The Green Dragon Inn - Part 10

[Kransha]

Toby, who suddenly realized that all manner of sanity was leaving him, looked blankly, slack-jawed, at Mirabell Baggins. Of course she was pleasant, polite, sweet, and everything a fine young hobbit lass should be, but his mostly drunken eyes only saw a course outline of her as he staggered up from the chair, trying to keep his head from lolling to one side drowsily. He needed to replenish himself, though he was already fairly replenished. The gentlehobbit, almost spinning in place, ambled right over, nearly falling on Miss Baggins, and said, as politely and tranquilly as he could, what he thought he needed to say to get out of this party’s fiery maw for a minute. His right eye, straying from the gaze of his left, somehow caught the distinct signature of Snaveling in the crowd and resolved to head towards that locale.

“Yes…indeed…Resting my eyes, of course…Will you excuse me for a moment?”

He didn’t wait for Mira to dignify his mumbled question with response as he scurried off in his rodent way, but more foolishly and clumsily than before. Almost dancing through the crowd like an idiot, his head lopsided, his feet constantly tripping each other as he fell into a number of people and forgot to apologize as he waltzed his way drunkenly on. He had no idea what Miss Aman put in the drinks she served, but either it was far too powerful, or he’d imbibed far too much of it. Either way, the taste of the fluid was still fresh in him and his constantly blinking eyes drifted between closing and opening. Finally, after much bashing into bystanders, Toby ran into the person he sought, namely Snaveling.

“Snavlin…umm…Snaveling, I mean…Where in the Shire did you disappear to? You would have to go off all sudden like that and leave me in the clutches of another lass….I’ve a mind to….to….Snaveling, I need something to drink…A lot of something…and fast, I do believe..."

[Esgallhugwen]

"Yes, I suppose long travels can do that to someone, taking in too much of what they've missed on the road, I have seen it before, but he is good fellow none the less you are lucky to have met him, I've heard stories now that it can still be dangerous in some parts" he shrugged always having kept a sharp eye out while still enjoying himself.

They were all wanderers then, fancy that, most have more of a reason to go traveling afar from their homes other than for the sake of adventure. Too many people know what adventures can get you into and they prefer the peaceful life, away fromthe troubles of such things.

But not Aldor, he wished to see all he could see, but always kept in mind his beloved Mother and the memory of his Father, that is why sometimes he would find himself returning home to check on her well being. Well enough of that sad thought he replied to himself smiling across the table at Peony.

[Lumiel]

The shadows of the day lengthened and Indy and Fungrim made their way back to the new Inn, ready for the party. Fungrim had plaited his beard, a design which seemed to fascinate the young girl. He was cleaned and his clothes were neat. Meanwhile, one of the hobbit women took note of Indy's condition and dragged the poor girl off.

"No! No! I don't wanna take a bath! I'm fine, I like it like this!" she protested, her feet dragging. She turned pleadingly to Fungrim. "Fuuungriiim!" she whined, "Tell her that she can't make me take any stinkin' bath!"

Fungrim laughed heartily, his eyes twinkling. "If I have to clean up, so do you!" he teased her in response. That was all she heard before being dragged upstairs. The woman led her to a small washroom and quickly put her in the oval tub, soaking her from head to toe. She scrubbed and scrubbed, taking off what seemed to be layers of grime, nearly as stubborn as Indy herself who pouted and sulked in the water.

Finally, Indy re-emerged with a pleased-looking hobbit. With a warning to not get dirty again and the promise of another bath if she did, Indy was released. Her hair was shiny and clean, and partially pulled back by a red ribbon. She wore a red dress with sleeves that reached to her elbows and what appeared to be a corset of a pale white around her middle. The only consolance for her was that she had not been forced to wear shoes.

Trudging over to Fungrim, she pulled herself up to the chair and sat down with a dramatic flourish, folding her hands on the table and setting her chin down on top. "I didn't need a bath. I'm just gonna get dirty again anyway!" she said.

"Well Indy, it's the way things are. You have to take a bath. Sometimes you have to do things that you don't want to, it's life." he told her in a matter-of-fact manner.

"Traitor!" she said, glaring at him. Her brow was drawn low over her large, expressive eyes which were at the moment half-squinted. Her lower lip pouted out slightly, and she had an overall air of being miffed about her. Put together, she looked like a tiny, angry bull. Fungrim chuckled at the image as he drank from his mug. "What are you laughing at?" she accused.

"Well lass, it's just that I can't tell if you're a little girl or a bull, what with that face." he answered. Indy sat up indignantly, her mouth open and her eyes wide. The dwarf laughed again. "Do you have any horns under that clean head of yours?" he asked with raised eyebrows.

As indignant as she felt and as stubborn as she was about making sure Fungrim knew how indignant she felt, she felt a smile tugging at her mouth. In a moment, she broke out laughing, the sound ringing out like the spring cry of a robin. Fungrim echoed her laughter, his voice a deep but matching partner for her child's voice. "I don't have any horns, but watch out, I'm a big, bad, wolf! Rarrr!" she said cheerfully, raising her hands like claws and making a snarling mouth with a crinkled nose, complete with a matching smile and giggle. The party had just begun and already Indy felt wound up and giddy.

[Kitanna]

Peony looked at Aldor, who seemed to be in a trance before smiling once more at her. "Are you alright? You seemed worried just a moment ago." Peony returned Aldor's smile.

"Perhaps a little homesick?" Peony knew what it meant to be homesick. Days would come when all she felt like doing was turning around and returning to Minas Tirith. Yet at the same time she was out to prove her father wrong.
You will not last a month in the wild Peony. You will return with your tale between your legs like a wounded dog.

Peony loved her father, but she had to show him she could handle being away from home. She looked at Aldor and laughed a little. "Perhaps something to take your mind off our troubles. Care for another dance?"

[Archsage Isaac]

Isaac, though weary from travel, was still in control of his senses enough to hear the general chatter going on inside of the Inn. He slowly wiped his face with his sleeve and readjusted the bag on his shoulder. After raking his hair from his face he walked to the entrance. As he entered, he nearly bumped into a few people. Aplogizing to them, he slowly made his way back to a fairly isolated table in the rear. There was a couple of people around him, but he would have to bear it for the moment. Isaac placed his bag on the table first and then slumped into an empty chair with an above average thud. After looking around to see if it had disturbed anyone, he removed the weighted cape he wore and gently placed it gently on the ground by his feet.

After looking around the room once again, he sighed heavily. Just what I needed...a party. he thought sarcastically, impatiently tapping his foot against the ground. "Oh well, don't worry about one such as me, I'm just a weary wanderer. I'll be better as soon as I get some rest..." he said in a low voice, really hoping that none of the ones around him heard his words...

[Eowyn Skywalker]

Willow set down her fiddle, having played out her moods on the violin. She was okay now, though she still wondered everything, everyone, who, what, where, when, why...

She had been like that as a child, though now she had more sense... normally. With all the past events, she really was beginning to wonder about everything and everyone.

A man walked into the inn, and nearly walked into her. She jumped back before he crashed into her, and steadied her fiddle, nearly dropping it.

"Sorry," he said gruffly, before heading to a table in the back of the common room.

He sat down with a greater than normal 'thud', and Willow flinched visibly. She hated when people sat so hard that the chair nearly broke.

Not that it had.

Unconsciously, she clutched her violin closer, and looked around for somewhere to sit down; wondering, all the while, if Aman had remembered that she was suppose to fiddle later that night...

With all the events taking place seemingly, it appeared that she might forget, and that, if the party kept up like this, things might end earlier. Willow had never liked parties that much, and nearly always slipped away before the end, anyhow.

But this one was taking so many turns, things might end up ending earlier that night.

The younger hobbit maiden walked to an empty table nearer to the edge of the room, and sat down, stroking her fiddle fondly, and thinking. Thinking of everything.

She smiled wistfully at her fiddle, and sat back to relax.

[Kitanna]

Deva wandered around the inn making conversations with one or two people as he drank his ale and enjoyed the party. As Peony had said he was getting drunk, but Deva was still relatively composed. Three ales was not enough to affect the better half of this judgement.

As he pushed past on his way for another ale he tripped over and foot that lay in his path. "Bah!" Was all that escaped as he came crashing to the ground.

He had fallen by the feet of a young man with golden locks falling into his face. "I meant to do that." Deva grumbled as he got up. "He smiled and extended his hand to Isaac. "Sorry for all the ruckus. Please let me buy you a drink. My name is Deva and yours young traveller?" Deva waited for an answer.