The Golden Perch Inn

[Rose]

‘Well now, that’s just it isn’t it, Master Boffin. Sometimes the young lads just don’t think. Better they’re steered in the right direction than just go willy-nilly into some romantical thing.’ She shook her finger at the Innkeeper as if he should know this by now.

Granny Greenhill laughed and clapped her hands as if to clear the air. ‘Tis a pretty young lass, Miz Penny here. And look how she’s taken on the responsibility of serving here in the Inn. What young buck in his right mind would not take a first look at her . . . . and his mother a second and third?’

[Folwren]

Seredic turned wide eyes to Penny and then back to Granny. “Well, I can hardly say, you know, I’m not a mother, and I already have a wife of my own, and wouldn’t care to take any first look at anybody else. But, if you must ask, you must, I guess. Go ahead and tell her, Penny. . .” He had no idea what Penny’s answer would be, and he didn’t really care. He stepped away to help the next customer, muttering to himself,

“Those women folk are all the same young or old, trying to pair each other up like there’s not enough hobbit pairs around to populate all the Shire and all the Shire’s neighboring lands. Well, well, if I can’t help Penny out of this mess by telling Granny to mind her own business, I guess Penny’ll have to find her own way out.”

[Durelin]

Reginald was a little slow to look up from his food. He swallowed and smiled at the seemingly middle-aged Hobbit. "Thank you, sir." He expected the Hobbit to move on to another table as he had an extra mug or two, but it seemed he wasn't a regular server.

Reginald glanced at the ale mug, hoping it was 'on the house,' but continued to smile. "Not at all, Mister Bramble," he said, grinning a little crookedly at Tolly's remark about the women in the kitchens. "Though I doubt it will be easy to hide from them for long. Women seem to have additional senses when it suits them."

He was not good with women, about all he knew to do was give them a nice smile which only went so far. It was much easier to joke about them. He should be one of those knowing men nearing middle age, who'd been married for a time and could talk about all the things his wife did, make empty complaints, and declare how a man should handle a woman when he in fact bent over backwards for his woman at home. Though there was always the less pleasant sort, as well.

Reginald took a spoonful of the soup and eyed the mug of ale. He needed some water in him, but there was no way he could snub this Tolly and ignore the drink. He took what he considered a healthy drink from the mug of ale, though he wasn't one to knock back a drink in big gulps. It did compliment the smoky beans and ham well.

[piosenniel]

Penny

Oh my! Penny bit the inside of her lip to resist blurting out a response. Think, girl! What’s the best way to answer?

The old Gran reminded her strongly of her Great-great aunt on her father’s side, Aunt Hortensia. Plain-spoken and to the point. And not unkindly meant. Penny took a deep breath.

‘Well, Granny, if you don’t mind me being forward and calling you that. The answer to your first question is “no”. I’m not married. And, “no”, I’m not spoken for either.’

She pulled out the chair nearest the elder hobbit and sat down. ‘Hadn’t you better tell me a little about this grandson of yours? I certainly can’t decide if I might like to meet him if I don’t know a thing about him . . . now, can I?’ Penny leaned forward, her chin resting on her hand.

[Galadriel55]

Al gobbled down his beans and biscuits. They were the best that he had tasted in a while. The mug of beer was not forgotten either.

“Miz Penny!” he called over to the young hobbit who was engaged in a conversation with Granny Greenhill, “Seconds for me, if you would!”

Just as the words left his lips, Al realized that interrupting them wasn’t the best idea, especially since Granny was involved. But Penny said to ‘oller if I want anything. So I ‘ollered. There can’t be anything wrong with that! She’d probably be glad to get rid of Granny for a while. She would much rather talk to me than the snide old stump!

[Mithalwen]

Elin smiled as she covered her daughter's sleeping form with one of the soft wool blankets. It wasn't that she loved Annie more when she was asleep, just that when she was awake she tended to keep her mother too busy to fully appreciate her. She smoothed a tendril of hair way from the dear little face and made sure that Isildur's ear wasn't trapped under the blanket - something he hated according to Angharad.

The toy rabbit was a poor thing really, Elin thought. She had worked it from a remnant of cloak felt to occupy her hands and distract her mind in the last fretful days before Annie's birth, when all was ready save the child herself. She had made other toys later with a more practised and less anxious hand but none had ever given the rabbit much competition for Annie's affections. And it was just as well that the child wasn't attached to many possessions given that they were travelling increasingly light. Some things had been lost when they abandoned Ithilien and most of her remaining possessions had gone back to Dol Amroth without her, while her cabin trunk was safe with the elves at Mithlond. Now they were down to a couple of bags one of which was just little satchel containing Annie's treasures.

She was tempted to stay in the little room, it was so cozy and comforting but Elin felt she should go and apologise to the hobbit who had spilt his beer. She was sure he must have noticed Annie and herself fail to muffle their giggles. Elin unbuckled her travelling bag and extracted her knitting - a half finished sock for Annie in bright blue wool and after a last check that Annie was still asleep she made her way back to the common room. With a bit of luck once she had made amends she would find a seat within earshot of the guest wing.

[Galadriel55]

Without checking if Penny heard his request or not, Al turned to the entrance of the hallway, from which the dark-haired woman that he'd seen before came out. Colour rose to his cheecks, though he knew not why. She came straight to where he sat. Al knew that he should say something, a greeting, perhaps, but he couldn't quite get the words out. Finally, when it was clear that the woman is heading towards him and not anyone else, Al stuttered, "Good day, my lady. Alferad Brandybuck to your service. Well, no one realy calls me that," he added after a pause, "It's Al. Just Al."

I sound like an empty-headed fool! Why can't I think of anything with more sense, so that she'd see that I have some?