[Sirithheruwen]

As Iadarion told her of his home, all Twylight could focus on was how drunk he was getting. No more ales for you! she thought with a vocal laugh. The man smiled; the laugh seemed to have provoked him in some way. With a shout, Iadarion broke out into song, which startled both the local hobbits and Twylight alike:

Oh! Welcome all you halflings past the borders of your Shire!
To a place of green and brown and things, but never that of fire!
They say it's dark, and dangerous, and all the trees're to fear!
But my grand old home in the forest of Old, oh I say it's not so queer...!

With that, he collapsed into a pile on the Inn floor. Twylight gasped and fell down to her knees next to him. She shook him and shook him, but he didn't answer. Despite the fact that she couldn't speak, she still tried to call out to the other hobbits, but no sound came out. They seemed not to want to have anything to do with the eccentric stranger.

Just as Twylight was going to run for help, he jumped up and said, ""So! tell me of yourself fair lady!" She would have screamed if she had her voice.

The man seemed startled to see her pale white face and shaking hands.