8

Shrugging, I got up and straightened my clothing. Undoubtedly Mother Thurna bought her herbs and simples from the elves or someone familiar with elvish medicine. Jafa pushed past me and looked out of the wagon. "We are here! And I can see my friend Vastia! Come on Mistress Marie, you must come and see them set up!"

Nodding, I awkwardly got my boots on (luckily the one fit over the bandage). I clambered carefully out of the wagon and limped behind Jafa. I couldn't go as fast as he and soon, in the milling crowds I lost sight of his small form.

As I hobbled along, I was swept up by the sights and sounds around me. It was all very exciting. Large tents painted with animals and vines were going up. Wooden booths were being hammered into existence. And everywhere, there were bundles and boxes and baskets and hastily put up corrals of live animals. Piles of ropes and cloth. Over the ever-changing view, the smell of roasting meat and herbs drifted across the air cutting nicely through the more earthy fragrance of animals and dung.

I didn't quite know where to go and began to hobble down a random lane of wooden walls and canvas shades. The morning breeze sent thin pennants and banners advertising sellers and their wares dancing and snapping. Most of the vendors before me were selling soaps and oils and dried herbs. I saw one selling stones and seashells. I was suddenly overwhelmed with a desire to shop! Bless the elf lord (as usual!): He had given me a pouch of gold and silver coins…and with no lecture! (And silly me, I was fascinated by them and wanted to keep the whole lot. But of course I wouldn't) I knew intellectually I could not just shop for a week (well, maybe I could!) I was going to be productive and help Hanj anyway I could.

I limped back to the wagon and saw with a start it had moved. I looked about and could not immediately discover its whereabouts. Feeling a bit stupid for getting lost when I hadn't been at the fair an hour, I looked to the ground and sighed in relief. There were clear ruts showing the tracks of the wagon wheels. In a few minutes, behind the tents of some furniture sellers, I saw the elvish wagon amidst piles of boxes and supplies. Limping over to it, I wondered idly where they might have put Carenloth. As I drew abreast of the front of the wagon, I realized with a start, that it wasn't the wagon I'd left Rivendell in, but another one! This one had silver and gold leaves painted on it. Well. I guess there were going to be lots of elves here! I grinned to myself and looked about. But I saw no elves. Only me. And a rather rag tag group of men. The canvas tent they were putting up under one man's supervision was patched in many places and a bit grimy. A rather thin pony stood nearby, its head bowed. It had two small upright barrels strapped to either side of it and as I watched, a man approached, took out a dipper and drink deeply from it.

The man supervising the tent raising noticed my scrutiny and came over to me slightly frowning. "We don't take paying customers til evening." He looked me up and down and before I could retort, he added. "And I'm not hiring."

"I, well, I just wondered where the elves were that owned that wagon." I pointed behind me. Looking at me funny he said. "No elves own it. It's mine."

"Oh, I see." I found it hard to believe a fine elvish wagon would be sold to humans, but then, maybe they were. Smiling, I asked looking at the tent. "So, what do you offer, once the sun sets?"

"Entertainment."

I leaned forward in curiosity slightly to encourage more explanation, but nothing was forth coming. "Oh, all right. Well, then I shall come by later when you are set up."

Laughing, he turned away and went to help pull on a nearby guy rope. Before I left, I saw two women peek out from another wagon to the side of the tent. They were rather made up. Hm. Exotic dancing perhaps?

Shaking my head, I went past the elvish wagon, my thoughts again puzzled as to how it came to belong to this carnie.

I decided, since Mr. Helpful was busy, I'd look for any elvish writing to see if I could discover perhaps a name or something. A woman looked at me through the painted canvas panels, just as I was about to go past the back gate of the vehicle. Her face was red and swollen, and black make up was running down her cheeks.

I immediately stepped over to her. "Do you need any help? Are you hurt?"

She pursed her lips, hastily rubbed her eyes and shook her head. I could see through the make up that she was rather young. I stopped. Actually, she was really young. I moved closer, concerned. "Come sweetheart. Why the tears?" I asked, as I came up to the wagon.

She looked about hastily and said in a hoarse voice. "I was hoping you were my friend Delath. She couldn't entertain customers the other night and Master Kran has taken her away. And she hasn't come back. And I don't know who I am to perform with."

"Well, I am sure Master Kran has everything well in hand. I wouldn't worry. Maybe he has found you a new partner." I was a bit confused at the youngster's tears. But perhaps the two had been especially close.

I heard a shout and turned to see the man I had spoken to earlier striding our way. Looking at him in question, he frowned as he came up to me. "I would appreciate you not bothering the performers."

"I wasn't, I---" I saw immediately I wouldn't get anywhere and sighed deeply. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the young girl cringing as she watched him.

"If you want to avoid trouble for yourself Lily, you won't go talking to strangers save the ones I bring ya."

The young girl shook her head, eyes downcast and whispered. "I don't want to go to the night callers."

The man's frown deepened and he pushed me aside, almost knocking me down. "You'll do as I say you little gutter rat."

With that, she ducked back into the wagon and when she didn't reappear, I turned to look at the man, stepping back a step as the rank odor of unwashed human swept over me. A tense line of silence stretched between us a moment and then he said, relaxing visibly with a wide grin. "She's new to this life. She's a bit skittish." I nodded slowly and shrugged. And I began to wonder just what kind of life it was. Turning, I limped off. Carnie life was certainly beyond my ken. But perhaps I should try to come back later to see if there was something not quite right here. I was just beginning to get that feeling…..

I retraced my steps and then noticed where my wagon had turned off. It didn't take me long to find Hanj and his troop. His large center tent was already set up. A half circle of tents formed up some distance behind it. I saw the Tolley Brothers were already practicing their tumbling and balances. And I couldn't help myself and laughed. Jafa was already riding Taffy. But at least he was sitting on the animals back and not balancing on the horse's rump. I followed my nose to the cooking tents and was soon peeling and chopping vegetables for the evening stew.

Ah, but once evening set in, it was time to explore! The Fair, though not set to open officially until the next day, was already thronged with people. I realized as I limped amongst them they were probably mostly vendors out and about to see what the competition was offering. There were plenty of children racing about, too. And every now and again, by the light of a chance lantern or the flickering of a torch, I would see the noble profile of some elf. Lord in heaven, they are so beautiful. In such a context, surround by mostly humanity, they stood out glorious as angels.

And ohmigod !! I finally saw hobbits!! Real honest-to-goodness Haflings! I almost keeled over in a faint, I swear!

They were setting up a booth in which it looked as if wooden bowls, pottery mugs and the like were to be sold. What gave me the clue was an open crate with stack of mugs sticking through the packing straw. I just stood there, well for minutes at least, Frodo and Bilbo's fates running through my mind in fast forward. Finally one of the busy hobbits noticed my impolite staring and raised his eyebrows at me, with a tip of his head. Blushing furiously, face aflame, I turned and limped off. I found the nearest unoccupied bench and sat right down. Hobbits. After all this time. Well, well boys and girls I was certainly in Middle Earth. I shook my head as a big shiver ran through me.

Wow. This was going to be some Fair no doubt!