[Kath]

"No, it's all right. I can get myself something. Besides, I don't know what they have."

Not put off in the least by this response Astilwen quickly moved chairs out of the way for the woman and continued to chatter as she walked along beside her.

"Well from what I saw on the way over there's plenty to choose from. If you like your savouries there's roast chicken with mounds of taters and rolls alongside butter. And if your tastes run more to the sweet side you'll find more than enough there to satisfy. Course, I don't know how much will be left by now, you might have to fight someone for it!"

Smiling she took the woman's hand to lead her through a group of hungry hobbits that surrounded the tables. She felt a slight resistance at first and would have let go, but it faded as quickly as she felt it, and soon the two of them found themselves faced with heaps of food.