orn to a long line of tradesmen in the art of butchery, Tolmac was the apple of his fathers eye and set to inherit the Knifewise empire of slaughterhouses and butchers the Shire over.

 

It was not a life he felt he could accept, however. Having spoken in marketplaces with strangers and travelling folk, the lure of lands beyond the Shire grew ever stronger in Tolmac as he grew in age and stature.

 

He learned what he could of the trade from his father, and gave all that knew him the impression he would stay the course and follow in his fathers footsteps, just as his father had before him.

 

ut mischief became more and more of a distraction for this hobbit, and while he grew in strength, hauling animal carcasses to and fro all day long, and honed his knife and blade skills chopping bones and filleting meats, he longed for adventure and to see those other lands.

 

Before long, his growing dissatisfaction with his lot started to get him into trouble. Sneaking onto farmers lands and eating his fill in orchards late at night soon drew the attention of Bounders and guard dogs alike, and one scrape soon led to another. A reputation as a troublemaker soon followed and Tolmac was quickly wearing out his welcome, and the patience of all those that cared for him.

 

hings came to a head one day, when Tolmac could not join his father at the slaughterhouse, having been awake all night up to no good. When his father found him, sleeping in a hiding place, a ferocious argument ensued, and Tolmac vowed he would leave the Shire, and take himself out of everyones concern.

 

And so his adventure began, intent on using all he had learned to make a name for himself, see the world and make stories to tell of his exploits, he began to travel far and wide, convinced he would do so alone, since noone seemed to understand him.

 

e met Dorini Applepeel on his travels, and fell immediately in love with her delightful laughter and pretty smile, her adorable manner and the way she seemed to achieve what no other seemed able to. She understood, and even delighted in his bold and carefree manner. She indulged his reckless adventures and even encouraged them, indeed carrying him along in her own mischief more often than not. And so it was that Tolmac resolved that alone was not the way he wanted to be. Far from it. Now he even spoke in quiet times with his love, his ‘flower’, of settling one day, and even the patter of tiny hobbit feet.