[Child of the 7th Age]

With a broad smile, Miz Bella glanced towards the woman who was called Widow Rosebank from Bree. She felt an instant liking for the sturdy figure, so practically dressed in breeches and boots. It was a guise she had often adopted on her own journeys to the furthest corners of Middle-earth. And Bree seemed like such a sensible, good natured place....a place where Big and Little Folk rubbed shoulders and had actually managed to be neighbors. Since returning home, Miz Bella had come to appreciate hobbit common sense, but occasionally found herself questioning the too prevelent attitude that there was nothing to be gained by poking one's nose outside the Shire boundaries. Widow Rosebank did not seem the type to put up with such nonsense.

Turning to the next table, Miz Bella issued an invitation for the stranger to come and join her. "I'll be leaving for the classroom in a bit but you are welcome to share a spot of tea and a bit of conversation before I go. I would be curious to hear how you made your way here. Once you finish your conversation with the Innkeeper, or even before, you are welcome to share my table."

With that Miz Bella gave an encouraging nod of her head, and slipped back into her chair. She was still thinking about a conversation she'd overheard between Woody and Gil that had centered on the possibility of making the story of Master Bilbo and the Dragon part of the puppet show for the Spring Faire. This seemed like a wonderful idea to Miz Bella, who was eager to have the children work on the props they would need. As Gil had suggested, they would require painted stones to serve as jewels, boxes transformed into treasure chests, and perhaps a 'skellyton' or two that the young lads would appreciate. When she noticed Ruby hurrying by laden with a tray of breakfast goodies, Miz Bella asked if she could leave a message for Gil to come see her if he should wander into the Inn.

Then she turned her attention to the one other guest in the room whose face was familiar to her: the Elf Thalion, father of her new student Neviel. As Miz Bella glanced at the Elf, she could see that he was staring solemnly into the inner pouches of his healer's kit; he seemed to be examining the small vials and packets of herbs to see what was there and what was missing. Once again, she made a welcoming gesture with her hand. Thalion came over to sit down.

"I wanted to thank you," Miz Bella noted, "for letting your son attend class. He is a bright and kind hearted boy, and is getting along well with the others. He was especially kind to the youngster Rory, the hobbit lad who has trouble walking. They got along well." She leaned forward and lowered her voice to ask, "Have you seen Rory? Please tell me. You are a healer. Do you think he could be helped to walk again?" Mi\z Bella had never been afraid to poke her own nose into another's business if she felt that some good could come out of it.