CHAPTER 44

Bergil was bored. The dances they were playing now were just for couples, and they were slow and sedate. It was mostly the old hobbits dancing now.

Sir Pippin was no fun right now, either. He was out on the terrace, smoking and talking to lasses. He said Bergil was too young for smoking yet, too. And Targon and Sir Meriadoc agreed. And Sir Meriadoc was out there smoking and looking at Miss Estella. He liked Miss Estella, she was a nice lass, but goodness, to just stand around and stare at her?

He sat down on the staircase, and began to drum his fingers. Maybe he should just leave and go on to bed. But he was still on duty, more or less, he thought. Someone might need him to take a message or something.

“Are you a bit at loose ends, Bergil?”

He looked up. It was Anwynd. He and Anwynd were quite good friends, especially since he had started giving Bergil flute lessons. He nodded, a bit sullenly.

Anwynd held up a little bundle. It was a napkin wrapped around something. “Would you like to do something for me? I thought that Danulf might appreciate a bit of cake and one or two of the pastries. And if you will fetch me my flute, the musicians have said I might sit in with them for a bit.”

Bergil grinned. It would be a chance to stretch his legs, and say hello to the horses, and maybe by the time he came back, they would be having some fun dances again. He had thought the tangle one splendid. “Will you tell Captain Targon and Sir Pippin where I have gone?”

“Most certainly, lad. Thank you, and off with you then.”

Bergil took the bundle of treats for Danulf, and carefully made his way out of the ballroom. Once outside, he stretched his legs and ran.

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Reggie was positive Hyacinth was avoiding him now. He had actually seen her spot him and turn the other way. He had also seen Amethyst and Garnet, but not Opal anywhere. He thought he knew what the problem might be.

Apparently his elder two daughters had been let off their punishment, and his youngest had not. That could only mean that the child had disgraced herself again in some way, and Hyacinth was trying to keep it from him.

Well, he was bound to find out sooner or later. He was very nearly fed up with his family. Perhaps it was time he asserted his authority and put his foot down.

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Legolas and Gimli had joined Merry and Pippin on the terrace, and the four were regaling an audience of admiring lasses and tweenaged lads with some humorous stories of their stay in Rivendell. Pippin still had Viola Harfoot by his side, but there were several other lasses who were vying to be near him. Merry had eyes only for Estella.

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Targon and Éothain were watching from the sidelines with Paladin and Saradoc. Overall they were pleased with the way things were going.

Anwynd came over to keep his pledge to Bergil and let his captain know where he had gone.

Targon smiled. “I take it he was beginning to get bored?”

“Less so than he would have been at court in Mundburg,” said Anwynd who had heard Bergil‘s complaints of how long he had to stand about as a page. “But I think he was feeling a bit left out.”

Paladin frowned. “Pippin should not neglect his guest.”

Targon shook his head. “Neither should he have to dance attendance the whole time the boy is here. I am afraid we have let the lad get a bit spoiled; his father will not thank us.”

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Eglantine and Frodo were enjoying one of the more sedate dances.

They smiled at Sam and Rose as they danced by them. Frodo did not think the two of them had missed a single dance.

“Well, Frodo,” she asked, “has it really been so bad as you feared?”

He shook his head. “There were moments. But on the whole, the evening has not been completely unpleasant.”

“I am glad. I did not understand until I talked to Esmeralda just how difficult you might find it. Truly, I did not wish to hurt you, but as you can see, it will make the assembly run much more smoothly now that they have seen that we are a part of a Kingdom once more, and must needs follow what a King decrees.”

“Aragorn is no tyrant,” began Frodo.

“I said not so,” she replied, “but since we are not really used to authority much here in the Shire it is as well to establish whose wishes will hold sway in matters such as precedence.”

“You really enjoyed turning everything upside down tonight, didn’t you, Tina?”

“I most certainly did.”

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Bergil raced across the lawn, carefully carrying the napkin of treats for Danulf. He went through the gate at the front of the Smials, and wove in and out through the various parked carriages, carts and coaches, towards the encampment.

But he slowed as he neared. Something was not right. Why did he not see Danulf by the fire? Perhaps he had stepped away briefly to answer a call of nature. But the fire had burned awfully low. A few more feet and he was close enough to distinguish the still form laid out beside the fire.

He swallowed fearfully. What if the assailants were still about? But he had to see if Danulf was all right.

He ran the last few feet, and knelt down by the fallen Man. He didn’t think he was dead--his eyes were closed, and he didn’t have that *look* Bergil had come to know far too well in the Houses of Healing. He reached over and put his hand on Danulf’s neck, as he had seen the healers there often do. He could feel the beat of the Rohirrim’s heart in the pulse at his throat. Good, he was alive. But there was some blood on the side of his head.

He looked about him again. Whoever did this was gone. He had to fetch help. There was something else not right--where were the horses? Who would do a thing like this in the Shire? Surely not hobbits! Were there more of those renegade Men, those ruffians, about? Sir Pippin said they had got rid of them, but what if they had come back?

He was completely unaware of his tears. “I’m sorry, Danulf, to leave you, but I have to go get help.”

He stood up and raced back the way he had come, even faster than he had before.

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“Hyacinth.”

She jumped, her heart in her mouth. She had not seen or heard Reggie come up behind her.

“Reginard.” She tried to put her normal hauteur into her voice, but it sounded forced, even to her own ears.

“Hyacinth, where is Opal?”

Paladin and Eglantine will kill me, she thought. How did he know?

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“Sir Pippin! Sir Pippin! Help!” he raced up the terrace and nearly collapsed into Pippin’s arms.

“Bergil! What in the world?” Pippin tried to support the lad, as he bent nearly double, trying to breathe.

“Someone--someone attacked Danulf and stole all the horses!”

Legolas and Gimli immediately raced off. Pippin, still trying to help Bergil catch his breath, looked at Merry.

“I’ll go get the Men, and the Thain and Da.” He turned on his heel and moved. Estella gazed at him, wide-eyed.

“You might want to fetch a healer as well. Poppy is here.” Merry nodded.

The other hobbits on the terrace were beginning to panic. “Go back inside, right now. And do not say anything.” As if they would listen to that bit of advice. “I mean it!” he said in a tone that would brook no denial, and boded well for his own future as Thain.

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Merry quickly found the Men, Paladin and Saradoc. As they filed hurriedly out, Frodo noticed. He and Sam followed.

It took Merry a few more moments to find Poppy. She and Lavender agreed to come at once. “Viola!” called Poppy, “fetch my medical satchel from the coach and bring it along to the campsite. Hop to it, lass!” She punctuated the order with a clap of her hands, and she and Lavender followed Merry out.

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Esmeralda had taken charge of the distraught Bergil so that Pippin could make his way to the campsite. Now that he had discharged his duty, the child had begun to give way to the panic he had held at bay. The storm did not last long, and she wiped away the tears as they subsided.

“You did very well, Bergil. It is good that you had such presence of mind, and you were very brave.”

“Well, you know,” he said simply, “he didn’t *look* dead. But I had to be sure.”

It suddenly dawned on Esmeralda that this young boy had seen more dead people in his few short years than she ever had or ever would in her entire life. She gave a shudder. She was glad he had not seen another tonight.

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There was quite a stir going around the ballroom; the problem was that anyone with answers had left.

Eglantine made her way to the dais. “May I have your attention! There has been a problem down at the Men’s camp. We shall know more about it soon. Please remain in the ballroom; enjoy the refreshments, and continue with the dance. This may not concern us at all.” She signaled the musicians to play once more.

Of course, almost no one danced. But the stir had subsided somewhat now that someone had taken charge.

Clovis gave a smirk, and elbowed his brother. “It won’t be long now. Then Father will have nothing to worry about, and he can thank us for it.”

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Clodio Banks and Dago Bracegirdle huddled together to one side of the ballroom.

“I don’t know what has happened, but something has gone wrong,” said Clodio. “That can only be to our advantage. Things were going far too much their way so far tonight.”

“I’m not so sure that it will help us,” said Dago. “I have a bad feeling about this.” He wished he had never let Clodio talk him into “investing” with Lotho. It was the most foolish thing he had ever done in his life. But Lobelia was family, and it had seemed profitable at the time.

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As soon as Hyacinth had blurted out what Opal had done, Reggie had bustled her out of the ballroom. They had been gone before Bergil had come back with the news.

“Take me to her at once, Hyacinth.”

Years of browbeating and hen-pecking an unresponsive husband had left Hyacinth unprepared to deal with an aroused and angry Reginard. She tried to summon up indignation at being treated this way, but it was undermined by the knowledge that this time she was really in trouble.

He marched her quickly through the Smials, in a fury. That his daughter had disgraced herself and the family in this way was unspeakable; that Hyacinth had allowed things to come to such a pass was infuriating. Most of all, his anger was directed at himself, for not putting his foot down years ago.

They entered the apartment, and with a trembling hand, Hyacinth took out the key and unlocked the door to her daughter’s room.

“Opal?”

The window stood wide open. Their daughter was not there.

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