Author's Note:  I apologize for taking so long to update.  I have been much troubled by Real Life (TM) in the last few weeks.  Things seem to be getting back to normal now, so I hope to get back to updating frequently, and soon get to the end of the story.  Thank you for your patience.

Dreamflower

CHAPTER 64

Rose sat at the table with her mother, helping her to grind the almonds for the marzipan needed for the wedding cake. She kept an ear out for the sounds of banging and bumping, coming from the direction of her room, wincing every time she heard it.

“Be easy, lass. Your brothers aren’t going to harm your things, and I know you would have been very careful packing anything breakable.”

Rosie sighed. “I know, Mama. But I wish I could help.”

“There’s too much to do. The wedding’s in three days, and you can’t be everywhere. And right now I need your help with this cake. And after that, I will need your help with the tablecloths. And then this afternoon you have to be here for your gifts.”

“Well, at least I can trust Marigold to put everything away for me the way she knows I like it.”

For today, Rose’s brothers were taking all of her things, except what she would need between now and the wedding day, over to Bag End.

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Frodo was overseeing his friends as they helped him to clear out the room that had once been Bilbo’s. Frodo had never used that room, preferring to keep the room he had been given when he first moved to Bag End. He had pretty much left it as it was. When Lotho moved in, he had claimed the room, but then it had been thoroughly cleared out of all traces of the Sackville-Bagginses’ occupancy. When Frodo had moved back in after the Troubles, it had become a sort of unofficial mathom-room, being a handy place to put things, rather than going further back into the smial. Now everything except the furniture was being cleared out and placed in one of the actual mathom-rooms, or being unpacked and put away.

Merry came out with a crate of books. “That’s the last of it, Frodo. This box hasn’t been opened since it came back from Crickhollow. Do you want it in the study?”

“That sounds fine, Merry, and thank you. Marigold and Tom will be here soon to fix the room up for Sam and Rosie.”

Pippin came up, wiping his brow. “You know,” he said, “Sam’s still taking on about this. He doesn’t think it’s right for you to give him the master bedroom. I think, though, that I may have stopped him complaining about it.”

Merry grinned. “And how did you accomplish that little feat?”

Pippin rolled his eyes. “Oh, I said something along the lines of ‘Well, Sam, if you don’t think Rose *deserves* to have that room, I’m sure you can convince Frodo of it.’ He started spluttering that wasn’t what he meant at all, and I said ‘oh, I’m sure’. He just shook his head and went back to weeding, muttering that he might as well hold his tongue if people were going to take every little thing he said the wrong way.”

“Thank you, Pip,” laughed Frodo. “I’ve been arguing with him about it for days, and finally just told him that was how it was going to be. But I never would have thought of that argument.” he added admiringly.

“That’s because there are things you won’t say. I don’t have that problem.”

His cousins laughed. Pippin was known for his bluntness.

Just then they heard the sound of Freddy’s voice, yelling down the passage--”Anyone for elevenses?”

The cousins joined Freddy and Bergil in the kitchen, where they found tea and sandwiches awaiting them.

“Where are Legolas and Gimli this morning?” asked Freddy.

“Oh, they took Arod, and rode back down in the direction of Tuckborough. The Men have broken camp, and will be coming back in this direction. They will set up in the same place they were the first time they were in Hobbiton, and stay until after the wedding.” said Pippin.

“Yes, and then they will be escorting you South, Freddy. I hear Jolly Cotton has added himself to your delegation.” Merry was more pleased than he could say that Freddy would be leading the embassy.

Fredegar nodded. “Yes, so far there are the five of us, as well as Mistress Poppy Burrows and her apprentice Miss Harfoot, which makes a total of seven hobbits heading out of the Shire at one time. Unheard of!”

Frodo shook his head ruefully. “I am afraid the Shire will never really be the same, now we have a King. You know, you still have room for one more--do you think there will be any more volunteers?”

“I don’t know,” said Freddy. “It’s always possible, but I don’t know who it would be.”

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Milo and Peony Burrows looked at their oldest son Mosco. “You’ve only just come of age son, do you think they will consider you old enough?”

“I hope so. You know you can’t go, Father. And you’re no more comfortable than I am with the idea of Aunt Poppy taking this trip without any family to escort her.” Poppy was actually a cousin, but she had always been “aunt” to Milo’s children.

“No, I’m not. I know that as she is a healer there is nothing improper in her journeying alone. But this is so far away. I’d feel better about it if I knew you were with her.” He carefully did not say how much he would be worried for his son. He had to hide his fears carefully; Peony trusted his judgment that it would be safe now that the King had returned. She mustn’t know of his doubts.

“Besides, at least I *am* of age! Peregrin is *still* not of age, and he did fine!”

Milo was none too certain about that either--he’d seen a certain look in young Peregrin’s eyes, as well as Merry’s that did not speak of “doing fine“. But there was no War now. There really *shouldn’t* be any danger.

Peony’s eyes shone with tears. “I’m very proud of you son, for wanting to take care of Poppy. Please be careful.”

“I will, Mother. But I don’t even know if Freddy will want me, yet.”

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Legolas brought Arod to a halt, and Gimli peered around him. They could see the delegations from Rohan and Gondor moving in their direction.

“I see they have the miscreant hobbits along,” said the Elf, sharp-eyed as always. “Of course they could not very well leave them.”

Gimli shook his head. “I still find it difficult to believe that hobbits could be so treacherous.”

Legolas shook his head. “We have been spoiled by our hobbits. I believe that we were fortunate enough to make the acquaintance of the four best hobbits in the Shire from the beginning. It gave us very high expectations for the race.”

Gimli nodded. “You are right about that. Yet, for the most part our expectations have been met. There have only been a handful of hobbits of the many we have met, who did not prove to be delightful.”

Legolas moved Arod forward. “I believe that somehow being charming and delightful and open are a part of the hobbits’ nature that defends them. It brings out a protectiveness in other races who are larger and more able to defend them. Hobbits who lack that charm, are I think, defective.”

Gimli chuckled. “That is certainly a way of looking at it. And it would not surprise me if it is true.”

The Elf sighed. “Sometimes I think that Eru created hobbits for the express purpose of bringing forth Frodo to defeat the darkness. I find that a troubling thought.”

Gimli shuddered. “I find it a frightening thought. Especially when I think of all he went through. And all he goes through yet.”

The two friends fell silent, as they approached the Men. Now they would turn and ride back with them.

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Targon smiled at the approach of the Elf and Dwarf. He had missed their company. Of course, he knew that they had made the journey to the Shire to see their pheriannath friends, but he felt as though they had also become his friends as well duiring this trip. He turned to look behind.

Borondir had Dago Bracegirdle riding behind him. Behind Anwynd was Clodio Banks. Leodwald was burdened with the older Banks lad and Danulf with the younger. Keeping them separated was difficult, and they were now almost as terrified as they had been right at the beginning. It was clear that they did not do well apart. But he couldn’t have them coming to blows again, either. He supposed once they set up camp in Hobbiton he would need to have another talk with Éothain about it. Maybe they had learned their lesson, and he could put them back in together. It was a lot easier that way.

Riding on ponies alongside Éothain were the healer Poppy Burrows, and her little apprentice. Now that had been a surprise. Targon had been quite taken aback when she approached him, and informed him in no uncertain terms that the two of them were coming along. She had been very emphatic about it, and took it for granted that the permission would be given. Of course it had been.

Now that it was coming to it, and his mission nearing an end, Targon wondered what the King would think of his accomplishments here in the Shire. True, he had managed to get the hobbits to ratify the King’s edicts, but most of the credit for that went to the Ringbearer, the Thain and the Master. And if Men had not been here to stir things up, then perhaps the tragedy with the little hobbit lass would not have happened. On the other hand, he had been instructed to get to the bottom of Saruman’s machinations in the Shire, and taking these four back for justice certainly was success in that endeavor.

Well, in just a few days, they would witness the wedding of Samwise and his Rose. He would have to make sure to remember every detail, for that was an occasion that he knew would be dear to the heart of King Elessar, and of Queen Arwen as well.

And following that, they would be escorting seven hobbits to Gondor. He began to run through possible difficulties in his mind. He intended to get each and every one of these dear little people safely to his King.

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There was a knock on the door at Bag End. Frodo left the kitchen and went to answer. It was Milo Burrows, and his oldest lad Mosco.

“Good day, Frodo,” said Milo. “Could I have a word with you and Fredegar.”

Frodo took a look at the determined expression on the younger Burrows’s face, and suddenly knew what they wanted. He smiled. “Certainly, Milo. Come into the front room and wait while I fetch Freddy.” Well, well, well. It looked as though the delegation would be complete at six.

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