[Linnahiril Tinnufinwen]

"Aunt Bella, Aunt Bella!" Hanna exclaimed excitedly, as the fair-haired Hobbit smiled and held out her arms. Hanna jumped off her chair, nearly knocking Asphodel over, and gave her aunt a big embrace.

Asphodel was glad, and not to mention surprised, to see her mother's sister at the Green Dragon. Her Aunt Belladonna lived in Bree with her husband, though she had grown up in the Shire. Asphodel had only been aloud twice in her whole life to make a trip to Bree; once accompanied by her father, and the other by Belladonna herself. Halfred was extremely hesitant to let any of his daughters, or any other Hobbit, leave the boundaries of the Shire. Even as shrewed a business man as he was, it took him years before he could be convinced to go to Bree to sell his leaf. But not to strangers. One of Halfred's biggest rules was that he would never sell any leaf to anyone other than a Hobbit. Which was part of the reason that he ran his business from his own plantation, and gave very little to the Green Dragon, or the Prancing Pony.

At first, Asphodel thought that her father's stubborness would keep him from gaining as much profit as he was capable. Whatever was the intention of the Big Folk, why gripe if they were willing to give you their gold? The truth of the matter was, however, that Hobbits smoked ten times the amount of the Big Folk. Halfred had no trouble selling most, if not all or more, of both his fields.

Asphodel stood up out of her chair and stretched her legs, which had become a little cramped after sitting for so long. Then she made her way over to her aunt, whose attention had been taken up by Hanna.

"And we picked some more Longbottom Leaf today," said Hanna to Belladonna. "Father has a whole pack of it in his jacket. Do you want to see?"

Belladonna laughed heartily. She had a cheerful, infectious laugh that could always fill a whole room. Even though the Inn was crowded with many people talking and laughing quite loudly, Asphodel was sure Belladonna Boffin's laugh could still be heard by half the people in the room.

"Do you want to see it?" asked Hanna again, looking anxiously up at her aunt. Asphodel approached Belladonna and found herself caught in a tight embrace.

"How are you, Asphodel?" asked Belladonna. Before Asphodel could answer, Hanna began tugging on Belladonna's cloak.

"Do you want to see it? Do you?"

"Alright, alright," said Belladonna, releasing Asphodel. "Show me the pouch."

Hanna happily trotted over to her father and began searching his coat.

At that moment, Asphodel caught sight of Angry Brandybuck approaching their table. She wondered what he could want. After some hesitation, completely unaware that he was being watched, he came and stood before her father. Hanna had already found the pouch and sat at the other end of the table, displaying it's contents to Belladonna.

Halfred eyed Angry suspiciously. Though having no idea what had passed in that very room involving the Big Folk and Angry, he was known for not thinking well of, "silly, good-for-nothing young men."

"Well," said Halfred after a moment's silence. "What can I do for you, Angry?"

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 1:09 PM January 26, 2004: Message edited by: Linnahiril Tinnufinwen ]