CHAPTER 58

After sharing lunch with the Rangers, Merry and Pippin had left with their prisoner. He was placed on his pony, and his hands were tied to the pommel of his saddle. Pippin took the reins to lead the pony. They bade farewell to the Rangers, and splashed across the Ford. It would be a slightly longer journey returning, as they had to pace themselves for Bracegirdle’s pony.

__________________________________________________

“Well, Sam,” said Frodo, “I will see you back in Hobbiton in a few days. Have you told the Gaffer yet that you and Rosie are moving into Bag End after the wedding?” Frodo was concerned about this. He wanted to share Bag End with Sam and Rosie, but he was unsure how the Gaffer would take it.

“No, sir. I’m planning to do that when I get back. I’m sorry to leave you like this, but it’s only ten days until the wedding.” There was much work yet to be done, and starting in three days, he and Rosie had to put aside at least part of each day to sit for their gifts.

“I’ll be right behind you as soon as I can. And you won’t lack for company, since Legolas and Gimli are coming back to stay at Bag End. With Merry and Pippin off bringing Bracegirdle back and me stuck in assembly all day, I believe that they are getting a bit bored.”

“You don’t mind them staying in the smial without you there, Mr. Frodo?”

“Don’t be silly, Sam. I don’t mind it anymore than I would if Merry or Pip or you were staying there without me. After all, I think we decided long ago that the Fellowship is family.”

Sam grinned. “That it is, Mr. Frodo.”

“Very well. I guess I had better get to the assembly. I know that all of you will be gone before we recess for elevenses, so please take care and have a pleasant ride back. And give Rosie and Marigold my farewells also.”

_____________________________________________

The pale young lass in the bed looked up with a smile. “Prince Legolas! I’m so glad to see you today.” Garnet, who sat by her side also gave a shy smile to the elf.

“Good morning, Miss Opal. I just came to say farewell. Gimli and I are going back to Hobbiton with Samwise, Miss Rose and Miss Marigold to stay until the wedding.”

“I know,” replied Opal sadly. “For Rose and Marigold came to see me last night and told me. I know that they’ve much to do before the wedding, but I am going to miss them. I am going to miss you also.”

“And I, you, Miss Opal,” the Elf said formally.

“I never apologized,” she said.

Garnet looked up at the tall Elf. “I should have apologized as well. We were so rude to you.”

“So you were; but that was then. You are perfectly polite now, the both of you,” he chuckled.

Opal shook her head. “I should have known better. But all I wanted was for you to *notice* me,” she said forlornly.

He laughed outright. “Well, I did notice you. But not in a way that anyone would care to be noticed. I trust you can tell the difference now. Just being noticed is not enough--you must be noticed in the right way.”

She smiled at him, and then winced. Her pain draught was beginning to wear off. Garnet took her hand. She could have no more for a while, as Poppy did not want her to become too dependent on the medicine. “I think people would avoid us sometimes.”

Garnet shook her head. “I know people would avoid us sometimes. More often than not, in fact.”

Legolas leaned over and placed his large hand on Opal’s brow. He would give her surcease from pain one more time. She drifted off.

Garnet looked up at him. “Thank you, Prince Legolas. You have been so good to us.”

“Namarië , Miss Garnet. I do not know if we will return this way when we leave the Shire, but if we do, I shall try to see her again.”

She looked up at the tall Elf. “We will miss you.” She thought of all the years her mother had scoffed at the tales of Elves, and had said that it was no great loss if they all set sail and left Middle-earth. She’d never questioned it. But now she knew better.

____________________________________________

Paladin stood before the assembly. The idea of choosing people to have to leave the Shire to go so far away had not set well at first with the various clan heads. It seemed like a cruel sacrifice to have to ask of anyone. But with the knowledge that there were those who had actually *volunteered* to go, the resistance to the idea had dwindled. There had been much discussion of the merit of the four who had so far offered to go and now it was time to finalize the decision.

“So far it seems to be the consensus of the assembly that our envoys to Gondor now consist of Fredegar Bolger, Berilac Brandybuck, Denham Banks the younger, and Rollin Banks. We have also agreed that since three of the four are from Buckland, we will accept at least two more volunteers from another part of the Shire. However, we will not actively recruit anyone to volunteer, and if no one does so, the embassy will stand as it is.

It has also been noted that the healer, Mistress Poppy Burrows, and her apprentice, Miss Viola Harfoot, have asked permission to accompany the delegation unofficially, and that permission has been granted.

Is all of this correct?”

There was a chorus of agreement.

“Very well. This almost concludes the business of dealing with the Kings. We will dismiss the assembly for the rest of the day, and will meet one more time tomorrow. At that time, the three of us will sign the edict, and our seven witnesses. We will also have a chance to deal with any other business that may have arisen.”

The assembly understood this to mean the imminent arrival of Dago Bracegirdle, in the custody of Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took.

__________________________________________________

Odovocar Bolger sought out Ponto Baggins as the various hobbits filed out of the pavilion.

“Ponto.”

“Odovocar,” replied the elderly Baggins.

The Bolger slowed his pace to walk alongside him. “I suppose you have noticed that Fredegar has managed to seek out your daughter’s company for the last few days.”

Ponto nodded. “I have. I wonder that he has sought to pay her attentions, when he is going to be going away for so long.”

“My son will be gone for a year. I am hoping that he can use that time to lay aside some of his grief for the sad things that happened during the Troubles. When he returns, he may be ready to take up a normal life again.”

“Well,” said Ponto, “I will confess that I once had hopes of making a very different match for my daughter. But it is very clear to me now that hope will come to nothing.” Frodo’d had a quiet talk with Ponto the day after the Ball, and had explained his circumstances. By the time Frodo finished, Ponto felt badly that he had ever tried to have Angelica make the attempt. It had been very unwise. He realized now that he would have to resign himself to any future grandchildren having a different surname. “I have a good opinion of Freddy, and he certainly showed his mettle in the Resistance. If Angelica is still of the same mind when he returns, I would certainly have no problem if he wishes to pay her court.”

_______________________________________________________

Freddy, Angelica and Estella were walking the streets of Tuckborough, doing a bit of shopping and talking.

“Freddy,” said Angelica, “you know I am going to miss you while you are gone.”

“I will miss you as well. But I think it is for the best that I get away from the Shire for a little while.”

She shuddered. “Aren’t you afraid? It is bound to be dangerous.”

Freddy laughed bitterly. “How much more dangerous could it be than the Shire was last year? I will be going in the company of warriors, to the court of a King who seems to be fond of hobbits. I’m sure that there is some danger, but it seems much less perilous now than at one time it did.”

Estella, who was walking a discreet few steps ahead of them, sighed. “I wonder how soon Merry will be back?”

________________________________________________________

“Thunder!” said Pippin. “This makes me mad! We could be home to the Great Smials in time for tea, and instead, we are stuck here in Pincup.”

Dago muttered “I’m sorry.” He wasn’t really. He was not eager to get back and have to face the Thain and the assembly. Still it wasn’t his fault his pony threw a shoe. He was tired and hungry; they had ridden almost straight through so far, with only a brief cold camp at night, and that only so as not to punish his pony. As for food, they had eaten mostly from the saddlebags: fruit, pastries, bread, cheese and water. There was not nearly enough to suit him, although Merry and Pippin seemed not to notice how short the rations were.

“Well,” put in Merry, “it does have it’s advantages. Since the blacksmith can’t shoe the pony till morning, we can take him up on his invitation to stay with him and his family tonight and have a proper meal.”

“Do you think we *should*? I mean, with *him*--” Pippin gestured at Dago. Neither he nor Merry had referred to their prisoner by name since he had come into their keeping. “along, and all?” Pippin was dubious.

“I don’t see why not. We’ll untie his hands so he can eat. He’s not going anywhere.” Merry gave Dago the same kind of mirthless grin he had used on the Banks brothers. It had much the same effect on Bracegirdle, and was far more effective than a scowl. Dago could still see in his mind’s eye that scene in the ballroom, and Banks’s sons keeling over in agony. He had been observing these two on the journey, and he now believed every story he had ever heard about them. They were hard now, seasoned warriors in a way that hobbits were unaccustomed to, and it was clear they had nothing but contempt for him.

Merry stepped back into the smithy. “Master Diggle, we will take you up on your kind offer to let us stay with you tonight. It’s a shame The Oak and Thorn is not ready yet for custom. But that will soon change.”

“Well, I’m that honored, Mr. Merry, to have you and Mr. Pippin break your journey with us. I’ll go tell the Missus we have guests.” He looked darkly at the prisoner. “What about *that one*?”

“Oh, he can eat. And we’ll keep a close eye on him. The Thain wants to see him very badly.”

_____________________________________________________

“Mistress Brandybuck?”

“Yes, Bergil?” Bergil had been forlornly following at Esmeralda’s heels for almost three days now.

“How soon do you think Sir Pippin will be back?” He had asked her that at least once an hour for the whole three days. Pippin had told Paladin he thought the lad was getting homesick, and she was fairly certain that was correct, but the other factor was that he had grown accustomed to having Pippin and Pippin’s attention since he had arrived in the Shire. Eglantine had observed this, and had laughed at her. “Now you know what Pippin used to do for weeks after Merry left from one of his visits: ’Mother, when is Merry coming back?’”

She swallowed her exasperation, and not a hint of it showed as she answered, “I’m not certain, lad, but it could be at any time now. Why don’t you go on down to the encampment? I think you said that Anwynd was going to give you another flute lesson today?”

His face lit up. “Oh, yes! I almost forgot. Thank you, Mistress Brandybuck!”

She gave a chuckle as he raced away. He loved music almost as much as her nephew did. She was really going to miss this lad when the delegation finally left. In spite of his size, she sometimes even forgot he was not a hobbit lad.

______________________________________________________

Sam, Rose, Marigold, Legolas and Gimli rode into the lane leading up to the Cotton farm.

Tom and Jolly saw them coming and raced in their direction, Jolly shouting “Ma! Dad! Rosie’s back!”

Tom swung Marigold down from her pony and gave her a resounding kiss.

She gasped. “Tolman Cotton! We’re in plain view here! Behave yourself!”

“Oh, Mari, I have missed you!”

“Well, I missed you, too Tom, but where are your manners?”

He looked up. “Hullo Sam, Master Legolas, Master Gimli.”

Jolly was helping Rose down from her pony, and he also greeted the others, as his parents, Nick and Nibs also came running up.

They were all asked to stay for tea, and joined the Cotton family in their cozy kitchen. As they ate, Sam, Legolas and Gimli filled the Cottons in on the news from the assembly.

“What did you say, Sam, about hobbits travelling away South to see the King?” asked Tom.

“Well, they have picked four so far. Really, it’s the only four who’ve said they want to go.” He grinned. “Mr. Freddy, Mr. Fredegar Bolger, as I should say, Mr. Berilac Brandybuck, and Rolly and Denny Banks, the ones as used to be the bridgetenders. And the Thain’s healer, Mistress Poppy Burrows is going to go along to learn of some of the ways of healing from the King, and her apprentice along with her. They‘ll be gone about a year all told.”

“Captain Freddy is going?” asked Jolly, eyes wide.

Legolas nodded. The Elf and Gimli had enjoyed their tea, but had not much to say in the conversation; Gimli, of course was naturally taciturn, but Legolas tried to avoid intimidating the hobbits. The Cottons, however, seemed to take their cue from Sam, and were treating him respectfully but not bashfully. “I think,” he said “that Master Fredegar would like to find himself in new surroundings, and get away from sorrowful memories for a while.”

Tom and Jolly both nodded at this. They had been a part of Freddy’s band during the Troubles, though at the time that the rest of the group had been captured and put in the Lockholes, the Cotton brothers and a few others had not been with them. Both of them were well aware of why Fredegar had taken on Lotho and Sharkey. Many a night they had watched their leader sit by the fire and stare at his murdered friend’s flute.

Tom shook his head. “Even so, I can’t imagine Captain Freddy out of the Shire.”

“I can,” said Jolly, his eyes glittering.

Sam looked at the gleam in Jolly’s eye, and raised a brow.

____________________________________________

“Thank you, Mrs. Diggle, for a most delicious meal,” said Pippin.

Merry was busy tying Dago’s hands up again. As soon as he got him tied up, they were going to relax and have a pipe. Merry led the prisoner to a corner of the room and sat him down there. Dago sighed. He had a pipe, and a pouch of leaf, but he had not had a taste of it since these two had taken custody of him.

The two knights lit their pipes, and sat back to converse with the blacksmith and his wife filling them in on the details of what had been going on in Tuckborough.

The blacksmith shook his head, and turned to give a black look to Bracegirdle. “I am sorely angered by *that one* and those Bankses. Just think, if it hadn’t been for them none of them awful things last year would have ever happened.” He shook his head.

Hearing it put that way, and realizing what the opinion of the other hobbits was likely to be, the prisoner shuddered. Was it really his fault? Just because he wanted to make a little profit?

And much as he tried to do so, he could not convince himself that he had not known the kind of thing Lotho was capable of. For the first time, he began to feel shame.

__________________________________________________