Simple as a game of Cards
Manloth was a simple card game, with up to ten players, seven cards each, some brainpower, and about a billion cheats. The game was simple enough, each player was trying to get all of one suite, highest numbers all added up, and a ton of items from the gambling.
Gambling, as was a rule, was a male game, but any elf in Mirkwood knew there was one exception, and that was Novthô l, the only player in all of Middle Earth to have successfully creamed every player to go against them, and didn't ever cheat.
At first Novthô l had gone out dressed in male clothing, hoping to be looked over as a woman, until she had been summoned to the palace to play against the royal family, and nothing got by them. None of the family had gone hard on the woman, for they were all defeated by her as well.
To any visitor, such as the envoy from Rivendell, Aragorn, would have found this morally wrong, but it was Aragorn who decided to ask why an elf maiden was at a bar with an infant playing cards.
"Because," Came the simple reply, "I can whoop any warriors butt, and undoubtedly would slaughter you."
"Then I'll challenge you to a game of cards." Aragorn said. Novthô l smiled and nodded, before sitting down and pulling out a pack of cards, handing it to Aragorn for his inspection. After Aragorn had looked over the cards he handed the maiden the cards and the game began.
Only to be lost. Aragorn looked at her suspiciously. How had a silly maiden beaten him?
"You see, friend, this situation is as simple as a game of cards. We all gotta start somewhere, and you chose the wrong spot to try your recklessness in cards." She shuffled the cards and put them away.
The door of the tavern opened and Legolas Greenleaf stepped in, lifting the now squealing infant girl in his arms, and walked over to the table.
"Hello Aragorn, what are you doing in this forsaken tavern."
"I'm being beaten by an elf maiden." Aragorn grumbled, glaring at the smiling Novthô l.
"Ahh, you have met my charming wife, and best Manloth player in all Middle Earth." Smiling at the man's startled face, he pulled his wife from the table.
"See ya at home, Legolas, Alana needs to go sleepy, don't we, baby." Novthô l said to the yawning child in her arms.
"No… sleep… sleep." The girl by then had settled against her mother and fallen asleep.
"Yes, I shall see you at home."
***
Alana blinked her tired eyes opened. How had she remembered that?
Sam popped up next to her and said, "Nice to see you awake, Miss Alana, we were just talking of what to do next."
Looking around, Alana nodded and stood. Starting up towards another ridge of the terrible rocky mountain.
"Well, my friends, we have to start somewhere, so lets begin with the obvious, and not test ourselves." She smiled as she nearly quoted her mother, yes, this was going to be interesting.