Merry's eyes sparkled a pleasantly-surprised greeting as he strode up and presented himself with a smile and a jaunty bow to Pio and Rose. "Good day to you both! Mine's certainly become better on finding you here. Seeing your familiar faces makes the Floating Log feel more like home. How are you?"
"Join us, Merry." Pio waved an expansive gesture of welcome towards a nearby chair. "So good to see you again after the party at the Green Dragon. Rose and I are making for two separate destinations. Depending on where the road takes you, you might be able to lend us a hand ... holding the reins of a pony cart that is! But where's Estella? It would have been nice having another opportunity to see your wife again."
"Estella's at home in Brandy Hall. I'm on my way to Bag End for a little get-together, lads only." Merry grinned in between bites of the chicken stew with mushroom gravy and biscuits and sips of the beer he'd ordered. "Had I thought of it sooner, I would have loaned Estella my mail-shirt and shield, so's she could have snuck in with me as if she were Dernhelm. But alas, the idea has come too late."
Rose and Merry and Pio shared a laugh, then Pio looked thoughtfully between Rose and Merry. "Bag End, this could work out well ... I wonder if I may ask a favor ... "
Merry chuckled, playfully handing Rose his shield as if to loan it to the child, then pretended as if he were about to remove his mail shirt. Rose loosely grasped the shield, tracing its white-horse design with her fingers.
Pio smiled and continued. "I was hoping you might carry Rose with you as far as Bywater, and see her safely to Miss Cami at The Green Dragon."
Merry, who was in rare form, stroked his chin, considering. "Well now, ever since that Entdraught in Fangorn Forest I'm nearly as large as a pony. But if I'm to carry Rose all that way, I draw the line at wearing a saddle." Settling into a more serious tone, he finished, "Why yes, of course Rose is welcome to accompany me in my pony cart to The Green Dragon Inn. I'll be happy to take her. You're heading East then, Pio? If it's on your way, please, stop in and say hello to Estella. Tell her to do plenty of baking while she awaits my return!"
Merry's eyes glinted and he spoke no further to explain his last cryptic remarks about Estella and baking, though of course he was thinking about how she'd discover the poem he'd left her in the flour canister. For now a band of wandering musicians was striking up a rousing rendition of the springle-ring. Taking up his shield from Rose, he leaned it against his chair. Merry bowed his best long, low bow to Piosenniel in respect of the happy new arrival of life she was expecting, then turned and extended a hand to her traveling companion. "May I have this dance, young Rose?"
[ March 15, 2003: Message edited by: Gandalf_theGrey ]
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