Who I am Today
Chapter 2 : Deb
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. What's new?
Deborah slipped out of the palace gates, heading for "The Rowdy", the inn where she stayed when she was 'observing'. Dressed in plain clothes, she could slip into most conversations, testing the mood of the kingdom. As "Lady Deborah, princess of Dinarron", she would only hear the flattery of those hoping for a government position or a raise. As Deb, just another girl at the inn, she would hear everything. The righteous anger, the petty bickering, and the occasional satisfied comment, all of it.
Deb was by now a deft hand at separating the fact from the fiction, the whining of the lazy from the upset over the injustice of a situation. What she heard helped her father understand how the people felt. Dinarron was a small kingdom, and her father wanted to rule as well as he could. His daughters 'observations' often guided him, and at the least warned him when one more blow would send the peasants through the roof.
Deb planned on 'observing' for two weeks. Not only did these trips give her insight, they also gave her the freedom which palace life denied her. She, Deb the inn girl, was her own person.
* * * *
* * *
Legolas walked into the city. Dinarron, they called it. He was out of lembas and getting hungry. He hadn't thought to bring much money. As he walked down the row of market stalls, staring at the vast array of food for sale, he ran into someone. "Sorry", he muttered. "Oh, it's all right", replied the girl he had run into, "Are you new around here?" "Yes, I am." Replied Legolas, thinking about asking where he could get food, cheap. "Do you plan on staying a while?" asked the girl. "I think so, but-" "Are you staying at 'The Rowdy'? It's the best inn in town!" "I don't know," Legolas hesitated, "Is it cheap?" "I suppose so, but it's still a first-rate place." "How do I get there, exactly?" "Turn right at that corner, go as far straight as you can, then make another right. Turn left when you get to the big store, and then you should be able to see it."
"Thank you." "Your welcome. Oh and tell Mrs. Ingelsy that Deb sent you and that she'll be there soon."
"What?"
"Just tell her that Deb sent you."
"All right. Er... Thank you."
"See you later then." And the girl was gone.
Well at least he had a place to stay. Normally he preferred to sleep outside, but it didn't look like there were very many comfortable or inconspicuous places out of doors. He hoped that the inn wouldn't cost much. From the look of the girl's clothing, her idea of cheap should be something his rather limited budget would allow. Still he was a little worried.
As he neared the inn, Legolas went over that unusual conversation in his mind. The girl had told him to say what? To tell the innkeeper that Deb had sent him? Sent him? Well, he was a stranger here, so he would take her word for it. Anyway it was nearly dark.
Light streamed from the windows of the inn. From down the street, Legolas heard burst of laughter. Someone broke into song.
"A wanderer am I, Stranger to all..."
Legolas walked in. Almost to his surprise, no one seemed to notice him. He walked towards the large counter in the corner. Behind the counter, a large, but friendly looking woman inquired, "Want a room?"
"Yes, are you Mrs.Ingelsy?"
"That's me."
"I was told to tell you that Deb sent me, and she'll be here shortly."
The woman's eyes lit up. "Oh good! Right this way, Follow me."
"Err.. How much is the room going to cost?" Legolas asked rather nervously.
"Cost? For a friend of Deb, this room is on the house."
Legolas looked rather shocked. Mrs. Ingelsy obviously noticed. "Oh, don't worry dear, Deb does some favors for me sometimes, and this is the least I can do to repay her." She then ushered him into a warm room with a fire crackling in the hearth. "If you need anything, I'll be up front, and I reckon Deb will be here soon. She then left, closing the door after herself.
Legolas was dumbfounded. Why would this woman give him a free room on the behalf of some none-too-well-off girl. And even if she had a reason, he didn't really know the girl at all, not well enough for her to be gifting him a room. But he knew his only other choice was to go back to Mirkwood, and he didn't want to do that, not yet. So all he could do was wait until that girl got there.
A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it! But even if you didn't, review ANYWAY!
FrodoFever: Thanks for being my ONLY reviewer! The asterick thing was because I was having some problems with Tab and that was the only way I could get it to indent. I'm going to try to fix that tonight.
Chapter 2 : Deb
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. What's new?
Deborah slipped out of the palace gates, heading for "The Rowdy", the inn where she stayed when she was 'observing'. Dressed in plain clothes, she could slip into most conversations, testing the mood of the kingdom. As "Lady Deborah, princess of Dinarron", she would only hear the flattery of those hoping for a government position or a raise. As Deb, just another girl at the inn, she would hear everything. The righteous anger, the petty bickering, and the occasional satisfied comment, all of it.
Deb was by now a deft hand at separating the fact from the fiction, the whining of the lazy from the upset over the injustice of a situation. What she heard helped her father understand how the people felt. Dinarron was a small kingdom, and her father wanted to rule as well as he could. His daughters 'observations' often guided him, and at the least warned him when one more blow would send the peasants through the roof.
Deb planned on 'observing' for two weeks. Not only did these trips give her insight, they also gave her the freedom which palace life denied her. She, Deb the inn girl, was her own person.
* * * *
* * *
Legolas walked into the city. Dinarron, they called it. He was out of lembas and getting hungry. He hadn't thought to bring much money. As he walked down the row of market stalls, staring at the vast array of food for sale, he ran into someone. "Sorry", he muttered. "Oh, it's all right", replied the girl he had run into, "Are you new around here?" "Yes, I am." Replied Legolas, thinking about asking where he could get food, cheap. "Do you plan on staying a while?" asked the girl. "I think so, but-" "Are you staying at 'The Rowdy'? It's the best inn in town!" "I don't know," Legolas hesitated, "Is it cheap?" "I suppose so, but it's still a first-rate place." "How do I get there, exactly?" "Turn right at that corner, go as far straight as you can, then make another right. Turn left when you get to the big store, and then you should be able to see it."
"Thank you." "Your welcome. Oh and tell Mrs. Ingelsy that Deb sent you and that she'll be there soon."
"What?"
"Just tell her that Deb sent you."
"All right. Er... Thank you."
"See you later then." And the girl was gone.
Well at least he had a place to stay. Normally he preferred to sleep outside, but it didn't look like there were very many comfortable or inconspicuous places out of doors. He hoped that the inn wouldn't cost much. From the look of the girl's clothing, her idea of cheap should be something his rather limited budget would allow. Still he was a little worried.
As he neared the inn, Legolas went over that unusual conversation in his mind. The girl had told him to say what? To tell the innkeeper that Deb had sent him? Sent him? Well, he was a stranger here, so he would take her word for it. Anyway it was nearly dark.
Light streamed from the windows of the inn. From down the street, Legolas heard burst of laughter. Someone broke into song.
"A wanderer am I, Stranger to all..."
Legolas walked in. Almost to his surprise, no one seemed to notice him. He walked towards the large counter in the corner. Behind the counter, a large, but friendly looking woman inquired, "Want a room?"
"Yes, are you Mrs.Ingelsy?"
"That's me."
"I was told to tell you that Deb sent me, and she'll be here shortly."
The woman's eyes lit up. "Oh good! Right this way, Follow me."
"Err.. How much is the room going to cost?" Legolas asked rather nervously.
"Cost? For a friend of Deb, this room is on the house."
Legolas looked rather shocked. Mrs. Ingelsy obviously noticed. "Oh, don't worry dear, Deb does some favors for me sometimes, and this is the least I can do to repay her." She then ushered him into a warm room with a fire crackling in the hearth. "If you need anything, I'll be up front, and I reckon Deb will be here soon. She then left, closing the door after herself.
Legolas was dumbfounded. Why would this woman give him a free room on the behalf of some none-too-well-off girl. And even if she had a reason, he didn't really know the girl at all, not well enough for her to be gifting him a room. But he knew his only other choice was to go back to Mirkwood, and he didn't want to do that, not yet. So all he could do was wait until that girl got there.
A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it! But even if you didn't, review ANYWAY!
FrodoFever: Thanks for being my ONLY reviewer! The asterick thing was because I was having some problems with Tab and that was the only way I could get it to indent. I'm going to try to fix that tonight.