[Kransha]

At first, Tobias Hornblower just nodded dumbly as Snaveling spoke. It was apparent for most of his oration that the man was not truly speaking to him, but contemplating the question and answering for himself. Finally, Snaveling turned, almost wistfully, back to the slack-jawed hobbit elder and responded with another question, immediately before taking note of the fact that Roa was standing surprisingly nearby. One of Toby’s eyes cast a disapproving glance back at the eavesdropper before returning to set his gaze upon the mysterious man who sat on the other side of him, smoking a pipe aimlessly.

“Well, Mister Snaveling, I suppose I should wish you some luck in your endeavors. In answer to your question; yes, life in the four farthings is most often peaceful. There are always hardships, but any intelligent hobbit can overcome those obstacles with ease. Things like this whole fiasco with the fire are very rare, but there have been other violent and undesirable incidents. Indeed, all Shire residents were very unprepared when the war came to us, including myself I must admit, but luckily that didn’t last too long.” He paused, reminiscing momentarily about those times not long ago, though the thought quickly passed. The hobbit turned away, looking out at the now weary grounds of the Green Dragon Inn and sighed, reaching into his vest pocket.

“Not many desire to leave the comfort of the Shire, Mister Snaveling. There are, of course, a few deluded souls who think their lives will be better beyond the borders of this tranquil land, but most, like me, know wishes such as these to be folly. They may get praise and glory heaped upon them, but I am certain that there exploits were not pleasant enough to balance it all out. You must understand; my family, the Hornblowers and their kin, are closer relations of the Baggins line. That line is now extinguished, all its members and kin gone from Middle-Earth, but those were the Halflings among us who sought far off lands. Perhaps you have heard the ballad of Frodo the Ringbearer, or Bilbo, who aided the slaying of a mighty dragon. Mad Baggins, we called the latter, brave Baggins was the former. To think how our views of them have changed since the war. The Hornblowers do not share this wanderlust held by Bagginses and their other kindred, no indeed. There is nothing a hobbit like myself would like more than to just sit back on a great pipe-weed plantation and smoke and drink while the days go on.”

Toby was surprised how much his own lecture had strayed from what he’d originally intended to say, but, it didn’t matter. He’d gotten the point across at least adequately. He whipped out his pipe with a familiar flourish and spun in his seat on the ground to the woman, Roa. She had come out slightly more into the open after Snaveling identified her hiding nearby

“Now then, ma’am, I believe the same was asked of you. What business have you in the four farthings?”