[Roa_Aoife]

Roa had been working hard on the reconstruction of the Inn. With Snaveling resting, she tried to do nearly twice as much as before, in oreder to make up for the lost hands. She would allow none to help her- she was responsible for the work achieved by herself and Snaveling, no one else. From time to time she would check on her charge, but he was in the company of Toby, checking the traps. Her people generally did not use traps, so she was ot astonished that they worked better than her own.

Roa looked back to her labor. The wall was nearly finished here. She sat down a little ways away, to take a rest. There was more than one reason she had thrown herself into her work. Roa was angry. The hatred in Snaveling's eyes as she mentioned Minas Tirith, the disapproving, condenscending look from Toby as she spoke of the protection afforded by her kin, the memory of her brother-- she was in a foul mood indeed.

She closed her eyes and thought of her brother. "Bram!" called a small girl. She ran towards the young man, red-gold locks streaming behind her. "Bram!" Laughingly, the young man, with hair as red as her own, scooped her into the air and spun her around. The child giggled, the whole sound filling her body. "Laughter always conquers you, little sister," siad the boy as he set her down. It was safe and warm here, in the forest. But suddenly things became darker. Smoke and flame filled the air. "Bram!" cried a terrofied little girl. But the boy was gone and she was alone. The little girl cried in fear, but an older voice, strange yet familiar, called out. "A curse on you and your kin!"

Roa opened her eyes with a start. Someone cried in agony behind her. Jumping to her feet, she turned and saw Snaveling collapse. "Galadel, I need you!" The elf-woman was already coming. Together they ran to help Snaveling, who had fallen on a poor Tobias. An older hobbit was trying to free his Kin, and rouse the man at the same time. Roa reached them and rolled the unconsious man's body off Toby. She started at the look of agony on Snaveling's face.

Several other workers had come to help. They helped Roa lift him off the ground, and carried him to the stables. Galadel began to sing.