The Green Dragon Inn - Part 5

[Imladris]

Lira smiled in gratitude at the jobs Aman had offered her and, as soon as Aman was done serving the guests, said, "Thank you for your offer. I would be glad to sort the wines" -- sorting the wines in Thranduil's halls flashed through her mind -- "and I would not mind waitressing and making the room for Pio, unless Esgallhugwen would like to do some of those duties. Where is the wine?"

Aman led her into the room and Lira gazed with delight upon the many barrels of wine, all waiting to be sorted and tasted. As she tasted the first, a warmth kindled in her blood and tingled her toes.

Sorting was a happy chore, for it gave one time to be alone, to think of the world in general, and to meditate upon a problem. Lira went to it with a good will, very happy that she did not get drunk easily. She remembered the fun she had had with the other elves who helped with the wine business, the splash of water as they pushed the empty barrels into the rushing water that carried it down to the men of Dale. That was such a long time, when she still had lived in Mirkwood, when the thirteen dwarves had been there...when she had been very young.