[Kransha]

"My old cousin, it has been to long since we last met." Said Fredgar, hugging him.

Of all the people on Middle-Earth, save Illuvitar himself, Fredgar Hornblower, Toby’s cousin, was the perfect person to show up outside the Green Dragon at that moment. After deciding whether having family around would be good or bad, Toby decided that it was a profitable fact that his cousin was now the Shirriff of Hobbiton. The only people that cynical old Tobias Hornblower was willing to help was family, since the Hornblowers back in the Southfarthing had a staunch loyalty to their lineage, and Toby, despite his immoral pursuits, was no different. He would never frown upon an offer or request from a Hornblower.

Fredgar asked him to help with the anarchic stable and evacuate all beasts of burden inside. Amazingly, Toby agreed without a second thought or word and set off to help. With a considerable amount of strength from Fredgar and some general assistance from Toby, the two hobbits had been able to do the job easily. Now Fredgar had run off, an action which Toby totally understood. His cousin had a position of some importance in this Farthing now and Tobias respected that. The elder hobbit was left with the horses, which were now reined in and bound carefully to one of the trees lining Bywater Road. He intended to do his best tending them, although he wasn’t really sure if the duty had any purpose. Either way, things had taken a turn for the better and that fact alone was pleasing enough for Tobias Hornblower. ‘My, my, he has grown a lot,’ thought the gentlehobbit as he saw the prominent figure of Fredgar Hornblower running off to do his duty to the community. He was, after all, Shirriff of Hobbiton (a fact which Toby kept tellin himself excitedly).

“Good horse,” he murmured, randomly stroking the side of one pony whose side he could actually reach, compared to the larger a more imposing musculature of the horses which stood taller than the gentlehobbit. Toby didn’t know anything about tending horses or ponies, but it didn’t look that hard. The beasts brayed and whinnied and even occasionally jostled about, pulling at the ropes that held them, but they seemed otherwise calm. Toby, who’d had a very long day, was content to do this job and be happy with it.