[Amanaduial the archer]

Aman watched the elf's retreating back, stunned. Certainly she had offended him, but how? Puzzled and horrified at causing such effident offence, she darted into the kitchen and called out to Ruby to make something fine.

"Fine? What do you mean by that?" Came the hobbit's bemused reply.

"Use your imagination!" Aman replied frantically, her head vanishing, then reappearing as she added, "Some of that steak, you know, from last night - steak and vegetables!"

"What, just- hey, Aman!" But the Innkeeper was gone, retreating back into the Common Room, ignoring Buttercup's laughter and Ruby's indignant cry. Smoothing her skirt down habitually, Aman walked as briskly as she could across the room without causing any disturbance or attracting unnecessary attention. She could just see it in the minds and gossip of the old hobbit women who sat in one corner of the room, near to the fire, radiating disapproval and watching everything over the rims of their cider glasses. Ooh, there she goes again, chasing yet another one - another man. And this one another elf as well...They all fall into her clutches, then she drives them away...strumpet...

Coming up behind the elf where he had sat down, his back to the bar, she touched his shoulder gently. He turned, and almost leapt out of his seat as he saw that it was Aman, nearly knocking over the chair as he desperately avoided her eyes, looking to the left and down, as if something on the far side of the room was desperately interesting. "Ah, Lady, it..ehm...I was just taking a seat," he said gruffly, not looking at her.

Aman frowned, distressed. Motioning towards the chair, she indicated that he should sit. "Nin hir," she said softly in careful Sindarin. My Lord. She just hoped it was the right way to address someone: she wasn't fluent and her knowledge of elven courtesy was sketchy to say the least. The elf looked surprised and sat down, eyebrows raised. Aman perched lightly on the other chair at the table.

"Le pedo Sindarin?" he replied, his voice questioning and his smile slightly suspicious. You speak Sindarin?

Aman wrinkled her nose again, holding her forefinger and thumb up, seperated by about an inch of air. "Tithen, tithen," she admitted, grinning. A little. Her elvish finally failing, she reverted to the Common Tongue. "The last Innkeeper here was a half-elf - she is a good friend of mine, I picked up some from her and others."

The elf nodded slowly, eyeing Aman but this time not with that intent, fierce gaze, but not with the suspicion of a few minutes ago either. Ruby appeared at his side and he nearly jumped as she cleared her throat. "Steak and veg?" she asked politely. The elf blinked and glanced at Aman, who nodded. "Yours, sir."

Ruby placed the plate in front of the elf, and Aman began to make amends, this time in Westron. "Sir, I offended you - I apologise for that, I did not mean to. How...?" she couldn't help wondering why he had taken offense, but left the question hanging in case he did not want to reply.

The elf paused for a moment, his fork suspended over the steaming meal, his grey eyes watching the Innkeeper steadily as if to certify that she was not mocking him. "You said it was not a mannish Inn - yet you are one of the Second B- you are a Woman," he ammended quickly.

Aman nodded, realisation dawning. "Ah, I see. My mistake, sir: what I meant was, well - though many Men pass through - some staying, like myself - this remains the land of the Perian - the hobbits. Certainly that is all I meant..." She trailed off and stood, holding out a hand.

"To start again on a new leaf, my name is Aman, and I am the Innkeeper here," she said, looking straight at the elf, and hoping she had not offended him so much that he would not take her hand and introduce himself.