A heavy warmness of ale trembled on Éolan's cheek, and the lantern flame on the wall warmed her ear and neck, making her feel a feverish burn within. Listening to the conversation, she raised her flagon to her wet balmy lips. [i]Empty. Drowned it already. Not even a bit left. That last bit that remains on the bottom... What do they call it? Oh, yes, 'the old man'. Too fast. On an empty stomach. Where are you going?[/i] She squinted looking at the leaving Swan Knight, the one named Baranor, making his way through the inn, soon to rest in his bed. In the blink of an eye, he was gone, and a new man was among them: [i]the Easterner[/i]. He leaned on the table, threatening and foreign, but vowing to help.

"Well, then, [i]frēond[/i]," she said, accent out of place (and time too), woozy with the new lulling sensation, "take a seat, join we for a [i]béor[/i]." [i]A grudge against the Gondorian? That's why he waited for him to leave. Or afraid, maybe. Both.[/i] Acknowledging hew newfound openness and amiability, she straightened her back in the chair. Strange, how a chug or two lowers the guard of someone inexperienced in the drinking craft. 

She felt embarrassed and fooled by her own self, and she envied Baranor who knew when to leave and was now snug. She did not want to leave the wrong first impression, the most important impression. Sure, she was friendly, as she should have; but the manner in which she did it might not have been germane, and being friendly too soon often makes people think you a fool they can use. Of course, as it usually is with people who find themselves in such situations for the first time, she was overthinking. Usually no one notices anything or cares, let alone remembers; and if they do, they jest with you tomorrow once or twice and the world never knows about it again. She tried to get up, first quickly and then more slowly, letting her quivering thighs adjust. 

"I am tired, however," she said. "I think I will [i]slēpan [/i]as well. Excuse me, everyone."

She left, leaving her bag behind, and after some few dozen steps and a few dozen stairs, she pushed open the first door she saw, dropped herself onto a comfortably embracing bed empty-headed and closed her eyes.