The Green Dragon Inn #11 - The Last Chapter

[Eowyn Skywalker]

"Well...on the way over there's plenty... from. If you like your savouries there's roast chicken... taters and rolls alongside butter. And if your tastes... the sweet side...more than enough there to satisfy. Course, I don't know how much will be left by now, you...someone for it!"

Most of what the woman said passed Ariane by in the bustle of music, noice, and typical clamor filling the room with the sound of people, though she tried to sort out the idea of what had been said. I've never met someone as eager as her before, she thought.

Working her way through a group of hobbits, she found she clung slightly to her newfound companion's hand before they finally reached the table, loaded already with food ranging from meat, vegtables, and various sweets of many types, shapes, sizes, and smells. Or perhaps... yes. Eru, I never thought anyone could match Gaelyn. Ariane smiled reminicently for a moment before latching onto a plate and sticking relatively behind the other woman to get some chicken, potatoes, and something that looked slightly like chocolate.

She had always liked sweets, and decided there wasn't anyone around to care if she gained weight from overeating. "So," she said, raising her voice slightly as she sought a roll from the table. "What's your name, anyway?"

[nynnd1]

“It was best for me to leave the white city. There was nothing keeping me there, I have no family, and life here seems that it will be good.” Bredan stopped and put a potato in his mouth. “and it will be amazing if these potatoes are anything to go by!” Bredan said as he scooped up more potatoes to fill his bowl. Bredan also took some slices of chicken and more vegetables that smelt like nothing he had ever smelt before. He had not realised how hungry he was until he tried that potato.

“After the party I will show you what I collected from the bandits. You can see if there is anything from the merchants that you left.”

Bredan turned to look out at the party, Farael was already looking, and Bredan sensed that he was troubled by something.

“I told Master Meriadoc that I would go back one day to see him, you can come with me when I go if you want?” Bredan hoped that this news may take his new found friends mind off of what he was thinking about.

[Kath]

Astilwen had been pleased to note that the woman stayed with her at the table and even seemed to have cheered up a little. She knew she'd been pretty insistent at first but she just hated to see anyone upset, and rather than ask them about it and send them into further sadness, getting them up and about often seemed to do the trick.

Behind the general babble she heard a question directed at her, and stopped filling her plate for a moment to answer it.

"So, what's your name, anyway?"

"I'm Astilwen. Odd name for a hobbit I know but I'm used to it now! And you?"

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

Ciro walked through the shadows of the dimly-lit corridor. Sadness was etched on his face, but as yet no-one in the Inn knew why. He had met a hidden stranger by a back door of the building, and the man brought tidings which concerned Ciro deeply. He had decided to leave.

He walked to the front door and noticed a small group of folk arriving at the Inn for the party. Ciro halted in front of the door to the bar, which was open, as the group obstructed his exit. At this moment, Penn caught his eye and waved him over. She looked quite lonesome. All Ciro could do, though, was shake his head.

Penn trotted over and, pushing through the crowd at the door, asked Ciro what was wrong. "After all, there's going to be a lovely party, tonight."

Ciro looked at her carefully. "I have to go, miss" he said. "It's not safe for me to stay here. I'm sorry I couldn't speak longer with you. Do tell the Dwarves that it was a pleasure to speak with them, won't you? They'll understand."

"Don't leave!" cried Penn. But Ciro had made up his mind. His plans had gone awry. The Southern Man was in great peril and could in no way meet Ciro at the Green Dragon. The only people who would enquire about Ciro in this land now would be enemies.

He tipped his hat toward Penn, opened the front door, and strode off.

[Eowyn Skywalker]

"I'm Astilwen. Odd name for a hobbit I know but I'm used to it now! And you?"


Ariane paused where she was examining various interesting looking sweets, the music drilling its way to loop in her head, over and over again as it carried on playing in the background, but also staying in her mind in one particular little point. "Ariane. Ariane Calthye." She shrugged. "I'm really not certain of where it came from, and a few have remarked to its tone."

She found the hobbit to be a most remarkable person, a bit like she might have ended up had she been about two feet shorter, and had a chance to grow up properly, in a much different manner. Were all short people stereotyped to be cheerful, Ariane wondered to herself? There had been a time when she had been a cheerful person who couldn't be matched for the melodrama, salient and proud of it.

Perhaps Elachi had changed her, then...

But she shook it aside. Her husband wasn't there (though some part of her mind wished he was, if only to see if he'd hit his head on the doorway), and she had someone to talk to. Someone who most certainly was not concerned about the issues in her reality. Someone who might actually hold a relatively sane conversation with her, and not care about her height, for that matter. She smiled to herself. That was a rareity.

[Kath]

"Ariane. Ariane Calthye. I'm really not certain of where it came from, and a few have remarked to its tone."

After she'd said this the woman seemed to wander off into thought for a few moments. Astilwen let her be as she finished piling her plate and, noting that her new companion seemed to have enough also, began to make her way out of the crowd.

"Well I think Ariane is a very pretty name whether it has a story behind it or not. And at least it fits you. You find people with the strangest names sometimes, often long and difficult ones that with the best will in the world you just can't remember!"

She spoke as she moved, causing Ariane to follow close behind her so she could catch the words above the noise. This had the added benefit of people moving for Astilwen, who was smaller than many hobbits, and often had trouble getting through crowds. The companionship of someone a little taller than most of those around was helpful indeed. Finally out of the mass of bodies she turned to Ariane.

"So, shall we find a table?"

[Eowyn Skywalker]

"So, shall we find a table?"

Wading through the torrent of small bodies, and of course those who were far taller than Ariane herself, being as she was petite for a human being. Having followed tightly behind the hobbit (who seemed as if she were only a child in comparation to herself), she was able to catch the words over the clamor. "Certainly." She stood up on her tiptoes for a moment. "I think there's a free one over there, if you'd like."

She didn't wait for much of a reply, though, taking the inventive to menuver through the other sentients crowding the inn well enough, and placed her plate down on a fairly nearby and at the moment empty table. It wasn't that hard to get through, and she hoped that Astilwen was able to follow after without much difficulty. Ariane knew all too well what it was like to be the short one out. At least she's pronouncing my name correctly, she thought wryly, and sat down on the oaken chairs surrounding the wood table, gazing for a moment at the grain.

A strange urge drew her gaze upright for a moment and to the roof. There weren't tiles, but she hadn't expected there to be, anyway.