[Nurumaiel]

Robin settled herself down by the fire in delight, while Dinodas went off to get a meal. He soon came back, carrying a plate for her, as well. "It's so wonderful to have a warm fire again!" Robin said contentedly. "If I close my eyes, I almost feel as though I were back home, sitting in front of the fire on a cold winter night, with mother cooking a wonderful meal, and father sitting and smoking his pipe."

"Have you ever wished on this terrible journey of ours that you were back home?" asked Dinodas, handing Robin her plate.

"I have, in the worst of times," Robin admitted. "But if my wishes had come true, and I had gone back home, then I would have regretted it for a hundred years. And it's not a terrible journey," she added. "If it were a terrible journey there would be only death and sorrow, not any of the fun and laughter we've experienced along the road. What about the snowball fight, and Daisy's birthday?"

"Oh, the snowball fight was fun at first, but it turned out to be a nightmare for me. I was the one - " Dinodas suddenly stopped speaking and glanced at Bullroarer. Lowering his voice, he finished, "I was the one who hit Bullroarer in the face with my snowball."

"It turned out all right," said Robin. "He wasn't angry."

"He could have been, and, oh, through the seconds when he sat there with a startled expression, and we were thinking he'd kill the one who did it..." Dinodas shuddered.

Laughing, Robin began to eat. Dinodas looked over to where Lotho was sitting. "You know," he said slowly, "nobody ever talks to Lotho. I wonder if he's ever been lonely on this journey of ours."

Robin looked at him in surprised. "Lonely? Of course not. He's just an old crank."

Dinodas looked at her with more surprise then she could ever have. "Well, maybe he's not lonely, but I'm sure there are times he wishes someone would talk to him. And he's not an old crank. Only to all you young girls, because... you're so... young... and.... girly?"

Robin gave him a nasty look, but didn't do anything as she was still absorbed in eating her meal.

Dinodas stood up and walked hesitantly over to Lotho, his mind filling with doubts. What if Lotho was an old crank? What if he yelled at Dinodas and beat him? Or what if he was really a Sackville-Baggins in disguise? A smile appeared on Dinodas' face. Of course not!

"Mr. Lotho, sir," said Dinodas quietly. "Well, I haven't spoken to you yet, but now's just a good a time as any. I figured that while we're safe and warm here in the inn, I might introduce myself." He stuck out his hand. "I'm Dinodas Green."