Help isn\'t Cheap in Bree
A tale freshly told of the Shirefolk
Boldibad commissions Lemuel to repair the Shire-folk wagon, which was smashed by a troll days before.
Jan 14 \'10 - 1630 MDT
\"Help isn\'t Cheap in Bree\"
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Brandebras
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Lemuel
Lemuel is a middle-aged man, of fourty-two years. He is neat, and well-presented, with neatly-combed hair and a thick moustache, evenly mixed between grey and dark brown. He is around 6 feet tall, with a strong build.
He is wearing a uniform, that of Bree\'s guard. It is in good condition, though clearly well-used. The boots on his feet are worn, and scuffed, and have clearly seen better days. His head wears a leather cap, just enough to cover the hair.
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Boldibad Bolger
Setting: IC
By all appearances, a gentlehobbit, distinguished by at least five decades of age and experience. Wrinkles only seem to be making their presence known by making their way into the sides of his mouth, and around his eyes. Probably weighing in well over 120 pounds, his girth seems respectable, at least as far as Bolgers go. Despite the extra weight, and advancing age, Boldibad seems to be in fine health.
A few inches of curly, reddish-brown hair cover his head and hang down past his ears. The texture appears to be quite thick, almost wooly. His relatively large feet are coated by similar stuff, the only difference is that this hair appears to be trimmed much shorter than that on his head. His nose is somewhat bulbous, but not so much as to look out of proportion with the rest of his face.
He is wearing a white shirt of cotton, buttoned all the way up. On top of this is an old waistcoat that seems to fit him perfectly. The waistcoat is red with yellow buttons up the center and over the pockets.
Draped over his shoulders is a thick, green cloak meant to keep the chill of winter out. It is held shut with a fine brooch of silver.
A silver chain dangles from a pocket in his waistcoat. It appears to be attached to a watch.
His trousers are black and they dangle somewhat below his ankles. A black belt of thin leather has been wrapped around his waist and from it hangs a couple of pouches that probably contain money or pipeweed.
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Serving girl (Nob)
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Common Room
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. Overhead, lamps hang down from roof beams, but their light is dim and half-veiled in smoke. The corners of the room are wrapped in shadow.
Contents:
Lemuel
Brandebras
Boldibad
Dart Board
Obvious exits:
Out
The evening is wearing on, and by this point the crowd in the Common Room might reasonably be expected to be thinning. Not tonight, though - between the slow service (apparently someone has hired the Parlour for a private party, some family anniversary) and the gossip tossing back and forth regarding the daft tales brought back to Bree by those who\'d travelled from the Shire, not to mention excited chattering about some recent spat between visitor Mr Bolger and young Mr Bywater, the place is bustling. It might be hard to find a seat, harder still to obtain drink and food. Messrs Bolger and Bywater are still waiting ...
In spite of the late hour, Barliman\'s door continues to open to welcome newcomers to the Pony. The latest is the carpenter, Lemuel, dressed in his brown coat and sash indicating that he has been on duty with the guards. His head is bandaged, with a dark spot on the bandage appearing on Lemuel\'s forehead. His arm is also in a sling. He limps slowly to a free chair, and slumps into it with a loud grunt, then looks around the room.
Boldibad, sitting at one of the tables, opens his eyes and lifts his head. His eyes focus on two large pitchers of ale on the table in front of him and he sighs, \"Well, it\'s about time...\" He stands up, but immediately stumbles into the back of the chair nearest him. \"Oh, excuse me,\" he says to Lemuel, catching himself. \"I must have been sitting on my leg wrong, lost my balance. Er, is that you, Mr. Miller?\"
Brandebras has wasted no time in starting on his pie, delivered along with the ale - he\'s busy enough not to notice Mr Miller\'s entrance, and he reaches out an absent-minded arm to steady Boldibad far too late.
Alas, he cannot linger to savour the delicate flavour of best Bree mutton, for a this point another hobbit, too well-mufflered to make out any distinguishing features, pokes his head through the door. \"Why, /there/ you are!\" he exclaims. \"My Nan sent me down the road to tell you that your Ma\'s waiting for you - she knocked and knocked and couldn\'t get in. Nan\'s giving her a cup of tea back at our smial.\"
At this news, Brandebras turns quite scarlet. \"I\'d better go,\" he mutters, jumping up and snatching a pie from the tray as he moves on his way. (Which still leaves one unclaimed.) \"Goodnight, Mister Bolger.\" He dashes out, buttoning up his jacket as he goes.
Brandebras has disconnected.
Lemuel Lemuel just about manages to avoid tumbling over Boldibad, before slumping into his chair. As a waiter bustles past, Lemuel stops him, and asks for a pint of beer, and hands over a coin. Only then does he look around the room, to see who else is present. He nods in response to Boldibad\'s question, and says tiredly, \"Do I know you, little man?\"
Boldibad makes a motion as if pulling down his waistcoat, gripping the bottom of it, and a cross look comes upon his face. \"Little man, indeed,\" he says. \"Don\'t you remember me? We rode together on the trip from the Shire! The... creature? I\'m the one who took Mr. Bracegirdle\'s huntin\' bow and did my best to scare that thing away.\" He says the last bit a little louder than he naturally would, glancing around momentarily. \"Boldibad Bolger!\"
\"Alright, alright,\" Lemuel says, happier and more relaxed now his beer has arrived. He points at the abandoned pie, and says, \"Is anyone eating that?\" After a long drink, he looks squarely at Boldibad, and nods, \"Oh yeah, I think I remember now. Sorry,\" He points with his thumb at his head, and says, \"Sorry if I don\'t remember much of what happened. S\'pose I should just be grateful I\'m not squashed or inside that thing\'s belly.\"
Boldibad reluctantly picks up the remains of Brandebras\' pie and passes it over to Lemuel. He seems to catch a breath of the meat\'s aroma and he tucks in his upper lip. \"I suppose so,\" he says, waving at the serving lass, who doesn\'t seem to see him through this night\'s remaining crowd. \"We\'re grateful to be alive after the trip from there to Bree... that whippersnapper, Brandebras, tried to give away all our food. Of course, he wouldn\'t have attempted such a thing if it weren\'t for that... lady, I believe the name was.. er--ah yes, Malorie? It was all her idea.\"
\"Cheers\" says Lemuel, as he takes the pie. He bites deep into it, and chews noisily, not waiting to finish his mouthful before saying, \"I don\'t really remember what happened, of course, but we made it back here alive and in one piece, and I\'d wager silver to iron that we\'ve got Malorie to thank for that, knowing her. She may be a troublemaker in town, but there\'s few I\'d trust more in the wilderness than her.\"
(Nob, who had recently just arrived) The girl does finally see them, and starts towards them.... only to be waylaid several times along the way. She may some day reach them...
Boldibad winces as he watches Lemuel eat, but decides not to say anything about it. \"Yes, well,\" he says casually, \"perhaps. But that was only after you came up with idea to light fire to end of the branch you found. The way I see it, you\'re the one who\'s responsible for our safe arrival! And, that youngster Mr. Brandebras said that you\'d be out like a light, on account of your being hit...\" He pats the human on the shoulder, and says with a grand gesture, \"But I said you seemed to be a strong type, and that you\'d pull through just in time to rebuild--er,\" he cuts himself off, and begins waving quickly for the serving girl.
She finally makes it to them, sounding a little unconcerned as she asks, \"Help you gennelmen?\"
Lemuel snorts, and chokes loudly on his pie, at Boldibad\'s suggestion. \"That?\" he says incredulously, \"I remember the fuss with the fire and that branch. I don\'t know what I was thinking. Green branch like that, of course it wasn\'t going to flare up. Still, I s\'pose the smoke must\'ve got in the troll\'s eyes or something like that, \'cause I didn\'t get hit, did I?\" Lemuel pats his pocket, and says, bitterly, \"Lost me a perfectly good pocket...wait..what did you say?\"
Nob has disconnected. (Had to take off early)
Boldibad says to the serving girl, \"Oh, yes--another mutton pie, please.\"
\"Oh, nothing Mr. Miller,\" he says quietly. \"Well, you see, I was meaning to ask you, seeing as how you\'re a carpenter, if you wouldn\'t so much mind fixing up our wagon so that we may return to our homes in the Shire.\" He reaches over and grabs a glass, which he fills with ale from one of the two pitchers at his table. He sets it on Lemuel\'s table, and says, \"Here, have a drink. I only came for one pitcher for my friends and I, but I thought I\'d better order two, since the wait was so long.\"
Lemuel reaches out and takes the offered glass, and says, \"Well thanks, Mr. er...sorry, what was your name again?\" He points over his shoulder with a dirty thumb, and says, \"What, that thing? You\'ll need it more than repaired, it looks like to me. I saw it on my rounds tonight. Looks like it wants the top completely rebuilt. I can do it for you, but I\'m afraid it won\'t be cheap, and I don\'t have enough of the right stuff to do it with at the moment, so you\'ll have to wait til I\'ve had chance to go down to Archet to get more in.\"
The serving girl soon returns with another hot pie, and puts it on Boldibad\'s table. He pays for it and pours himself a drink from the pitcher. \"Just how expensive is this going to be? And,\" he takes a sip of his ale and blurts, \"when do you think you\'ll have a chance to get to this Archet?\"
Lemuel rubs his chin, and leans back in his chair, thoughfully. \"I reckon,\" he says, \"I could get the wood for three silver coins, and then it\'d take about four or five days to do the work. Call it ten silver coins for the whole thing? As for Archet, I\'ve been meaning to visit my cousin Andrick for a while now to get some of his wine in, so it\'s not out of my way or anything. I can go tomorrow if you like.\"
Boldibad gasps, \"Ten sil...\" He clears his throat, \"You were certainly being serious when you said your service isn\'t cheap, Mr. Miller.\" He picks up the pie and slides it in front of Lemuel, pushing the other plate out of the way. \"Perhaps I could persuade you to offer a more reasonable price? After all, you were there with us--we lost much of our shipment! Surely you can understand our problem.\"
Lemuel laughs warmly, but he doesn\'t look surprised or hurt that his offer has been turned down. He asks, \"What was it you came here for - to sell pipeweed or something? I\'ll tell you what. Obviously I can\'t make the wood any cheaper - them lot out Archet way aren\'t known for their generosity, \'specially to hobbits. But you also won\'t find someone who\'ll do a better job than I will anywhere in the Breelands. That\'s why it\'ll take me five days to do it, not four hours like Porky Goatleaf\'d probably do it in. While I\'m working on your cart, I can\'t be working on all the other jobs \'t need doing, so that\'s why I said so much. Seeing as you\'re in a bind though, I\'ll do it for eight, and what\'s more, if you haven\'t got the silver, I don\'t mind taking payment in kind. Perhaps you\'ve got a man or two - well, a hobbit, you know - you could lend me to shift all the wood around. I could get it done faster that way - maybe knock another silver coin off.\"
Boldibad moves over to Lemuel\'s table, taking the pitchers of ale with him. He sits down, and says, \"Well, we aren\'t planning to leave any time soon... not as long as that beast is still out there. We should be around for at least a month, unless some of the others find another way back to the Shire. Perhaps you could... take your time on it. Something you\'d do when there\'s time after the other jobs are done. Would that take the price down a little more? 650 coppers--sounds like a deal to me. More than a silver penny just for the labor!\"
Boldibad adds, \"Plus, I\'ll see if I can get one of Thilo\'s hobbits to lend you a hand.\"
Lemuel shakes his head, but he is smiling. \"Look, if you can\'t find someone to help me, I can\'t do it for less that eight. And even if you can, I don\'t see how I can do it without losing money. I feel sorry for you, losing out as you have, but meaning no disrespect, but you took a risk bringing your stuff, whatever it was you\'re selling, through the wilderness like that without proper guards. You chose a risky trade to be in, so you should\'ve known bad things could happen when you came. I chose a safe trade - so that\'s why I don\'t work for less than it\'s worth. Like I said, I\'ll take payment in kind if you\'ve not got the silver - what have you got that didn\'t get taken by that troll?\"
Boldibad nods, \"I agree. I came along to sell some old Shire-folk antiques, which I\'m sure you wouldn\'t be interested in, and to tie up some loose ends regarding my last visit. But, this pipeweed trade with Bree seems to be quite important to Thilo Bracegirdle.\" He takes a sip of his ale, \"Very well. I can\'t find Randel Rushlight anywhere--I suppose I have no choice but to accept your offer. I\'ll give you enough for the supplies now, but if the wagon is ready to fall apart when it\'s finished, you can\'t expect me to pay more than a fraction of what remains!\" He chuckles a bit, \"Not that you\'re bad at what you do. In fact, I\'ve heard good things about you--I asked around the market earlier today, if you don\'t mind. So, will 350 be enough to cover the wood and such?\"
\"Agreed.\" says Lemuel, with a nod and a smile. He extends his hand to Boldibad, and says, \"I tell you what, I\'ll come up here at first light tomorrow, with me horse and cart. If you\'ve got someone willing to help by then, I\'ll take him with me to Archet, and be back by nightfall. Yeah, that\'ll be fine.\" He takes a long drink, and then appears to suddenly think of something, \"I\'m guessing you lot are staying here, are you - I mean, you\'re all right for somewhere to stay while you\'re here?\"
Boldibad nods, grabbing the larger hand. \"Master Odovacar is going to kill me when I ask him for more of the Bolger fortune, but it\'s necessary.\" He counts some coins out below the table and sets down the payment agreed to. \"There you are. I will see you in the morning, I suppose--and I\'ll see if that Brony Banks wouldn\'t mind helping out. Or even that youngster, Brandebras Bywater! Yes,\" he says, snapping his fingers, \"that may be just the thing!\" He stands and collects the full pitcher of ale. \"Please, finish off that pitcher and pie. Good night, Mr. Miller!\"
Boldibad +gives 3 Silver Pennies and 50 Copper Pennies to Lemuel.
Lemuel nods appreciatively, and takes the coins, without bothering to check Boldibad\'s counting. He smiles and nods, and says, \"Right then. Have a good evening. I\'ll get the job done soon as I can, and I dare say your wagon\'ll be better after than it was before. Good night!\"
End.