Take My Pain Away

Chapter 2

Abrâ sighed deeply when she was able to hand her pony off to the stable master of The Prancing Pony. She gave him a pat on the neck and leaned in close to his ear, "Now you be a good pony. Don't be giving this gentleman any trouble, you hear?"

The pony whinnied and tossed his head as the man said, "Don't you worry miss. He will be well taken care of."

She smiled gratefully at him, "Thank you, he is my best companion." With a final pat, she crossed the threshold of the inn and was delighted to find people of all heights. Here, she decided, she could fit in.

She was curious about the tiny dwarves; she was not at all familiar with this breed of her kind. She scrabbled up onto a stool and ordered an ale from the barkeep.

The tiny dwarf on the stool next to her smiled and held his hand out in greeting. She smiled back, but did not take his hand. Instead she said, "Good afternoon dwarf. My name is Abrâ, what is yours?"

The dwarf looked at her, taken aback. "I am no dwarf. No, no lass, I am Longwater, a Hobbit of the Shire."

"A Hobbit?" She cocked her head, making note of the differences she now saw. The Hobbit was considerably smaller than she, with wild curly hair and no beard. She looked him up and down and smiled widely when she spotted his hairy feet. "My goodness," she exclaimed. "I have never seen a person like you in my whole life!"

"You had best get used to it if you mean to stay in these parts, lass. The little blighters are everywhere," the bartender declared.

"Now see here Toddlebright!" the Hobbit snarled. "You just watch out who yer talkin' to!"

"Oh, pardon me Mr. Longwater," he responded, sarcastically. "I had forgotten my place, again." He rolled his eyes at Abrâ.

She giggled and said, "I am sure you are all quite respectable."

"Not this one," Toddlebright said, jerking a thumb at Longwater before belly laughing.

"Harrumph," the Hobbit pouted.

Abrâ turned to Toddlebright and asked, "You would not have happened to have seen Incànus, have you?"

"I'm sorry miss...who?"

"Oh," she looked worried. "Incànus. He is a wizard." She gestured as she described the wizard, "Grey cloak, long grey beard, pointy grey hat."

"You must mean Gandalf!" he grumbled. "Was in here yesterday making a fuss about dwarves..."

"Did he say when he would be back?"

"Said he was going to Hobbiton to see Mr.Baggins up that way and would be back in 3 days."

Abrâ slumped in her stool. 3 days. She would have to wait 3 days. She turned to Longwater, "Do you know where Hobbiton is?"

"Course I do, lass. I live there, don't I?"

"Do you?"

"Yes, of course."

"And how long does it take to get there?"

"Oh, less than a day. You just have to go through the forest and cross Brandywine bridge...maybe a day."

"Thank you," she smiled at Longwater and turned to the bartender. "Could I get a room for tonight? I shall make my way to Hobbiton tomorrow."

The bartender turned to the back wall and got a key; he turned back to Abrâ and held it out to her.

She smiled softly and asked, "Can you please put it down?"