Chapter 848: Coincidence or planned?
Translator: Translation Nation Editor: Translation Nation
Goots turned out to be a good caravan owner but a mediocre guide.
Following his suggestion, they departed at once. However, after what felt like 3 kilometers, they were still walking around in the endless forest. They would lift their head after a certain distance, hoping to see the starry sky or feel the caress of the wind on their faces, but to no avail. The forest trapped them in a cage of branches and leaves.
Besides the sounds they emitted themselves, they were surrounded by an eternal silence, a long darkness and the absence of life. They have torches, of course, but the light only penetrated as far as 5 meters. Beyond that, they couldn't even see their own fingers. The darkness was awfully eerie.
Sheyan felt something was wrong. Under such a situation, if they were to meet with any danger, they wouldn't be able to react in time. He instantly asked Melody.
"What's happening to us? Something's not right."
Melody shut her eyes, then shook her head slightly.
"The [Armour Fragment of Dwar the Nazgûl] on you is shrouding us with a dense black aura. I can't feel the flow of nature; only madness, fear and chaos."
It appeared impossible for them to keep travelling, so they decided to stop. A bonfire was once again raised. Not long after that, glimmers of colourful lights appeared around them. The lights were actually multiple pairs of eyes staring at the group.
When they approached the eyes, the eyes would gradually disappear only to reappear in another direction.
Luckily, dawn soon arrived. With the modest light from the early sun, they could finally observe the real identities of the eyes. They belonged to countless grey and black moths, some of them as big as a palm. Some of the patterns on the moths looked like truly frightening smiling faces. The moths flapped their wings to scatter some kind of powder all around them.
Sheyan frowned in thought. It must be noted that the personal space of a contestant is independent from this world and should theoretically isolate any aura from spilling out. It seemed the [Armour Fragment of Dwar the Nazgûl] was not so simple.
The face-patterned moths couldn't resist the light of dawn and gradually flew away. The clouds on the sky were enveloped in a layer of gold, signifying a fair day ahead. Only now did the group discover that they had been walking in a huge circle for several hours. Their current location was less than 200 meters away from the place where they fought the Nazgûl.
The matter became much simpler now. Goots discerned the direction they should advance in and gradually steered them onto the main road. At noon, they were fortunate enough to encounter a merchant caravan that set off from the Shire. From the caravan they purchased some mounts. About 5 hours later, they successfully arrived at the Shire.
The Shire was inhabited by Hobbits. The Hobbits were about half as tall as the Númenóreans in the north, so they were also called Halflings.
Large patches of plowed farmland could be seen around the Shire, looking like orderly, brightly-coloured carpets.
The spring barleys looked green and should only mature in two months. The green leaves of the onions supported dandelion-like flowers. The North Down Hops would soon be ready to add their fragrance to ales and beers. Purple cabbages were currently being harvested. The carriages ahead carried full loads of pipe-weeds that will be sent into the Shire to be processed into aromatic tobacco leaves.
As they proceeded along the flat gravel road, the number of Hobbits they encountered grew larger. The Hobbits all had stout bodies, red jovial cheeks, curly hair, honest faces, bright eyes and large mouths that were accustomed to smiling and enjoying good food. They were all shorter than a meter, without exception. The sounds of musical instruments could occasionally be heard from amongst them.
Sheyan noticed that the carefree Hobbits' feet were covered with brown curly hair and had leathery soles. That should be the reason why they were able to move so fast.
Quite a number of Hobbits had a long object made from cowhide on their backs. Goots explained that those slings were their weapons. One can imagine the slings to be like the chain balls used in hammer throwing events, except the chain can be severed according to the wielder's will. They possessed significant might and were rumoured to be able to sling egg-sized rocks at a shocking speed.
The Hobbits' residences are in the form of underground holes with only their roofs showing above the surface. Round doors made up the entrances to their houses; that was their preferred style of architecture. As Sheyan and his group travelled further, more round signposts and hobbit-holes crept up. They also met with more Hobbits with some Dwarves, Elves and Númenóreans mixed in. Unrestrained laughter blended with the smell of juniper wine to create a unique atmosphere.
Goots finally heaved a sigh of relief when the famous landmark of the Shire, the Old Windmill, appeared in front of them. It signified that they have finally stepped foot into the Shire. He was obviously still afraid of the Nazgûl keeping chase.
The whole Shire was built on a few hills with soft contours. Its streets were like mountainous paths,winding around those hills. The face of the hills were dug full of hobbit-holes. Wooden accessories decorated the residences with the unique style of the Hobbits. If one were to look from afar at night, the Shire would look like a collection of hills with bright lanterns hung on them. It depicted a scene full of warmth and tranquility.
The four of them chose an inn called the Black Sheep to rest in. The inn had a unique signboard that was charred by smoke. Quite a few mounts were resting outside the inn, indicating its thriving business. After settling matters concerning their accomodation, Goots had to rush off to handle his own business. Having his whole caravan decimated on their return trip was a serious matter after all. His operation was based in the Shire, so he had to go explain himself to his people.
Before Goots left, Sheyan shoved a pouch into his hands. Melody felt terrible for the loss he suffered, so she contributed 8 platinum coins as his compensation. 8 platinum coins were a small fortune worth 8 thousand silver coins. Goots seemed to be in dire financial straits as he accepted the coins without much hesitation.
The four of them were received with a warm reception in the inn. They were assaulted with the blended smell of ham, eggs, freshly baked bread, ale and tobacco while coursing their way through multiple round tables and wooden benches. Finally, they managed to grab an empty table at the corner. While waiting for their food to arrive, Sheyan suddenly heard a loud voice boom out from the neighbouring table.
"I've never seen such a generous person. Truly! I swear upon my smoking pipe. In order to teleport to Eriador as soon as possible, he paid 30 platinum coins! He even gave me a platinum coin as a tip. That's why I can afford to treat all of you to Aunt Suchell's delicious smoked meat today!"
There were a hundred such conversations in the inn every minute. The reason Sheyan was attracted to this particular one was due to the name "Eriador". That happened to be the sole reason he was in the Shire - before he got inflicted with the Black Breath, of course. Now, he also had to find some Athelas here.
Unfortunately, he did not hear anything else worthy of note. Their dinner was soon served. Sheyan didn't let the surly looking waiter leave immediately. Instead, he put 10 silver coins on the table with a smile and said.
"This is a small fee to have you stay and answer a few questions for me. If your answers are satisfactory, I will pay an additional 20 silver coins to show my appreciation."
The beardy waiter looked at Sheyan suspiciously, but still grabbed the coins.
"I only have minutes. Any longer, and "Quenn" Suchell in the kitchen will skin me alive. That's a risk worth at least 10 platinum coins."
Sheyan continued smiling and asked.
"Do you know where I can buy some Athelas?"
The waiter grumbled to himself.
"Damn, what the hell is an Athelas?"
But he was unwilling to let the additional tips slip from his hands as he added.
"Maybe you can wait for another hour? I'll help you ask around."
Sheyan raised his brows.
"I'll be staying here the whole night. 2nd question, and also the last one - is there a merchant selling plants or seeds around this place?"
"You can find many merchants dealing in magical materials in Buckland. The pipe-weed of the Shire is famous for being an indispensable spellcasting material. A lot of sages wish to purchase them. You should be able to find the plant you wish to buy there. Thank you for your coins, sir."
The waiter deftly swept away the coins left by Sheyan on the table. Before he left, he added.
"If this is your first time in our inn, I suggest you spread some butter on your smoked meat. It will taste even better."
Sheyan smiled and nodded. However, the only thing on his mind was the question.
"Who was the person that was in such a hurry to get to Eriador? Is this a mere coincidence, or an ominous sign?"