The Campaign Gets Serious

It\'s a bright midmorning day, warm and dry and perfect for summer chores. This is what has brought Brenden Ferny out to the gate of the large clearing that seems so often overlooked in Bree. His young son is with him, holding a cup full of nails while Brenden hammers them in one at a time to a large wooden sign, securing it to the fence. Written upon the board is \"Brenden\'s Annual Ale Festival\", with the dates beneath.

[Torebras(#25187)] It\'s also a perfect day for a stroll, just wandering along humming as one gazes at the sky and blows a few near-perfect smoke-rings. Which is exactly what Bree\'s Mayor Torebras Bywater is doing. His feathered hat is tilted over his eyes to keep out the son, and it\'s not until he\'s almost on top of Brendan and child that he seems to notice the sign. He stops in his tracks, taking the pipe out of his mouth and blowing a careful smoke-ring before addressing the man: \"Having a little party, are we, Mister Ferny? Tell me, have you applied to the Town Council for a proper licence?\"

Just as the mayor is approaching, the boy (perhaps five or six) reaches over to tug at his father\'s shirt and points Torebras out. Brenden turns to regard the hobbit. \"A license? Oh.. sure, I can do that, Bywater.\" He flashes Torebras a wide smile. \"Shouldn\'t be a problem at all. I think it will be quite fun. I told some hobbits about it about a week ago and they were quite excited with the idea of starting up a brewing contest again. I told them I would be happy to judge.. they took word back to the Shire.. should be quite the turn-out. Good for income at a slow time of the year.\" He leans back against the fence with a smug expression on his face.

[Torebras(#25187)] Torebras purses his lips, and pushes his feathered hat back so that he can turn his distasteful regard on the father rather than the little boy. \"Well well, we\'ll have to see,\" he murmurs. \"Visitors from the Shire are always welcome, of course,\" he coughs delicately, \"but this isn\'t the usual venue for such events, you know. The locals may have issues with the noise and disturbance. And I really don\'t know that a title like that is quite suitable ...\" He puts the pipe back in his mouth and takes a long pull.

\"A little noise and disturbance is just what we need around here, Bywater. Something to stimulate the town. Shirelings coming to visit, a chance for our local vendors to sell their goods. And I think the name is just perfect. The folks will know just who to ask when they have questions.\" The smug look never leaves his face as he reaches to wrap an arm around his son\'s shoulders. \"Us family types like to have something enjoyable to look forward to near the end of a long, hot summer.\"

[Torebras(#25187)] Torebras opens his mouth to let out a sour puff of smoke, not at all ring-shaped, which he sends in Brenden\'s direction. \"As I said, you\'ll have to await the outcome of the licence application. Should it be refused, I\'m sure we\'ll find alternative ways to entertain our Shire guests.\" He sounds quite haughty, and perhaps just a little smug himself.

\"Now why wouldn\'t it get approved, Bywater? It\'s a perfectly grand idea and since I\'m doing all the work and preparation, I don\'t see how it\'s going to be any trouble to -you-.. Why, you don\'t even have to show up if you don\'t want to. Of course, a mayor that doesn\'t support the people.. \" Brenden shakes his head, chuckling. \"Hardly a new affair.\" He reaches for a nail and turns to continue securing the sign, obviously brushing the mayor off.

[Torebras(#25187)] \"A Mayor who actively works for all Bree\'s citizens has little time to stand around quaffing ale,\" Torebras retorts, frowning at the little boy as Brenden reaches down for a nail. His attention is soon back on the father, and he informs the man haughtily, \"And, unlike some others, it wasn\'t myself I was thinking of. The residents of the hobbit smials would have to endure quite a bit of noise nuisance, not to mention littering and ... ahem, anti-social behaviour from the inebriated. And what of those poor souls lying sick in the Healing House? Have you not spared a thought for them?\"

Slam! Slam! The hammer pounds the nail into the wood and it seems as if Brenden won\'t bother to reply to Torebras, but then he turns at last. \"If a few hobbits raise a little fuss, so what? Most of the people in town will be having a good time and it\'s only for a week. It\'s a great location and it\'s out of the way of most businesses and homes, and it\'s centrally located. It\'s close to the Healing House in case anyone gets hurt. Safety\'s important, after all.\" He pats the boy on the head, \"Remember that, son.\"

[Torebras(#25187)] At the pounding of the hammer - or perhaps Brenden\'s words - Torebras\' eyebrows raise, and he takes his time about taking another pull from his pipe and blowing out a neat oval smoke-ring before responding to the man. \"Really, Mister Ferny! Those \'few hobbits\' are as important as any other citizen of Bree. To think you are standing as a mayoral candidate!\" He quivers with outrage.

He waits till the man has finished \'instructing\' his son, and carefully moves off a few paces before remarking casually, \"I do hope your efforts aren\'t proven premature. It would be such a pity if Mister Brenden Ferny failed to deliver on his promises, wouldn\'t it?\"

\"I can\'t imagine I would let the people down any further than they have been already, Mister Bywater. But that\'s the beauty of an election, is it not? The people get to choose!\" Brenden seems to have no recourse about his accused lack of concern for hobbits. He just goes back to working on the sign, whistling cheerfully.

[Torebras(#25187)] \"Hmmph,\" is Torebras\' only answer as he wanders off, head in the air, pipe in mouth and hands in his pockets (from which come a faint jingling). When he\'s a little further away from the hard-working pair his hand emerges again, holding a silver coin. \"Now then, which council member should I speak with first?\" he mumbles thoughtfully round his pipe-stem. Then he turns a corner and is lost from view.