The Green Dragon Inn - Part 9

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

Snaveling could not believe his luck. His only thought when he had joined those fighting the fires had been to see if there were any purses that he could take as his own. But the commanding Woman's orders to himself and Roa put all these thoughts far from his mind. The cellar! His mind reeled at the possibilities. . .

Roa dragged him toward the door of the Inn. Snaveling suspected that she did not relish his company, but that she was keeping him close in order to keep an eye on him, as her kinswoman was doing with the youth Snaveling had implicated in the fires. Snaveling did not mind this in the least, as it put distance between himself and the quick-handed young Man and gave him a chance to practice some mischief against this tall Woman. But beyond and above all these considerations was the thought of getting back into the Inn and having a second chance at the valuables it contained.

Roa paused at the door of the Inn to fasten a rag across her face. She said something about "allergies" but Snaveling was not listening -- his mind was racing, looking for a way to do some good for himself. She led the way into the blaze and through the Common Room. They soon found themselves in the cellar. The heat down here was intense but not intolerable, and the smoke was not as bad as Snaveling had feared. He noted with delight that the Woman was suffering from the conditions far more than he. Perhaps these Dunadan are not as doughty as they are reported.

They struggled with a large cask of wine and pulled it towards the cellar stairs. Snaveling let it drop to the floor. "I cannot bear such a load," he cried. "We need more help. Let me go back for that Woman who sent us in here." Roa urged him to resume his load, but Snaveling resisted. "I need a moment," he panted, "to rest."

Beside him was a stack of three large barrels of ale. Reaching up with one hand he made as though he were clinging to the top of the uppermost barrel to keep his balance. But with the strength of his lean form he was able to pull the barrels over. They crashed to the cellar floor, the bottom-most one splintering and spilling its contents onto the packed earth. The other two came to rest on top of the cask that they had been carrying. Roa was trapped behind the barrels and no longer able to reach the stairs.

"Oh dear," Snaveling leered with something approaching sincerity. "I am sorry. I shall go for help."

Before waiting for a response he ran up the stairs and into the Common Room. But rather than making for the door, he turned and went further into the Inn, looking for the stairs to the upper storey and the treasures that he imagined awaited him there.