The Golden Perch Inn

[Envinyatar]

‘The Stock Brook, is it?’ Jack took the pole Tollers offered him and looked it over. ‘Yep, this’ll do just fine. Did you make it yourself, Tollers?’ he asked as the two waded out a little into the water and climbed into the boat.

He let Tollers take the oars as he knew the river and Jack didn’t. On the way home, he promised to himself, I’ll do the rowing. It was a generous thought on his part; the sort he was unaccustomed to thinking. Jack reached up and scratched his head. Just what was going on here?

They soon arrived at one of Toller's favorite pools. Jack helped throw out the little anchor – a rope and a heavy stone. Baiting his hook, he threw it out a little away from Toller’s own line.

‘By my old man’s whiskers!’ he cried, seeing the bobber begin to bob up and down with a vigor almost right away. ‘You were right, my friend! Great place to fish!’

He hauled in the first of his catch with a laugh. ‘You know, Tollers, you’re an easy man to be around,’ he said stringing his catch on a rope line and lowering it back into the water to keep fresh. ‘You ever get a mind to…you have time, that is, we could see some of those sights you heard about…

Though not right away, I hope.. he thought to himself. I kinda like it here…

[Mithalwen]

Carantilion realised that his sister, having led the way into the inn was going to let him do the talking... which was a little unfortunate because the hobbit landlord's friendly greeting had reminded him that he would have to use the Westron for the first time in some while. He had not been the most attentive student and in recent years, since the twins misadventures had started to be regarded as borderline delinquency rather than youthful high spirits, they had been given little chance to mingle with the non-elvish visitors to Rivendell.

The boy was slightly mesmerised by the sight of the hobbit. He looked rather like the Mr Baggins he remembered with his merry round face and brown curly hair but he seemed much shorter (Cir had forgotten that he had grown well over a foot since Bilbo's visit ).

After a slightly too long pause as he gathered his thoughts and words and spoke at last "I would like something to drink, please". The Landlord chuckled to himself, told the young elf he was in the right place and asked him to be more specific, what did he normally drink?

Encouraged , the boy became more verbose - "water, wine, sometimes mead, perry or ale " he said hoping he had got the words right. "We had miruvor once but I don't want anything like that again" he added making a face and remembering a disatrous raid on the Rivendell stills.

"Mirrorwater ?, what is that? ", asked Dick puzzled.

"I don't know the word in your tongue but it burns the throat and gives a headache" answered the elf ruefully.

The hobbit chuckled again - "Ah firewater... well we have that and most of the other things you named but what we are known for is our beer - but not all ladies care for it" he added with a glance at the elfmaid.

"That isn't a lady - that's my sister" said Cir cheerfully " and if you tell her she won't like something because she is a girl, she will want it - so two beers please as long as we have enough money?" he finished anxiously showing the hobbit the assortment of coins from the little leather pouch.

[Folwren]

“That isn’t a lady - that’s my sister,” the elf said. Dick’s eyes glowed with humor. A young pair of siblings, no doubt. “. . .So two beers please as long as we have enough money?” Dick looked at the coins that the elf presented and his face that had clouded slightly, cleared instantly.

“Enough? Why that’s far more than enough! You could buy yourselves dinner and still have left over! I’ll get the beers. Where’re you two from?” He asked the question as he half turned to fill the mugs. He watched the ale foaming up in them with half his eye as the elf responded.

[Lilly]

‘I can make whistles, Dorlind.’ Taffy paused for a moment and looked at the younger boy. ‘In fact, if you fetch me a nice thick twig, say one about as thick as your daddy’s little finger…and about as long, too, then I’ll make one for you.’ He looked over to where Seren and Daisy were chasing a grasshopper. ‘Best you get one for your sister, too. If she’s anything like mine, then she’ll whine until she gets one.’

Taffy went back to his whittling. He stopped again and showed Dorlind the roughed out form. ‘It’s not a bird. Though it does have wings.’ He leaned close to Dorlind as if sharing a secret. ‘It’s going to be a dragon.’

[piosenniel]

‘I’ll meet you out front,’ Rhys called to his sister as she stood in front of the little polished mirror that hung on the wall. They’d excused themselves earlier from Hithadan’s company, saying that they had some business to attend to.

Tanni smiled at her brother as she fastened back her thick red hair with a beaded clasp her mother had made for her. ‘Go on, now. Let me just change my blouse and I’ll be ready to go.’ She shooed him out the door, promising she would hurry.

Rhys nodded to the two young fellows sitting on the porch and smiled at the picture of the little girls engaged in their giggling pursuit of the grasshopper. The ostler was nowhere to be found when he got to the stable, which was of no concern really. Nia and Olwen nickered softly as Rhys whistled. ‘Come on girls!’ he called to them, opening the doors to the stalls. The familiar routine of harnessing them to the cart took little time, and soon he had pulled up in front of the inn.

‘See, I told you I’d be ready!’ laughed Tanni, running down the stairs. She climbed into the cart and sat down. The warm afternoon breeze tousled her hair; she pushed back a stray strand, hooking it behind her ear. ‘I hope it’s as Rowan said…that Granny Greenhill won’t mind if we just drop in on her.’ Tanni untied her cloak and slipped it from her shoulders, letting it fall over the back of the cart seat. ‘How long do you think we’ll be gone on our errand?’ she asked in an offhand manner, flicking her eyes toward him and then away.

He raised an eyebrow at her, his mouth curving up in an impious grin. ‘Well, I’m thinking we’ll be back in time for the evening meal. Why do you ask?’

‘Oh, no reason, really. Just making conversation.’

‘Mmhmm…’ he murmured, flicking the reins lightly against the mares’ haunches. And noting, as he did so, she had begun to sing softly to herself.

[Noinkling]

‘Tis a nice piece of work there, laddie!’ Skirvir threw back his hood and crouched down to watch the boy as he whittled. ‘Fiercesome creature though. Be glad you never had the chance to see one.’ He tipped his head this way and that regarding the form that was slowly taking shape. He was a craftsman, himself, though his preferred medium was quartz. He too liked to make small carvings of animals, many of which he gave to his younger cousins.

‘If you’re around this evening, you might get me and my cousins there,’ he said pointing to Bívor and Bávor, ‘to tell you the story of the great winged beast that stole our clan’s treasure and drove us from our home.’ He stood up with a mild groan and the cracking of tired knees; it had been a long journey since sunrise. ‘’Twas red, that beastie was. And he breathed fire out when he was angered.’ A smile creased the nearly hidden lips beneath the wild reddish beard. ‘Hobbit, it was, as tricked that odious and tricksome wyrm!’ His eyes crinkled and glistened from beneath his bushy brow. ‘’Pon my word, it was so.’

‘Skirvir! We’re dying of thirst here!’ cried Bávor, his hand on the handle of the door.

‘And hunger!’ growled Bívor, motioning for Skirvir to come along.

Skirvir nodded to the boy and to his younger companion. ‘We’ll see you later, eh? Looking forward to seeing how that piece turns out.’ He turned to follow after his cousins. ‘Oh, and remind me, if you will.’ He said turning back toward the Hobbit lad. ‘I’ve some pieces of my own, little animals like that. Perhaps you’d like to see them.’

^*^*^

The trio of Dwarves stood in the entry way of The Perch and looked about in a favorable manner. Savory smells issued from the kitchen, and large mugs of foaming ale passed nearly beneath their very attentive noses.

Bávor closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. ‘Southern Star,’ he murmured appreciatively. ‘Ahhh, and Longbottom Leaf, as I live and breathe.’

‘There’s a table. Over there by the fire.’ Bívor led his companions toward it and motioned one of the servers over. ‘Couple of pitchers of ale, yes?’ he said to his companions as the server approached. ‘And a large platter of ham and cheeses and bread to wrap it in.’

‘And mustard,’ chimed in Skirvir. ‘And maybe we ought to make it three pitchers of ale. Been a long dusty road today.’

The other two considered the suggestion for less than a second and nodded in agreement.

Bávor leaned toward the server and spoke in a low voice. ‘If you could find us a bit of Longbottom Leaf, I for one would be eternally in your debt.’

[Kath]

“Enough? Why that’s far more than enough! You could buy yourselves dinner and still have left over! I’ll get the beers. Where’re you two from?”

Cir had left her brother to do the ordering, not wanting to look like she didn't know what she was doing, which she certainly would have as beer was as new a concept to her as it was to him. She watched in fascination as the liquid appeared, a white foam on the top of it, and took over the conversation. She'd had a little more practice with Westron than Cir had, or at least had concentrated on learning it better.

"We're from Rivendell. My name is Cir and this is my brother, also called Cir."

She caught the look of confusion on the hobbit's face and laughed.

"Yes our names are the same. Don't worry, most people get used to it in time."

The Innkeeper didn't look convinced but handed them the beers nonetheless. Warily Cir took a sip, rememebering the taste of miruvor as well as her brother, and hoping she wasn't about to experience a similar sensation of disgust. She was pleasantly surprised as the drink slid down her throat. It was bitter but didn't burn, and had an aftertaste that lingered in the mouth. Noticing that Cir had been watching her to gauge her reaction she smiled at him and nodded for him to try it.

"Thank you." She said turning back to the hobbit. "You said that we have enough money to buy food as well, what do you serve? Oh! And what is your name? It is hard to talk with someone when you haven't been introduced."