[Firefoot]

Lily noticed Posco looking at her. "You must think me an awful sight," he mumbled. Lily looked at him. His clothes were slightly torn and muddy, and his hair was mussed, but that wasn't what Lily saw. Lily saw a sweet but very shy hobbit lad who, if he was cleaned up a bit, might actually look quite nice. She could tell that he wasn't very self-confident, and that he was getting depressed again. She still couldn't believe how Marcho had treated him, whether to his face or not. It certainly wasn't what Posco needed. Watching Posco, Lily completely missed the interchange between Twylight and Iadarion.

Lily smiled at him. "No, not at all," Lily replied. "You've been travelling in the rain today; no wonder you're a bit muddy." Lily thought she saw a hint of a smile on Posco's face, and she wished he would smile more often. I bet he's actually quite nice, Lily thought. Just a little shy. She tried to think of something that he would feel comfortable talking about as she subconsciously straightened her light blue dress.

"Where are you travelling?" she asked. "Are you from around here?"