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The Road to Edoras  by Dreamflower

Chapter 4

The next day, Rolly and Denny offered to take on the cooking chores. They made breakfast, using the everpresent porridge to make some oat griddlecakes, which they served with blackberries on top; and they fried up some sausages, mushrooms, and potatoes to go with them. The lovely smells wafting over the encampment drew everyone out, eager to partake, Big Folk as well as Little.

Poppy and Viola planned to remain in the encampment, after their busy day in town the day before. Poppy brought out her herbal, and set Viola to studying, while she herself sorted through and organized her medical satchel. She warned Viola that she would quiz her on what she had studied after luncheon.

Gimli had decided to go into town and sample some of Barliman’s beer, and Leodwald and Danulf, having no other duties scheduled for the day, decided to accompany him.

Legolas planned to once more return to the nearby woods, and do some more hunting. To his surprise, Freddy, Beri, Mosco and Jolly all offered to come along. Jolly had brought his bow, and the others were all skilled with their slings. The Elf readily agreed. He knew that hobbits could be quite as silent as Elves if they put their minds to it.

It was Borondir’s turn to watch the prisoners. The older Banks son had been silent since he had been gagged the day before, but he was staring daggers at Rolly and Denny. Finally, the frustration was too much, and he opened his mouth to say something. Not a word got out, as he found his mouth stuffed once more by the vigilant Borondir. It did not help that Cado sniggered at the sight, or that Rolly and Denny grinned at one another as they passed him. Tears of pure fury stung his eyes. Somehow, someday, someone would pay for his humiliation!

_________________________________________________

Shortly before luncheon, Legolas and the hobbits who had accompanied him returned. Legolas had another pheasant, and the hobbits all had contributions as well of squirrels and coneys, and Beri had brought in half a dozen quail.

Except for Freddy and Beri, the hunters all set to cleaning the catch, with Rolly’s and Denny’s assistance.

Fredigar and Berilac went to the captains’ tent to talk to Targon and É othain about the morrow’s journey.

“We shall be travelling down the Greenway towards Tharbad,” said Targon. “It should take about two weeks, give or take a day or two.”

Freddy nodded. “So we will not return by way of Rivendell?” He felt a bit disappointed about that, as he would have dearly loved to see that place. He knew that Poppy had also hoped to go that way. She hoped very much to have an opportunity to speak to the Lord Elrond.

“No, we came by way of Imladris--or Rivendell, as you Northerners call it--because we had messages and dispatches to leave there. It will be faster to journey down the Greenway. On our return next year, however, it is likely that we *will* stop there, for we will probably have the same reason.”

“What is at Tharbad?” asked Berilac, diffidently. He still felt a bit of awe around these two, who were the leaders of the groups, though he had long ago lost his shyness around the other Men.

“There is a small settlement there, though it is growing. And there is a Ranger way-station there as well.”

“What kind of weather should we expect?” asked Freddy.

“We are coming into summer,” said Éothain, “and the weather should be pleasant and mild, though the occasional storm is not to be dismissed. Last winter, the snowfall in the Misty Mountains was fairly heavy, and so there are likely to be some streams to be forded that will be much higher and swifter than normal.”

“Are there any dangers we might encounter on this first part of the journey?” asked Freddy.

Targon pursed his lips. “There are always unexpected dangers, Master Fredegar, but without making any promises, I will tell you that it is unlikely. Our group is large, heavily armed and travelling as emissaries of two kings, which our banners proclaim. Brigands and ruffians will try to avoid us. As far as Orcs go, their presence in the mountains has been curtailed. There still exist roving bands of Orcs, but most of them are small. We’ve heard no reports of any of them troubling travellers on the Greenway so far. And any group as large as this one should have no fear from wild animals either.”

“That is good to know.” This pretty much went along with information he had gathered from Merry and Pippin before they had left the Shire, but it did not hurt to go over it again.

After a little more discussion, Freddy and Beri left the captains and went to check on the other hobbits.

Given the variety of meat that the hunters had brought back, it had been decided to smoke some of it, and to make the rest into a hearty stew for supper. Rolly and Denny were discussing their proposed recipe with Jolly and Mosco, and since talk of food was always interesting, Freddy also joined the conversation.

Berilac noticed that Viola was sitting on her own, near the healer’s tent, reading a book. He went over to her.

“Where is Mistress Poppy?”

“She’s taking a nap. She said we’ll get few enough chances for that once we start again tomorrow, and she wants to take advantage of it,” laughed Viola.

Berilac chuckled. “Your mistress is nothing if not practical.”

“Oh, I know!” Viola grinned. “There are those, of course, who think this trip is not practical, though. Some of them have gone so far as to say that my mistress is as cracked as old Bilbo Baggins.”

Now Beri laughed outright. “Well, it’s quite possible, since we know now that Bilbo wasn’t cracked at all, and that his stories were all quite true!”

The apprentice’s brown eyes widened. “I never thought of it that way,” she said. “ ‘Mad Baggins’ has just always been a saying that everyone took for granted as long as *I* can remember.”

“So was the old saying ‘when the King comes back’ for something that would never happen,” Berilac responded.

Viola laughed again, and tossed her curls back.

Berilac lowered his head, and looked up at her. She really was quite a pretty lass, he thought, as well as intelligent. But he had heard-- “So, what do you think of our Merry and Pippin?” he asked trying for a casual tone.

“They are quite amazing. I cannot believe how much they grew while they were gone! And my mistress is completely obsessed with finding out how Peregrin Took managed to survive his horrible injuries.”

“Have you talked much with Pippin?” He wasn’t getting the information he was after.

Viola gave him a sideways glance, and smiled. “We did talk a good deal at the Ball between dances. He’s a marvelous dancer, and he enjoys talking about more things than the weather.” She cocked her head. “But it was just friendly conversation. We never spent any time together besides at the Ball, though I know there is always speculation whenever the son of the Thain dances with anyone.”

“Ah.” Berilac tried to keep his voice level, but his heart lifted. At least he would not be trying to compete with the heroic Sir Peregrin.

From his vantage point near the prisoner’s tent, Cado watched the two having their conversation, and scowled. Another Brandybuck, he thought with disgust.

___________________________________________________

The group at the encampment ate heartily that night. The Gondorians and the Rohirrim were beginning to see the advantages of having hobbits to do all the cooking.

That night, Gimli coaxed Legolas into singing.

____________________________________________________

The next morning, preparations were made to move out; Targon wished to be on the road before the time that the hobbits would have called ‘second breakfast’. The hobbits were resigned to the fact that second breakfast, elevenses and tea would all be nothing more than what they could eat in hand from the saddle. They would stop only for luncheon. Berilac volunteered to prepare that meal, as well as supper when they finally stopped to camp.

Targon explained that they would not be pitching tents for the night, except for Poppy’s and Viola’s small one, but instead would be sleeping under the stars in their bedrolls.

As the Sun began her climb into the sky, the entire group was mounted, and moved out, passing through the north gate of the town, where they attracted a cheering crowd, and out through the southeast gate.

Soon they were on the Road.

 





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