[Amanaduial the archer]

"Three pints of black stout and a tea with milk, Innkeeper!"

Aman took down the order with a flourish and grinned at the good looking hobbit lad - Andwie Greenhand, a popular chap and always very polite to Aman, although his friends could be quite rowdy when they stormed the Inn at every possible occasion - and winked at him as she raised her eyebrows in the direction of the delicate looking girl beside him. Andwise winked back saucily and, at some comment from one of his friends, laughed loudly and turned back to conversation. Aman grinned and turned around again - only to be nearly knocked over by a young man as he pushed aggresively past her. Rather than turning to apologise, he simply ignored the Innkeeper as she staggered, and kept on walking, heading for the Inn door.

Aman raised her eyebrows but contented herself with glaring at his back venemously then righting herself. As she looked around the Inn, momentarily flustered, she caught sight of a the peddler-woman turned gardener, sitting on her own, her scarf over her face, her eyes following the young man with a look quite as hostile as Aman's own. Catching the Innkeeper watching her, Jinniver looked down, embarassed, her pale cheeks flushing, but even from where she stood several tables away, Aman could see that the other woman had been crying. Pursing her lips, she turned away towards the bar and made up the order for Andwise and his friends, adding to the tray two individual pots of rose tea along with two extar cups and saucers. As a grudging afterthought, she pulled out a pint of ale, then wove through the Common Room back to the young hobbit party table of four and, depositing their drinks with a few jovial comments to Andwise and his friends, she changed course towards Jinniver.

Smiling anxiously as she approached, Aman tipped her head onto one side questioningly. "Tea, Jinniver? And if you don't mind my joining you, I need a break as well - I've been on my feet since lunchtime!"

Jinniver gave Aman and watery smile and gestured for her to sit, hurriedly pulling out a chair and muttering her acceptance of the tea and the company. Aman smiled gratefully and sat, placing the tray on the table. As she poured herself a cup of tea and added the milk, she saw Jinniver glance at the ale and shrugged lightly, her eyes returning to her cup. "I figured your hostile friend might like something to cool him down. If all else fails, I can always just throw it at him." Jinniver gave a sniff of laughter at the comment and grinned gratefully at Aman, before the Innkeeper, after a strategic pause, continued. "May I ask what his business here is, Jinniver? I cannot help noticing that he has hardly been particularly friendly towards any here so far - your own self included. Is he upsetting you? I will not stand anyone to upset one of my staff..."