CHAPTER 43

Gimli had been enjoying holding forth for the two female healers, who were attentive and not at all squeamish when he talked about the battles. The Took family healer had a particular interest in hearing about Pippin’s sojourn in Fangorn, and how he and Merry had grown so suddenly. She was also very interested in hearing about his battle with the troll, which Adrahil had described for her, but she had pumped Gimli thoroughly on his injuries.

And she kept turning to the other healer and saying “See, Lavender, what did I tell you!”

But now the music changed, and there was an air of anticipation about the ballroom. It was almost time to change the musicians, which meant the midway point of the affair. This particular dance was done at the mid-point of any festivity, and no one missed out on it, whether they did any of the other dances or not.

Poppy and Lavender took Gimli, one by each hand and hauled away. He found that he could not politely balk them.

All the Men, Legolas and Bergil were pulled into the giant circle being formed; the older hobbits who had been busy with other matters dropped their conversations and joined in.

The music began, and the dance started, two large steps to the left, two small steps to the right. Eglantine, as hostess, was to lead the dance. She dropped the hand on her right and began to weave under the other dancers’ arms, in and out. The Men of course, could not do this, so the hobbits on either side would drop hands very briefly as they came through. But Legolas was nimbly able to pass under, to the amazement of all. As the circle grew more tangled, a few less hardy souls dropped out.

Among these were Clovis and Cado, who had other plans. They slipped unnoticed from the ballroom.

More and more tangled grew the line of hobbits and guests, until they could barely move. Just as they thought they would not be able to take another step, the music ended, and they all broke apart laughing. Eglantine took compliments on the complexity of her tangles. There would be a short break now, while the other band came in to set up.

The majority of hobbits headed for the refreshments.

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Opal looked at the small bundle she had made in her pillowcase. She took a deep breath and threw open the window-sash. She tossed the bundle out, and then awkwardly clambered out herself. It was only a short drop from the window to the ground, but she was not used to climbing or jumping, and she landed with a sharp and painful thud on her backside.

She did not know where she would go, or what she would do. But anything was better than waiting to be marked as a thief.

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Reginard was beginning to get the distinct feeling that his wife was avoiding him. Normally, this would not have bothered him much--he would in fact, consider it a blessing. But at a time like this, with the Ball going on, it filled him with suspicion. She was either up to something or hiding something from him, or both.

Hyacinth saw her husband looking for her. She quickly retreated before he could find her, up the short passage to one of the water closets. She knew he would be suspicious about why she was not demanding he dance with her, but she simply could not face him. She would probably blurt everything out, and Paladin and Eglantine would be furious.

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Danulf sat by the watchfire. He could hear the strains of music coming from the Smials, which was pleasant, and the little carving of a running horse that was taking shape under his nimble fingers was coming along nicely. He was neither bored nor sleepy; this was a nice way to spend an evening, and really there was no danger here in this tame little land.

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Merry and Estella strolled out to the terrace for a bit of air. They couldn’t be long; Rosamunda had been watching, and she would guard the proprieties seriously.

They stood by the low wall, and Merry risked an arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him a bit. He was so tall and strong; she felt so safe in his presence.

“I think things are going well,” she said. “My father is very favorably impressed by your Men. And it is nice that Fatty seems so much happier and relaxed.”

Merry shook his head. “Why do you still call him ‘Fatty’? No one else does.”

She laughed. “Because from me it never meant ‘fatty’. When I was a faunt, that was the closest I could come to ‘Freddy’. Everyone else just took it up, and as he was a bit plumper than average, most folks just assumed that’s what it was.”

“Oh. I never knew that.”

“See. We learn something new everyday.” She laughed. “Now you tell me something I never knew.”

Merry grew somber. Too many of the things he knew that she didn’t were not things he wanted to talk about tonight. He tried to think of something pleasant. He smiled.

“When we were in Lothlórien, the Lady Galadriel read our minds, to find out what would tempt us away from the Quest. I saw myself Master of Buckland, old and venerable, sitting by the fire with a lovely white haired hobbitess, and a crowd of grandchildren around our knees. I never knew until I came home that she was you.”

She looked up at him, her heart in her eyes. “Oh!” she breathed.

Merry jerked his head. “Don’t look now, but your mother’s coming.”

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Pippin and Bergil stood by the sideboard with the refreshments. Pippin sipped his wine--he normally preferred ale, but the table with the ale was too crowded, and he was thirsty. He had poured some fruit juice for Bergil.

“Sir Pippin, couldn’t I have just a taste?”

“You are far too young Bergil. Targon would never allow you to stay with me again, and your father would probably challenge me if he ever saw me again.” Pippin sighed at the sound of his own voice. Stars above! He sounded old and responsible. He sounded like Merry. No, worse. Merry would sometimes give in to him. He sounded like Frodo. Now he really felt old.

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Clovis and Cado made their way to the front of the Great Smials. Every so often they had to slip aside to avoid the occasional guest seeking to take the air, or lost on the way to the water closet, or the servants who were hither and yon on various errands.

Finally they came to the gate, across the road from the assembly field.

Cado stopped. “Don’t you think it’s about time that you told me what you have in mind, Clo?”

“Father says if they ratify the treaty, then Paladin and Frodo will be investigating him. He thinks that he can stall the assembly with politics. But wouldn’t it be a lot easier to make the Men angry, so that they would decide not to deal with the Shire?”

“And how do you think we could do that?”

“Well, they seem to think all the hobbits love them. But if someone messed things up at their camp, and maybe ran their horses off--”

Cado grinned. “Yes. That might do it.”

“And tonight is perfect. They are all at the Ball.”

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Opal clutched her bundle, her heart in her mouth. She had never before in her life walked across this field alone, in the dark. Every sound was frightening. She kept stepping in holes and falling, or stumbling over rocks. Her skirts were being caught by brambles. She was beginning to think maybe she should have awaited her fate in her room.

But she looked over to the right far in the distance, where the Men’s encampment was. How could she wait without knowing what it might be? What would Men do to her for stealing their King’s gift? She would just have to get as far away as she could. She had heard people talk of a place called “Bree”. She wondered how far it was, and if she were going in the right direction.

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Cado looked at his brother, as they crouched behind a carriage parked near the encampment. They were looking at the watchfire, and the Man who sat there. “I thought you said they were all at the Ball.”

“I thought they were.” Clovis hissed.

“What are we going to do now?”

“Shhh. Let me think a minute.” He pursed his lips, and reached down beside him. He picked up a rock, and tossed it thoughtfully in his hand.

Over to the left, he could barely see the line of horses on the picket.

They’d have to get a bit closer, but not much.

Arod snorted and tossed his head. Something was out there, something or someone hostile. He moved restlessly. This woke the other horses, who caught his unease.

Danulf heard the horses stirring. A Man of Rohan can tell much from the behavior of horses, and these were alarmed, and not by the wind or the sounds coming from the Smials. He stood up suddenly, and with a ring of steel, drew his sword. Someone was out there, and not well-disposed, or they would have announced themselves.

He started to look about him. But he failed to catch the flash of movement. The rock caught him on the side of the head, and he measured his length upon the ground.

“What did you do?” hissed Cado in a panic. “What if you killed him?” He grabbed his brother by the jacket.

Clovis tore his brother’s grip loose, and flung his hands away, heedless of the buttons that tore from the front. “It’s all right. He’s just knocked out--” he hoped, “and now we can spook the horses.” He could just imagine the consternation among the Men. Surely they would be so angry, they would leave! His father should be pleased; he never thought that his sons could think for themselves. This would show him!

The two hobbits moved closer to the picket, where the horses had already begun to move about, neighing, and frightened. A few well placed rocks on their flanks, and they pulled the picket loose. Soon they were bolting across the field.

Clovis brushed his hands together in satisfaction. Mission accomplished. They turned to slip back to the Ball. No one would have missed them. Cado looked back. He felt uneasy. This had been too simple. Something could still go wrong.

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Opal heard the thunder of the hooves. She screamed as the horses bore down in her direction. She turned to flee, but fell, and then she knew no more.

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