The Green Dragon Inn - Part 4

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Gilly woke up long after the sun had crept over the horizon. Left ear folded and pinned against the wooden planking, she found herself on the floor, and despite the pain of it she had the dim recollection of deeming the cool boards far more comfortable to sleep upon than trying to drift off in a chair. She had to commend Benia for tolerating that most uncomfortable sleeping arrangement the previous two evenings.

The hobbit lay listening to the sounds of the inn in the morning, the squawking chickens scuffling over grain scattered for their breakfast, the clinking of crockery. She wondered if Benia was awake yet. Gilly noted the closed door. She didn’t remember having shut it.

Getting to her feet she rapped on the door. “Miss Benia, the sun is out! Are you awake?” Hearing no response she tired again, “Miss Benia are you awake?” Opening the door slowly, so as not to awaken her sleeping friend, she peered into the room. The sight before her overwhelmed her. The coverlet and blankets were strewn across the floor like ghostly fingers pointing to the open window. Gilly need not see the splintered sash to known what had happened. Benia was gone and not of her own volition.

She could find only one explanation in her mind and knew of one person capable of such a thing.

“Kaldir!” she exclaimed as she dashed for the staircase.

She had to find Léspheria and tell her what had happened. Perhaps she would know where the ranger had gone or at least she could gain counsel from the clear-sighted elf. But as Gilly reached the commons room, the door of the inn opened to emit Léspheria in obvious pain being carried in by Kaldir, Vanwe following after. What has happened here?, thought the hobbit. Is Kaldir back then?

If Kaldir hadn’t taken Benia who had?

Gilly didn’t know whom to turn to now, and felt benumbed with fright, but knew she needed to find some place quiet to think. Walking out of the inn she soon found herself at the stables, and pacing up and down outside of the stalls, she wracked her brain trying to come up with a plan of action. She must calm down; Benia’s life depended on it.

Sensing the hobbit’s anxious demeanor the horses began to watch Gilly, sticking their long faces out in the aisle way. She looked back at them wondering if she could learn something of the puzzle here. After all was there not a white mare saddled up but with no rider in sight, or the chestnut horse looking exhausted as it lay in its stall. But where was Kaldir’s animal? She felt a strong need to examine it for clues to its master’s activities, for although the pieces were not coming together Gilly still felt the ranger responsible for Miss Nightshade’s disappearance.

Recognizing the ranger’s horse, she slipped inside the stall, the tall beast regarding her with a sidelong glance. Gilly felt as if she were a mouse in the straw about to be tread upon! Haste, lest she be the next injured guest at the inn!