The Golden Perch Inn

[Elfchick7]

Nienna sat up in her bed and finished off her light breakfast. She felt so much better after her long sleep. Luriniel had eaten all of her food and was packing up their belongings. They both felt that Eru has truly blessed them and granted them the peace which they had been longing for since they began their long journey. Perhaps closure was not too distant for the sisters. After all, they had each spoken with another elf who had not treated them as enemies and had even sought their help.

The Shire had been a pleasant enough stop, but it was time to press on. They knew not to what, but Nienna had almost completely healed and there seemed to be some sort of trouble at the Inn. The sisters decided that they could help best by getting out of the way and being two less guests for the flustered staff to worry about. They stood and left their room to pay their room and board for the past few days. As they waited for their horses, Luriniel surveyed the beautiful Shire landscape. It seemed so quiet and simple. Eru, I beg you to grant my sister and I a quiet peaceful life, like that in this small corner of Arda. Bless us and do not let us continue to bear punishment for the wrongs of our father. Their horses were brought out and the sister finally left the Golden Perch Inn.

[Kath]

Cir had been so utterly gobsmacked by the events of the last few minutes that she almost obeyed her aunt without question. She was already heading inside after Mithalwen when her thoughts caught up with her and she remembered that she had unfinished business before she could settle back into this inn.

"Cir!" She called, turning to find her brother moving away from her. He stopped and faced her automatically and she found herself cringing at the look on his face. During the ride with their aunt Cir had had ample time to think over what had happened between them and had found herself feeling ashamed of her behaviour. They had been on the move and in trouble and trying their hardest to think only of behaving recently and though what had happened had been in her mind Cir hadn't found the time, or more accurately hadn't desired to find the time, to really think about how her brother must be feeling. She had shut herself off from him deliberately, knowing how much that would hurt him, but it was only now that she truly felt the guilt of that action.

"Well?" Came a voice, and she realised that Cir had been speaking to her. He now looked more irritated than hurt and she thought she'd better get her apology in quickly before his annoyance grew to such a level that he couldn't accept it.

"I'm sorry." She blurted out. "I'm sorry I was so horrible to you. I think you were entirely wrong not to tell me what our father said about us, we don't keep secrets from each other and especially not when it affects both of us. I know that you were upset about it and that you probably didn't want me to feel as bad as you did but you should still have said something. But when you did tell me I shouldn't have reacted like I did so I'm sorry."

The speech was hardly eloquent but the feelings in it were clear as day and Cir knew that her brother would appreciate the fact that she wasn't shutting him out anymore. She knew that she was right about this by the smile that spread across his face.

"You were being an idiot." He said, his voice slightly uncertain as he wasn't sure they were quite back to joking with each other yet.

"Coming from you." Cir replied, gently hitting her brother's arm to indicate that yes, they were alright again. She understood why Cir had acted the way he had and knew that he now understood why she had been so angry with him. She also knew her brother and knew that she would get an apology from him for his behaviour in just the way that she had apologised for hers - they were too similar for their own good sometimes. In this case though it allowed her to accept the apology and forgive him before he even gave it.

"I'm sorry too." Her brother spoke softly.

"I know." Cir replied, smiling.

[Mithalwen]

" I was an idiot too.... " the boy added the as they led the pony round to the stables, "but you are right it was too horrible to say at the time and then .... It was very wrong of me to blurt it out to a stranger".

Carantilion grimaced at the memory then perked up a little, "But Aunt Mithalwen doesn't seem to think we are so bad .. at least not yet" he amended cautiously, "she actually seems pleased to see us... so maybe Cir, we should try... not to annoy her too much and by the time we go back they might think they had imagined that we were awful... probably not Erestor though.. I don't think he will ever forgive us. " He grinned, some mischief could not be regretted.

"Mithalwen - well she is as old as the hills of course ... nearly as old as Ada, but at least she has a sense of humour... it might not be so bad, especially now you are speaking to me again. I reckon that if we don't give her too much trouble she will give us a lot more freedom. What do you think - it might even be fun?"

He paused and looked around the stable yard .... "That's odd, there doesn't seem to be anyone around. Must be all inside".

[Ilya]

Not everyone was inside.

Widlast wasn't sure exactly why he headed for the stables first, for he'd no horse. Force of habit, perhaps. The slantways walk over tufted, lumpy ground led him to the inn at an odd bent, voices whipping past him as he drew close. Tucking himself into the warm joint created by the door flung wide, he tried to find the wrinkles of his boots interesting as a piece of straw stuck in the wood grazed his eyebrow. Three weeks ago he would've been annoyed that deference had caught his heels over what turned out to be a reconciliation between two bairns, but then, wasn't that just the pommel of the whole journey? He made to run a hand through his hair before realizing that in its shorn state he would get no good of the motion, and plunged his hand into a pocket instead.

He noticed the stable was open at both ends, and figured the two little ones would forget to close the one at the farther end, as he himself would've been kicked for at their age. Without a word, Widlast ambled over to the further side, enjoying the sensation of his boots falling on stray bits of straw in the yard. He gave the door a firm, slow push and it swung as though it too were enjoying the pleasure of moving through the air. He did not look back, but heard the clack of the lock as he moved into the yard proper and towards the lighted windows that signaled an easy chair on which to place his weight.

[Folwren]

“Dear me,” Dick said, his hands on his hips as he watched the group of hobbits canter down the road. He shook his head. Bad as it was for business to have half of his customers go riding off, Dick didn’t mind in the least. He dearly hoped that Cook could be found, for no cook would mean no good food, and that would be worse business still.

He turned and re-entered the inn. A quick glance showed him a mostly empty common room. Primrose and Rowan stood on either side of the kitchen door, looking as though the shocking events of the morning had left them rooted in their places for good. Granny Greenhill, who’s sharp wits had guided them most of the way through the chaotic morning, sat near the fire, looking as though she were ready to nod off to sleep after all the exertion she had put out so far that day.

A few odd, tall figures of random elves and men uninterested apparently with the disappearances of innocent hobbit folk occupied the other corners of the room.

“Come, Prim and Rowenna,” Dick said gently. “Let’s get this mess cleared away and this room set back in order.”

The two girls sprang immediately into action and the dishes were cleared away in a twinkling of an eye. Dick took the table cloth to the door to shake out. It was only then that he noticed the tall elf who had been standing in the shadow by the door way for goodness knows how long.

“Oh, excuse me!” Dick cried in greeting. “May I help you?”

[Undómë]

Rowan nudged Prim as the Innkeeper turned away to deal with one of the guests, one of the Fair Folk. 'Psst!' she whispered drawing Prim's attention now fully. 'Help me pile up the rest of these dishes and I'll cart them into the kitchen.' Rowan glanced at Master Boffin, noting his attention was still on his business the Elf. 'I'll set them to soaking in some nice sudsy water and see about going to Cook's room like we talked about. Maybe I can find something to tell us where she's gone.'

Prim stacked the dishes nose high in Rowan's hands and followed her into the kitchen with a precarious piling of cups and cutlery in her own hands. stacking them in the big sink alongside Rowan's heap of dirt dishes, she made her way to the stove and grabbed the steaming kettle. Tucking a packet of tea into her apron pocket she walked carefully back toward the door into the common room. 'You go on, then,' she said to her friend, stopping just before she made her exit. Prim jutted her chin toward the door into Cook's room. 'I'll pass about some fresh tea and make myself look busy tidying up with broom and rag. If anyone asks, I'll tell them you're busy washing up.' Good luck! she mouthed backing carefully through the door.

----------------

Where to start? Where to start? Rowan mused as she closed the door to Cook's room behind her. The room was neat and tidy, the bed made, the hand towel by the pitcher and basin stand folded just so. There were some things missing, she noted. That small picture of trees round a a swimming hole in the bend of some lazy looking river; the sunlight slanting through the trees, dappling the surface of the water. Cook had kept it on the little table by her bed.

Rowan opened the large oaken wardrobe that stood along the wall to her right. A number of blouses and skirts were gone, along with Cook's hooded cloak. All packed, no doubt, into the large carpetbag Cook had kept stored under her bed and was now missing. Small clothes were gone too from the drawers at the bottom of the wardrobe. Grabbed out in a hurry, it seemed, as other contents of the drawers were pushed around and left in disarray.

The curious hobbit poked about in the wardrobe, finding nothing of any significance as far as she was concerned. As a last thought she carried the little chair from desk in the corner and set it close in front of the wardrobe. Rowan climbed up on it and ran her hands along the deep shelf. Nothing of any note, she thought. Some bandanas, a couple of hats, a single glove, missing its mate, a woolen scarf.

Wait! What’s this? Her fingers pushed up against something hard and bumpy in the back corner. Rowan eased the object out until she could get a firm grip on it. ‘Interesting,’ she murmured aloud as she turned the little shell-covered box over in her hands, admiring the pretty shells affixed to it.

Rowan clambered down from the chair, taking care not to drop the little treasure. Once firmly planted on the floor she lifted the lid and peeked inside . . .

[Mithalwen]

“May I help you?”

Mithalwen deemed that the hobbit who addressed her was probably the Landlord and addressed him as such:

"Mr Boffin, I presume? " Mithalwen paused and read confirmation and perhaps surprise in his face and continued. "First I must offer you an apology, My niece and nephew trespassed on your hospitality recently and left without warning. That was my fault. They had played truant from those entrusted with their care and my anger when I found them meant that I did not listen to their story. Consequnetly I learned only this morning that I had force them to welch on an arrangement with you. For this I am sorry and wish to make amends. "

Mithalwen took her purse from her belt. I hope that you will be able to accomodate us all tonight and perhaps for a little longer and I will pay you also for the room they left unoccupied without notice. I need stabling for one horse and if possible safe storage of a waggonette and it contents - though perhaps my niece has already spoken to you about this?" Mithalwen made a mental note to retrieve the money she had given the girl if this were the case.

"It contains examples of my craft I was taking for sale but if there is anything there you should like I hope you will accept it as recompense for the inconvenience the twins and I have caused you" .
The tall elf looked earnestly at the Landlord hoping that she had expressed her regret in a language she used seldom.