Chapter XI: A Night on the Town
Finally, I broke the silence, "Well, that's enough sitting around pouting, I say we go have some fun! We haven't had a good time in ages. Are you with me, Elaina?"
She smiled slyly. "Of course, I'm always with you. Let's go."
We made our way out of the Silver Steed and down the streets of Harrowdale. We spoke of times long ago, happy times back in the Shire.
"Oh Laurie," Elaina spoke after some time reminiscing, "I miss those days."
"Me too, Elaina, me-" Just then, something cut me short. I smelled something that I hadn't smelled in some time. Elaina smelled it, too. The sweet odor filled my nose and my mouth began to water.
"Do you smell that?" Elaina asked.
"Do I ever. Why, it's meat, stew. With vegetables. Carrots, Potatoes, and-" I paused. "MUSHROOMS!"
Elaina and I turned and faced a window at the back of a tavern.
"It's coming from over there," Elaina said.
I scurried over to the window and stood as tall and jumped as high as I could to try to look in. Elaina ran over.
"Croutch down," she said. I did as she told me and she jumped onto my shoulders. "I can see it! Oh, it looks delicious."
"Let, me see, you've had your t-" Just then, I turned my head to see two men coming towards us in the darkness. They were pointing and talking to each other. "Elaina, I think that you should hurry."
"Oh, quiet," she said, "Wait your turn."
Suddenly, one of the figures shouted out to us, "Hey, you! What are you doing there?!"
Elaina turned to see who was yelling, but lost her balance and fell to the ground, taking me with her. By the time we were able to stand up, the men, who by now I figured out to be some sort of city officials, were almost right above us.
"Run!" Elaina yelled and the two of us jumped to our feet and began to scurry down the streets. We darted through the city, the two officials close behind, yelling at us to stop the whole time. Just then, I was an empty alley.
"Quick, Elaina, in there!" We both jumped over to the alley. "Get down!" We fell to the ground just in time to see the officials run by.
"We lost them." I heard one of them say.
"Oh well," said the other, "let's just go get a pint and forget about it."
The two walked away and Elaina and I began to laugh.
"Oh, Laurie," she said, "It's just like our days back in the Shire. Except, with considerably larger pursuers." I smiled.
"Oh, it was fun," I laughed, "But we're not any closer to those mushrooms. If only we had some money we could by a decent meal at the pub."
Elaina smiled mischevously. "Money, you say?"
"Elaina, what did you do?"
"Well, it just so happens I may have found some money in a certain elf's pack some time back."
"Why you little theif," I smiled. "When?"
"Right after our little fight. I was still angry with her, I swear, I was going to put it back!"
"You liar." My stomach rumbled. "Well, it's pointless to waste the money. We might as well put it to good use!"
Elaina and I made our way back to the pub and took our seat at a table.
I smiled as I ate the delicious food.
"Well," said Elaina, "THIS is why I'm on this journey, I think. Fate? Fate nothing, it's all about the food!"