[Envinyatar]

Derufin was just finishing the plates for Pio and Amaranthas. The line had been long, and the wait longer as each hungry Hobbit and Elf dawdled over their choices. He slipped out of line, when it ground to a halt for the fourth time, and made his way to the kitchen.

Grabbing a large tray, he took two of the reserve stack of plates and loaded them up with the extra food. One of the Hobbits who had done some of the cooking came in and scolded him for disarranging the foods on their platters. He grinned at her, apologized, and went on stacking the plate with savory morsels.

The plates he placed on a wooden serving tray and popped out from the kitchen with it held high. He fished behind the bar for mugs and filled them with the requested beverages. As an after thought he filled a small slender glass with water and stuck one of the daisies in it that graced a bouquet on the bar top.

He was just nearing the table when he saw Sam raise his glass to the two ladies and drink a toast to them. Piosenniel, he saw, had pulled his plate to her and sat picking at the salmon and the salad. She glanced up at him briefly, blushed and looked a little guilty, then raised the slender slice of eel pie to him in salute and popped it in her mouth.

‘Mmmm! Those babies are well fed!’ he said as he sat the plates in front of her and Amaranthas. On closer inspection of his own plate, she had worked her way through it with great efficiency. He smiled and shook his head.

Handing out the forks, he sat himself down next to the Elf. ‘It’s a long, long line. Mind if I eat with you?’