[Mithalwen]

Morning came but it's light did not waken Mithalwen for she had sat up most of the night, by candlelight in the tiny chamber planning the work she needed to do. She had thought long and hard about the braces Rory would require and had decided they would have to be made adjustible, For the child would grow - maybe very quickly and it would be cruel to provide support that would have been of short term use.

She sighed - the business with Aman and Snaveling had distracted her and alhtoughshe had obtained measurements she had not had the opportunity to fully discuss the situation with Uien. Falco's open hostility had not been conducive to helpful discussion. She needed to know howm much Rory was likely to grow and how swiftly.

However no matter how much range was needed, making adjustible calipers would be much more time consuming than fixed. Simple welds would have to be replaced by screws and thejoins would have to be strong even though the hobbit child was light. Time... and therefore money. She did not dare hope that Falco would help ... so she must also make things to sell to fund her unexpectedly long stay, nothing too complex and therefore expensive simple trinkets as she used to make to amuse the elflings, swift to make but which might earn enough pennies to keep her as long as the main work would take. She hoped the village smith would be as helpful as he had been about Aeglos's shoe two days before. She washed, dressed and slipped down to the stable to see her beloved grey horse.

She whispered to him ... we will be staying a while longer, so I will take you out for a ride now, and if the weather holds I will see if you can be turned out in a paddock. She did not bother with her saddle and slipped on to his back as soon as they were out of hte stable. As they passed the noble Felarof, she thought momentarily of the chain of events that the horse had catalysed, before dismissing it from her mind. Time enough for that later. she would enjoy this hour of freedom from the cares of others and the near silent companionship of her horse.

She trotted along the deserted lanes until she came some open, uncultivated land where she gave Aeglos his head, her silver hair flowing in the wind of their speed. It was good to be outside again and away from all the concerns and strangeness of the past few days she started to think more clearly. She stopped thinking of the task as a inconvenient duty and started to relish the challenge. Seldom did the chance come to make something completely new.

At last she slowed the pace and headed for the inn. Both horse and rider were mud spattered but Mithalwen was happy and sang for joy in her sweet elvish voice as they walked the last mile home. Once back in the yard, she started to tend to Aeglos herself but the stable-man took over and promised to let Aeglos out to graze as soon as he had been rubbed down and fed. " You will need a tidy up yourself miss"
- and catching sight of her reflection in a full pail of water the Elf was forced to agree. She removed her muddied boots and cloak, and carried them up to her room. She washed her face and hands and plaited her hair for loose hair and smithying don't mix. Then the Noldo picked up her notebook and descended for breakfast, choosing a window seat where she had good light to study her designs.