Saturday Excerpt, "Quest"

The elves quietly ate their broth.  It was little more than hot water with some roots thrown in for flavor, but at least it was quite hot.  Linvin urged them to eat quickly.

From across the room, came a robust laugh.  “Well, well, boys, look what crept into our bar!  A bunch of little elves.  I could use some entertainment.  Hey, elves!  You are known as minstrels and singers of songs.  Come put on a show for us.  I hear you’re real good entertainers.”  The other men laughed along and turned to the elves.

Rander was terrified, Bander was confused, Linvin was insulted but in control, and Anvar remained calm.  “Continue to eat,” Linvin said as though he were asking someone to pass the salt.  “Ignore them as you would a fly buzzing around.”

The man looked at the others with a shocked expression and then at the party.  “Didn’t you little imps hear me?  Dance!  Sing!  Spin on your heads!  We’re eager to see how entertaining you high and mighty elves are.  Come on now, have at it!”  The man and his friends were getting riled and left their seats.

Anvar spread out his fingers with his palm down.  Then he slowly lowered it to the table.  His nephews understood and continued eating quietly.  All the while, Linvin fumed.

“Hey!” the man who appeared to be the leader yelled, “I’m talking to you!  See, we don’t take kindly to your type stinking up our place.  Since you have trespassed in this good establishment, you will pay a fee.  So either you put on a show and then we throw you out, or we drag you out now by your squirrelly little ears.”

Only silence came from Linvin’s party.  They tried as best they could to ignore the man who fumed of hops.  Their lack of response angered him all the more.

The men slowly  started walking toward them.  “Ya lookin’ so pretty, ya’ must be a bunch of rich elves, huh?  What’s the matter?  You too good to dance for us?  Or maybe you just want your beating sooner?”  It was all Linvin could do not to act, yet he maintained his composure.  Anvar was making the call and he towed the line.

Anvar broke his silence at last.  “We are tired,” he said politely.  “We aren’t up for entertaining tonight.  We will be leaving just as soon as we finish our meal.  We do thank you anyway, gentlemen.”

The man slammed his hands down on the table by Anvar.  The act spilled the broth and nearly collapsed the table.  “Well,I wasn’t really askin,’ now,was I,old elf?  Now get up and dance before we spill more than your soup.”