Bree -- The durnededest pony

North Market

This section of Bree comprises Market North, on a street running north-south. To the north is the Great East Road and the well-known Prancing Pony. South are more shops and stores, as the market continues on in that direction. This area is quite noisy from the many traders, vendors, and other folk about. The smell of fine food drifts through the market, attracting more hobbits than Big Folk.

A light drizzle trickles from the sky. The early morning summer air is very hot and dry around you.

Obvious exits:

Round Door leads to Tunnelly Pipeweed Shoppe.

General Store leads to General Store.

Blacksmith leads to Blacksmith's Shop.

South leads to Bree Market - South.

North leads to At the Sign of the Prancing Pony.

================================== Bree Time ==================================

Real time: Tue Jul 15 14:17:26 2008

Bree time: Early Morning <08:52:18> on Monday of Summer - June 13,1444

Moon Phase: New Moon

Breelands Weather

The early morning summer air is very hot and dry around you. A misty rain comes down from the day sky.

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Morning is here, though there's some debate as to whether it can actually be called 'good'. Fine droplets of rain drift down from a dull, heavy sky and the air is hot and humid - it is July, after all.

Still, inclement weather or no, folk are going about their business, some with umbrellas held over them and others merely trying to ignore that ever-persistent damp. Torebras Bywater, of course, is one of the fortunate ones who possesses an umbrella. The hobbit trots along with a sheaf of papers tucked under one arm, a grimace of distaste crossign his features as his toes squelch in mud.

[Tarry(#25241)] Some people, it might seem, don't quite care whether it's raining or not. One such person is a certain Hobbit who goes by the name of Tarry Pott. He walks merrily through the rain with his feet splashing in the mud. He seems perfectly content in this weather, like he doesn't have a care in this world.

Torebras turns his head to glance toward the door of the Pipeweed Shop, and a little sigh escapes his lips - alas, it's not yet open. Thus distracted, he's quite taken by surprise when a splash of muddy water hits his legs. "Will you watch what- ahh, that is, inclement weather we're having, isn't it?," he temporizes, looking his fellow hobbit up and down. "Still, I suppose it's better than that drought of a few years back."

Tarry smiles brightly at the other Hobbit, nodding in agreement. "Very inclement! So much so. But I like it!" He says in a good nature. He frowns at the other fellows legs. "I sure hope that it wasn't me who did that to you! I'd hate to think it was." He shakes his head. "If we had a drought, I'd be an unhappy lad, I'll give ya that much!" He grins.

At this early-morning hour there are many comings and goings, as folk hurry to their workplaces or perhaps prepare for a little early-morning shopping despite the rain.

Torebras self-conciously rubs one leg against the other, leaving a smear of mud on his black breeches. In truth, it's hard to tell who was responsible for the splash, and Torebras doesn't try. Instead he rearranges his features into a genial smile, and goes remarks, "I don't believe I recollect your name, my dear fellow."

Tarry smiles widely, extending his hand, seeming to forget about the mud quickly. "Tarry. Tarry Pott, at your service." He grins. "I don't suppose we have met, have we? Can't meet everyone in a city, can you? It would be mighty hard, I would think."

[Deedee(#30191)]

A splashing, rattling noise comes clattering up the lane and into the marketplace of Bree. The source of the din is of course a small wicker cart pulled by a very soggy, crabby looking little dapple grey pony who seems to want nothing more than to get out of the rain. What is odd in the situation here is that there is no driver in the cart's seat - the pony travels on his own. He stops next to Tarry and Torebras with a disgusted snort.

Hurried hobbit footsteps come padding up behind him and a very muddy hobbit lass, splashed from head to toe with mud comes running up from behind: "Thistle, you ... you durnededest poney!" she shouts, heedless of the other hobbits just yet.

Torebras shifts his umbrella to his left hand, so that he can reach out to shake Tarry's hand with his right. "True, true," he concedes. "But I like to think I at least try, in the line of duty. Torebras Bywater, at your service and Bree's," and here he gives a little bob. "The Mayo-" he is beginning when a loud snort interrupts him.

When the hobbit's gaze falls on the pony he makes a little strangled noise and takes several steps back, swallowing hard. The papers he'd been holding tucked under his left arm come loose and begin to slide to the muddy ground.

Tarry grins a little wider. "It's very very nice to meetcha, sir! Very much!" He says, brushing some hair out of his eyes. As the pony with the cart start trotting through, he looks upon it with wide-eyed wonder. It's only as the pony stops right at them. "Watcha doin' without no driver there, silly pony! Ya could hurt somebodies!" He frowns. It's only when the girl comes running up after the horse that some sort of sense is made. "Is this your pony, then, Miss?"

[Deedee(#30191)]

Exasperated would best describe the hobbit lass's temper right now. She flips her soggy, mostly straightened curls back from her face and smears her forehead with a little extra mud in the process. Crossing her eyes, she looks up, trying to see the mess for a moment. Bringing her gaze back down, she grins appologetically at the two other hobbits - and a tad embarrassedly at that: "Awfully sorry 'bout this, misters...Hey!" She sharpens her hazel eyes in to focus on Tarry a little more closely, "What do you mean, miss? I'm your cousin, Deedee!"

Thistle meanwhile cares nothing for the dropped papers, nor the family reunion, and jerks his head. Ambling away from the hobbits, he heads for a produce stand in search of food to steal.

"My papers!" Torebras lets out a little moan. It is at least a dozen heartbeats before he can summon up further speech.

"You really should watch where you're going, young lady," he tells the muddy hobbit lass, with scant consideration for the reunion of cousins. "The Market is no place for loose ponies."

When the pony moves off he sighs and bends to pick up some of his dropped papers, looking slightly red in the face and sliding frequent sidelong glances toward the disobedient Thistle. Poor fellow, he really does look quite flustered!

Tarry looks sympathetically at Torebras. "Don't worry! It was a mistake, I'm sure it was." And with that he offers a little smile at Deedee. "Deedee?" He asks slowly. "Well, if it isn't my cousin little Deedee Pott /all the way/ from the Shire!" He lets out a little chuckle as the pony trots off to find some food. "Aww, don't be in a fuss, mister." He says to Torebras. "The pony just seemed to be hungry some!"

[Deedee(#30191)]

Deedee really does seem regretful of the mess she has caused, and hangs her head a little, looking down at her muddy toes: "In all fairness, he went and pitched mea headlong off'n the cart, sir," she mumbles under her breath.

Noticing Thistle's sudden vanishing act, she yelps and runs after him again, grabbing him before he makes off with half the contents of a bushel basket of carrots.

Tugging him back over to the others, she giggles at Tarry: "Hungry? He's always hungry no matter how much you feed 'im."

Sighing slightly, she asks very timidly of Torebras, "Did they get ruined?" The lass points to the bedraggled documents.

"It's just ... I ..." Torebras stutters, seemingly unable to make a coherent sentence. Then something Tarry has said registers. "The Shire?" One newly-reclaimed piece of paper escapes his grip and flutters back groundward to land face-down in a puddle.

By the time Deedee is back with them, there is a rather forced smile on his face. "Ruined? Oh, no, no." The one at his feet certainly is, it's now little more than a blue-stained pulp. "Delighted to meet you, young lady. We don't get visitors from the Shire often enough. Why, we were discussing that matter just the other day!" He beams at the lass, and then at Tarry as though to say 'Thank you' for his own part in this happy coincidence.

Tarry laughs. "Sounds just like my kinda pony ya got there, Deedee! If ya didn't need him to get back to the Shire none, I'd ask if /I/ could have him!" He nods firmly. "Are you doin' alright then, Deedee? I mean, flying off a cart can't be all that great!" He says in all seriousness. He smiles at Torebras. "Yes. A lot of my family comes from the Shire. Deedee here is one of them!"

[Deedee(#30191)]

Through the rain, Deedee smiles at Torebras, glad to know that things aren't all ... completely ruined at least by the mishap she caused just now: "Aye, the Shire's a ways away, but I come here often enough with my big brother Bingo ... or just by myself and Thistle to visit family when I can."

Turning to Tarry, she giggles, "If I didn't need 'im, believe me, you could keep 'im and welcome! But he's a handful."

As if to illustrate the point, Thistle yanks his head free from her tiny hand again and begins making his way to the market stands once more.

Torebras nods at Tarry's explanation. "Potts, hmm," he murmurs thoughtfully - he doesn't even bat an eye at Tarry's wish for a pony, though he does look rather alarmed at Deedee's reply, and quite relieved when Thistle wanders off once more.

Bree's erstwhile Mayor then goes on, in his most pompous manner, "We are looking to facilitate more regular trade between our two lands. Perhaps ... ahem, perhaps I should speak with the head of your travelling party, Miss Potts? Your father? Or your brother?" Matters of business are nothing to worry your pretty little head about, says that patronizing glance.

Tarry shakes his head, tsking. "That pony'll the greatest, me thinks." He chuckles. "Oh well, he's got character! Ya gotta give 'im that much!" He smiles broadly. "I'm sure if I know anything about my family, it's that they'd be fine traders if there ever were any!"

[Deedee(#30191)]

Sopping wet, Deedee chases down Thistle again, only this time he makes off with an apple. Sighing, she reaches into a wet pocket and hands some coins to the cross looking vendor and appologises. Returning to the others, she grins and nods: "I'll tell Bingo you're looking for more trade, I betcha he'd be gald to know and come this way." Glancing at Tarry, she chuckles, "He's the best, but we're both soaked... I think I'd best take 'im over to the stable to get wrung out and go get dried off and cleaned up myself."

Torebras lets out a chuckle, hastily turned into a cough, at Tarry's enthusiasm. "Perhaps you should consider turning trader yourself, young Mister Potts. Merchanting is a good respectable occupation - after all, a town like ours thrives on it!" Sincere as the words sound, his attention is clearly more than half-occupied by that wandering pony. When Deedee finally returns, he murmurs, "Ah, quite, quite." An eyeblink's hesitation, no more, then he adds politely to the hobbit lass, "I do hope you enjoy your stay - I'm sure Tarry here will make sure of that." He beams broadly in Tarry's direction. The wish that that pony will never make itself seen in public again is, naturally, not voiced aloud.?

Tarry smiles at Deedee. "Alright. Be sure he's secured in them stables! Don't want him to be getting away again, no do we?" He chuckles. He gazes at Torebras. "Trading? I never thought of trading. Maybe...maybe." He nods. "I'm going to give that some firm thought! And while I do, I'll be sure to make sure that Deedee has a very good time Bree!"

[Deedee(#30191)]

Drenched, Deedee smiles warmly anyway at the two other hobbits and begins tugging Thistle after herself toward the direction of the tables. She stops long enough to call back over her shoulder: "Nice to meet you, sir," to Torebras, and "Be seeing you soon, Tarry!" to the other. And with that, she and her miscrient pony pass from sight around a corner.

Torebras nods approvingly at Tarry. "You do that." He almost makes as though to lift his left arm and pat his fellow hobbit on the shoulder, but remembers his precariously clutched documents just in time. He watches Deedee leave, contenting himself with a smile rather than a wave.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some important business to attend to." His gaze strays longingly toward the Pipeweed Shop, which has just opened. He gives Tarry a little bob of the head, and then off he goes with his umbrella and his armful of wet, mud-splattered documents - well, all minus one. It now lies in disintegrating pieces at the bottom of a puddle.

Tarry waves to Deedee. "I'll be seeing you very soon!" He smiles widely. He gives a little not to Torebras. "See you soon too, maybe!" He gives the man a wave and makes his own little Hobbit way around town.

=== Torebras's DESC ==========================================================

Torebras Bywater - Aspiring mayoral candidate and 'honest' book-keeper

This hobbit is, at first glance, little different from most of his kind. Of average height and build, his homely face is round and rosy-cheeked, his girth is ... well, he's as fond of his food as any. However, there's a certain lift to his chin that gives him an air of confidence, and his nut-brown eyes have a tendency to grow distant every now and then - the look of a Thinker.

He is dressed quite the dandy. Over a snowy white linen shirt with starched collar and cuffs he wears a bottle-green velvet waistcoat, its polished silver buttons engraved with acorns a complementary design of oak leaves adorns the large silver belt buckle around his prominent middle. The cocked hat that sits atop his glossy chestnut curls is decorated with a pheasant's feather. In a nod to practicality, he wears sensible black breeches.

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=== Tarry's DESC =============================================================

Tarry is rather on the shorter end of 'average' height. He's not short, but he's not average either. Somewhere in between. Around 3 feet tall. Maybe 3 feet 1 inch, at the most. He has curly brown hair, that falls over his eyes a fair bit, causing him to have to brush the locks of hair out of his vision very often. His blue eyes, when they are seen past his hair, are strikingly blue, almost as piercing as ice...though maybe not quite as harmful. He may be short, but his eyes have a playful glint in them more often than not, just as playful as any human child his size...and possibly some adults who are much taller than he. His feet, always shoeless, as neither he nor any hobbit wears such things as shoes, has strong skin, and the top of his feet is very hairy. He wears a tan-coloured long sleeved, button up shirt that has bronze buttons. Over top the shirt he wears a green vest. His pants seem to be your everyday black pants that one could wear to any occasion.

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=== Deedee's DESC ============================================================

A dainty, but plump little rosy-cheeked hobbit lass, Deedee Pott is more or less the personification of a typical young lady hobbit from head to toe. Her light brown curls cascade hap-hazardly down to the middle of her back, always looking just a bit unruly despite her best efforts. Her cheerful personality can't help but shine through her sparkling hazel eyes. And with her slightly upturned mouth, dimpled cheeks, and short little nose, her face looks rather like that of a doll.

Today, Deedee is wearing a pretty perriwinkle blue dress hung to down to her hobbity feet, and dotted all over with a print of tiny white roses. However, much of the dress is covered by her clean white apron, which is almost as fancy as her dress. With it's ruffled shoulders, lace along the bottom hem and pockets ebroidered with little flowers, it seems more of a shame to get the apron dirty than the dress itself.

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