Homecoming

Common Room(#32029RM)

This large and rectangular room serves the purpose of Common Room for the Prancing Pony. Large windows along the western end of the room peek out over the Great East Road which runs outside the Inn. There are long tables with bench seats for the patrons in the centre of the room. Nestled into the wall is a large fireplace with several bundles of wood piled next to it. Sunlight streams through the windows to mingle with the smoke that floats above the ceiling beams, and provide an odd sort of illumination that, even in daylight, doesn't quite reach the corners. The lamps which hang down are presently unlit.

[Arthamon(#24624)] The midday crowd has subsided in the inn and only a few stragglers remain. Dwarves with forked beards stained with ale and a few townsfolk sit scattered about the room. None even look up as a dirty figure wrapped in green enters the room. He takes a seat near the fire, his usual one in fact, that remains unoccupied as if waiting for his return.

"Aye you! You've been gone a bloody long time you have!" The shrill voice of the barmaid rings in Rover's ears. "I remember you, I do! You caused a good deal of trouble you did! Now what do you want?" The tall man smiles warmly. "Give me my regular," he whispers. The woman suddenly looks put off, and storms off behind the bar.

A small lad, looking about 11 or so, is sitting in front of the fire with his arms around his knees and his chin resting on them. He looks ... scared, almost. This is very strange for Lek, who is generally ebulliant, full of mischief and afraid of nothing. And what would he be frightened of here, anyways? In the Pony? His eyes follow Rover as the man sits near him, and the waitress's loud voice makes him jump, visibly startled.

Tieren pushes open the door to the Pony, his cloak wrapped around his body and the hood pulled up over his head, his eyes nearly covered in shadows. He closes the door behind him before he pauses at the entrance, scanning over the room. He pulls back the hood before moves further into the room, holding the cloak around him.

As the door opens, heads lift to see who has come in, and eyes watch Tieren, until it is clear he isn't going to do anything Funny. Most folks go back to their drinks or meals or talk, but a few keep watching, curious as to why he's still wrapped up - the fire's burning warmly, after all.

[Arthamon(#24624)] "Here you go! Took me a long time to remember your "regular" it did!" The flustered maid screeches as she returns with a mug of warm cider. Rover sips the foam off the top and removes three coins from his pocket. The maid's face lights up. She walks away with a grin while Rover sips his drink and watches the newcomer enter closely. His eyes travel across the room, and fall on the boy he met before. "You boy," he whispers, "How have you been since our last meeting?"

Lek blinks then grins. "I'm good," he announces. His eyes stray across the room to watch the man who has just come in. "How come he's wearing a hood?" he asks. Then he raises his voice, "Hey, are you cold?"

Tieren's gaze glances to Lek and a small smirk forms on his lips. "No, child. I am not cold." He says to the kid before he makes his way towards an empty seat, letting go of the cloak so it flows behind him.

"How come you're wearing that cloak then?" Lek asks, curiously.

[Arthamon(#24624)] Rover chuckles as the boy calls out to the newcomer. He sighs with content as he drains the mug of cider. He turns back to Lek. "You are an inquisitive child," he notes, "Although I believe I have mistaken you for another child I met outside the city." With a wink, he turns his gaze back to Tieren.

Lek turns to Arthamon. "What's inquizztive?" he asks. His brown eyes meet Arthamon's and he tips his head a bit. "Was he fishing? I went fishing a while back."

[Arthamon(#24624)] The Ranger smiles. Perhaps he has a soft spot for children. "Inquisitive means you ask a lot of questions. It's all right. Children are supposed to be inquisitive." Turning away, he adds in a whisper, "It's when Rangers become inquisitive that people begin to worry." The tall man orders another cider from the barmaid, who is more than happy to get it for him now, and without looking at Lek he sighs and crosses his arms. "The child was hunting, my lad, not fishing. I suppose you wouldn't know who I was talking about because I didn't get a name."

Tieren sits down at an empty seat, letting out a sigh as soon as he is sitting. He looks back to Lek and smirks. "I wear it because the woods tend to get a bit cold and windy." He tells the child. His eyes turn to the Ranger for a moment before he looks for a barmaid.

Lek shakes his head, but his face is curious. "Who was it?" he asks. "Was he my age? I haven't ever been hunting, only fishing." To Tieren, he nods, listening, then he says, "You were probably cold," he decides.

[Arthamon(#24624)] Meeting Tieren's gaze, the Ranger smiles. To Lek he shakes his head. "I don't know my lad," he says again, "I don't know his name. And perhaps the man is not cold. I am wearing a cloak and I am not cold."

Tieren manages to flag down a barmaid, looking at her as he speaks. "Pint of Ale. Strongest you've got." He says before he places a few coins in her hand and sends her off. His gaze returns to the Ranger, offering a slight nod if he happens to catch gazes again.

"Oh," says Lek, disappointedly. "Where at?" he demands, next. "And if you're not cold, how come you're wearing your cloak?"

[Arthamon(#24624)] Rover shakes his head. "There's no stopping you, is there?" he asks as his second drink appears. He sips in silence for the moment, but his eyes travel back to Tieren.

Tieren nods a thanks to the barmaid as his drink arrives, taking a pull from the mug before he sets it on the table before him. His eyes scan over the room, taking in those present.

[Arthamon(#24624)] Draining a second mug, the Ranger stands and lays a few more coins on the table. Wordlessly he moves towards the door, but before leaving he turns and waves to Lek with a wide smile.

Stopping him? Lek looks confused. Then he shrugs and turns his attention to Tieren, whom he watches with silent intensity. He waves after Arthamon, then his eyes land on a hobbit who is beckoning to him. He leaps up from the floor, grins widely at Tieren, and dodges across the floor, ducking between drinking men.

Tieren takes a long pull from his ale before he nods slightly, looking around the area. "It's good to be home." He says to himself.