[Amanaduial the archer]

Atharen turned to Crystal, regarding her quickly without looking like he was leering. She was still so fierce and tense, reminding him of fire, but whereas the fire had been furious and wild before, it was calmer now, warm and gentle...

"Atharen. My name is Atharen, lady." He inclined his head politely, knowing he should address her by her first name. But courtesy usually came first for Atharen, and he had no way of knowing how Crystal would react to familiarity – he didn’t even put ‘my’ before lady, as the wariness exuded by this woman suggested that could really be a very bad idea. A yell and a splintering piece of wood caused the ranger to duck sharply, reaching to make Crystal duck as well, but to his surprise, she was quite as fast and alert as him. He grinned this time - she was indeed swift, her reflexes seeming to match his. She flashed a grin back, proud, although her manners were lady-like – if he father was indeed Dorian, she had indeed inherited his pride, although Atharen saw little in her looks of her father.

“You would break up the fight?” she said after a moment. Her casual manner and brief look at the fighting men told the ranger that Crystal was quite used to such things. Glancing across himself, Atharen raised an eyebrow as he looked back at the woman.

“I wouldn’t like to intrude where it wasn’t my business,” he replied enigmatically, then added, “Besides, Garth’s two bruisers there seem to have it under control.” The last comment regarded the two large men, built like brick walls, both of them sporting several scars, tattooed biceps and noses that had been broken more than once. Even the ranger would not be inclined to take those two on. But their intrusion to the fight, wading into the mess of men who had joined the fight and pulling them apart by their collars, provided the perfect diversion; it’s new level of interest caught the attention of more watchers, and Atharen lightly brushed Crystal’s hand with his own, drawing her with a minute nod of his head to one side, further into the shadows. She looked at him questioningly.

“Not all are watching the fight, lady.” He didn’t let his eyes move from her face, but kept them locked with hers to stop her turning. Crystal knew what he meant though, and mouthed a name. Atharen nodded. “Aye. Why is it he puts your back up? I know you may not wish to answer, but if, as you say, your life depends on this, I must ask – is your fa –”

“Atharen!”

The voice made Atharen snap his head up in the direction of the speaker, and he saw Roryn standing beside Maen, waiting expectantly. “Are you ready to go?”

“Aye, let me just pay the Innkeeper,” he called back, turning towards Garth who, with the remainder of the brawlers skulking away (nursing their wounds and in most cases their drinks), was back behind the bar, wiping it with a ragged cloth in the habitual manner of barmen everywhere. Atharen was not, of course, going to go anything of the sort – he hadn’t had need to pay in coinage at this Inn for years. But Innkeepers pick up handy things… “Garth, do you know that individual, the grey-eyed soldier at the table with the woman I came in with?”

Garth looked over with all the subtlety of a brick, then a frown creased his forehead. “Looks a little familiar, sir, but then, most of Minas Tirith pass through this Inn. Why do you ask? And hey,” he added, turned back to more important matters with a slight leer, “who is that young woman, hmm? Or the other who you were conversin’ with so intensely, hmm? Dear me, Atharen, we are drawing in the ladies – Miss Merien will not pleased!”

Atharen grinned, humouring the man, his teeth glinting slightly as he drew his hood back up, ready to go back out. “You have me figured, Master Garth, what can I say – a ladies’ man through and through!” The Innkeeper laughed and Atharen nodded politely as he turned, pausing for a second to add, “Oh! And Merien – I think I will probably not have time to speak to her. Please, if she comes in…?”

“Understood, m’boy, understood. And she’ll understand an’ all, never fear…”

Atharen smiled once more, gratefully, before turning back and leaving the Inn with the rest, subtly placing himself quite close to Crystal and Maen, with Ferethor always at the corner of his vision.