[Elora]

Before Doderic could will it or no, Falco surged on. He stood and though his stature was not that of the Men and Elves at the table, Falco for all the world appeared to be as tall in his outrage. He pointed a finger across the table at Falowik.

"Entrust this to him! Him? A feckless wandering tramp who can no more work a day's labour? He can't even find a roof for his own head of a night in places he well knows!

We're to follow him into the great unknown? We don't even know if he saw what he saw! Oh, he says he saw Eodwine being snatched by ruffians and a convincing tale he must have made of it for the Master of Buckland to believe it. But I know him, or at least I know the likes of him.

Unreliable, untrustworthy... willing to say whatever he has to, and likely do whatever he has to also, to scrape survival together!

I can't believe this outrage! I-" Falco's spluttering was cut by a voice that quivered with cold anger.

"Have said quite enough." Uien did not stand. Falco stared at her, incensed, mouth reaching for words. Uien merely stared back, biting back hard on her anger.

"I am surprised, Shirrif, that you so quickly forget how circumstance can master us all for a time and how only the strongest amongst us can turn that back." Uien brushed by Falowik's arm as she moved closer to the table to pin Falco Boffin with an unrelenting gaze.

"I had thought you would remember both years of plenty and years of little. Perhaps I am wrong in that. Perhaps you have never suffered in Bywater through such times."

Falco's face had reddened further, and then paled. Uien pressed on firmly.

"Any who gainsay Falowik gainsay myself also. For I say he is honourable, skilled and worthy of this. Who here can say they know enough of me to judge whether my word is good?

"The Master of Buckland is wise, I say, in his counsel.

"But I shall not gainsay Falowik and force leadership upon him, though I believe in my heart we would all of us come to be glad for his guidance.

"Let no more aspersions be cast, lest those who cast them are willing to be so judged, and have a decision."

Falco harumphed loudly but stubbornly kept his lips sealed. Uien fell quiet, though her voice had never risen in her anger. She took that moment to examine the group, each in turn. From face to face her eyes gravely passed. Some nodded, others smiled, Falco simmered. Until at last her gaze came to the man sitting beside her. Uien felt a great restlessly rise then, for she had the urge to both dunk Falco Boffin in a water trough as well as gather Falowik to her and tell him that the hissed words were as meaningful as steam from a boiling kettle.

They were nothing, yet still could burn. She was a healer and she would heal. Eodwine if the will of Illúvator permitted, and most of all the man she loved. There would come a time when even Falco Boffin and his ilk would have no choice but to admit that Falowik was none of the things they thought him and so much more.

The silence stretched, disturbed by Falco's shifting in his seat. Perhaps he knew that Uien was thinking of roofing tacks and his rump. More likely, he had just realised his tankard was empty. He held it aloft.

"I'll be needing more of this. That much I do know," he muttered mournfully as Nob raced forward with a fresh tankard. His toes caught the slightly raised edge of a floor stone in his haste, and so Falco got his ale in a manner. Foam and amber liquid soaked from his head down his face and into his once fine uniform.

From the bar, Barliman roared, "NOB!" The benighted Nob rolled to his feet nimbly, as only one accustomed to such tumbles could, gathered up both the now empty tankard that had clattered to the floor as well as Falco's empty one that was still held aloft. Falco hadn't moved an inch through his shower of ale.

"Get a bucket and mop, you wooly pated buffoon, and clean up that mess. Get the Shirrif a fresh tankard too! Well don't just stand there grinning boy!" Nob gingerly plucked Falco's tankard from his raised hand and turned to go.

"Don't worry about the second one, if it's all the same. I'll have to go see to this vest. The buttons tarnish in ale." Unaware that his statement had revealed Falco's own experience with bar boys who tumble with full tankards of ale, Falco stood.

He nodded stiffly to Doderic as his thin dignity would permit, and then took his leave. Anson and Gorby seemed torn between outright laughter and sighs of relief. Uien herself had struggled to keep her amusement clear of her face. It twinkled from her eyes though.

The Shirrif retired momentarily from the discussion, and the puddle of ale left in his place on his seat unable to offer anything further, it seemed like a decision could now be reached without further outbursts.