Gossip About Bree

[Gregory(#30849)]

Gregory looks up at his ale is brought over to him, blowing out a tired breath. He nods to the barmaid in thinks before looking off to the Harpist. He scratches lightly at his chin before looking towards the fire, becoming lost in the sight and sound.

[Amelia(#30166)]

A hobbit walks in, somewhere beneath a bundle of clothes. She is tucking her shawl more neatly into her belt, looking somewhat prim as the night turns into morning. \"Porridge!\" she calls without looking at anyone.

[Acelen(#32035)]

There is a noisy shiffling and stamping of feet as a roughly clad figure throws open the door and enters - accompanied by puffs of snow. \"It be colder than a ...,\" he pauses as he surveys the assemblage in the tavern, then grunts and dusts himself off as he proceeds towards the bar.

Who heads into the tavern? Why, it\'s Brenden Ferny, third cousin to the infamous Bill Ferny. He helps his dear sister with her pawn shop in the market. At least, that\'s his official claim at a job. Sometimes the man does the odd job around town or goes out to Combe, or outlying farms.

He crosses to the bar, leaning against it not far from Acelen. He pulls a winter hat from his head, a mop of brown curls dancing down around his unshaven face. Brenden is in his early twenties, with a young wife that claims she\'s horribly neglected (probably true) and son of six that\'s a good kid.. most of the time.

[Amelia(#30166)]

\"Porr--\" Amelia begins to call again, and then: \"oh, thank you,\" as a bowl is set at a hobbit-sized table near her. She seats herself, takes a bite of the breakfast and looks around. Brenden is given the evil eye.

[Acelen(#32035)]

Acelen is in the process of unwinding a rather odd looking scarf from around his neck as he stands close to the bar. He nods to Brenden by way of greeting and shakes his head a little to get rid of the white fluff that is melting there.

\"Stable\'s nigh cold this night,\" he observes before waving over the barmaid. \"Give us sommat of that nice hot cider, there\'s a good lass,\" he says. He glances at the female hobbit and grimaces a little as he sees what she\'s eating.

Gregory looks up from his ale as the others start to funnel into the building. He offers a polite nod to them as they enter. \"Hello there.\" He greets, just being nice.

Brenden catches the look that the hobbit is giving him and returns it with a sneer. He pull out a few coins and slaps them on the bar. \"Eggs. Not too runny.\" His brown eyes wander to Acelen, \"Maybe you shouldn\'t sleep in a stable.\" He comments dryly, then calls to the barmaid, \"And cider too. That sounds good. Don\'t skimp on the bacon.\" Gregory is given little more than a cursory glance.

[Acelen(#32035)]

\"Nothin like sleepin in a cold stable to make you want to come in out of the cold,\" he sighs. \"I got a mare\'s almost due to foal - didn\'t dare leave her alone. But she seems to be takin her time of it. Meantime I needs ta warm up a little so me hands can work.\"

He eyes Brenden coldly and shakes his head a little. \"I got me responsibilities,\" he grunts and then gives the stranger a friendly nod. \"Ain\'t seen you around here before,\" he says, \"Where you from?\"

[Amelia(#30166)]

\"Mister Ferny!\" Amelia\'s high voice is stern as she calls across the common room. \"D\'ye know if yer sister\'s found any of that which the thieves took of me and the other hobbits?\" She sounds faintly accusatory.

[Acelen(#32035)]

Now Acelen\'s attention is taken by the female hobbit. \"I bin hearin\' folks tell of some theivery hereabouts, but no one would dare ta rob me,\" he says smugly. He picks up his cider and wanders closer to the hobbit. \"Care to tell me what happened, Miss?\" he says.

Gregory eyes Brenden for a moment befoer looking over at the others. He turns slightly as he listens about the upcoming delivery. \"Is the stable warm enough for it?\" He asks curiously. He pauses and turns his attention to the Female Hobbit as well, curious about the supposed Crime Spree.

[Acelen(#32035)]

Acelen half turns to answer Greg, \"Colder than a witche\'s ear,\" he says, \"But short o bringin the mare in here, I got no choice. The small stove in there don\'t do much to keep the cold off. Barn\'s too old.\"

Brenden cringes at the high-pitched squeaky voice and turns to look at Amelia again. \"Am I my sister? Go talk to -her- if you want to know something. How should I know?\" He gives her a long, condescending stare.

[Amelia(#30166)]

\"\'Twas just outside of the north gate!\" the hobbit lady says. \"Couple of bigfolk shook me all over, put me on the back of a horse, plucked me up by my collar as if I were naught but a kitten! Pretended his big old horse was hurt, too, to trick us!\" All of this is reported to Acelen as she meets Brenden glare for glare.

[Acelen(#32035)]

\"Knaves! And so close to town!\" Acelen growls, clearly angered by the boldness of this action. \"And where was the watch when this was going forth?\" he asks, then gives Brenden a nasty stare. \"I don\'t think you need to be so impolite to the hobbit,\" he says.

Brenden shifts his heartless gaze to Acelen, smirking. \"Are we required by law to be polite now? I hear that the mayor\'s been skulking around with criminals.. I think we ought to be more worried about things like -that-, than impoliteness.\" His food and drink arrive and he collects up the plate and mug and takes a seat proper at the bar, digging into his breakfast.

Gregory scrunches up his mouth to Acelen. \"Well, maybe you can get some blankets to help? Don\'t want to fowl to catch its death after all.\" He comments before looking back to the Hobbit Lady to listen. \"I\'m guessing they thought you were an easy target?\" He speaks up before looking over at Brenden. \"You go further with Politeness.\" He simply comments.

[Amelia(#30166)]

\"I was outside! Mayhap the watch knew nothing of it!\" Amelia shoots one last venemous glare at Brenden before turning to the other men. \"Well o course we hobbits are easy targets for th\' bigfolk! I pity Staddle should the bandits to go yonder! And in the summer, the Overhill flocks back up t\' the hills! Using a threat of my blood to extort that good master hobbit what was with me!\" She\'s starting to delve into a coarse sort of self-pity in her tone.

[Acelen(#32035)]

Acelen gives Gregory an approving nod. \"The lad has more wisdom than you, despite your years,\" he says to Brendon. He snorts softly at Gregory\'s suggestion. \"Already got some blankets on \'er. They didn\'t make me the stable master fer nothin. I know\'s my beasts. You can ask that ranger Rhifaroth if you should see im.\"

He turns to listen once more to the Hobbit and clucks his tongue. \"If you don\'t mind a suggestion Miss, perhaps you need to travel with some steel on you.\"

\"Here\'s some wisdom.. \" Brenden says, looking at Acelen with another sneer, \"Keep your yap shut. I\'m eating my breakfast and you all are yammering away.\" He looks around at the rest with a quick glare, then picks up a piece of bacon and deliberately crunches loudly on it.

[Amelia(#30166)]

\"Steel?\" Amelia gasps, shocked. Her hand goes to her throat. \"Well I.. I do be..!\" Her porridge is quickly finished and she fumbles in her purse for a bit of coin to put on the table. \"I dare not say what times be coming to should honest Breefolk hobbits need walk around with steel!\" she says, voice a mixture of firmness and fear. \"Good day to ye!\" She walks out.

[Acelen(#32035)]

Acelen\'s knuckles tighten on the staff he is carrying under his cloak. \"Aye, tis obvious ye\'ll not be swayed by good manners or wisdom,\" he says shaking his head. \"If I was a little warmer, I\'d plant me staff on yer pate!\" He turns away in disgust and is about to wave the hobbit up to the bar when she suddenly gets up and leaves. \"Ye\'ll be killin business here soon - an that\'ll get you banned sure enough.\"

Gregory just shakes his head, getting to his feet as well. He reaches into a pouch to dumps some money for the ale. \"Well..it was right nice talking to you,\" He says sarcastically to Brenden before nodding his head to the others while moving for the door.

Brenden simply smiles and takes another bite of his bacon. He seems completely unruffled by the negative attitude from others and perhaps a bit pleased to think he might have driven them out.

[Acelen(#32035)]

Acelen looks longingly after the others, not really wanting to leave this warm place, but unwilling to duel words with Brenden. \"Guess I\'ll be headin back to me mare,\" he mumbles under his breath as he swallows the contents of his mug all at once.

\"Wait.. What\'s this bandit business about, anyway?\" Brenden asks, waving Acelen to stay for a moment. His ill temper is gone for the moment as a more serious and interested expression takes his face.

[Acelen(#32035)]

\"Ye heard that young hobbit lass,\" Acelen grunts and pauses on his way to the door. \"I\'m not sure,\" he says darkly, \"but count on it - I will get to the bottom of this. The constable should know what\'s happening here!\"

\"Fancy yourself a soldier? Talk to the mayor. He ain\'t doin nothin!\" Brenden stuffs the last bite of his bacon into his mouth and continues talking, \"If they\'re attacking outside of town, can the guard even do anything about it?\"

[Acelen(#32035)]

\"S\'what they\'re paid fer,\" Acelen says. \"I\'m no soldier, but I ain\'t afraid to crack a head er two if someone gets in me way. Tell me, you think the mayor is the one behind this?\"

\"What? Behind robbing people? No.. the only thing the mayor would rob is a food cabinet.\" Brenden laughs and takes a sip of his cider now. \"Though, my sister -did- tell me that him and that Cordelia woman were trying to pawn some mighty fancy gold earrings in her shop. And, she said she offered a gracious price and they turned it down, saying they would rather deal with elves.. or.. \" He lowers his voice to a conspiratal whisper, \"-Orcs.-\"

[Acelen(#32035)]

Acelen straightens at the mention of the dark ones. \"You know - about them?\" he says, drawing closer. \"Rhifaroth warned me about her,\" he says softly. Maybe we need to get an inventory of what is missing from the hobbits.\"

\"I know enough to know that they\'re bad news! That Cordelia was talking about them plain as day.\" Brenden sets his mug down on the counter and starts digging into his eggs. \"What the hobbits lost isn\'t my business. I\'ll have to watch my back when I leave town now, that I know.\"

[Acelen(#32035)] %R

\"Been a while since I saw Cordelia around here. Methinks she is up to no good,\" Aclen muses. He sighs and his face takes on a grave aspect. \"You don\'t know that half of it, lad. And don\'t you go tellin folk around here about those creatures. Most have never heard of em, and are better for it,\" he warns.

\"Lad? Do I look like some child?\" Brenden asks, his tone growing offended. \"I\'ll talk about whatever I feel... stablehand.\" He says cooly, reaching a hand to scratch the unshaven stubble on his chin.

[Acelen(#32035)]

Now Acelen really begins to bridle. \"Stablehand is it?\" he says, gritting his teeth in anger. \"Well then, you\'ll not be bringing yer beasts to me when they get sick then, for a mere stable hand wouldn\'t know what to do with em. I\'ve treated both man and beast with me potions.\"

\"Calm down. I thought you were worried about the bandits? Cordelia was the one talking about orcs, not me. You should take it up with her.\" Brenden drops his hand to his lap, \"Unless.. you have financial interest in this all. Then I could speak on your behalf.\" He grins.

[Acelen(#32035)]

\"A financial interest?\" Acelen repeats, squinting at the young man. \"And just what might ye say on my behalf?\"

He draws nearer to Brenden so they can speak without the rest of those present hearing them.

\"I only meant if you\'re nervous talking with her. That\'s all.\" Brenden smiles now, lifting wiry shoulders in a faint shrug. \"It\'s only a suggestion.\"

[Acelen(#32035)]

\"I ain\'t nervous about talking with her,\" Acelen snorts. \"She\'s just a woman. Though I was warned about her wily ways. If she\'s behind this theivery, she belongs in the goal.\"

\"Aye.\" Brenden takes a long drink of his cider. \"Ace.. Acelen.. right?\" He asks, eying the stable master more carefully now.

[Acelen(#32035)]

\"That\'s the name me dear mum gave me,\" the stablemaster nods. His hand goes up to his mouth, \"Hmm, what if we was to set a trap fer this theivin woman?\" he says.

\"And if she -is- dealing with the mayor? Then what? He\'ll have -us- arrested.\" Brenden shakes his head sternly at that. \"I already get enough slack from my wife when I\'m not around. I\'d never hear the end if I was in jail.\"

[Acelen(#32035)]

\"Ain\'t going to put me in jail,\" Acelen insists, \"Wouldn\'t be anyone would believe that I be a crook. If she is dealin wif the Mayor then we needs ta prove it and get rid of im. This is bound ta hurt business if it\'s let go on. The hobbits won\'t come here anymore.\"

Brenden quickly shakes his head. \"No, no, no. I\'m not meddling in the affairs of the mayor. That\'s asking for trouble.\" Then he smirks, \"You think your good name will protect you if Torebras wants you out of his name? He\'ll lock you up. He locked Cordelia up. That kid, too.\"

[Acelen(#32035)]

Acelen stares at Brenden in disbelief. \"I kin see him lockin the likes o her up,\" he says, \"But if he locks up good honest folk, I think he\'d better watch his back. I got friends y\'know,\" he finishes.