[Fordim Hedgethistle]

Snaveling awoke to find a roan nuzzling his beard. He had not intended to fall asleep but the combination of the warm sun and his pipe had been such that he must have drifted off. He pushed the horse’s head away from his own and was surprised to see a number of ponies and horses about the yard. Hobbits were running about wildly trying to herd the animals back into their pens, and a few Elves and Men were lending a hand as well. Snaveling grimaced at the confusion. This place, he thought, if it’s not one thing, it’s another. . .. Taking hold of the roan’s bridle and clucking lightly with his tongue he led the mare back to her stall. He took a sly look round to make sure that he was unobserved before rifling through an unattended saddle bag that had been left across the pen wall. Finding it empty, he returned to the yard and helped herd a few more ponies into the stables.

By now, most of the chaos had been seen to and Snaveling was hungry. Chuckling to himself about the horses – not too unkindly – he went into the Inn to look for some breakfast. The change from the bright light of day to the interior of the Inn was abrupt, so the first thing he noticed was the smell of the freshly carpentered wood. The Common Room was spacious but not overly large, with an elaborately conceived hearth off to one side. The furniture was simply but sturdily built and came in two sizes: one for the Big Folk and one for the Little. Snaveling noticed with interest that a couple of tables had apparently been constructed with both Folk in mind, with raised benches on one side and regular chairs on the other. (If there was one thing that he had learned of Halflings, it was that they were practical.)

The Room was beginning to fill with people attending to their breakfasts, and at first Snaveling did not notice Toby and Roa at one of the specially built tables. When he did see them, his first impulse was to slink from the Inn to avoid being seen by Roa, but Toby’s eye fell on him before he could flee. The gentlehobbit called Snaveling over to where they were sitting. Reluctantly, Snaveling joined them. Toby, as usual, was talking vociferously, but there was something in his manner that attracted Snaveling’s attention. Toby is planning something, he thought. Indeed, while Toby was hiding it well, it was clear to Snaveling at least that the hobbit was quite pleased with some clever device that he was meditating upon. Snaveling thought of confronting him about it but decided to let the matter rest. Let him have his little mysteries; I’m sure we’ll all hear about it soon enough.

Snaveling avoided Roa’s gaze. She too had something on her mind, but unlike Toby, Snaveling was all too aware of what it was. How much longer could he hope it would be before she remembered? And then what would happen to him? It was as he thought this that Roa addressed him, causing him to react with startled alarm. “Toby has asked for me help with decorating the Inn; for the party tonight. Perhaps you could help us?”

Decorate? “Decorate?” he said. “Well…it will be easier than hauling around furniture. Where do we begin, My Lady,” he tried to hide – not quite successfully – his mocking tone. “I am entirely in your hands.”