[littlemanpoet]

With the rising sun, Falowik awoke, lying on the ground near a tree behind the Green Dragon Inn, to find Uien standing near him, her arms outstretched, facing the rising orb; its blinding light made his head hurt.

"Good morning," he said.

She turned. "Good morning to you as well. How do you feel?"

Falowik put his hands to his head. "Horrible. I really must spend less time in the hospitality of hobbitish inns."

"Or any, for that matter."

"Heal me, O Queen of the Dawn."

She laughed. "I must save my strength for a more demanding labor today. Besides, it would do you no harm to suffer the pains of your own overdrinking.

"You are cruel, my love."

"There is a new Elf at the Inn, whose thought came to me last night. I would see who he is. And Mithalwen will be making braces for the hobbit boy Rory. I must speak with her; it seems that she is not so used to the osanwë."

"Then she and I have something in common," Falowik drawled.

"Up with you, Lauréatan! There is breakfast to be had and aid to be given to Mithalwen, who seems to think that she must do this in a more difficult fashion than need be."

Falowik laboriously sat up. "The wise Elf Lady of the evening stars knows best what must needs be done." He half smiled, watching her through squinted eyes.

She stamped her foot and put her hands on her hips. "Are you sure you have not been listening to my thought? I do not know best, and must be careful not to needlessly tread underfoot the best thought of others. All the more reason to seek out Mithalwen."

Falowik got his feet under him and grunted himself to his feet. "I need a bath."

"There is a stream you know of well," Uien replied, "where I learned that your hair was not dark but golden."

"Oh, I remember," Falowik grinned. "I suppose that was all you learned?"

"Shush! I am a proper Elf Lady, you human lout."

"Human lout that you have sworn undying devotion to."

Uien tilted her head and regarded him measuringly. "That ale is both on your breath and coming off your tongue. I've never heard you speak so brassily."

"Maybe I should drink more often and copiously."

They continued their banter hand in hand as they walked toward the inn, Falowik detouring to the stream where the water ran deep; Uien went in search of Mithalwen.