The Stone Maiden

Introduction

I worked at an inn. Kaila's Inn to be precise. The building had been here for ages! My grandmother was alive when it was built and the original owner still runs it. She isn't more than a day over twenty five in appearance, but she's closer to seventy eight I think. Kaila is of the Dunedain, a race of men blessed with extra long life.

"Good morning, Maeve!" Laniel greeted. "How are your brothers doing?"

"They're fine, Lani," I returned with a smile. "Jarel has something to show me tonight so I might hop off for a few minutes later."

"Tell Kaila, not me!" Lani laughed. She had this habit of always using our formal names, even though we had told her time and time again that she could shorten them. It was probably because she's an elf, but I never think too much on it.

"You and I both know Kai isn't going to be up until the sun is," I smirked. She wrapped her arm around mine and pulled me into the kitchen. Even though our "boss" wasn't awake yet, we still had work to do. Lani stayed with Kai and I at the inn, doing the little jobs that had to be done at night while everyone was sleeping. As an elf, she hardly ever needed to sleep and when she did, Kai let her do so without batting an eye.

Lani and I fetched a couple buckets of water from the well. We emptied them into a basin and she went back for more. I lit the small fire under the basin to start heating the water. We used warm water to clean off our tables and dishes. Once I knew the water was heating up, I moved around the inn, opening all the windows to let in the new day. When the sun was up, the many windows lit the main room of the inn, with a window available in each of the other rooms for guests to open and close as they pleased. When the sun went down, we lit the fireplace and a few torches along the edges of the room.

"Good morning, girls," Kaila yawned, walking out of her room.

"Just me for now. Lani's out at the well." She nodded distractedly and headed towards the kitchen. Kai was the best cook in the city. Theodred, the King's son, often stopped by, sometimes bringing along family or friends. I took time off to talk with him whenever he visited.

It was surprisingly slow at the inn, so Kai let Lani take a break between breakfast and lunch, took one herself after lunch, and let me have a break before dinner. Jarel decided to go ahead and show me what he'd promised to. I watched proudly as he swung around a training sword, whacking a stick until it broke in half. Kalem went to try to do the same thing, but couldn't get his stick to break. Jarel laughed at him.

"Boys, come here," I ordered. I sat on the porch, allowing them to sit on either side of me. "I understand that you are twins. But that doesn't mean you both are the exact same. Jarel, you definitely have strength behind your sword already, but you don't have the accuracy that Kalem has. Learn from each other. Don't make fun of your brother because he's a little different than you. That goes to both of you." I glared down at them to make sure they understood. "Now, I have to get back to work. Be good for Dalia until I get back?"

"We promise," they chorused, hugging my sides. I hugged them back quickly before standing and heading down to the kitchen. Dalia was a nursemaid that was getting on in years. Her own children had had children of their own, and they were old enough that they only visited occasionally. She watched my brothers while I was working. I offered to pay her, but Dalia refused everything I offered, saying it was her pleasure to watch them.

I stirred Kaila's stew while she went out and figured out how many people wanted each of her entrees that she was offering tonight. She hurried back into the kitchen, taking over and ordering me to fetch some herbs from the pantry. After that, I went out to get another bucket of water from the well.

"Maeve!" a familiar voice called.

"Hello, Theodred!" I returned, hardly glancing up at the man.

"Do you know what Kaila has on her menu tonight?"

"Don't I always? Lamb stew or a zesty chicken pie." I hefted the bucket out of the well, not surprised when Theodred lifted it and started walking towards the inn. "You know, I can carry that." I followed him quickly, noticing Eomer and Eowyn following us. Eowyn was smirking and I just rolled my eyes at her.

"I know." He still didn't let go of the bucket. "Where are Jarel and Kalem?"

"With Dalia, as usual. You all go in the front. Your usual table is probably clear."

"Lamb stew for all of us please," Eowyn piped up as I stole the water back from Theodred and they made their way to the front. I nodded recognition and went off.

"Kai! Theodred is here plus two!" I called. "Stew for all!"

"Just a minute! Check tables will you?" I grabbed one of the edged boards we used to pick up dishes and slid my way through the main room. I stopped to chat with familiar faces, holding the laden tray on my hip with ease. When I finally made my way back into the kitchen, Lani had taken the food out to my friends and mugs of ale to each as well.

"Theodred wanted you to chat with them when you had a minute," she told me. I looked to Kai and she just waved her hand to shoo me off. I slipped through the crowd once more, this time heading to my small group of friends.

"Theodred, what news?" I laughed, sitting between Eowyn and the prince himself.

"An orc raid, near the northern borders," he stated grimly. My smile faded in an instant.

"Orcs?" I clarified.

"Ones that run in broad daylight," Eomer confirmed. "We leave in the morning."

"Let me guess, just your eored?" My voice was low as one eyebrow raised. "Just be safe and get it done quick. Sneak attack?"

"You know me too well, sister," Theodred teased, pulling my head down and twisting his knuckles on my hair. The siblings laughed as I fought my way out of his hold, messing up my hair even more as I did so.

"Maeve, Kaila wants you to work again," Lani whispered as she swept past. I bid the boys a safe journey and stood to get back to work.