earmires:

                                                                 ❝ Very well then. ❞

                               From inside a hidden pocket  a  fairly round baggie  was
                               taken out and then thrown through the air in the direction
                               of  the  boatman who caught  it  with impressive  reflexes

                     His  last  words were pretty concerning on their own. With  a  peppered
                     sum  he  bought his silence but there were many others  in  Lake-town
                     who loved to stick their noses into other’s business. Will she be forced
                     to  buy  the  silence of  everyone? The elf  dismissed  the  thought.  She
                     trusted  enough  the nature of her kind to remain unseen and  unheard
                             if wanted so indeed it will be as if she never crossed this path.

                                 ❝ There is still time till complete nightfall. I can give you  a 
                                 hand in carrying around these barrels if you want me to. ❞

The bargeman looked at her questioningly, but then - knowing how his daughters reacted to that very same expression - he nodded his consent. “‘Twould be appreciated,” he murmured gruffly as he lightly jumped ashore again, pointing at a few barrels. “Leave those to me; their owner is very particular about who handles them.” His tone of voice was wry, leaving no doubt as to how he felt about the condition.

He looked to her, again struck by her beauty, her foreignness. “You do not ail from the Woodland kingdom, do you? Your… appearance seems different to me.”