"Thank you, lady," Aragorn said gratefully as he came through the door, supporting another man who had a cloak and hood on and an arrow sticking out of his shoulder, "you may well have saved Legolas' life."

A dwarf with a bushy brown beard came in after them, looking worriedly at the hooded man, "we've got to get that arrow out right now, Aragorn."

Savina shut and locked the door behind them, when she turned around, they had laid the hooded man on one of the tables. "Do you want me to get a doctor?"

Aragorn shook his head, "no, just hot water and something to put over the wound after we remove the arrow."

Savina nodded and dashed into the kitchen. She remembered that she had had some water on the stove from when she was cleaning. She checked it; it was still boiling. She pulled the cupboard where they kept cleaning rags open and grabbed as many as she could carry. She hurried back into the tavern and dumped the rags on the table next to Aragorn. She put the pan of hot water on the bench next to it and looked up at Aragorn, noticing how tall he was. "What can I do?"

Aragorn half-smiled, "I can't thank you enough." His smile faded, and he pointed to the rags and water, "get those wet and be ready to hold them over the wound as soon as I take the arrow out."

The Dwarf was standing on the bench near the hooded man's head, "be strong, Legolas."

Aragorn ripped the man's shirt where the arrow went in and put his hand on the shaft of the arrow, "hold him down, Gimli."

The hooded man half sat up and clenched his fists, "just do it!" he croaked.

Gimli put his hands on the man's shoulder and pushed him down, "sit still."

As Gimli pushed the man back down, his hood slipped off. Savina had only a moment before Aragorn pulled the arrow out to see that he was an elf, with silvery white hair and blue eyes.

Aragorn wrenched the arrow out quickly and tossed it aside.

The elf made no sound as the arrow came out, but his face twisted in anguish.

Savina put a wet cloth against the wound and pressed down hard.

Gimli patted the elf's forehead, "you're brave, my friend. I think I would have been blubbering like a baby."

The elf shut his eyes, looking exhausted, and slumped back onto the table.

Aragorn put his hand over Savina's, "I'll take over."

Savina nodded and slipped her small hand out from under his large one. She stepped backward out of the way and stood there for a moment, wondering what to do. Then she noticed how tired and hungry they looked; she turned and hurried into the kitchen. She opened a cupboard above the stove and took out three ale mugs and filled them with ale. She took a large loaf of bread from the oven, sliced it, and buttered the slices. She added some leftover ribs and some fresh fruit, then put it all on a tray and took it out to them.

She set it down on a table near the one the elf was on and paused, "is he ok?"

Aragorn glanced at her; he had just finished binding some of the clean rags over the elf's shoulder. His eyes flickered over the blood on the front of her dress, the tray of food, and then back to the elf. He smiled, "he'll be fine, thank you so much."

Gimli turned and looked at the food, he picked up one of the mugs of sniffed it, "not half as strong as Dwarven spirits," then he glanced up at her, as if afraid she'd be offended, "but wonderful, thank you." He drank deeply.

Aragorn didn't move toward the food, but looked at the elf, "Legolas?"

The elf raised his head, "hmm?"

"Are you hungry?"

The elf nodded drowsily.

Aragorn picked up a piece of buttered bread and placed it in Legolas' hand, "eat, my friend."

Savina went back into the kitchen and returned with more hot water and rags, "here, you can wash up a little."

Aragorn was still at Legolas' side.

Savina spoke to him, "if you want to wash up and eat, I can tend to him."

Aragorn was silent, his eyes fixed on Legolas.

Gimli's booming voice rang out from behind a rack of ribs, "you need rest more than he does, Aragorn."

"Thank you, lady," Aragorn picked up and apple, "Legolas owes you his life."

Savina moved toward Legolas and picked up a clean rag, wetted it, and moved to the elf's side, "please, stay as long as you need." She began to wash the elf's face, wiping away a little bit of blood on his chin and what looked like charcoal from his left cheek.

He opened his eyes and looked at her, studying her, "who are you?"

She tucked her hair behind her ear, "my name is Savina Septulinar."

Legolas looked at her ear, "are you an elf? I've never seen an elf with black eyes."

"I am a quarter human, a quarter elf, and half MoonElf."

He continued to stare at her, "I'm terribly sorry if I sound rude or ungrateful, but I have never heard of MoonElves."

Savina told him about the MoonElves from the other side of Mordor, about her father and her mother, about how her father had disappeared and how she, her mother, and her oldest brother ran the tavern to make money.

She must have talked for quite a long time, helping Legolas eat and drink as she talked, because when she was done, the human, the elf, and the dwarf were staring at her, looking quite cleaner and a little less hungry. She bit her lip and fell silent.

Aragorn stood up, "I believe I forgot to introduce myself and my companions; I am Aragorn, a ranger. This is Gimli, the Dwarf. And our injured friend is Legolas Greenleaf, the elf. I heard you introduce yourself as Savina Septulinar," he paused, "we didn't mean to intrude and we have taken enough of your time and food," he glanced at Legolas, "are you fit to walk?"

Legolas sat up, wincing, "yes," he said through clenched teeth.

"If you feel it necessary to go, I can't stop you, but I will gladly make beds for you and you are more than welcome to stay here as long as you need," Savina glanced at Legolas, "at least stay until your friend is on the mend."

Aragorn looked uncertain.

Savina looked at him, "please, accept my hospitality."

Aragorn sank back down on the bench, "I cannot thank you enough, and if there is anything we can do-"

"Please," Savina put her hand up, "making yourself comfortable and asking for whatever you need will be enough for me."

"Thank you."

Savina turned to the kitchen to get more food and blankets, wondering what her mother was going to think about her offering board to a group consisting of a human, a dwarf, and an elf.