[Elora]

As Uien sat at the table in the kitchen, finishing a slice of Cook's warm, malty bread laded with butter and honey, she turned something over upon the table top. It was a small thing, a triffle, and yet more. The small brooch was cleverly crafted. Silver and gold wire twisted into the shape of a star by dwarven hands. The wires clasped a clear green stone that flashed in the soft, water logged light of the morning.

She'd carried this small brooch so far on her travels, tucked in her pouch. Well she remembered the day she had been given it. It was the day she had stepped out into the world once more, seeking kin she had been sundered from by icy storm and the terrible orc pits. The Dwarves that had found and then sheltered her as she recovered had gathered to farewell their Elvish guest.

Most were silent, watching in their canny way. Some cleared their throats from behind their thick beards and shifted their doughty weight. One had stepped forward and smiled up into her face. "As in the time of our fathers, we give you this. Carefully worked by our craftsmen, it is a sign of the friendship between you and our people." There had been murmurning at that. Friendship between Elves and Dwarves not all believed in.

"Keep it with you and you will known by our folk. Our fires and beer and halls we will share with you. May your road lead you to many riches and good fortune, Uien." Then he had bowed deeply as Uien held the proffered brooch. It had been hard to know what to say. Part of her wished to remain under the mountain, hidden in the dark fastness of their halls. Part of her wished for the freedom of the endless sky, the twilight.

"My fires, halls and succour are at your service also. Namárië," Uien had offered in return simply. There was some more muttering at her use of Elvish. Uien expected that reaction and said nothing of it, as she had done so through her long recovery. The Dwarves had never taught her their tongue and so she could only honour them with her own. Then, with brooch in hand, she had turned away from the mountain and started to make her way down it and into the lands beyond.

At the time she had never thought to be sitting in the kitchen of an inn at Bywater, contemplating trading it for supplies. Uien closed her hand around it and stood. She rejoined the bustle of the commonroom with her decision made. She'd trade everything she owned if it helped Falowik find Eodwine.

She made her way to a table where a Hobbit sat behind baskets and began. She had to buy bread, dried meat and fruit. Candles would also be of use, rope too. Once she had the necessary supplies, she'd then arrange to purchase a horse, if possible. The first Hobbit she approached looked at the dwarven brooch in astonishment. He scratched his head, as if determining whether he'd accept it.

Uien recalled the hobbit love of all things unusual and made a last ditch at coming to an agreement.

"It would make a fine mathom," she suggested. "There are few in all the world who have these, if I do not miss my guess." Uien was relatively confident of that statement. Afterall, Dwarves were not in the business of offering up their halls to any who wandered by their mountains. At the mention of the word mathom, added to what Uien had said of it's dwarven origins and its significance between the ancient races of Elf and Dwarf, the hobbit's deliberation ceased.

With a smile, he extended his hand and Uien dropped the brooch into it. It was like a break with her past. "Now, it was breads you was after? I don't have non of that Elvish stuff.... lembas is it? But I have plenty of good ground wheat and cracked corn grown here in the Shire and made into fine bread."

And so it began. Uien moved through the table, adding to her supplies until she had enough as best she could guess. Her pouch was significantly heavier than when it had been with the brooch. Silver and a few gold coins were left. Uien balanced her parcel of supplies on her hip.

"Pretty little trinket you gace away back there," Falco said from behind her. Uien turned to him with her reply, "Trinkets are of no use when out in the wilds without food. Hardly sensible." She smiled faintly at him, recalling his insistance that sensible was what Eodwine's rescue party had to be. Falco snorted and crossed his arms, peering up into her face.

"So you give away a rare Dwarven brooch for supplies for this Elvish riding party, all for Falowik and one lost Rohan messagener whom you've never met. He may not even exist? Falowik could be making this all up, or he murdered him and took his pack. Sensible..."

Uien's grip around her bundle tightened as the Shiriff came to his conclusion.

"I would trade my family's wealth, my father's sword, on no more than Falowik's word and the life of even a Shiriff of Bywater, and I have met you and should think better of such an arrangement!"

Uien forcibly relaxed her tightening grip on her newly purchased supplied. Falco Boffin was very close to having bread and quite a few other items dropped on his head and it seemed he caught some sense of this.
The Shiriff stepped back. Perhaps after she had tossed the bread slices at him yesterday over lunch he knew what to look out for.

"You wouldn't need to," Falco said triumphantly. "I don't go about getting myself lost." With that, Falco sauntered off, pleased to have gotten one better than Uien for a change. She let him go, muttering to herself, "Pity." Halfred, who had witnessed the exchange with avid interest, grinned widely as he took in what Uien had replied.

Uien was determinedly gazing out a window at the rain that fell. Outside were a growing number of ponies and horses. She sighed in frustration with herself. She had no time for this sort of ill-tempered bickering with a Shiriff. Uien found an out of the way spot to tuck her well wrapped provisions in the kitchen and got about her duties. She left, snagging her only just dry cloak from its peg by the door and venturing out into the rain.

Before long, Uien was beyond damp. She paid no heed to the summer rain as she saw each horse and pony to a dry stall, rubbed it down and ensured it had ample straw and grain before seeing to the next. As she worked, Uien thought about her words and a smile came to her face. Imagine if she had sold her father's sword for this. She would do so without compunction. She could hear the outcry now. "But why, Uien?" Uien knew her reply.

"Beacause without a sword you cannot go to be killed in battle father, and there is Falowik Laureätan." In the downpour, Uien began to hum lightly, heart light with that realisation. How much she would have liked for her family to meet this man. Her mother would have understood, Uien knew. In time, so too would have her father and brothers. They would have seen how happiness welled forth beyond the shadow of her past to shine undiminished once more and that would be enough for them as it was for her.

In the stables, horses newly stalled steamed in the warm dry air and champed on their feed as Uien came and went, humming all the while.