Chapter Fourteen - The Aftermath 

“Tim!” Flambard called to the landlord of the Red Robin Inn. “We’d like a table out of the way, please.”

Tim, a distant cousin to Flambard on his mother’s side, smirked at the road-weary hobbits, “I take it the camping didn’t go well, eh?”

Flambard and Adalgrim exchanged looks. Camping? Flambard only replied, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. We just need to talk to our lads in private, is all.”

Tim laughed, “As I was saying, it must not have gone well; you look worse than your lads!” He set the group in a corner table nearest to the back door. “How’s the fishing up north?”

Flambard gave a confused look to his cousin across the table, shaking his head, “Uh…we didn’t catch anything.”

“The fish always looks fatter in someone else’s stream, I say!” answered Tim. “My Niola will be by in a minute to set your board.”

Flambard waited until Tim was out of earshot. “Adal, he thinks we went fishing up in the Northfarthing!”

“Good,” said Adalgrim, “let them think that. And don’t you lads offer anything contrary to it, either. Is that understood?”

“Yes, sir,” the lads replied.

“What do you lads have to say for yourselves?” Flambard’s anger was brewing again. “You have no idea what you’ve put your mothers through, not to mention us, your fathers.” The younger hobbits merely hung their heads.

“Father,” Paladin summoned up the courage to ask about his immediate future. “What is my punishment?”

At moment, they were interrupted by a young serving maid with a trolley. “Hullo my name is Niola,” she said, placing a plate and full mug before each hungry Took. Next, she removed the bowls of steaming, hot food and put them on the table. “Is there anything else?”

“Yes.” All eyes shifted over to a starry-eyed Adelard. The poor tween was in love with just about every lass he’d run into the past week. It was the first time Paladin grinned since they were swept away by their fathers on the road.

“No, thank you, miss,” said Flambard, nudging his son’s leg under the table. “We’ll call you when we’re done.”

Adalgrim went on to answer Paladin’s question, “I think you already know most of it.”

Paladin did have much of it guessed. “Locked up for six months?”

“Try the next nine years!” Adal shot back. “Paladin, you’ve been so well behaved all summer until this-- I mean, last week,” he said, remembering the goose feathers. “I don’t want to discourage your good behavior, so I will only confine you to your room for one month. But I warn you, son--never do this again.”

~ ~ ~

Bilbo and Isengar sat side-by-side in the cart while saying their farewells to Gandalf and the elves. They had ridden on together until the Waymeet road was to their right. Gandalf reached into his bag and produced a small package.

“I nearly forgot; here is something that the dwarves gave me to give to you, Bilbo. What in Middle-earth did you purchase?”

“Thank you, Gandalf!” Bilbo took the package and stowed it beneath the bench. “It’s a little gift I got for the lads for my birthday later this month, though I don’t think I’ll be seeing either of them for a long time.”

“Nonsense!” said Isengar. “I know Adal--he has a temper, but he will cool down before long. I give them a month before they’re knocking on my door again,” Isengar shook a finger at his nephew, “and you had better be in my quarters when they do, young hobbit!”

Bilbo smiled, then gazed at his longtime friend, “Goodbye, Gandalf.”

“This is not goodbye, dear Bilbo,” smiling, the Wizard replied, “but…until we meet again.” Then Gandalf walked over to the passenger side of the cart, enfolding Isengar in a long embrace. “You and I will meet again someday, though perhaps not in Middle-earth.” Gandalf saw the years peel away from Isengar; once again seeing the young tween who stowed away on his cart to see the Sea long ago. “May the One bless you and keep you.”

Tears flowed freely down Isengar’s face. “I will look forward to that day, Gandalf. Goodbye.”

The elves waved their farewell from their saddles, while Gandalf stood in the Road watching his beloved friends depart towards Great Smials.

~ ~ ~

Paladin knocked on the guest quarters that belonged to the Master of Buckland--or his delegate. He was met by Rory Brandybuck. “Hullo, Paladin,” he said. “Have a nice holiday abroad?”

Paladin was nervous in his greeting. “Uh…good evening sir. They’re having a meeting in the common room before supper is served and my father asks for you to attend as well. I’ve also come to greet my sister; my mother tells me she’s here with Mistress Brandybuck.”

Rory opened the door wide enough for the tween to pass through. “Come in, but I must ask that you keep your visit short. My Saradoc is guilty of keeping your whereabouts a secret, and so he is being punished as well.”

Paladin paused before proceeding into the sitting room, “But Saradoc had no idea where we were going.”

“I told him,” Esmeralda spoke apologetically, standing near the doorway. “I let him read your letter.”

“Mum, I am on my way to the common room for a meeting,” Rory called to his mother. “I will meet you and Sara in the dining room for supper.” Then he turned to Paladin, “Good evening to you as well, Master Wanderer, please keep your visit short.”

“Whew!” Paladin breathed a sigh of relief. “That went well. How is it that you get to visit with Saradoc and I don’t?” he asked Esmeralda.

“Because I’m visiting Mira--not that Saradoc,” she answered, grinning over at her other good friend sitting next to his grandmother. She added in a lower tone, “He kept your secret, Paladin--that’s why he’s been punished so harshly.”

“It seems I owe you both then,” he said. The siblings smiled at each other then hugged. “I saw the Sea Essie!” he whispered excitedly in her ear.

“Come in here, laddie, and tell us all about your adventure!” Mirabella called out. “Is Isengar with you?”

“No, Ma’am,” said Paladin, “my father and Addie’s father both took us away from the Road without so much as a goodbye to Bilbo and Uncle Isengar. Gandalf was still there, so they were in no danger or anything when we left them.” He saw Saradoc sitting in a chair with a bundle of yarn in his lap, unraveling it for his grandmother. “I wasn’t being a very good cousin when I left, Saradoc. I’m sorry--and I want to thank you. Perhaps we can all get together and do something when we’re all off our punishments.” He grinned when he saw Saradoc grin.

“I’d like that,” Saradoc responded.

“Well, lad? I’m not getting any younger while you stand there,” said Mirabella. “Come have a seat and tell us everything.”

“I can’t tell you everything, Ma’am. My father forbids me to talk about most of it.”

“Well tell us what you can, then I’ll guess the rest,” Mira winked at him. “I have experience with this.”