The White Tower Pub and Inn

[Eowyn]

"Anyway, it is a beautifull name. It surely have a meaning?" asked Eowyn friendly. She noticed that the women was bewildered to see the King without his wife in the pub and turned with a grinn towards Aragorn. "What say you, do you have something to do for my sword, or do I need to spend my time in the citadel with waving fabrics and smalltalking with your wifes handmaidens?" She chuckled. "You know, I am not made for such a life."

[Envin]

"Indeed thou art not," chuckled Aragorn, also, as Nefertiti noticed, taking a keen interest in her glass as though it was magical, and then smiling at her. "But Arwen will certainly be glad to hear that thou'rt to remain in the City for a time. She should be pleased of a visit," he admonished her. Aragorn settled into his seat and drank deeply from his mug, then lit his pipe again and smoked in comfort. He offered it to the mysterious visitor. "Just a name, thou sayest? At the least it is quite native to the desert. Haradwaith, indeed? Then thy parents are of Harad descent? Are they...well? Or are they in Gondor? Dost thou seek for them? What does my realm hold in store for thy quest?" His guesses were far too shrewd for her liking.

[Nefertiti]

Nefertiti watched the friendly exchange between the other two at the table. She returned Eowyn's smile with a half-hearted one of her own as she and the Lord continued their conversation. Nefertiti crossed her legs beneath the wooden table and leaned back in her chair as Aragorn began his round of questions. "It is just a name." She interjected firmly, and a slight annoyance lingered on the edge of her voice. "As for my parents, I know them not. Nor do I know to where they have gone or even if they are still alive...which I doubt highly." Her dark eyes watched him carefully. What were his motives for questioning her so thoroughly. But then again, this was his realm. "And a quest, you ask? I have no quest." A smirk played upon her lips. "I am but a traveler passing through a great city on her way." Surely that was a good answer. She smiled to Eowyn, but that expression flickered ever so slightly as she glanced back toward the Lord. He was sharp. Nearly as sharp as herself.

[Eowyn]

Eowyn noticed the hesitation of the guest, to answer the questions and raised an eyebrow. Why joined this women their table for a drink an a story, but wasn't open to tell anything. She was wondering what this mysterical behaviour was about and how this woman got a friendship with a snake. But Eowyn didn't got inquisitive and remained quiet until Aragorn and Nefertiti had finished their short conversation. She turned to Aragorn, pretending not to notice the hesitation of the woman to tell any more and said: "I surely will meet Arwen. Of course. But I guess, that doesn't solve my question, does it?"

[Envin]

"Of course, of course," answered Aragorn. "Minas Tirith sees many a traveler pass her gates, and it is sooth indeed that there is much to see within her walls. Much to see, and much to do. See and do. Especially one from ... Harad." Did his eye flicker at her? She could not tell. "For, of course, the things Gondor holds are not often seen in the South by a woman and a serpent. Now," he smiled, "such exotic beauty is not oft found within these byways, so I must warn all my men, lest thy allure prove too strong for them, to be on their guard against thee." And here for a brief instant his smile unnervingly vanished, and Nefertiti caught ice in his eyes. No dullard from the north, this one. But now he speaks again to Eowyn: "Well, 'twill not prove difficult to locate something in thy line of work in these troubled days. Just thou remain in the City for a time until something in this ilk arises, and I shall call thee. Perhaps see my bride in that time, eh?" And he turned again to Nefertiti, but his smile had returned, and he offered her a smoke from his pipe.

[Eowyn]

Eowyn nodded to Aragorn. "I will. Let me drink this mug of ale and maybe another and I will visit Arwen and keep her company for a while. Why isn't she here, by the way? She must get bored allone in the citadel."

[vanya]

"I am not allone in the citadel," a voice behind Eowyn said. She turned around and Arwen was there, standing directly behind her chair and smiled. "I am glad to see you back in Minas Tirith. It has been so long," she said and huged Eowyn, who raised from her chair to greet the Queen.
Arwen smiled, gave Aragorn a swift kiss and turned toward the Lady of Harad. "Nice to meet you, my Lady. I am Arwen." She looked at the snake and throw a questioning glance to her husband.

[Envin]

Aragorn seemed to shrug his shoulders at the question in her glance, but greeted her warmly, returning her kiss and obtaining a cool glass of some peach liqueur for her, for he knew her well. Then he sat her down beside him. "This is my wife, Arwen, the Evenstar of the Elves," he said by way of intorduction. "And, my dear, this is Nefertiti, a woman of Harad who is passing through our fair City. She keeps odd companions, it seems," he chuckled, gesturing toward her serpent, though the mistrust in his eyes was evident to Nefertiti.

[vanya]

"Ah, from Harad. A fair distance. I hope you enjoy your stay in Minas Tirith." Arwen said and took place, smiling at Aragorn for the peach liqueur she loved so much. Then she turned to Eowyn and squeezed the womens hand. "It is wonderfull that we have such good and intresting company tonight."

[Envin]

"That is indeed so," mused Aragorn. "Of late few enough of our old friends have graced our thresholds, and it warms our hearts to see thee again." He returned his wife's smile and drank deep from his own ale, glancing now at Eowyn and now at Nefertiti, and oft at Kartan.

[Eowyn]

Eowyn noticed the silence of Nefertiti and turned to Arwen to keep the conversation running.
"Thank you Arwen, it means a lot to me that you welcome me in Minas Tirith. Aragorn suggested we could spend a little bit time together. Maybe we ride out together or you teach me how to cook." She throw a glance to Aragorn and chuckled. Arwen laughed silently. "I bet Faramir would apreciate it. I heared about some attempts of you." Eowyn blushed. "Well, it was at least something hot, wasn't it?" she grinned at Aragorn.

[Nefertiti]

Nefertiti drummed her fingernails lightly atop the wood of the table as she listened politely to the conversation of the others. She gave a nod of greeting and a half smile to the elven woman as she entered, though made no move to speak with her just yet. Her dark eyes glanced back and forth between the occupants of the table. Her gaze met every now and again with that of the Lord Aragorn, and she detected from his expressions that he did not entirely trust her. And rightly so. Nefertiti deemed herself a force to be reckoned with, and it seemed the Lord knew it to be true. At his stern expression she offered the slightest of smirks, but quickly replaced it with a more honest looking smile before the others could detect the exchange.

Returning her attention to her glass, Nefertiti lifted the cool liquid to her lips and sipped from it slowly. Taking her time, she set it back down upon the table, recovering the wet ring that the base of the glass had left upon the table. Kartan rested himself placidly in a coil beside her on the table, lifting his head every now and again to cast his beady eyes from one person to another...but he made no movement other than this. "Ah," she said, finally speaking in low tones to Eowyn, "you are the wife of the Lord Faramir. Forgive me for not realizing this earlier. T'was entirely my mistake." Nefertiti smiled, giving a slight nod of...apology?

[Eowyn]

Eowyn smiled to Nefertiti. "No need to apologize. Yes Faramir is my husband. I would introduce you, but he didn't came with me." Arwen looked surprised at Eowyn. "How does it come that he let you ride allone, Eowyn? He should be here, with us." The white lady nodded. "He would love too, but his duties claim him somewhere else." She turned her glance back to Nefertiti. "Excuse my inquisitive habbit, Nefertiti, but are you married? Or do you travel all allone by yourself?"

[Envin]

"Little company will a serpent endure," Aragorn chuckled, sipping from his mug, "I doubt that many men would be willing to endure...him." He smiled in jest at Nefertiti, but her eyes caught the underlying message of his words. A dark aura surrounded this woman, and the Son of Silmarien was not one to be fooled. His eyes would follow her through his realm, and she knew it all too well.

[Eowyn]

Arwens and Eowyns eyes met and both looked at Aragorn and Nefertiti, curious about the tens atmosphere and the reaction of the woman from Harad. The snake seemed to feel it too and hissed at Aragorn like a warning. Eowyn turned her glance toward the reptile and noticed the unusual gloom of intelligence behind the eyes of the beast. It was certain, that this snake was something special and not like other she knew and probably not like any other of its kin at all.