The Green Dragon Inn - Part 10

[Firefoot]

Lily fairly froze when she saw Aman coming towards them. This is it, she thought.

"Ready to get this party into full swing?" Aman asked. For a moment none of them said anything. Lily imagined they were all just about as nervous as she was, now that the time had come. To think, Lily thought, I'm about to be playing my fiddle in front of complete strangers, with three hobbits and an Elf I only met a little while ago, and in the Shire to top it off. Who woulda thought? Suddenly Lily laughed, breaking the tension. "As ready as ever we'll be, I suppose," she said. "Where should we play?"

[Amanaduial the archer]

Aman beamed broadly at Lily as she replied. "Excellent! When you're all ready, if you could play..." she paused, suddenly realising a flaw in her orginal plan of having the group play at floor level: being hobbits in an Inn of at least half and half hobbits and big folk, no one would be able to see them.

She glanced at each of them and noted the nervousness in their expressions. This may not go down all too well... "As many of the customers are big folk, would you be able to play...on one of the trestle tables?" she asked hopefully.

[Memory of Trees]

Kyria sat down next to the four hobbit girls, and began to eat. They were very pleasant, but all at the table seemed to be good friends, and Kyria understood next to nothing of their conversation. She felt almost as if she were sitting in a corner all alone, even for all the people around her.

Sighing, she set her fork down on her plate. She suddenly didn't feel very hungry anymore. It'll be all right soon, she thought. Soon he will be here. She smiled to herself and took a deep breath. Everything would be fine.

Kyria looked up as a young woman sat down on the stool next to her's. She wasn't especially pretty, and her clothes were rough and travel-worn, but the light in her eyes and the laughter in her voice as she spoke made her seem to Kyria more beautiful than a thousand noble ladies in their fine robes. "Excuse me for disturbing you," the woman said quietly. "But I couldn't help noticing you from my table. Would you like to come and join us? We are all strangers to each other - do not worry."

There was nothing to explain why Kyria's heart leaped as it did, or why she felt an overwhelming urge to go with this woman, but she did all the same. She grinned and nodded, feeling like a little girl who has just recieved a birthday present she has desperately been wanting.

The woman's name was Tiruviel. She led Kyria back to her table, gestured to an empty chair. She took it, and Tiruviel introduced her to her elven friend. "Elkamia, this is Kyria," she said, pointing. "And Kyria, this is Elkamia."

Kyria rose and nodded prettily to the brown-haired elf sitting across from her. Elkamia laughed. "Well met," she said dipping her head in response. There were a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, and then Elkamia said, "So, Kyria, where do you come from?"

Kyria took a sip of wine before answering. "Larnas Eare," she said. "It's a small village a very long way from here, on the border Minhiriath, west of Dunland and the Gwathlo. That is where I was born. For several years now, I've been traveling through Rohan and parts of Gondor, and finally my journeys led me here." She smiled and took a small bite of potato. "And what of you, ladies?" she asked, smiling.

[Roa_Aoife]

The intial shack of Snaveling's appearancce had worn off, and now was replaced by confusion. Why, in Arda, did he make such a fuss over clothes? Completely baffled, she stiffened as he sat across from her at Toby's consent. In the back of her mind she made a note to see the tailor herself at some point. Her traveler's fare would do no good if she was to stay for a while. And it appeared that she was. Of course such things could wait another day.

Snaveling was smiling and looking rather expectant, while Toby went on about the remarkable change in appearance. When he stopped she realized that she was expected to remark as well.

"Well, sir, the new clothing certainly looks smart. A very fine choice. I give my comliments to the tailor, who did an excellent job." Roa was suddenly very curious, and so did not pause when asking, "But why did you see to it tonight? And why all the fuss? It's only cloth. It's not exactly a thing of great importance..."

[Beruthiel]

Willow had voiced Daisy's feelings almost to pefection. Fear, nervousness and excitement all rolled into one. Then Aman came over to the hobbitlasses and asked whether they were ready. Daisy had lost her voice completely and couldn't reply. Even though she performed with her family quite a bit, there were big folk here. Strangers from other lands. A totally different scenario to what she was used to.

Already the group of hobbit lasses had come across a problem. Where would they perform? Aman suggested that the hobbits play on one of the trestle tables. Daisy didn't know what to do. It would be alright for the others, they only had to play the instruments and wouldn't take up too much space. Daisy, however, needed space to dance. She would have to hop to another table to do her dancing, then hop back to the other table to sing. She had a feeling she would be quite worn out by the end of this night. The butterflies in her stomach were not helping much either.

Daisy looked around at the other hobbit lasses, who were obviously just as nervous as she was, possibly more so since most of them had never performed before. Maybe Daisy had the upper hand in all of this, being relatively used to performing. She whispered to the group, "Don't worry, everything will be alright. You all are talented musicians. Everyone will love our music!" She tried to say all this with conviction, but faltered slightly when she said the last sentance.

She turned back to Aman and replied, "Yes, but I will need another table. I intend on dancing as well as singing for the performance and need more space."
Daisy had spoken quite formally, not knowing how else to speak to this woman.

[Amanaduial the archer]

"Yes, but I will need another table. I intend on dancing as well as singing for the performance and need more space."

Aman nodded. "Of course. I will put a few together to make a sort of makeshift stage - why not?" She grinned, looking around at them. "And Daisy is right: everyone will love you."

With that, she left the little group of hobbits and went towards the end trestle table, moving the food and drink from it to slot snugly in between the assorted dishes of delicacies on the other tables. When it was clear, she would move it alongside another two tables nearby to form a sort of stage for some 'traditional' performing - dancing, flying tankards and all, she mused with a grin. Still, the table was hardly a little light thing: things in the 'Dragon were built to last generations of rowdy hobbits. It would take a while to move on her own...

[Mad Baggins]

Butterflies fluttered about excitedly in Mira's stomach. She drew the flute out of her pocket and held it tightly as if she were afraid that it would fly away. It was actually going to happen! They were going to perform! Much as she loved to play, she had rarely played in front of crowds. It was usually for her family and friends that she played.

Aman had gone off to re-arrange the tables so that they could play their instruments upon one and Daisy could dance and sing upon another. The hobbits crowded together, each feeling excited. Mira gulped nervously, which Lily noticed. The other hobbit smiled and patted Mira's shoulder, saying, "Don't worry, we'll be great!"

Mira took a deep breath and smiled at Lily. Taking her flute to her lips, she played a little warm-up tune to ready herself for the performance. Oh, waiting is so hard! she thought. When will Aman have the tables ready?