The Green Dragon Inn #11 - The Last Chapter

[Firefoot]

Lily wondered briefly why Posco did not want her to meet his aunt. Was there something wrong with her or something? But she didn't dwell on it long; there were much more important things to think about.

"That will be fine," said Lily. "I will wait for you outside the stables, then, after breakfast." There was so much more that she wanted to say; how much she was looking forward to the ride, and more importantly, how much she was beginning to care for him. However, she said nothing of it, for she did not know how to say it without embarrassing herself or him, and besides, there were other people sitting around.

It was then that she realized that Blanco had left. She did not know why; she thought that they had been making plans for the afternoon. Then she had been blissfully distracted by Posco and their ride, and he had... disappeared. I wonder why... just because I'm going on a ride with Posco in the morning doesn't mean we all can't do something together in the afternoon... Suddenly it clicked in Lily's mind. Blanco must be jealous of Posco! Then Lily felt slightly sorry for Blanco, for though she would like to get to know him better as a friend, she knew that she could never feel that way about him.

Lily leaned in a little closer to Posco and said softly, "I am truly looking forward to this ride with you, Posco."

[Nurumaiel]

"I... I look forward to it as well, Miss Lily," Posco stammered, and then scolded himself inwardly. Lily had told him already not to call her 'Miss,' and here he was doing it again! It was so difficult speaking to her with all the others around, yet it felt good to have some company. She had leaned closer to him and strands of her hair fell past her ears and into her face. She had a very pretty little face, the firelight flickering across its softness. He liked that face turned towards him, those eyes looking up at him. And she said she was looking forward to riding with him. A smile came to his face and he felt blissfully happy.

Blanco sat at the furthest reaches of the room on a little stool, his knees pulled up to his chin and his eyes filled with mix feelings. He watched Lily's every move, admiring her easy grace and her beauty. And then she leaned closer to Posco and looked into his eyes. Blanco moaned softly and dropped his head, pain conquering him. If Lily ever loved anyone he knew it would not be him. To have his twin brother as a rival was unbearable, yet it could not be avoided. There was nothing to do now but give up; Lily couldn't ever care for him.

No! It was not over yet. He could not give up just because she looked at Posco and not at him. He would win her heart yet, her sweet and gentle heart. Posco would have his chance in the morning, but tomorrow afternoon it would be his chance and he would make Posco look a dull, ugly hobbit. He started when he looked at them again. Their eyes were still locked and Posco was beginning to smile. The firelight was doing something that Blanco did not like. He would bring Posco back to his aunt's house as soon as possible. He could not stay with Lily like this, or he would win.

Blanco hurried back across the room but not to where Posco sat. Rather, he went to Marcho and interrupted the conversation he was having with Marin, though not in an impolite way. To comply with his mother's wishes he could not leave the Inn with Posco until Marcho did. "Marcho," he whispered urgently, "supper is almost over and it's getting dark. Don't you think it's time we were getting back?"

In normal circumstances Marcho would have been all too glad to leave the noisy Common Room full of annoying people, but he was enjoying Marin's company and was loathe to go. "Blanco," he said sourly, "you are entirely too impatient. We have daylight left before we need go. Besides, your aunt's home is not far. We needn't worry of it growing too late."

Blanco's face fell. Posco had a better chance at winning now, spending these minutes in the firelight by Lily. No, no, he could not let him win. He went over to the next table and sat down beside Posco, everything within him burning with determination, though outwardly no sign of it showed. He would not let Posco win.

[Sirithheruwen]

As Marin finished his story, the table fell silent for a moment. Marin took a swig of ale, so he didn't see the medley of looks flash across his face. Twylight realized that she now felt a feeling she had never felt for Marcho before: pity. He pointedly avoided her gaze, but she continued to stare at him.

Her thoughts were interrupted but Marin's voice. "We should get going tonight if we are to reach my house by tomorrow morning," he said for the whole table to hear. "I think it's time to say our good-byes," he said more quietly in Twylight's ear. She nodded sorrowfully.

She stood up and went over to where Posco, Lily, and Iadarion were sitting. Picking up the now forgotten piece of parchment, she wrote, Well, I have to leave now. I’m very sorry to have to say good-bye, yet I must. She pushed the parchment into the middle of the table, and everyone craned their necks to see what was written. Everyone stood up with much grating of chairs, and started saying good-bye. Iadarion was first. With a little hesitation at first, she reached over and gave him a peck on the cheek. He seemed surprised, but pleased. Next came Posco, eyes still lowered shyly. She too gave him a small kiss on the cheek. He blushed slightly, but chanced a look up. She smiled kindly at him and moved on. Lily was last, and she wrapped her arms around her in a hug. True, she hardly knew these people, but she already felt like she had spent years getting to know them.

Finishing at that table, she went back to where Marcho and Marin were shaking hands. Twylight hesitated slightly when she saw Marcho. He cast down his eyes, and the feelings of pity came back to her strongly. Taking his chin in her hand, she lifted it up, and placed a light kiss on his cheek, the same she had done for Iadarion and Posco. His face broke, and it took her a moment to realize he was smiling – and at her, no less. She smiled joyfully back, and turned to Marin. He put an arm about her shoulder, and he steered her gently towards the exit.

Once outside, they both breathed the fresh air deeply. Both of them did not realize how warm the room had been. They walked slowly up the garden path. Abruptly, Marin turned toward Twylight, and she was troubled to see he wasn’t smiling anymore. “Twylight,” he said softly. “Twylight, can I ask you something?” Of course, she signed. You know you can ask me anything. Her smile had now disappeared too, and she was gazing at him with concern in her light blue eyes. “We’ve grown up together. Known each other for so long. Our long absence made this more clear to me: we need to see each other more often. Well…I mean…I’ve missed you so much…and…well…” As his voice faltered, Twylight’s spine tingled. “How would you feel like never having to be separated again? What…what I’m trying to say is…would you…like to…to marry me?”

Twylight glanced up at the sky. A lone star was shining right above them, and her face broke out in a wide smile. When Marin saw that smile, he knew what her answer was. When he saw that smile he felt like nothing could be more right in the world. Slipping her soft hand into his, Twylight and Marin strolled back along the path towards the moon wobbling over the horizon. To the two lovers, the new stars had never seemed brighter, nor the moon lovelier. As they past out of sight of the Green Dragon Inn, Marin’s strong voice rose up in song. The song had not previously been heard in these parts of the Shire, for it was in the rich, rolling language of the Rohirrim. As the last strains of his voice faded, several new stars sprang into light in the sky and the wind sighed happily. Never had Middle-earth seemed like such a wonderful place.

[CaptainofDespair]

As Myrddin began inquiring about his myriad of adventures, the smile that had set on his lips, twisted into a dark, sullen grimace. His eyes seemed to fade out, as if the fire of life had gone out. His mind drifted back through time, whilst his body remained in the inn. Suddenly, his dark figure shuddered. Slowly, the light rekindled in his eyes, as if an old spark was giving its last efforts towards the flame, and his mind returned to the present. At last, he started to utter the first words that would begin his tale.

"I shall tell you a tale of my time in Gondor. It was only a mere three years ago, maybe four. I was much younger looking than you see me here. I had not been traveling for a year or two, and I had managed to get my life in some semblance of order. I had been struggling trying to find any form of work that I might be suited to. I had passed between multiple crafts, a few weeks as a blacksmith, three months as a carpenter, and I even spent a month or two as a fisherman. Needless to say, I did not take to those very well. But at last, when all my hope had run out, in desperation I signed up to join a mercenary band that was heading out to Mordor, to the Morgul Vale."

He paused, and took a drink from his mug of ale. He then stared up at the ceiling, and as if in a trance, he mind shifted back from the present, to those years in Gondor. Myrddin could not help but cast her gaze on him, as he sat motionless, almost in a state of comatose. For a few moments, he sat like this. But finally, his tense bosy eased, and his mind returned to the world of the present once more. Again, he moved his lips to speak, and continue his dreadful tale.

"The mercenaries I had signed on with had been planning somewhat of a sporting event. They had planned to go to the Morgul Vale, and hunt any remnant orcs that remained. For their trouble, the Gondorian army was willing to pay them in recompense, depending on how many orcs were slain. Each members of the 30 man hunting expedition was entitled to at least small bag of coins, as this was the upfront cost the Army had paid just for starting out. And so we prepared for our trip into the heart of death."

[Kitanna]

Peony was happy to see that someone had taken an interest in her. She took a seat across from the woman and smiled, shaking her hand. "I am Peony and Miss Takua I am so happy you invited me over."

Peony looked over to Deva who didn't even seem to notice she had left. "My companion is as grumpy as ever tonight. Sleeping all day was not enough for him I suppose." She paused and smiled at Takua, "But please, tell me of yourself."

[Firefoot]

They were interrupted once more by the woman named Twylight, who had come to say good bye. They all stood up to bid her their farewells, and Lily and Twylight ended up hugging each other. When she and her friend - Lily noticed there was a man with her now - had left, they all sat back down, and somehow Blanco had managed to get on the other side of her. Mira good-naturedly took the seat he had been using.

Wanting to make Blanco feel welcomed back into the group, she turned to him and said, "Now what was it that you had in mind for tomorrow afternoon?" It then took a good deal of will power on her part not to turn back around and look at Posco again.

[Sapphire_Flame]

Peony looked over to the dwarf, who didn't even seem to notice she had left. "My companion is as grumpy as ever tonight. Sleeping all day was not enough for him I suppose." Takua gave a half smile; her own father was much the same way. He could have slept, non-stop, through the entire War, and still woken as grumpy as a troll. "But please," Peony went on, "tell me of yourself."

"I am a Ranger." Peony's eyes lighted excitedly. "I reported to Minas Anor for a short time, then returned here with a handful of others. The northern kingdom must not be completely unguarded. But I am only passing through this place..." Takua thought this a very uninteresting account of herself, but Peony seemed intrigued enough by it. Takua, herself, however, had never been adept at divulging personal information readily, and so turned the conversation away from herself again.

"Now, tell me something of yourself, Miss Peony."

Basiest now sat slumped in the corner of the Green Dragon. Despite the pub practically overflowing with customers, a sort of ring of space had formed around him, and he sat in silence, concentrating on his bitter pint, still practically full.

The long fingers of his hand reached up and delicately fingered the ring through the top of his left ear. The fresh piercing was still sore, marking him out as his father's son, as one of the family.

"You're a man now," his father had growled to him. "You must go into the world and make your living like a man. When you're thirty, and you return, you'll have a wife and three strapping boys." Basiest was the youngest of five children, and thought his older sister Jean had more chance of getting a wife and three children than he did. Every day that brought him closer to his thirtyeth, he became more and more worried about the expectations his father had. His eldest brother Lional had already returned with a wife and children, his second brother Markan would be back in two weeks, Jean didn't even have to go and Arbon...Arbon had been excused, being lame in one leg and blind in one eye. Which left himself, Basiest, to fufil the family tradition.

It wouldn't be so bad if he wasn't so...so...socially stunted. A severe bout of illness had stopped him going to school until he was 13, and being weak with a lazy eye did nothing for his friendship making skills. A daily dose of bullying didn't help, and when his father decided to send him to an all-boys school for some 'toughening up', it had been the last straw. Basiest had been left with insecurities galore and a shy streak a mile wide.

The bubbles gently rose and settled in his drink and Basiest tore his eyes away from the soothing hazel liquid to flick a timid gaze over the crowd. Someone was just getting up to sing, two people were having an intense conversation by the bar and several delicate elf maidens sat round a table laughing, their even white teeth sparkling in the lamplight. The shy boy slumped furthur into his seat. It was hopeless. Unless there was a way of marrying and having children with someone without getting within five square miles of them, he had better just go and find the nearest cliff and throw himself off it, because he hated to think what his father would do if he returned, single, childless and even more...

His thoughts snapped suddenly, as a woman caught his eye. Immediatley, he gazed down at the table, flushing a deep scarlet. A moment later, he dared lift his gaze, and there she was, twinkling at him over her drink. Should he go up to her? Dare he approach her?

[Nurumaiel]

She was speaking to him! Blanco felt the color rising to his cheeks and his mind went blank. He could think of nothing to say. He didn't want to do anything the following afternoon; he merely wished to sit with Lily and gaze in unrestrained admiration. He did gaze at her now, but realized with a flush that she was still waiting for him to answer. He bowed his head and said humbly, "Miss Lily, I do not know what the others in this company would enjoy, so I would beg one of them to answer instead, or perhaps an answer from your own sweet lips."

There was a slight pause, and in this pause Marcho, along with Bingo, approached the table. Marcho had found that in the absence of Marin he had nothing to do, and saw that it was beginning to grow dark. The dread aunt would be fierce enough at their late homecoming without prolonging it any longer. He let his two hands fall on Posco's shoulders and, assuming an air of authority, glanced about the table and said, "I apologize, sirs and misses, that we must leave you, but the aunt of these two lads will be looking for them."

Lily's face fell but she smiled gracefully as she stood. Marcho, feeling in a considerable good mood after Marin's company and Twylight's smile, told her in a comforting tone, "Don't fret yourself, Miss Lily. We'll be back tomorrow."

"Tomorrow morning," Posco murmured shyly. "We can ride then."

Marcho eyebrows raised slightly but he stepped forward with the practiced ease of a gentlehobbit and took Lily's hand, sweeping a gallant bow and bidding her goodnight. The same he did to Mira. With Iadarion he was more reserved but still civil. After all, one could not be too friendly with the Big Folk. Yet when Iadarion spoke in his cheery manner Marcho could not keep back a smile. "Posco, Blanco, before you say goodbye here I would have you go bid a good night to Toby," he said. Posco and Blanco complied, the former speaking shyly and the latter boldly laughing and clapping Toby on the shoulder as a farewell.

Posco and Blanco said goodbye to Mira as gallantly as Marcho and Blanco more gallantly for he kissed her hand, though Posco was too shy to do anything of the sort. Blanco found he was too short to clap Iadarion's shoulder, so he contented himself with shaking his hand vigorously. Posco had turned to Lily.

"It will be tomorrow morning, then," she said.

"Yes," he replied. "As soon as breakfast is over I will be out by the stable with my pony." He paused, and then put out his hand, saying, "Good night, Lily."

She hesitated one moment, took his hand, but also leaned forward and brushed her lips against his cheek. He blushed furiously. "Sweet dreams to you, Posco," she said. She turned to Blanco and kissed his cheek as well, and he also blushed.

After these farewells Marcho bid Bingo start out on the road with the twins, and he remained behind with Lily. He stood before her a long while, and then took her hand and put a scrap of parchment in it. "Read this," he said. She began to unfold it, but he stopped her. "Read it after we're gone." She stared at him in puzzlement but nodded. He bowed once again to all in the room, and then departed.

[Bombadil]

Iadarion sat back and watched as his new friends either left or made plans for doing such. He was still in a slight daze from the kiss on his round cheek he received form Twylight. He sighed and said to himself,

"Oh well, it seems that just as our paths have met they diverge towards blue sky and green grass upon different countrysides. I do not think I shall return home just yet; perhaps I will go boating along the Withywindle- just as my father did many years ago."

Iadarion looked at Lily, the sole person left whom he had met- one who didn't enjoy his presence particularly. He smiled at her and said, "be not amiss, for in front of you sits the river and the forest! I say farewell to all!"

Iadarion with his spontaneity got up and left waving goodbye to those who did not care...