[Elora]

"Well spoken, Thoronmir," Uien said with warmth as Falowik stood. She hoped her staunch support of Falowik had not inadvertantly caused a rift between them and Thoronmir. Certainly, the Ranger seemed even tempered and he nodded back at her. Uien let the others at the table take up the conversation and her head turned to mark Falowik's departure from the inn. The expression in his eyes had not been missed by her.

After a moment, Uien excused herself, and followed him. She passed the young woman Ranger at the bar, offering her a quiet smile and nothing else to disturb her solitude. Uien guessed there would little of peace once the dawm came and the trail rose before them once more.

The morning's light had strengthened in the time it had taken for them to settle the leadership. It fell brightly in the courtyard of the Prancing Pony as Uien stepped out into it. She lifted her head to study the sky briefly. It would be a warm day, but not without some respite. A breeze tangled in the strands of her hair. Mayhap a storm comes to us this afternoon, she mused as she directed her attention to locating Falowik.

She found him standing off in the cooler shade of the courtyard wall. His back was to her as she crossed the distance between them, smoothing back stray strands from her face as she did so. His arms were crossed over his chest, she noted, and his head bent. He turned slightly at her approach, and knowing it was her from her footfall, raised his head to focus on the top of the wall, where the edge met the bright blue summer sky.

"Can you see the stones gather in the day's warmth, Laurëatan," she asked with a faint flicker of a smile upon her lips. So intently was he examining the top of the wall she wondered. Falowik's face was hidden from her. Uien stepped into the cooler shade, feeling the shadow slip over her skin. Yes a warm day indeed.

"It was good to see you safe, Falowik," Uien said more softly. "Heart's ease, this morning, to find you here and well." She reached to set a gentle hand upon his shoulder, and set rein to the longing to do more. Not here, not in the courtyard, he would not be well pleased though she cared little who saw or spoke. Her fingers pressed softly and Falowik turned his head towards her hand. She brushed a finger over his cheek and spoke again over the rushing within her.

"Will you show me this place that was your home, my love?" At that, Falowik did turn and her hand fell with his movement. He faced her, brow furrowed although with what she did not know. She stood where she was and her head tipped to one side as she looked closer into his gaze. Blue like the sky of a morning.

"Please, Laurëatan?" Even as she spoke, Uien was not sure what she was asking of him. Please would he show her where his childhood passed? Please would he share with her a memory, a smile, a word, laughter, the world? Please would he not turn her away? Please would he love her as she loved him? Please would he forgive her heart for chosing that which he would not have it choose? All of it, perhaps, and more.

A simple word, was please, and powerful. It dangled her from its grasp as she stood in the cool shade of the courtyard wall. Uien clasped her hands before her, strikingly reminiscent of her mother as she stood with head tilted up to study the face of her love as if nothing else in that moment could possibly hold any interest with her.