The Golden Perch Inn

[Bom Tombadillo]

Hamwill enters, walking very slowly. He does not seem to notice the people in the inn, and takes a seat in the nearest corner, setting down a large tome on the table. He opens it to a short way in, then pats his pockets.

He looks up, and a startled expression crosses his face, then relief. Almost silently, as if to avoid disturbing some sleeping beast, he says "Would anybody happen to have something to write with?"

[Flame of Udûn]

Arandon sat for some time remembering the pains of his past. He soon became aware of a person moving towards the in and saw a man carrying a large book, Arandon was intrigued by this since he appeared to have travelled much and yet bore no weapon, a curious thing for a traveller especially as the power of the enemy grows in the east.
Arandon walked back to the inn following the traveller silently, watching him closely then he waited a few moments after the man entered bofore going in again himself. He walked up to the bar again casting a quick glance at the man who had so riled him earlier. then he focused his attention upon the hobbit and made another apology for his earlier behaivior, 'Please once again accept my appologies master hobbit, I should have held my temper better yet the mood has past thankfully and I should hope that nought more will rile me for I do not wish to cause any trouble here.'

[piosenniel]

Penny

Penny’s eyes were big as saucers at the goings-on in the common room. She watched as the Big Folk drew apart from each other – one to a table by the fire, one to step outside, the last keeping put at the bar. The toast she’d spread thick with blackberry jam now lay forgotten for the moment on her plate.

Leaning forward as to be nearer the elder Hobbit, she whispered as quietly as she could. “Are there always so many of the Big Folk hereabouts?” She picked up a piece of bacon and munched on it, absent-mindedly. “And are they always so . . . so, well, cranky and out of sorts?” She waved the crisp bacon at the gaffer, drawing back a bit, her voice going back to a more normal level..

“Comes from not keeping your tummy full, my gran would say. Twists you up inside if your insides don’t have something to work on.” She nodded her head, remembering her gran had firm opinions on just about everything.

Penny looked over toward the Big Folk still remaining in the room. She took another bite of bacon and mumbled around the crumbly bits. “Personally, I think it’s those boots they wear! Can you imagine walking about with feet all smunched in and your toes all pushed together?”

From a table nearby, one in the corner, she heard a voice. Another of the Big Folk, his question hanging in the air. "Would anybody happen to have something to write with?"

Penny excused herself and drew closer to the man. “Well, ummm, sir,” she said, standing out of arms’ reach. “It’s not much, but it works fine for making lists and such.” She fished about in her skirt pocket and drew out a stick of hard charcoal, most of it wrapped in yarn, its end ground somewhat to a point. ‘Can you use it?’ She held it out tentatively.

[Bom Tombadillo]

Hamwill smiled. "Yes I can, milady. Thank you very much." With that, he returned to the book and began writing quickly, pausing every so often and staring at his work.

After a while he stopped and closed the book with a thump, looking around for the hobbit-maid who gave him the pencil. He did this vigorously for a moment, then found her and stood up, seeming uncertain. He was interrupted by the hobbit entering the room, and stopped to see what his intent might be.

[Galadriel55]

Alferad strutted to the door with a haughty air, grinning widely. He did this every time he went to the local tavern – after all, his family was relatively well off, and he never forgot to display this importance to other hobbits. He came into the Common Room, and began a greeting.

“Good day to y…” His voice faltered; the speech that he carefully planned out beforehand came to an abrupt end. His broad smile faded into a look of confusion. Every pair of eyes in the room swung to him. Al was feeling more than a little uncomfortable. The guests of the inn were not only hobbits, which shocked him. There were a few of the Big Folk. Al wasn’t used to them: he’d only seen a man once in his life, and it was long enough ago to make the impression wear off.

He cleared his throat. “Er, I mean, good day to you, sirs and ladies!” he said, recovering from his first surprise and trying to cover his confusion. The guests turned their attention to their conversations again. He looked around. In a corner, he saw a man sitting with a huge tome in his lap who was also looking around. What a queer man, he thought. Al’s curiosity got the better of his apprehension of men, so he steered himself toward the stranger, at the same time calling for a mug of beer.

[Folwren]

“Please once again accept my apologies, master hobbit. I should have held my temper better. Yet the mood has passed, thankfully, and I should hope that naught more will rile me, for I do not wish to cause any trouble here.”

Dick listened seriously to the ranger's repeated expression of regret and then he shook his head. “Bad business, sir, it was bad business. But it wasn’t your fault. No, indeed, you mustn’t blame yourself. You were only defending the lady’s honor, and that’s how it ought to be. Yes, as my grandmum always says-”

But what his grandmum always said, Arandon never found out, for at that moment, another man entered. He was another one who, like Arandon, said nothing to anybody when he entered. Instead, he made for the nearest seat (better than the nearest corner, Dick thought) and pulled out a book, and then called for something with which to write. Dick glanced around and saw another customer, a hobbit customer, get up and answer the request. Well, that was good. Dick only had one pen and he didn’t much feel like lending it out.

“As I was going to say, don’t worry about it at all. What’s done is done and no ill has come of it. Oh, look, another customer.” This said half to himself. Thank goodness it was a hobbit and not another big person.

“Good day to y-” the new customer began in a bold sort of voice. Arandon swiveled about and looked. Aeron also turned her head. The new hobbit’s confidence wavered, Dick could see it. He raised his eyebrow expectantly. “I mean, good day to you, sirs and ladies!” A momentary, awkward pause, and then Arandon and Aeron turned back to the counter, Dick refilled their mugs of ale, and the other customers went on with their breakfasts.

“A mug of beer if you will!” called the new hobbit. Dick looked quickly in his direction. He wasn’t even looking towards him or the bar, but rather going towards the man latest come.

“Hmph. One of those customers,” Dick said to himself. What exactly he meant was unclear even to himself, but he didn’t much like it when customers were too preoccupied to talk to him squarely. He filled the mug and carried it to the hobbit. “Seredic Boffin, Innkeeper, at your service,” he said, placing the ale before him. “If there is anything else you need, please let me know. And you, sir,” to the man, “is there anything I can get for you, sir?”

[Flame of Udûn]

Arandon was only half listening to what the hobbit was saying since he knew what would be said and he was lost in thought when a young hobbit strode in and began to speak causing Arandon to turn and look at the hobbit who faltered, and seemed rather uncertain of what to make of the collection of people that were now assembled in the inn. This hobbit eventually gathered himself and spoke clearly but his voice was not filled with confidence.

Arandon turned away again from the hobbit who was rather uninteresting compared to the others in the Inn and he turned his attention back to Aeron and asked 'so where have you travelled to during your time as a Ranger?'