[piosenniel]

Cook encounters the Elf and his son . . .

‘Land sakes! Who’s this?’ the heart shaped faced of the Elven child peeked out from his blanket, asleep still despite the voices and the lights in the Common Room. Cook had come out from the kitchen to announce ‘Last Round!’ and send the stragglers off to burrow and bed.

‘It’s Neviel, Miz Bunce,’ returned Ruby. ‘He’s Master Thalion’s son, here. They’re here to spend the night and then it’s over the Tower Hills and to the Havens.’ Ruby took the key off the hook-board and laid it on the counter for Thalion.

‘Go on and take them up,’ Cook said to Ruby. ‘I’ll watch the bar and pour the last drinks.’ She looked fondly at the child, thinking about the little faces her old friend had drawn for her of her own wee ones. ‘The little one is fair done in, and if you don’t mind my saying so, you look dead on your feet yourself.’ She looked him up and down. Elves always looked a bit underfed, she had always thought. ‘We’ll send up some stew for you and a plate of bread and cheese and apples. Some cider, too, I think. Sleep better, you know, with a nice full belly.’

‘He was asking about Mistress Piosenniel, Cook,’ said Ruby, as she went round the bar in preparation to take the Elf and his son upstairs. ‘Knew her a while ago it seems and was asking after her. Wanted to know when she had left for the Havens.’ Ruby smiled, biting her lip to keep from laughing.

‘The Havens! My stars!’ Cook laughed, now there’s a thought. ‘She did travel to the Havens while she was here . . . but that was only to bring back her friend Miz Zimzi from Lindon. Mistress Pio was the Innkeeper here for near a year. Came to help out another old friend.’ Cook chuckled at the memory of the Elf as Innkeeper, then her face softened. ‘Nay, she’s not gone to the Havens to sail West . . . though she sails on her own ship I’ve heard with her Mister and their three wee ones.’

Neviel stirred in his father’s arms. ‘Ah, but that’s enough of old times and old stories for now. Take your little one up to his rest. I’ll be here in the kitchen tomorrow as same as ever. Come and see me then. We can share our stories, if you wish.’

Ruby had moved to the staircase and was beckoning to Thalion to follow. ‘I’ve put you in one of our top rooms, a nice big one with two beds. Has a window with a fair view across The Road of the fields and trees. And if you lean out and look to your left you can see the little stream . . . The Water. Mistress Pio liked to walk there and feed the ducks . . .’ Ruby chattered on in a friendly manner as she showed the Elf up to his room . . .