Chapter 10. Journey into Darkness

The Ferry was back in operation, though the landing had been washed away on the Marish side of the River. Only necessary crossings were made, mostly for the riders sent out by the Master of Buckland, either going out to assess damage or returning with news. Merimas Brandybuck was down at the Ferry landing on the Buckland side when he heard a horn call from the other side. Shading his eyes from the westering Sun, he saw the flag go up a moment later.

 ‘Pony post,’ he said to one of the hobbits working to repair damage to the eastern landing. ‘Go tell the Master, Dab.’

Despite the heat, Dab jogged up the bank to the pavilions set up before the Hall. Master Merry had set up his study in one of these. Maps were spread out over the tables on one side, plans of Brandy Hall on the other. Merry was bent over one of these with Doderic, his chief engineer.

 ‘Pony post!’ Dab gasped.

 ‘Pony post!’ Merry said. ‘From the Great Smials? They couldn’t have had our message already.’

 ‘Are you sure it’s not one of our own messengers returning?’ Doderic said, straightening and rubbing at crick in his back.

 ‘Pony post, Merimas said, and I saw the flag myself,’ Dab insisted. ‘He was sending the Ferry over even as I left the bank.’

 ‘I had better go and see,’ Merry said. ‘Carry on here, Dod, and I’ll let you know what the news is as soon as I have it.’

He and Dab walked down to the bank, for there was no point in running. The Ferry had only reached the far side. The pony post rider waded into the River, took hold of the reaching hands of the Ferry hobbits and was hauled aboard. The Ferry began the long haul back. Merry was waiting at the bank for some time before the Ferry reached the Bucklebury landing.

 ‘What news from the Great Smials?’ he called when the Ferry was still some yards away.

 ‘At least a dozen dead, and dozens more missing!’ the post rider shouted back.

Merry reeled. It struck him for the first time that the shake might have been worse elsewhere. ‘What of the Thain?’ he shouted.

Merimas touched his arm and he shook his cousin off impatiently. ‘Bad news will keep,’ Merimas muttered. ‘Let’s not go shouting it all over the countryside until we have the facts, shall we?’

Merry knew his cousin was speaking sense, but that did not make the waiting easier. As the Ferry docked he thrust out his hand to the post rider. Even before the Ferry kissed the landing the rider took the hand and leaped the narrowing gap of sparkling water, his Tookish distrust of the River overcome by the enormity of the news he bore.

As they walked up the slope to the pavilions the rider rapidly spilled his news. ‘...and the Thain’s badly injured, they hadn’t got him out of his study yet when I’d left, and all his family among the missing,’ he finished. He stopped, looking at Brandy Hall, and whistled. ‘You had it here as well,’ he said. ‘Not as bad, though. Part of the face of the Smials fell in, and Tuckborough’s in ruins.’

Doderic had come out of the pavilion in time to catch the end of the news. ‘They’ve good engineers at the Smials,’ he said, ‘but are they among the missing?’

 ‘They were excavating at Tookbank when the shake happened,’ the messenger said. ‘One arrived at the Smials just as I was starting out. He said none was hurt, and more would be on the way from Tookbank soon.’

 ‘Good,’ Doderic said firmly. ‘I can stay here, then, and oversee what needs to be done in Buckland. You go to the Smials, Merry. You’re needed more there than here, from the sound of it.’

 ‘I’m coming too,’ Estella said behind them. Her dress was torn and dirty and her cheeks streaked with soot and sweat; her hands were grimy and she had never looked more beautiful to her husband. ‘We’ve finished setting up the temporary kitchens and there’ll be food soon,’ she added. ‘Just give me a moment to change. Have them put a regular saddle on my pony, Merry. I suspect this is no time to be riding side-saddle.’

 ‘There are many trees down across the Road, Mistress,’ the rider said. ‘Woody End is a nightmare to travel through.’

 ‘It is a good thing my pony enjoys jumping as much as I do, then,’ Estella said lightly, and picking up her skirts she hurried away.

***

The ponies were not keen to step off the Ferry into the River. Merry jumped down first, half-swimming as he extended a hand to Estella. She gasped at the coldness of the water, saying immediately for her husband’s benefit, ‘Ah! So refreshing in this heat!’

Merry squeezed her hand with a nod and then pushed her towards shore. The hobbits on the bank helped her out of the water. ‘Ready?’ one of the Ferry hobbits called. ‘Better get ashore, sir, you won’t want to be in the ponies’ way!’

Merry slogged through the water and scrambled up the bank, wondering. He did not have to wait long. There were two loud cracks as the Ferry hobbit brought a riding crop down hard on the rump of one pony, then the other. The startled beasts plunged and skidded off the Ferry and into the water, immediately making for the bank. Merry managed to catch one as it surged out of the water; another hobbit waiting on the bank caught the other. ‘Hoy!’ Merry cried angrily. ‘There was no call for that!’

 ‘Only way to get them off the Ferry,’ the Ferry hobbit called back apologetically. ‘Ponies have much too much sense to jump off into the water on their own account.’

Merry nodded, not quite satisfied, but the deed was done. ‘How long before you have the landing rebuilt?’ he asked the forehobbit in charge of the work crew.

 ‘At least a day,’ the forehobbit replied. ‘We’ve had a lot of practice, what with the seasonal floods and all, but then we thought we’d built it so sturdy the last time that no flood would ever wash it away again. We weren’t counting on the River coming from the other direction, you know.’

 ‘I know,’ Merry said with a slap on his back. ‘Good hobbit, just make it as quick as you can, and add more bracing to it after.’

 ‘Yessir, good journey, sir,’ the foreman answered. Merry looked up.

Estella was already astride her pony. ‘Coming, beloved?’ she said.

 ‘I’m right behind you,’ Merry answered, mounting his own pony. It struck him that he’d so often spoken those words to Pippin... and now...

Estella had been watching his face. ‘It’s after teatime,’ she said softly.

Merry swallowed hard. ‘No worries,’ he lied.

 ‘Of course not,’ Estella said. ‘Let us go and see the worst for ourselves.’

***

Travelling through the Woody End, they jumped their ponies over quite a few trees that lay across the Road. ‘It’ll be quite awhile before waggons ply this road again,’ Merry observed.

 ‘Perhaps,’ Estella answered, pointing ahead. ‘Look!’

Sweating hobbits were sawing at the bole of a great tree that blocked their way. Merry recognised several Bolgers among them. ‘Hally!’ he called. ‘Buckthorn!’

 ‘Master Merry!’ Hally Bolger said, releasing the saw to take out his pocket-handkerchief. He wiped away the sweat that threatened to trickle into his eyes. ‘How fares Brandy Hall?’

 ‘Rather better than some places, I’ve heard,’ Merry answered. ‘Are the Bolgers all safe?’

 ‘All who are here in the Woody End,’ Hally said. ‘Gundy and I had a close call, but that’s all.’ He took a pull from the water bottle at his belt. ‘Haven’t had word of my Robin, over to the Great Smials, though. Have you had any messages from the Thain?’

 ‘You had better come along if you can,’ Merry said, and Hally stiffened. There was no good way to break the news. ‘Half the Smials has fallen in, from the report I’ve had. I’ve no word if Robin is among the missing or the dead, or if he’s well and alive and digging to reach the others who are trapped.’

 ‘He’ll be digging, if he’s able,’ Hally said. ‘I’ll just keep thinking good thoughts about him until I hear otherwise.’ He turned to Buckthorn. ‘Run home, tell your mother I’m off to the Smials,’ he said, then put a hand on his son’s arm to stay him. ‘Any word of Ferdi?’ he said, naming his wife’s brother, chancellor to the Thain.

 ‘He’s among the missing, I was told,’ Merry answered.

 ‘Ah,’ Hally said. ‘Well, with everyone well here, I’d imagine Rosemary will want to go to the Smials. Of course, they’ve more than one healer there already...’

 ‘I have the feeling more will be welcome,’ Merry said.

 ‘Very well,’ Hally said. ‘A moment.’ He turned to Buckthorn again. ‘Kiss your wife, tell her what’s what, help your mother to pack up all the two of you can carry, bandages and herbs and such, and come along as quick as you can. Parsley...’ their oldest girl, visiting with her husband and little ones, ‘Parsley can mind everything until we return.’

***

It was well past sunset as they reached the Crowing Cockerel—or what was left of it. The home of the best beer on the Stock Road was gone, a pile of rubble. Hobbits with torches were picking through the debris.

 ‘This is the worst we’ve seen yet,’ Merry muttered to Estella.

The innkeeper jogged wearily over to them, carrying a lantern. ‘Master Meriadoc?’ he said, holding the lantern higher. ‘Sorry, sir, no rooms at the inn. We’re full up, we are.’

 ‘I can see that,’ Merry said. ‘Anybody missing?’

 ‘We’ve accounted for everybody,’ the innkeeper said. ‘Weren’t many here at elevenses. Inn doesn’t open until noontide, you know.’
 ‘Ah,’ Merry said. ‘Did you lose anyone?’

 ‘I’m that thankful,’ the innkeeper returned. ‘Stew was simmering nicely, bread was baking, tables were set for noontide guests, and we all took ourselves out into the courtyard for elevenses to enjoy the sunshine and the cool breeze. Nobody was inside when it all came down, can you imagine?’ He shook his head. ‘Such a mercy,’ he muttered. ‘Such a mercy.’ He’d been saying the words over again for hours, in wonder. All he’d lost was his home, his business, and those could be rebuilt. Those nearest his heart, his family and his workers, were all safe. ‘Such a mercy,’ he said again, then looking up added, ‘But if you wish to camp in the clearing, you’re welcome.’

 ‘We’ll be riding on,’ Merry said. ‘We’re on our way to the Great Smials.’

 ‘Messenger said they were hard hit,’ the innkeeper said. ‘Hope he was wrong.’

 ‘You’re not the only one,’ Merry said, and with a few parting words the little group moved on.