Being that it was still early, the tavern was empty.
Savina shifted her pack to her other arm and glanced around the dimly lit tavern, she could smell spiced potatoes cooking and hear low voices talking.
She made her way toward the voices and found Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn sitting in a booth, talking quietly.
Aragorn raised his eyes and looked at her, smiling briefly, but Savina didn't see it, her eyes were on Legolas, who was pointedly not looking at her.
"Good morning," she said in a voice barely above a whisper as she slid into the booth next to Aragorn, across from Gimli.
Gimli yawned and nodded at her, then returned his attention to Legolas, "so then this troll comes up and says, 'you can't pass through the forest at night,' so I says, 'why not, it's not your forest.' He gets mad of course…"
Savina rubbed her eyes and turned her head at the sound of humming.
Tika was making her way toward them, her red curls pulled up in a bun and her cheeks pink, as if they had just been scrubbed. She smiled at them and eased a massive tray heaped with potatoes, eggs, and orange juice down in front of them, "good morning," she said brightly, smiling at them all, but Savina noticed that her eyes lingered on Aragorn.
"Good morning, Tika," Aragorn said quietly, making no move toward the food.
Tike flushed a little and looked at her hands, then back up at them, "say, have any of you seen the Kender this morning? He's usually in here by now…" she trailed off as a deep man's voice called her name from the kitchen, "I guess Otik needs my help," she said apologetically, and, with a bob of her head, disappeared into the kitchens.
Gimli grabbed a plate and heaped some potatoes onto it, grunting his approval.
Legolas neatly scooped some potatoes and eggs onto a plate and ate them with an expressionless face, staring blankly at some point above Aragorn's head.
Savina served herself and ate hungrily, when was the last time she had really eaten? She could hardly remember.
Aragorn ate quietly, seemingly lost in his thoughts, his eyes flickering from Savina, to Legolas, and back to Savina.
They had been eating for almost ten minutes when a knocking at the tavern door caused all four of them to look up.
Tika, who had been wiping off a table, sighed and went to the door, she opened it a crack, spoke quietly, then glanced back at Aragorn and mouthed, "goblins." Then, speaking aloud, said, "sure we have tables! Come on in!"
Savina pulled the hood of her cloak up over her head and hunched down in her chair.
Aragorn seemed calm, but Savina noticed his hand lingering near his sword.
Gimli had put his axe on the table, inches from reach, and Legolas had his bow in his lap.
The door opened and nine short, ugly Goblins clumped in and took a seat around two tables near the door, talking in their harsh language and laughing raucously.
Tika, with an uncomfortable glance toward the Goblins, disappeared into the kitchen and returned moments later, a tray heaped with ale mugs in one hand and a heavy, black skillet of eggs in the other.
Savina looked down at her hands, which were resting on the table, and noticed they were shaking. Inhaling sharply, she tucked her hands into the sleeves of her robes and bowed her head. She could feel Raliayatau in its sheath against her leg, and wondered idly if her father's sword was going to draw Goblin blood in a few minutes.
She didn't have long to wait for her answer.
One of the Goblins spotted them and spoke quietly to another who appeared to be the leader. They both stared at the party of four, from the tall warrior, to the stout dwarf, to the skilled archer elf, then to the mysterious, hooded figure. One of the Goblins grabbed Tika by the sleeve and gestured to the group, talking quietly.
Tika glanced at them, shrugged, and said loudly enough for them to hear, "the hooded one? Oh, that is Gambine, the Black Mage, have you heard of her? She is the most powerful female mage in the land; those other three are her companions, who travel with her on her quest to find the ancient spell books of Lan-Tol-Mar."
If the Goblins had known anything about history or mages, they would have spotted the lie right away, but Tika was a smart girl and she counted on the two simple facts that Goblins are ignorant and afraid of magic-users.
Savina was impressed at the ease the young barmaid had come up with the story and made it sound believable. She saw the Goblin leader hesitate, then motion to one of Goblins and she could just make out the words, "go…check…elf-girl."
One of the tallest Goblins, probably about four and half feet tall, rose from his seat and stomped over to them, his dark, cunning eyes fixed on Savina. He stopped next to their table and spoke to Aragorn in crude common, "such a strange combination of companions."
Tika, who was refilling the Goblins' ale mugs, was watching out of the corner of her eye.
Aragorn looked at the Goblin calmly, "you could say we compliment each other."
The Goblin nodded, still looking at Savina, "perhaps you could ask your sorceress-friend to lower her hood for only a moment."
Aragorn studied the Goblin for a moment, "and if she does wish to?"
The Goblin paused, looking uncomfortable, "look, we're looking for someone, for their own protection, they are in danger they could not even dream of. So if I could just see your face, lady."
Savina looked at Aragorn, who was still looking nonchalant.
"Now," the Goblin was beginning to get impatient and the other Goblins had all turned around and were watching silently.
Aragorn gave a slight nod and Savina lifted her trembling hands to her hood and threw it back.
The Goblin's face looked surprised for a moment, then he fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper, looked at it, then back up at Savina. "It's her!" He howled in triumph, "seize her!"
The Goblin leader rose to his feet, pulling his short-sword from his belt, "kill the companions! Take the girl-"
Then there was loud bang and the Goblin leader was laying on the floor, facedown, out-cold, and covered in scrambled eggs.
Tika stood over him, the heavy iron skillet clutched in her hand. She swung it again and it smashed into another Goblin, breaking his nose and sending his reeling backward into the wall, where he dropped to the floor and lay still.
Aragorn rose from his seat and swept his sword, cleanly decapitating three Goblins. Their dark, black blood squirted in all directions and pooled on the floor.
Savina drew her sword and leaped at a Goblin, but, being more experienced, he knocked the sword from her hand, sending it skittering under a table, and lunged at her.
His body, although short, was thick and strong. His strong arms circled her waist and he tried to drag her away.
She kicked him in the stomach and pushed him toward Tika, who whacked him over the head with her skillet at the same moment an arrow from Legolas' bow buried itself in his forehead.
Gimli was standing with his short legs far apart, roaring threats at the last two Goblins; one already lay dead at his feet.
Legolas shot one of them in the chest, but the last one dashed to the door, ducking behind benches, and out the door, yelling in Goblin.
Aragorn wiped the blood off of his sword on one of the Goblin's jackets and stuck his pack on his back, "it's gone for help."
The rest of them got their packs and made their way to the door.
Aragorn paused near Tika, who was looking around in dismay, "thank you, lady, I will remember your kindness. Will you be ok?"
Tika pushed a strand of red hair out of her face, "yes, they won't hurt me, I'm the one who serves the only drinks for fifty miles. Besides," she straightened her shoulders, "I can take care of myself."
Aragorn admired this young girl, so fiery, so full of spirit, much like Savina. He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead, "may your path be safe."
The young barmaid blushed furiously, and twisted her hands, "may the gods light your way."
Savina retrieved her sword from under the table and stuck it in its sheath, "thank you, Tika, perhaps we will meet again under happier circumstances."
Tika nodded and kicked at the body of the Goblin leader.
Aragorn threw the door open and stepped out into the sunshine carefully, looking around.
Savina followed him, shielding her eyes from the bright sun with one hand and groping for her sword with the other.
Legolas and Gimli followed, wielding their weapons, their eyes staring into the forest that surrounded the clearing that the tavern was located in.
Then Savina heard it.
Footsteps.
Not normal footsteps, but clumsy, loud, stomping footsteps.
Goblins…hundreds of them.
Aragorn looked around, listening, then spoke quickly, "they are coming back from the way we came, so we continue our journey in the right direction. Follow me quickly, we don't want to fight hundreds of Goblins." As he spoke, he slipped around the side of the tavern.
Savina followed him, keeping against the wall, and tripped over something small and soft, sending her sprawling. She scrambled to her knees and turned to see what she had fallen over. Then she gasped and covered her mouth in horror.