[Noinkling]

The truth is . . . I am pursuing someone.

‘Well now there’s something to drop in the middle of someone’s breakfast!’ the Hobbit thought to himself. Tolly put his fork and knife down and took a good look at his companion. He surely didn’t look like those shifty-eyed men who’d come to the Shire – the ones that Master Merry and Master Pippin had driven out when they’d come home from the war. Maybe he was one of the King’s Shirriff’s. Tolly scratched his head. Did the King have Shiriffs? He fiddled with the eggs on his plate, pushing them around on his plate. He was desperately wanting to know the rest of the story, but trying to be polite enough not to just ask outright.

The doors from the kitchen banged open, allowing the entrance of an interesting pair to the common room. One was a young Hobbit lass, about the age of Tolly’s youngest sister, and the other . . . the other was an Elf lady. The Hobbit, her name was Ginger he found out, nailed up an announcement nearby Keleth and Tolly’s table.

‘Well, look at that,’ he said changing the subject as he pointed the notice out to Keleth. ‘The Inn is hosting a party and a handfasting . . . and they’re asking for some volunteers. He got up and ran his finger down the list of needed jobs. ‘Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m no good at ironing. So, that’s out.’ He tapped hi finger on a couple of the tasks. ‘Now here’s something I can do – there’s a whole stand of evergreens along the Inn’s property. On the west side. Saw them as I came up the road. Bet the Inn’d loan me a small saw for the limbs, and I’ll bet there’s baling wire in the stable – for the hay, you know. Be easy to string the greens together. We do that, you know, for our barn dances . . . back home.’ Tolly looked over at Keleth. ‘How about it? You want to lend a hand for the party tomorrow.’ He grinned at the man. ‘You ever been to a Hobbit party, Keleth?’ Tolly’s eyes lit up at a sudden thought. ‘Say . . . you want to lend a hand, too? Give me a chance to meet Cook and some of the others who work here at the Inn. You can have a little fun before you have to head out after whoever it is you’re after.’ Tolly couldn’t resist asking one of the many questions on the tip of his tongue. He leaned toward Keleth.

‘Is he dangerous?’ he whispered, shivering a bit at the thought.