[Noinkling]

‘Are you from these parts?’ the man asked.

Tolly looked up from his plate of eggs, chewing them thoughtfully. How should he answer this question? Placing his fork down on the rim of his plate he looked up at Keleth. ‘Well, for someone whose come from as far away as it looks you have, you might say I’m from these parts,’ he began. ‘But where I’m from, the western edge of the Shire, folk don’t travel much. So, yes, I’m from the Shire, but I’ve never been here in Bywater before.’ He took a slice of toast and spread it thickly with berry jam. ‘Come here on business. That’s what got me out of Greenholm and set me down the road to the Dragon.

The Hobbit chewed off a generous hunk of toast, washing it down with a cup of sweet, hot tea. He was feeling quite relaxed after a good night’s sleep. And what with a belly food of good Inn fare, he was also feeling quite expansive. The man looked friendly enough, he decided, and not one to try to turn another’s business to himself. No harm in telling him what he planned to do. ‘My gaffer and me are thinking of getting up an Inn on the main road heading to the west hills; one like they have here in Bywater,’ he confided to his tablemate. ‘I’m here to have a look about. See what makes the place tick. How they organize things.’ He looked about at the now full Common Room, thinking how well everything was run here.

‘Oh my, here I’ve gone on and on about myself. Where’s my manners, as my Ma would say. What about you? What brings you here to the Shire? Are you passing further west? Or going east?’ Tolly took another drink from his mug awaiting his companion’s response.