The morning had come quickly, it seemed to Zan, as she settled into a chair at the inn for breakfast. Having slept soundly, or as soundly as she could having to tend a hungry child, she stretched and looked over at her daughter, settled comfortably in the arms of one of the waitresses who insisted that the mother must have a moment of respite to eat in peace. Looking down at the bowl of hearty oatmeal with berries and honey, she decided now was not the time to argue, as she ate her meal.
Her breakfast finished, she sipped a warm mug of tea as she chatted with the waitress about the town and listened as the woman filled her in on all the local gossip. Nodding where it was appropriate, Zan listened with a chuckle at the going ons of the people there, pausing only to ask brief questions so she had a better understanding of who was doing what.
After a time, the conversation turned to Zan and her trip to the Shire. Recapping for the waitress some of the high points, she simply told her that she was learning her way around being a mother alone and the trip was both for pleasure and to help her regain her balance and self confidence. "Aye," the woman nodded with a knowing glance, "Tis rather nice to have a man about, but just as nice not to need him."
Zandrianna agreed heartily, "I know so, and my husband Kom was the sort that didn't treat me as though I needed someone to protect me or do everything for me - well, except when he found out I was pregnant," she said with a grin. "Still, in all, he treated me as an equal, and it was I think one of the biggest reasons I love him."
The hobbit smiled at the lady, watching the light shine through her long red-gold locks. "I can imagine though, it were more than your brains he found attractive," she chuckled as she handed Althessia back to her mother. "You've got a look about you, one that is bound to attract attention."
Snorting, Zan replied. "Don't be too sure, for I rarely get that sort of attention."
The waitress shook her head, laughing as she stepped away to tend the kitchens. "You're just not looking for it so you don't see, I'm sure of it." she quipped as she disappeared into the back.
Gathering her belongings, she asked the innkeeper if there was someone available to help her get her bags to the stable. He assured her that the matter would be taken care of immediately, and went to fetch someone for her. A young man approached soon after, looking up at Zan with a grin and a flourished bow. Laughing delightedly, she handed him a coin and he thanked her as he headed off to see about her bags.
With that settled, she stepped out of the inn and, looking down at the list she had written, noted the only thing left to buy was the fabric. Turning her gaze to the large house overlooking the inn, she nodded as she headed up the path.
Approaching the house, she was greeted by an older man with a nod and a polite grin. She looked down, smiling at him, Althessia gurgling happily in her arms, as she was asked her name and nature of her visit. Telling him both, he opened up a logbook and, after a moment of seeking, found her name. "Of course, Mrs. Zetsu, you're most welcome in the Mathom House, go right in please."
Entering the house, she looked around at the well kept and cosily decorated room. A woman, upon seeing her enter, came up to her with a smile. "Can I help you find something dearie?" she said, peeking up at Althessia with a grin. "Well, " Zan replied, "I've a need to find some cloth. Not just any cloth, mind you, I must have something special for it's to make a new dress for my daughter here."
"Oh, that's no problem at all. Come with me," she replies, bustling mother and child up a set of stairs and into a large room where a woman stood reading from a rather large tome. "Ellianna, this lady needs cloth to make her child something nice."
Looking up from her reading, Elli seems momentarily annoyed at being interrupted, but recovers quickly as she sees the babe nestled in Zan's arms. "Oh indeed!" she exclaims, as she comes to get a closer look. "What lovely hair the child has, and beautiful skin, just like her mother. I do think I have the perfect thing for you. Stay right here." On that, she raced out of the room, her steps fading as she ran down the stairs.
"Trust me," the woman said, turning to Zan, "If Elli says she has something perfect, it's guaranteed to be just that." she finishes with a nod. Smiling, Zan looks out the doorway and waits in anticipation.
After a moment, Elli returns to the room, followed by a strong looking fellow carrying a bolt of deep purple fabric, The fabric was soft, velvety to the touch and had a lovely design of small yellow and white flowers tastefully arranged in a seemingly random pattern. Zandrianna's eyes widen, her mouth opening slightly as she took in the cloth. "Oh! That is lovely!" she exclaimed, reaching out to stroke the bolt of cloth. "How much ... oh, no matter how much. I'll take the whole bolt, if it's available."
Elli, looking rather pleased at being right, named off a number, taking Zan by surprise for it was far less than she'd been willing to pay for the fabric. Quickly she agreed, and before long coin had exchanged hands and the bolt was being packed to safely travel to her home in Bree. "I can't thank you enough," she said to Elli, "Why there's enough there for at least two dresses for Althessia, with enough that I might have one too."
Grinning, Elli nods, "That was the general idea miss. For both of you should have something nice and new, especially with the holidays coming about and all." Having finished her work, Elli shook Zan's hand and bidding her good day, returned to her reading, while Zan and the baby went back down the stairs to leave.
Looking overhead, Zan contemplated the return trip. She'd had such a lovely time in the shire, as well as getting everything she needed, but now it was time to return to Bree and tend her duties to her friends and associates. It was still early enough, she thought, that if she started now, she may very well be back in Bree by late nightfall, even stopping to tend Althessia. Or at the very least, she thought, far enough a long to be in Stock again. Settling that in her mind, she went to the stable and handing the stable hand another coin, mounted her steed as she prepared for the ride home.
"My daughter," she said, looking down with a smile as they started off, "This is but only the first of our trips together, I think."
