The Green Dragon Inn #11 - The Last Chapter

[Fairleaf]

The song continues

'Me and Hanson have worked up a verse, too!' said Reggie, nudging his friend to stand up with him.

Hanson reluctantly put down the last of the corn fritters he'd taked from Reggie's lunch pail and licked the honey from his fingers. 'Maybe we should just say it,' he whispered to Reggie. 'Cause I can't remember the tune that goes to it.'

The words came out hesitantly, and with much prompting of each other:

And when we’ve said good-bye
And when the party’s done
Then to our little beds we’ll go
To dream of all the fun
The friends we saw, the games we played
The food and dance and song
Oh, Party Tree, we love you so,
We’ll see you soon ‘for long!

'Well that's it for us.' Reggie looked hopefully at Master Hearpwine. 'Is that enough for the song. Can we go home now?'

[Huan]

‘A hard day’s work, and not yet done!’ laughed Anyopâ, rubbing the muscles on his arms as if to emphasize the point. ‘In my family’s metalwork shop I had not put these to such strenuous work and for so long.’ He gave Hob a considering look, as well as Benat.

‘You know,’ he said, looking toward Derufin with a smile. ‘We could cut what work remains us were we to recruit these two.’

[Witch_Queen]

Jonathan

Jonthan walked inside the inn. "Baby brother I'm proud of you. Take good care of him Ravon." He took his eyes off the happy couple. "Lewis I've got to get back home. Seems like my wife's father isn't doing to good. Sorry but I'm afraid I may not be here for the wedding. I'm leaving in a few days."

Jonathan was so happy that his brother had actually found someone that made him happy. "Hey did you hear that everyone, my little brother's going to get married to this fine female." The inn suddenly went silent. "Sorry little brother had to do that."

Valin was completely relaxed here. The shire was more wondeful than even the stories had said. Many tales had been spun about the place but Valin was not one to believe anything he heard unless from friend or family. He stayed altogether to himself and was quite content.

After some time he opened his eyes and drained his mug. he was just about to fetch another when he noticed a hobbit girl looking at him. He would guess she was young but so child like the hobbits seemd to Valin, that determining age seemed quite difficult to him. He approached her slowly not quite sure of any customs of the Shire.

"Care for a drink, lass? The table's plenty big for two."

[Noinkling]

Benat’s laugh startled those about him and Cullen, who had been drowsing beneath the table, raised his head and looked about. ‘Well, I’m game for it if Master Hob is,’ the big man said.

‘What say you, Hob? Shall we show these two puny specimens of Men what a Hobbit and Beorning can accomplish?’

Cullen, drawn into the spirit of the statement by the tenor of his master’s voice, gave voice to his own opinion with a loud Woof!

[Undómë]

‘I’m for it, my good sir,’ Hob replied, rolling up his sleeves. ‘One question, though. What exactly are we supposed to best them at?’

Derufin explained that they had cut up some downed logs at the edge of the Inn property and had split most of them for the Inn’s woodshed. There still some to be split and then those and what was left in the wagon out back of the Inn needed to be stacked away.

Hob had plenty of experience splitting firewood. Being the oldest son of the family that job had fallen to him. He sized up Benat and grinned. ‘You split ‘em. I’ll stack ‘em.’ He grinned at Derufin and Anyopa. Losers buy us a round of Dwarven spirits after supper. Agreed?!’

[piosenniel]

Cook called out to Lithmîrë. She didn’t see him, but she supposed he could be in the bower already and hidden from view. She was going to call out again, but to her right a familiar face popped up from the opening to the root cellar at the side of the groundskeeper’s cottage.

‘Is that you Miz Bunce?’ said Zimzi climbing the last of the steps. She stepped out and pushed a stray hair behind her ear with the back of her hand. ‘I’m just bringing the last of my clay down to the cellar to stay cool and damp.’ She looked curiously at Cook, noting her bonnet was on her head and a laden basket in her hands. ‘Is there something I might do for you?’ She dipped her hands in a bucket of water she’d been using to wet the cloths to go over the buckets of clay. Wiping her hands on her homespun apron she came walking toward the Hobbit with a smile of welcome on her face.

‘Well, dear Zimzi, I’m very glad to see you’ve had a successful day,’ Cook said nodding to the last two buckets of clay waiting to be stored below. ‘I’m just going to meet a new friend . . . an Elvish gardener who’s come to the Inn.’ She nodded toward the bower. ‘We were going to have tea and talk plants and such. Have you seen him by chance?’

Zimzi shook her head ‘no’, saying she had been so intent on getting her clay below that she’d really not paid any attention. ‘And you know Elves,’ the woman chuckled. ‘A troop of them might have traipsed past the cellar as I busied myself, and been so quiet I’d not hear a single footfall.’

‘I’ll just go in and check then,’ said Cook, laughing also. She paused before turning toward the entrance to the leafy bower. ‘There’s plenty to eat and drink here,’ she went on, holding up the basket. ‘Would you like to join us?’

‘Oh, another time I think,’ said Zimzi, brushing at a smear of dirt on her skirt. ‘I’m not really dressed for meeting company and I’ve got supper to get on before Derufin returns from his task you’ve set him to.’ She held up a hand before Cook could invite the couple to a meal at the Inn proper. ‘No, don’t tempt me! I’ve made up my mind to fix a meal here and hopefully he’ll bring his friends, too.’ She turned to pick up the last of the buckets and head for the cellar steps. Calling out over her shoulder she told Cook to feel free to walk about the lovely plantings round the cottage.