[Roa_Aoife]

Roa stretched, soaking in the morning light. The day promised to be a beautiful one, with a cool breze stirring the warm air. She needed to get back to work. Taking a bite from an apple she walked back towards the stables to retrieve Snaveling. Her face lined with apprehension. His behavior had grown increasingly strange over the past week. More and more his steady mask was slipping to reveal fear and anger. More of her memory had returned, and she could now remember struggling with heavy barrels in the cellar. She could almost feel her lungs contract against the smoke.

Roa had also made a startling connection. As her memory returned, Snaveling's condition worsened. She was not certain if they were connected. His strange behavior might not be so strange to him. She had only known him a week. It could also be related to the hard labor to which he was daily induced. If he became too ill, Roa promised herself that she would ease his work load, and send for a healer. She had already consulted Galadel, but the elf had been evasive, as elfs often are. She knocked on the door to the stable, and a hobbit answered. "Here for Snaveling again, Miss Roa?"

"As always, master Otho," she smiled. He disappeared inside. She looked and saw that Valthalion was already at work. Soon the Inn would be finished. What would she do then?