An Adventure of Hobbit Proportions RPG

[Thinlómien]

"Tansy dear I'm afraid we will need more supplies then I thought, do you have any idea where we could get them? We should leave as soon as possible as long as the weather holds up."

"I don't know", Tansy replied. She really wasn't very enthusiastic about finding all the necessary things from her home or using all her family's money.

Bunny frowned. "Then is more difficult than I imagined... are you sure you don't have a friend or something who could help us with the supplies?"

Tansy smiled wryly at herself. It never occured to her first to ask for someone's help. "I do have one such friend. Her name is Peony Chubb. She lives quite close. But I must say that if we are to ask her to help us with the supplies, we might have to take her with us." Realising how Bunny might interpret her words, she burst laughing. Bunny cast her a questioning look.

"I maybe should not have said 'have to'", Tansy explained, "Peony is a lovely person, really, I'm sure you'll like her."

Before Bunny could make any reply, Maylily's voice interrupted the discussion: "Oh, there you are, girls. Come to eat breakfast, it's getting cooler all the time."

Girls. Tansy rolled her eyes and Bunny chuckled, but both followed the old woman obediently.

Fred and Robin wanted to tell Bunny about the giant perch they had caught last weekend and she was enjoying the story and telling of her own experiences of perches, so they had almost finished the abundant breakfast before Tansy could get to the topic she wanted to discuss.

"Mum, dad, Fred. There's something I want to talk about with you", she said slowly. Fred smiled at her, their mother's eyes narrowed, but their father asked pleasantly: "What is it, Tansy?"

"I wish to go traveling again. Bunny and I have been talking about looking for the legendary Entwives. I don't know how long I would be away."

A silence fell. "But there is one thing I'm worried about. Will you be able to manage without me?"

Maylily snorted in an offended way. "Now, now, Miss Tansy Bogsworth! I don't deny that you have provided a big deal of our family's income, helped Daphne and Fred a lot and done a big part of the household work in the last decade or so. But it is downright arrogant of you to assume that we wouldn't manage by ourselves for a few days? weeks? months? Ha! I tell you, Tansy, none of us is a helpless child!"

Tansy grinned. "Thank you, mother", she said.

"We'll miss you though, Tansy", Fred said with an affectionate smile, "hope you'll have fun."

"And I'll be missing your teas, darling", Robin said, "and maybe sad not to have the few extra coins in our purse. But I'd be far more sad if you were not where you wanted to be."

Tansy sighed. She had known it would come down to money. "Mum, are you really sure you can manage?"

"Now don't start that again, you arrogant lass!" Maylily exclaimed, "Have you forgotten that I and your father work as well? Besides, I assure you, I do have my own savings and I'm not afraid to use them our expenses became too big for us, which I doubt. And for goodness' sake, don't stare at me that way! Can't a mother offer something to her daughter these days?"

When Tansy still made no reply, Maylily burst laughing. "Tansy, if you're that worried, I can promise to take the extra money from your inheritance."

"Does that mean you're really coming with me?" Bunny asked in a low voice.

Tansy looked at her resolute-looking mother and her simling father and brother. "It seems I couldn't back away now even if I wanted: they seem to have decided that it's time for me to have some time of my own", she grinned.

[littlemanpoet]

"We are going to Brandy Hall, to visit Tansy, father." Rudy said a second time.

Gaffer Hugo watched Rudy standing tall as he was able, his chin sticking out to just a wee bit, and risen up like he was giving orders to his own pa. The awful silence, full of all kinds of bad thing nobody was saying, was getting long. Gaffer Hugo understood; Hugo his son-in-law and accidental namesake, was a bitter man and had been getting that way even before he'd lost Rosemary so many years agone. Hugo number two never mentioned Rosemary anymore, he didn't need to. Everybody knew that it was always aback of what he blamed Mira for. It would do no good to raise that ugly fact where everybody could see it like a dirty stinky rag that needed more than a good washing.

"Good morning to you, Hugo!" Gaffer Hugo said. "I'm takin' Rudy an' Mira over to Brandy Hall to visit some friends and kin. Peony's folk are over thereby. How about you come along too?"

Gaffer Hugo flicked a quick glance over to Mira clapped her hand to her mouth with a cough to cover the grin forming there, for she knew what Gaffer was up to. They all knew that Hugo number two would be too concerned to make sure he wasn't going to bother with keeping Rudy and Mira under roof.

"Oh, fine!" Hugo number two griped with a dismissive wave. "Go on and leave me all alone like always."

Of course they all knew that wasn't true and Gaffer Hugo knew it made Mira feel bad, just like it was intended to, but there wasn't much hope of changing her dad, so no surprise, she smiled and told him thank you.

[Valier]

Bunny was so relieved when Tansy and her family decided she should go with Bunny. She didn't know it was bothering her, but now it felt like a weight was lifted off her shoulders.

Bunny shoved one last morsel of food into her mouth and stood up to help with the clearing up. "That was just a delicious meal Maylily, thank you for having me." Maylily nodded her head towards the pile of mess sitting at the front door, which use to be Bunny's belongings. "I guess you'll be needing your things washed up, I can throw them in with the load I have from Tansy...That lass always has so much laundry... well I guess it's hard to tell which is clean or dirty when it's all over the floor!!" Tansy rolled her eyes at this causing Bunny to hold back a snort. "I will say however while I wash your mess, you my dear must clean up the mud you've left on the floor.

Bunny giggled and apologized profusely as she took the mop from Maylily. Tansy finished up the dishes and came to wait for Bunny to finish. "Since your Mother has been so gracious and kind to me, " Bunny said with a smile. " Shall we go see Peony after I finish up here? Do you think she will be home? I guess we might as well take a walk over, the weather seems like it's picking up and we might just have a sunny day. If she agrees to join us and we can get everything we need, we may just be able to leave tomorrow."

[littlemanpoet]

Gaffer Hugo suggested that they stop off at Peony's, since she was on the way to Brandy Hall. Not long after first breakfast was finished and cleaned up after, Gaffer Hugo prepared his wagon for the ride, with much help from Snatch. At least, Snatch seemed to think that all his jumping up and down and running here and there and barking high and low made all the difference.

Soon the three travelers were on the road, happy to be gone from the house in Crickhollow, and ready for adventure. It would not have taken very long at all, but Mosy had other ideas in mind; mostly because Gaffer Hugo didn't bother to control him. Mosy found snubs of grass here, tasty berries hanging from bushes there as the travelers talked and sang and generally made merry.

It was almost noon when they arrived at Peony's hole.

[Thinlómien]

"That is a good idea. I feel like walking", Tansy replied and glanced out of the window. "And a little drop of rain or two won't surely kill us, just freshen our morning a bit, won't it?"
"Let's just hope it isn't as muddy as it was yesterday or we're going to spend the rest of the day with the mop when we've come back", Bunny grinned.
Tansy laughed. "Now, if you wait a minute and then we can leave. I think I should bring Peony and her family something. If I recall correctly, all the Chubbs have a liking for thistleflower tea."

Bunny was right about the weather. They had walked only a little while when the rain stopped and the sun started to shine. The change of weather raised the Hobbits' spirits even higher and they were as jolly as the little birds in the trees above them when they finally arrived at Peony's place.

[Kitanna]

The morning had been relatively warm, despite a bit of rain earlier, and Peony Chubb was going about her usually chores for her mother. But as she cleaned the dishes from her family’s breakfast she longed to go out for a nice long walk. It was far too nice outside to toil away on chores and such. She was quite envious of the birds that cheeped happily in the sunlight. Yet, there was work to be done and her brothers were not responsible enough.

Hamfast and Nick were off evading work, Peony was sure. She grumbled silently as she dried the dishes. Her mother came into the kitchen to assist in putting the dishes away. Melilot looked tired and Peony could tell the older Hobbit had probably had a dream about Sancho the night before.

“Where are those brothers of yours?” Melilot asked, her voice laced with melancholy.

“Probably hanging around the tavern, waiting for some lunch.” Peony dried the last plate and handed it to her mother.

Melilot rolled her eyes. “Seems hardly right for them to leave us with all the work around here. Why don’t you see if you can fetch them, while I out some tea on.”

Peony removed her apron and hurried outside. She had been waiting all morning for a chance to stretch her legs and enjoy the sunshine. Though she was on an errand, this was the perfect excuse to pick some flowers and take in the nice weather. Peony took in the fresh air and sighed happily.

“Peony Chubb!” Peony looked up the road and saw two figures moving quickly up the road. But she wasn’t expecting anyone today, so who could it be?

“Peony!” One of the figures called and waved. Recognition hit Peony as the grew ever closer.

“Mum! Tansy Bogsworth is here!” Peony called to her mother and sprinted up the road to greet her friend and her traveling companion.

[Thinlómien]

Warm greetings were exchanged when Peony and Mrs Chubb, who hastened to see the visitors, met Tansy and Bunny. Tansy introduced Bunny to the Chubbs and after exchanging the briefest tidings and gossip, Mrs Chubb excused herself and went back into the hobbit hole.

"So, what brings you here?" Peony asked, "I was not expecting you. That does not mean that you wouldn't be welcome, of course." She smiled.

Tansy returned her smile. "It is always good to pay friends surprise visits, isn't it? But, yes, we actually had something we would like to discuss with you."

"Really?" asked Peony with an interested glint in her eyes, "I was just about to go to find Hamfast and Nick, but it may wait."

"Off evading work again, are they?" Tansy asked with a grin.

"Well, you know Hamfast", Peony said, "and Nick is just like him."

“Oh, poor you, I'd never survive living with them”, Tansy said empathically, but there was an edge of mischeviousness to her voice.

Peony was eyeing her curiously and looked like she was about to say something, when Bunny broke in. “We're not disturbing you, Peony, or interrupting anything, are we?” she asked in a cheerful tone.

“Oh no, you're not. Finding those rascals may wait”, Peony smiled, “Though, I thought it would be nice to spend some time outside... Would you mind if we discussed in the garden? We have benches and a little table in there. It may be a bit wet, though...”

“It is perfectly fine”, Bunny said, “don't you agree, Tansy?”

“Yes”, Tansy said, “let's go then.”