The Green Dragon Inn - Part 10

[Kitanna]

"I know this song," Peony smiled as she danced with Aldor. "It is a vague part of my memory, but I know I have heard it." The song was sad, but Peony was happy.

"My father would play it on his fiddle when my siblings and I were young. Brings me back to happier days."

~*~*~

Deva listened to the fiddle music. The song was entirely new to him, but many in the inn seemed to know it. "Nothing like a good song to set the mood to the evening, eh Isaac?" Deva looked down into his mug and much to his dismay it was close to empty. He thought for a moment about getting another ale. He decided not too, at least for now. He finished the last few drops and looked out to the dancing couples.

He saw Peony as she danced with Aldor. He smiled to see his friend so happy. "You dance Isaac?" He finally asked. "Because I don't, but I do enjoy watching the happy couples that do. Makes me so happy to see that evil doesn't touch everyone."

[Archsage Isaac]

"You dance Isaac? Because I don't, but I do enjoy watching the happy couples that do. Makes me so happy to see that evil doesn't touch everyone." Deva said after looking at the couples. He had smiled while looking at one.

Isaac laughed and scratched his cheek sheepishly. "I wouldn't call it dancing, per se..." he said, finishing off his ale as well. "In all actuality, I do not dance. I did a sacred dance in a ceremony once, does that count?" he asked, slightly cocking one eyebrow as he did so.

"So, Deva, who is that?" Isaac asked, nodding at Peony. "You seem to know her pretty well." he added as an elf walked into the room. "Well, don't answer that yet, shall I get some more drinks?" he asked, smiling.

[Kitanna]

"No more ale for me, not now anyways, but you go ahead and get yourself some I will wait here." Isaac stood and went off to get another ale.

After he returned and took a seat Deva began to talk about Peony. "The girl over there, the one with the red hair is my friend Peony. We met many years ago through her father. She was looking for an adventure and I took her under my wing. We have been travelling together for some time now."
"

[Archsage Isaac]

Isaac took a drink, his thoughts once again turning to a happier time. Not wanting to reveal much about his thoughts, he quickly snapped them out of his head and turned his attention back to Deva.

"Well, that sounds nice, that you have a traveling companion I mean. Traveling alone can be boring, and the long, cold nights aren't much fun when you have no one to spend them with..." Isaac said, once again taking a drink of the ale.

[Amanaduial the archer]

Aman smiled warmly at Willow, pleased at the compliment. "Water? Ah, I think we can find something a little more interesting than that - I shan't force anything alcoholic on you, especially if Willow is to play for us later on. Wouldn't do to have the musician fall of the stage," she said, winking at the little hobbit. "So...strawberry fizz? Made from Goody Gamgee's fruit as well..."

As she was turning to fetch a jug of the drink in question, another arrested her attention and she turned to listen to the customer, a surprisingly petite, pretty elf-maid, soft spoken when she opened her mouth.

"Excuse me, ma'am, you must be Aman. My name is Kyria of Dell. The meat smells delicious. May I have some?"

"Your compliment is recieved gratefully, Miss, but your money is unnecessary tonight," Aman replied. "Everything is on the house tonight because of the party, to celebrate the opening of the Inn! But of course, I can get you a meal," she finished, excusing herself into the kitchen to prepare a meal of lamb and venison - Hawthorne may not have been anyone's idea of a cook when she first arrived, but in recent days she had certainly improved: tonight's fine meal was testimony to how much.

[Feared Half-Elf]

Elkamia finished her elf-song and sat on the branch for a while, having watched the Hobbit lass give her horse to a stable-hand and enter the inn. You're just unsociable, thats your problem she chided herself. The sound of a fiddle playing, mingled with the clanking of tankards and the burble of conversation, reached her through an open window. She knew that song! She opened her mouth once more, and sang the words that she knew.

Pippin she muttered under her breath. Pippin, or Peregrin as his proper name was, son of the current Thain of the Shire. It was Pippin who had sung that song, all those years ago in Minas Tirith, in the garden before the Houses of Healing. Ever since then the song was fresh in her memory, by far her favorite Shire song. She smiled, flooded with memories, and sung another elven song. She hoped that the fiddle player would play again soon, they were good.

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

The night air came over Snaveling like a clean blanket, fresh and cool from having just been laid on the bed. The sounds of the party drifted out to him through the open windows, but out here the raucous outcry of joy was much reduced and more manageable. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, smelling the cleanliness of the yard with its small copses of trees, and the well-tilled earth of the Shire. There was a stiff breeze from the West this night, and for a moment the Man fancied that he could almost smell the Sea, but he knew that was impossible. He had grown up on the shores of the Sea, and his first skills had been learnt on it. But it had been many years since he had seen her shining like gems in the morning light, and burning with her watery lights of infinite colours in the evening.

He opened his eyes and looked up at the stars. The Mariner was almost directly overhead, and so brightly did he shine that even without a moon Snaveling could see his own form lightly shadowed on the neatly trimmed grass of the yard. “Flammifer of Westernesse,” he muttered under his breath, remembering an old tale, long forgotten. “How long has it been, I wonder since I last looked on your cold beauty and did not curse it? So long have I walked in the dark, but now I feel the need for light.” He slid his hand into his pocket and fingered the coin that he had taken from Toby’s pouch. He felt an odd twinge at the back of his mind, but he shook it away. “Besides,” he said aloud, as though speaking with another, “Toby would not mind loaning me the coin!”

A small voice spoke out to him from the shadows, asking “Who’s there?” Snaveling spun about but the voice came from a small hobbit lad whom he’d seen loitering about the yard the past few days.

“It’s nobody,” replied Snaveling. “And who might you be? And what are you doing out here so late at night?”

The hobbit stepped forward into the light of the Star and replied eagerly. “Begging your pardon, sir, but please don’t tell my father on me. Or Miss Aman, either sir, if you please. She’s been told not to let me hang about here in the dark. My name’s Pimpernel Brandybuck, and I’ve just come by to have a look at the party.” He turned back toward one of the windows. “There’s such an awful lot of odd folk in there. From all over Middle-Earth and all! Why, there’s even Elves in there Sir. Elves!”

Snaveling could not prevent a smile. “I know, lad, I know. One of those Elves is even my friend.” The lad’s eyes grew wide and he demanded to know which one. Snaveling carefully pointed out Galadel and Pimpernel let out a low whistle. “Why I’ve seen her. She’s one of those Noble elves, or I’m a dragon.”

“Well, you’re not a dragon, but she’s not a Noble elf, either. She’s of great nobility, but if she’s anything she’s one of the Noldor.”

Pimpernel’s tone when he spoke next was full of admiration. “Why, Sir, you’re a regular Wizard for what you know.”

“Far from it,” Snaveling answered, suddenly bitter. “I know nothing.” His eyes had fallen on Roa once more. With a sudden determination he turned to the lad, holding out the gold coin that he had taken from Toby. “Here lad, take this and do me an errand. There must be a tailor hereabouts?” Pimpernel nodded dumbly as he took the money. “Well, good,” Snaveling continued. “I want you to run and fetch him as quick as you can. I know how late it is, but I daresay he’ll be willing to come out for that kind of money. Tell him that there’s a Man who wants a new set of clothes. They need to be handsome, but not too fine. Have him bring along some samples. When he arrives, tell him to wait for me in the stable and run into the Inn to let me know. Do you understand all that?” The boy nodded. “Good. Then off you go. If this works out, then I might have something for you, too!”

Pimpernel looked at the gold in his hand and just like that, was off running down the lane. Snaveling watched him disappear around the bend in the road before heading back inside to the light and roar of the party. He quickly settled himself down in the chair next to Toby’s and reached for his snifter once more. “Well Toby,” he roared out, loud enough to break through the gentlehobbit’s snores and bring him back to wakefulness. “You’re being a right bore, sleeping the night away. Let us talk about the joys of the simple life: food, smoke and friendship!”