[Arien]

“Ah The Green Dragon Inn,” he whispered under his breath, so his journey had led him here. His dark looked up at the old sign that swayed gently in the evening breeze; it swept up his dark hair and the danced with a few leaves on its way down the path towards the setting sun. He stared at them for a while, the soft shining light caressing his face, then he looked down to the gravel path and then up towards the door. A stay here for a few nights would be sufficient, then off again. Maybe back to the North, or to Bree he had not decided yet.

The man pushed the door open in to the Inn, it was nothing new. It was an Inn what else could he say. He nodded to the Innkeeper at the bar.

“Welcome, I am Aman the Innkeeper,” she said, “And how may I help you?”

“A room please, and an ale if you would,” he said pushing a pouch of coins on to the bar. The Innkeeper smiled at him and opened up a large logbook in front of him, he signed his name and took the ale she had poured in the meantime.

“Do you wish to have a meal?” Aman asked taking the logbook and pen, outing them both under the counter.

“No I am alright for now, maybe in the morning….” He said as he looked around the common room for a place to sit. Aman drew back his attention though.

“Ok then when you are ready come over to the bar and I will have someone show your room.”

“Could you possibly show me now?” he questioned, he did not disrupt Aman right now but he needed somewhere to set his things down.

“No problem,” she said cheerily. And so with key in her hand he followed her upstairs to his room. The corridor was small, but cosy. She stopped ant a door at the far end, “here we are, if you need anything…..”

“I’ll ask,” he finished, Aman smiled, handed him the key and started to walk back to the bar, “Oh and thank you,” he called down the passage. He put the key into the lock and turned it opening the door slowly. A fire was already lit and a double bed was set in the centre. He walked in and closed the door behind him. He threw his things onto a chair near by and went the window at the far end and set his ale on the windowsill. He stared out of it for a few moments and then sighed maybe here would be more gracious towards him.

He turned and headed for the common room with the mug of ale in his hands, he shut his door behind him and slipped the key into a pouch on his belt. He did not change from his travelling clothes, for one he saw no point he would be leaving soon and he didn’t feel comfortable in his other clothes. He preferred to wear his mail shirt underneath his foresters green tunic and dark green trousers than wear something of a richer nature.

He looked around the common room for a table; there was one with a She –Elf. An Elf! He had not seen one since he left Ithilien and for some reason he was glad to see one. He walked to the table and courteously asked.

“May I sit?” the She- Elf nodded and smiled. She was radiant, her fair skin glowed and her blonde hair floated passed her shoulders. And her eyes were grey and deep full of curiosity but full of sadness. “I am Caranel, a ranger of Ithilien,,” he bowed politely and sat down opposite the elf. “And you may be?”