[Orual]

Sam was solemnly authoritative as he joined Elanor. Ted was a strange character, and he'd be in charge of protecting the girls. He smiled at Elanor as she came out. "Is everybody ready to go?" he asked. Elanor and the others assured him that they were. He nodded solemnly to Bilbo before Elanor closed the door--and Bilbo gave him the oddest smile back, as though he was trying not to laugh, but Sam didn't think much of it--and turned to the wagon.

"Shall I drive?" he asked Elanor.

**************************

Melilot listened intently to the conversation. She felt a little lost in all of it, and quite muddled--partially from lack of attention, for Mel hadn't the longest attention span in all of the Shire. She had perked up when Crystal had suggested sleeping out-of-doors; though Melilot was fairly concerned with her appearance, she was quite ensorcelled by the idea of roughing it, though in truth she'd probably not last too long in the wild.

Once they started talking about inexpensive inns, Melilot really perked up. "My uncle Saradas is an innkeeper near Tuckborough," she said. "He knows all the innkeepers in the west and south farthings, or 'least most of them. I know we could get in very cheap at his inn, and if I tell them who my uncle is the others'll likely give us a break in terms of prices in their inns, too. 'Less we go by the Rusty Hinge," she amended, cringing, "old Posco Hilldweller isn't over fond of my uncle." She looked around the room hesitantly and waited for a response.