The Green Dragon Inn #11 - The Last Chapter

[Farael]

The group made it back into the Inn and the elves and man went into their rooms. Farael told the brothers he might take an extra few minutes, yet fifteen minutes turned into half an hour and the man had not yet come back from his room. Tindomion was already thinking Farael had changed his mind and gone for a nap when he walked into the room. He was wearing a light mail and a black surcoat over it, with the image of the white tree on his chest. On his belt hung a short sword in its scabbard and slung over his shoulder were his bow and quiver. All this equipment was for showmanship rather than protection, but he had earned the privilege of wearing those clothes and he did so on every occasion that called for it. He also wore them on occasions that did not call for it, such as this one.

“I hope you forgive me if I am late, Master Elf, but I had not had time to wash these garments since I walked in after about a week in the jungle. They were not presentable enough for Telu…yaviel” he finished, after a glare from her brother. “Still, m’lady I have not been able to get this beautiful flower back in my clothes. Perhaps you’d care to help me?” he offered her the flower and she secured it again, this time on his mail, over his shoulder.

The trio went back out on the Inn’s grounds and Farael excused himself for a minute, running into the nearby trees. He came back shortly after carrying a piece of bark –which he found on the ground- he explained before the elves could complain. There was enough dirt on it to argue in favour of Farael and so the siblings did not complain when he carved a target on the wood. He laid it against a tree and counted twenty long steps from it. Then he explained what the contest would be like. Each would have five arrows, one point would be given for a shot on the centre of the target, half a point would be given for a shot right outside the centre and no points would be given for a miss. He offered going first to illustrate his own game. The arrows would have to be retrieved after each shot so that the target would not be too clogged and so Tindomion stood half-way to the target, hoping the man would be accurate enough not to hit him.

Farael nocked an arrow, pulled the string and released it in one soft motion. His aim was true and he hit the target almost dead centre. Tindomion retrieved the arrow, placed the makeshift target back on its spot and Farael tried again. This time he was not as accurate, gaining only half a point. Same thing happened on his following attempt. With two arrows left, he hoped he would not embarrass himself by missing yet he managed to hit centre on both tries. Having a score of four out of a possible five was quite a feat for any human archer, but the smug look in Tindomion’s face told him it might not be so for an elf.

The next to try was Teluyaviel. Her first try was slightly to the left of centre, but she corrected her aim and her following four attempts were right on the mark. With four and a half points she was on the lead, but judging by her brother’s smile, it would not be for too long.

Tindomion’s first attempt was right on the centre of the target. The following three were all but a carbon-copy of the first. Farael could see Teluyaviel’s disappointment as she was about to be bested by her older brother yet again, but that was not on Farael’s plans. As Tindomion was winding up to release his last arrow, Farael coughed rather noisily and grabbed his throat as if he were choking. Tindomion’s arrow went wild and far off the mark, while the man seemed to recover quite quickly. “My grand mother always said, keep your mouth shut else a fly finds its way in.” he explained, “ I guess she was right for I felt something go down my throat rather unexpectedly. I am fine now, let’s see how you did with that last arrow.” Farael walked over to the target rather dramatically and retrieved an arrow from the tree behind it. “Well, who could have known!! It seems the winner has been Teluyaviel!!” he bowed to her and to Tindomion’s dismay he even offered her his arm for the walk back into the Inn. “I will buy the best archer among us an ale, and her brother as well so that maybe after a little talk we will actually know each other better.” Tindomion’s frown was enough to tell that Farael’s little archery contest had not been enough to appease the elf.

[Valier]

Penn looked longingly at the weed,but Pip had long since stolen and hidden her pipe."Why thank you fine sir,but I seem to have misplaced mine,thanks to Pip.If you have one to spare,that would be greatly appreciated."Penn smiled and reached for another ale and downed half the mug before she answered."No I have not come from that way.I hail from the outskirts of Rohan,this is the farthest West I have been as well."

What Fror and Ibun had no inkling of, was Penn grew up around men and men who liked to drink at that.She was giggly and flush,yes but far from inebriation.The flush was more from the thought of the Dwarves then the ale.She placed her mug roughly on the table and reached for another.Taking a long puff of the pipe they lent her,she proceeded to blow smoke rings at the ceiling."Khazadum,now that would be a sight to see!Are you both going there?" Penn asked as she looked from Fror to Ibun."I would love to see the great works of the Dwarves!" Her eyes lit up At the thought of the great halls."I have never seen such things in my short life."

Penn could count,but twenty years and what had she achieved? nothing,no glory,no valor,no love even,nothing.Penn frowned slightly at the thought,but quickly recovered and drank the last of the mug she held in her hand."That's three for me,I believe."At the moment she placed her mug on the table and taking a puff,reaching for another ale,Pip decided to make himself seen.

He climbed out the bag,up her arm and proceeded to try and pry the still smoking pipe from her fingers."Well my dear friends,I do say this is Pip."Penn lightly picked Pip up by his white scruff,much to his dismay."Be nice!" Penn said to the ball of fur."Would you care to touch him? I would show you Merr as well,if you would like. he is for lack of better words fat and quite lazy,but I will retreive him." Penn reached down and produced a VERY large ball of fur which seemed to be still asleep.

Placing him in her lap,she held out Pip to the two Dwarves."Go ahead he won't bite,he might like your beards though."Penn took another long draught of her ale.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Frór looked at the two hairballs that Penn had presentet for him and Ibun. Apperantly they where animals, but they reminded Frór mostley of some strange dish he once had eaten on a vissit to Lake-Town.

"My beard is for me alone and no animal shall come close to it as long as I can yield an ax, nomatter how friendly or small it is". Frór said with a twingle in his eye. He then litt his pipe and startet smoking, after some puffs he adressed Penn again.

"I have yet to see the marvels of what you call Dwarrowdelf or Phurunargian allthough I don't think the latter is used that often anymore. But If they are just half as magnificent as they say, It would still be the greates Dwarven Kingdom of them all and that is saying alot. My own home in the Iron Hills is a quite spectacular place, but nothing compared with Erebor and Aglarond should be even more amasing. Atleast so I have heard. For now I am Heading for the Blue Mountains seeking a relative of mine."

Frór finished his ale and porred him self another mug, no dwarf had ever been beaten in a drinking contest. Atleast not to his knowledge.

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

A faint chill hit the corridor as the door swung open. A couple of people hurrying hither and thither shot quick glances at the newcomer and promptly scurried away out of sight. A black cat bolted from its hiding place and disappeared into one of the far rooms. For a fleeting moment, the atmosphere was taut.

As Ciro entered the inn proper his thoughts needed collecting, and quickly. The Green Dragon was as charming as the taverns he had frequented when he was a young man, and one look at the array of fine ales on the tables and at the bar assured him that this was as adequate a location as might be. However, the looks directed at him by the clientele were interrogative enough to make him bow his head. He hoped the glares were only a consequence of his less than stellar appearance: he was pale and rather gaunt after the roads he had taken recently. Whatever the reason, his wish to remain inconspicuous had been denied.

Despite this trouble, Ciro was eagerly checking every corner of the room with his piercing blue eyes. A diverse parade of characters occupied the room; and it was light and warm inside the Green Dragon. Something was missing, though. The inn was devoid of the one thing Ciro had wanted to find within its walls. For an instant his hope flickered, and Ciro felt a growing sense of vulnerability.

So he was relieved to hear the sound of breaking glass as someone on the other side of the room knocked over a pint. All eyes were off Ciro for the moment, and he gratefully escaped from the entrance to an empty booth. He had finally made it to the Green Dragon, and here he would now have to wait.

[Valier]

At the moment Penn went to hand Pip over to the Dwarves,the door opened and closed and a figure walked in.Pip who did not like to be held struggled and knocked over Penn's ale on his way back to his bag.Merr was content for the time being to sleep sprawled on her lap,until the ale from the table began to drip on his head.He yawned, opened his eyes and waddled back to the bag as well.

Penn jumped up."Oh I am so sorry." she said as she raced to the bar to fetch a cloth.The man that had entered caught her eye for a moment.Penn smiled and hurried back to the table to clean up the spill.Her attention had slipped as it often did away for a moment and she had forgotten what they were talking about...

"Uuummm..Did you ask me a question? the ale had distracted me for a moment,"But her distraction was not the ale it was the man that sat alone at a booth that had distracted her.There was something about him,he looked a little.... lost maybe? She did not know.Penn covered her face again with a mug of ale,downing all it's contents, letting out a slight burp.She blushed again.Maybe this ale was getting to her.She tossed her hair in an excuse to get another look at the man.then again lifted ,yet another ale to her lips.

Maybe it was the behavior of Pip's mad dash to the bag that made her look twice at the man or maybe it was something in his eyes that told her he didn't want to be noticed.Penn turned her attetion to the Dwarves once again."I guess Pip does not wish to be held".she said with a shrug."Come on master Dwarves I think I am up on you."Penn laughed as she looked down at the empty ale glasses.a bit too loud,for more guests were starting to stare.

[Undómë]

Seeing the look on her brother’s face, Telu thought the better of taking Farael’s arm. She knew Tindo’s limits, and knew also that he had been pushed very near them. She clasped her hands behind her back and walked between the two of them.

The man cheats! he spoke to her mind. And for no reason than to gain your favor. Tindomion looked coldly at Farael. And who is he to put on the High King’s garb? I shouldn’t wonder if he’d stolen it off some unfortunate guard in Gondor.

‘Tindo!’ Telu gasped aloud. ‘Your words are cruel. You have no right to judge . . .'

I have every right, Teluyaviel. His reasons cut off her further speech to him. It was our parents who charged me to take care of you on this trip. To see that you came to no harm. Mother, especially, who said I was to keep you close until we both could return to the Havens and sail West. And you also promised that you would defer to me to make the best decisions for you . . . on this, this hare-brained trip of yours. Here we are less than a fortnight’s ride from the pier our parents sailed from and you begin to tread down a dangerous road.

All color fled her face at his words.

I have nothing more to say to you. Save that it is too late to set out now from the Inn, else we would pack up and do so. He stopped and shook his head at her. Make your good-byes this evening. I trust you can do so without compromising yourself completely. Tomorrow early we leave.

Tindo turned on his heel and headed back to the barn, intent on giving the stablemaster instructions to have their horses ready at day break.

Telu watched his retreating back. A curious look was on her face. A mingling of both regret and decision. She turned back toward Farael and took his arm. ‘I think I’ll pass on the ale,’ she said, her steps quickening toward the Inn. ‘But a glass of wine would be most welcome. A large glass. Red. And from Dorwinion if the Dragon has some.’ She glanced back once to where her brother had gone, but he was lost to sight. Telu put a smile on and looked at Farael. ‘Your intentions were admirable,’ she said, ‘but perhaps next time you can let me win or lose on my own.’ She sighed, speaking low, as if to herself. ‘I don’t think I could stand one more well-intentioned male trying to run my life for me . . .’

[Farael]

"I heard that Teluyaviel. Your last comment I mean. Before that I would swear that you were listening to your brother although I could not hear anything. I shall not ask what goes on between siblings, I will not ask what his cruel words were." Farael smiled at Telu politely " But I will answer for what concerns me. I do not intend to run your life for you m'lady, but my kind cannot wait for ever to get what they want. Sometimes we must refrain our impulses yet I saw no harm in my little... trick. What I wanted m'lady is far from what your brother seems to think, for I know our kinds are different and only the great of my kind can aspire to a fair lady such as yourself..." He let his words drift off, as he was lost in thought

"But I was looking for something much more..." Farael struggled to find the right word "possible, perhaps? I have admired your beautiful face, I have heard your soft, melodious voice and I have had the privilege of having a little, quiet conversation with you for some time. I am honoured indeed that you have chosen me to keep you company yet, greedy as only men can be, I was also hoping to see you smile." He took yet another pause as he needed to get his thoughts in order

"I might have overstepped my boundaries, but I thought it would do no harm. Still, I shall buy you a glass of wine and maybe then you and your brother shall forgive me." Said Farael, while holding the door open for Teluyaviel.