[piosenniel]

Peri shook his head at Poppy in a most decided manner. Holly chided him, saying, 'Don't be rude! She didn't mean she was going to ride on you.' She searched the sidepocket on her rucksack and handed the other Hobbit a small carrot, indicating she should offer it to Peri.

'He's never actually been ridden.' said Holly by way of explanation for the pony's behavior. 'From the look in his eyes when he sees another horse being saddled up, I'd venture to say he thinks it something just this side of contemptible.'

Olo had come out the door by this time, his pack on his back, a plate of fruits and hot buttered scones spread thick with gooseberry jam in one hand and two mugs of honeyed tea in the other. She introduced the two briefly. Motioning for him to follow her, Holly led him and Poppy to a small table in the yard.

She invited Poppy to sit with them and have a little something. 'Olo and I can share this mug.' she said, placing the other in front of the now seated Poppy. A few moments of comfortable silence passed as the three tucked into the food before them.

Holly licked the last stray dribble of jam from her fingers and washed it down with a swallow of tea. 'You know,' she said companionably to Poppy, as she held out on the flat of her palm a stray morsel of scone to the patient pony, 'if you want to learn about horses and how to ride them, this is just the Hobbit to talk to.'

Olo blushed to the roots of his hair, and stammered that he would be more than happy to give Miss Poppy the benefit of what little he knew.

Holly gathered up the plate and mugs and left the two of them to talk horses. She strolled to the kitchen and rinsed the dishes out, leaving them in the sink for the kitchen boy to scrub later.

As she passed through the common room, she noted a young woman waving good-bye to someone just departing. An interesting look of relief mixed with a small measure of guilt briefly cross the woman's face.

'Who's that?' she asked Blossom, a sharp eyed serving girl who kept close tabs on the who and what of the Inn's business. Blossom paused and looked toward the doorway, running the roster of guests and arrivals through her head.

'She's from Bree, I know that.' Blossom's brow furrowed as she searched her memory further for a name. 'Andreth!' That's the name. From that Man family there - the ones who do the weavings.' Blossom smiled, satisfied at her answer and turned back to resume her duties.

Holly stood for a few moments watching the young woman. Would she be coming on this journey with them, she wondered. And where was she really bound for and why?

The young woman had stepped back from the doorway, and Holly stepped through, on her way out to the Inn yard. She smiled at Andreth as she passed and nodded her head in greeting. Her fingers strayed to the vest she wore, and ran softly down the familiar patterns woven in it. It had come from Bree, she knew, a trade she had once made with some passing wanderer on a long ago journey. Now she wondered if this new companion's family had woven the cloth from which it was made.

'Small world.' she thought to herself, smiling. She could see that Poppy and Olo were still engaged in conversation, and she left them to their talk of horses.

Gandalf was near, watching the ebb and flow of peoples in the courtyard. She walked up to him and took out her clay pipe. Offering him some of her stash of Southern Star before she filled her own bowl, she asked him, 'Think this group will get itself together soon and be on its way?'

[ November 17, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]