[Huan]

Instead, they came face to face with Emlin, lying limply on the table top, his head turned toward them. ‘Thank you!’ he croaked at them, as if his throat were raw from wanting to scream. ‘You’ve saved this poor Elf from a fate worse than death!’

He placed one arm over his eyes and sighed heavily. With his other arm he pointed to the window near the table. It was open and the breeze fluttered the curtains as it blew into the room. ‘Your bells drove the creature away. And he would have dragged me with him had you not held onto my sash.’ He sighed once more.

Now the younger lad’s eyes were wide with wonder, but the older brother, Woody, was not as easily taken in. Before he could speak, Emlin raised himself to a sitting position on the table, and looking down at a patch of the wooden surface near where his head had lain, he gasped. Pointing a trembling finger at the table top he drew their attention to a set of three long gashes, as if claws had dug into the table.

‘It’s true lads. You’ve bested the dragon and driven him off. Come up, come up and sit with us. We’ll toast you with cider and cakes!’

The others round the Players’ table smiled and clapped quietly as the two brothers hoisted themselves up onto the chair. Rowan got up and closed the window tightly, winking at hanson and Woody as she did so. ‘Wouldn’t want him sticking his toothy snout back in here, now, would we,’ she asked them. When they handed their bells to her, she shook her head, saying they should keep them; they’d earned them. Gwynn called for one of the servers to bring them a pitcher of cider and two extra mugs for the brave young lads who’d just joined them.

When it came, Talan filled everyone’s mugs, and Tolly called for a toast. It was Emlin, who raised high his cup and spoke. ‘Here’s to the brave brothers who set fear in the heart of the scaly beast. Long may they keep the Shire free of dragons!’

Woody and Hanson beamed as the group downed drinks in their honor and clapped them on the backs.