[piosenniel]

Buttercup

Harold held the dustpan while Buttercup swept up the broken shards of the mug – a task made more difficult by the fact that the broom was not all that effective in the grass of the Inn yard. ‘Wouldn’t want any of us Hobbits to cut our feet,’ she said, crouching down to pick up the last few splinters with her fingers. Harold nodded his head at this and knelt down to help her.

The long rays of the late afternoon sun made it easy to see the mug pieces. Their glazed surfaces shone a little in the light. They were down to the last few splinters when a shadow fell over the little plot of grass they were working on. Buttercup looked up only to see the figure of Ruby, the other server in the Inn, standing over them, blocking the sunlight.

‘Aren’t you Harold,’ Ruby asked, ‘the fellow who has been making the chairs and table for us?’ Harold stood up, shaking his head ‘yes’ at the Hobbit’s question. ‘Well,’ continued Ruby, ‘I was sent to find you. The Common Room’s floor is all finished and swept and waxed. Could you get your chairs and tables up into the Inn and get them arranged, please. Get some of the other lads to help you.’ Ruby turned then to Buttercup. ‘And we’re to get the pots and pans and cooking and eating utensils hauled back into the kitchen. The men who were helping with that have the cabinets redone and we can get all the things we’ve cleaned put away.’

Buttercup stood and dusted her hands off on her apron. ‘Well, we’d best get to it, then,’ she said to Ruby. ‘See you later, Harold,’ she said. ‘Don’t hurt your back getting those tables moved.’ She stood close to Harold and whispered to him. ‘There’s plenty of lazy-bones around here – drinking the free ale and eating our stews. Round ‘em up and get them to help you!’

Ruby pulled her away toward the piles of pots and pans. Buttercup gave a last wave to Harold and ran after her friend.