[peral]

Sharya re-entered the Common Room. The cook had told her that she would be able to get a meal now. A meal made with her own hands. She allowed herself a wry smile at this thought. How long had it been since she had worked in a kitchen and been allowed to eat the fruits of her labours? She sat down and Ruby immediately brought her food to her. Thanking Ruby she dug in and realised how long it had been since lunch.

The chicken looked delicious. She usually steered clear of any sort of chicken for she hated the taste, but the chicken could have tempted the palate of even the most choosy person. She ventured a taste and instead of screwing up her face, she took another bite. Surprisingly good. It didn't taste a bit like any other chicken she had tasted before. The carrots which had been cut by the little girl Camille had cooked extremely well. However much she ate, she didn't seem to feel bloated. Ah wonder of wonders, a meal which one could eat much of and still not feel as if one would burst. Then came the mushroom pie. She tentatively took a slice and examined it from all directions. It was true she hated mushroom but that was what she had said about the chicken. With this thought in mind, she tentatively took a nibble. Oh glory of glories. It was true. Everything hobbits cooked seemed to immediately transport her into paradise. She took another slice and hoping no one would notice and think her greedy quickly downed it.

The vegetables were still sitting on the side of her plate. They had been overlooked in her rampage of all the savoury stuffs but finally Sharya had noticed them. Peas, oh glorious peas. Surely if all the rest of the food tasted good, this must too. One bite confirmed everything. She would live the rest of her life in this land of halflings. Without money, the thought came back again and she quickly brushed any hope of living in this country where food was the sole reason for living.

Musical beings they were too, for the hobbits standing by the fireplace unexpectedly struck up a tune. It was a happy tune, and she remembered that here was a place which rarely experienced hardship or evil. Here was a place envied by all others for its ability to remain so quiet and peaceful. It was such a change from what Gondor used to be. When the song ended and the applause began, Sharya felt somewhat disappointed. The song reminded her of her childhood when her brothers and her used to perform before her parents. Unskilled and - when she looked back upon it - silly performances, yet they had brought her parents so much joy. She held back tears. It was silly, always breaking out to bawl when the smallest thought of her past came up.

Luckily the dessert came soon enough and distracted her. Several slices of spice cake covered with a thick vanilla frosting. Sharya immediately bit into the cake. Raisins, she thought to herself, oh glorious raisins! And these were no ordinary small, shrivelled up ones, these were nice plump raisins with substance. And the frosting, how to describe it? Rich, creamy, frothy and all other words that she could dig up would not describe the tenth of the delicious melt-worthiness of that frosting. Without another thought, she was happy just to lick the frosting off like a young child and laugh when it got onto her face. When all the cake was gone, and the crumbs from off the plate, she leant back in her chair. Happy, content and without a care in the world.