[piosenniel]

Buttercup and Marigold in the kitchen with Uien

‘And just what are you doing here, sitting on the floor, little missy?’

Buttercup had just delivered the message to Falowik and was on her way back to the kitchen when she saw the little girl with her mop of yellow curls settle down by the door. She crouched down, so as to be on the same level as the girl and looked her over. Very pretty, she thought. She asked the lass her name.

‘Marigold . . . Baker . . .,’ came the soft and hesitant reply.

‘Well, Miss Marigold, my name is Buttercup.’ She gave the child her hand and brought her to her feet. ‘Today’s no day for Hobbits to be sitting about. There’s work to be done . . . a party to get ready for.’ She walked slowly through the door to the kitchen, chattering all the while to Marigold. ‘We’ll just get you some lunch, I think. Unless you’ve already eaten, of course. And then I was wondering if you might help me pile bread in the little baskets for the food table.’

Buttercup drew the child over to one of the empty chairs and urged her to take a seat. ‘This is Cook,’ she said in introduction. ‘Marigold’s come to help with the bread baskets.’ Cook nodded and poured the girl a small mug of cold cider. ‘And this is Uien,’ she said nodding toward the Elf. Marigold’s eyes she noted went wide as Uien smiled at her. ‘One of the Fair Folk she is. Used to work here at the Inn . . . that is til she went off adventuring with her Mister.’

Buttercup brought out a little tray of thick ham and cheese sandwiches and plunked them down in the middle of the three women, big and little. ‘Pass the cider round, won’t you Uien. And Marigold go ahead and take a sandwich. Workers eat for free today . . .’