"We're here."
The sudden sound of Aragorn's voice startled Savina; they had been walking silently for about an hour.
Savina stood on tiptoe and looked over Aragorn's shoulder; she could just make out a wooden tavern with a sign that said, "Peter's Tavern, Kender Not Welcome." The tavern had a few windows that glowed brightly from the lights inside in the rapidly falling darkness. Wondering idly what Kender were, Savina followed Aragorn to the door.
Legolas slipped to one of the windows and glanced into the tavern, then looked at Aragorn and nodded, "not a Goblin in sight."
Aragorn nodded and knocked on the door.
A pretty young girl about Savina's age with bright red hair and freckles opened the door. She surveyed them quickly, them her face broke into a bright smile, "hello, my name is Tika, please, come in."
She led them into the tavern, which was filled with tables, benches, and firelight.
Savina felt a stab of homesickness; it didn't look much different than the tavern she had been cleaning when Aragorn had knocked on the door and changed her life.
Tike led them to a booth around a few corners and near the back of the tavern, which was sort of chattering enthusiastically, "the tavern is usually much busier than this," she paused and glanced around with a mournful expression at the nine or ten other customers, most of them human, except for a pair of Dwarves in the corner and a few elves near the door. Tika sighed, "it's just that we've had Goblins in here for the last few days, and no one likes to be around when Goblins are out and about, foul creatures, they are." She stopped and motioned them into the booth.
Aragorn stood aside to led Savina slide into the booth first, "Goblins?"
Tika nodded, "yes, they said they were looking for an elf girl…" she trailed off as her eyes fell on Savina, "with silver hair. I said I would keep my eye out for her."
Savina bit her lip and tried to look as though she had no idea what Tika was talking about.
Legolas slid into the booth across from Savina, looking uncomfortable.
Gimli plunked down next to Legolas and looked up at Tika.
Tika gazed at Savina, "obviously, you're the one they are looking for." She leaned across the table and smiled at Savina, "but don't worry, I hate Goblins, just because I saw you doesn't mean they have to."
Savina managed a weak smile.
Aragorn sat down and rubbed his eyes.
"Your lucky, the last of the Goblins had just left an hour or so before you came, they said they weren't coming back and paid what they owed to the bar," Tika shuddered, "I'll get you something to eat and drink," she glanced at Gimli, "we just got a shipment of Dwarven spirits, I assume you'll want some."
Gimli brightened noticeably, "thank you."
Tike smiled, "what will the rest of you have?"
Legolas and Aragorn both ordered Ale and Savina asked for a Mootsi, which is a half-ale, half-juice drink.
Savina leaned back in the booth and closed her eyes; she was tired but too tense to sleep. She needed to get up and walk a bit, even though they had been walking all day. She turned to Aragorn, "excuse me, I'll be back in a moment."
Aragorn stood up, "don't leave the tavern."
She nodded and stood up, pulling her cloak straight and pushing her hair back out of her eyes. She walked slowly, turning a corner, out of sight of the companions. As she turned another corner she nearly bumped into Tika, who was coming around the corner with a tray in her hands.
Tika looked at her surprise, "don't you want your drink?"
"Just put it on the table, I'm only going for a short walk, just to be alone for a moment."
Tika hesitated, then handed her the Mootsi, "there are some benches over by the fireplace near the door where you can sit, I'll tell your friends where you are." She started to go, then paused, "oh, watch out, I think there is a Kender near the fireplace, my boss, Otik, forbids them from coming in here, but I always feel kind of bad for them."
Savina nodded and took a sip of her drink. She found the fireplace and sank down on one of the benches. She noticed a small human boy sitting at the other end of the bench, busily rummaging through one of his many packs.
He was strange looking, with long brown hair pulled into a ponytail, bright, curious brown eyes, and pointed ears. He was skinny and delicate, with swift, graceful fingers and a certain innocence surrounding him.
Suddenly, he stopped his rummaging and looked up at her, "hello!"
Savina stared at him for a moment, taken aback, then replied uncertainly, "uh, hi."
Before she knew it he was wringing her hand, "my name is Tasselhoff Burrfoot, what's yours? Most people call me Tas, you can, too. Golly, you're an elf; I've never seen an elf with black eyes. Did you see the Goblins earlier? I think they were looking for an elf, probably not you." He stopped and wrinkled his nose, "I didn't like those Goblins much, I was trying to be friendly and when one of them dropped him dagger I picked it up for him, then they all started yelling at me. Their breath was horrible; they didn't seem to appreciate it much when I told them so." He paused and looked at Savina, who was staring at him, speechless, "what did you say your name was?"
"Savina."
"That's a pretty name, but then, elves always have nice names, I knew an elf names Laurana once, she was really pretty with big blue eyes and blonde hair. She married Tanis Half-Elven. Did you know that Tanis is the only elf ever known to grow a beard? I thought it looked horrible on him, but everyone else thought it was really something." He stopped, picked up his pack, and up-ended it.
A strange assortment of things fell out, Savina had to move closer to see. There was a few compasses, a half-eaten apple, a few whole apples, a black leather glove, numerous rings, bracelets, pins, and necklaces, a few small daggers, a withered claw that looked like it came from a lizard of some sort, a dozen or so handkerchiefs with different initials on them, an arrow, a small flute, a chipped blue cup, several money purses of different fabrics, a few loose gold coins, and a great quantity of folded up paper.
"What is all of this?" Savina asked curiously.
Tas waved his small hand dismissively, "just things people have dropped, I'll give everything back when I see them again." He snickered and picked up a small dagger with a black handle, "the human with the blue cloak dropped this."
Sudden realization flooded through her mind, "you're a thief!"
Tas' small face contorted in shock and pain, as if she had offended her beyond belief, "I am not a thief, how dare you…" he paused and added proudly, "I am a Kender."
"But all of these things are stolen," Savina gestured to the pile.
"No they aren't," Tas argued, "these things were dropped," he said clearly, as if explaining why 2 + 2 = 4.
"Dropped into your hand," Savina snorted, starting to get up. Then she noticed something that made her sit down again. She snatched a small, silver dragon attached to a silver cord made of her hair out of the pile, "this is mine!"
Tas smiled at her, "I'm glad you reminded me, I was just about to return that to you."
She felt inside her vest for her map and found it gone, when had he had time to take it from her?
Tas was gathering "his" belongings back into his pack, humming merrily.
Savina crossed her arms and stood up, "Tas."
He looked at her innocently, "hmm?"
She held out her hand.
"Oh," he produced the map, with its black ribbon, from up his left sleeve, "I was just holding it so you wouldn't lose it."
"Uh huh," Savina snatched the map back and stuck it into her vest, "did I drop anything else?"
Tas pouted, sticking out his bottom lip, "no."
"Nothing?"
"No!"
Savina bent down to pick up her drink, planning on going back to her table, when she heard Tas make an odd sound. Confused, she glanced up at him.
His eyes were wide with surprise, "watch out!" He shouted.
"Huh?" Savina turned her head to see what was behind her. She opened her mouth to scream, but didn't have time before the blow fell.