Market of Bree RP

The fair valley of Rivendell, upon whose house the stars of heaven most brightly shone.
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Brooke Willows | Mr. Tunnelly
Wintertime
Inside Tunnelly's General Goods store

Brooke was quite relieved that Aislin responded the way she did. She was liking the other girl more and more. Which, of course, made Brooke worry more about her. Why was she sleeping on the streets like that? Where did she come from? And what if something bad happened to her? Was there anything Brooke could do to help her? She watched Mr. Tunnelly gathering a few winter vegetables for her that she had asked for, while breathing in the delicious aroma of roasting chestnuts. The smell only served to remind Brooke that she'd had nothing to eat today... or yesterday. But then she wondered how much longer it had been for Aislin.

Rubbing her hands together a little as she stood in front of the fire, Brooke considered the food available in the store. "Have you ever had any roasted chestnuts?" She asked Aislin, quietly. Brooke had not, though she had smelled them many times and the scent always made her want to try one. "I haven't..." she added thoughtfully. The thought of a little sack of hot chestnuts on a day as cold as this made her want some even more. Though, she had a feeling a bag of nuts wouldn't be very filling, so she was debating what else she could afford to buy. It seemed unlikely she would have any extra coin to bring home, but she supposed getting a new book could wait a bit longer.

Turning to Mr Tunnelly, she hesitated briefly before coming to a decision. "Sir.. if you could add on a.. half a bag of roast chestnuts.. and um, as large a piece of jerky as this can buy.." She added, holding up her last coin. Hopefully it was enough. She decided that she could probably manage to slice off a small piece from the cheese wedge she was getting for home, and Claire wouldn't know the difference.

The shopkeeper nodded and got to work on finding her a suitable piece of jerky. Mr. Tunnelly hummed to himself as he weighed and measured and selected the items Brooke requested. As he began to measure out a wedge of cheese, Brooke realized that he had a better device for slicing cheese than her knife, and worried that Claire might notice. What if she got in trouble? Was there any way around this? She bit her lip, thinking about it for a moment, then spoke up again. "Sir.. if it wouldn't be too much trouble, could you slice off a little bit of that? I- I'd like to give a little to my friend here." She explained, a bit shy to admit her plan but she felt more awkward making such an odd request without explanation.

"Oh, certainly!" Mr. Tunnelly nodded and complied with her request. He wrapped up the main wedge and added that to the other items Brooke was purchasing. The small piece he'd trimmed off he laid on a paper and brought that to Brooke. "The jerky too?" he asked.

She nodded and turned to Aislin, a little shy. "I wish I could help you more, but.. I haven't got very much to spare." She told her apologetically, feeling bad she could only give her a slice off of the cheese, and a half bag of the chestnuts, but that should still be enough to warm her hands, Brooke figured. Once Mr. Tunnelly had scooped the nuts into the bag for them, she noticed he'd added a little more than half. Somewhat surprised, she took the bag he handed her, rather unsure what to say. She eventually managed a quiet thank you, and then turned to Aislin. "I um, I thought I'd have just a few, but you can have all the rest." She told her, hoping Aislin would be alright with sharing a few of them.
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 11:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

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Brooke Willows
Tingdain Stall

Sometime in Autumn
(Set a few months before the events in the Rp with Aislin and Henley)


Brooke nodded slightly, but didn't mention that she could only manage to read about doing things if she had a book which told about doing things. She was quite limited in what things she could read, by what books she had, and the fact she had so little money to buy any more books. Otherwise she would read all the books she could possibly get her hands on. But there was no point in mentioning any of that.

Watching Fuin work on the other things, she thought the elf made it all look so easy. She was sure that it was actually a lot harder than it looked, because there must be a million things a smith person had to know about the various metals and the heat and all that. Watching her fix the tripod, she tried not to think back about how it got bent like that.. when her dad knocked her down and she fell against it. Trying to put those thoughts out of mind, she looked over at the remaining items, wondering how those would be fixed. Then, she jumped a little at the sudden, loud hissing from the metal that was plunged into the bucket. Then looked down shyly, a little embarrassed for having been so startled by nothing. There was probably a reason for Fuin doing that too, but she didn't ask about it.

"Um.. did my mother come here often?" She asked after a moment, trying to find something to say, feeling a little awkward for having been silent for so long. She was rather curious about this friend of her mother's, whom she had not heard very much about. Apparently she had met her once or twice, as a very small child, but Brooke didn't remember it. She must have been very young. And that made her wonder why she had not seen Fuin around here in all this time. She didn't really come to get metal things fixed very often, but she figured that if Fuin had been there, she probably would have seen her once in a while, and surely would have met her before now? And then, Claire must have come here to do business here at least once since she had been here, but otherwise, it seemed that this elf had not been around in some time.
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 11:46 am, edited 2 times in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

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Fuin Elda
Tingdain Stall
With Brooke Willow
@Purrmonster of Doom

Fuin glanced at Bronaeth as she jumped with the hiss of the metal in the quench bucket. She was so use to it being a normal thing that she didn't even think it might scare someone. She set it aside and sighed looking at the last few items that she needed to fix. The pot and the fire poker was all that there was left. She decided on the fire poker first it would be the fastest to do out of all the times she just needed to get both pieces to welding temperature and then rejoin them, hopefully more permanently than they were originally made.

"Your mother? Yes She did visit often, especially before you were born." Fuin said with a small smile "She visited less after you were born but I put that down to the fact that having a child isn't the easiest thing on a person. Fuin gave a shrug as she put the fire pokers head and handle into the forge. and looked over the cutlery some more, it was all a dark cherry red now, much cooler than it once was but still not cold enough to touch and probably wouldn't be until she was well into fighting with the dents in the pot itself. She stood pumping the bellows heating the two parts constantly, trying to think of something that was just on the tip of her tongue something to do with Bronaeths mother. She couldn't remember, there was something and it felt like it was terribly important.

She knew very well part of the issue was it was from a time when her mind still couldn't fully remember, the last six months before she'd been almost killed was scrambled as it were and parts of it were missing or veiled behind a thick fog that she wasn't entirely sure she would ever be able to fully lift. Her brow was furrowed as she worked the bellows trying to will those memories back into focus so she could tell Bronaeth more about her mother from when she was young.

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Brooke Willows
Tingdain Stall

Sometime in Autumn
(Set a few months before the events in the Rp with Aislin and Henley)


Brooke watched with curious interest as Fuin put the pieces of the fire poker back together, a little amazed about it all. Having seen more examples of how to break something than how to fix them, she was quite curious how these things could be done, and wished she could see some examples of how to fix miscellaneous things around a house. But of course that would be far outside her realm of abilities, she was sure. It was all she could do to manage to prop up the ceiling in her room and hope it didn't fall on her. That makeshift beam always worried her but she didn't know what else to do about it.

"Do you come here often?" She asked after a moment. "To Bree, I mean? I just..haven't ever seen you before, so I was wondering. Aside from whenever I must have met you as a very small child, anyway." She frowned thoughtfully. "I know you must have been here at some point in the last four years, if you've met..the Thaur Ulunn.." She tilted her head, trying to figure that out. "Unless you met her somewhere else. Wherever she lived before she married my father..perhaps..." She honestly had no idea where the woman had come from. She could've grown up in Mordor for all Brooke knew, and wouldn't be terribly surprised, with the way she treated Brooke. She considered a possibility for a moment, with some amusement, before looking up at Fuin in mock-seriousness. "Do you think she could be part orc?" She asked, half-joking.
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 11:46 am, edited 2 times in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

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Fuin Elda
Tingdain Stall
With Brooke Willow
@Purrmonster of Doom

Fuin was happily working fire poker, there really wasn't much work to do with it, it was aside from the fact it was in two seperate pieces it wasn't actully in that bad of shape, but welding the two pieces together would take a bit of work. Fuin of course made sure that the thicker partion of the poker was in the center of the coal bed right over where the bellows were blasting air into it so that it would get more heat than the handle whichw as far thinnger.

"Hmmm? Oh, I haven't for a bit, I have to admit I've only been here once or twice in the last few years I'll admit I wanted to adventure after being sick for a decade and unable to leave the House of Healing in Imladris, it seemed more important than coming and selling items here." She said calmly. "The first time I was here after that though I saw her, I was still a bit sick and weak so I came with friends otherwise Lord Elrond would not have let me leave the Valley. Claire found me when we were staying at the inn afterwards and was angry because I was talking to the barkeep, so she couldn't ask something for longer than she liked." Fuins nose wrinkled at the thought of that meeting and she couldn't help but laugh at Bronaeths suggestion that she might be part orc. "Come now!" She chided teasingly. 'We shouldn't insult orcs like that, now I would think with the smarts she has troll would be more likely than orcs, and trolls don't go out in the day at all hardly." Fuin said with a chuckle as she checked the head of the poker it was almost finished getting to temperature but it wasn't quite there yet.

"She tried to say I'd never have a stall in Bree again, and that I was a hack that thought she was important. Which was pretty funny, except I may have used a good bit of my energy while I was sick to toss her onto her back on a table and told her that she should stay in her skillset and out of mine as they don't mix." Fuin said shaking her head as she pulled the handle and the head out and dusted the head with a bit of white powder that would help the weld and lined up the handle and hit the back of it with a hammer forcing the two pieces to weld permenantly before dousing them in the quenching bucket again with another roar of steam.

"I think the first bit of cutlery should be ready to try." Fuin said and took off her glove and gently touched her fingers to it, it was still quite warm but wasn't too bad, she could hold it. "If it's too hot for you give it a moment more. No need to struggle."

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@I Said What I Said

Brooke Willows
Tingdain Stall

Sometime in Autumn
(Set a few months before the events in the Rp with Aislin and Henley)


Watching Fuin stick the two pieces of metal together, Brooke was quite impressed. It looked so easy, and yet she knew it must be rather tricky. She wondered what that powder was, but didn't ask. She was preoccupied by hearing Fuin's answer to her question. She tilted her head a bit, turning her attention back to the elf in some surprise to hear that she had been sick. "Sick?" She inquired in surprise, then hesitated. "I.. sorry, um, forgive me for asking, but, I just... I didn't know elves could get sick." She explained shyly, confused and wondering if maybe some of the things she'd heard about elves may not be as true as she'd once thought. She quickly added, "And yes, of course you getting better is more important than selling things. I just wondered why I hadn't ever seen you here, is all." She hoped she didn't think she'd meant that she ought to have been coming here all that time, and felt a little bad for having asked about it, in case it did come off that way.

She wondered about elves now, and about sickness and thought about how, with how short human's lifespans were, they got over sickness fairly quickly, but elves having a longer lifespan, did that mean they took longer to recover? It was definitely something she'd never thought about before, having never thought elves could get sick, and it was a puzzling concept.

And shortly after, her thoughts were turned back to Claire as Fuin suggested she might actually be part troll, rather than orc. She smiled faintly at the joke about not insulting the orcs, but couldn't seem to laugh about it as easily as the elf did. She knew Claire a little better than most, she figured, much to her regret. "Yes.. she isn't very intelligent," She agreed quietly, looking down at her lap thoughtfully. "But she is quite.. crafty. And manipulative." she frowned a little. "She hasn't got much education, but she is still smarter than she might seem, if it suits her purposes." She mentioned. Not that she wanted to defend her stepmother; far from it. But she'd learned that it was not wise to underestimate the woman, for she was capable of quite a lot when she put her mind to it, and she was always scheming and plotting about something, like a spider in its web.

Hearing about Fuin's encounter with Claire, Brooke looked up at her again, brown eyes wide in shock to hear what Claire did and said. "Oh.. that's just horrible, I can't believe she'd... well, yes, I do believe it, of course. But... wow." She sighed. "I'm terribly sorry, she is..unbelievably rude." Brooke frowned, quite unhappy to hear about this, as well as quite embarrassed as she caught onto the fact that Fuin apparently knew Claire's line of 'work', something Brooke wished wasn't such common knowledge. She wished even more that she wasn't in any way associated with the woman, but things like that were beyond her control, sadly.

Hearing that the cutlery was cool enough, Brooke nodded and cautiously touched the piece, tentative, and found that it was indeed quite warm, but not too hot. If it had been winter, it would have been very nice to hold in her hands to keep them warm. Picking up the cloth, she looked at it and then at the fork in her hand. "Um... so, what exactly do I do?" she wondered, fearing she might do it wrong, but she'd at least try. Maybe the other thing was supposed to be first, but she hadn't ever done anything like this before.
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 11:46 am, edited 2 times in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

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Aislin
Inside Tunnely's General Goods Store

@Purrmonster of Doom

The warmth felt so good for a change, and Aislin thought that it had been a long while when she had felt so warm, and also had had any people to talk with who did not just shoo her away as some sort of nuisance. Only that delicious smell of chestnuts... It made her aware of her growling belly which she had learned to ignore, since she was not always successful at catching anything in her traps, and especially she was not too lucky at finding odd chores to do to earn a bit of coin.

"No... I haven't had any chestnuts, maybe such a long time ago that I don't remember any more," she responded quietly to Brooke and was glad that they were similar in this, though it was nothing to boast of.

Then she had drifted off into her own thoughts somewhere, not paying attention to what was going on in the shop, so she was rather surprised to find that Brooke had bought some food for her.

"But... you didn't have to," she stammered, blushing. "Especially if you need it for yourself." However, she did not wish to offend the other girl by rejecting the gifts that were given from a generous heart, so she accepted the delicious offering and smiled shyly. "Thank you."

The bag of chestnuts felt so nice and warm in her hands, and the scent was heavenly, she breathed it in with half-closed eyes and then extended the bag towards Brooke. "Of course, take as many as you want! You did buy them after all, and they must be too delicious for you to only take a couple of 'em."
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Brooke Willows | Mr. Tunnelly
Wintertime
Inside Tunnelly's General Goods store

Brooke smiled a little to see Aislin looking so happy. She shrugged a bit in reply to her. “I know I didn’t have to. But you seem... hungry. I wish I could help you more..” She sighed softly, hesitating and didn't mention her own hunger. “I do have an old dress I’ve likely outgrown, if you think you could use it?” She mentioned, taking one of the chestnuts. She tried not to let it burn her fingers as she pried it open. Hopefully she was doing this right. She usually ended up doing things wrong, but this seemed simple enough.. they were cut with an X to make peeling easier.

As Brooke peeled the chestnut, she wished she could offer Aislin a safe and warm place to sleep at night. But, since Brooke didn’t really consider her house safe at all, she wasn’t about to offer it. It wasn’t warm there, anyway, with her window busted out like it was. She waved off her mention of needing food herself. She’d get food sooner or later at home. If she ever finished her errands. “No need to worry about me.” She added quietly. “I do have to get these things home though,” She nodded toward the groceries that Mr. Tunnelly was packaging up for her. “I.. um, my stepmother will give me something once I’ve finished running her errands..” Hopefully, anyway. They would surely at least save her a little supper, right?

Speaking of her errands, she wondered how long she could put it off. Taking another of the delicious nuts from the bag, Brooke peeled it open a bit more easily than the last one. They did help to warm a person’s fingers up, so that was nice. She was reluctant to leave and go back out into the cold, but she knew she should really get her jobs done. But... she didn’t want to. And after the frightening end to the letter delivery to Henley, she didn’t want to go anywhere near where Sully lived. She shivered a bit at the thought of it and decided that it wouldn’t hurt anything if she stayed in the store a little bit longer.

After a moment, she pointed to the other items nearby. “Those are for you, too.” She told Aislin, making sure she didn’t overlook the jerky and cheese. It wasn’t much, but it was sure to be better than nothing for a girl who was hungry. “I suppose I should go bring these things home and.. if you’d like to have the dress I mentioned, I could bring it back here for you.” She mentioned, thoughtful. She made no move to leave the warmth from the fire, however, at least not yet.
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 11:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

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Aislin
Inside Tunnely's General Goods Store
@Purrmonster of Doom


The bag of nuts felt very good in her hands, and Aislin simply held it close to herself to gather as much warmth as possible, while breathing in the delicious scent. It made her stomach growl though, so she followed Brooke's example and picked one of the chestnuts, carefully working on it and popping it in her mouth.

"Mmm..." she murmured contentedly, as she enjoyed the flavour of the chestnut, before she answered to the offer of the dress. "If you are sure you don't need that dress yourself..."

Aislin was happy and grateful to find that Brooke helped her, but she wondered of how she could get through the winter without relying on her help too much. Cold weather and scarcity of edible items to be found in the wild definitely made it hard, and at times she felt that she might not survive another day, though luckily she had managed this far.

"What else are you tasked with today?" she asked the other girl. It seemed that she was sent out to do things without too much food as well, though she at least had a home and at least some sort of sustenance. "Looks like they use you as some sort of messenger and what not," she observed while picking another chestnut from the bag.
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Walto Tunnelly | Brooke Willows
Wintertime
Inside Tunnelly's General Goods store

“Is there anything else you ladies need?” Mr. Tunnelly asked, cheery and not wanting to neglect any further needs of the customers.

“Oh.. uh, no sir.” Brooke replied. She finished one more chestnut before she gathered up her parcels, trying to make sure she would not drop anything. As she wasn’t able to buy a tremendous amount of goods, it wasn’t very difficult. She considered the reply that Aislin had made. “I.. yes, I’m sure. It doesn’t quite fit me anymore.” She said, shrugging. “I don’t really need it, so.. I’d rather you had it, than it be torn up into rags or something.” She shrugged and then used one hand to wrap her blanket back around her shoulders, hesitating at the other question.

She debated how much to tell Aislin. She felt torn between asking her to come along to have a sort of ‘backup’ in case she ran into danger, or telling her to stay far, far away from where Brooke must go, because she knew it was a dangerous place to go. But she decided that, in the interest of hopefully keeping Aislin safe, she would rather the other girl did not come along even though it would be nice to have friendly company. “Um, yes, something like that. I have to bring these things back..home.” She explained. “Then.. I think the only other thing left is to deliver another letter. Except I.. I may get out of that somehow. Either way, I’ll bring you the dress here first.. you can stay in here where it’s warm, as long as Mr. Tunnelly doesn’t mind..” She glanced at the hobbit storekeeper, then back at Aislin. “I’ll be back.” She told her, then hurried out before she could change her mind.

Walto, who had gone back to busily arranging some of the jars and things behind the counter, seemed to be having trouble reaching the upper shelves even with the small step ladder he had. He sighed and looked around for some solution to this problem before his gaze landed on the young human girl and an idea occurred to him. “You there, miss.. d’you think you might be able to reach them top shelves up there?” he questioned her, glancing Aislin over as if trying to decide if she were sufficiently taller than himself. “I’m having a bit of trouble, y’see, and I need to get all these here preserves stocked up on the shelves.”
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 11:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

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Fuin Elda
Tingdain Stall
With Brooke Willow
@Purrmonster of Doom

"No no, the steel wool first or you shall be at polishing that cutlery all week." Fuin said with a chuckle watching Bronaeth pick up the polishing cloth instead of the ball of steel wool. Fuin gave a sad smile. "It is very rare indeed that we get sick. It was no normal sickness, I was... almost killed and it took a long time to heal from it. She said softly not explaining it any further than that, indeed she did not know this Bronaeth well enough to tell her to admit that she'd come so close to slipping past the horizon of the Void where none might return from save but the might of Eru himself in the ending of all days. That was not something one told a child that one had only known as a toddler and then met again with them older.

"You're right she is crafty, and manipulative. You're wise for your years." Fuin said glancing at the pot that she'd put into the forge to get the dents out of it. "So you will want to make small circular motions on it until it gets less black, dont worry you won't be able to damage them by doing small circles. If you do long strokes on it then you might scratch them but that would be the worst of it, still far better than how they came to me." She gave a half grin at that knowing just how bad some of the cutlery had been shape wise before she had worked on them.

Once Bronaeth was busy polishing the cutlery Fuin pulled the pot from the forge and set it on the anvil holding it tightly with the tongs and doing quick short strikes to the inside of the pot so that the dents pushed out gently without over stretching or weakening the metal at all. Each dent had to be heated individually, and then carefully repair it until finally it was done, it took long enough Fuin was certain that Bronaeth would have a few of the pieces of cutlery polished up.

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Aislin
Tunnely's General Goods Store

@Purrmonster of Doom

Aislin nodded at Brooke and popped another chestnut in her mouth. It had been long since she had such a delicacy, so she took her sweet time in savouring each one. Even though she would not mind following Brooke, she wondered if the other girl did not want to have such a beggar go along with her - who knew perhaps her bedraggled appearance was the cause they had received poor treatment when the first letter was delivered?

She looked after Brooke, as far as she could see through the window and hesitated by the fire, wondering if the shopkeeper would not mind her being here. And it seemed that perhaps he would not.

"I am called Aislin, sir," she responded rather happily, when the Hobbit addressed her. "I would gladly help you to put those things away." She would indeed rather make herself useful instead of just standing there and taking up place.

She figured she could be of help, judging that she was indeed taller than the shopkeeper, though perhaps not to such measure that she would be able to tuck him under her arm.

"Let me see if I can reach the top," she suggested lightly, placing her edible treasures on the counter and carefully climbing up the small ladder. Reaching up her hand from the top step she found that her fingers could barely reach the top shelf, perhaps just enough to shove some items on it.
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Walto Tunnelly
Inside Tunnelly's General Goods store

Walto stood back while the girl went about climbing the ladder to accomplish the task for him. “Oh thank you kindly, miss Aislin.” He beamed happily as he passed her the jars to put away. She could reach that shelf that he couldn’t. He never had been able to reach it, and therefore, was never able to properly utilize that shelf. “You know I really ought to get a taller ladder, I s’pose, or put that shelf a bit lower, but I’ve always been rather nervous of heights, you see. I can’t ever reach that shelf, but I’m plum out of space anywhere else and my wife’s just done up all these preserves and expects me to sell the lot of them, but how can I sell them if I haven’t anywhere to display them?” He threw his hands up with a sigh.

He continued passing her the jars and was pleased to watch the shelf fill up with them. He would, of course, have trouble getting them down if a customer wanted to buy one, but maybe he could find a Tall person to help him when that time came. Eventually, there was only one jar left, but the shelf looked full. “Hm, this last one here, don’t look like it’ll fit up there will it?” He commented. “That’s alright, I reckon one won’t make too much difference.” He looked thoughtfully at the jar and then offered it to her. “You done me a real big favor, so here, you take it and I hope you enjoy it.” He told her with a warm smile. “A person oughta get paid for doing work, after all. I suppose that ain’t hardly enough, anyway.” He went to his money drawer and took out a couple coins, which he offered to her as well. “There you are, and I’ll tell you, if’n you ever want to earn a bit more, you come check back here and see if maybe I have any work for you.” He suggested. Usually his family were the only ones who helped with the store, but there were certainly some jobs that were better suited for Tall folks, and not Hobbits.



Brooke Willows
Willows Residence

Having left the shop, Brooke hurried through the snow. Her toes were threatening to become numb with cold, and she wanted to go from one warm place to another somewhat warm place as quickly as possible. She let herself in through the front door, carrying her basket of groceries. Claire probably wouldn’t be happy with the meager amount of food she had brought home, but it was wintertime so she could hardly expect to have fresh vegetables and such. Her own stomach grumbling with hunger, Brooke quickly put away the things in the pantry and hoped to take a bowl of the stew that was cooking on the stove. The smell was rather tantalizing, not that Claire was such a good cook but just because of the fact that Brooke hadn’t eaten in so long. She went over to peer into the pot, wondering where the meat for it had come from.

“That isn’t done yet, back off.” Claire snapped, making Brooke jump away from the pot. She looked up at her stepmother, backing away a bit nervously. “Have you done all your errands?” The woman frowned at Brooke.
“I.. um... yes...”
“Really?” Claire put her hands on her hips. “Well?”

Biting her lip, Brooke edged for the door. “Well.. what?” She wondered, unsure what Claire was expecting.
Claire sighed. “Why are you so stupid? Did Henley give you anything?” She asked slowly, as if to ensure Brooke understood the words.
Fidgeting, Brooke shook her head. “N-no, and um.. he didn’t seem to..like your message...” she offered back the wadded up, sobered-on letter.
“Well, he’ll get over it.” Claire narrowed her eyes, snatching the other, unopened letter from her open bag. “You still haven’t delivered Sully’s letter? What are you doing standing around here! Get going girl!” She raised a spoon in her hand that was meant for stirring the stew.

Brooke quickly retreated, flinching slightly. “No... I’m..I won’t, I refuse to go there.” She informed her stepmother, trying to feel defiant and strong, though she really didn’t feel that way.
Claire glared for a moment, then grabbed her and gave her a shove. “You’ll do what I tell you, if you want anything to eat tonight! Now get going!”
Stumbling, Brooke fell to the floor, wincing. Despite that, she shook her head again. “Th-there’s nothing you can do.. or say.. to make me go there...I won’t. “
Claire tried to yank her up from the floor, then noticed a book slipping out of Brooke’s bag, and grabbed it instead. “Oh, really?” She smirked.

Alarmed, Brooke scrabbled up and tried to snatch it back, but without success. “No.. give it back...” the girl pleaded, suddenly desperate.
Claire smiled and pushed her away. “No.. not until you’ve finished that errand. Do that, and I’ll give it back.”
Brooke stared at her, then at the book, one that had belonged to her mother. Her most precious belonging was being held captive, and she didn’t trust Claire at all with it. “Please...” she whispered, fearing what may happen to her book.
“Take that letter out to him now.. or unless you want it to become firewood.” Claire threatened, holding the book toward the fire.
“No! Don’t, please..!”
“I will! Unless you deliver that letter.” Claire glared at her, the book held dangerously close to the fire.

Brooke hesitated, feeling torn... she didn't want to do this job, but she couldn't let her book be destroyed, either. "Alright.." she finally consented. Fighting tears, she finally hurried out the door. Why did Claire have to find the one thing that could give her such power over her? After a few steps, Brooke stopped outside, remembering her promise to Aislin, and hesitated. She had to get Aislin that dress, and before she went to Sully. She might not ever come back once she went out there, because she didn’t know what would happen there.

Taking a deep, shaky breath, she went around to the back of the house and climbed in through her broken window. The dress was tucked away in a drawer in the dresser, among a few other the books that her mother had left behind, though these weren’t nearly as dear to her as the one Claire was holding hostage. Blinking back tears, Brooke took the folded dress and tucked it under her arm before climbing back out. Then she retraced her steps back to Mr Tunnelly’s store with a heavy heart. Hopefully, the other girl would still be there. Stepping tentatively inside, Brooke took a glance around to look for Aislin.
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 11:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

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@I Said What I Said

Brooke Willows
Tingdain Stall

Sometime in Autumn
(Set a few months before the events in the Rp with Aislin and Henley)


With a tiny flinch, Brooke put the cloth down, picking up the other thing. She should have known, obviously, to use this first, rather than the cloth. She'd forgotten it was there. Taking the steel wool, she looked at it curiously, having never heard of such a thing. It was a bit strange, but she could see how it would be useful. "Small circles, alright." She repeated softly, trying to make sure she did this right. Definitely no long strokes. She started working on the fork first, listening with curiosity as Fuin gave an answer about her question. "Oh... I'm sorry," she frowned, feeling bad now that she'd asked about it. "I'm glad you're better now." She hoped that was the case, anyway. It surely was, if the elf had returned to set up selling things. She wouldn't be working on a forge if she was still not well, right?

Brooke focused on trying to get the blackness off of the fork as Fuin replied concerning Claire. Shrugged slightly at the mention about being wise, Brooke quietly disagreed. "Not really. I just know her, is all." She answered, frowning slightly. "I have to live with her." she pointed out, keeping her attention on the fork. It didn't take any sort of wisdom to know what Claire was like when you lived with her for four years, after all. She knew about a lot of people, merely from observing them. Because she tried to be quiet and unnoticeable as much as possible, Brooke frequently knew a fair amount about people who may not even know she existed. And in her own house, she often overheard things that people thought no one could hear but the ears it was intended for. Brooke knew about a lot of Claire's schemes and plans, therefore.

She glanced up now and then to watch Fuin work on the pot. "My stepsister did that," She mentioned quietly, not sure why she felt the need to explain how the pot got so dented. "She threw it, because she was mad about something." She couldn't even quite remember what it was the girl was upset about. Maybe she'd been told to wash the dishes? Or perhaps she'd been ordering Brooke to do it for her. Either way, she'd thrown a tantrum and flung the pot, which then hit the bricks around the fireplace. After that the poor thing seemed to acquire new dents and dings much more easily, and Brooke didn't know about the rest.
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 11:46 am, edited 2 times in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

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Fuin Elda
Tingdain Stall
With Brooke Willow
@Purrmonster of Doom

Fuinn nodded if Bronaeth did not want to think that was wisdom she wouldn't argue with her, wisdom was not always knowing the great histories, or all the names of the stars that wheeled overhead but sometimes just knowing how to survive. How it was that Fuin always seemed to find children that were survivors Fuin did not know but she kept stumbling across their paths, or into hers. She glanced at the fork that she was working on, it was getting close to being polished enough now that Fuin had the first dent out of the pot to switch to the emery cloth that would give it a smooth sheen nicer than what the steel wool would do.

"You should get her a ball. She sounds like a child." Fuin rolled her eyes "I've already dealt with toddlers running and putting their sticky hands on me and even they were more mature than your step sister from the sounds of it. With that Fuin put the pot back into the forge happy that one of the dents was now fixed from the heavy iron pot. Fuin worked the bellows waiting for the heavy pot to heat up enough she could fit the next dent She had half a mind to harden the pot but knew that would be a waste of her efforts as the cooking would slowly undo it regardless. Perhaps the fools had actually tried to heat it more than it should have an over softened it to fix the dents. But knowing Claire and her daughter well enough that was not likely the case, perhaps Bronaeth had tried which would make far more sense, but Fuin did not want to say anything that she might take poorly. She had a hard enough time as it was living with the family she had.

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Aislin
Tunnnely's General Goods Store

@Purrmonster of Doom

The girl could see that the shelves up here had not been used; there was a layer of dust covering the whole surface, and she made an effort to brush it off with her sleeve, as far as she could reach. "Ah, Mr Tunnely, it is a fine view from up here, though," Aislin responded with a smile to his apprehension of heights, as she reached for the next jar. "And this is not awfully high, except it could be a bit of tumble downwards anyway, if the ladder moved or something."

When the shopkeeper was left with the last jar, the girl glanced over the neat rows of jars, wondering if she could reorganise everything to fit it in somewhere. But when the Hobbit did not seem too worried of not being able to put the jar up there, Aislin climbed down to find the jar being handed to her.

"Thank you so much," she blushed at the recognition, and the idea of having a bit of proper food perhaps for the next day or two. The coins she slipped into the small secret pocket that she had for valuables, though she had long spent all of those.

"I would gladly help you with anything you might need me for, Mr Tunnely!" she exclaimed, and made a decision to look in here now and then; even if there was no work, the kind attitude warmed her heart, and she was willing to come only for that. After all one got tired of loneliness and being frowned and yelled at as an unwelcome beggar.

She returned to her little collection of supplies and tasted a little bit of cheese, thinking if she should finally leave; after all it would not do to make the shop her home. Just as she was to collect her belongings and leave, Brooke returned.

"Do you still need a companion for any errands?" she asked, approaching the girl.
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@The Alarion

Brooke Willows
Tunnelly’s General Goods store


Did she need a companion for any further errands? Brooke was caught off guard by this question, and hesitated. She did want company. It was tiring to be lonely all the time. But did she dare put Aislin in danger? Mr. Buckthorn had seemed dangerous, but Brooke felt sure that he was nothing compared to Mr. Spruce. And if Claire’s letter to him was anything like the one to Mr. Buckthorn, then Brooke was going to be in trouble, not to mention the dangerous walk through the woods, where there may be bandits lurking, or worse. She did not want to go, but nor could she defy her stepmother when her book was in danger of fire. Still, she couldn’t ask the other girl to come. Yet, at the same time, she didn’t want Aislin to think that Brooke didn’t want her company.

“Um.. no, it-it’s...difficult,” Brooke tried to explain, awkward. “I can’t, I mean…” she sighed. “You’d be better off to stay here. It’s a long way, and.. Well..” What could she say? “The person I have to see is worse than Mr. Buckthorn.” The flat-out truth had always been her default. “It’s better if you don’t get involved.” Did that sound like she was being stand-offish? She didn’t mean for it to, but she didn’t know what else to say. Looking down, she remembered the dress folded up in her arms, and held it out to Aislin. “I.. here, I brought this, if you still want it.” She felt like she’d just ruined her chances of friendship, but hoped the dress would help Aislin, at least a little.

Sighing, with her head down, Brooke left the shop and set off down the road, blanket wrapped tightly around her shoulders. She had told her the truth, but she didn’t know if Aislin would believe her. More than likely, the other girl would be offended and decide that Brooke didn’t want anything to do with her. Good job, Brooke. She sighed heavily and fought tears as she hurried on her way. Whether Aislin stayed in the warm shop or followed her, Brooke didn’t know. She didn’t look back and she was focused on not slipping on the ice, her mind whirling with all the thoughts that flooded her mind.


(story is continued here)
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 11:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

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@I Said What I Said

Brooke Willows
Tingdain Stall

Sometime in Autumn
(Set a few months before the events in the Rp with Aislin and Henley)


After a while, the fork looked fairly nice, so she moved on to another piece, this time a spoon. This was going to take forever. But she didn't mind, it was time she didn't have to spend at home. Near the step 'family' if that was what one could call them. She preferred to be away from them both as much as possible, and to spend it in the company of someone who was actually nice to her, and who had been a friend of her mother's, that was even better.

The suggestion about a ball brought a slight smile of amusement, and she shook her head. "She already gets anything she wants. There's no need for me to get her anything." She assured Fuin, thankful that she wasn't ever expected to give the girl gifts. Anything she gave her would have been rejected anyway, so it wouldn't have done any good. But, just in case, it was best not to tempt fate, lest any suggestion about getting Claire or Amber anything might somehow reach their ears and they might begin to demand it of her. Glancing up at Fuin, she nodded. "Very immature." She agreed, smiling faintly. At least someone agreed, not that Brooke knew anyone else around here, or what they might think of Amber.

After a moment of quietly rubbing the spoon with the wiry steel wool stuff, she asked quietly, "Did my mother learn elvish from you?" She was trying to make sense of this. She didn't remember if her mother ever actually told her where she'd learned the language, but it seemed as if she'd known it slightly better than Westron, though Brooke wasn't really sure. She felt regretful that she'd never really had very many deep conversations with her mother concerning such things. But then, she supposed she couldn't really be blamed for that, as she had been still a fairly young child when her mother died. There were so many things that she would've loved to ask her mother, if she could.
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 11:46 am, edited 2 times in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

High Lord of Imladris
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Fuin Elda
Tingdain Stall
With Brooke Willow
@Purrmonster of Doom

Fuin raised an eyebrow at Bronaeth her joke calling the step daughter a child, for no near grown woman would have a use for a ball clearly went over the young womans head but that was fine. There were far worse things that one might not catch and understand. She pulled the pot from the forge once more as Bronaeth agreed with her the young woman was very immature. Fuin carefully set the pot up and began knocking the second dent out of it. She was about to put it back in the coals again when she had to stop and think for a moment on the question.

"No..."Fuin said slowly carefully thinking on what Cassandra had told her in terms of learning Sindarin. "It was her father that taught her Sindarin, though where he learned it I do not know, I don't think I met him? Or if I had I did not know him to be her father." She said finally certain she'd not met her father. "It was quite nice speaking to her, the first time she took me entirely by surprise, I made a joke to my friend about how he needed to be careful selling drinks to the men of Bree or they'd all be passed out like Thranduils men." Fuin chuckled thinking on that memory as she put the pot back into the forge once more.

"She asked me who Thranduils men were and why they'd passed out, and I stood there gaping like a fish out of water." Fuin shook her head and worked the bellows looking at the work Bronaeth had done so far on the cutlery, the fork was looking superb, and the spoon with it's lack of tines was if anything easier to deal with and faster to polish, so they and the knives Fuin had no doubt would go a lot faster.

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@I Said What I Said

Brooke Willows
Tingdain Stall

Sometime in Autumn


Brooke thought about that as she worked on polishing the spoon for a bit, before finally moving on to another piece. Her mother must have been a bit young at that time, for by the time Brooke came along, she knew quite a bit about history and things. She had taught Brooke a great deal of it. She listened thoughtfully as Fuin spoke, until she had finished. "I should have known that," She commented quietly. "Her father was a ranger.. I've heard before the Dunedain are usually brought up speaking in Sindarin more than anything.. I don't know how true that is, but..." Shrugging, she focused on polishing the piece in her hand.

"I never met him," She added sadly. "He died.. a few months before I was born." She frowned, wishing very much that she could have met him. "My mother told me about him though. She loved him very much.. he was a good father, and I wish I could have known him." She had always felt some jealousy over that, not that she would have wished her mother to have a bad father, but that she wished her own father would have been more like that. "I wish I remembered if she ever told me his name. I wonder if you may have known him, but.. without knowing his name, I guess we'll never really know." She shrugged slightly, sighing as she set the steel wool down, and picked up the emory cloth instead.
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 11:47 am, edited 2 times in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

High Lord of Imladris
Points: 5 208 
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Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2020 7:53 am
Fuin Elda
Tingdain Stall
With Brooke Willow
@Purrmonster of Doom

Fuin nodded, a ranger made sense in terms of why he would speak Sindarin, and if he was a Ranger there was a good chance that she had met him. She tried to remember if she'd heard news of a ranger passing near to when Bronaeth had been born but couldn't remember any, though she didn't know all of the rangers so perhaps it had been one of the ones she had not had the fortune to meet. "Unfortunately you're right without his name, I'm afraid I would not be able to tell you, though if your mother told you of him then I am sure you have many good stories to remember him by. Fuin said with a smile as she picked up the emory cloth to further polish the cutlery she was working on. She pulled the pot once more and took it to the anvil this was its last dent, then she would harden it she decided, hopefully that would keep it from denting as easily as it had under the care of Claire and her daughter.

She worked quietly for a long while aside from soft clacking of the wood in the bellows as she worked them almost constantly and keeping the pot moving round and round so that it heated properly. Hardening something like this pot was tricky and it would take a while to have it properly hardened After almost an hour of working the bellows and turning the pot so that it was all heated evenly she plunged it into her quench bath and it hissed and steamed and soon half of her bucket was empty from the heat of the bucket and Fuin grabbed her spare bucket of water and poured it over the pot in the barrel making it hiss even more before all that showed the water was hot was the steam coming off of it.

'Well, that's everything finished forge wise, I still need to make up a handle for the hammer but I would like a break from hard work for a moment. Fuin said with a small smile leaving the pot in place for the time being. "I suppose the next thing to do is to write up that receipt for you." She said pulling her leather gloves off and looking for an order form that she'd put everything onto and then write in the prices. "Is there anything I should be putting on this form? Fuin asked looking at Bronaeth.

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@I Said What I Said

Brooke Willows
Tingdain Stall

Sometime in Autumn


Brooke focused on rubbing the emory cloth on one of the spoons, trying to think back if she'd ever heard any particular story about her grandfather. She must have heard some, at some point in her life, but she only had a fuzzy recollection of things to do with him. Only that he had been very loving and tried to do a good job raising his daughter. She did remember her mother once telling her that he had been opposed to her marrying Brooke's father, so he must have been a smart man as well, or something, if he could tell that Jeff would not be a good husband for his daughter. Brooke had nothing really to say on the matter, and just focused on the spoon.

She went over each one of the pieces of cutlery, taking her time, trying her best to get them polished as perfectly as possible. Her fingers looked rather black and she figured they must be stained, but it didn't matter too much. She could wash them, and if it didn't come off, it probably meant she didn't need to worry about it rubbing off onto other things.

She kept quite while she worked on her task, and Fuin worked on hers, not wanting to distract her from what she was doing. To Brooke, it appeared she was only pumping the thing to make the forge hot, but she guessed there might be more to it than that, since she appeared to be doing it very methodically and with what appeared to be careful timing. Brooke watched slightly while she polished, wondering if she might figure out what the actual purpose was behind all of this, but it did not seem to be evident. At last, the pot was dunked into the water with loud hissing sounds. Brooke jumped slightly, again. She hadn't been looking at that moment, and wasn't expecting it, though she then felt a little embarrassed for having been startled by the sound a second time.

The question left her a bit puzzled, unsure of quite what Fuin meant. She hesitated, thinking back quickly to their previous conversation concerning the money and everything, and hoped she was guessing correctly by what she answered. After taking a moment to dig into her bag, she pulled out a handful of coins, counting them quickly, then showed Fuin what she had. "This is what she sent with me... is that what you mean?" She frowned a bit uncertainly. "Or, did you mean what items to put down that you fixed? I... I think, maybe, the hammer ought not be put on there... she um, didn't know about that." She didn't know if Claire would be upset if she found out she'd brought other items to be fixed which she didn't know about. Most likely. She'd rather not face her wrath, in that case.
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 11:47 am, edited 2 times in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

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@Ercassie

Lauryl, Logan and Liana Woods, with Maggy Winters, Autumn and Wesley Rose, and Gilbert and Rosemary Roebuck
Along the road from Combe to Bree

“Ugh!” Autumn squealed. “Gramma! Gilbert just put snow down my back!” She complained, squirming in the back of the wagon that Logan was driving.

Lauryl was seated in the middle between Logan and Liana with Rosemary held in her lap. She turned around and gave the boy a stern look. “Gilbert Roebuck, you better behave yourself. Now apologize to your cousin.” She ordered him.
Six-year-old Gilbert tried not to giggle at the squirming that Autumn was doing, and tried to look more serious when his grandmother got involved. He turned to Autumn. “Sorry Autumn. I won’t do it again.” He said with a heavy sigh.
The apology earned a ‘hmph’ from ten-year-old Autumn, who did not consider it very genuine.

“That’s better. We will be in town soon, and I expect you all to be on your best behavior.” Lauryl said, with a look at all of the kids but resting her gaze particularly upon mischievous little Gilbert.
Wesley sat quietly in his place, looking innocent and sweet. Lauryl had no idea whether he had been involved in the snow incident but he usually wasn’t involved in mischief unless his cousin dragged him into it. She turned back around and tucked the blanket in closer around little Rosemary, who snuggled closer in her lap.

“We could drop them all off right here and make them walk the rest of the way to town.” Logan suggested teasingly, acting like he was actually going to reign in the horse.
“No! I don’t wanna walk, my shoes are breaking.” Autumn spoke up quickly. “Don’t make us walk, uncle Logan!” She pleaded. “And Maggy’s shoes are worse.” She added, defending her best friend. “They got holes in them, her feet would freeze.”
“I could walk if I had to...” Maggy spoke up quietly,embarrassed, and having done so plenty of times before. “I’d rather not though.” She added with a giggle.

Autumn’s family was funny and she liked them, but she hoped her daddy would be coming back soon. He had been gone entirely too long, and while she was glad for Autumn’s family trying to help her get by until he returned, she just wanted him to be home.

Liana giggled softly at the kids’ reaction to Logan’s idle threat. She was sat with a basketful of yarn in her lap, on the other side of her mother from Logan. “I suppose we can give them a second chance.” She looked back at the young boys and girls in the back of the wagon. “You’ll all be good, won’t you?” She asked them, and was answered hastily by them all,
“Yes!”
Satisfied, Liana looked across their mother at her brother. “I think we can continue the ride into town, now.” She told him, playing along with his teasing.

“Good, now all hands and feet are to be kept inside the wagon at all times.” Logan announced. “We will be arriving approximately... soon.” He said, as he had no idea how many minutes it would actually take. The snow and ice on the road was making it a bit hard for the wagon to move, and the horse could have been better off with another horse to help pull the load.


Bree, mid-morning



The wagon rolled into the town to find not that many folks seemed to be out and about. Still, the places of business would be open. The wool shop would, for sure, once they arrived. Logan stopped the wagon near the cobbler shop. “I could drive you on to the shop if you like, Momma.” He offered.
“No, thank you Logan. I’ll be fine. The walk will do me some good, I’m sure, and besides, I’d like to visit with Prue first.” Lauryl smiled and patted her only son’s cheek. He was always so thoughtful.. she couldn’t imagine what she’d do if she were to lose him. “I imagine she hasn’t got out as often as she might like to, it’s been so cold.” She added.

“Alright.” He hopped down and then held up a hand to help the ladies down, beginning with his mother, who set Rosemary aside into Liana’s care. Once his mother was safely on the road, he took the basket of yarn from Liana and passed it to their mother. “I’ll walk you to the shop when you’re ready, if you like. It’s rather icy out.” He told her.
“I’ll be alright, but thank you, dear.” Lauryl smiled and wrapped her cloak better around herself, taking the basket under one arm. She looked at the kids again. “You all be on your best behavior now, remember.” She reminded them, before setting off toward the steps leading up to the cobbler’s living quarters to visit with Mrs Dogwood, bringing a basketful of yarns she thought the other woman may want to have the first chance to buy.

After watching for a moment as his mother departed, Logan turned to help Liana down from the wagon, then passed Rosemary down to her. By this time, the other kids had scrambled down from the wagon, needing no help. “Alright, let’s go.” He grabbed the basket with woolen things that they thought Mr Dogwood may want to use in his shoemaking business, and then the troop of kids headed for the cobbler shop.

Sole Mates Shoeshop



Logan hurried to arrive at the door first and, as he had been taught to be gentlemanly, opened the door for his sister and the kids. He hoped, perhaps, the two young boys would observe and learn how to act. Still, they were rather young so maybe he was expecting too much from them at this age. He didn’t really remember what he was like when he was six or seven years old.
“Thank you Logan.” Liana smiled at her brother as she went inside with her littlest niece wrapped in her cloak, held against her side. She glanced back to make sure the other kids were following, then went to speak to Mossy to see about shoes for the whole group.

Autumn and Maggy were following Liana, but then Gilbert hurried in ahead of them, nearly knocking the two girls down as he pushed his way past them, nearly knocking the protesting girls down, while Wesley stood quietly back behind the girls, waiting for the doorway to clear.
“Gilbert Roebuck!” Logan spoke sharply, his tone catching the little boy in his tracks. “Ladies first. Get back here and apologize.” He reminded him.
“Oops,” Gilbert came back just long enough to say, “Sorry!” to the girls before running back inside to get out of the cold, and have a thorough look around the shop.
“Don’t run...” Sighing, Logan shook his head and made sure the door closed after they were all inside. He tried to keep an eye on all the kids, knowing Liana was doing the same. The two were pretty used to this sort of thing, having had a few years’ experience tending sheep. Though, even the most troublesome sheep weren’t anywhere near as likely to run off and cause mischief as Gilbert...

“Hello Mr Dogwood,” Liana greeted the cobbler, holding onto Rosemary’s hand. That was one child who wasn’t going to get into trouble, she would make sure of that. “I apologize if we might overwhelm you, coming in all at once, but we are all in need of new shoes.” She explained with a smile. “Do you have the time to help us?”
“We also have some wool and things Momma said you might be interested in, perhaps arranging a trade of sorts?” Logan added, setting the basket of said woolen things down so the cobbler could see what they had brought. “And how are you today, sir?” He asked, remembering his manners.
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 12:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

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@Purrmonster of Doom

Image

Amos ‘Mossy’ Dogwood
Sole Mates Shoe Shop


The invasion commenced in a disarmingly subtle manner, and Mossy scarcely glanced up at the first set of feet wandered through his door. The second, leading to a third and then a fourth and so on .. more so gathered his attention, and the elderly gentleman actually sat back in his seat to observe whether all of Breetown were about his front porch all at once ! It was though merely the one clan, and not all of even them, whom he recognised collectively. The Woods, and certainly it seemed there were so many children now about the room as there are trees amidst a forest.

Well now,” Mr Dogwood ran his cap up in one hand, brushing over his silvered hair with the other. Mentally he counted quite how many customers had come. Liana served up her explanation, even as her brother herded their group to find manners, or remember them. Such was oft the case, that a group’s behaviour was more unruly the more that they comprised. Still, the elder pair seemed rather practiced in their trial.

Not especially forward in making voice, Mossy nodded his assent, hoping that his folded features did not rightly convey quite how nervous he was to be so outnumbered. “Good good morning, yes.” he managed to barely expand upon his earlier remark, in response to all the many greetings and niceties hurled his way. “Who would like to be first ?” he dared breathe aloud, and prayed a war would not ensue.


ImageImage

Dessy Hart with Coleman Finch
Outside the Shoe shop

There was a length of time when awkward silence verged on nigh unbearable, and both of the young people were all too aware of their vexing dilemma. Ever since Clay had convinced Dessy to write a birthday card for Cole, there had been some expectation, as though it might have meant something more than ever had been intended. In truth, the shy farmer’s son had never received any cards from any female outside his family. His best friend had sought only to amend this situation in an effort to build up Cole’s confidence. Dessy couldn’t think of any reason why she ought not to oblige the favour, until it was too late to retract it. The fact of their respective best friends now getting wed and having a baby together, only had exacerbated the pressure on the single remains of their quartet.

It wasn’t that she could find any reason to dislike Cole. He was thoughtful, polite, and no Orc to look upon. He didn’t carry the same confidence as Clay did, but Dessy didn’t mind that either, for it was nice to get a word in edgeways. What she did mind was the fact that all who knew the four thought automatically now that she and Cole should partner up. It would be a neat little conclusion, if entirely unrealistic, to assume that anyone should settle for just the most convenient partner. Dessy wasn’t especially sure that she desired any partner, at least not yet. But to express this without hurting Cole’s feelings, particularly when it seemed as though her card had encouraged him in the first … it was rather uncomfortable whenever the two found themselves alone together. Really she had only caught his eye as she made to gift Mossy’s forgotten lunch basket. Now though, she was trapped.


Lots of deliveries today,” the girl could think of naught more substantial than state the obvious.

Yes, you’re right,” Cole Finch tried to look busy, and failed miserably. “Did you want .. ?”

“Oh no, that’s ..”

“Oh,”

“There’s nothing wrong with … I mean, I do admire … milk … as much as the next .. hmm .. yes .. well.”

“I’ve some spare ?”

“Oh, that’s .. Thankyou. That is most kind of you.”

“Its my job,”

“Yes, well, good. I mean thank you. I already did say that. But thank you. Once again. And .. thank you
.”


Falling through the door of the shop, Dessy fled from one predicament and stumbled into another. She raised up her basket in one hand, a bottle of milk in the other, even while blushing and sidestepping several small children. There was no need to explain, for Mr Dogwood’s flattened smile spoke of much relief to see the girl. Forgotten vittles was now a bonus. But far more so was the pair of helping hands, a pair whom he knew as good as family his own now.

You look like you might properly wake ‘Ole Pony’ up,” she suggested, grasping to aid Gilbert into the large rocking horse which had seen countless children find distraction. The most rambunctious thus waylaid, Dessy waved Logan to bring Wesley for first measures. “There’s some fine pretty new styles over by the window, if you girls want to have a look ?” she suggested, calmly to Autumn and Maggy. “Do you want to come and look as well ?” she offered, hands placed on her thighs to lean down and rightly face Rosemary. “You two never take a day off from herding ?” she shook her head, amused but amiable toward Logan and Liana.


Just when everything seemed to be set for place, a round bellied ginger cat clambered rather importantly out of the lunch basket, spilling what crumbs were left across the floor with a disdainful kick.

Conkers !” Dessy’s cry was uttered with equal parts surprise and annoyance, which the cat ignored, and started sidling around Liana’s legs. Cole who had loitered to glance through the shop window, for several minutes now, could not help but shake his head, quite entertained.
All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost
The old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not touched by the frost.

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Logan and Liana Woods, with Maggy Winters, Autumn and Wesley Rose, and Gilbert and Rosemary Roebuck
Solemates Shoe store

The arrival of Dessy caused much relief for Liana and Logan, and none too soon. Liana was scolding Gilbert for his attempts are running laps around the inside perimeter of the shoe shop, and now sighed in relief as Dessy put him up on the rocking horse to distract him. Gilbert happily rocked on the horse, whooping and hollering joyfully as if to make the horse gallop faster. He was soon immersed in a high speed chase of bandits or goblins or something of the sort, making the poor rocking horse gallop at full speed.

Glancing toward his cousin, Wesley felt a twinge of jealousy that he got to ride the rocking horse first, but he stood still and waited to be told where to go. But, when he saw the signal that he go first, the boy hung back and looked askance at his uncle Logan, who seemed a bit preoccupied with watching the girl who had awakened ‘Ole Pony’ up for Gilbert. He wasn’t sure why his uncle Logan had such a funny grin on his face, but he didn’t seem to be paying attention to Wesley. The boy looked up at the old cobbler with a sincere gaze. “My daddy says ladies are always to go first.” he told Mossy, solemnly. “Do you think.. maybe.. Ole Pony could carry me and Gilbert both?” he added with a hopeful glance toward his more rambunctious cousin.

The announcement about the new, pretty shoes in the window brought soft squeals of excitement from the girls. “Oooh!” Maggy and Autumn hurried to investigate the shoe styles they were told about. Autumn turned and waved to Rosemary to join them. “Come on Rosie, come look at the shoes with us.” She said with a smile, helping her little cousin to come and look at the nice shoes.

Meanwhile, Logan had fallen almost into a sort of daze as soon as Dessy arrived, and he watched her with a bit of admiration as she successfully went about giving the kids some form of entertainment, and thus did a better job of keeping them from mischief than himself and Liana had been able to do thus far. “Oh, uh..” He was a bit caught off guard when she spoke to him, but grinned, and gave a small laugh at her question. “Yeah, I guess we don’t..” he agreed, though with a slight nervousness he didn’t usually have. It couldn’t have anything to do with the presence of the pretty girl, surely. He didn’t notice his sister rolling her eyes, though, as he was a bit too focused on the other girl. Glancing around at the new commotion, he was surprised to see the cat emerge from the basket. But Liana wasn’t the least bit bothered. Of course not, she loved animals. It didn’t surprise Logan one bit to see his sister smile widely and then kneel down to shower the cat in affection.

“Oooh, you’re such a pretty cat, aren’t you?” Liana smiled, scratching under the cat’s chin. She petted him, cooing over how soft his fur is, admiring the color of his coat, and sympathizing over how cold it was outside so of course he would want to come inside where it’s warm. She would happily spend the next few hours giving the cat all her attention and all the pets and scratches he could possibly hope for, but she remembered the business at hand, and eventually stood up once again, hearing Wesley’s statement that ladies ought to go first. She gave a small smile to her little nephew. “Let’s have Maggy go first then, shall we?” She suggested. “She was hoping to be on her way, anyway.” She mentioned. “I think she had something she was planning to help Clay with.” She added.

Hearing this, Maggy eagerly hurried over, beaming. “Yes, please. I don’t want to neglect going to help Clay! I think his roof needs fixing.” She said eagerly, as, now off the hook of having to go first, Wesley moved off to watch Gilbert on the rocking horse, hoping for his own turn.

As things began to calm down, Logan drifted over to supervise the little boys on the rocking horse, though he kept glancing over to check if perhaps Dessy might need any assistance, while Liana moved toward the area of the window to keep a watchful eye on the girls, figuring that surely, Mossy and Dessy could handle one kid.
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 12:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

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ImageImage

Dessy 'Hart' and Amos 'Mossy' Dogwood
'Solemates' Shoe-shop, with the Woods children

Mossy had always stood by his wife's dream to have a lovely big family, and be surrounded by children and grandchildren. The lively throng from Combe were plain on why he was now getting too old to cope with so many, and ought be contented with his lot. They were a nice bunch of course, for a visit … The old man's face creased in all of the right places as his workshop became a nest of laughter and smiles and excitement. He exchanged a glance with Dessy as she gathered up what was left of the vittles' basket, taking full advantage of Liana's love for animals to distract Conkers the cat. The girl was able to salvage some of the food before Liana returned her attention to Autumn and Rosemary at the display stacks. Conkers vowed right there and then that he could still be the showpiece of the shop. Leaping up upon the nearest shelf, he strode along with his tail high in the air, sending a series of shoes down to the ground as he marched past and cared not at all for their getting in his way.


"Oh Conkers !" The Ranger's daughter sighed and could not say quite why Logan seemed so tangled all about his words, but that it must be a tendency of boys. Cole was usually no better in this regard from her experience and, in fact the only boy that she knew who never stopped talking was Clay. Technically she ought to think of them all as young men though, at least compared to little Wesley and Gilbert. But even of those tiny two, each was a distinct contrast as well. Gilbert looked near ready to fly through the window on the rocking horse, while Wesley hung back from his measurements, to be a little gentleman.


"Hmm," she catered to the thoughtful proposal of Wesley. "I think it would be more fun to have the horse all to yourself, in just a little while, maybe ?" she made a suggestion of her own, and glanced thankfully to Logan for his simply standing at hand, in case tantrums began, or else Gilbert might go flying from his whooping seat. "Then it will be worth the wait," she winked. "Can you be a big boy and pour some of this milk into a saucer here, for the cat ? That might keep him out of trouble for a moment !" she found a saucer from Mossy's counter and undid the milk bottle for Gilbert. "Careful, now, it's quite a heavy bottle. I always spill it, almost as though I am as bad as the cat ! But I'm sure you can do better than me .."

"Cole says that you are a talented musician, Logan
," she tasked on, seamlessly, a compliment for Logan, hoping that a subject he knew something about might just gather him to speak a word or two. She had known enough awkward conversations with farmers' sons today already. She did not glance up, but focused on hands, hovering, in case Wesley lost his grip. Of course, she ought not to distract Logan too much. The Woods boy was hovering in case it was Gilbert who lost his grip first ….


"But goodness how you've gone and loved these shoes of yours to pieces," the old cobbler smiled, as though proud they'd been so well loved, as he eased the broken, holy remnants off Maggy's small feet. "Couldn't bear to be parted from them, eh ?" he teased, softly, providing an alibi for her having coped with such sorry footwear for so long. He could not help but note that the child had not grown especially fast since the last time that she was here, and her measurements confirmed it. But he did not remark upon it aloud for he reasoned all here knew quite why, and all were kind enough to not make comment, only aid. "Let's see if we can't find something you'll love just as much again," he encouraged her.

Dessy could see the sense in their measuring Maggy first, and (she suspected) it was a subtle means of waving the little girl off to help Clay, while they sorted the payment side of things without her ever having to worry about it. It was little gestures, quietly unspoken but considered, between the good hearted folk of Bree which made Dessy so glad she had been welcomed to find a place for herself here. It wasn’t Gondor, but since her father was so adamant that it was too dangerous to venture South, it was plenty pleasant enough in the North.
All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost
The old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not touched by the frost.

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@Ercassie

Logan and Liana Woods, with Maggy Winters, Autumn and Wesley Rose, and Gilbert and Rosemary Roebuck
Solemates Shoe store

Sitting quietly for the cobbler, Maggy tried to hold her foot still while he worked. She twisted around a little to try and see the cat, though, and giggled a bit at how he knocked all the shoes off.

‘But goodness how you’ve gone and loved these shoes of yours to pieces. Couldn’t bear to be parted from them, eh?”

She smiled at the nice old cobbler. “I usually go barefoot in the summer, so it makes my shoes last longer.” She explained. “But they’re kinda getting too tight now,” She frowned at the hole in the end where her toes were poking through. “Will I be able to have new shoes today? Or must I wait for them to be made? I don't remember.” She didn’t mean to sound impatient, but her feet rather cold. She couldn’t quite remember how it was done last time, as that was before her daddy went away and that was ages ago now.

It was more than that, though. Both Mrs Woods and Mrs Rose had as good as forbidden her from helping Clay with fixing up his new house if she did not get some new shoes, saying that she would slip off the roof or trip on something in those old shoes, and hurt herself. If she could get the shoes right away, she would not have to break her promise to help him. Though, of course, she could always go help and just do groundwork, and maybe no one would have to know about that...

Logan was busy supervising his little nephew, who seemed intent on pushing the poor rocking horse to its limit. He hoped it was sturdy enough to endure the rambunctious enthusiasm of Gilbert. Surprised by the question addressed to himself, he looked over at Dessy. For a moment he looked like a deer caught in the light of a bright lantern, but he quickly recovered, somewhat. “Oh, uh. Does he?” He couldn’t help a little grin. “I.. thanks, I’m not, I mean, I don’t know how talented, really… I just play a bit, you know. It helps calm the sheep.” He ended, feeling that sounded a little lame, but he didn’t know what else to say. Running a hand through his hair, he absently watched Wesley take the bottle of milk. “I play some notes on my flute, for signals and things, too.” He added, feeling a little blush come to his cheeks, though he couldn’t explain why.

Intent on doing his very best, Wesley held the bottle in both hands. He often did such tasks for his mother, and therefore felt he was very qualified. The milk poured into the saucer without incident, and he proudly offered the bottle back to Dessy. “I do that all the time, at home. Mother lets me do lots of jobs like that.” He announced, pleased by his success.

Liana smiled as she looked around, observing how things had mostly settled down. The children were excited, but now they were occupied. Autumn and Rosemary were now busy petting Conkers. While they were thus occupied, Liana went about picking up the shoes that the cat had knocked off, and replaced them on the shelf. Soon, Maggy would have her shoes and could run off to help Clay. At least that would be one less child to watch. Liana debated whether to give each of the children permission to run outside to play in the snow, once they had their shoes. If Autumn went next, then they could have Gilbert go next, and Wes could get his turn to ride on the rocking horse while he was being fitted. Then the most energetic child could go outside where Autumn could keep an eye on him, and the rest would be much easier. They were less likely to knock things over or break anything if they were outside, after all.
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 12:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

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Fuin Elda
Tingdain Stall
With Brooke Willow
@Rillewen

Fuin nodded as Bronaeth showed her the handful of coins, that was exactly what she meant. Fuin of course would take some of them, as she did need to pay for the coal and her food and the like as well as the small bit of gold that she'd used and the wooden handle that she'd created over all though it wouldn't be nearly as much as she would normally charge. More because she wanted to help Bronaeth a bit and stick it to Claire. She disliked that woman thoroughly. With a count of the coins Fuin began marking down what she'd repaired and smiled as she was told that the hammer had been added to the list by her and was not sent by Claire.

It was likely something Bronaeth needed to mend things around the house goodness knows Claire and her husband were not the sorts to actually do it though she had no doubt that Bronaeth would be. "I meant both, mostly because there is no point in getting you in trouble for getting things you want fixed, and I need to know how much you are coming with in order to make sure that you are able to keep as much of it as possible." Fuin said with a chuckle as she began writing the receipt in scrawling beautiful common tongue. It was obvious that way this was an elven hand that wrote it, no man would write so nicely or fancily for a receipt with the items being listed off. Fuin sat for a moment thinking and began writing down prices. The most expensive was the jewelry fix, stating it was fixed with proper gold wire, and had a rush fee on it as normally that was something that Fuin would deal with over night because it was requested as such. Which wasn't entirely a lie. The trip pod and the pot were then the next most expensive pieces as they were the biggest eventually Fuin had the prices listed and added them up, it was worth more than what Bronaeth had brought. This was good.

She wrote in then underneath that part of the bill was being paid off by labour. and wrote in the deduction making it so that at best Claire would only be getting a few coppers back. In truth Bronaeth would be keeping about half of the coins that she had been sent with and Fuin would make sure to give her a few elven coppers so that it was obvious that money had exchanged hands.

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@Rillewen



ImageImage


Amos 'Mossy' Dogwood the cobbler, assisted by Dessy 'Hart'
Sole Mates Shoe shop, with the Woods children


Mossy didn't shape a single word when little Maggy blinked her big eyes earnestly at him. He just patted the girl on the knee, rocked himself upright and walked over to the counter. Ducking out of sight, he returned swiftly, with a package wrapped in plain brown paper, taking up both of his outstretched hands. Finding his way back over to his young customer, he laid the little package on her lap and smiled, as encouraging as he could manage.

"Them Elves been all whispering in my old ears again," he winked. For having just measured the girl's feet, he could be relieved all concern that his secret little project would be a good fit. There was something to be said in doing a job near fifty years, and Mossy had seen right near every set of feet in all the Breeland, much less could put down his wager how fast they were like to grow. "Told me you'd be come to visit me soon," the old man did not ignore what his son told him, in confidence. "And I figured to find a way I might thank you. For putting an eye out for my Clay," he smiled with small twinkling eyes, and just nodded, at the shoes, the same design as she had told her father she wanted the last time they'd come here to fit her. He remembered all such things. The leather was stained a deep red, like the fallen leaves in autumn. Pretty but still practical. "If they're a mite big, you can cram the paper around your toes to keep the fresh leather from it's rubbing," he suggested, quietly thinking of everything.

Dessy realised that she was staring, possibly in some confuddled bewilderment at Logan and his shy admission. "Did you bring your magical music maker with you today by any reckoning ?" she dared, carefully. "Maybe it would have the same effect upon the children .. Oh, I can see why !" she broke off from the jest to praise little Wesley. "That's a wonderful job and look .. Conkers !"

The lumbersome cat swayed his fluffy heft from side to side as he left Autumn and Rosemary in his wake. Not a thing would keep him from the saucer of milk, which he fell upon greedily. Accepting the bottle from her helper, Dessy lifted the glass back high and from the boy's reach.


Image


Coleman Finch, delivering from the dairy farm
Bursting in through the front door of the shoe shop

"Liana," he decided, even as his eyes were upon Logan and Dessy. "I .. forgive me for bursting in, Mr D." the milk courier ducked hiss head to a startled Mossy, over the small scattering of children all about the shop. "Liana I was wondering, if you would like to come to Berry's wedding. With me, I mean. You're all invited, but .. if you'd like. You don't have to. I just thought."

Running out of steam or else out of confidence, Cole opened and closed his mouth a few more times, before turning on his heels and fleeing from the shoeshop without ever properly waiting for an answer.
All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost
The old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not touched by the frost.

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@Ercassie

Maggy Winters
Solemates Shoe store

Watching curiously as the cobbler wandered off rather than answering her question, Maggy wondered if she had been too impatient-sounding. Perhaps he was leaving because he didn’t want to help her if she was going to be so impatient. Daddy always told her she needed to learn more patience, but she didn’t mean to be! It was just so hard to have to wait for anything.

Then, to her great surprise, he presented her with a pair of the prettiest shoes she could have hoped for! With eyes as round as the saucer Wesley was pouring milk for the cat into, Maggy’s jaw dropped in amazement as she unwrapped the paper and beheld the shoes in her lap. “Oh! They’re so pretty!” She exclaimed in delight. She wasted no time in trying the shoes on, and did in fact find them just a little bit big in the toes, just enough to leave her room in case her feet grew a bit. This space was, as Mossy suggested, filled in with the paper so that it was a perfect fit.

Hopping up to try standing in the shoes, she couldn’t stop smiling. “They’re perfect!” She gave him a quick hug and grinned. “It’s no problem, Mr Dogwood,” She giggled a little at the idea that she looked after Clay, but she didn’t argue about that. “I gotta go find him now and make sure he doesn’t fall off the roof or anything!” She announced, still with a big smile on her face. “Bye Autumn, I’ll see you later!” She called to her friend as she hurried to the door. Remembering the others as well as her manners, she stopped long enough to call a quick, “bye everyone! And thanks again, Mr. Dogwood!” And with a happy smile she ran out without waiting to give anyone a chance to come up with any other reason why she couldn’t go.

Now with nothing to stop her, Maggy took off at a careful run. The new shoes were wonderful, but she didn’t want to slip on the ice from running carelessly! Still she could not wait to find Clay and show off the pretty new shoes she had. Perhaps he had already seen them, as it was his father who had made them, but she was still excited and thrilled. He would have to see them anyway. Somehow in the midst of all her excitement and eagerness, Maggy remembered that she needed to get her tool bag. If she was to help Clay fix his roof, she would certainly need some tools, and she didn’t know if Clay had enough nails.

Therefore, she hurried her newly-shod feet toward the stall where nails could be bought, trying to hurry so that she would not leave Clay wondering what kept her, or worse... he might start without her and be done by the time she finally got there! Despite the fact it was still early enough that there was very little danger of this happening, her impatience urged her onward as fast as she could lest she miss out on anything.
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 12:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

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@Ercassie

Logan and Liana Woods, with Autumn and Wesley Rose, and Gilbert and Rosemary Roebuck
Solemates Shoe store

Did he bring his magical music maker, she asked? Logan blinked out of his daze, and grinned slightly. “Oh, well that depends on which one you mean,” he shrugged. “I didn’t bring my gittern, nor the lute. I’ve always got my flute with me,” He pulled the handmade instrument from the inside of his coat, to display it. “It’s... well, sort of simple really, but I do play some tunes on it,” Not sure why he felt so self-conscious about the humble instrument, made by his own hands, he tucked it back into his jacket. “Though I must admit, it doesn't work on the children the way it does on the sheep.” He added, watching her tend to the cat with the milk.

Conkers was not alone as he made his way to the dish of milk, for little Rosie trailed along trying to pet him as they went. Logan grinned in amusement at his little niece, but before he had a chance to say anything to her, Gilbert drew his attention away. The child had managed to rock the horse across the floor a short ways from where he started, and now was in danger of knocking a shelf down on top of himself. Hurrying over, Logan grabbed the boy from the rocking horse and steadied the toy and the shelf before anything could fall. “Easy, Gilbert! You can’t go galloping off into the sunset on that horse.” He scolded, deciding it might be best to hang onto the hyper kid for now.

“Awww but I was having fun!” Gilbert complained, squirming to get down from uncle Logan’s grasp.
“Sorry, but I believe Wesley’s overdue his turn anyway.” Logan dragged the rocking horse back to its starting point and nodded to Wesley, who happily climbed on. In an effort to entertain Gilbert while Autumn took her turn at being measured for shoes, Logan tickled Gilbert’s sides until he was giggling and had forgotten his disappointment about his turn being over.

Liana smiled, watching Mossy surprise Maggy with the shoes. How incredibly sweet of the old cobbler, she thought. She could see how thrilled the girl was by this act of kindness, and this made her smile even more. As Rosemary followed Conkers and continued petting him for as long as the cat would allow, Liana glanced around, quickly checking on the boys, then Rosie, then back to Autumn as her oldest niece sat still for her measurements.

“I don’t suppose you have any others similar to Maggy’s?” Autumn asked Mossy, hopeful. “They were so pretty!” She would certainly be admiring her friend’s pretty red shoes later, but perhaps there was a chance that she might get some like them, herself! Although, she told herself, if there weren’t any others like them, there were plenty of other pretty shoes to choose from. She’d been admiring some pretty ones in the window that Dessy had told her and Rosie about. Maybe some blue ones would be even prettier than Maggy’s.

The door opening suddenly brought a brief gust of cold air in with it. Liana turned, expecting to see Maggy come running back in saying she forgot something. But instead, to her surprise, it was Cole Finch! Liana blinked, startled to hear her own name burst from his mouth. Her first thought was that something was wrong, that she was needed. Maybe her mother had fallen and was hurt? But then... no, what? Her mouth dropped open slightly as she stared in astonishment at what he had just asked her. And then he was gone. But he had asked her... it wasn’t imagined, right?

Liana glanced over at her brother with wide eyes. He’d heard that too, right? She wanted to ask him to confirm that he had heard what Cole said, but to her dismay, found him absorbed in tickling Gilbert. He hadn’t even noticed Cole’s entrance, it seemed. Turning back to the door, she hesitated and then took a look out the window. Was he still there? She didn’t see him, and wondered why he would ask her a question - and a question like that too - without waiting on a reply. Biting her lip, Liana became thoughtful as she turned her focus back to watching Autumn, though her thoughts were racing. She knew Berry and Clay were to be married soon, and it was nice to know they were all invited.. but she had never had any young man ask her to go anywhere with him, and this set her mind reeling a little. Glancing at Dessy, she wondered if she’d heard the question, and maybe if the other girl might be able to explain the unexpected invitation, or maybe she was otherwise occupied and also didn’t hear it.
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 12:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

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@I Said What I Said

Brooke Willows
Tingdain Stall

Sometime in Autumn


Brooke watched as Fuin began writing out the receipt, impressed by her fancy writing. No one around here wrote that nicely, and she had never seen anyone write so prettily. Whenever Claire wrote anything, she'd be doing good to even spell one word right out of ten. When the receipt was done, she handed over the coins and smiled as the change was made, quite thrilled by how much extra she was getting. She was much closer to getting that new book, now. But now it seemed that her business here was done, and she had no excuse to stick around now.

"Thank you so much," She couldn't really express to Fuin how much she had helped her, or how thankful she was for this. "I.. I really appreciate it," She added, starting to work on packing all the stuff up to transport back home. Though she was reluctant to return home, she knew she couldn't loiter her all day, and she was expected back eventually. "Are you here all the time?" She wondered, hesitating, then added, "I wondered if maybe I could come back sometime, just to say hello?"
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 11:47 am, edited 2 times in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

High Lord of Imladris
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Fuin Elda
Tingdain Stall
With Brooke Willow
@Rillewen

Fuin smiled as Bronaeth thanked her and started packing up all of the items that she...they she corrected herself for Bronaeth had helped to fix several of the items even if it was simply polishing the cutlery so that it wasn't firemarked after being fixed, most of the items fit into the pot in terms of the cutlery and the hammer. The necklace was already with Bronaeth tucked away in a pocket. "I am happy to help you any time, and it was good to see you again even if it was a shock at how much you have change Bronaeth." Eventually the packing was done and Fuin could see her pause. Wanting to stop and not go home but having to, Fuin had to admit she felt for the child, having to go home to Claire of all people would be - to Fuin at least- utterly unbearable.

Fuin gave a small smile as she was asked if she was here all the time and gave a small shake of her head. "Sorry child I am not, I am here for the large market once a month though when more elves from Imladris make the journey, but on those days you are welcome to come and say hello and visit. Perhaps if someone else has something simple like cutlery to fix that needs polishing I can put you to work and give you a few coppers for making my day easier." Indeed she would be happy to have Bronaeth about her stall, she was good company and it would hopefully give her an excuse that was good enough that she could get away from Claire at least once a month.

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@I Said What I Said

Brooke Willows
Leaving the Tingdain Stall

Sometime in Autumn


Brooke was disappointed to hear that she was only here once a month, but smiled a bit to hear that she was welcome to come and visit. She nodded, making a mental note to check back and watch for when there were elves come to the market. Always before now, she used to hide out in her room and try to avoid any errands, so she’d never paid very close attention to things like that. But she’d pay more attention now, so that she could say hello to Fuin again when she returned, next month apparently.

“I’ll try and come, then.” She said with a small smile. “Goodbye, and thank you for..everything.” She would have waved, but her hands were full now. She made sure she had a good grip on the pot, and all the other things she was carrying, then gave one last smile toward the elf before she set off back toward home. It was the last place she wanted to go, of course, but she did have to return, if nothing else, to bring these items back there. And Claire was expecting her necklace, and Brooke was not looking forward to having to hear Claire asking her if she watched the smith to make sure none of the jewels were replaced, or any of that nonsense. She frowned at the thought as she walked homeward.
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 11:47 am, edited 2 times in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

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@I Said What I Said

Maggy Winters
Tingdain Stall
Winter, immediately after events at the cobbler shop

The lovely new shoes stood out in bright contrast against the snow. Maggy grinned happily as she looked down at her new red shoes. Not only were they pretty, but they kept her feet dry and warm! That was the important thing. She grinned happily and skipped onward along the street. She had to get some nails before she went to meet Clay, and she knew right where to get them. The stall was just a ways down the street from the cobbler shop, and she didn’t mind walking in the snow now that she had good shoes on her feet.

“Hello!” She greeted the elf there at the smithing stall, pleased that it was the right day for this stall to be open. The ten-year-old was beaming happily despite the cold. “Have you any nails, please ma’am? I need lots of them, for a roof.” She paused, then added, “My daddy sent me.” People tended to believe that far better than the truth, that she was the one doing repairs, and if they weren’t aware of the fact that Maggy’s father had been missing for some time now, there was usually no question raised on the matter.
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 12:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

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Fuin Elda
Tingdain Stall
With Maggy Winters
@Rillewen

Fuin smiled seeing Maggy coming to her stall, she knew her well enough she visited often enough often for nails so she always made sure when she came to the market to have a good bagful of nails on hand to sell. It was something that seemed to be very popular, why the local blacksmiths couldn't keep up she wasn't entirely sure but she always had lots of business for nails and other items.

"Good to see you again Maggy, and yes I've plenty of nails." Fuin said with a smile and reached into her wagon and pulled out a rather large bag that was fairly heavy and brought it over to the main table as well it was far more nails than little Maggy could carry and it was meant to be nails for more than just her. She picked up a smaller bag and handed opened it up and picked out a nail letting Maggy see it, "So how many is lots of them my dear?" She asked with a smile and began transferring roofing nails into the bag waiting for the little girl to tell her when she had enough in the bag.

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Dessy Hart and Amos ‘Mossy’ Dogwood
Solemates Shoestore @Rillewen

It was not the easiest of tasks, placing the milk bottle high enough that Conkers would not seek it. The incorrigible cat had already made quick work of what Wesley had poured into the saucer, and was seeking seconds. Dessy had turned from storing the bottle on one shelf, in wonder as Logan had rounded off quite how many musical instruments he had mastered. So Conkers had made good use of little Rosemary as a ladder, or a launching pad, to follow the creamy goodness, and before the elder girl could remark any at all, she was forced to hold the bottle off shelf in one hand and scoop the hefty gingercat off Rosie’s shoulder before he dug his claws in or got a grasp of her hair.

Mossy smiled as he minded Autumn’s feet, and appeared to be thinking hard on her question. “Now then, I don’t know. Each pair of shoes are made with somebody in mind, and I’m sure we can conjure up something that’s pretty in a way you like,” he agreed, in his own way. There tended to be some difference in what a child wanted and what their parent decreed. The perfect solution should be some pair that would last, and serve the greatest number of occasions. He had not been expecting the children from Combe, let alone all at once, and would have to make up shoes for them from scratch, or alter what he had to fit their measured feet. Maybe in that time, he could be assured that what a child asked for was indeed what she ought have.


Dessy had just begun stroking Conkers held fast in her lap now on the floor, so that Rosemary could follow suit, safely. The cat lapped up the attention and forgot, for now, his delight for the milk. He was purring loudly, until Cole burst in, and startled him. Startled more than only the cat also, as Dessy exchanged a shocked glance with Liana.

I have never known him speak so certain on a subject before,” she remarked, with a still half astounded smile. If it had been any other boy, run in and out so, she may have suspected that they acted on some dare, and half a dozen other boys would be waiting to laugh and clap him on the back outside … But not Coleman Finch. He never did such things. “I expect he feared a refusal and is kicking himself outside. He is so shy normally.”

Conkers, never shy, had shot up at the slam of the door, and dashed toward Wesley who was still riding on ‘Ole Pony. The motion of the ancient wooden toy stopped the cat though in his tracks, and he retreated between Rosemary’s legs where he hid. Just as out of character it seemed.
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Logan and Liana Woods, with Autumn and Wesley Rose, and Gilbert and Rosemary Roebuck
Solemates Shoe store

Autumn smiled at the prospect of the cobbler ‘conjuring up’ some pretty shoes made just for her. Having seen what Maggy’s shoes looked like, she half-expected to see him go and pull another, equally amazing pair of shoes from behind the counter. Was he magic, like the wizard she’d heard about? She was only slightly disappointed that he did not, in fact, produce an already-completed pair of shoes. She didn’t mind, as that meant the shoes she got would be espescially made for her, and it would be something she could look forward to. As hard as it was to wait for things, sometimes it was fun knowing you were going to get something and having to wait, so you could look forward to it. Then the excitement when you got it was even better!

“I can’t wait to see what you conjure up, Mr Dogwood!” She said with a grin. “I’m sure they’ll be beautiful.” She had a hard time sitting still now as she tried to imagine what her new shoes would look like. Trying her best not to squirm in excitement, she watched while he did whatever he had to do, waiting for him to announce that he was done with her. She was eager to go outside and play, hoping that she might get permission once her shoes were measured. There was so much snow outside, she wanted to try and make a snow angel and maybe build a snowman!


Rosie nearly fell down when the cat decided to jump on her to try and get to the milk. She stumbled slightly, her little legs trying to keep her balance, and for a second looked like she might cry, thinking the kitty was attacking her. She looked a little confused about what just happened, and then smiled to see the cat’s desperate antics to get to the milk. Finally, Dessy had sat down with Conkers in her lap and Rosie happily sat down to pet the purring kitty. “Good kitty,” She smiled, but then looked upset when he ran, startled by the door opening. “Noo, come back kitty,” she pleaded.

The three-year-old child tried to follow him on hands and knees, deciding to pretend she was a kitty now. “Meow?” She tries to coax him by ‘speaking’ his own language. Thus she was delighted when Conkers did indeed come back to her, to hide now. Assuming that her meowing had the desired effect and that she could speak Cat, Rosie sat down to pull the kitty in her lap so she might pet him. “Meow, meow, meow.” She told him matter-of-factly. “Meow meow?”


Liana, only half-watching her young nieces now, thought carefully on what Dessy had said. She didn’t know Cole as well as the other girl did, who must spend a lot of time with him given that she lived with Clay, and Cole being Clay’s best friend and soon-to-be brother in law. Liana had always found him nice enough, the times she had seen him and spoken to him, and upon reflection she agreed with Dessy, that he seemed a shy young man. She looked toward the door again, thoughtful. No boy had ever asked her to go... anywhere with him. Part of her wanted to ask ‘what did he mean by that?’ but the other part replied, ‘you know very well what he meant,’. Still, she could hardly believe a boy had asked her to attend any event... as his date. The thought brought a little pink to her cheeks and she now hoped that Logan had not heard, as she had a feeling he would get all protective of his baby sister and..she really didn’t want that right now.

“I’ll be right back,” Liana said softly, mostly to Dessy, as she slipped outside for a moment. She forgot to grab her cloak before she did, only intending to be outside for a few seconds as she looked around to see if Cole was still out there. She was instantly reminded of why she ought to have grabbed her cloak, but stood with her arms hugged around herself, rather than going back inside to face any possible inquiries from her brother. She had to speak with Cole, and get to the bottom of this mystery.


Standing with Gilbert hanging from his shoulders, piggyback, Logan groaned over-dramatically. “You’re so heavy, Gilbert!” He complained, teasing the boy. “You’ll break my back before long.” He was not so heavy as all that, really. Logan didn’t mind giving his little nephew a piggyback ride, though he kept it a rather tame ride as he carried Gilbert around the store. Then, looking around, he noticed someone missing. "Where’s Liana?" He wondered, puzzled by his sister’s absence, but he figured she’d be back before long. For the moment, he was focused on trying to keep Gilbert entertained, while keeping an eye on Wesley and Rosie, while also listening to what Autumn was telling Mossy, and making a mental note to talk to the cobbler later when the kids had gone outside. Not to mention thoughts about pretty Dessy that kept popping in to distract him as well. Hopefully, Liana would return soon and he wouldn’t have to do quite as much watching!
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 12:19 pm, edited 2 times in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

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Amos ‘Mossy’ Dogwood and Daselle ‘Dessy’ Hart
in the Cobblers shop, with the rest of the Woods children
@Rillewen


Well now, you’ve sat good and still so I could make your measurements,” the cobbler praised little Autumn, and was not so blind to see that she seemed to want to run off, perhaps after her friend. “Why don’t you go fetch me your favourite shoes from the window, so I can keep that all in mind, hmm ?” he leant back to allow the child space to spring up, and glanced to the elder children to gauge who would be up for their measurements next. Liana seemed to have gone outside though, and Logan and Dessy were each trying to not be caught looking at each other. The old man grinned behind his moustache.

I think she went to ask of the dairy delivery for more milk,” Dessy pulled a viable alibi out of the air, to attend to Logan’s query. “For the cat,” she reasoned, though it little explained why she had not moved to manage such a thing herself and leave Liana help to mind her own kin. As an afterthought thus, the girl indicated Rosie petting the cat now. Then allowed for her veil of dark hair to fall and hide her face. It seemed after all that Mossy for one, had begun to note the blush on her cheek.

Conkers had a voice. It was usually heard in the early hours of the morning when he wished to be let out and would torment the Dogwoods until they tended his needs. Making sure of course to cry with doubled effort to herald his return just when the household had settled back to sleep again after his exit. He did not however ‘Meow’, as does a common cat, and so he regarded little Rosemary through half-closed eyes and little care for working out why she was making sounds. He gave little care after all, to all the sounds which humans made around him, unless they were ‘milk’ or ‘food’. The petting he did very much enjoy though, and a low purr vibrated from his warm, fluffy heft as he straddled the small girl’s lap and engulfed it. Head held up so that she might learn to tickle him beneath his chin, the giant tomcat preened like a foolish old woman and deigned to be groomed and made a fuss of. It really was a shame that the other humans were not so intelligent !


Image

Coleman ‘Cole’ Finch,
on the Market streets, with Liana Woods

Cole was indeed ‘still’ outside. He had in fact crossed the street in some initial haste to flee the scene, before recounting that he’d left the carriage and the horses nearby to the cobblers. Trying to sneak back there without being thought suspicious, strange or downright drunk, he’d smiled awkwardly at several old confused but observant women. Slowly, in as casual a manner as he could have managed, and without looking at all as though he wanted to actually retrieve his business, and leave .. the young man found even his two horses staring at him. Seeking solace or at least some semblance of normality within their silent company, the farmer’s son shook his head, and smoothed down the closest. Face-down he took deep breaths and tried to imagine all the places now that he would have to avoid, if he was never to run into Liana again. She would certainly never want to go to the wedding with him, much less be seen in person.

Well. That went well,” he muttered to the animals, and turned to find his step and seating. There was only Liana Woods there ! Standing suddenly so close at hand, that he thought he must have imagined it. As though this was one of the many times he had practiced in his mind .. which at least meant he ought to stop blushing. For it always went half decently in his imaginings.

You look cold,” he observed, ‘and I’m an idiot,’ he thought immediately. Imagine ?! Stating the blatantly obvious ! Or worse, causing her insult ! “I’ve a coat,” one arm fought with a height beyond good sight, and tore the item down from his seat, presenting it as evidence.

Are you cold ?” he thought it best to ascertain, after the fact, in case she thought he was being beastly, and boasting in spite. He proceeded to hold out the coat, as though it was an invitation not a demonstration ! And honestly wondered why this wasn’t going half as well as his imaginings did normally ! Belatedly, he realised it must be real, and she'd come out after him, .. after what he had said !! He definitely didn't want her to get cold because of him ! But would she even accept his coat, when the alternative was to potentially freeze to death ? It would be unseemly to make a swift exit until he'd received an answer, to at least one of the questions he'd thrown at the girl this day !
All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost
The old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not touched by the frost.

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@OHoney

Maggy Winters
Tingdain Stall
Winter

Maggy stood on tiptoe to watch as Fuin went to get a bag of nails from her wagon. She preferred to get things from this place if she could. Partly because others were more familiar with her, and some of the local people said things that upset her, like that her father wasn't ever coming back, and she didn't like to hear it. Taking a look at the nail that Fuin showed her, she nodded, watching her start putting them into a bag. "Um.. he didn't say exactly how many," She said after a pause. "But.. just however many you think it'll take for a roof. If we need any more I'll come back to get them." She said. "It won't hurt anything to have extra." That was something her dad had always said, that it was always better to have more than you need than not enough. He used to say lots of things like that, and she tried to remember all of them. Sometimes it was harder to remember things but she still tried.

"I got new shoes!" She added, quite excited, though the subject of shoes had not at all come up. Still, she was very pleased and excited to show them off. She stood so that the nice elf lady could see her pretty red shoes that she'd just gotten, and grinned happily. "Mr Mossy is the best shoe maker in the whole world, I think." She told Fuin. "If you need any shoes, you should go to him. He's so nice, and makes such nice shoes." She m to do a bit of 'advertising' for the nice cobbler, just as she often told people they ought to come to the elf smiths because they did better work than anyone she knew around here. Of course, her daddy was "too busy" to take on any smith work for people these days, so if anyone wasn't aware that he was gone, and came asking for him to fix anything, she would tell them he was too busy, and that they ought to go to the elf place to get their stuff fixed. Maybe one day she might try and learn how to do that stuff, but she wasn't sure if she was old enough yet.. he never told her what age was old enough, so how could she know? She thought about that a little as she watched the nails go into the bag.
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 12:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

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@Ercassie

Liana Woods
on the Market streets, with Cole Finch

Hurrying out the door of the cobbler’s shop, Liana had been instantly greeted by a gust of icy wind. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself, taking a look around. What if he was gone? Perhaps he had hurried away and would not be found. But no, there was Cole, by the wagon! Liana hesitated. Should she go and speak with him, or to back into the warm shop? But she’d come out here, so she might as well go ahead.

“Cole?” She tried to call to get his attention but perhaps the wind carried her voice away. She tried to smooth her curls down as a steady breeze seemed intent on blowing them into her face. “C-Cole?” She spoke softly but was shivering so maybe she wasn’t loud enough to be heard. She moved a bit closer, observing the young man as he seemed to be speaking softly to his horses. She felt a little compelled to ask the horse’s names, but before she had a chance to, he had turned and looked absolutely taken by surprise to find her there. He might have been blushing lightly, or perhaps it was the cold turning his cheeks a little rosy. Either way, she offered a slight smile. “I’m sorry... I didn’t mean to startle you.” She apologized, through her shivering.

Now her own cheeks were probably rather pink as he commented on her being cold. She really ought to have grabbed her cloak. What was she thinking, running out in the cold like this? Mother would scold her, for certain. The girl was therefore surprised to see Cole offering his own coat to her. Was he not cold too, though? But it had only been lying on his wagon seat, so maybe he was alright without it? With a slight nod, she confirmed his suspicion that she was cold. “Yes.. th-thank you.” She took the coat with a grateful smile as she slid her arms into the sleeves. “Silly me, running out here without remembering my cloak at all!” She found his coat to be comfortably warm, which made it tolerable to stand out here for a few minutes talking. But then what was it she’d meant to say to him in the first place? She hesitated, suddenly uncertain. Why did her stomach feel like there were butterflies flitting around in it? She looked down at the ground, trying to think of what more she could say.

Glancing back up, she remembered the horses, but should she ask about those? She’d meant to speak to him about what he said back there in the shoe store, but... she couldn’t really think of how to do that. After an awkward pause, she decided that she had better just go for it. No sense in beating around the bush, as her father would say, though she felt very nervous about it. She took a deep breath. “Did... did you mean it..?” She cleared her throat, keeping her gaze focused on the horses for the moment. “That is... did you mean it, when you asked me, about... going to Berry’s wedding... with you?” She asked, finally glancing at Cole’s face, her blue eyes searching his for an answer. “Did you really mean that?” She felt was almost holding her breath, waiting for his reply. Perhaps it was all some joke... but she couldn’t forget what Dessy had said in that regard. Could he have been serious?
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 12:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

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@Ercassie

Logan and Liana Woods, with Autumn and Wesley Rose, and Gilbert and Rosemary Roebuck
Solemates Shoe store

Autumn hopped up from the seat, happily complying with the cobbler’s request. She took the shoes down and then paused to glance out the window, giggling a little as she saw Liana talking to Cole Finch. For some reason, her aunt was wearing the young man’s coat. At least she wouldn’t be cold, but why didn’t she just bring her own cloak out there? Autumn was puzzled by this, but shrugged. Not commenting on the matter, the girl hurried back to Mossy with the shoes she liked best. “These ones.” She declared. “That is, if they aren’t too expensive.” she glanced at uncle Logan, but found his attention fixed on Dessy while he gave Gilbert a ride around the store on his back. Her brother, meanwhile, was happily rocking on the horsey, staying out of the way until his turn. Turning back to Mossy, Autumn cupped a hand around one side of her mouth and whispered, “I think Uncle Logan thinks she’s preeeeetty,” followed by a soft giggle.


Rosie, meanwhile, had been showering the kitty with affection. Grinning, she rubbed under his chin and stroked his soft fur, telling him what a pretty kitty he is, how soft and what a good kitty he is. Maybe her mommy would let her have her own kitty one day. She hugged Conkers and let him climb all over her lap, even planted a kiss on top of his furry head. She’d show them how good she is at taking care of kitties and then uncle Logan could tell her mommy how well she would take care of one of her own!


Logan nodded slightly at Dessy's explanation. "Oh, right," The reason didn't make perfect sense, but then neither did his sister. Ever. She was so obsessed with animals, sometimes he worried she would be ripped apart by a wolf trying to befriend it, or something stupid like that. He often thought she should have some sort of weapon to defend herself with, if ever she should need it, but as of yet he had been unable to convince her that she needed to learn anything of the sort. With any luck, she would gain better sense as she got older, but in the meanwhile, he would have to be around to protect his little sister as best he could. For now, just grabbing more milk for the cat wouldn't hurt anyone, he was sure, except maybe if the cat drank too much milk and got a tummyache.
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 12:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

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Coleman Finch, with the dairy cart
and with Liana Woods, Outside the Cobblers store
@Rillewen


Granted there was a vast distance between the girl taking on his coat, and her taking on .. him .. but not a person could have known it, for the young man seemed entirely as though he’d taken leave of his senses. She was wearing his coat ! It was her’s. She could keep it for all time ! He’d willingly freeze to death if it meant that she would stay and talk to him a while longer. If he could only think of something to say to her. Every piece of advice he’d whittled out of his father seemed to have frozen fast somewhere between his brain and his tongue.

S’alright,” Cole managed to remember how to speak, and realised that Liana had been both apologising and thanking him. “Not that you’re cold,” he hastened to add. “I mean, that is. I’m glad I can .. keep you warm.

The shepherdess was certainly keeping him warm, the milkman’s face was aglow. He could at least blame it on the weather, which was cold enough to burn. And already Liana looked ill at ease, almost as though she’d realised her mistake. Her mesmerising eyes were anywhere but upon him, and the young man ran a hand nervously at his right ear. He couldn’t have said why. This was awful though, the being so close and so very far from all he’d imagined. Something to say. He needed to say .. something .. anything ..

It’s good for the milk,” he blurted out, meaning the cold weather, but managing to talk over Liana as she also chose that same moment to speak up. “Did I mean .. the milk ?” he tried again, just as fate decided this was just too amusing to pass up, and saw Cole’s words collide with hers yet again. Thankfully, she clarified, she hadn’t been talking about milk. She was probably wondering why he kept talking about milk. Of course, it was his job, but then, didn’t he have anything better to talk about ? And .. she was gazing now. Those big blue eyes peering out through her soft cloud of curls.

Yes. I mean, of course I well, guess I meant it,” he decided that he’d come this far, if he was going to be absolutely humiliated, at least there was no one here to see. “Sorry about that,” was the best explanation that he could offer. For the invitation, and everything that had happened since.



Image


Bryony Spruce, on the streets
Tripping over Cole and Liana

You will be !Bryony Spruce grizzled, as she crashed into the youngsters. Crashed because she had just helped herself to a couple of bottles of milk from the back of the milk cart, and had them each stowed up one of her sleeves. So huddled into a heftier proportion, she had failed to evade the oblivious pair, as she awkwardly straddled the space between the cart and the shop front.

Move !” she hissed, and tried to push past them. A milk bottle slid out of it’s hideaway and shattered on the street.

Mrs Spruce did not waste time, but drew the remaining bottle from her other sleeve. She brandished it in one hand as though she meant to throw it at the innocent bystanders, even as she abruptly backed her way across the street and put fair distance between them and herself.
All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost
The old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not touched by the frost.

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@Ercassie

Liana Woods
on the Market streets, with Cole Finch..and Bryony Spruce


Liana felt her face flushing a little as she and Cole tried speaking at the same time. She paused, trying to let him finish what he was saying, but then decided he was doing the same. After trying again, and having the same thing happened again, she couldn’t help a little giggle and then listened for his response to her own question. So he did really mean it. Or he guessed? She attributed that to his own seeming uncertainty about his words. Which was sort of cute, now that she thought about it. She was opening her mouth to give him a reply, but before she had got out more than, “I...” there was a completely unexpected interruption.

Startled by the woman who had so rudely pushed into her and Cole, with orders to move out of her way, Liana jumped in surprise, staring at her wide wide blue eyes. She had never seen this woman before, but there were probably several folks she didn’t know, given she was often out in the fields with her flock. She was set to apologize, though confused for how it came to be that the two of them stood blocking the woman’s path. Why hadn’t she chosen to walk where they two were not standing? And just as she was opening her mouth to utter an apology.. that was when she saw the bottle of milk slip out of her sleeve to crash to the ground, evidence of the attempted theft.

Years spent tending to her sheep had taught the girl that one must sometimes defend those very sheep, lest some wolf or bear come and steal them away. Normally as docile and quiet as one of the sheep which she guarded, Liana could also be as fierce as a lion when it came to defending them, if necessary. At the moment, the lioness flared up within the girl, seeing such blatant theft being attempted in front of her very eyes. In an instant, Liana became as protective over Cole’s wares as if it were her very own flock of sheep. Fearless of the raised bottle Bryony wielded, she glared at the woman with blue eyes flashing with fiery fury. “You thief! You’re trying to steal from him!” She accused with as much conviction as she might vent toward a fox trying to rob her parent’s chicken house, or a wolf from her beloved flock. “You’ll return that bottle immediately, and pay for the one you broke!” Liana ordered, though she seemed to forget that she was only a young girl, speaking to a person much older than her.

Mrs Spruce seemed like far less of a threat than the predators Liana regularly chased away from the sheep. Though, of course, she had her brother and the sheep dog, Tirion to help her out in the fields. What she planned to do if Bryony did not return the milk bottle to Cole’s cart, Liana had not given much thought to. It just outraged her that anyone would so boldly rob anyone, much less sweet, kind Cole. Perhaps if she raised enough fuss, the streets would fill with others to come and witness the crime and stop the thief. Should she whistle the alarm that would bring Logan to her aid, or could she and Cole handle this on their own?
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 12:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

Chief Counsellor of Gondor
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Bryony Spruce and Coleman Finch
With Finch Dairy Cart, and Liana Woods
@Rillewen

To say that she was surprised when Liana called her out might have been because Bryony had expected it of Cole. Which proved that she knew neither of the young people at all. For as much as the milk was Cole’s responsibility (and all that he could talk about, just moments before), he happened to know who Bryony was. Or rather, he knew who her husband was. Which was not to say that she could not be dangerous in her own right. This very day she had tramped through Staddle to get from Combe into Bree, and had made it her business to throw stones at each and every one of Claire Willows’s windows there. Her fury had just begun to run low on steam as she approached Bree market, which was when she reckoned some cool milk would be a nice refreshment.

To say that she had stolen it, would be to award Cole a little too much credit. For he had been awarding that much heed to the pretty shepherdess, he was fortunate that half the village had not helped themselves to the load off his cart ! His father might just kill him ! But what Sully Spruce would do might be worse, if his wife took it into her head to stir the great vicious lump up and to war !


I’m not trying,” Bryony swaggered forward as though taunting the bold protests of Liana. “I’m not even trying,” she repeated, quieter now as a Dwarf and his sons walked their knife-sharpening cart down the road, between the thief and love’s most hesitant young dream. With the obstacle derailing any thought of the youths seizing her, Bryony raised her remaining bottle of milk high in one hand, as though raising a toast to her own impudence. Flicking the bottle stop off the top, she upturned the dairy tonic and downed the entire thing, one handed. Her remaining hand held up a palm as though she bade all the world stop and stare at how little she cared for what any might say about it. Head tipped back, her gullet did not slow until the whole bottle was empty. Which there could be no missing, for she held it up high in blustering self-celebration.

Oh, I’ll return it girl,” the belligerent woman crowed, with nary a sign of remorse. “But it’s you who’ll pay,” she decided. Milk didn’t exactly grow on trees, but if the boy owned a farm full of cows, then it was not like he could not spare the milk. She could not recall the last time she had tasted something so wholesome to paint her stomach satisfied. Gathering enough resolve, the tanner’s wife hurled her now emptied bottle with full force at the two youths. Or so it seemed. But that was not her target.


Cole had by now shaken off his stupor and accepted that Liana had just incited Mrs Spruce anyway, so he had better step up, at least enough to stand in front of the curly-haired cutie. Tall and sturdy enough to make a wall between her and the belligerent thief (who was already back-walking in the other direction with not so much of a shrug about heading back toward them), Cole opened his mouth to say .. he knew not quite what.

Look out !” was the first thing that came to mind, as the glass bottle came hurtling toward them, and the sturdy farmer’s son moved to shield the shepherdess from the projectile. He went down, with her beneath him, and it was all that he could think to angle his knee as a brace against the cobbles, and not land flat out on top of her. That would not be romantic at all ! A tremendous crash sounded, far too close to ignore, and the large bay window of the ‘Sole Mates’ shop erupted into a blizzard of glass. Before Cole could ask or ascertain that Liana was not hurt, he realised that of course the glass had been thrust inwards, which the shouts and screaming from the shoeshop made quite evident.


Slowly, he eased up off Liana, as gentlemanly as he could, and opened and closed his mouth a few times. “You .. didn’t have to do that,” he managed, quietly. Then turned to calm the horses, one of whom had begun to flick her ears back and forth with agitation. The other swished his tail violently. There was no need to ask if Miss Woods would like to go inside the shop. Her family were in there, and it stood to reason she would need to check they were unharmed.

Cole glanced over the back of his cart to where the offensive thief had already disappeared. A dark look shadowed his face which painted the young man a stranger to himself. He did not tend to nurse anger or resentment. After all, his mother said that ‘holding onto anger is like drinking poison yourself and expecting the person you’re angry with to die.’ His mother had a saying for near about anything. What wisdom anyone could claim about the likes of Mrs Spruce though, he could not imagine.
All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost
The old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not touched by the frost.

Steward of Gondor
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@Ercassie

Liana Woods
on the Market streets, with Cole Finch..and Bryony Spruce

While Cole was well aware of who Bryony was, and furthermore, who her husband was, Liana had no real idea. She knew she’d seen the woman around once or twice in the past, but seeing as she spent more time out in the fields and meadows with the flock than in town with people, she didn’t have quite as many acquaintances, nor was she very familiar with the local talk and gossip and such. Therefore, she was quite shocked by the audacity of the thief, to stand there and gloat about having stolen the milk, and to even drink it right there in front of them! The girl was stunned, and assumed Cole to be equally stunned. Until, of course, he suddenly dove for her and knocked them both to the ground! Out of the way of the milk bottle, she realized a moment later, but it happened so fast that she was a little confused for a moment.

One moment she was furious at the woman for her brazen theft, ready to leap at her and..she didn't know what. And the next, she was on the cold cobblestones, in the snow and slush. With Cole. “You .. didn’t have to do that,” Cole informed her, which led to a light blushing on Liana’s part.
“Well, I suppose not,” Liana admitted, awkward now about having lost her temper at the woman, and being pushed down to avoid being hurt. “But, well...” Just at that moment, she realized that she could hear Rosemary crying from inside the shop. “Rosie!” She gasped, remembering about the shop window being smashed. Concern for her young nieces and nephews saw her up to her feet in a flash, even as Cole had turned to calm his horses. Forgetting for the moment that she had Cole’s coat on, the girl rushed into the shop to reassure herself that the children in her care were safe.
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 12:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

Steward of Gondor
Points: 5 582 
Posts: 2650
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2021 10:12 pm
@Ercassie
ImageImageImageImageImage
Logan and Liana Woods, with Autumn and Wesley Rose, and Gilbert and Rosemary Roebuck
Solemates Shoe store


The sudden sound of the glass shattering was startling. Autumn jumped with a little shriek as she turned to see what was happening. Her eyes widened in shock at the sight. She had just been standing at the window! If she hadn’t moved... if that had happened a minute sooner... But why had it happened? The girl stood frozen in place for a second, stunned by the occurrence.

Meanwhile Rosemary had been busily giving Conkers all the attention possible, when the glass bottle came hurling through the window and rolled to a stop against her foot. The sound frightened her more than anything, but she began crying when she noticed that one small piece of glass had given her a tiny cut. It was bleeding, and therefore meant the end of the world to the small girl.

As Wesley stopped rocking on the horse, and stared wide-eyed at the window, Logan also stopped in his tracks, startled. He hastily set Gilbert down and ran to the door. Liana was out there, and he feared she was in danger of some sort. Instead, as he opened the door, he nearly crashed into his sister as she was on her way in. “What happened?!” He demanded, worried. “Is everyone alright?”

Liana took a hasty glance around to ensure that no one was injured, before turning to Logan. “Cole Finch... there was a thief... he was robbed.” She explained, a little breathless. "She threw the bottle at the window..." Hoping her brother didn’t notice her cheeks were a little pink, she hurried over to her youngest niece and knelt beside her. “Aww, Rosie, did you get hurt? Let me see.” She took Rosie’s arm and began to examine the little cut, pulling the small child into her lap to comfort her.

Logan, stunned to hear of the robbery, hurried outside now that Liana seemed to have taken over indoors. She had Dessy there to help her if she needed it. Perhaps Cole could use some help, he figured, with a dangerous thief about. Though he wasn’t quite sure why Liana was outside in the first place. Oh, wait, Dessy mentioned her going to get more milk, didn’t she? “Cole?” Logan called, heading for the dairy cart which had, reportedly, been robbed. “Do you need any help?” he offered, though the only evidence he saw of robbery was the smashed bottle on the ground, and the smashed window. “Which way did the thief go?” he wondered, glancing around to see if he might perhaps be of assistance in apprehending them, though it seemed like it might be too late for that. Still, it didn’t hurt to offer, and he usually tried to be helpful to others.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

High Lord of Imladris
Points: 5 208 
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Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2020 7:53 am
Fuin Elda
Tingdain Stall
With Maggy Winters
@Rillewen

Fuin smiled and nodded. "Smart man, and you're pretty bright as well for remembering what he said!" Fuin said as she began filling the bag with nails. A roof would take quite a number and she would not be around after tomorrow so it would be in the best interest of all of them if she did give them too many instead of too few. After all she didn't know how fast the work on the roof would be. It could take several days if they weren't on top of it, or if things went poorly and they needed to replace structural bits of the roof not just the shingle slats. She bounced the bag causing the nails to jingle and settle, giving her more room so she could put more in, she was getting close to the number of nails needed when she heard the child exclaimation about having new shoes.

"New shoes?!" Fuin peered at the girl and the new red shoes. "Those are quite fancy and nice, Mr Mossy you said made them?" She seemed to ponder for a bit, in honesty she didn't need a new pair of shoes she had enough shoes for her liking, her husband might think she needed more but she rarely paid heed to what he thought about shoes. Perhaps though her other husband... to go with his dresses for when he went to the Masquerade Balls that he desperately wanted to go to. Yes that might be a nice surprise for him. "I think I shall pay him a visit and let him know you sent me Maggy. though I have to admit I don't know any Mr. Mossy is that a nickname?" She asked quite honestly. Indeed she wasn't aware of every vendors nickname in the market so it would be a good bit of information for her to know.

Steward of Gondor
Points: 5 582 
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@Fuin Elda

Maggy Winters
Tingdain Stall
Winter

Maggy beamed happily at the compliment to her absent father. "He is," She agreed. "He's the smartest man around." She may be a bit prejudiced, but so what. Any little girl was entitled to think her own daddy was the best one ever. She just wished he would finish up whatever he was doing, and come home. He must have gone to do something else.. she just refused to believe the reports that others had brought. He couldn't have been there when those pirates attacked and killed all those logger men, she knew he was too smart to have been around then. She didn't want to think about all of that now, and was glad have a chance to talk about her shoes instead.

"Oh, yes, sorry. Mr Mossy is we usually call him," She explained. "But he's really Mr Dogwood," She pointed off down the street in the direction where the shop was. "He's been making shoes for ages and ages, like.. forever!" She had no idea how long, but he was really old and somehow it didn't occur to her that the lady before her, being an elf, must be WAAAY older than Mr Dogwood. "He's in Sole Mates Shoestore, down that way a ways. But he's awful busy today. I came in with my friend Autumn, and her whole family's there getting shoes. They've got a big family." She explained. "But somehow he already had mine all made up and ready for me, so maybe he won't take that long with them either!"
Last edited by Rillewen on Thu Mar 07, 2024 12:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

High Lord of Imladris
Points: 5 208 
Posts: 2755
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2020 7:53 am
Fuin Elda
Tingdain Stall
With Maggy Winters
@Rillewen

"Ahhh Mr. Dogwood, I remember him when he was a young apprentice to his dad making shoes, he really has been making them forever." Fuin said with a smile in the span of a human life indeed Mr. Dogwood had made shoes forever, even more so to Maggy. She nodded as she said that he was awfully busy today. "Perhaps I'll visit him tomorrow before I head home that way the next time I'm in I can have some new shoes too." With that she tied the sack of nails closed it was absolutely full and set it down on the table she had set up full of items to sell to various people though Maggy never bought anything extra ever she was a good little customer on her fathers behalf. "So the do you remember what the price of a big bag of nails was last time Maggy?" She asked wondering if the little girl remembered

She always seemed sharp as an elven knife so she was certain she did remember, she also had been very very adamant the last time that she could carry the big bag of nails by herself and she undoubtedly had. She hadn't had any adult complaining about the bag being muddy or the nails getting wet.

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