CHAPTER 55

Legolas wondered if he would miss Rohan.  The stars were clearer in this land than any place else he had been.  He made his way down from the roof to the room which had been assigned to him. He had not truly used it for anything except storing his belongings and changing his clothing.  However, he had no sooner opened the door than he realised the room had most certainly been used for something else last night. For a very brief instant, he thought of Gimli.  But while Gimli was not above playing a jest on him, this was not the Dwarf's sort of jest.  And the scarcely noticeable indentation on his bed had a definite hobbityness about it.  He pursed his lips, not sure whether to be angry or amused.  The smell of galenas was unpleasant at best, and now the room was permeated with it.  His pack was on the bed, and bulged a bit more than when he had packed it the night before.  He picked it up, gave a sniff and made a face.  His clothes reeked of pipe-weed!

He threw open the shutters, which he knew he had left open the evening before, and drew in a deep breath of fresh air.  They were leaving in only a few hours, and there would be no time to have his clothes cleaned.  Which hobbit?  Not Fredegar.  Freddy was not the sort to go in for this sort of game, especially as he took his position as head of the delegation seriously; besides, Legolas knew he had not offended Freddy.  Mosco and the Banks brothers were far too much in awe of him.  Jolly had a puckish sense of humour, but no motive that Legolas could think of. Of course, it would have had to be Berilac Brandybuck. 

Legolas chuckled ruefully.  He should have known that any kinsman of Meriadoc would not forget about his own little jest, when he had playfully interrupted Beri's wooing of the fair Viola.  He had expected that Berilac would try to repay him in kind, but when nothing happened, he had put it out of his mind-- obviously too soon.

And the hobbit had very cleverly assured he would not be able to return the prank.  Definitely a well-thought out jest, full worthy of a Brandybuck.  He was quite sure that Merry would have a good laugh over this when he heard about it.

He sniffed. But it was annoying all the same.

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Eómer King had held a formal leave-taking of his guests in the Great Hall.  Now he and some members of the court were gathered upon the steps of Meduseld to say their more heartfelt farewells to their friends.  

Gimli and the Dwarves were the first to leave, as they headed to Aglarond, to found the colony there.  The Dwarf suffered the embraces of the hobbits, who were sorry to see him go.  Viola was sniffling a bit, and she allowed Beri to put his arm around her.  Mistress Poppy glanced over with a lift of her brow, and Berilac returned her gaze coolly and without removing his arm.  He grinned when Mistress Poppy let a smile twitch her lips and turned away.

Bergil, too, was sad to see Gimli leave and embraced him as fervently as had the hobbits.  

Eómer placed a hand on Gimli's shoulder.  "My friend, we shall be neighbours.  I trust that you will often be a guest here at Edoras?"

"I am certain," the Dwarf replied with a grin, "that I shall be a frequent visitor!  And I expect to host you and your court soon-- as soon as we have established ourselves."

The King turned to Glóin.  "It has been a pleasure to meet the father of my friend.  I hope that you know how remarkable your son is?"

Gloin flicked his gaze to his son, who was now taking leave of that Elf-- of Legolas.  "Aye," he answered. "I know."

Legolas was standing upon a lower step than the Dwarf, and they stood eye-to-eye.  Gimli made a great show of sniffing the air.  "Have you finally seen the light, and taken up smoking pipe-weed?"

"Never.  Tell me, did you assist Berilac in ruining my clothing?"

"Ruined? I think not.  It is nothing that a good cleaning will not mend.  And I have no idea why you are asking me about Berilac."  Gimli raised one shaggy eyebrow, and there was a twinkle in his eye.

"Nay, I do not think that you assisted him.  But you are certainly enjoying it."

"I have no idea what you are talking about, Elf. I suppose it will take me a while to get used to riding a proper pony again, after bumping along behind you on that great beast all this time..."

"Take care that you do not fall off."

Gimli snorted, but did not otherwise respond to this sally.  Instead he said, "I trust you will not be a stranger to my new Halls?"

"No more will I, as long as you are no stranger to my new home in Ithilien."

Gimli gave a satisfied nod. "I do not think either of us will ever be strangers to one another again.  I will be seeing you again soon."

Legolas placed a hand on Gimli's shoulder. "And I, you."

If the eyes of both of them glittered with moisture, it was short-lived, as Gimli leaned toward Legolas, gave another sniff and said, "Old Toby, not Longbottom Leaf, I should say."  Then he chuckled at Legolas' expression  and went down the steps to join his father and the other Dwarves where they waited by the ponies.

Those who had gathered to bid farewell watched as the company of Dwarves trotted off on their sturdy ponies.  Now it was time for Legolas, Beregond and Bergil to leave.

Bergil was loathe to leave Freddy. Since his father's arrival, he had been much on his dignity, but Freddy saw tears in the boy's eyes and was moved.  "I am going to miss you, Mr. Freddy," Bergil said wistfully.

"I'll miss you as well, Bergil. But you are going to be glad to be making a new life with your father, and I know you have missed him sorely."

"I know. But I just want you to know, I am going to learn to practice my flute every chance I get."

Freddy was touched and he felt tears gather in his own eyes. He blinked them away.  "That would be the best gift I can imagine. And someday, I am sure we well meet again, and you can play for me then."

Bergil briefly reached out to embrace Freddy, and then straightened up and offered his hand to shake instead.  Freddy took it and shook it firmly.  "Farewell for now, Bergil."

After saying farewell to Eómer , Legolas went over to the hobbits.  He took a warm farewell from Fredegar, respectful ones from the other hobbits, save Berilac, who hung back sheepishly, looking just a little apprehensive.  Legolas turned and looked at him directly.  "I am sure, Master Brandybuck, that it will be quite sometime before I can forget you." He allowed himself the merest twitch of a smile.  "Please give my greetings to Merry when next you see him."

Berilac relaxed. Apparently there were to be no hard feelings over his joke. "I most certainly will, Legolas. And I will miss you."

All too soon, the three travellers were mounted and riding away, accompanied by a small honour escort of Rohirrim, who would be with them to the borders of the land.

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Dago had been awake for hours, for he kept thinking about the fact that they would be leaving this day, making their way to the High King's City.  There had been many hints dropped that he could actually face execution; at first he had doubted this, but having heard the conversations between the Men of Gondor and those of Rohan, it seemed that there were rules and laws about punishments that the High King could not simply set aside. He was spoken of as firm and just, but also as merciful when he could be.  Somehow that was not as reassuring as it ought to be. 

 The door to the cell swung open with a rusty clang, and Dago sat up. and blinked as Borondir entered.  "It is time," he said.

Dago slid his feet to the floor, and went reluctantly to the door.  He glanced up to ask the Man a question, but then changed his mind at the last moment.  He went down the corridor, followed closely by his guard.  He supposed that he would be riding with Borondir once they were on the road.

As they left the dungeons behind, they were joined by Adrahil and Clodio. Dago looked at his fellow hobbit.  It was now just the two of them.  Clodio looked much better than he had the last time Dago had seen him; his face was pale, but not grey, and his breathing seemed much easier. They were led out by a back way, not up the front steps as they had arrived.  They found themselves in the courtyard near the stables, where they saw the other hobbits preparing to mount.  There were many new people apparently also preparing to mount. None of them were Rohirrim.  Dago saw no sign of the frightening Elf or his Dwarf friend.  He saw a tall and elegantly dressed young Man with dark hair taking farewell of a young woman who looked so much like him she must be a sister or cousin.  The King stood very close to her.  He saw many more warriors clad in that uniform of black and silver.  Once more he gave a shudder.  What fate awaited him?

And now they were hauled up on the horses, Dago in front of Borondir, and Clodio in front of Adrahil.  The tall young Man and two others took the lead.  Dago glanced back and saw the other hobbits on their ponies in the center of the group, and then they were moving.  He had nearly forgotten the strange feeling of being so high up on a horse over which he had no control.  He wondered how long it would take to arrive in the big City of the High King, not sure if he wanted it to be soon and over with, or take as long as possible, to delay the inevitable.

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Crowds had lined the street to see the procession and to farewell the holbytlan.  Among the crowd were Danulf, his father Danhelm, and the boys, Danwine and Edric.  Little Gerde was perched on her father's shoulders. And Cado stood by their side.  He had been of two minds about going.  He had said his farewells to his father days before, and he did not want the other hobbits, especially Rolly and Denny, to see him.  But in the end, it was family that won out.  Perhaps his father would see him and take heart. 

And here came the group, led by the two captains and by that Prince whom all said was brother to the Princess who might wed the King.  And there!  There was his father!  He started to step forward and wave, when another Big Man moved as well and stepped right in front of him.  By the time the Man moved, all Cado could see was the back of the procession, as the rest of the crowd made to follow, Danulf decided to take his little family home.

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Down the streets of Edoras, and out the gates, the cheering crowd was left behind. Freddy turned and looked back at the city of Edoras as it grew smaller in the distance.  Then he looked forward once more, straightening up on his pony and taking a deep breath.  What wonders awaited them all now, in the court of the High King?