Back in his own domain, Allen took in the familiar surroundings and returned his people's greetings along the road, his heart feeling much lighter.
Wilderness Town was his home in Middle-earth.
Even after returning home, Allen did not rest right away. His first priority was to settle Gandalf and Bilbo Baggins into guest rooms.
Stephen and his family, who had returned with Allen, were lodged at the inn. Allen planned to assign him a house once he was certain the man could stay in Wilderness Town.
Following Wilderness Town's established practice and the customs of Middle-earth, a victory in battle always called for a feast to soothe the warriors' hearts after their hard fighting.
Of course, as Allen remembered it, victory was not the only way to attend a feast. Defeat could also mean being forced to take part in the revelry.
Take Celebrimbor, the lord of Eregion, for example.
After Sauron led his army of Half-orcs through Eregion's defenses, that renowned Elven craftsman was forced to take part in Sauron's revelry.
Sauron demanded to know the whereabouts of the Three Elven Rings, but as a descendant of Fëanor, Celebrimbor would never yield to him. The Half-orcs then hung him from a flagpole and riddled him with arrows, killing him. His soul returned to the Halls of Mandos.
The victors' feast was fragrant and sweet, while the defeated were left at their mercy.
Ordinarily, the feast following the Battle of Five Armies should have been hosted by Thorin.
But the Dwarves Prince was currently overwhelmed with work, and even his supplies had been brought from the Iron Hills by Dáin. Forcing himself to host a feast would only have made it look pitifully meager.
That was why Thorin had scheduled the feast for when he welcomed his father home.
Allen