The Golden Perch Inn

[Kath]

Still standing at the counter even though Dick had left her Cir looked over at her brother. She hadn't meant to upset him, she'd really thought that staying here and having some fun would cheer him up a bit. He seemed so low at the moment, though she couldn't fathom the reason. Still, maybe she should have talked to him about her plan rather than springing it on him, he always wanted to be in the know as much as she did, and tended to get equally annoyed when he wasn't.

Suddenly she saw him smile as he caught her eye and nodded toward the Dwarves sitting at the table. The mischievous glint in her eye had her remembering a few years back to the last time she had seen the race. Glad that Cir was looking happier she shot a grin at him and mouthed a few words of one of the songs she had sung. Realising what she was about to do her brother shook his head to try and dissaude her, but couldn't stop the growing smile.

Cir waited until the hobbit children had disappeared from the table, not wanting to interrupt a conversation, and then stepped up next to the Dwarves, making them jump as she burst into song.

"O! What are you doing?
And why are you staying?
If you don't plan on leaving,
We could use your help playing!"

[Folwren]

Daisy took a few steps back as the dwarf put her down. He smiled at the two of them. “You’re young pups, little mistress, little master. And I’m not wanting to get in any trouble with your mother or father. Perhaps you should see to asking them first about whether they want you listening to stories about dragons first. Agreed? My cousin, here, Bívor,” he added, chuckling a great, deep chuckle, “used to get so scared when one of his uncles would tell stories that we’d have to leave two little lanterns burning at night where he slept - to drive away any scary shadows!”

Dorling and Daisy didn’t know whether to believe this tale or not. All they could manage was to stare all the more as all the dwarves but Bívor laughed, and Bívor gave them a look very easily interpreted to mean ‘Don’t believe a word they’re telling you!’

Dorlind recovered his wits the fastest. “We’ll ask Papi,” he said. “I don’t think he’ll mind!”

“No, Papi won’t mind. But Dorlind gets scared, too, sometimes, when he hears scary stories,” Daisy winked slyly, a funny and unexpected movement on the part of the five year old. She grinned before turned and walking quickly away.

“I don’t get scared,” Dorlind said quickly, backing away. “I’ll ask Papi. I hope we’ll be able to hear a story. So long!” As quickly as he thought polite, then, he turned and trotted after his sister. He caught up to her quickly and whispered furiously in her ear. “I do not get scared! I told you earlier!”

“Never mind,” she said, giggling. “There’s Papi, let’s ask him!”

They ran forward, around the bar, and to where Dick stood speaking with Jack.

“Papi!” they both cried together as they ran up to him, stopping just short of colliding with him. “Those Dwarves over there?” “They know stories!” “About dragons!” “Can we listen to them?” “Please?” “I won’t be scared, I promise!” “And they said that if you said-”

“Hold on, hold on!” cried Dick, laughing and placing a hand on each of the twins’ heads. “One second and then when I finish with Mr. Jack here, I’ll hear you one at a time. Now, Jack, I think you’d be quite a help to Tollers if you worked out here. Go and try to catch up to the lad and ask him to show you how to manage things and you’ll get along capitally. Better let Tollers handle the drinks, it’s mighty tricky not to spill it sometimes when there are a great many orders. You’ll manage.

“The work will pay off for your keep and probably enough even for your food. Don’t worry about that, though. We’ll figure something out. For now, help Tollers. Thanks mightily.”

[Firefoot]

Cela had never quite realized just how much she enjoyed having Primrose’s – or anybody’s, really – company in the kitchen while they worked. Certainly, Dick, Tollers, and others were in and out of the kitchen fairly frequently, but by way of conversation she had little else to talk to than the vegetables. Instead, she had often found herself humming a familiar tune or talking to herself.

“Bit of this, bit of that,” Cela now murmured as she added herbs to the large pot of steaming fish stew. Tollers had brought in a more than enough fish for the stew that was smelling ever more appetizing as it cooked. Even more tempting, however, was the fry pan of mushrooms that had caught Dick’s attention earlier. Cela picked one out of the pan to taste and silently declared the mushrooms done and every bit as tasty as they smelled. Not that she had really needed a taste to tell, but she could never be too sure – not where mushrooms were concerned, anyway. These combined with the bread left from the afternoon meal completed the supper; all that remained was for it to be served.

She ducked out of the kitchen to inform Dick of this and found him talking with that Man Tollers had befriended. She hoped that Dick did not intend to set him working in the kitchens again; she had found him rather blundering with the plates, as she imagined most Big Folk like him must be, and the kitchen really was not meant to hold such large workers…

“Food’s all ready,” she said, “and if everything else is set, I can start dishing up some plates…” Then her gaze darted towards Jack and back to Dick with her eyebrows raised, silently asking if there was anything she ought to know.

[Forest Elf]

“Thanks.” Gable said when they were on the ground again. Now that she thought about it, it was probably a good thing her sleeve was nailed there, or she would have fallen… Then again, she’d never of been in that situation if she’d never climbed up there in the first place, yet she couldn’t resist. She had to make herself useful, or she’d just go off wandering again. Like her mother was when she was young…and alive.

Gable suddenly remembered the pony. Odd, she hadn’t thought about it all day, when usually she would be worrying her head off about stuff like that. Must be because of all the commotion, and unexpected visitors from Rivendell, Cir and Cir. She was glad to see them again, yes. But in seeing them again, it brought up old memories of times at Rivendell. Running off on a new adventure, riding all day without a care in the world, her parents always telling her not to wander off to far to no extent, and no use. She wandered no matter how much they told her. At times, she couldn’t shake the feeling that it had been her fault that they died. That she should have listened and they’d still be here. Yet, she wouldn’t be here, in the beautiful and peaceful Shire, and made the friends she has now.

[Celuien]

Once Gable's feet were safely on firm ground, Primrose let out a sigh of relief. She knew only too well the effects of a fall and would have been sorry to see another dweller at the Golden Perch harmed.

Will still lingered at the other side of the ladder. Primrose hopped closer, reached into her pocket and pulled out the apple she had found in her lap earlier. A soft twinkle came into her eyes. A corner of her apron served to polish the apple again, though the bright red peel already reflected the afternoon sun almost as brightly as the waters of a still pond.

"Thank you for the apple, Will," she said, and laughed gently as Will was suddenly flustered by her acknowledgement of the gift. "Don't look so surprised. There aren't many here as would take the trouble to shine up an apple for me as bright as you did." Primrose suddenly found herself blushing again as she went on, "But an apple always tastes sweeter if there's someone to talk to while you're eating it. Would you like some company?" She added quickly, "It's lonely out of the kitchen."

[Arry]

Now had it been yesterday, Will would have had no problem inviting Prim in to share an apple. But somehow, since this morning, his ordinary, dependable, routine life had gone slightly askew. He found himself quite tongue-tied and somehow the area under his collar had grown quite hot.

We…we’d be alone in there! And have mercy! Wasn’t she standing there looking at him, her eyes all twinkly. Were they twinkly before and he hadn’t noticed? He couldn’t remember.

Will managed somehow to unstick his tongue from the roof of his mouth and squeaked out, ‘Company?’ He brought his fist to his mouth and coughed, trying to regain some semblance of composure.

‘Company, yes...that would be nice,’ he managed. ‘But, you know,’ he went on, ‘the floor in the stable’s pretty uneven, and I wouldn’t want you to fall again.’ He touched her lightly on the elbow, saying, ‘May I?’ offering support. ‘Why don’t we go on into the kitchen? I didn’t get any of the stew.’ ‘And,’ he grinned at Prim, his hunger lending him confidence, ‘I’d sure like a few more of the mushrooms Cela fried.’

He paused for a moment – the thought suddenly striking him that perhaps she might have her own druthers about where she wanted to have her meal.

‘Or…we could just go into the common room. See who’s there. What do you think?’

[Noinkling]

Two pairs of dark eyes turned quickly to consider the source of the loud noise. An Elf, of course! The blighters were good at sneaking up on folk. thought Bívor, turning back to look at his brother. Bávor stroked his chin as he looked the singer up and down. Both pushed back their chairs a bit and flicked their gazes toward Skirvir. Their cousin was not overly fond of Elves. Overbearing; rude, he thought them. And the name “Naugrim”, which was so often used by the Elves, grated on him each time he heard it said.

Skirvir’s eyes were seemingly drawn to a small puddle of ale on the table. With his index finger, he traced a spiral, in and out and in once again. ‘So,’ he spoke at last, his brow furrowed, questioning. ‘Do I have the right of it? You Elves are in need of Dwarven help?’