"She's a strange one. Ever since I tripped over it once she's gotten it into her head that he's a grumpy old chap."
The Elf nodded with an amused but not cruel smile on his lips, he had heard of such behaviour before and in his opinion it was quite harmless as long as they didn't hurt themselves or others. The Innkeeper guided him to a room and he couldn't help but notice the slight hesitance that the young man had about which room to open.
He didn't understand why he hesitated, certainly either room was just as lovely but instead of asking he shrugged and followed the boy into the east room.
"There you go, Sir Elf," he said, tieing back the curtain with a red cord to alighten the room, he knelt down by the fireplace and began to make a fire. "I'll send one of the serving maids up with your wine. But, tell me, what is your name and how did you become drenched, thus so obligingly quenching the floor's thirst."
The Elf laughed and turned his eyes from the window, "I must apologize for my rudeness Master Innkeeper, my name is Thalinar of Mirkwood" he made a courtly gesture, "and my sodden appearance is no doubt humourous to the onlooker but more than less so for the victim. Some fellow rafters, both men, conspired against me, I know not why, and decided to launch me from my wooden raft that was laden with supplies intended for your town. Whether they are lost to the river or were stolen I cannot say. I allowed for the current to carry me to the new docks, where I surely caused a scene in the quiet dawn".
Thalinar sighed and shook his head "I am unable to put names to the faces of those men but I can put faces to the crime and if I were to see them again I would recognize them immediately".
He looked at the boy who was stoking the small fire and listening to his story, "what of you Master Innkeeper? What is your name and how did you come to own this Inn for you look to be a young lad".
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