Rain poured endlessly, never granting a moment's mercy. The skies were darkened by the clouds above, and it was almost impossible to determine whether it was day or night. It didn't matter to the traveller, however. Time was nonexistant to him. It was only the journey that had any meaning.
Water overflowed the crease in the traveller's helmet, sloshing onto his face and shoulders. His entire body was drenched and his clothes would have to be hung to dry, should the sky permit it the next morning. He didn't care, for he was used to any harsh condition.
As he walked toward the center of the village, he heard the muffling of voices within hobbit holes and inns alike. Weary from a long journey, he chose the closest inn to stay the night. The lights from within the place shone down on the ground in front and shadows of figures moving danced across his face as he stepped forward.
Stopping just outside the door, he slung a large leather bag from his shoulder and plopped it into the mud, splashing some onto his worn boots and faded red pant legs. Rubbing his bruised shoulder and ignoring the mess, he glanced up at the swinging sign of the inn, "Green Dragon Inn" it said. "Well," he thought, "This is the place she told me to come to. Let's just hope she's right..."
He gave a grunt and, hoisting up his belongings over his shoulder, he stepped through the swinging door. The lighting revealed his details as he entered the inn. Matted brown hair stuck out of his helmet. He looked not a bit over thirty, his long face sculpted to near perfection. Scars did cross his face, but a very revealing one went from his nose through his right eye, leaving one eye blue and the other a clouded grey.
Squinting a bit from the sudden brightness change, he looked around. He had noticed that the voices he has heard from the outside were now very distinct and very...loud. Drinking songs were being sung in a corner as a hobbit was standing upon a table and cheering friends surrounding him. The traveller noticed, too, that there were more than just hobbits (which he knew it was very peculiar for the Shire to have more than one full-grown being there at a time). Indeed, two elves he noticed were close to the bar (one he saw with a wooden leg). Several dwarves were present as were some humans as well.
He dismissed these facts and ignored the noise, walking straight up to the bar and sat down on a full-sized stool, caring of nothing about his clothing dripping water onto the floor around him. Food first and sleep later, he told himself. "Barkeep...mead and a loaf, if you will."
With that, the kept to himself, although he kept his ears open in anticipation.
|