[the guy who be short]

"That would be me, my dear!" Éodear replied to the hobbit lass. He smiled at her so jovially that she could do little but smile back, make a quick reply and leave him to talk to the mysterious stranger who was buying him a drink.

"I do thank you, sir," Éodear said. "I'm sure I had some silver pieces somewhere... oh, I don't know. Very good ale though, eh?"

The stranger, who named himself as Belegund of Gondor, replied that it was the best he had had in an age. For a short while, they sat together in silent contemplation of one another, sipping.

A few minutes later, Éodear broke the silence. "This is the first ale I've had in weeks, would you believe? It's most welcome." Belegund smiled. "Infact," Éodear continued, lowering his voice to a whisper, "I must say I've gotten myself a little lost. Was heading to Bree, you understand. Would you happen to know whereabouts this Bywater place is?"

"The Shire?!" he had cried incredulously, turning a few heads in the public house. "But then I'm far off course!"