Still, there were some who saw it as a sign that the halflings needed to be a little more mindful of events beyond their borders.
One of those was their leader, Mayor Billiam Bolger. He was able to make contact with nobles and knights from neighboring Aslantaine and arrange mutual aid in times of war and crisis, largely by leveraging his ability to get excellent concessions on beer prices. For his part, the king and queen made him a gift of a fancy bespoke shortsword and a very stylish hat; he's never seen without either one these days.
To the extent Hartshire has an internal security apparatus, it takes the form of the town watch, led by Sheriff Merrick Brandywine. Those specially-made halfling-sized polearms also come from trade with their new allies. Some of the old-timers shake their heads and muse at how the only thing you used to need to solve disputes between neighbors was a good, solid shillelagh; but other halflings see the value in people training to stab goblins and the like.
Hunters patrol the borders, watching for bandits and poachers, and setting the dogs on anyone who tries to tamper with the hops and barley.
Most halflingses are content to tend their fields and keep up their houses, but when a real threat appears, they'll band together and fight surprisingly hard with anything at hand.
And thank you! - though it's just the house from the 