[Alcarillo]

Alcarillo had now sat for many minutes alone. Miz Greengage had run off, and so Alcarillo amused himself by watching the many visitors to the inn come and go. He was amused by great diversity of people: halflings (or as he learnt that they called themselves, hobbits), dwarves, men, and even other elves like himself. Now that the many dangers of the wild had passed with Sauron, many more travelers were on the roads, seeking adventure.

Alcarillo's mind drifted through thought after thought. I would like to visit this place again, he thought, it really is pleasant here. After a few more minutes of sitting and thinking, Alcarillo stood, and decided to bring his pen down from his room upstairs. He moved through the guests, and towards the creaky stairs. The voices faded and soon he was in the small rented room, where his belongings sat on the bed. His arm dove into a knapsack, and he retrieved a slender wooden box. He slipped this into a hidden pocket of his cloak and went back to the common room.

Alcarillo resumed his place at the empty table, where he produced the wooden box and the red notebook from their hiding places. Inside the box was an elegant pen, which he removed and laid before him. He returned the box to his cloak, and opened the notebook. He would draw the common room. Alcarillo was a fair hand at sketching people, and considered himself to be a better than average artist. And so Alcarillo flipped his small book to a blank page and began.

With each stroke of his pen the picture became more and more complete. He added in the sillhouettes of visitors and shaded in the walls. Soon it was completed. With nothing else to do, Alcarillo made up his mind that it was time to leave. He crept up to his room and gathered his belongings. He came back downstars, and placed a handful of golden coins on the table he frequented. Then, with one last look at the faces in the common room, he walked into the sunshine outside.