There was a loud thumping on the front door that made both occupants of the bed stop what they were doing and stare at the stairway, as if the person at the door might break it down and rush up the steps.
"Maybe they will go away," whispered Valanyonnen.
The thumping sounded again, and Bainith untangled himself from blankets and limbs, and stumbled up to the window carefully, looking down. "Oh, no, how did she find me?"
"Who?" asked Valanyonnen as he sat up in bed, and watched Bainith struggle to retrieve some clothing where it had been discarded. He hid a chuckle as he watched Bainith flounder in the darkness, nearly putting on a pair of trousers backwards. "If no one answers, they will leave."
"No, she will not," muttered Bainith. He gave up on figuring out his hauberk in the half-light of dawn, and hastily found the long robes he had worn in Rivendell shoved down to the bottom of one of his packs. With a yank, they came most of the way out, along with a half dozen onions that rolled across the floor. "I will clean that up later. Promise."
By now, Valanyonnen was sitting up fully, arms crossed over his chest, thoroughly amused at the spectacle as Bainith struggled to get his foot into a shoe. "Try those over there," suggested Valanyonnen, motioning towards the pair that actually belonged to Bainith.
"Sorry," mumbled the youth as a blush colored his cheeks. "I will be back. Soon, I hope," he added as he rushed down the stairs to more insistent knocking on the door.
When he jerked the door open, he found a tall elleth in black and gold battle robes, leaning on a tall staff that sparked and shone red from the opulent ruby it held. "I hate to interrupt," she began, "but your friend from the Shire made it back in one piece." As Bainith breathed a sigh of relief, Zhie continued, "However, she lacks your sense of fashion completely."
"Oh... why?"
Zhie tilted her staff down the road that would lead to the Roslad neighborhood. "Just wander across the bridge and take a look. If she wears any of that to the wedding, it will certainly be an unforgettable ceremony. Someone needs to talk sense into that girl."
Bainith frowned and looked over his shoulder, up the stairs. He did promise to be back soon, but he never said he would not go and check on Yucca first. "Alright, I will see what I can do." He shut the door quietly behind him, and swiftly walked down the street to see just what Yucca was wearing now. The helm had been bad, but forgivable...
When he reached the Bent Spade, he was too shocked to say much at all. In fact, he found himself staring most of the time that he stood on the lawn. Certainly, her choices were not improving as time went on-- and yet again, he had seen Bandoras wear some awfully peculiar things, so perhaps it was all for the best.
He returned once again with a slight headache from the dizzying array of colors that Yucca sported, and made doubly sure that he had locked the door when he returned. No explanation whatsoever was given as Valanyonnen watched him questioningly with a mirthful look in his eyes as Bainith simply tried to say something a few times, and eventually shook it off, and with a wave of his hand said, "I am just going to hope that was a terrible nightmare."
"Well then, I think you should join me for some sweet dreams." Valanyonnen chuckled and gave a wink, which had the effect of causing Bainith to blush again. "I have business in the morning," he added, which brought Bainith back under the blankets very quickly indeed.
