[THE Ka]

Rasputina woke to find herself as she always woke - sprawled out on the bed, with half her mass balancing with great stress on the side of the bed.

"Great... Why is it that everytime, I never fall off?!" ,she mutters.

Gathering up the blankets and what is left of the bed itself, she makes the bed and walks in front of the window. The sun peeks above the horizon, heralding a new day, the land winks and shimmers with the prosperity of a happy occasion ahead. As she dazes, she notices that someone is watching her from outside. Being terribly shy as usual, she pulls the blinds and sits in a vacant chair. oddly, she smiles with some deep knowing that today is going to be a full social event. Living in Eryn Vorn since she could remember, it had always been seculded. they didn't call it the dark wood for nothing, for it did not matter if the sun was up or not, most of the time she would have been in complete darkness. Many a time she would spend the day out by the shore line, on a patch of grassy plane that had yet not been covered by the wood. It was even more secluded but, a favorite place. The sea was far more pleasing than a dark forest...

"Hmm... It seems I can't be a reculse today... How horrible...", she sarcastically notes.

Then she remembers. her instrument, lying in its case calls to her. Still in her rain soked clothes, she begins to play. She waits for a neighbor's irritable threat on the wall, only to meet silence. On she goes with a few exercises, then a short song. The strings now hum with delight, something she has wanted to hear for so long. Finally, she puts it back into its case, and opens the dresser to find her 'handfasting' attire. A dress of simplicity but, very alien to the Shire. Made up of a blue and silver corset, cinched blue skirt and a very strange top hat, she admires herself in a small mirror. The many feathers from who knows where dance about the brim...

" I hope to the Valar that I'm not the only stranger around here..."

Searching in her trunk she finds her gloves that had disappeared since she had begun the trip. Also in it lies two presents, wrapped in green cloth. They are small but, intrigue the viewer with a sense of utter curiousity. She pokets both and closes the box and the rest of its contents inside.

As she was about to go out the door, she realized that she knew no one person within the Inn. Her eyes widened with guilt... Where would she perform at? Who was incharge? Who were the couple?

Mustering up some pitful courage, she grabbed the box and case in hurry and out the door. Closing it behind her revealed a new world. Everything had changed from the night before. The decor that had been hiding in the darkness of the night bloomed with bright colors. She silently passed into the main part of the Inn to find breakfast being assembled. Already some others have massed at the table and were satisfying their hunger. She stood in the corner, frozen to the spot. The table was mostly populated with hobbits, as she guessed but, also some of her kin and others. She left her box next to a group of supplies that were gathered for the finishing decor. Already the room seemed to herald a joyful occasion but, much more was still to be done. Tiptoeing as it seemed, she crept with her instrument to the long table and sat next to what looked like kin. Before she could remove her outragous hat, some of the hobbits from down the table pointed and smiled with awe. She feebly smiled back and quick hid the hat next to the instrument.

She then took an empty plate and filled it halfway. She then sat there, eating in silence and guilt. Her eyes scanned the table and found that many seats, some that she had not seen in her state of shock were empty, still waiting guest.

"At least I am not so late." she thought.

The woman beside her glanced at the door and went back to eating. Then her gaze flew back and rested on her neighbor's instrument. Rasputina tried not to notice but, smiled and uttered:

"It...It's for the handfasting..."

The kin smiled and presumed back to eating. Soon, a conversation crawled out between them, and soon both were discussing from where they came from, and about what further plans they were to have. Rasputina was not confortable but, at least welcomed.