Silverleaf was tired. He had been on the road all night
and he almost regretted having accepted the wine  
merchants request of delivering a couple of Ale caskets 
to the innkeeper of The angry Porcupine in Vanshire. 
But since he had some other business for Merlin, which 
involved a message for the mages guild, and an order 
for some reagents anyway, he had thought: 'Why not' 
He could always rest before returning to Merlin. 

When he crossed the marketsquare on his way towards
the tavern, he heard a rumble from the inn, followed 
by a thumb, which made the ground shake under his 
feet. Silverleaf was not in the mood for trouble today. 
He just hoped he could get these caskets to the receiver 
and get over to the guildhouse before noon. 

He lifted the ale barrels with ease from the wagon, and
with a barrel on each shoulder, he proceeded towards 
the door. With no hands free, he had to use one barrel 
to push the door open, gently as possible, but not gently 
enough. The door suffered a visible crack. The elf scowled. 
Now he wouldn't make the guildhouse in time to see the 
mage in time. He would have to fix the door before he  
left. 

Stepping into the room, he immediately spotted the 
cause of the trouble. A young lizard man stood in a  
posture of defense with knotted fists, while a large  
man was picking himself up from the floor. There 
was an atmosphere of a peculiar mixture of antagonism 
and curiousity among the onlookers, but at the sight  
of Silverleaf with his caskets, this changed to excited 
expectation. Rumors was told about this wood elf, with
the incredible strength, and how trouble seemed to  
follow him, wherever he went. A hushed silence fell on
the room. 

The angry customer readied himself for another attack,
but he never got that far. Suddenly he was lifted from 
the floor, and hung dangling in the air. He turned his 
head to see, who dared to subject him to such a disgrace 
and looked into a pair of calm grey eyes, which regarded  
him as if he was some kind of insect. A moment later he
was unceremoniously dropped, and for the second time
that morning he had a not too gently meeting with the 
floor. 

Having removed the obstacle Silverleaf picked up the
ale casket he had put down and went up to Elfirans  
counter, where he put them down. 

"Could I interest you in a job? I could sure use a fellow
like you", Elfiran said. "Have a drink on the house!" 
and put a mug of his finest in front of Silverleaf.  

The young wood elf was about to answer, when he heard
a noise from behind. This time the angry man was 
charging, and Silverleaf wondered, why the lizard man 
just stood there, and didn't make any attempt of a  
counter attack, but resigned himself to pure defense. 
Then it hit him: he recognized the situation from his  
first arrival to Tamriel. He had been set on getting along 
with the people, and only acted in self defense. But time 
had taught him that decisive action often was more  
effective, and less painful in the end. This young man  
was evidently as much a stranger in these surroundings 
as he himself had been then, and had adopted the same 
attitude. Only time would teach him to adapt. 

During these reflections, his mind had unconsciously 
lashed out and created a shield around the lizard man. 

It was difficult to tell, who was more surprised: the young
lizard man or the big fellow, who felt his blows repelled 
by an invisible barrier. 

"Could I have another one of this?", Silverleaf asked 
Elfiran and indicated his ale. He took the new mug and 
his own, which he hadn't had time to drink, and went 
over to the man. 

"You must be tired" the elf said calmly, "why don't you
take these with my compliment, and join your woman? 
I am sure, it's all a misunderstanding." 

And he led the sulking man back to his table, and 
with a ceremoniously bow to the flustering woman, 
Silverleaf returned to the lizard man, who was not 
quite sure, what had actually happened. It had all 
been so quick. 

"Here, let me", Silverleaf said, and grabbed the mug, who
had turned over, when the man had risen. A moment later 
he returned and placed two large goblets of the new brew, 
he had brought, on the table. 

"I haven't had the time to introduce myself yet. I am 
Silverleaf Halfmoon, but Silverleaf will do. Sit down and 
have a drink with me. You have had a busy morning, I 
reckon. You don't look like any argonian I know.  
May I know your name?  You must excuse my curiousity, 
but why was this man so bent on your destruction?"