[maikafanawen]

When the elf assassin walked into the inn, a warm aroma of food and pipe-weed welcomed her. After meeting with the rest of the company, she ventured outside to be with her horse. She had thought of a name for him; Uesse, which meant Unnamed. It was comical she thought, but nothing elegant to get attached too. The elf fastened a lead rope on his bridal and led him into the small stable yard. She walked him around her in a circle, having him jump for her. Ani Dao teased him with an apple then patted Uesse tenderly behind his ears. Mounting him, she rode him down the road of Bree looking at the different inns, smithies, and homes along its cobblestone road, Uesse’s hooves clinking rhythmically. She scanned the buildings and finally found the one she was looking for. Securing her horse’s lead rope on the porch railing, she stepped over the three steps and onto the porch of the apothecary.

The chimes by the door hummed faintly as she entered through the cedar door. The pharmacist recognized the girl from behind a pair of moon shaped glasses. She jumped up from where she was labeling the herbs and screeched:

“Ani Dao!!” The old woman ran towards the elf and began yelling at her, “you walked out of here three weeks ago without paying for the spices and herbs! I swore that if you ever came back I would give you a beating like your mother never thought of! You come here little girl, I’ll tear that golden hair right out of her head!!” The woman leapt at the hysterical Ani Dao, who held her arms back as she tried to recover from laughing.

“Peace, Kementurien! I’ve come to pay you silly witch.” Ani Dao shoved Kementurien back from her and tossed the bag of gold between them. The pharmacist put her hands on her hips and glared at Ani Dao. She looked at the bag on the ground and sweeped it up into her pocket, satisfied. Walking back over to the counter she resumed her task. Approaching the woman cautiously, the elf pulled up a chair and sat across from Kementurien.

“Um, Kemi?—”

“Silence child!” said the woman holding up a hand and rearranging her glasses on her nose. The old woman didn't except the fact that the assassin was 2700 years old, and some. Her appearance and simple attiude convinced Kementurien that Ani Dao was merely a child. So the elf waited patiently until the earth master was ready to speak with her.