The Green Dragon Inn #11 - The Last Chapter

[piosenniel]

We had reached the limit of pages for the last incarnation of the Inn - Part 10.

Welcome to the Green Dragon Inn Part 11! Carry on, Shirelings!

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GREEN DRAGON INN FACTS:

It is the 4th Age, year 12. By the Shire Calendar it is year 1433 S.R. (Shire Reckoning).

King Elessar is on the throne of the Reunited Kingdom of Arnor and Gondor.

Mirkwood has been reclaimed by the Elves and is now called Eryn Lasgalen.

Paladdin Took, Pippin’s father, is Thain of the Shire. (Thain is an honorary title for the military leader of the Shire. The title has been held in the Took Family since the position was first established in 3rd Age 1979 with Bucca of the Marish as First Thain.) Paladdin Took dies in year 13, and will be succeeded by his son, Peregrin, ‘Pippin’, Took.

Samwise Gamgee is Mayor of the Shire, having succeeded Will Whitfoot in 1427 S.R.

The Innkeeper, in the Green Dragon Inn of this forum, is:
Aman – a young woman from Rohan.

Before her, the Innkeeper was Piosenniel, and before her it was Dwarin, the Dwarf.

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Other ongoing characters in the Inn:

Ruby Brown, Hobbit – not married – server and maid

Buttercup Brownlock, Hobbit – not married – kitchen assistant and maid

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Ongoing characters from outside the Inn:

Halfred Whitfoot – local Shiriff from Bywater and Postmaster for this area of the Shire; his pony’s name is Dumpling.

Fredgar Hornblower – local Shiriff from Hobbiton – played by Fool of a Took
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Please Note:

No 'SAVES' are allowed in the Inn.

With the exception of the Innkeeper and the Moderators, no OOC (Out Of Character) comments are allowed in the Inn.

Only the Innkeeper, Amanaduial, or the Moderators move the timeline for the Inn forward.

Visitors to the Inn will need to read the posts that come before theirs to get an idea of what time it is in the Shire, what the weather is like, and what is happening.

Please be familiar with the rules for the Inn and Games in The Red Book of Westmarch, the first topic in the Shire.
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IT IS NOW VERY LATE EVENING. THE WEATHER IS PLEASANT.

THE PARTY CELEBRATING THE REBUILDING OF THE INN IS IN FULL SWING - PLENTY OF FOOD, DRINK, MUSIC, DANCING!

[SonOfBombadil]

Lewis looked around, trying to spot Ravon. He had just left for a moment, and when he looked back, she wasn't where they had been sitting. He scanned the room. Oh! There she is! Lewis saw Ravon. She was on the dance floor, motioning for him to come out.

"Care for a dance?" Ravon asked. Lewis smiled. "I'm not too sure how great of a dancer I am. Being the son of a blacksmith and all." Ravon smiled big. "Well come on, lets' find out!"

Before Lewis could do anything, he was pulled into the dance and had gotten right into it. It didn't matter to him what he danced like anymore. He was too busy getting lost in Ravon's beautiful eyes and entrancing smile.

[Firefoot]

When Daisy and Lily returned from the stable Lily was amazed at how much the party had picked up. When she had left there had been several people listening to their music, though few had been dancing. Now there were quite a few people out on the dance floor, and many that weren't dancing were clapping their hands or tapping their feet in time to the music.

Lily quickly picked up the song that Willow had started. She hadn't heard it before, but it was catchy and had a good beat. She immersed herself into playing, no longer worried about how Arrow was doing out in the barn. Her fingers flew over the strings, easily keeping time with the fast rhythm of the song. They played the song all the way through without a hitch, and at the end she heard some applause and even a few whistles.

Lily yawned. She couldn't believe how late it must be getting and everything that had happened that night. Just keep playing and you won't feel so tired, she told herself. Now what to play next? A song came to her mind, one that she hadn't played in quite a while but was so familiar that it was as if she had only just played it. It was a tune that was "as old as the hills", as her uncle would say, and was so well-known that she had heard countless versions of verses that went with it.

"How's this?" she asked, picking up her fiddle once more and striking up the song. Dimly she was aware of Willow and Mira joining in with their instruments, and Daisy's voice soaring over the music. This is great! I hope we get the chance to do this again some time was Lily's last thought before she was once again completely lost in the music.

[Gird]

Gird stumbled out of the bushes. He looked at his hand and realized that he was still holding the small blade that he had been using the past month, far more often than he would've liked. I wouldn't want anyone to see me with that. They might think I'm a savage. he thought, quite oblivious to his own physical appearance at the time.

Gird looked down the dirt road he had stumbled upon, and noticed a familiar, yet somehow different sight. The Green Dragon! he smiled, then frowned, But something seems different from the last time I was here. Gird looked closely at the inn. Ahh, I see! They've re-painted the sign! Contented with this answer, Gird walked on to the inn.

Gird walked in the inn. It sure is busy tonight, I wonder what's up? Gird puzzled. Ahh, there must be a special deal on the meal and drink tonight! Gird thought that the brew must be really good tonight, to have so many people singing and dancing, and the... Gird spotted something else that was amiss. They've scrubbed and polished the floors too! Must be someone's birthday. He shrugged it off.

And, to keep with the lively atmosphere, Gird started 'dancing' while he walked, by bobbing up and down occasionally in time to the music.

[Witch_Queen]

Aduthondiel
"Isaac, you just look like the warrior from Rohan that went missing so many years ago. Yet his name wasn't Isaac. Oh never mind. I sometimes let my memories get ahead of me." Adu didn't know now if Isaac could be one of her long lost friends or not. It was now a game of chance. Even now as she looked at him she could see her old friend. Nothing had even changed.

Could he actually be Jack? No, its not him. I never should have mentioned it to him. "Isaac just forget that I ever mentioned it." She knew now that if he was Jack he would have so many questions that she wouldn't be able to give an answer for. That was unless her friend had changed alot over the years.

[nynnd1]

Bredan walked back into the inn, he had had a quick rest and washed, he felt a lot better. He looked around and could not see anyone he recognised. A man was at the bar bobbing to the rhythm of the music. He was smiling, though from the look of him he did not have much to smile about, he looked like a savage.

‘Now you can’t go saying that Bredan, you didn’t look much better when you entered the inn’ he thought to himself.

He decided to walk up to the man, thinking he may be in the same dilemma Bredan himself was in, and what a dilemma that was. Though he had recognised the beauty of Lady Aman that still did not compare to Iolet, the love he had left in Gondor. He knew it was wrong to fall in love with a married woman, but acting upon that love was worse, but he had learnt. For the whole of the journey from Gondor to The Shire he had thought about it. Could he ever go back to Minas Tirith, that was something he had still to think about, but he was happy being away for the while, maybe Gusin, Iolet’s husband would forget, but Bredan doubted he would, what man could forget, or forgive such an act.

“I am Bredan, would you mind if I join you in a drink, I am new to this place.”

He realised that he sounded quite odd, but drinking with company is always better than drinking alone.

‘Anyway, he may be able to give some information on this place’ Bredan thought. Just then Bredan’s eyes caught sight of Snaveling.

“And some people” Bredan muttered under his breath so nobody else could hear, his eyes still fixed on Snaveling, before he realised and looked back to the smiling savage.

[Feared Half-Elf]

"I thought I recognised you from somewhere." She told Cree. "It's not your father I remember, though. I wasn't born in Eryn Lasgalen, I was born in a small forest far to the east. I moved to Eryn Lasgalen several years ago, and after a while got involved in the War of the Ring. But then, who didn't? I got called away to Gondor's aid, and since then I've been running between lands, seeing places I never thought I'd see, and making new friends from other cultures. Eryn Lasgalen is still my base and home, though. I just like to see the world. I pick up new things as I go, different weapons, and ways to use them. New herbs and their properties, that sort of thing. I'm a warrior at heart." She stretched, catlike. Not a delicate stretch like a high lady would execute, but a great yawn more like the warrior she was. She stood up, excusing herself to her companions. "If you'll excuse me, friends. It has been a busy night. I'll check on Arrow before I sleep. I hope I'll see you tomorrow." She inclined her head to them, and left.

She slipped out of the door, into the cool evening air, heading for the stables. Arrow still slept soundly, and Elkamia smiled at the silver dog, in the throes of another thrilling dream, by the look of him. She moved along the stalls, greeting Annufin, the silver mare she rode. She changed from her dress into her usual forest greens, drew a length of green fabric from her saddlebag, and bade her mare goodnight.

Stringing the fabric between two branches of a large tree, she settled down. The cool breeze stirred the branches. She preferred to sleep outside, though nobody could call her a trespasser on Inn land as she insisted on paying Aman for the use of her tree. A room was fine for a night or two, but when she spent a few weeks in one place, she definatly preferred the branches of a tree.

[Maeggaladiel]

Eleniel scratched Arrow behind his ears. There was nothing left for her to do but let the dog sleep. He snored on. Loudly.

She felt bad leaving him alone in the stables, but it was getting late. He was locked in a stall, and would probably sleep until tomorrow morning. She would check back in on him later, but now the excitement and fear had worn off, leaving dull hunger in her belly and exhaustion everywhere else.

She stumbled back into the inn. Isaac, Cree, Adu and Elkamia were talking together. She nodded to them before going to the bar and ordering a drink and something to eat.

Two people sat at the bar, both males. One seemed to be rocking in time to the music.

"Good evening, sirs," she said with a smile.

[Archsage Isaac]

Isaac watched Adu intently, he could see the emotion on her face. Her genuine concern that he was actually her long lost friend. He was confused, he wished he could remember his past, he wished he could remember her. All the wishing in the world wouldn't help him. "I'm truly sorry, Adu. I don't remember you." he said, his voice full of sorrow.

He was about to continue when a jumble of images ran through his mind. Fragments of his memories. He could only decipher one of them. His minds eye caught a glimpse of it. He saw himself standing beside a large tree. Obviously a dense forest was the setting of his memory. Beside him he saw Adu. They were smiling happily at each other. As quickly as the memories had came, they left him sitting with a perplexed look on his face. "Adu, I don't know if I am this Jack you speak of or not, but did the two of you ever visit a forest with each other? I don't know what you were doing, looked kind of important though..." Isaac said, his voice trailed off as he found himself staring at her...

[Dragon Elf odin Ragnorock]

Aildwen walks in the door and sees everyone talking, eating, and dancing to the music. Aildwen walks over to the bar and sits down:

“What can I get you?” said the bar tender
“ Well I will just have an Ale if you don’t mind.”
“Well I will have Ruby bring it over to you.” Says the bar tender in a happy voice.”
“Thanks I will be sitting in the corner.”

Aildwen walks over to the table and takes off his cloak and puts his sword and knives by the table and takes off his gloves. For a couple of minutes he sits and listens to the music and watches the other people talking. He signals to Aman and askes her for a room.
“Sure, but it will cost you 20 Silver peaces a day.”
“Fine, and Thank you.”

[Kitanna]

"Well Aldor," Peony said, covering her mouth as she yawned, "It's been a long day and I am ready for bed. I enjoyed this time spent with and I hope to see you tomorrow morning so we can talk some more." Peony looked around, the party was still going. but it was far too late for her.

"Good night Aldor." Peony gave Aldor a friendly hug and headed to her room. Deva was already asleep and snoring loudly.

She sat on the bed and removed her shoes. Deva turned over and grumbled something in his sleep. His eyes opened slowly and he saw Peony getting under the covers on her bed. "You're awfully late." He joked.

Peony threw a pillow at him. "Hush you! Go back to bed!" She laughed and laid down in her bed. She drifted into a deep sleep.

[Gird]

Gird went on bobbing for a while until he was unexpectedly approached by another man. “I am Bredan, would you mind if I join you in a drink, I am new to this place.”

"Huh? Oh, me? Why of course?" Gird managed to get out. He then flashed a toothy grin, remembering his manners. "Bartender! Oh, Miss Aman I mean. I would like a warm milk, and this young man will have.. an ale, sir?"

"Oh, yes thank you" came the man's reply.

"And to pay.." Gird started. He then pulled out a small gold statue of an eagle from under his cloak. Well, this will be too much certainly. He thought. So Gird promptly smashed the statue on the counter, breaking off it's wing. "There we are." he mused with a grin. he picked up the wing and then lay the bigger part on the counter as payment. He then turned to the man."Very nice establishment, eh?" The man didn't have time to answer, when someone else came up to them.

"Good evening, sirs," the newcomer said with a smile.

"Oh! Hello!" said Gird with a smile. "Come on, take a seat. Would you like a drink?"

"No thank you, I just ordered"

"Fair enough," Gird started. "But may I be so bold as to ask both of your names? It wouldn't do at all for me to call you two 'male' and 'female' all night long. And you can call me Gird"

Gird reached forth both of his grubby hands, never one to forget his manners.

[Eowyn Skywalker]

Willow smiled faintly, shaking herself out of her revere, as Lily started up the nexy song. It was lovely to be up there, standing on the tables, with friends, though in truth, she hardly knew the two other hobbits.

She was faintly aware that there were more people reacting to their music, and that the other girls were doing much better. They all were, as the time grew later.

Willow yawned. It was growing later, obviously, and the fact threw her slightly off tempo, though she knew the song well, all the verses, and three versions of the tune too. But night was falling-- growing later, and that in itself would take it's toll on her, if she had to continue too much longer. She only hoped that she could stay awake long enough to finish a few more tunes.

She noticed Lily yawning too, and realized that the others were probably as tired as her.

The song drew closer to its end, and Willow figured that it might be smart to take a few slower songs now that the day was drawing ever nearer to it's inevitable conclusion. There was no way to escape the blackness of night.

But in the meantime, they played their fiddles, and flutes, and sang as if night would never completely fall.

The song ended, wherein Willow allowed herself a long yawn before suggesting another song. "It's a slower song, but well known. I think it'll fit," she said, smiling tiredly. It had been a long day.

[piosenniel]

Buttercup came down the stairs to the kitchen, her shawl pulled tight about her shoulders. The morning air was chilly, and she could not wait to get into the warmth of the kitchen. Ruby was already up; she had started a small fire in the cooking grate and hung the kettle over it to boil.

While Buttercup made a pot of tea for the two of them, Ruby got out the basket of fresh eggs from the chicken coop and set out the ham from the pantry on the cutting board to be sliced. Tea warming their bellies as they worked, the two Hobbits began slicing the morning’s loaves for toast, and heating up the great cast iron skillets for frying the thick ham slices and the scrambled eggs.

Two of the Inn’s early morning servers had come in, and Buttercup handed them the trays filled with pots of jam and honey, the crocks of sweet cream butter, and the salt and pepper mills. They went into the common room and set the tables with them, then brought out the eating utensils in a large basket and began setting the tables for breakfast.

Soon the Common Room was filled with the scent of a sturdy Shire breakfast. The enticing smells of crisped ham and fresh toast wafted from the kitchen and up the stairs to the guests’ rooms. And soon the sounds of boots, shoes, and bare feet came trudging down the steps, their owners following their noses to the food.

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Please note: It is now morning time in the Inn and breakfast is being served.

The party is over and the tired staff of the Inn would appreciate any who might want to grab a broom, a mop to clean the floors; move the tables and benches back where they belong, take down the decorations, whatever you can ‘see’ that needs to be done.

~*~ Piosenniel, Shire Moderator

[bilbo_baggins]

Ponto didn't remember going to sleep the night before, but that was probably because he had drunk too much ale.

Some of the other Party-goers were up and about, helping to clean the enormous mess everyone had made the night before. He knew he should probably help them, so he came out into the Common Room.

It was littered with ale mugs, party decor, and scattered tables and chairs. He set a chair upright, and began to help clean up the mess.

Sweeping up some of the spilt ale and righting some of the chairs, Ponto came across a hastily scrawled message on one of the tables.

"Look to it in the morning....[something undecipherable]... take care... once and for all..... the long sleep."

"Very sinister," Ponto muttered to himself, "What can it mean?"

[Galadel Vinorel]

The soft sound of a gentle flute was heard floating through the empty grounds of the Green Dragonn Inn in the early morning hours. It was a very peaceful sound and calmed everyone who heard it as it traveled like a gentle breeze through windows and open doors all over the area. Those who were awake became very happy, tilting up their heads every so slightly to try to hear the music more clearly as they wondered where it came from, yet it remained an eluisive, soft melody, as if the music itself were the incarnation of that wonderful time and state of mind that exists between sleeping and waking; that peaceful time that all people love. And those who were sleeping suddenly began to dream of far off and mysterious lands through which they constantly heard the gentle meldoy. Their dreams were filled with golden-leafed trees, with some of the leaves delicately falling off ever so often to glide gently through the air and rest upon the smooth flowing stream below. Places in Middle Earth that they had never seen or had never even known existed before then filled their dreaming minds, leaving with them a peace that would last through the hours to come, even after they had awaken.

And there, in the midst of it all, leaned Galadel against one of the outside walls of the inn, her hands wrapped gently around her wooden flute, from which the peaceful music was flowing out off. She was wearing her worn traveling clothes, her dirt-stained cloak thrown over this to keep away the soft morning breeze that threatened to chill her. Her hood was pulled far over her face, so that all that could been seen of her was her mouth, blowing through the flute, as her fingers moved up and down on it, to make the sweet noise that was flowing through the air.

A few minutes passed by, and then a half an hour. The end of her piece drew near. Some folks must be awake by now, she thought to herself, I will see if they need some help. The melody that the elf had played was over then, and so she dropped the flute slowly away from her mouth, her hands falling to her sides like the final flap of a bird's wing as it reaches the ground from its long flight home. Placing her flute careful back into the pouch that hung at her side, Galadel stood up straight, raising her face up slightly to see the rising sun. As she did this the hood of her cloak fell off her head to rest upon her shoulders, and her face was shown, the shining, crystal blue eyes looking out at the garden around her, her lips forming a gentle smile, her golden hair falling from her head down her flowing shoulders.

Walking around to the entrance of the inn the elf entered the building. She was confronted with a rather messy hall where the previous night's celebrations had been. That night seemed to the elf to have only been a few minutes ago. She almost expected to see the four young hobbit lasses to come running in and hop onto some tables to dance and sing once again or for Snaveling to enter into the room with Aman at his side, his face once more alight with some deep, inner fire that was mainly left locked up in his soul, though he let it out occassionaly, a suprise to all. Yet, they were not there, only a few people were in the quiet room, cleaning and righting tables and chairs. Smiling to herself, Galadel grabbed a broom that was resting, unattended, against the wall beside her and began to join the others in cleaning the common room, as she thought over the events of the night before. And so the sun rose over Bywater, and the life within the town and the Green Dragon Inn awoke slowly to greet the new day.

[Maeggaladiel]

Eleniel took Gird's hand and shook it.

"Pleased to meet you, Master Gird," she said. "My name is Eleniel of Laketown. What brings you to the Green Dragon?" She turned to the other gentleman.

"And may I inquire as to your name, good sir?" she asked him.

Waiting for his reply, Eleniel looked around her. It was morning already. She had spent the entire night in the stables with her wounded dog, but strangely, she did not feel like sleeping. Probably on account of the coffee that she was drinking. She raised her mug in a silent salute to the rising sun and drank.

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

Snaveling awoke to the sound of an oliphaunt stamping the side of the stables. Prying open his eyes a crack he was assaulted by the violence of sunlight and he once again forced them shut. But the stamping of the oliphaunt was more than he could bear and as having his eyes open seemed, somehow, to quieten the beast he once again forced apart his lids. It wasn’t so bad this time, and the roaring – which he now realised was inside his head and not outside the stables – quieted some. He stood, tentatively, for the stables were spinning slightly, although they were no longer doing the pirouettes that they had last night. The Man steadied himself against the side of his stall and held a hand to his head. It had been a long time since he’d been hungover and he was beginning to remember why.

At his feet, Tobias snored like a donkey and for the hobbit’s sake, Snaveling hoped that he would sleep a bit longer. Snaveling thought back to the evening and managed to reconstruct how he and his friend had made it to the stables. There had apparently been a thick fog of some kind that had made finding their way through the yard very difficult, and then the lantern had not worked very well, for they had tried three separate stalls before finding Snaveling’s, disturbing a number of irate horses in the process.

There was the gentle sound of a flute from outside and Snaveling recognised it immediately as the music of Galadel. The tune did much for the pounding in his mind, but there are limits even to Elvish magic, and the amount of alcohol that Snaveling had consumed last night had taken him well beyond that limit. He dunked his head into a bucket of ice-cold water and came up spluttering: this did even more to clear his mind. As he got dressed his mind wandered back to one of the last things that he could remember clearly from the night before. There had been that strange Gondorian who had spent a deal of time staring at Snaveling from the bar, and whispering with another disturbing looking Man. Snaveling fingered the amulet about his neck and slipped it beneath his clothes. That amulet had brought him enough grief last night.

He left Toby snoring in the straw and moved toward the Inn to find some breakfast. His mind turned back to what had occurred last night but it was still a mystery to him. He gathered now that somewhere in his ancestry there was a figure of great power and renown, but that this person was, for some reason, disliked and even feared by his companions. Primarily, he admitted with trepidation, by Roa herself. He had been reluctant to ask more as he feared what he might find, but he knew that sooner or later he would have to determine who his ancestor had been…and what that meant for him.

The Common Room was in a state of shambles, but already the Inn staff was up and about laying on breakfast and making a few stabs at cleaning up. The smell of bacon came from the kitchen, but it turned Snaveling’s still whirling stomach. Galadel was, of all things, sweeping the floor as he entered but she paused and smiled at him. “Good morning, Snaveling,” she said brightly, but still there remained the faint shadow that had come over them both last night.

Snaveling mumbled a greeting. “It is morning, my Lady, but I’m not so sure it’s a good one. My head and my stomach are not happy with what I did to them last night. I don’t suppose you have one of your rare Elvish medicines for my ailment?”

Galadel laughed and replied, “Aye, that I do, but for some ills I find that the best I can do for the patient is to let him suffer the consequences himself.”

Snaveling managed a pale smile at this. “Fair enough,” he said. “As I do not want any breakfast, and the best thing for me would be to get my blood moving, give me that broom so that I might sweep the floors – such work is not right for you my Lady. Nay, if you insist on doing something, I’m sure Aman would appreciate having some of these glasses cleared away.” He paused for a moment as Galadel passed him the broom. “And as we work together my Lady, perhaps you could explain just a bit more clearly what happened here last night. I think that my life’s story is connected in some way to matters far beyond my ken…”

[Firefoot]

Lily awoke to sunshine streaming through the window and the smell of eggs and toast wafting up through the floorboards. The final song they had performed last night was still playing itself through her mind. Mmm, breakfast, she thought. Lily felt like she was starving and realized how little she had eaten last night. She hurriedly got ready and went downstairs.

Though it was still early there were already several people downstairs, some of them helping themselves to a delicious breakfast and some helping the staff to clean up from last night's party. Lily opted to join the former group. She got a hearty breakfast of eggs, ham, and tea and dug in. The food was delicious. As she ate, she observed the other people who were in the Common Room. She saw the Elf who had played her flute with them last night for a bit - Now what was her name again? Lily wondered - talking to a Man she vaguely recognized from last night. She wasn't sure who anyone else was.

When Lily had finished her breakfast she looked around for a way to help out in cleaning up. She noted all the tables and chairs gone askew and decided to start there. She pushed some chairs back to where they belonged by the tables and righted a table that had been pushed over. It didn't look like such a mess when I went upstairs last night. But now the place looks absolutely filthy! thought Lily. I suppose there's nothing for it. These mugs need to go back to the kitchen, I suppose. She picked up the stray mugs on a table and carried them into the kitchen. The Hobbit maid smiled her thanks and said, "Those can go over there." Lily did as directed and wandered out into the Common Room, this time picking up a broom to begin sweeping. As she swept, she found herself humming a tune from last night.

Home is behind, the world ahead.
And there are many pathes to tread.
Mist and shadow, cloud and shade,
All shall fade, all shadows fade

[Eowyn Skywalker]

The sunlight streamed itself through the window, and highlighted the still sleeping hobbit's face. Birds chirped merrily as the bright sunlight illuminated the area. "Hmm..." Willow groaned slightly in her sleep, and, rubbing her eyes, tried to sit up. "Is it morning already?" she asked to the air, and continued to rub the sleep from her eyes.

Yawning, she pulled herself out of bed, and stood to look in the mirror. Her tired reflection looked back at her, rumpled and messy from the night before. She had been so tired after the last song that she had collapsed into bed, still in her dress from the day before.

The sounds of morning worked their way though the wooden cracks in the door, bringing her back to the present, and to the fact that, indeed, it was morning, and time for her to arise.

Her hair was a mess, as was normal to those who slept without removing the ribbons that she used to hold her curly brown hair back with. She knelt beside her bed, and pulled out her bags. She searched through them, and pulled out a comb. She removed the tangled mass of ribbons, and let loose her long hair.

Willow pulled the comb through, not bothering with neatness, just trying to get her hair out of the way, as it was morning, and she didn't fancy missing breakfast. A few minutes later, she had her hair pulled back into a loose braid, most befitting of her simple clothing.

She pulled her party dress off, tossing it over her head, and exchanged it for a more simple work-dress and apron, as now was not the time, she felt to be wearing fancier clothing. She tossed it into her bag, and shoved it back under her bed, along with her fiddle, still sitting on the floor from the night before.

Now ready, Willow stepped out the door, to see what was going on.

[Kransha]

A slithering beam of sunlight, bearing down through the bare slivers between wooden planks in the stable managed to pry open Toby’s single eyelid. The hobbit’s opened lid plastered closed in an instant, snapping as a trap would on a mouse. Slowly, but with a sluggish and lackadaisical sureness, the two heavy bulbs opened up, revealing beneath their wrinkled cloak a pair of disillusioned grayish orbs, watery and flanked beneath by bags of tinted red that told a tale of weariness and woe. With painful velocity, the inner workings and gears of Toby Hornblower’s brain began working as his lost faculties returned reluctantly to him.

Last night was still floating around in the murky ocean of his befuddled mind. He remembered, only fleetingly, his giving of the eleven…or was it ten, gold pieces to Miss Aman as a gift. He tried vaguely to reminisce, but found his mental and physical vision blurred as he tried to get up and failed, crumbling like so much jelly into a quivering mass covered in hay. He thought back, piecing together the events like a shattered jigsaw puzzle. He remembered the unfortunate incident in which a canine belonging to some partygoer was injured rather grievously. There was a deal of fuss made over it, which Toby and Snaveling saw when the two of them, dead drunk and stumbling with a luminous green aura of negative splendor dripping from them, had headed towards the inn stables. There were other incidents of gossip-worthy remembrance, but none that could be formed as moving images in Toby’s head. The hobbit grimaced mentally as he remembered the amount of alcohol he’d imbibed during the lengthy and lavish gala event yesterday eve.

Gradually, Toby’s stupor evacuated somewhat. The hobbit pushed himself miserably up into a sitting position, shaking his head and watching clinging strands of hay fly off his dangling brown and gray hair. He managed to shove his weak, shoeless legs beneath him and use them like great pliers to extract himself from the tawny mess of material. Yawning deeply, he became aware of a resilient and frustratingly consistent drumbeat that seemed to hammer against his cranium. The hangover was apparent, as Tobias immediately regretted every ill-aimed drop of ale from the night’s festivities. The pounding echoed more firmly, amplified now that the Fallohide hobbit was awake. Toby, beginning to flail his arms frantically to steady his unsteady balance, Tobias managed to bumble onto his feet, sliding with what could not be called agility out of the straw pile he was in, and onto the more solid, dirt ground. A nearby horse’s gaze caught his, followed by a disapproving whinny which jarred Toby’s failing senses.

Snorting indignantly, Toby examined himself thoroughly, despite the pang resounding in thunderous succession in his head’s empty halls, however empty they were. He smelled a vile smile, which permeated the air just around him. A veiled odor was dripping off his rustic-colored waistcoat and his greasy, unclean hands with their rough patches of skin soaked in an adhesive sensation from the previous night. Toby shook his two appendages over the hay, picking string of gathered dirt from the narrow niche between his jagged nails and scraggly fingers. He began walking, exercising his legs and pulling them up and down at a jogging pace as he tried to ignore the hangover. As he passed the great piles of hay and varying stalls, more horses perked up and protested the hobbit’s presence, though this particular Halfling didn’t seem to care. Toby knew the smell that surrounded him like a haze of thick smog was contrbuted to by his garb. Having brought no clothing change to the Green Dragon Inn, Toby hadn't changed his rust-brown waistcoat, evergreen breeches, or gaudy, limegreen, sequined vest in weeks. That vest, which he prized, was now bleached by dirt, dust, soot, and other debris that was magnetically attracted to it. Toby scowled again as he headed forward doggedly.

Still at a developing pace, Toby emerged from the stable and stretched, a full yawn punching out of his mouth where at had been waiting, followed by a walloping burp that had waited all night to be emitted by the previously drunk Shire resident. Toby coughed, recovering his ragged breath and forcing the wriggling frog from his throat as he gazed up, with a merry, if not slightly discomposed look gleaming in his one clearer eye. The beams freshly bathed him, soaking his shadow silhouette and blazoning it against the dull brown of the wooden stable. Letting a smile flicker over his soured lips, Tobias Hornblower strolled jollily towards the inn itself, whistling a merry tune to himself, which carried on the cool wind.

Galadel and Snaveling where within, in the Common Room, which was in severe disarray. Everything was arranged villainously in the order it should not have been. Toby had an inner sense of aesthetics, and this made his already wrenching stomach jump for some reason. He knew he was just overreacting because of the needed energy he had to vent, since he normally didn’t care how a room looked. Toby nodded an acknowledging nod to the elf and man, who had dutifully busied themselves with helping the long and tiresome process of cleaning. Most people seemed to be assisting in some way, no matter how miniscule or unnoticed in its unimportance. Toby figured he might lend a helping hand as well…a little bit later, that is.

Toby wasted no time in losing sight of the goals he’d been set on the previous sight when an enticing smell grabbed him by the collar and hauled him towards the kitchen. Shortly, beneath the noses of the few folk who’d awakened, Toby had easily appropriated (all in legal right, of course) a fully splendiferous platter splotched with the dappled, sweet-scented morning goodness of steaming ham, waiting to be eaten as eagerly as the eater to eat it. Toby sat himself down ceremoniously and prepared to plunge right in.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Hawthorne slipped one foot out of bed and then the other. She was singing cheerfully as she popped her dress over her head, snatched up her gardening apron and sheers, and prepared to race downstairs to eat some breakfast.

What an utterly gorgeous day! What made it particularly gorgeous was the fact that she had survived the party the night before without any serious mishap. Despite all the rumors to the contrary, she had seen nothing of Cook, the vaunted mistress of the Inn's kitchens, whom many had said was arriving from the west and would give Hawthorne a serious going over.

The doomsayers could talk all they wanted! Hawthorne had enoyed her visit with Uncle Merry. She had danced a bit, sung a bit, and eaten an enormous array of food. She had chatted about the news from Brandybuck Hall, and made several new friends. Altogether, it had been a most pleasurable evening. Even the habitual grumpiness of Ruby and Buttercup towards her had not been enough to spoil her good time.

Hawthorne plunged heedlessly into the Common Room, offering a hearty greeting to the barely recovered Toby who was seemingly trying to drown out the memory of the night before with several ample slices of crisped ham. Hawthorne decided she would finish breakfast and then help tidy up the outside flower beds on which more than one pair of feet had trampled the evening before. After that, she would make her way down to the Water, and return with a string of fresh fish for the kitchen. That evening she hoped to go visit Master Hardhammer who had temporarily taken up residence in the neighborhood of Hobbiton; Regin was performing odd jobs involving metalwork or masonry for which he was generously rewarded by the inhabitants of the Shire who were only too happy to have their burrows improved. Perhaps she could persuade him to make her a little trinket to send back home to her sister.

With a heart more cheerful than she had known in weeks, Mistress Brandybuck sat down to a large breakfast of scrambled eggs and fresh toast....

[Kitanna]

The sunlight streamed into the window and rested on Peony's face. She pulled the covers over her head to block it out. Just a few more minutes of rest, she thought. She lay there eyes opening listening to the sounds of the morning. It was so peaceful that she wished it would stay like this all day.

Then Deva's loud almost inhuman snore broke through the silence. That was enough to force Peony out of bed. She got dressed swiftly and headed downstairs. A few people were already in the common room, some eating, some helping clean up. Peony wasn't very hungry so she grabbed a broom and started to help clean up as well.

As she went along she set chairs straight and moved a table back to its proper place. All the while she was humming a merry little tune.

[Feared Half-Elf]

Elkamia woke with the dawn, as normal. In a practised movement, she unhooked one end of the hammock strung in the tree, then hung be her hands from the branch as she unhooked the other. The hammock fell to the ground, and she let go and followed it. She gathered up the hammock, and disappeared into the stables to store it in her saddlebag.

She stepped into the seemingly empty stall after storing her hammock, to visit Arrow. The dog was asleep, bu opened his eyes when she entered the stall. Kneeling by him, she checked the wound she had dressed the night before. It was healing well, but she refreshed the bandages and herb mix to keep it fairly clean. Feeling happier about him, she scratched his ears and left him to rest further.

Upon entering the common room, a mess met her. Several early risers were righting tables and sweeping the floor. Thinking for a moment, she began to take down the posies of flowers that adorned the walls. They'd been fresh the night before, but the pretty blooms that had been used were not known for their long life after cutting. They were droopy, and had begun to look rather ugly inside the Inn. She dug them into some dead leaves outside. She returned to the common room, and grabbed a table to right it and place it back on it's legs.

[Witch_Queen]

Aduthondiel
It was the next day and Adu had been thinking all night about what Isaac had to say. She walked down to the main room of the inn and saw that Isaac was already there. Adu figured it would be the best time to talk to him about last night. But she didn`t know whether or not to tell him about the forest. She knew that Isaac had a new life now and she didn`t want to jeopardize it. “Isaac, about last night... Well there was never a forest.“ I`m sorry Isaac I can`t tell you the truth. There was a forest. It was on our journey home that we fell into the forest of Lothlorien. But I can`t tell you that. If I did it would only make everything worse. I have my Hama to look after now. That was so long ago. I moved on since then.

Adu pulled a smile to her face and looked around to see if she could find some type of herb to rid her of her headache. Why couldn`t she tell him.

[Galadel Vinorel]

"Last night," said Galadel softly. She seemed to be talking to herself rather than to Snaveling, for she was not looking at him, rather her crystal clear eyes were staring within one of the glasses that she held, which was still half filled with wine. The elf thought back to the events of the night before, trying to make some sense of their events that were jumbled up within her troubled mind.

"Last night there was a party," spoke Galadel, totally absorbed in remembering, "Yes, a party in which I played my flute and you sang. You sang, Snaveling. Yes, now I remember that. It seems like only hours ago, yet at the same time, years ago." She turned, bringing her sorrowful eyes to meet with Snaveling's suprised ones. Her eyes were glazed over, as if she were not really there, but somewhere else entirely, some place that was lost within her memory. Yet she was there. "And you spilled the ale, and talked to Aman. You asked forgiveness from her, yes you did. You recieved a new pair of clothes, payed for by the money that you borrowed from Tobias. And Roa saw the amulet. The amulet ." At this Galadel looked deeper into Snaveling's eyes, hers not glazed any longer. "The amulet," she whispered to herself, and then turned away from the man to begin working once again.

For a moment Snaveling remained stunned and very suprised, starring confused at the back of the Elven maiden. Then he spoke, "My lady, you have yet to answer my question."

Sighing, Galadel turned back to him and said, "Must you know, my friend?"

Snaveling was a little taken aback by the word that she used for him, but he did not let that deter him from his want to know the truth. "Yes, Galadel, I really doneed to know."

The maiden could hear the strain in his voice, and sighed once more. "Very well, Snaveling," she said, putting down the cups thta seh held in her hands, "I will tell you a story, one that I have known all of my life, one of the lost land of Numenor." And so the elf began, telling the history of the peaceful land, of the Lords and Ladys that had onced ruled it. She told him about their lives and deaths, wonderful stories, heroic storied, love stories, and tearful ones. And then she told him about its destruction, about Sauron the deceiver, and the King of Numenor's betrayel. How long she talked neither of them know, for both were caught up withing the history of Numenor.

"I remember the beauty of that land," she said after she had told him the land's entire history, "It was filled with trees, gorgeous, tall trees that filled that land. There were items made there, jewels forged, tables and other wooden items carved wtih flowers, birds, and elven characters, that were so beautiful that you would cry when you beheld them. Some of the greatest makers that ever lived worked on that land. I remember the harbors the most, though. I saw some of the largest and most beautiful ships there. I never even knew until then that ships could be so beautiful, except for the ones that came from Valinor."

Seeing Snaveling's startled face, Galadel laughed. "You are wondering now how I could have seen Numenor, the land that was lost so long ago, aren't you, Snaveling?" she said, smiling as the man of the South nodded slowly, "How old do you think I am?"

"Um...Around your late 20's or so. At least, that is how you look, my lady, though I do know that elves never look their real age," he replied.

"No, we never do," replied the maiden softly, and then she went on, "I am not in my 20's at all. I have been alive for a long time, but for how long I will not say. That is my own little secret." Galadel winked at Snaveling, grinning, and then returned to cleaning off the cups off the tables, as teh man thought over all that she had just told to him.

[Archsage Isaac]

“Isaac, about last night... Well there was never a forest.“ Adu told Isaac as he slowly took a sip of the coffee in his mug. He was confused. That image was so real, he could smell the forest air. He swallowed the coffee in his mouth and looked at her.

"The look on your face tells me otherwise, Adu. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe that was just some fabricated image that I thought was real. I do know, however, that this 'Jack' felt something for you, something....special." he said, remembering that image and how it felt. Again he took a slow sip of coffee and found himself once again lost in his own memories.

[nynnd1]

“I am Bredan from Gondor, and I am here,” Bredan thought of what he was going to say now, he couldn’t be bothered to lie.

“I am here because I am running away.” The pair seemed shocked of his reason.

“Do not worry, I have not broken law or anything, I am running for my own protection.”

He felt the weight lift from his body and soul, talking about it was the best way to get over the problem, but then again his weary non trusting self came back into his mind. I do not know either of these people, they could be hunting me down, in which case I am no longer safe in the Shire and have to escape, and blood would probably have to be spilled to escape, he hoped that they were not there to get him. He did not recognise either of them, but that did not help the paranoia of Bredan. He had always been weary, a loner, not trusting anyone to get to close to him, apart from Iolet, but that all ended in tragedy.

“And what brings you two to this pleasant land?” he said trying to learn more of them.

Bredan saw from the corner of his eyes lady Aman cleaning up and being busy, it amazed Bredan how she still looked so good. He knew that people would see him staring but could not tear himself away form the lovely lady. There was then a rumbling sound that came from his stomach, his thought soon changed to his stomach, he had not eaten for days and was really starting to feel it.

“Would you like to carry on this conversation over breakfast, for I am so hungry I could eat,” he thought for the right thing to say.

“I could eat my shoes”, it seemed to fit well enough.

[Maeggaladiel]

Eleniel blinked in suprise. This Brendan was running from something. What? she wondered. Regaining composure, she smiled and shook his hand.

"Pleased to meet you, Master Brendan," she said. "I am here on business. I am a merchant, and I travel Middle Earth to gather merchandise from foriegn artisans to sell." She reached down to scratch her dog's ears, but remembered that the beast was in the stables.

"Excuse me," she said with an embarrased laugh. "I usually am accompanied by a dog named Arrow, but he is in the stables at the moment. I guess I'm used to having him around. He was hit by a carriage yesterday evening, and he is being healed by that woman over there." She nodded towards the elven woman Elkamia, talking with a group of friends.

"But what of you, Master Gird? What brings you here?"

[Gird]

"Hmm? Oh, of course. What brings me here..." Gird said in reply. He had been quiet for a while, just taking everything that was said in. "Well, as for myself, I go around all over middle earth, pittering here and there. I just came here because I knew it was a good inn." Gird gave a friendly smile and then yawned big. He had been up all night, but he wasn't going to let it make him into poor company. He scanned his short term memory for something that was said that would make conversation.

"So Eleniel, you said you were from Laketown? I am originally from Esgaroth myself, long ago!" Gird was delighted to meet someone from his homeland, as it had been a while. "Who was your father?" Gird asked.

"I might just know him."

[Maeggaladiel]

A large smile spread across Eleniel's face.

"So," she said. "You too come from Esgaroth! Small world, hmm?" It was strangely comforting to find someone from home in this distant land, even though she enjoyed traveling and meeting new people.

"My father was named Vahn, but he was called Raven or Crow by many, because of his dark hair. Also because he spent a lot of time hunting for trinkets to sell, like a raven hunting shiny objects for his nest." she said with a laugh. "He owned a shop called 'The Raven's Nest,' if that rings any bells."

She leaned forward in her chair, excitedly waiting to see if this gentleman knew of her father.

[Amanaduial the archer]

A curtain of hair fell across Aman's face as she leant over, wiping at an ale stain on one of the weary tables, and she brushed it back quickly behind one ear. As she did so, a figure caught her eye and she turned to look over at it. Aman...Bredan, the Gondorian man who had stayed at the Inn for a few nights now. He was staring at her, a small smile on his face. She was not sure she was entirely comfortable with the way his eyes lingered on her...

However, she was Innkeeper, as ever, and he as yet had no drink. Approaching, the slipped the rag through one apron string and brushed back her hair - having washed it this morning, having gone too bed very early this morning, it seemed determined to show off it's fresh silkiness. Looking up as she reached for a pen and pad from her skirts, she smiled at Bredan warmly, regardless of her unease at his persistent gaze. "Bredan, good morning."

The man beamed widely, his eyes finding hers now. "You remembered..." he murmured.

"Hmm?"

"Nothing, my Lady - how can I help you?"

The question surprised the Innkeeper and she laughed. "How can you help me? Sir, I believe the situation should be the other way around."

"Call me Bredan, please." The Gondorian's voice was smooth, charming. Aman glanced at his face, then his belt - but the sheath was empty, and he did not seem to be an early morning drunk.

"Nonetheless, Bredan," she grinned back. "Will you have some breakfast?"

[starkat]

Riding up to the stables, a young women cloaked in grey and wearing dark blue and dark green, dismounts from her horse. Leaving her horse at the stables, she heads over to the inn. Stepping into the main room and removing her hood, Gwenneth looks around the room. Tall, slender, and with long black hair, the elf maid looks around for the innkeeper.

Being uncertain of where to look, Gwenneth sees an empty table near a wall. Heading over to the table she smiles at the others in the room.

[Firefoot]

Lily, though she would be embarrased to admit it to any but herself, was getting bored of cleaning up. She also felt somewhat stifled for having been indoors for so long except for her brief sojourn out to the stables last night. She decided to go for a ride. After all, that is what I came to the Shire for in the first place, right? To explore new places? she thought. I don't really know anyone in here right now anyway. She leaned the broom she was using back up against the wall and headed for the door.

Once outside, Lily broke into a jog and then a run. It felt so good to stretch her legs! She couldn't see anyone nearby, and even so she really didn't care what people would think if they saw her. It was only a short way to the stables, so Lily wasn't even winded. Many of the horses still looked drowsy, but her pony Clover stamped his foot impatiently as if to say, "What took you so long?" Lily pulled an apple out of her pocket to give him, which he munched happily.

"Just a short ride today. I'll be right back," Lily assured him. Now, where to find my saddle, she wondered. She wandered up the aisle, looking around for any sign of where her riding gear might be. Ah, there!, Lily realized with a smile. It was a small room with the door slightly ajar. Inside she could see some saddles. She slipped in and found her saddle and bridle easily enough, and walked back to Clover's stall. She saddled him up for the ride and led him outside. Lily mounted.

"Ready, boy?" Clover shook his head, eager to go. Lily urged him into a canter and pointed him at a low fence, and was gone, off to explore the Shire.

[Kitanna]

Peony hated the idea of wearing her hair tied back, but her red locks were constantly falling into her eyes. She quickly tied her hair back and picked up her broom again to finish her sweeping job.

In the corner of the room she notice an elf woman with long black hair sitting there who had not been there a minute ago. Peony laid the broom aside and headed over to the woman's table.

"Good morning stranger," Peony said. She was such a peppy morning person it was almost scary. "I did not see you here last night, did you just arrive?" Peony waiting for Gwenneth to answer.

[starkat]

Gwenneth smiled at Peony. "Mae govannen. Yes, I just arrived in town. I rode in this morning." Gesturing for Peony to sit, Gwenneth pulled her hair from her face and tied it back. "Who do I need to see about getting a room and stabling my horse, Elenath?"

Waving her hand around at the room she asked, "What went on last night? It looks like a party of some kind. Is there anything I can do to help?"

[Kitanna]

"A party indeed," Peony laughed. "A sort of re-opening party I guess. Some sort of fire destroyed the inn or something to that extent. As for checking in I think the innkeeper's name is Aman."

Peony looked around at all the things that still needed to be done. She'd eat first and then finish helping clean up. "Would you care to join me for breakfast, Miss..." Peony stopped, she did not know this elf's name. "May I inquire what your name is?"

[starkat]

“I hope no one was injured. Goheno nin, forgive me for not introducing myself. My name is Gwenneth." Reaching around her neck, she fingers a small jewel on a chain. "May I ask what your name is and what is the name of this area?” Gwenneth smiles and again beckons for Peony to sit. “Please join me.”

“Could you point out the innkeeper after we finish?” Realizing how hungry she was, Gwenneth decided not to seek out the innkeeper until after breakfast.

[Kitanna]

Peony took a seat across from Gwenneth. "My name is Peony." She waved down one of the Hobbit lassies who worked in the kitchen. The two ordered and the Hobbit was off.

"Now, pardon me for not introducing myself sooner, my name is Peony. And if I may ask, Gwenneth where do you hail from?"

[Quicksilver_Sprite]

A young woman was walking up the road to the inn. Her cloak was a dusty gray, heavily patched and stained from past travels. Freckles were sprinkled across a hawkish nose; her rosebud mouth curved up at the corners with a mischievous air; seaweed colored eyes set deeply in the very pale face darted around, taking in every sight; kinky brown hair that would not be contained completed the picture, raveling down her back. In a few minutes, she stood in front of the doors to the inn, eyeing the emerald dragon painted on the wooden sign, which was swaying ever so slightly in the soft western breeze. After a moment, she had come to the decision that this inn was quite acceptable, and pushed open the doors. Instantly, smells of ale and hearty food drifted out, accompanied by the sounds of laughter, conversation, and the occasional argument.

Walking inside, the young woman plunked herself down on a wooden barstool, and spoke the words that many before her had uttered on that very spot: "Barkeep? I'll have a pint of your finest." As a sort of afterthought, she added, "And would you have some roast chicken?"