[Noinkling]

Before Cook could answer, Benat stood up and made his way to the table where Minto sat. The Hobbit’s back was to the man, but he knew there was something odd from the looks on his table mates’ faces and the sudden shadow cast over him.

‘Master Baggins was a quite respectable Hobbit, sir,’ came Benat’s rumbling voice. ‘Never met him myself. But my Granda did and he quite liked the little fellow. Now I haven’t heard the whole story - what followed the visit of the Dwarves, the wizard, and Master Bilbo to our home near the Carrock. But to be sure I’ve heard many times of the adventure to that point.’

Cullen came up, curious as to what his master was doing. His nose found the pungent smell of the Hobbit’s mug quite enticing and he couldn’t resist a closer inquiry. A nose full of creamy foam was his reward. Unfortunately for Minto, it made him sneeze. ‘Ach! Cullen now look what you’ve done!’ Cullen gave a sorrowful eye to Benat, then tried his best to lick the Hobbit clean.

Minto was escorted to the kitchen by one of the servers to wash up a bit, with Cook’s promise she’d see to a free mug of ale for his bother. Benat, though, thought he could hear her mutter that the fool got what he deserved for saying such about Bilbo. The others at Minto’s table laughed at his discomfiture and looked hopefully toward Cook also.

‘I’ll stand you all to a drink,’ offered Benat, to which there were shouts of ‘Good fellow!’ and ‘Hear! Hear!’. When the drink came, Benat asked if he might sit down with them. ‘Twasn’t a war exactly,’ he said, pulling out a chair for Cook first. ‘It was a very large battle. Five armies in all. And the Great Eagles came to lend talon and beak and my Granda, Beorn, he came, too.’

‘Must’ve been a great advantage,’ said one of the Hobbits at the table, offering Benat his pouch of pipeweed. ‘A great advantage – to have a man as large as you are fighting against the foe.’

Benat laughed, saying he supposed it would be. ‘But my Granda didn’t come as a man,’ he told them, grinning at the thought of the surprised goblins. ‘He came as a bear.’