The Golden Perch Inn - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Firefoot · 06-01-2006, 05:30 AM

Cela let Will answer the question as she lightly added salt to the first batch of eggs. Sometimes she wondered if he didn’t know as much about what was going on in the kitchen as she did.

“Would you like me to cut the bread?” Will now asked. “I can get the toasting forks going if you’d like, too, ladies . . .”

“No need, no need,” said Cela without looking up. “It’s biscuits and jam this morning – Primrose how are those coming?” Without waiting for a response, she continued. “Good thing summer’s coming up quickly, not that you’d know it by the chill in the air. The stock of jam is starting to run low, and there’s nothing like a fresh pie. Fruit that’s preserved and canned or dried just doesn’t have the same taste to it as fresh fruit.”

“I’m sure the jam won’t run out,” said Dick with a smile.

“’Course it won’t. What kind of cook would I be if I let the jam run out?” Cela cast a critical eye at the eggs. “But that’s neither here nor there.” She selected a skinny jar containing an unlabelled chopped herb and sprinkled it lightly over the top of the eggs. “Excellent. And don’t neither of you ask what’s on them, either, because you know I won’t tell you.” She waved a wooden spoon in their general direction. “You’re right cheery this morning,” she commented to Dick, trying to remember if the day had some special significance as she checked on the bacon. “Ah, of course… the inn’s officially yours today, isn’t it?” She said, nodding to herself, though whether about her statement or the bacon was indeterminate. “Why don’t we get you two a bite to eat… looks about done…”

Folwren · 06-01-2006, 08:15 AM

Dick joined Will at the breakfast table and tucked a napkin into his collar. “Aye, today’s my first day, Cela,” he said. He grinned up at her as she placed a plate full of food before him. “I hope I’m ready for it.”

“Of course you are,” Cela replied confidently. She placed another full plate before Will. “Master Goodbody wouldn’t have let you have it if you weren’t ready for it.”

Dick shrugged slightly before setting into the bacon and eggs. “One would think so,” he said, after giving a moment to chew and swallow. “I have all the hopes of succeeding.” His stomach gave a slight flutter, though he couldn’t exactly say why. He attributed it to the empty state his stomach was in and continued to eat without saying anything further.

He and Will were half way through with their first serving of breakfast when Rowan came tripping into the kitchen, a smile on her face, and a healthy glow in her cheek. Dick looked up as she gave a bright and cheery good morning to everybody.

“How are all the guests this morning?” Dick asked. “Are any of them up yet?” Rowan flashed him a quick smile as she accepted a plate from Cela and turned to join the two hobbits at the table before answering.

Envinyatar · 06-01-2006, 10:25 AM

Jack eyed the sign as it swung in the morning breeze. ‘Golden Perch, then is it?’ he murmured to himself, shifting his gaze here and there about the Inn yard for any ‘opportunities’. He leaned on his walking stick, footsore from the long miles he’d traveled in the past few days. Bit of a misunderstanding in some no-name little watering hole down south a ways, where the Brandywine turned east from the Bounds.

Dumb-as-dirt farmer gave him the what-for for ‘borrowing’ a few eggs and loaf of bread cooling on the windowsill of the farmhouse. Brandished his nasty pitchfork at him, then set the dogs after him. Jack grinned as he thought about the lumps he’d laid on those hounds heads when they’d caught up to him.

His belly rumbled, empty as the purse that hung at his belt. No . . . wait a moment there, Jack-boy!. He reached into an inner pocket of the greasy leather vest he’d appropriated from some fool drunk in Bree a number of months ago and found two small coins he’d kept for dire need. And surely this was dire need . . . Be just enough, he hoped, for a pint of ale and the right to sit at ease in the Perch, looking the place over.

Jack stood in the shadows of the entryway letting his eyes adjust to the dimmer light within. He slid right, to counter that marked where the drinks were to be got. He tapped a coin on the wooden surface of the bar and called out in a loud voice.

‘How bout it? Can a man get a pint here?’

His gaze slid around the room, noting where things were placed and who occupied tables. Oh, aye! There’s some as look promising . . . yes, indeed!

Undómë · 06-01-2006, 11:43 AM

Rowan tucked into her eggs and bacon; washing her rather large forkfuls down with gulps of sweet, hot tea. ‘Sorry!’ she mumbled round a mouthful of biscuit with gooseberry jam on it. She swallowed another gulp of tea and wiped the crumbs from her mouth.

‘Don’t mean to be such a little piggy, but the guests are up, the lot of them. And I’m sure they’ll soon be washed and dressed and out into the common room expecting food soon . . . very soon! I’m just trying to take the edge of my own hunger before I have to put on a smile and take out the platters Cook and Mistress Primrose are cooking up.’ She turned a little red, rethinking her choice of words. ‘Not that I mind smiling and serving the food. Oh no, not at all! Truth be told I rather like seeing their faces light up at the first whiff and site of the Perch’s tasty fare. It’s just that it rather gets in the way of your being friendly when your belly is making loud protests!’

The sound of some loud voice calling from the common room penetrated the noise and talk of the kitchen. ‘Shall I go see to that?’ she asked, her eyes lingering longingly on the rest of her meal.

06-01-2006, 10:25 AM	#3
Envinyatar Quill Revenant Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Wandering through the Downs..... Posts: 849	● Jack Greymoss ● Jack eyed the sign as it swung in the morning breeze. ‘Golden Perch, then is it?’ he murmured to himself, shifting his gaze here and there about the Inn yard for any ‘opportunities’. He leaned on his walking stick, footsore from the long miles he’d traveled in the past few days. Bit of a misunderstanding in some no-name little watering hole down south a ways, where the Brandywine turned east from the Bounds. Dumb-as-dirt farmer gave him the what-for for ‘borrowing’ a few eggs and loaf of bread cooling on the windowsill of the farmhouse. Brandished his nasty pitchfork at him, then set the dogs after him. Jack grinned as he thought about the lumps he’d laid on those hounds heads when they’d caught up to him. His belly rumbled, empty as the purse that hung at his belt. No . . . wait a moment there, Jack-boy!. He reached into an inner pocket of the greasy leather vest he’d appropriated from some fool drunk in Bree a number of months ago and found two small coins he’d kept for dire need. And surely this was dire need . . . Be just enough, he hoped, for a pint of ale and the right to sit at ease in the Perch, looking the place over. Jack stood in the shadows of the entryway letting his eyes adjust to the dimmer light within. He slid right, to counter that marked where the drinks were to be got. He tapped a coin on the wooden surface of the bar and called out in a loud voice. ‘How bout it? Can a man get a pint here?’ His gaze slid around the room, noting where things were placed and who occupied tables. Oh, aye! There’s some as look promising . . . yes, indeed! Last edited by Envinyatar; 06-09-2006 at 01:20 AM.

06-01-2006, 05:30 AM	#1
Firefoot Illusionary Holbytla Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 7,547	Cela let Will answer the question as she lightly added salt to the first batch of eggs. Sometimes she wondered if he didn’t know as much about what was going on in the kitchen as she did. “Would you like me to cut the bread?” Will now asked. “I can get the toasting forks going if you’d like, too, ladies . . .” “No need, no need,” said Cela without looking up. “It’s biscuits and jam this morning – Primrose how are those coming?” Without waiting for a response, she continued. “Good thing summer’s coming up quickly, not that you’d know it by the chill in the air. The stock of jam is starting to run low, and there’s nothing like a fresh pie. Fruit that’s preserved and canned or dried just doesn’t have the same taste to it as fresh fruit.” “I’m sure the jam won’t run out,” said Dick with a smile. “’Course it won’t. What kind of cook would I be if I let the jam run out?” Cela cast a critical eye at the eggs. “But that’s neither here nor there.” She selected a skinny jar containing an unlabelled chopped herb and sprinkled it lightly over the top of the eggs. “Excellent. And don’t neither of you ask what’s on them, either, because you know I won’t tell you.” She waved a wooden spoon in their general direction. “You’re right cheery this morning,” she commented to Dick, trying to remember if the day had some special significance as she checked on the bacon. “Ah, of course… the inn’s officially yours today, isn’t it?” She said, nodding to herself, though whether about her statement or the bacon was indeterminate. “Why don’t we get you two a bite to eat… looks about done…”

06-01-2006, 08:15 AM	#2
Folwren Messenger of Hope Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a tiny, insignificant little town in one of the many States. Posts: 5,076	Dick joined Will at the breakfast table and tucked a napkin into his collar. “Aye, today’s my first day, Cela,” he said. He grinned up at her as she placed a plate full of food before him. “I hope I’m ready for it.” “Of course you are,” Cela replied confidently. She placed another full plate before Will. “Master Goodbody wouldn’t have let you have it if you weren’t ready for it.” Dick shrugged slightly before setting into the bacon and eggs. “One would think so,” he said, after giving a moment to chew and swallow. “I have all the hopes of succeeding.” His stomach gave a slight flutter, though he couldn’t exactly say why. He attributed it to the empty state his stomach was in and continued to eat without saying anything further. He and Will were half way through with their first serving of breakfast when Rowan came tripping into the kitchen, a smile on her face, and a healthy glow in her cheek. Dick looked up as she gave a bright and cheery good morning to everybody. “How are all the guests this morning?” Dick asked. “Are any of them up yet?” Rowan flashed him a quick smile as she accepted a plate from Cela and turned to join the two hobbits at the table before answering.

06-01-2006, 11:43 AM	#4
Undómë Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 400	Rowan tucked into her eggs and bacon; washing her rather large forkfuls down with gulps of sweet, hot tea. ‘Sorry!’ she mumbled round a mouthful of biscuit with gooseberry jam on it. She swallowed another gulp of tea and wiped the crumbs from her mouth. ‘Don’t mean to be such a little piggy, but the guests are up, the lot of them. And I’m sure they’ll soon be washed and dressed and out into the common room expecting food soon . . . very soon! I’m just trying to take the edge of my own hunger before I have to put on a smile and take out the platters Cook and Mistress Primrose are cooking up.’ She turned a little red, rethinking her choice of words. ‘Not that I mind smiling and serving the food. Oh no, not at all! Truth be told I rather like seeing their faces light up at the first whiff and site of the Perch’s tasty fare. It’s just that it rather gets in the way of your being friendly when your belly is making loud protests!’ The sound of some loud voice calling from the common room penetrated the noise and talk of the kitchen. ‘Shall I go see to that?’ she asked, her eyes lingering longingly on the rest of her meal.