The Green Dragon Inn #11 - The Last Chapter

[Firefoot]

Lily felt her breath catch in her throat. Softly she said, "Posco, your love is all I could ever want from you. For the stone, the flowers, in and of themselves they mean nothing. It is the meaning behind them, the feelings of their givers, that make them worth something, and in the end, things such as these will not matter. It is the love that matters." He had her hands in his, and though his hands somewhat rough from hard work, his touch was gentle. She knew what he had said earlier about going slow, but she could not help it. She leaned over and kissed him on his cheek.

"I regret that I must leave so soon," Lily said. "But I will return to you, Posco. As soon as I may, I will come back." Her face shone, and she could feel the warmth of love bubbling up inside of her. She wanted to kiss him again, but this time she held back; he wanted to wait a while, and she respected that. The time would come soon enough.

[Primrose Bolger]

‘Well, then, come with me,’ smiled Ginger finishing up the last bit of her sticky-bun and swallowing the final gulp of tea. ‘I’ll start you out on flowers that grow along the front verandah of the inn. Mostly they need a little weeding and watering, and of course you’ll want to pinch off the dead blossoms.’ Gwenneth nodded her head in understanding. ‘Now I’ll be working on those climbing roses that grow up the trellises on each end of the verandah,’ Ginger went on.

As Gwenneth finished the last of her little meal, Ginger ran to fetch an apron and a small basket from the kitchen. ‘Here,’ she said, handing the full-length apron to Gwenneth, ‘this will keep some of the dirt off your clothes.’ She placed the basket on the table, waiting for the Elf to finish tying the apron’s strings round her. ‘Let’s go out to the little garden shed in back, by the main garden. We’ll fetch you some gloves and flower snips to use out front. And it might be nice if we made a bouquet for Miz Aman. She’s been awfully busy seeing to things. Do her good to have something pretty to look at and sniff, don’t you think?’

She motioned for Gwenneth to follow her.

[starkat]

Gwenneth followed behind Ginger. Happy to have something to do, she followed the hobbit to the gardening shed. Ginger gave her a pair of blue gloves and a small pair of snips and they headed for the main garden. The young elf maid came to a stop.

"What's the matter?"

"I had yet to see this garden. It is lovely. The flowers are wonderful!"

Ginger merely smiled. "Why don't you start on the flowers for Miz Aman?"

Gwenneth nodded and began looking through the flowers. Being outside amongst flowers, the elf felt her lonlieness fade completely. A thought struck her and she began to create not one but two boquets.

[piosenniel]

‘Are you alright?’ Derufin asked, crouching alongside the Hobbit, his hand on her shoulder.

Cook looked up, wiping the tears from her eyes . . . she was laughing! ‘Oh my stars, Ferdy!’ she said, looking toward where the lad stood, mortified, next to his father. ‘You needn’t have run out of the kitchen once you’d told me her name!’

Tomlin and the other three lads had crept closer. This was turning out to be quite an interesting turn of events. They looked at Cook, then turned as one to Ferdy, questioning looks on their face. Cook, however, seeing the tinge of red creep up young Ferdy’s neck, hustled the lad and his father to a more private place, a ways away from the others. She gave Ferdy’s four friends her ‘look’ of warning; they backed away toward where Jinniver and Derufin stood, just as perplexed.

Ferdy had by this time begun to tell his father what he and Cook had talked about. Cook nodded her head as Ferdy made his explanation. He ended with a somewhat anguished plea that he didn’t mean to have some lass like him and what was he to do.

‘Now Ferdy, you didn’t tell your Da, yet, who the lass was you liked,’ prompted Cook gently.

There was a gasp as Andwise heard the girl’s name. Then his lips began to twitch and he chuckled and shook his head. Ferdy, flabbergasted at this reaction, threw his hands up in the air. ‘Well there’ll be no help from you two, I can see.’ He said stomping his foot in an irritated manner.

Andwise put his hand on Cook’s arm, as she had begun to chuckle again. ‘Oh, my dear lad. Even your sweet Mother is chuckling a bit over this!’ Cook nodded her head yes at this. ‘You’ll be needing no help from either of us, it seems for speaking to the lass in question.’ Ferdy rolled his eyes and sighed. He was about to make some further protest when Cook spoke up.

‘You’ll be needing no help, Ferdy,’ Cook went on, ‘because the two lasses are one in the same. If you’d stayed to hear me out, you’d have known that!’ Ferdy looked at her, stupefied. ‘It’s Ginger, lad,’ Andwise spoke, telling him briefly how Cook had come to him. ‘Ginger’s the one . . . and apparently the only one for you.’

Ferdy, by this time was gawping like a fish out of water. Tomlin, Gil, Fallon, and Ferrin had crept close enough to hear what was going on. And now they ringed him, Gil clapping him hard on the back to make him breathe.

‘Good one, Ferdy!’ cried Tomlin. ‘She’s a sweet catch!’ laughed Fallon. Gil, who fancied himself the expert on romance in their little group put his arm round Ferdy’s shoulders saying that perhaps he should give him a few pointers. Ferrin rolled his eyes at this offer. ‘Don’t you listen to him, Ferdy! He talks big and that’s about all there is to it.’

Cook and the others drew off, letting the young men sort out this new status for one of their own. Derufin and Jinniver were quickly filled in on what had transpired, both smiling as they looked toward the lads. ‘Well, now Andwise, that went well don’t you think? In the end at least!’ Cook asked with a grin on her face. ‘I wonder, now, how should I tell Ginger about all this.’

Andwise was about to give his opinion when Cook heard a ‘Pardon me’ from behind her. Ferdy had come with the others. He gave them all a serious look as he cleared his throat.

‘Begging your pardon, Miz Bunce. But I’ll be handling it from now on. No need for any go-betweens since it’s clear now where we stand.’ Cook agreed, with the admonition that perhaps it best be done today. ‘After all, she’s the one that came to me. She’ll be wanting to know at the end of the day, what progress I’ve made.’ Ferdy nodded, saying again that he would see to it.

[SonOfBombadil]

Fili had just finished his ale and was quite enjoying his experience int he inn so far, when Freddy turned to him and said. "Oh my, look at the time! I told Poppy I'd help her with the animals 'fore noon rolls around. Wanna come?" Fili didn't have to think about his answer. "Nope, I think i'm going to stay around here for a bit, I'm quite liking it!" "Yea well enjoy it while it lasts mate." came Freddy's swift reply, "See you later!"

Fili watched his friend leave, and then he turned around on the stool he was on. He took a good look around the room, just soaking it in, when he noticed something. Or rather, someone.

The young hobbit called over the innkeeper, whom he had met earlier, and asked her, "Aman, who is that hobbit lass there serving the drinks?" Fili was quite taken by the girl. All the wonder of his experience at the inn was now focused on her. He hardly heard Aman's answer.

[Gorothlammothiel]

Soronume took his drink up in his hands and took several sips, though large enough they were to be anything other than sips, yet he drank with a polite decency that none went anywhere other than between his lips and down his dry throat.

Lowering the now emptier cup, Soronume looked out into the room and noticed a maiden had walked in, but not alone. A creature of fair size sat at her feet. Her face was friendly enough, she seemed to be just as happy to be within the inn's walls as Soronume was himself. He wondered if she would like company, and, at that moment, he caught her eyes and returned a smile.

Soronume walked over to her, but not without a few quick shuffles as hobbits ran about the inn's floor with some speed. As he reached her, the creature raised it's head in his direction with a curious and cautious expression. "My lady" Soronume addressed the maiden, "may I be as bold to ask if you would desire company?" She smiled. "Certainly you may ask, but I do have company currently" she replied looking down to her feet. He smiled back, "Then perhaps I can offer you polite conversation instead? That is not something you currently have I believe?" She laughed and gestured for Soronume to take seat near her. "I am Eleniel," she began...

[piosenniel]

GREEN DRAGON INN FACTS:

It is the 4th Age, year 12. By the Shire Calendar it is year 1433 S.R. (Shire Reckoning).

King Elessar is on the throne of the Reunited Kingdom of Arnor and Gondor.

Mirkwood has been reclaimed by the Elves and is now called Eryn Lasgalen.

Paladdin Took, Pippin’s father, is Thain of the Shire. (Thain is an honorary title for the military leader of the Shire. The title has been held in the Took Family since the position was first established in 3rd Age 1979 with Bucca of the Marish as First Thain.) Paladdin Took dies in year 13, and will be succeeded by his son, Peregrin, ‘Pippin’, Took.

Samwise Gamgee is Mayor of the Shire, having succeeded Will Whitfoot in 1427 S.R.

The Innkeeper, in the Green Dragon Inn of this forum, is: Aman – a young woman from Rohan.

Before her, the Innkeeper was Piosenniel, and before her it was Dwarin, the Dwarf.

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Other ongoing characters in the Inn:

Ruby Brown, Hobbit – not married – server and maid

Buttercup Brownlock, Hobbit – not married – kitchen assistant and maid

Vinca Bunce, widowed, Inn Cook (character played by Piosenniel)

Derufin, the Stablemaster (played by Envinyatar)

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Ongoing characters from outside the Inn:

Halfred Whitfoot – local Shiriff from Bywater and Postmaster for this area of the Shire; his pony’s name is Dumpling.

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Please Note:

No 'SAVES' are allowed in the Inn (except for modifications needed to be made by the Moderators or Innkeeper).

With the exception of the Innkeeper and the Moderators, no OOC (Out Of Character) comments are allowed in the Inn.

Only the Innkeeper, Amanaduial, or the Moderators move the timeline for the Inn forward.

Visitors to the Inn will need to read the posts that come before theirs to get an idea of what time it is in the Shire, what the weather is like, and what is happening.

No violence is allowed in the Inn or on Inn grounds.

Please be familiar with the rules for the Inn and Games in The Red Book of Westmarch, the first topic in the Shire.

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About Elves in Shire RPG's:

Please use this description from Tolkien when crafting an Elf:

Return of the King – Appendix F: Tolkien’s description for the Quendi (The Speakers) – the name given to the Elves by themselves after they first awoke in Middle-earth.

“They were a race high and beautiful, the older Children of the world, and among them the Eldar were as Kings, who now are gone: the People of the Great Journey, the People of the Stars. They were tall, fair of skin and grey-eyed, though their locks were dark, save in the golden house of Finrod; and their voices had more melodies than any mortal voice that is now heard . . .”

Please use this as a guideline for describing your Elven character’s appearance.