The Green Dragon Inn #11 - The Last Chapter

[Amanaduial the archer]

Aman nodded, smiling at Bredan. "Thank you, master Bredan. But please, a note - sometimes, of course, haste is the better course. But a swift running river can often miss the gems lying at the bottom." She smiled slightly, holding his gaze, then continued in reply to his request. "I am afraid we do not keep any spare horses here - the hobbits are not great ones for riding, in general, and besides, few of their horses would fit you, I think! Let's see...the nearest place you would be able to borrow a horse would be the stables of Brandybuck Hall, from Master Meriadoc Brandybuck."

Bredan's dubious look told Aman of his doubt about being able to simply appear on the doorstep of an evidently rich hobbit and ask to borrow a horse. Aman laughed at his expression. "Here, I shall write you a letter of recommendation - but Bredan, I must warn you now," she added, her face becoming more serious. "Whatsoever you borrow from Master Brandybuck, you must return, as you took it. He is a good friend of mine and a better...individual should scarce be found in Middle Earth."

Bredan nodded solemnly and Aman allowed herself a small smile. "I suggest you stay another night at the Inn and leave in the morning - by foot it is a fair walk to Brandybuck Hall and you will not make it at a reasonable time - although in these times, it is a fairly safe road to pass along. In the morning, we can settle payment and I shall give you the letter to Master Meriadoc."

Bredan nodded, then gave a small bow. "Thank you, Lady Aman." Bidding her good evening, he melted into the night.

As he left, the sound of a voice caused Aman to turn and she saw there the young hobbit lad who had taken to hanging around the stables. He was surprisingly tall for a hobbit, although he was still young, maybe 18 or 19, Aman would guess. At first the Innkeeper had eyed him with suspicion, for few hung around the stables so often without some motive, and most hobbits were not lovers of horses, save a few examples, like the good Master Meriadoc and Peregrin Took, Thain of the Shire. But it turned out that the case of the two of the Nine also applied to Merimac - oddly for a hobbit, he had a positive passion for the animals. Bearing in mind the boy evidently had little else to do with him time other than loiter unsurely around the stables, the Innkeeper had tenatively taken him on a few days previously...and was being rewarded with her very own prodigy. In the past few days, Merimac was beginning, slowly, to fill the groove of stablehand that Derufin had left open but which hadn't been filled, although, of course, if The Green Dragon's stable master reappeared, he would always have a job.

"Evenin', Miz Aman." The tenor voice of the young hobbit was soft and rich, always kind but usually with undertones of mirth running through it. He was always courteous to Aman as well - some sort of admiration for the Rohirrim woman seemed to have sprung up due to her affinity with horses.

"Merimac," she smiled, her smile widening. "I wonder if-"

The sound of hooves, suddenly loud, caused Aman to turn mid-sentence, and she saw a hooded figure on horseback approaching through the settling mist that preceded this night. The newcomer pushed back her hood to reveal a weary but satisfied face, careworn but nonetheless young face. The woman seemed maybe a few years older than Aman herself.

"Good evening, madam," she called. The rider smiled and dismounted as she reached the stables, a hand disappearing into her cloak and rifling around for a moment before a small pouch was produced. The woman took from this four or five gold coins and held them out to Merimac. "Can I ask you to take care of my horse?"

Merimac nodded maturely, as if this was an exchange he had been part of all of his life rather than a sparse few days, but Aman saw the excitement and surprise in his eyes. She, too, was more than a little shocked - certainly the amount of money offered was a little excessive. A very valuable steed, it seems...

The woman nodded cordially to Aman the started towards the Inn. Aman followed, slipping inside the door and holding it open for her before attending to a drinks order that was sprung upon her immediately. Bustling towards the bar, she felt a hand touch her arm lightly and turned to see the woman, who actually bowed to her. Aman's surprise and curiosity grew - evidently the woman was from nowhere near these parts - and she asked if she could help.

The rider revealed her name as being Myrrdin, and asked for a room, after a brief exchange, Aman assigned the woman into Ruby's care, to take her up to a room before she keeled over in exhaustion. "And if you wish for a meal, supper is being served...well, now, actually. If you wish to sleep, I can arrange for something to be taken up to you later on."

The woman simply smiled wearily, her tiredness very obvious, and Aman inclined her head before turning to the room in general.

"Ladies and gentlemen, supper is being served now!"

To the sounds of cheers from the hobbits and the sight of several others perking up visibly, Aman nodded over to Buttercup, and the pair scurried away to the kitchen to begin the task of serving the food.

[Nurumaiel]

Strangely enough Posco felt slightly comforted when Iadarion approached their table. Perhaps it was because he had already made the faint acquaintance of the strange man, or perhaps it was because Iadarion was so frightening he was almost not so. It did not matter, for Posco did feel comforted and he could not deny it. A small smile came to his face, and a few words to speak to Mira came to his head, though he dared not speak them, or at least not to her. He did not know who she was at all. He wanted to look to Lily for encouragement but he knew her eyes were on him and he could not meet those eyes... not now.

Marcho raised an eyebrow slightly as Marin finished his story. Surely this amiable man could not be the childhood friend of Twylight, who loathed him (that is, Marcho)? It was too absurd to be true, but apparently it was true. He realized it was his own fault that Twylight hated him; he had been terribly impolite to all members of their company, but still he regretted it. He regretted it more because it had been his fault. Pride kept him from flashing a truly friendly smile in Twylight's direction to show he was not the monster she thought, and so he merely smiled at Marin and continued to scowl at everyone else. "What is it like in Rohan?" he questioned Marin. "Are they all Big Folk there? No Hobbits?"

"Not one that I've seen, except in the days of the War," replied Marin. Marcho immediately felt suspicious of the land of Rohan. If it had no Hobbits it must be a truly terrible place. But of course he had known of the lack already; he merely couldn't believe anyone could live in a place without Hobbits without being sooner or later wholly abolished by the lack of them.

Supper was being served then, and Blanco had turned away from the table of Falco Boffin to sit once again with his friends and twin brother. The way Ruby had made such eyes at Falco had thoroughly aggravated him; it reminded him of a sweet lass by the name of Marigold Hilldweller who lived just down the road from him and he felt a sudden desire to go back to Buckland and see her again. And he had to wait two more days... at least he remembered her fair golden-brown hair and eyes near the same color, her rosy cheeks, her red, full lips, and her gentle little hands. But he wanted to see her again. How odd that just because Ruby was making eyes at Falco he should remember that little flower back home. He had taken a notion into his head awhile ago to marry her, and now he took one into his head to actually ask her as soon as he was home.

Posco was farther away from the company than he had been before, sitting with Iadarion and two others. Blanco came a little closer, angling himself a bit so he could see the faces of the strange two. How ridiculous it was that Posco avoided meeting their eyes so. There, he could see them now, and... Blanco stopped and suddenly felt himself reeling. The hobbit lass sitting across from Posco, the one he seemed so determined not to look at... Blanco stared it stupefied awe and then stumbled over to Bingo. "Bingo, Bingo," he said in an urgent whisper. "Who is that lass over there?" He gestured towards her.

Bingo followed his hand and then, with his smile, said promptly, "Her name is Lily, Blanco."

"Lily..." said Blanco, and he stared at her more. She was the most beautiful Hobbit girl he had ever seen. Why, why didn't Posco look at her? How could he keep from it? She was so beautiful. Marigold Hilldweller flitted out of his mind and heart like a passing dream and this lass, this Lily, filled him as he gazed at her. He suddenly realized he would give anything if she would just speak to him once, nay, even if she would only give him a brief glance. But she was not looking at him. She was looking at Posco. Why was she looking at Posco? Why didn't Posco look back?

Posco was looking at him and gesturing for him to come. He wanted assistance in dealing with all his companions for his shyness was overcoming it, but Blanco forgot to be annoyed at it. Posco was giving him the opportunity to come and sit there and perhaps even meet this Lily. He walked as though he were in a dream and stood before them. Now she was looking at him as Posco introduced him to the others in a burst of desperate boldness. Now she was smiling at him as he swept a low bow without taking his eyes off her, saying, "Miss Lily, I am more than honored to meet you."

[Firefoot]

It was all Lily could do to keep a nasty look off her face when Iadarion came over to the table. She was now confident that she did not like him, whether for a particular reason or no. She kept her eyes off him, and politely declined when he called for a round of ales. She didn't mind that other people drank beer, as long as they didn't get drunk, but she herself could not stand the taste.

She kept her eye on Posco. She was feeling slightly protective of him, now that he seemed to have completely retreated into himself with the arrival of the other people. He kept his eyes trained on his empty coffee cup. She wished he would look up at her, give her a small smile to let her know he was all right. That, and if she would admit it to herself, she was starting to like him. A lot. He was so different than every other hobbit she had ever met.

She was distracted when she noticed Posco was looking away at something. Or someone, rather. She followed his gaze to another hobbit, his brother. His name was... Blanco, yes that was it. He walked confidently over to the table, smiling at her. She was sure of it. Posco had made him sound like a nice enough hobbit, and she was curious to meet his brother. He was a good deal neater than Posco, but other than that their looks were about the same.

"Miss Lily, I am more than honored to meet you," he said, bowing low. She blushed slightly, and the corners of her mouth quirked upwards. How different from Posco he was!

"It is nice to meet you, Blanco," said Lily. "And please, just call me Lily. I am not accustomed to being called 'miss'." The words seemed very familiar in her mouth; it had not been that long ago that she had told Posco the same thing. She had never liked formalities much, because they seemed to get in the way of really getting to know someone. Blanco beamed, as if she had just awarded him something. He took a seat across the table. Lily guessed that it was mostly because Posco was on one side of her and Mira on the other, for he had only introduced himself to her and not to Mira or Iadarion.

Then she turned her attention back to Posco. He seemed somewhat comforted by his brother's presence, and she smiled. As far as Lily could tell, he would only say more than two words at a time if he was comfortable, and Lily wanted him to be comfortable so that she could get to know him better.

[Nurumaiel]

Why wasn't she loooking at him? There she was looking at Posco again, who seemed to devote himself wholeheartedly to the practice of avoiding her gaze. Why didn't she look at him? Blanco bit his lip. She had smiled at him so briefly and then she had immediately turned back to Posco. Annoyance surged up in him. At least Posco could show some courtesy, whether he was shy or not, and look back at her. Blanco nudged his twin brother furiously and murmured as much. Posco gazed helplessly at him, and then shifted his eyes to meet Lily's. Immediately he was drowned deep, deep inside them. Those two lovely eyes began to sparkle when he looked at her, and her lips turned up in a smile.

Blanco suddenly regretted that he had urged Posco to look back at Lily. Frankly he didn't like the way his brother was looking at her. He was looking at her with too much earnestness; he was looking into her eyes too hard, too long. And she seemed quite content to look back at him. Why didn't she look at him? Blanco smiled to himself and realized he didn't care. He would fly up on wings of joy if she looked at him again, but it was enough to just look at her.

Something was nagging him in the back of his mind. He recalled a time he had brought flowers to a brown-eyed, brown-haired girl who had blushed sweetly and taken them with downcast eyes. And then she had lifted her eyes and gazed into his with a charming, timid smile that had made his heart beat furiously. It had been Marigold Hilldweller, and he knew that she had loved him very much. Something was telling him he was a traitor, but he tossed it aside with scorn. It was a pity if Marigold loved him; he couldn't love her, not with this beautiful lass sitting in front of him. He wanted to admit it to himself yet at the same time he did not. He knew it was true. He was head over heels in love with Lily.

Posco pulled himself away from Lily's gaze and looked about at Mira and Iadarion, suddenly realizing that they might be feeling distant and apart. Nobody had spoken to them much. Blanco should be speaking to them but he was oddly quiet. Posco could not think what to say to Iadarion. Bingo was the only one who knew how to do that with ease and grace, so Posco instead turned to Mira and, in a voice barely audible, murmured, "Miss Mira, tell me... us... more about yourself." He instantly crimsoned and, hoping to make things better but instead causing himself more embarrassment, whirled on Lily and stammered out in a voice a little too loud, "Lily, have you finished your supper? Do you want anything more?"

The Inn door swung open as a tall, gawky youth with unkempt hair and large feet shuffled in. His muddy cloak swung awkwardly about his knees as he navigated the tables. He was surrounded by a timid air, his eyes nervously roving around the room, but deftly avoiding the eyes of the people at the tables. He made his way slowly to the bar and dropped down on one of the vacant stools.

Leaning over the old wood of the counter, he gently traced patterns with his index finger, his head bowed, chunks of dark hair falling over his face. Summoning up all his strength, he lifted his face up.

"Excuse me?" he said, in a scratchy whisper. His face reddened. "Excuse me?" A loud female voice announced "Supper is being served!" It seemed like the voice was right by his ear and he flinched. Must be the Innkeeper he thought, and he got up from his seat, pushed past a knot of people and went to approach her.

"Excuse me," he began again, in his quiet way. "I'd like to..uh, I would like a room for the night, um, please, miss..." The woman seemed completely pre-occupied with someone else, and so he screwed up his courage and tapped her on the shoulder. "Excuse me miss..."

[nynnd1]

Bredan walked away glad of how well the conversation between him and Aman had gone, but it did not stop his ponderings on what he would do after his ‘quest’, and now he had the added worry that the steed he would hopefully borrow from Master Meriadoc must come back perfect, and he did not want to start off on a bad foot with the legendary Hobbit. Bredan obviously already knew of the hobbit as he loved the story of the fellowship and felt that he had asked so many questions and listened so many times about the whole story that he knew the characters better then he knew himself. Bredan was ultimately excited that he would be meeting one of the nine that set out from Rivendell, and there may be a chance that Master Took will be there also. Maybe he could get employment from one of them. Bredan took a breath of air and steadied himself.

“Calm Down” he said to himself aloud.

Bredan started to walk up the path to the Inn when he decided that he would lay out for a minute and watch the Stars. Laying on the lush grass of the shire he stared straight up and saw the twinkling of the stars that seemed as if they were right in front of his face. Bredan did not feel alone as he was, the noise of the inn was just piercing the air that it left a sound in Bredan ear’s. And right there on the ground Bredan drifted off to sleep, already in his dream.

[Mad Baggins]

Lily had welcomed her gladly, it seemed, yet her eyes had said something else. Mira suddenly felt shy and rude for interrupting her conversation with Posco, and Posco seemingly felt the same, except for the rudeness. He sat quietly, examining his empty cup, glancing up every so often. Mira sat silently, toying with a lock of chestnut hair, until the arrival of a man startled them all.

He introduced himself as Iardarion and at first Mira was uncomfortable as she sensed Lily stiffen beside her. Then she grew more at ease, as the man did not present any immediate reason to dislike him, and introduced herself. He grinned and suddenly shouted for a round of ales. Mira noticed that the others at the table seemed annoyed with the man's presence, and she wondered why.

The man quietened down and now Mira felt rather detached from the others. She, a newcomer, had no idea what they had all been chatting about when she had appeared. Posco suddenly said, almost inaudibly, "Miss Mira, tell me... us... more about yourself." He turned a deep scarlet and whirled around, saying to Lily, "Lily, have you finished your supper? Do you want anything more?"

Mira felt sorry for Posco. He was obviously uncomfortable with her arrival and he seemed to be shrinking with embarassment. "Well, Posco, my whole name is Mirabell Baggins. I come from a hole in Hobbiton, and I came here for the grand re-opening party of the Inn. I am rather fond of the Dragon...it's quite a lovely place. But...would you like to tell me a little about yourself?" she asked. Her green eyes looked at Posco questioningly, hoping she hadn't embarassed him even more.