A Cold Walk in Staddle

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

Real time: Sun Oct 05 18:15:18 2008

Bree time: Mid Afternoon <16> on Sunday of Winter - February 13,1445

Moon Phase: First Quarter Moon

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Breelands Weather

The mid afternoon winter air is cold and dry around you. The day sky is clear with only slight wisps of clouds overhead.

Lower Staddle

The village of Staddle is nestled on the south-eastern slopes of Bree-hill. Staddle is comprised of hobbit-holes inset into the gentle slopes of Bree-hill. A well defined pathway leads along the slopes of the hill. The pathway dances among the hill, running in front of the hobbit-holes here on the lower slopes before climbing upward to the higher reaches of Staddle. A wooden fence circles the lower reaches of Staddle, where the hillside is steeper. The path is somewhat muddy just here, with large footsteps that have pressed down into the dirt and then dried. Something glitters in one of the hollows...

Mud still makes the roads slippery and where the snow has melted the grass is a vivid green. A pleasant place though even in the winter: colorful doors lead to snug holes lining the hills, the comforting smell of good woodsmoke drifts on the breeze and large trees give promise of shade in the hot summer.

One of the Big Folk stands on the path, hooded, looking about her. There is a frown on her sharp little face as she glances impatiently down the path. Definitely not of the moneyed classes, still her plain cloak is warmly woven of brown wool, her boots, thick soled and made for walking. One black curl escapes from under her hood and widow\'s cap brushing a cheek reddened by the cold.

Taking her time walking up the path toward the hobbit village is another big folk woman, also with dark hair and a hooded cloak that half hides her face. She quickens her pace a little as she sees Ada. \"Sorry, had to work late at the healers.\"

Ada is not quick to let her impatience go, she nods with ill grace but recovers herself and smiles, \"You are here now so that counts. You like working with the healers?\"

The pawnbroker gestures to the Inn, \"It is perfect. Been inside yet?\"

Amusement twinkles in Cordelia\'s eyes at the impatience of the other woman, but she shakes her head. \"I have not. Have you? Certainly the mayor will like this town.\"

Looking at the Inn, she nods deeply, \"The Mayor will love it, good ale, too from what I hear. But I don\'t have time to lift a glass with you. I made you walk out here and now, if you don\'t mind walk back with me - I don\'t want any ears.\"

Cordelia sighs, rolling her eyes a bit. \"I will walk with you as far as the turnoff for Combe, but no further. I have to be at my uncle\'s tonight, and I\'m not about to spend a good 2 hours walking back all the way to Bree. So..let\'s be on our way.\"

The small woman casts a quick glance at Cordelia and shrugs an apology. \"Quickly then because the shop is closed. I will do it with you, Cordelia but not as we planned. My brother will not help us relieve the Mayor of that earring if he does not want to sell it. I, no, we, must find another way.\"

\"Shh!\" Cordelia hisses harshly. \"I don\'t care -how- far away we are from the nearest hobbit hole--these very woods have ears. Trust me on this. So...\" She keeps her voice down, \"how do you propose to do this, then?\"

The pawnbroker startles and then narrows her eyes in irritation at Cordelia. Still her voice is lowered when she replies. \"Walk away from these holes with ears, then. Brenden says he will help me contact the chief of the robbers...but that makes our profits go down.\" Her brown eyes slide from left to right before she goes on, \"I would do it myself just to save that money but the Mayor would be too strong. He weighs more than I do for all his height or I am no judge of anything.\"

Ignoring Ada\'s irritated look, Cordelia keeps walking away from this little village, but not quickly--her pace is casual. \"I see,\" she says, then drops her voice. \"Well...that\'s a disappointment, in fact. Are you saying the two of us have to take care of this matter ourselves?\"

A sigh lifts her shoulders, Ada assents with a heavy nod of her head. \"Unless we involve a certain group that my brother has reach to, yes.\"

\"No.\" Cordelia\'s voice is flat. \"It\'s too obvious, and there are too many chances for him to recognize us. It\'s not worth it, not even for a few gold florins.\"

Ada speaks in a quick low voice, \"I have wracked my brains for a solution. I can only think to bring in someone, ah, professional into it. If the price is right, would you agree? I have no intention of telling him what he would take for us has value. I plan to tell him that we just wish to give the Mayor a little scare.\"

\"I don\'t like this. Not one bit.\" Cordelia bites her lip, frowning. \"I have another idea. The mayor and I will sell you the earrings for a small price. I\'ll just have to talk him into it, that\'s all. Any violence is going to immediately bring suspicion right on us...and I don\'t want to bring in outside help, either.\"

Ada\'s frown etches furrows on either side of her mouth. \"Well, you were willing enough when my brother was to be the one.\"

\"Of course!\" Cordelia laughs. \"He\'s a man...He\'s bigger and stronger than us and more practiced at roughhousing. We\'re two women and it is likely that things will go wrong and we\'ll be recognized. It\'s foolish without him in it.\"

Bitterness colors the pawnbroker\'s voice. \"Then we are fools. Because he won\'t do it. It\'s a professional or you had better do some good talking to get the Mayor to agree to a price.\"

Cordelia\'s eyes slide sideways: \"I see, Ada. Business must be quite bad, no? If you\'re that desperate for money that you\'re willing to risk beign exposed? If you really want to earn more, I have a proposal for your brother. He could take a message for me. Simple matter, no danger of beign thrown in jail.\"

Ada stops so suddenly her cloak sways bell-like around her. \"Business is good,\" she snaps, \"but everyone likes to make a profit. You talk to my brother yourself. You seem pretty good at it.\"

\"All right,\" Cordelia shrugs, tone light. \"I will. And in the meantime, yes, maybe I can look into working with these bandits. As long as it\'s not very dirty work, I think maybe I can convince them...but...we\'ll see. In any case, I must head to my uncle\'s house.\" She turns toward Combe.