The Golden Perch Inn

[Tevildo]

Tollers slumped against the wall and shook his head disapprovingly as he watched the dwarf explode at Cela and stamp out of the room. He totally understood and sympathized with what Cela had been trying to do. When things were going sour, sometimes the best course was to sit down and take a breather. Any self respecting hobbit knows that a good piece of pie and a little break goes far to clear the head. And a clear head would definitely be needed to solve the problem of the missing Ring. Kuric, apparently, did not understand that.

Tollers went back to his work, trotting from table to table while collecting dishes and mopping up the mess. A familiar figure come in and sat down in the back of the room. She was clutching a small baby; two little ones played near her feet.

"Ah, Goodwife Hedgethistle, so happy to see you," Tollers went over and greeted the newcomer with a broad smile. "What have you been up to? I haven't seen you or the little ones all day."

The woman turned a worried face to Tollers and began to explain, "No? I was hoping you'd seen my Tom or Daisy. You see, I've been in my room sewing. There's work I must get done so the pieces can go back to the Brandybucks when the servant brings the wagon up tomorrow. Earlier, I told Daisy to go out with the older children and make sure no one got into any mischief. But it's been hours now and they haven't returned. You know children.... They're probably off lollygagging somewhere, but it's been so long. I was starting to get worried. You're sure you haven't seen them."

Tollers shook his head, "No, very sure. I've been here in the common room and out in the stables. But I haven't seen Daisy or Tom or any of the younger ones."

"It's hard for me, you know. With Master Hedgethistle gone now over a year....it all falls on my head."

Tollers immediately picked up on the cue. "Would you like my help? I'm due for a break, and I'd be glad to go out looking for them. They can't have gotten very far with the younger ones along. I'll just pop my head in some of the rooms and check with the guests to see if anyone's seen them."

"Would you do that? I'd be much obliged. I hate to be a nuisance. They're probably just off playing somewhere, but I'd be much relieved if you could do that."

"Don't worry now. I'll take a look and perhaps ask some others to help me."

Tollers went to the kitchen and brought back a cup of tea for the Mistress and two glasses of milk for the little ones. Then he began wandering through the Inn, carefully searching each floor and asking the guests if they'd noticed a troop of five children sometime that day. The children were usually quite noisy so Tollers figured it wouldn't be long till someone remembered seeing them. Surprisingly, however, all he got were blank stares. Finally, he came to the last room, the one that had been assigned to the Dwarf Kuric. He considered skipping the room and giving up. He would rather not speak with an angry Dwarf. But that didn't seem like the right thing to do.

The hobbit timidly approached the door and softly wrapped on it. He heard a gruff voice inside telling him to enter. He pushed the door open a single inch and whispered through the crack. "Master Dwarf, so sorry to bother you, but something else has gone missing. Five children....the ones who live just across from you....their mother says they've been gone all day, and I'm trying to help find them. I've been up and down every floor with no luck. You wouldn't have seen them by any chance?" he queried. A strange thought suddenly struck Tollers. "You know," he added, "maybe the same person who stole your Ring has also made off with these children...."

[Elfchick7]

Nienna sat quietly in her chair and studied Vehil's face. He bears a striking resemblance to the elf, Maikaalph. I wonder if they are related.

Seeing that Vehil was aware of her gaze, Nienna spoke, "Tell me, Vehil, do you have a brother? Once, I met an elf to whom you bear a striking resemblance. He aided my sister and I when it was discovered that..." she stopped, "Perhaps it is better to say no more in such times as these."

[Newsman]

The words stung like wasps in Vehil's ears, and the elf shuddered. He looked at Nienna for a moment as she trailed off, before turning away from her. A silence passed between them, punctuated only by the occasional noise emenating from the common room.

"Yes...I do. That is why I have come to the Shire, looking for any trace of him. This was one of the last places that he was seen, and so my search begins." He stopped here, and pulled up a chair. Vehil took a breath and began his story.

"I should likely begin with my origins. I come from Lothlorien, yet Maikaalph and I made our home in Minas Tirith. It was in the walls of the White City that we met an elf named Sindahir. My brother and Sindahir became quick rivals, yet a terrible thing happened that ended it all..." Here Vehil trailed off for a moment. "Maikaalph told me that he had to leave somewhere, and we traveled together to Imladris. It was there that he left me, and I have been searching ever since. That is all I will say now." Vehil then turned on Nienna. "You say you met him, where? Also, I have told my story, what is yours?"

[Elfchick7]

Nienna spoke slowly, wondering how much she dare tell, "Not long ago, there was," she paused, "a conflict between myself and some villagers. Maikaalph gave us aid when all others would not. My family, we are not trusted in most communities. I dare not say more. In these times, when dark powers are rising in the black land, I must be cautious lest someone remembers."

She stopped and looked up at Vehil, "I pray you, do not try to learn more of my sister and I. Please trust that we are not of the enemy."

Thinking to herself, I will not tell him more of Maikaalph. If he does know of our father, it would best to have some means of safe departure. My knowledge of his brother may be the deciding force in the end.

[Finduilas]

Elorn was glad that other elves went to help of the new arrival and her wounded sister. The poor elf looked tired and as if her shoulder was hurting her greatly.

He returned to Alasse, who had taken a seat, and sat down. He sat silent for a short while thinking, again, of home. Remembering Alasse he shook himself, and started talking, he didn’t really care about what.

“How often do you come to the Shire?” He asked, hoping it wasn’t to personal a question, “This is my first time seeing these parts, and I probably wont be staying long.”