[Amanaduial the archer]

Aman smiled at Lira as she paid her the compliment, snapping out of the comfortable calm state she had worked herself into as she soothed the horse, and she found herself back in the stables, not in Rohan, but in the Shire. Beren stood behind her, a look of admiration on his face similar to the one Lira wore. The elf was smiling admiringly at the Innkeeper, and Aman returned it with a acknowledging smile of her own, incliding her head. Slowly, she stepped slowly back from the horse, her fingers sliding off her dark, smooth, bay nose, and the mare lifted her head slightly as she did so.

With a satisfied sigh, Aman stepped out of the pen, bolting the door behind her, and with it bolting the thoughts of yearning which she had felt. This was her home, would be for more than a short while. And a good home it was too, she told herself firmly. She turned to face Beren and Lira, and saw Vanwe enter through the front door. With good people as well, she thought with a smile.

Then it fully registered it was Vanwe who had come in, and she looked back to hail the elf. "What's happening, Vanwe?" She called amiably, walking forward to be level with Beren, peering at the bundle under Vanwe's arm. Her own arm was at her side now, so close to another, so close she could almost, she fancied, feel his warmth...

"Just sorting something out." Vanwe's reply was brief, to say the least, and not, to the Innkeeper, at all convincing; the Innkeeper would not be put off that easily.

"Are you feeling better?" She inquired, persevering.

Yes, much better now that I have some fresh air. I am not used to healing in front of crowds." Vanwe smiled briefly at both herself, Beren, and Lira in turn. Did she linger for longer on Beren? Aman rather fancied she had done. No, she was being silly, and besides, why shouldn't she, it wasn't as if Beren was Aman's own....

As Aman mused over this, Vanwe was gone, and the Innkeeper started after her, then stopped - she was growing used to the elf's mysterious ways. Beren raised an eyebrow. "What was that?"

Aman sent a glance skywards. "Eru knows, Beren. To call Vanwe simply mysterious would be an understatement. Little is known about her -" She realised she was sounding worryingly like Ruby. "-and that's how it will stay, I think, if she so wishes. I have no intention of pressing her." She ended with a shrug, then cast a glance around the stables, shivering slightly.

"Come, it is getting colder - it will do us all no good to simply wait up for Derufin, now the horses are calmed."