[Galadriel55]

Before the man could answer Al’s question, the latter’s attention was diverted again, this time by a tall thin dark-haired woman and a girl coming into the room. The child held close a battered-looking rabbit. There was an air of sadness about them. With them came in a gust of cold November wind. Al felt the chill and shivered. The woman followed the child to a table.

Forgetting completely about the man in from of him, Al made to stand up and go over to the woman’s table. Unfortunately, in his excitement he brushed his arm against his mug of beer. It tipped over, rolled off the table, and shattered into many pieces, spraying the beer all over the place.

Al stood rooted to the spot. He stared blankly at his surroundings. His gaze traveled slowly from the broken mug, to the puddle on the floor, to the stream of ale dripping off the side of the table, to his fancy vest, now splattered with beer. Al sighed. He didn’t even taste the best beer in the Shire.