[Elora]

"The look on his face.... let me see if I can recall it so that you may see it," Uien said with a curve of her lips to Falowik. A lightness of spirit was floating within her, a lightness that had not been hers since... since.... she shied away from the memory of that dark, cold place, where time knaws at the roots of the mountains and there are foul things. Instead, she returned to that lightness. It was Falowik. She surfaced with a description of Falco's expression as she tossed the bread on his plate in her ire.

"The Shiriff did not know where to look first. He was torn between staring in outrage at me as I made my thoughts known and dismay at the bread that threatened to flee from his plate and be spoilt.

A pretty twist for a hungry Hobbit - bouncing bread or an irate tablemate." Her smile had not slipped. Instead it widened. The very fact that Falco had chosen to keep an eye on her until she had left and not his food painted an amusing picture. Hobbits and the victuals are not easily parted, by angry Elves nor the ending of the world.

Falowik and Uien had reached the ladder that leant against the eaves. Both were smiling openly at Falco's conundrum. A lightness of spirit.... yes, it was Falowik that gave her that and held the other heaviness at bay. In part it was that gladness that fuelled her humour. After initial silence, the two had fallen into easy conversation as they had worked.

"To have seen that," Falowik chuckled.

"It may happen again if the Sheriff continues as he did at the table. I cannot remain silent in the face of such behaviour."

"Indeed not," Falowik observed drily. Uien shot him an amused glance, corners of her mouth quirking in laughter. It wasn't until they had reached the bottom of the ladder that their conversation resumed.

As they walked towards the inn, Uien flicked at the worn state of her skirt. "I have some experience in mending clothing torn." She smiled down at her skirts, each mend testament to her growing experience. "And it could be said that I was unwise to make merry on a rooftop. I should remedy for the damage I caused when you were laughing so hard you slid..."

"This is true... had you not bounced your bread on Falco's plate," he said lightly as they climbed the stairs to the inn.

"And so the offer is made. I will heal your breeches," Uien continued as they walked through the door and entered the bustle of the inn. Falowik was given a chance to ponder what Uien may have said to Falco, and why she had even seen fit to do so, as they searched out a table and claimed it.

Ruby breezed past as they sat. "Ale for you and," she said looking meaningfully at Uien.

"Cider, please. And lunch, if there is any left," Uien finished, hopefully.
"I'll see for you. No unwatered wine this time," Ruby quipped.
"Not yet," Uien replied, cheeks faintly flushing as she recalled the events of the prior evening.
"A cider and an ale it shall be. Shall you be throwing lunch again, Uien," Rubby asked drolly. Uien shook her head in reply. She watched the Hobbit speed off. Business was brisk at this time of day.

When Uien turned back to Falowik, she seemed to have sobered somewhat from her earlier levity. That Ruby had heard of events suggested that Falco may now be heartily displeased with Uien and moreso with Falowik than before. In her haste, Uien had not considered this consequence.

"I hope I have not done you a disservice with the Shiriff, for that was not I intended," she said with concern. Falowik studied her for a moment, as though wrestling with an urge both to speak and not speak.

"What did you intend?" His voice was quiet and eyes intent. Uien blinked and bustle of the inn faded as she replied.

"To see a wrong righted, Falowik. Honour and worthiness should not be so easily besmirched by a Hobbit.

I think though I would have done better by you to have remained silent. You will prove the Shiriff wrong well enough with your tracking. The missing Man will be found."

No artiface nor hesitation was in her words or face. Ruby reappeared to slap the ale and cider down. "You're in luck. Lunch is on it's way," she hurridley stated before darting off to another table in need of ale.

"Worthiness and honour..." Falowik repeated. "Is that truly what you see?" Incredulity was in his question.

"That and much more," Uien replied quickly, cider, ale and lunch for the moment forgotten. She realised how bold she had been when one of Falowik's golden brows arched. She became less certain then. Had she stepped too far to take such a liberty? Had she? The frozen moment, surely it said that she had not. Yet, just as she saw him surely he saw her.

Her cheeks flushed and her gaze dropped. Surely he saw the one left behind by her own kin. The one who wandered into darkness. Could he make out the marks of their claws upon her skin, the stain of their unclean presence. Surely he did. The lightness that was Falowik floated still within her and Uien yearned as never before that the heaviness she carried with her was not hers and the past could be undone.

Falowik was silent, her last ardent words still hanging in the air between them. Hasty and unwise as she was, she had painted it clearly for all to see. A man of worth and honour and she reaching towards him when she had no place to do so. Uien waited for the sound of Falowik's chair being pushed back so that he could walk away. It was what any Man had a right to do.

Yet, she sat still, torn between her certainty of what would happen and her desperate wish that it would not. Let him stay, she said fervently within her mind. Let him overlook all he sees and stay. On the wings of that hope, Uien dared look up once again at Falowik.

"I do not mean to offend and twice now this day I have wronged you," she sadly said as she looked upon the source of lightness and hope that sat across from her. Falowik's ale was untouched. She laced her fingers together on the table and inwardly reached towards what she had no right to drag down the darkness of her past.