After her late meal, Marron cleaned up and then took a long, warm bath.
"Being promoted does have its perks," she said softly. The dwarves had figured out how to get clean water underground, and had a heating system for it.
"I wonder what it would be like…" she murmured, drying her hair. "to actually see the dwarves underground, doing their thing."
Marron had barely fallen asleep after her late meal when sharp banging jolted her awake.
BANG. BANG. BANG.
She sat up straight, heart racing. For a moment she thought the Jilted Lover had come back, but this was different. No wailing or screams. Just fists that didn't know how to knock properly.
"Marron! Marron!"
The voice was high and desperate, with that broken quality all mimics had when they tried to speak human words.
She pulled her blanket around her shoulders and crept to the door. "Who is it?"
"It's me! Hungry!"
Of course it was.
