10 - That Dark Shady Character in the Corner
That evening the women returned to the Prancing Pony for supper and a drink. It was raining hard again that night, but the pub was as crowded as ever; everyone wanting to escape the rain except one inside who wished to be out. The group of hooded women (more like Red and Black, actually) entertained the tavern-folk with several lively songs.
The hours wore on and the crowd dispersed.
"Anyone seen Red?" asked Black. The other women looked over their shoulders.
"Last time I saw her she was sitting with that dark, shady character in the corner," Blue said.
"Anyone seen the dark shady character?"
"Uh.no."
"Wait!" shouted Green. "I think I just saw her go upstairs."
"Figures," mumbled Black.
"You know what's curious though?" Blue mused. "There's a group of hobbits over there at the other side of the room. A couple of them look rather nervous."
"Hey, maybe they're looking for that ring Black got off 'em," Green said in fun.
"Shh!" Black hissed.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A little while later, Black put away the papers she was working on. "Button up your hoods," she said, "it's raining buckets out there."
"We're leaving?" Blue asked. "But it's the middle of the night."
"Exactly."
"Are we not going to wait for Red to get back?"
"Hmm," Black thought. "You're right. I'll be right back." She got up from the table and headed up the back stairs to look for Red. Spotting her at the top standing in a doorway, Black yelled, "Red! Time to go!"
"I'm comin," Red replied, not looking away from the person just inside the door.
"Come on! Let's go!" Black persisted.
"Excuse me!" Red shouted back, glaring at Black. "I'm having a moment here!"
"Sorry," Black mumbled as she backed down the steps.
The three other women then ran to the Prancing Pony's barn; protected from unfriendly eyes by the dreary darkness.
"We'll take the Gray, the Buck, the Bay, and the Paint," Black told Green as she plucked a bridle from its peg by a stall.
Green and Black saddled the four beautiful horses, while Blue stood out in the rain. The first, a deep gray with a black dorsal stripe, and a black mane and tail, was tall (16 or 17 hands) and spirited. The second buckskin was a little shorter and very calm. The bay (red in color with black mane, tail, and forelegs) was also very tall and lean, a thoroughbred. And the last was a brown and white paint.
Black and Green mounted their borrowed steeds (the gray and buckskin, respectively), as Blue watched them.
"You're stealing horses now?" she asked.
"Not stealing, exactly," Black said. "More like borrow. Why do you think I left Barliman such a big tip?" She urged her horse forward.
"But Red's not back yet," Blue said as she got on the paint.
"Don't worry," Black assured her. "She's got until 3.2.1."
Suddenly Red came bursting into the stables sopping wet. She stumbled over to the big bay, and tossing a small coin purse to Black, mounted her horse.
- - - - - - -
Questions, comments, concerns or dilemmas? Send me a review!
That evening the women returned to the Prancing Pony for supper and a drink. It was raining hard again that night, but the pub was as crowded as ever; everyone wanting to escape the rain except one inside who wished to be out. The group of hooded women (more like Red and Black, actually) entertained the tavern-folk with several lively songs.
The hours wore on and the crowd dispersed.
"Anyone seen Red?" asked Black. The other women looked over their shoulders.
"Last time I saw her she was sitting with that dark, shady character in the corner," Blue said.
"Anyone seen the dark shady character?"
"Uh.no."
"Wait!" shouted Green. "I think I just saw her go upstairs."
"Figures," mumbled Black.
"You know what's curious though?" Blue mused. "There's a group of hobbits over there at the other side of the room. A couple of them look rather nervous."
"Hey, maybe they're looking for that ring Black got off 'em," Green said in fun.
"Shh!" Black hissed.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A little while later, Black put away the papers she was working on. "Button up your hoods," she said, "it's raining buckets out there."
"We're leaving?" Blue asked. "But it's the middle of the night."
"Exactly."
"Are we not going to wait for Red to get back?"
"Hmm," Black thought. "You're right. I'll be right back." She got up from the table and headed up the back stairs to look for Red. Spotting her at the top standing in a doorway, Black yelled, "Red! Time to go!"
"I'm comin," Red replied, not looking away from the person just inside the door.
"Come on! Let's go!" Black persisted.
"Excuse me!" Red shouted back, glaring at Black. "I'm having a moment here!"
"Sorry," Black mumbled as she backed down the steps.
The three other women then ran to the Prancing Pony's barn; protected from unfriendly eyes by the dreary darkness.
"We'll take the Gray, the Buck, the Bay, and the Paint," Black told Green as she plucked a bridle from its peg by a stall.
Green and Black saddled the four beautiful horses, while Blue stood out in the rain. The first, a deep gray with a black dorsal stripe, and a black mane and tail, was tall (16 or 17 hands) and spirited. The second buckskin was a little shorter and very calm. The bay (red in color with black mane, tail, and forelegs) was also very tall and lean, a thoroughbred. And the last was a brown and white paint.
Black and Green mounted their borrowed steeds (the gray and buckskin, respectively), as Blue watched them.
"You're stealing horses now?" she asked.
"Not stealing, exactly," Black said. "More like borrow. Why do you think I left Barliman such a big tip?" She urged her horse forward.
"But Red's not back yet," Blue said as she got on the paint.
"Don't worry," Black assured her. "She's got until 3.2.1."
Suddenly Red came bursting into the stables sopping wet. She stumbled over to the big bay, and tossing a small coin purse to Black, mounted her horse.
- - - - - - -
Questions, comments, concerns or dilemmas? Send me a review!