"I will ask m'lady if she meant the hayloft above the inner-yard stable, but I suspect she does," Marian remarked while she carefully added a few pieces of kindling to the small fire she had going in the fireplace by now. "It's close to the main gate. The main gate in the stone wall, not the gate in the palisade. Petrus, Edric, and I live close to it. We can show you after supper. Or maybe I can show you before supper, if you lend a hand at setting the table?"<br/><br/>Giving the fire to catch before she fed it some more substantial logs, Marian crossed the bare stone floor of the hall to a cupboard in the corner by the main door that would lead to the castle's courtyard. "We'll need five sets at the high table, and I think five sets at each of the lower tables." That Mialla would lend a hand appeared to be a given to her, the girl having offered shelter for the winter, but room and board had to come at at least a small price. The traveling bard not being given into anyone else's care, the maid felt confident that she could make use of her for some small tasks.<br/><br/>As they set the tables with plates and cups of glazed earthenware, Marian chatted about the people who could be expected for dinner, mentioned most of them by name as their places around the tables were set. The baroness, of course, would have the center seat at the high table. That table would be shared by Eluard, the castle's scribe and chamberlain who had both the castle's finances and the barony's taxes under his account. The temple's sacristan would be there too, as would be the highest-ranking of the castle's sergeants and one the castle's craftsmen. Which one of the craftsmen in the hall changed from day to day, as some of them had family they kept company during the evening, but at least one of them would always be in attendance, and the making of arms, armor, bows and arrows were valued and deserved a place at the high table.<br/><br/>"Now, down here," Marian informed the girl who would provide song and tale during the evening, "the other priests will sit, together with the sergeants, and those of the craftsmen who make an appearance." She swept her arm around, gesturing at the two trestle tables set about four paces apart, at right angles to the high table. She stood very much where she imagined Mialla would stand sometime during her singing, facing the baroness's seat, framed by the two tables of the lower household members.<br/><br/>Marian surveyed the arrangements and found them to her satisfaction. "I guess you'll stay in the kitchen till you are called to perform, but I'll be busy in out of the kitchen during supper so if you have any questions. But whatever you do, don't stare at the one-eyed half orc."