Nerwen the Green and the Search for the Entwives #wattys2019

Chapter VIII: An Interesting Dinner

Chapter VIII: An Interesting Dinner

In the following days, Nerwen crossed undisturbed the quiet and tidy countryside of the Shire. The entire land emanated serenity and peacefulness, and she felt at ease; somehow the pastoral land reminded her of her beloved gardens in southern Valinor, now so far away, and which she perhaps – only perhaps – would be able to see again a long time from now.

The third day after parting from Gandalf, she arrived at the crossing with the road coming from Bywater, where the inn recommended by Gandalf, The Green Dragon, was located. The Aini turned Thilgiloth to the left and took that road, calmly both because she wasn't in a hurry and didn't want to scare off the increasing number of wayfarers on the road.

A couple of hours later she reached the small village of Bywater, so called because it was built on the waterfront of a tiny lake; Nerwen located immediately the Green Dragon because it was the largest building in the settlement, and also because its sign – a winged, bright green dragon – was definitely self-explanatory.

She dismounted and whispered to Thilgiloth to wait quietly for her, then she stooped her head and entered in the wide-open doorway, round as it was customary among the Hobbits.

"Hullo, stranger!" she was greeted vivaciously by a young female Hobbit with long brown curly hair and a bright smile, less timid than the majority of the Shire-folk, "We don't receive many visits from the Tall People, around here..."

Her tone was clearly puzzled, but out of discretion, she didn't ask her directly where she came from and what she was doing here. Nerwen reciprocated this beautiful girl's smile:

"I'm on my way to Bree," she said, "Do you have a place where I can sleep, and lodging for my horse?" then, remembering Tobold Hornblower's concern, she added, "I know everything's Hobbit-size, but I'd be satisfied with just a pallet, and Thilgiloth can stay in an outdoor corral."

"Then there aren't no problems," the pretty Hobbit smiled, "Welcome to Bywater, madam. My name's Petunia Cotton, I'm the owner of the Green Dragon, at your service."

The owner? Nerwen readjusted her perception of the supposed age of this Hobbit female, remembering that Gandalf had told her they were rather more long-lived than Men but less than Dwarves. Petunia wasn't certainly old, but not even so young as she had thought at first.

"I'm Nerwen the Green", she introduced herself, "Thank you for your welcome."

OOO

A couple of hours later, Nerwen had freshened up and changed her clothes. She hadn't been able to take a proper bath, being the bathtubs small for her due to their being meant for Hobbits, but at least she had warm water, a pitcher and a basin at her disposal, so she had used a washcloth to clean her face and body, and then she had donned a green housedress in light cotton muslin. Since Gandalf assigned her the colour as an Istar, she had adopted it for all her travel clothes.

Petunia informed her that dinner would be at sunset in the common room, where she would keep a table for her. In a rather concerned tone, she warned her that, again, everything was Hobbit-size – tables, chairs, dishes – but Nerwen, remembering her experience at The Bold Rooster, reassured her it would be fine.

When she got down in the hall, Nerwen crossed it and headed for the door to the common room, passing it and only stooping slightly. In the large room there were several Shire-folk, sitting at the tables or in front of the . Petunia beckoned her and Nerwen approached her, while the Hobbit lady slipped between two patrons carrying an empty tray.