The Green Dragon Caper: 1. Mead and Messes

It was a hundred-and-thirty years to the day that Frodo Baggins last looked upon Middle-Earth. The other three Hobbits had left the Shire long before this time, Samwise Gamgee west to the Undying Lands, Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took east to Rohan and Gondor. Other changes had occurred, all under the peaceful reign of King Elessar. The mines of Moria were retaken by the dwarves and it became a bustling city along the trade route yet again. By special permission by the king of Rohan, they also took up abode in the Glittering Caves, leading to a strong alliance between them and the horse lords. Of elves, there were hardly any left. Oh, there were a few that had been spotted wandering the woods of Lorien and Ithilien, one being the king’s good friend Legolas, and there were rumors of a few that still resided in Mirkwood, but they always managed to stay just out of sight, save for a couple of hints to their presence. The occasional arrows embedded in trees, the slaying of spiders, and the barest echo of songs trapped by the wind.

When Peregrin Took breathed his last, his son Faramir was summoned to his funeral in Gondor. He stayed there for several months before finally returning to the Shire. He reigned as Thain for forty more years before passing it to his son, Hildebrand Took. He gathered a few adventurous Hobbits and the party left the Shire for Ithilien. Messages were sent back and forth between the group and the Shire, and after twenty years, a new Hobbit territory was formed. A name had yet to be determined, but New Shire was the nickname until a better name could be decided upon, though names like Tookland and Goldshire were tossed about.

It was about this time that King Elessar passed, followed not long afterwards by his wife, the elven beauty Arwen. Their son Eldarion took up the kingship, and it was then that Legolas and the dwarf Gimli left Middle-Earth. This was the world Daisy Took grew up in. The deeds of the Fellowship had long since passed into tale and song as easily as the ships into the West. And though there were Hobbits now living within sight of the White City and King Elessar had ridden out to visit from time to time before his passing, the destruction of the Ring was regarded like ancient history and the members of the Fellowship were legends. All seemed well and right in the world, but as always, evil wasn’t truly dead. It was biding its time and growing stronger until it could rise again and attempt to cover the world in a blanket of horror. But first it had to spread like tendrils and root itself deep in order to have such control and keep the world in its cruel embrace. Yet a new hero would rise and beat it back again. And so the tug-of-war continues.

…

That day in the Shire started out like any other brisk September day. It was full of the comings and goings in preparation for the harvest, and Bilbo’s Feast, a holiday started by Sam, Merry, and Pippin in honor of the two Baggins’s after they left for the Undying Lands. When they left, it was celebrated in their memory as well. The day would start with a large breakfast, the whole Shire would turn out, separate into groups, and walk around the Shire. The more adventurous Hobbits would end at the edge of Buckland, a pebble’s throw away from the Old Forest. For a few years, some people left gifts at the edge of the forest, and it seemed like the Old Forest grew less sinister. For lunch, they would have a picnic consisting mostly of bread, fruit, meats, and cheeses. They would walk a bit more before converging at the closest, largest party sites, typically the Great Smials, the Party Tree, Buck Hall, the Green Dragon, and even Bag End. Daisy and her best friend Primula Baggins always went to the Green Dragon, and for several reasons, the primary reason being that they always sang a selection of songs for the evening’s entertainment. It was always busy, and this evening was no different. They entered into a foray of mirthful madness, tankards clanked, rambunctious laughter echoed off the walls, and shouts for more beer fought for precedence. Daisy and Primula fought their way through the crowd just to get into the bar. When some saw who they were, they moved to let them pass.

“Goodness, quite the crowd tonight!” Primula said as they finally made their way to the center of the floor.

“Guess everyone wanted Green Dragon this year,” said Daisy. She stood on her tiptoe and scanned the room. “Now where is that Robin?”

“Robin! Robin Bolger, my cheque! Now!” Daisy and Primula jumped as the shrill voice rose above the din of clattering mugs and laughter tainted with beer. Robin Bolger, a thirty-six year old lad with strawberry blonde curls and amber eyes and who was the other main reason for Daisy and Primula to choose the Green Dragon to end the day’s festivities, waded his way through the crowd before finally standing before the owner of the shrill voice. “There you are! What took you so long? Give me my cheque now!”

Robin huffed. “Yes, Mrs. Proudfoot.” Stella Proudfoot eyed him as he quickly totaled up her order and handed her the slip of paper.

She glanced at the paper before reaching into her purse and grumbling as she counted out the coins. She slapped them onto the table. “There! Good night, Robin!” With a final grumble and a huff, she stood up and walked out.

Robin sighed. “Good night, Mrs. Proudfoot.” He picked up the coins and dropped them in his apron pocket. He stacked the dishes and picked them up before pulling out a washcloth and quickly wiped the table. He took the dishes to the dishroom before returning to his station at the bar. Three others manned the bar as well, Mungo Bracegirdle, Andwise Gardner, and the owner himself, Wilibald Gamwich.

“Fill ‘er up, Robin!” called out one patron.

“Get me a double, Mungo!” called out another.

“I need three beers, Will!”

“Get me a pint of the good stuff, Andy!”

“Coming!” the bartenders called out in reply. They got into the rhythm of serving customers, and in the flurry of activity, didn’t notice Daisy and Primula approaching the bar until they were seated at it.

“Hullo Robin!”

Robin paused in front of them and shot them a bright smile. “Hullo Daisy, hullo Primula! Was beginning to wonder where you were.”

“We’ve been wading through this crowd,” replied Primula.

“Don’t worry, we never take any side jobs or long paths that would prevent us from getting here on time,” said Daisy with a toss of her sandy-blonde head.

“Sometimes I wonder, what with you always wandering off. Whether down some seldom trodden road or in that boring, deep recess of your mind.” He wiggled his eyebrows and shot her a mischievous grin.

Daisy gasped and reached across the bar to slap him, but Robin had been anticipating that and ducked. “You horrid boy! I wonder how you can even hold a job with that tongue of yours!”

Robin snickered. “Oh, quite easy, you two bear the brunt of my sharp words.”

Daisy humphed and crossed her arms. “Of course, and we, your closest friends!”

“Ah, but you know that’s how I show my friendship.”

Daisy humphed again. “Some show of friendship.”

She turned to Primula. “Come on, Prim, we have a show to put on.” She turned back to Robin. “Though whether it is appreciated is now in question.”

Robin scoffed and chuckled softly. “Oh do put a dampener on your feelings, Daisy, your show’s better without it. Besides, the customers prefer it when you’re energetic.”

“I will … for now. You haven’t heard the last of it, Robin Bolger!” Daisy sniffed and turned away from the bar, but not before shooting Robin a glance with mischievous eyes and the barest hint of a smirk on her lips.

Primula sighed and shook her head, though she chuckled softly. “You two are ridiculous.”

Will joined them with a chuckle as he wiped out a mug. “That they are. But are you two off already for the show? Can’t exactly let my best girls on the stage without getting them something to wet their mouths with.” He quickly filled up two mugs of water and placed it on the counter in front of the girls.

Daisy grabbed hers. “Oh, thank you, Will! I am parched.” She raised the mug to her lips and took a deep, long draught. Primula merely took a couple of gulps.

“After a long walk in the Shire? Who wouldn’t be?”

Primula chuckled. “You got that right. It’s amazing how Bilbo, Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin walked as far east as they did. I just walked her from the Great Smials with Daisy, and I’m worn out!”

Mungo snickered. “Then don’t ever go on a trip to the New Shire, you wouldn’t be able to make it.”

Primula slammed her mug down. “Oh yes I will, Mungo Bracegirdle, just you wait.”

“Oh, I’m waiting alright,” he teased.

Daisy sighed and shook her head before turning to Will. “Why ever did you hire them?”

Will chuckled. “They may have sharp tongues, but they work hard and well, and that’s all I’m looking for.”

“Did any of you say something harsh to Mrs. Proudfoot, making her storm off?” Primula asked before taking another swig.

Robin shook his head. “No! She only spoke to Mr. Gamwich before I gave her the receipt.” The girls turned to Will expectantly.

Will sighed. “She’s still quite adamant about buying the Green Dragon off me.” He set his jaw. “And I’m adamant about not selling it. She got mad because I refused her offer, again.”

“Wait, wasn’t Mrs. Chubbs in earlier about that too?” asked Mungo.

“Mrs. Chubbs too?” chorused the girls.

Will sighed. “Yes, Adelaide was here too.”

Robin’s brow furrowed in thought. “Though, it was weird that both came on this day, and that Mrs. Proudfoot waited a good three minutes before calling for her receipt …”

Daisy turned to him. “Really?” Robin nodded.

Andy scoffed. “All we would have needed was Porto Hornblower, and the terrible trio would have been completed.” Will winced and sighed.

“Wait, he came too?” chorused all five.

Will nodded. “Right when I was opening up.”

“Good grief, I was merely joking!”

Will held up a hand. “I know Andy, I know.”

“But that is odd that all three would have shown up today,” said Daisy.

“Yeah,” said Mungo, “And you probably sent them all home, hopping mad.”

“Well, what’s done is done, no use worrying about it now.” Will threw a towel over his shoulder. “Right now, I believe we have a show that must go on.”

Daisy and Primula grinned. “Right!” They dashed towards the stage and climbed on to it. The crowd immediately began cheering and clamoring for a selection of songs.

Daisy raised her hands until the hall quieted. “Ladies and gentlemen! We will begin with the usual Bilbo’s Feast songs and then we will take your requests! Thank you!” The crowd cheered as Daisy and Primula began with The Man in the Moon, one of several of Bilbo’s songs that were to be sung that night. At the end of the usual songs, the crowd called for an encore of The Man in the Moon and The Road Goes Ever On. The crowd quieted down after the second round of applause and the duo got a list of the songs to finish the night with, but they could only select a few, and selected the five most requested songs, one of which should have been a no-brainer seeing as Nimble Jack had been growing in popularity in the past few months since its conception.

The two began drumming out the beat with their feet and hands. The crowd took it up with a rhythmic clapping. After a couple of rounds of clapping and stomping to the beat, the two began to sing.

Jack be nimble, Jack be quick,

Jack, grab your walking stick

It’s time to head on into town

To find a beer brewed so brown