[Osse]

Ferdibrand sat hunched over the reins of his cart and cast impatient looks in the direction of the door to the inn. Where is that dratted boy??
The pleasant air of the evening had done nothing to improve his mood and if anything the time he had had to brood had caused the usually amiable hobbit to become even more ill-tempered.

He even snapped viciously at young Tom Gardner, who he usually got on so well with, as he greeted him jovially. Tom slinked off with a hurt look over his shoulder and went up the road towards Hobbiton. Ferdibrand contemplated going after Tolman to make ammends, but just as he was clambering down from his cart, the door of the Dragon opened . Light and smoke poured out of the doorway mingled with the sounds of merrymaking from within.

To his horror Ferdibrand caught the sound of his nephew's voice, singing no less, and with dwarves from the sound of it. Merimac had been instructed to pay the inn-keeper and meet Ferdibrand outside; it seemed he got somewhat distracted.

Ferdibrand strided up to the still-open door and wriggled his way throught the throng of people. Every head in the place had turned to watch Merimac and his dwarven comrades sing. The fiddler who had played the jig before was now pumping out a fast, well known tune, to which Merimac was singing. Ferdibrand stayed out of Merimac's sight until the last minute when he descended upon him in full chorus. Ferdibrand's yells mingled with the voices of the dwarves. Still screaming, he grabbed Merimac by the ear and hoisted him towards the door.

The fiddle abruptly stopped, not a sound was to be heard except the ravings of Ferdibrand as he dragged Merimac over the threshold. All eyes were turned to see the door slam shut behind them.

Ferdibrand's shouts echoed in through the open window.

[ July 23, 2003: Message edited by: Osse ]