

"I slept very well, thanks, " he said to Mal. "The bed at the Errand-rider Lodge are quite comfortable. I'm just thinking of time and how I have to be off to Minas Tirith this afternoon.

Will you and Amethyst be here when I return? I hope so, I'd like to treat you to a meal for being so kind and helpful. I'm not sure what Sheemie and me would have done if you hadn't showed up! i should be back in Edoras in three days. How long are you staying in Rohan."

Cal' realised something he hadn't really thought about since the end of the Tub Race. He liked being in Rohan .. Loved it a actually. He wished he could stay, there were Sheemie's friend Beda and her lost family to help.

[Allacan ob Burzum]

Grimthain, human, he/him
Meeting up with Éomund (@Dimcairien Luiniel)

He double checked his list, read it over and over again, stuffed it in his pocket as he searched about for his keys and boots, shifted the sheath of his sword at his belt to a more comfortable position, patted at the heavy coin purse tucked beneath his belt, headed for the door, then panicked and turned back thinking he had forgotten it only to realise after five minutes of frantic searching that it was - you Nahar-touched nincompoop - in his pocket! The nerves of being out of his cavalry uniform, booted and shirted for casual acquaintance and without the steady re-assurance of military routine and etiquette to fall back on, were getting to him. He ran a hand through his now short-cropped hair as he locked up his front door, waving casually at his neighbour who then came to join him companionably and offered him some of the apples from the tree in her back garden. Well, he could hardly refuse - this being the first time he had yet met the lady next door - but inside he became even more tightly wound as he realised he was running increasingly late for his meeting with Éomund.

Eventually, and only after accepting a basket of apples that he hastily re-entered his front door to deposit just inside the threshold, he finally managed to make it as far as the street. He wanted to run, to avoid the tardiness he had for many years avoided at all costs, but he had no intention of working himself into a sweat only to impose his tousled demeanour on his poor ward. He forced himself to step slowly, casually, made himself greet those he passed with a warmth he rarely had time for while on duty. It was soul-warming; after all the recent events in the city both residents and visitors had bonded unexpectedly, and even walking down the street past the scorched remains of the fires and the loud rebuilding works, there was a sense of camaraderie and resilience in the air.

At last, he reached the streets of the Riddermarket; despite his best efforts his feet had defaulted to a marching pace that had covered the ground quickly at minimal effort, so he was only a few minutes late. Still, as he headed over the cobbles towards their agreed meeting place with apologies (and many of them) ready on his lips. He still had not had a chance to speak to Éomund after his humiliating behaviour in the Throne Room; to seek his forgiveness for the uncharacteristic outburst. But all his words faltered as he caught sight of the young man waiting casually beneath the shade of a shop awning, with Éodred's sword hanging at his side. For a moment, he looked the spitting image of his father and Grimthain felt almost like he was a young man again, out on the town with his comrade to cause mayhem and mischief. And then he saw the nervous shifting of Éomund's stance as he spotted his uncle, and the momentary illusion passed.

The grin that overcame Grimthain's face was both unexpected and broad. There was no pang of regret in the realisation that this young man was not his long-dead friend. Instead, a wave of pride and love roused up within him, as strong a bonding as it had ever been with his sword brother. He stepped up to Éomund and hesitated only a moment to say "I'm sorry" before sweeping the youngster up into a hug in an attempt to undo some of the awkwardness that had come between them, hard on the heels of their experiences in the Throne Room and exacerbated by their estrangement thereafter due to being caught up in cavalry duties. He released the youngster after only a brief embrace before stepping back to regard him and the sword hanging at his belt appreciatively. "It looks good on you. It fits." he said simply.

[The Good Hunter]

Sekith, the Spider
Golde ge Eorcanstan

She scurried out from her hidey hole in the thatch when she heard the voices. Seven eyes stared curiously and hungrily as the big two legs conversed over something. She couldn’t tell if it was important, but her master had told her to make sure to report back anything that was said, just in case. She couldn’t understand anything that was said either, not having the greater intelligence of her larger cousins far, far away. She shot out a web of strong, sticky silk and lowered herself from her hiding place far above the two legs. She dared not go too far, elsewise she would be caught and squished. She had seen it happen to so many of her sisters, those she had not eaten herself, and she was determined not to have it happen to her. The lights and colors down below were spectacular, she decided as her pedipalps flittered about and tested the air. There was a cricket nearby somewhere. She could sense its movements. It sorely tempted Sekith. The song it made with its legs might as well have been a dinner bell. She was so hungry, through the hairs on her legs should sense exactly where it was, and exactly how it would taste once she injected it with her venom. But she had to focus. What were the two men saying? She assumed they were male, there were no big females around to compare them to. She lowered her black, shiny body down another inch, risking exposure for a better vantage point.

[Lail]

Lailyn, Cavalry Liaison Office
Hearing a gentle cough, she looked up to see a young man (Dicun) who had presumably arrived for patrol. Had she looked that young when she enlisted, too? she wondered. She must have. Even so, he looked neat and smart and seemed ready for duty if a little nervous.

“Westu Dicun hal,” she greeted him, stood up from the desk and walked around it so it wasn’t in between them. “I’m Lailyn,” she introduced herself and felt almost like it was missing something at the end. No title, no rank, no eored, just Lailyn. “I’m sure you know I’m here to help as the civilian liaison.”

"I thought it best to report here first and see if there was anything I should attend to. And to let you know I was in the market. And to meet my partner."

Lailyn smiled at him. “Nothing’s come up yet and your partner hasn’t arrived but I understand you know all about the trouble in the city lately. I am sure it will reassure people to see you out and about keeping an eye on things,” she told him, meeting his gaze and hoping to instill some confidence in this young dryhtguma.

”I’m well enough considering everything.” She replied with a shrug when he asked how she was. She was about to ask how he was doing and if his family were safe in the fires when she remembered Taeth’s note. “Oh! There is one thing…” She turned back to the desk and hesitated for a moment before picking up the note.

“This is from Second Marshal Taethowen. It’s...just a request for a spare knife from the armory for me. Until I find one myself.” Somehow, she managed to keep her tone even and she was glad; she didn’t want to wilt in front of a stranger who was also a Cavalry soldier. She held the note out to him. “It doesn’t need to be done immediately but she was quite insistent I had some kind of weapon just in case...”

(OOC: seeing as Dicun literally just arrived please don’t feel like you need to run off and fetch a weapon and Lail is not in a hurry to get one either. )
@Aethelu

[Elarith]

Amethyst Copperpick at Golde ge Eorcanstan

Amethyst did one final tiny nick in the mould, then sat back, satisfied. She had learned over the years when to stop rather than adjusting, adjusting, adjusting and ending up ruining the piece. She took the loupe off, and rubbed her eye as her vision reverted back to normal.

The dwarf looked up in time to hear Cal say he was heading off to Minas Tirith in a matter of hours. "Oh, darling boy! I didn't realise you were having to dash off. Do you have business through there?" Amethyst asked. She had just assumed he worked here in the shop and that was that. She tried not to guffaw when Cal said about treating them to a meal if they were still in Edoras when he returned. If there was food involved, Mal would probably be around. She looked across at her brother when the Gondorian lad asked how long they were staying. "Actually... I'm not quite sure any more. I had only planned to stop for a few days then go on to Minas Tirith myself, but then Mal appeared, and there were the fires, and...." she tailed off. "I think Mal and I need to have a chat." About many things. She hadn't forgotten his talk of Corpulent, though she had pushed it to the back of her mind where it lurked like a fat spider whilst she tried to focus on other things instead.

There was a rustling from her bag, and Krystalle's grey face appeared. The kitten mewed, and looked up towards the ceiling, showing tiny needle-like teeth. "All right, Krystalle, it's only Mal and Cal finishing some work," she said, and tutted. She stood up from her chair and went to get the silver the boy had picked out for her earlier.
@Calimir @Aodh Hammerhelm

Elarith at Slitan Bur

The apron was like an early Mettarë present to herself. It was slightly depressing that she was so excited about it. Elarith quickly took off her sister-in-law's borrowed one, and stuck it back on the hook behind the door. "I've been looking forward to getting this. I've felt guilty using Blythe's all the time," she said to Taeth as she hurriedly crossed back to where the apron sat on the counter top. She took it and shook it out, admired it for a moment, then slipped it on and tied the straps in a bow. She stuck her hands into the pocket she'd requested at the front and tested it out. "Feels great. Looks great too," she said, brushing the oiled canvas with her hand. "Just a second, I've got the next instalment in the back."

Elarith nipped into the work room, rummaged for her coin purse and pulled out two silver coins she'd put by. She carried them back out and handed them over to Taeth. "Thanks very much. I'll bring the remainder by the shop in a week or so if that's all right?" she asked.

"Right, cured meats, what have we got in?" the butcher said, as much to herself as to Taeth. She scanned along the boards and dishes, hands on hips. "Cured pork belly, but that's best if you can cook it a little. We've some dry cured ham, some sausages, some blood sausages, and a bit of beef, by the looks of things," she said, pointing out each one. "The ham's pretty good. You can try any of them if you would like."

@Taethowen

[Elarith]

((Forgot to @Mama's Murder Muffin too!))

[The Good Hunter]

Sekith, the Spider
Golde ge Eorcanstan

Oh no! She’d been noticed. A two legs brought a fuzzy four-legged creature and it seemed to see her. Sekith needed to be very careful now. She had seen countless siblings devoured by such beasts. They batted her kind with the giant paws, toying with them before devouring them whole. She was bigger now though, and she would not be such a pushover. Still suspended from her silk thread, she raised her front two legs threateningly, making herself larger and more threatening. Would it matter to such a monstrous beast? That was hard to tell, but Sekith felt it was necessary. After a moment’s time, she decided it was not safe to be so low and far from her web. With lightning speed, the tiny black spider scurried back up her web and hid within her shadowy domain. The sounds were now muffled and unclear, but it was safer up here. Her master would not be pleased that she ran, but they would have to understand. Those four-legged behemoths were terrifying. She wished she could bite it. Seven eyes fixed on the furry thing, avarice and rage storming in all of them. No. She would not let this challenge stand! She readied different silks, preparing her arsenal of webbing to attack the beast. Her master would be pleased at the destruction she wrought along side her spy work. She lowered herself again, lower this time, nearly half way down to the ground then hooked her legs around the strand and pulled herself up and aimed several thin, distracting at the thing before she lowered herself even more until she leapt from her silk to ground. The battle was engaged.

@Elarith

[Taethowen]

Slitan Bur

Taeth smiled as Elarith took the apron and unfolded it, excitement evident on the shopkeeper's face. When she put it on and stuck her hands in the pockets, then brushed her hands down the apron, Taeth laughed softly. She loved to watch people try on their new items, loved to see how they felt in them.

"Wonderful!" Taeth replied when Elarith declared the apron 'great!' She darted to the back before Taeth could stop her, though, and returned with two silver coins for the next payment.

"Ah, I won't have time to go back by the shop before I leave Edoras," Taeth said, pushing them back into Elarith's hand. "Can we put those toward my purchase today, or you can drop it off at the shop with the rest when you're ready? My cousin, Eldreda, is taking over Awesnis for me now that I'm the Westmark Marshal. It's a bit of a stretch to try and go back and forth between the Hornburg and the shop on a regular basis."

Elarith listed off the cured meats that were currently available, and Taeth looked them over as each was pointed out. It would be a good four or five days to her estate near Rohan's eastern border, and she would probably need to pick up fresh supplies at the nearest town for her return trip. "Probably... a pound of the pork belly, I can eat that up in a few of days," Taeth said. "And then... perhaps another pound of the dry cured ham, and then a pound each of summer sausage--do you have that?--and blood sausage."

She could hunt for some fresh meat when she got closer to her estate, as well. But she didn't want to rely on hunting when she would be traveling close to the road.

@Elarith

[Dimcairien Luiniel]

Éomund (with Grimthain @Allacan ob Burzum)

Éomund hadn’t been waiting long when he heard the sound of feet marching towards him. He looked up and smiled when he realised it was Grimthain. His uncle looked much calmer than he had been the last time the two of them had seen each other and there was a huge grin on his face.

Before Éomund had a chance to return the smile, he heard the man say “I’m sorry," and found himself caught in Grimthain’s strong embrace. “What was his uncle apologising for?” he wondered, as he returned the embrace, before realising that it probably had to do with the awkward moment in the Throne Room. As Grimthian took a step back and commented on how well the sword looked, Éomund finally looked his uncle in the eye and smiled.

“Thank you,” he answered, placing a hand on the hilt of the sword, “though it still feels awkward and I think my hip will be bruised by the end of the day.” He took a deep breath and continued in what he hoped was an even tone of voice, “And there’s nothing to apologise for!” There, he had managed to say it and hopefully Grimthain would be able to believe it. He knew that the discovery of the letter, along with everything else that day, had caused both of them to reel in many emotions. While he was embarrassed about his own tears in front of the King, none of Grimthain’s actions had embarrassed him; rather they had worried him. He gave his uncle a quizzical look and continued, “Fædera, are you alright? You looked as if you were about to be sick when you left the Throne Room.”

Over the past few days, concern for his uncle had been at the forefront of his mind and he desperately hoped that he was alright. He was extremely frustrated that Cavalry business (including weapons training) had prevented them from meeting up earlier. As he had promised himself both in the throne room and at the Memoriam, Éomund was determined to reassure his uncle, his father, as many times as was necessary, that he had not failed him or Éodred. Nearly all of his happy memories, and even some of the embarrassing and stupid ones, included Grimthain, and Éomund knew that his life would have been much harder and lonelier without the consistent presence of the kindly (and sometimes stern) man.

His fingers twitched as he wanted to make a move for the letter in his pocket and try yet again to place it in his uncle’s hand, but he stopped himself. Grimthain knew about the letter and would surely request it whenever he was ready to read it. Éomund hoped that the words of the letter from Éodred would offer much comfort and closure to his uncle, just as his letter had done for him.

He was about to ask where they should go first when his stomach rumbled. Éomund placed his free hand on his stomach to try and quiet it, inwardly cursing his foolishness for not grabbing some food from the mess hall before heading to the Riddermarket. Once the rumble ceased, he looked over at Grimthain and asked, "Where to?"

[Aodh Hammerhelm]

Golde ge Eorcanstan: NPC ~ Malachite Copperstick

“Minas Tirith, is it? How long am I here for?’ the Dwarf said, as Cal’ handed him the strip of steel.

Mal’ hadn’t really considered how long he’d stay in Edoras. Ordinarily he would have off-loaded Dooley’s consignment, spent a night carousing, and been off on his way home.

Things had changed, though.

Dooley’s absence, and the fact that the lad from Gondor was leaving at midday, meant the jewellery store would be left in the care of Sheemie. The lad was likeable enough, and a good host. But left on his own? He'd ruin the little business in a matter of days.

And where would that leave Mal? A nice little earner would be down the pan, and the chance to branch out on his own that much further away.

The Dwarf growled into his beard as he considered this conundrum.

Amethyst was also bound for Minas Tirith – should the three of them travel together? That would mean a reprieve for him, another delaying tactic as far as the Corpulent affair was concerned.

In the end altruism, and a jot of self-interest, won through. He would stay in Edoras and run the jewellers, at least until Calimir returned from Gondor.

His musing had not stopped his skilled hands, Mal saw. The steel bands had been shaped, riveted and soldered to the back of the silver letter. He turned and held out the finished ornament to Cal’.

“All done, laddie,” he grinned. “I should have shown you the final processes, but I’m sure a cove as trig as you, one that was able to make a mould and cast, can figure out how to solder.

Have you got a wee brush and soft cloth? Give it a final polish and she’s good to go… A presentation box would be a nice finishing touch!”

[Aodh Hammerhelm]

OOC - (Sorry, no tags! @Calimir and @Elarith)

[Amadhrill]

Æthelwigend Tord
Streets and Liason office

---

Æthelwigend of the Eastmark Éored

He had been somewhat annoyed about the order, patrol the Riddermarket of Edoras, surely that should be a Meduseld eored affair and not another task for the Eastmarkers. They had plenty of patrols to make in their own area if not required to do the work of Meduseld eored too! But he was a loyal man, and he had simply nodded when he recieved the order in writing, packed his gear and set off as soon as possible from the Aldburg. Yet with his arrival in Edoras, so too came the proud memory of his recent promotion and the reminder of how his hard work had paid off.

He had taken his horse, Eld, but as he entered the gates of the Riddermarket he dismounted and led his horse towards the Liason Office. He nodded his head in greeting to Grimthain and Eomund as he passed them, seeing as they wore not their insignias he did not salute them.

He tied his horse outside the office and entered the office. It took him a moment to adjust from the light outside to the dimmer inside, but as soon as he caught sight of the pair already inside he saluted towards Dicun and bowed at Lailyn. "My appologies for being late. I am Æthelwigend Tord of the Eastmark eored, at your service, madam. Dryhtguma."

His blue eyes measured the civilian woman and the dryht for a moment before continuing in his deep voice. "Are there any specific issues that need attention or is it the general incidents of late?"

@Lail @Aethelu @Allacan ob Burzum @Dimcairien Luiniel OOC:Thank you, Alla!

[Lail]

Lailyn, Cavalry Liaison Office
Just after handing Taethowen's note to Dicun, another wigend arrived at the office (Tord) and addressed them. He was older than the dryhtguma and a bit more formal judging by how he bowed to her as well as the Eastmark Æthelwigend insignia he wore.

"Good morning, Tord," she greeted him with a respectful nod. "I'm Lailyn. I'm working the office today. And I don't think you're late, so please don't worry." She smiled faintly, remembering her own worries about being late.

"If by 'general incidents', you mean the fires and the stabbing the following morning, then no, there are no other issues." She paused and studied them with a solemn expression. "At least that I am aware of. You may know more about it than I do." Cavalry soldiers would be privy to more information than she was; it would not surprise her if they knew something she didn't. "I'm hopeful someone might come forward today with more information about both incidents since again, as far as I am aware, none of the culprits have been tracked down yet...I don't know about you, but I'm hoping nothing else comes up."

Part of her wanted to know how the investigations were going and part of her wanted nothing to do with them. Had the trail Allacan followed gone cold? Who was responsible for the fires? Three burning in one night was certainly no accident and as far as she knew, there was at least one fatality; the shrouded body she'd seen in the Infirmary Tent. Someone out there must know something.

@Aethelu @Amadhrill

[Calimir]

Golde ge Eorcanstan @Elarith @Aodh Hammerhelm

"It does look good!" Cal' said to Mal. He held the silver letter in his hand and moved it so it shine in the light from the open door. "Thanks for all the help. Gwai will be very happy!"

Cal' did as the Dwarf had suggested, he gave the decoration a final polish and put it in a wood box lined with green velvet.

"I'm going to leave it here, for safe keeping," he said to the Dwarves. "Gwai was only going to call by when I got back, with her lemons. But she might come sooner. If she does she owes the same as she put for a deposit."

Cal' slid the drawer of the stock cupboard closed and smiled at Malachite and Amethyst.

"Well, I must be off, I have a horse to get ready, messages to collect and a long road to travel."

The lad from Gondor reached under his shirt and took a key on a chain from his neck.

"I do hope you are in Edoras when I get back. Here's the key for the shop so I you can get in and out. Farewell for now good Dwarves - and kitten!"

[Calimir]

@Gwai - see above post

[Aodh Hammerhelm]

Golde ge Eorcanstan: NPC ~ Malachite Copperstick

If Mal still harboured doubts about staying in Edoras they were dispelled by the lad from Gondor. The Dwarf took the shop-key from Cal’ and slung it around his broad neck. Before he could determine how much was owed by the mysterious Gwai – how much had she placed as surety? – his friend had departed with a hurried “Farewell!”

Mal watched the lad go with deep regret – he was alone, at last, with Amethyst.

“Can I get you a fresh brew?” he said to his sister, seeking a few minutes to gather his wits. “The pot’s gone cold. I’ll see if the lads have any biscuits lying about, then give you a hand with the medallion.”

--
@Elarith @Gwai @Calimir

[Elarith]

Amethyst Copperpick at Golde ge Eorcanstan

Krystalle leaped noiselessly from the bag on to the floor. Thin tendrils of web shot past her nose and she pirouetted to attack them, sure that a tasty, crunchable spider was to follow. Amethyst watched the kitten for a moment and decided that the cat couldn't come to any harm in the workshop - the door was closed and she couldn't carry out much mischief whilst they were around. She'd let the cat have a bit of fun, and maybe burn off a bit of energy so she'd have a nice nap.

"Do you know that you growl when you're thinking, Mal? It can be quite off-putting," she said, shooting a look at Cal to see if he'd noticed. The silver was melting nicely, so she stood observing her brother as he finished the piece. He was deft, she had to admit (but maybe not to him).

Cal was soon heading out of the door, off to Minas Tirith. "Farewell, dearest!" she shouted after him. "What a nice young lad," she said to Mal when the door had closed once again. "Well. We seem to find ourselves in possession of a shop, though I don't quite understand how that has happened. I wonder where Sheemie has got to?"

Mal suggested another pot of tea, and even better, biscuits. "Oh yes! See if they've got any of those ones with the little currants in, those are my favourites," she said, wondering what kind of biscuits the people of Edoras normally enjoyed. Probably something oaty that they could share with a horse.

She peered about, wondering where Krystalle had gone. A faint mew came from the other side of the shop. "Careful there my little floofkin, mummy doesn't want to have to prise you out from the back of a shelf now," the dwarf called. How she'd reach the shelf, if Krystalle did manage to scale it, was anyone's guess.

Elarith at Slitan Bur

Elarith felt a bit sheepish as Taeth handed her the coins straight back. "Ah, fair enough. I shall put them in my new apron pocket for now," she said, with an exaggerated wink. She dropped the coins in the deep pocket where they clinked softly together.

As Taeth reeled off her list, the butcher set up the scales with the pound weight and pulled a clump of old parchment out for wrapping. She paused when Taeth asked about one item in particular. "Hmm, not sure about any summer sausage," she said, double checking along the row in case she'd missed it. "Let me check if there's any in the workroom."

Elarith stepped into the back, and opened a cupboard. There were a couple of sausages on the shelf, labelled as 'spiced'. She frowned slightly. She picked one out and went back to the shop front with it. "Well, there are a couple of summer sausages, but they're spicy. And when my brother makes these he doesn't hold back. So I can sell you some, but consider yourself warned," she said to Taeth, putting the sausage down and sorting the pork belly whilst she made a decision.

@Taethowen @Calimir @Aodh Hammerhelm

[Allacan ob Burzum]

Grimthain, human, he/him
Meeting up with Éomund (@Dimcairien Luiniel)

He glanced down to the sword again as Éomund commented about having a bruised hip at the end of the day, before waving away the younger man's concerns and queries about whether he himself was well. "I'm fine now, nefa. Honestly. It was just a bit overwhelming and unexpected, but I think that all those emotions had been bubbling within me for a very long time and actually, in retrospect, it has been very good for me to have actually had an opportunity to release them, even if I would have preferred it to have happened in a more private locale." He blushed a little, ignorant to the fact it was probably very odd for Éomund to witness Grimthain blushing at the best of times, least of all when there was no longer a beard to mask it. "I would have found you afterwards and re-assure you I was well, but I was called away on urgent cavalry business and it seemed such a foolish thing to put in a letter. I hope you haven't been overly worried for me." He said with a re-assuringly wide smile as prove that he was indeed well.

then he paused and considered the sword sheathed at Éomund's hip in a practical manner. "I think you have nothing to fret about; it looks to me like the belt is hanging right - perhaps a touch loose - and you have affixed the scabbard properly, so it shouldn't bruise you. Mayhap you could do with some better fitted trews to help keep it in place, but it shouldn't cause you pain. If it does, let me know and maybe we can get a leather-punch to add a more fitted hole to your belt so it is more secure, or stop by somewhere we can get a better fitted scabbard adjustment." He glanced back up at Éomund's face and, realising he had defaulted back into a lecturing tone when this was supposed to be a day of fun. "I guess I'm so used to helping new recruits get up to pace that I can't help myself, but I figure your superior officer in Eastmark has probably already said such things." He spotted a familiar figure passing by and waved back a greeting to the Eastermarker. "Isn't that Æthelwigend Tord?" he asked Éomund as the man headed on towards the newly opened cavalry liaison office. "He's a commander in your Éored, yes? Does he lead your corðor, or does he serve elsewhere in the Eastmark? How are you finding your new Éored, made many friends?"

Then Éomund's stomach rumbled again, and this time Grimthain heard it and was just raising an eyebrow enquiringly when his own stomach rumbled, even louder than his companion's. He laughed then, a loud, hearty laugh that was perhaps the best evidence of the fresh, anxiety-free aura that seemed to have settled itself around Grimthain as of late. "I guess the first point of call for us both should be breakfast, before people start growing afraid these growls are the sounds of wolves and bears creeping into the market. I don't know if there is anywhere around here that would do pastries; we could maybe try The Copper Kettle, or CweÞ Ciese. Or..." he added, with a mischievous grin at the younger man "...should we be naughty on our day off and skip straight to Glædmód Abiring for something sweeter? The choice is yours; I have a heavy coin purse and I intend to be alleviated of much of its burden by the end of the day."

---

An unexpected visitor
The Copper Kettle @Shivased

His hooves were itching, and after all the recent training with the newest recruits of cavalry horses he felt that he had well earned a walk through the city, and deserved a visit to the Riddermarket. Horses were so common in Rohan that they did he not even occasion a glance as he headed along the busy, main thoroughfare, staying close behind a man who seemed in a rush to get to the market and was entirely oblivious to the horse following at his heels. When they reached the main street and he hesitated by a pitching post, letting the human rush off ahead, no-one seemed to notice the lack of lead rope and reigns, or the fact that the man had not paused to tie up the horse. So it was that Arod was given ample opportunity to admire the street, the shop fronts and the passers by unhindered and undisturbed. He could smell some wonderfully rich, earthy aromas almost like flavoured grasses emerging from a nearby shop and his curiosity was aroused; if only he could step inside and explore the smells for himself.

He recalled then an old theory he had once overheard in the stables from a different generation of young cavalry mounts that if you entered a building backwards, that the two-legged residents within would mistake your arrival as your egress and would not stop you from crossing the threshold, thus enabling you to get your butt in the door (quite literally). He decided that today was as good a day as ever to try this theory out, and therefore confidently shifted his position at the pitching post, his head turned backwards to eye his own backside from the corner of his eye as he attempted to visually line it up with the doorway of the tea-chop across the road. When he thought he had achieved the right position, and when there appeared to be a suitable gap in the traffic to allow him pass, he set off...

...and those who were perceptive enough to notice would be rewarded with the sight of a horse reversing straight across the road and tail-first in through the door of the tea-shop.

His flank skinned the door only a little on the way in, nudging a few shelves and stacked supplies such that they rattled and a few fell asunder as he forced his way within, but all in all he felt he had achieved the manoeuvre successfully. His hooves sounded loudly on the shop floor as he finally urged the last of himself within until he could turn his head about and scent the air appreciatively. Definitely some sort of fine, dried grasses in here, he thought, as he started to nose curiously at the wares for something he could taste.

(OOC I'm taking the liberty of assuming that either the tea shop's door is propped open, or alternatively the door enters inwards. Otherwise, this entry will have been an even more dramatic one than Arod intended, but perfectly legitimate given he is a war-horse and they are hardly known for his delicacy.)

[Aethelu]

Dryhtguma Dicun at the Liason Office

Dicun felt himself relax a little as Lailyn introduced herself. Sometimes, despite his training and wearing his insignia with pride, he still sometimes felt like the little farm boy playing at being a soldier. He hoped with time he would find that confidence that came with age and experience. "I am glad to hear things have been quiet after all the recent...upheavals," he said as she told him there was no concerns to report so far. When she remembered something, he tensed for a moment. It was true that he needed to be responsible and take the lead if needed, but he still worried if he needed to take on some heavy task related to the fires. When Lail explained she needed a knife from the armoury, Dicun breathed a sigh of relief, before catching himself. That probably wasn't the most professional response. He took the note from her outstretched hand and quickly read it over. "I see, I'm sure we can..."

As he spoke the door opened again and another cavalry member (Tord) entered. He saluted to Dicun, which he returned, and bowed to Lailyn as he introduced himself. Dicun looked him over, he was both older and taller than he was. His more formal greeting caught him off guard, as well the the Eastmark insignia on his cloak. It certainly explained why he didn't look familiar to him. Well, they would have plenty of time to get to know each other on patrol. "Westu hal," he said at last. "I am dryhtguma Dicun, it is good to meet you." He listened carefully as Lailyn listed off some of the recent incidents in Edoras. Between the fires and a stabbing, he had certainly missed an eventful time. He was frustrated with himself for not being here to help out, but he was also a little relieved that at least the rest of his family had been far away from it all. He hadn't been privy to any discussions or investigations when he'd arrived back at the barracks, he'd barely unpacked before he'd been sent into the city for patrol.

Dicun looked down at the note in his hand, debating if he should bring it up now or wait until after they finished their patrol. It seemed to him, after what he had heard, the city needed some reassurance. Perhaps it would be best to make sure everything was alright in the city before heading back to the armoury. Lailyn had said it didn't need to be their first priority after all. Folding the note up, he slipped it into a pocket in his breeches. He would deal with it later.

@Lail @Amadhrill

Aethelu, Pen and Ink

Aethelu stood in front of her little shop and took a moment to just look at it. It was still here. It was still standing. There wasn't a scorch mark on it. She wasn't sure if it was luck or fate, but whatever it was, it was a relief. When the news of the fires had reached her, she had found herself caught between two terrible situations. She had gone home with Dicun when they'd recieved word their mother was terribly ill, now she needed to decide whether to stay and continue nursing her mother or return to Edoras and see if her new home and shop were still standing. By that point her mother was starting to rally, but she still needed someone by her side. Her father and Dicun had been trying to keep their small farm running, she knew she couldn't leave them. All she could do was hope that her home and shop survived, and somehow they had. Someone was looking out for her family it seemed.

Turning the key, she entered the shop and breathed in the scent, parchment and some now very dead and dried up flowers she'd had set on the counter. The whole place also needed a good clean, she couldn't figure out how it had gotten dusty so quickly. Still, it was better she was sweeping the floor than sifting through debris. As she stepped behind the counter, she removed her light cloak, pulled on her apron, and picked up her broom. Time to get the place all neat and tidy ready for any customers who may arrive.

[Aodh Hammerhelm]

Golde ge Eorcanstan: NPC ~ Malachite Copperstick

There were no biscuits, currant or otherwise, only a quarter round of stale bread. Mal cut four thick slices, then a fifth (Amethyst was renowned for her ferocious appetite, especially while working!), and toasted them while he waited for the kettle to boil. He slathered the slices of toast with butter and honey, and set them on a tray with clean mugs and a pot of fresh tea.

"No biscuits," he said, bustling up to Amethyst's workstation. "But I've made you some toast… and all without a single growl! How did we come into the possession of a shop? I’m not entirely sure, sister. I was here to deliver my wares, find you and be on my merry way. Then along came the fires and our two hapless lads, and here we are.

I have a feeling we’ve been manipulated somehow – not by the lads, they’re too honest for any skulduggery! – but by the hand of the Smith himself. Still, it’s not a bad place to find ourselves in, is it? There’s art to be crafted here, the Rohir are quaint but welcoming, and there's good food and drink to be had, if you know where to look for it.

But most of all this little sojourn delays a return to uncle’s smithy, and the drudgery off working of ma and pa’s (Mahal rest their beards!) debt to that oily dizhat-turg…”

Mal fell silent, eyes bulging. He'd spied something more alarming than wisps of white smoke through the floorboards of a hotel room. Gossamer threads drifted from the uppermost shelf on the workshop wall. He heard the muted sound of a kitten mewing.

The Dwarf leapt behind his sister’s chair, and pointed a quivering finger over her shoulder. “What’s that?” he shrilled in a voice several octaves higher than his customary rich baritone. “Is it a SPIDER!?”