The Green Dragon Inn #11 - The Last Chapter

[Mithalwen]

Mithalwen returned to Inn and as she did so she reflected over the events of the morning. The village smith, Toby Flaxman, had looked surprised to see the elf again but not displeased and once she had tentatively explained the situation Mithalwen's day took a major turn for the better.

"Oh I know the lad, well enough, such a shame for the family - they haven't had a lot of luck what with one thing and another" he had said, " I would have tried to rig something myself if I had thought it would have helped - but I don't have so much practice with such complicated work - Shoeing horses and making ploughshares is more my line" he added. Mithalwen had looked at his round, good-natured face hopefully.

"Tell you what miss, I don't see why outsiders - begging your pardon - should have to do what we should do for our own, I reckon if you sort through my scrap pile you will find most of what you need and if I let you use the forge maybe you could give me a hand with some of my work - my lad strained his shoulder falling out of a tree at the wedding party and some tasks you need two for " . Privately, the hobbit had realised there was probably a lot he could learn from the elf.

They had set to work immediately. The smith's son Tim, though he was not up to wielding a hammer, was able to help Mithalwen find the appropriate materials from the pile of offcuts in the corner of the forge and then went to beg off cut leather from the cobbler for the straps.

In between paying customers, the two smiths worked at assembling the braces, Although onlookers found it a curious sight - the tall elf woman whos head nearly toched the forge ceiling, and the middle aged hobbit- but the pair worked well together. Mithalwen appreciated Toby's practical efficiency and he admired her skill at the finer tasks and was especially curious about some of the tools she used for them. The elf promise that they would make copies to suit his stature before she left "as a small recompense for your help" . From Toby, Mithalwen learnt more about how much Rory was likely to grow and was as a result able to simplify some of her designs.

All in all the elf's mood had improved as the morning went on. It looked like her stay would be shorter than she feared, her frustration at her failure with Aman and Snaveling dissipated with each hammer fall, replaced by the joy of working at her craft again. And it was a rare pleasure to work collaboratively in these days. The hobbits were merry company and she soon began to learn folk songs of the shire and exactly how the various Hobbit families were related.

The only blight on the morning had been Uien's unexpected visit. Mithalwen had been perplexed and a little irritated. Maybe they had been at cross-purposes last night and Mithalwen had certainly been distracted by other matters, but she had assumed that Uien's help would have been in treating the boy - using her skill in herblore and physiology to help Rory's limbs strengthen from within as they were supported from without by the braces. However she had seemed put out that Mithalwen had not needed her enchantments, that she had progreesed the work without her supervison and approval. Mithalwen had little vanity but she knew she was a good craftswoman and she was somewhat offended that Uien seemed to think that three thousand years practice of shaping wood and metal would not suffice for this relatively straight-forward task.

Mithalwen sighed - misunderstandings with mortals were one thing but now it seemed she was at odds with her own species. It seemed she had managed to upset everyone she had met at the inn so far - Uien, Aman, Falco.... Marigold she had not upset ... but she had concussed herself whilst in her care. Not auspicious.

She wished she had not had to return to the inn, so little did she want to see anyone, but to remain at the forge would be to impose on the Flaxman's hospitality as well as thier time.

She washed her hands at the pump by the inn door and then on impulsed soused her head under the cold water. THe forge had made her hotter than the sunshine. She wrung out her silver plait and entered the relatively cool and dark common room.

She saw Snaveling and Aman, presenting a show of unity to a man she had not seen before an dFalowik at a table. Both she avoided, and inconspicuously as possible gathered a plate of bread and cheese and some cool cider and retreated to the garden.

She saw another elf, but he evidentlyhad as little wish for company as herself so with barely a glance she found another shady spot a little way away.