[Kransha]

“I admit, it may be some time before I can afford to pay you back, but I will give you whatever surety you require.” finished Snaveling, half rushing and half rueful as he spoke. His words were directed at Tobias Hornblower, but the elder hobbit could tell that several of the folk around now had fixed their gazes on the man who stood before them. Toby’s mouth opened, but nothing came out. He looked at Snaveling, then to a frowning Aman, then to Roa who was nearby, and considered. He could’ve begun any number of mindless rants, but his logical side warned him against it. Thinking for a long moment as a minor silence gathered around the few people nearby, he began to speak quietly and slowly, contemplating every word.

“Snaveling…I am not entirely sure, for once, what to say…” he was nearly speechless, staring with narrowed eyes at the man. Suddenly, those narrowed eyes and furrowed brow softened as if a great burden had been lifted from them. Though it came through a great supply a stuttering and groping for words, Toby began to speak again. “I…I am astounded that you would say such false things to these people! You know perfectly well that the coin wasn’t stolen. I distinctly remember giving it to you as a gift earlier…In simply must’ve forgotten that one of the eleven coins I had ready was given to you. It is my shortcoming, and I cannot fathom why you would try to take the blame for it. You will all have to forgive me, I have been a bit…shall we say, ‘distracted,’ and I see now why my mind became so diluted by these festivities. The gold coin thought stolen was a gift, and I can probably muster more for the inn if Miss Aman would desire as much.”

Toby’s mind was, almost literally, trying to throttle him. He felt a great lump in his throat, but swallowed it. He had never in his life done anything charitable that he could remember. The eleven gold coins was a great and straining stretch, but this was nearly over the limit. Snaveling had robbed him, no matter how small the sum was, but he suddenly didn’t care. If anything, he had been just as much a fool as Snaveling and the man who’d shown him friendship had surely earned this gift after all the pain he’d endured. For all the hobbit knew, this might be the last as well as first charitable thing he’d done, so he would remove all guilt from himself in one fell swoop. It would be good for him anyway, and his resolution was at last made.