The Green Dragon Inn - Part 10

[Eowyn Skywalker]

"Yes, I suppose we should," Willow replied to Lily. "I know well the song you just played... and you play it well. Could you three go and tell Aman the choices... she had spoken with me earlier, and asked me to play, but I don't talk to people very well. Well, besides other hobbits," she added, remembering that she had went over to talk to the other hobbits earlier. "I'm somewhat shy."

Willow became conscious of someone standing behind her. It was an elven maiden who had came in earler, Willow recognized her. "I heard you singing," the elf-woman said. "It was lovely! You have a beautiful voice."

Willow assumed that the elf was adressing her, and replied, "Why, thank you."

"You're quite welcome! My name is Kyria."

The young elf, her name was Kyria, as she had said, paused, and twisted her black-gloved hands together nervously. "Do you mind if I sit down?" she asked after a while, as if nervous about speaking with them.

"No, not at all. This is an Inn, all are welcome," said Willow. "So do sit down, Kyria. You have a lovely name. This is Lily, Mira, and Daisy, and we were just discussing which songs we should do. We had decided, and were about to tell Aman, so that we could do them. But you are welcome to sit and join us. And I thank you for the comment on the song. It is rare that I get comments."

Willow sipped her water, and held her fiddle tighter unconsciously. It was as if a reflex to her now. "You're an elf," she commented. "What brings you here?"

[Amanaduial the archer]

Aman shook her head hastily at Toby, a smile resettling itself on her pretty features. "Mr Hornblower, your generosity is gratifying and ten gold coins...why, you owe the Inn nothing more, in any way. Ten gold coins is quite excellent still. And besides, what is more noble than to give something to a friend in need of a gift?" she added. Her gaze barely flickered towards Snaveling, and no one else in the small group would have noticed, but she knew that the man had seen it.

There was little doubt in Aman's mind as to how the gold coin came into Snaveling's grasp, and yet...and yet the hobbit backed him. A hobbit who has now been rather generous to your establishment. Leave it, Aman...

The Rohirrim woman looked up at Roa, who was standing nearby and smiled lightly at her, not allowing anything to show. She had seen the way Snaveling looked at her, the barely veiled yearning which flashed so uncharacteristically in his eyes when he looked at her. Well, Snaveling had told Aman much of his life - he had laid a sort of trust in her, and she would not betray that by conveying such suspicions as she had felt to the woman. After all, the suspicions may actually be nothing, she reminded herself with a more secret smile. Allowing it to spread over her face, she glanced at the group of hobbit girls at the bar, now also with Kyria, then back at the group.

"Well, it seems our entertainment has decided upon what exactly they will be performing for us. And if there is to be music, as always, there will be more drink needed!" Weaving her trap carefully so that it would not even seem as such, she turned to Snaveling, smiling innocently. "I suspect a new barrel of ale will be needed - Snaveling, would you help me bring one up?"

[*Arwen*]

Tiruviel arrived at the bar and sat down. Turning to the bar she gave a gasp of surprise. "Aman! i haven't seen you for so long! I'm not sure if you would remember me but i definately remember you!" Those had been the days. When she would sit with her friends and eat all the delicious food that they could and then spend the rest of the night dancing to the music. But that was a long time ago now, and things have long changed.

"That meat smells lovely and i'll have a drink as well please. Pretty packed in here tonight, i would guess it was some kind of party? if so, what are you celebrating?" Tiruviel had not been to the region for a long time and so starred at Aman, transfixed, as she listened to the tale of the inn burning down. "Wow. I think i have been away too long now!"

Looking to her right, she saw the group of musicians that she had heard playing earlier, when she had first come in. Later on, i am going to introduce myself. "Oh by the way Aman, i would like to stay for a couple of nights at least, have you got any spare rooms? I don't need anything fancy."

[Galadel Vinorel]

Galadel was only half paying attention to the scene with Snaveling as Roa moved away from their table. Her gaze, rather, was focused upon the five musicians in a corner of the inn who were gathering together to sing and dance. While watching them, the elf ran her fingers slowly over the flute that now lay in her hands. Making her mind up, Galadel quickly finished her ale and stood up. Crossing the room she approached the group. They turned to look at her as she came up to them.

"Pardon me," said the elf of Lothlorien, nodding her head slightely to them, her golden hair falling slightly over her shoulders as she did this, "But I could not help to overhear your conversation. I was wondering if you would mind me playing with you all as well. My fingers have become restless from not playing my flute for a while. Is that allright with all of you?"

Galdel smiled at all of them in turn, watching the changing expressions upon their faces, while one of her right fingers moved unceasingly over the wooden flute that she now held within her smooth left hand. And so she waited until one of them finally answered her.

[Maeggaladiel]

"An adventurer!" said Eleniel, impressed. "Well, I am pleased to meet you, si-- Isaac!" She caught herself mid-"sir."

"As for Arrow and I, we're on business. I'm a merchant from Laketown, and every year I travel the world looking for merchandise to sell." She pointed to the saddle bag at her feet. "Some of my smaller merchandise I carry with me," she said, "And the rest will be delivered to my shop via caravan."

Arrow nudged the bag with his nose, as though showing off his loot to Isaac. He wagged his tail proudly.

"Arrow's my travelling companion-slash-guard dog." said Eleniel with a smile. The way the dog was licking Isaac's fingers made it impossible to consider Arrow as guard dog material.

Eleniel dug through the bag for a moment. She pulled out a blue box made of tin and pried off the lid. For a moment, it looked as though it were filled with diamonds.

"Rock candy," she explained. "Bought it yesterday. Would you like a piece? It's on me." She held the tin out to him, taking one herself and popping it into her mouth. Arrow barked and she tossed him a piece of her bread.

"You're getting quite spoiled, dog," she said, wrinkling up her nose.

[Firefoot]

Lily was feeling quite pleased after Willow had said she played well. She glanced up to find Aman to tell her their choices, but she seemed to have left the room. Lily shrugged. It could wait a couple of minutes.

A petite Elf who introduced herself as Kyria came over to them and asked if she could sit down. Willow welcomed her into the group and Lily smiled at her.

"You're an elf. What brings you here?" Willow asked her. Before Kyria could answer they were joined by yet another Elf. "Pardon me, but I could not help to overhear your conversation. I was wondering if you would mind me playing with you all as well. My fingers have become restless from not playing my flute for a while. Is that all right with all of you?" Lily for one was quite surprised. She hadn't realized how much attention their music was getting. She knew it had been heard by the other people, of course, but she hadn't realized that anyone was really listening. Lily looked the Elf up and down.

"Sure, why not?" said Lily. "We were just getting ready to play. The songs we've been playing; do you know those? Oh, and one more thing, I don't believe I caught your name." Lily hoped she hadn't sounded to flustered - she was rather surprised by how fast everything was happening and overwhelmed all the new people she had met that night. She turned back to Kyria. "Do you play an instrument too? Or would you prefer to dance and sing with Daisy?"

[Archsage Isaac]

"You're getting quite spoiled, dog" Eleniel had said as Isaac took a piece of the candy from her tin using the hand that her dog hadn't been licking. Isaac laughed a bit at her. "Ah, I see. I suppose that he's got another side to him, it's just hidden under alot of layers of nice. Yeah, I believe that..." he muttered, the dog still licking his fingers. Isaac rubbed the dog's head who was still wagging his mithril tail happily.

"So, Eleniel, you're a merchant? That has to be interesting." he said, once again splitting his attention between the conversation in the middle of the inn, the dog that would lick his fingers when he stopped rubbing his head, the group of girls in the corner and Eleniel. "Sorry if I seem kind of distracted, I'm really not used to being around this many people, I am used to being alone in my travels..." he added with a slight smile.