6. Kicking at the Traces Diamond hugged her son, dirt and all, but his sullenness did not escape her.

'Not your fault?' she said in surprise. 'They bound you and forced you, pony-back? The ruffians!'

Faramir did not smile, merely tightened his lips and shuffled his feet. He was altogether too grown-up for an eight-year-old.

'Perhaps these cousins are too old for you to be going about with them,' Pippin said quietly. His breathing was easier than it had been at the abandoned mine, but there was no hiding the pungent odor of the salve. Diamond and Faramir both knew he'd had another bad spell, and it didn't help matters.

'No!' Faramir shouted. 'Just because you cannot follow where I go, doesn't mean you have to tie me to the Smials...' he stopped, shocked by his own words.

'You will bathe, and go off to your bed,' Pippin said evenly, and the fingers of Faramir's minder tightened on the boy's shoulders. 'You'll be on water rations for the rest of today, and tomorrow, to help you think on the consequences of your actions.' He'd be in good company. The minder, Stoney, and the escort were on water rations as well.

'Pippin...' Faramir heard his mother say as he was led away to the bath.

'No, Diamond, Ferdi was right...' his father was saying as the door closed behind them.

***

In the depths of the night, when all in the Smials were asleep save the bakers, shaping the loaves for early breakfast, and the guards who stood outside the entrances to the Smials, even in these times of peace, a small figure stole down the quiet, darkened corridors, eased open the door of the Thain's private quarters, and slipped inside.

Creeping on silent hobbit feet, he entered Faramir's bedroom, slipped noiselessly to the bedside, put a hand over Faramir's mouth. The son of the Thain came instantly awake, eyes wide with alarm, but recognising young Palangrim in the light of the watchlamp, he relaxed.

Palangrim smiled and nodded, pulling out a handkerchief stuffed with food. He put his lips close to Faramir's ear. 'I heard,' he breathed. 'Saved you half my supper.' He pressed the handkerchief into Faramir's hands, and with a glance at the snoring minder, he glided from the room.

Faramir wasted no time eating the cold, somewhat flattened food, thinking all the while how good it was to have a true friend.

***

The next few days were boring, forbidden as he was from playing with his friends. Palangrim brought him more food the next night, both young hobbits having to smother giggles at his boldness, and the stupidity of the grown-ups. Faramir barely kept his expression sober, at his first meal following the enforced fast. He had to stare at his plate and bite the inside of his lip, hard, when his father said, 'I hope you have thought on your actions.'

'Yes, Sir,' he muttered.

'Farry, look at me,' Pippin said, but Faramir kept his eyes on his plate. Pippin sighed. 'No need to be ashamed,' he said. 'We all make errors in judgment, at some time.'

Some more than others, Faramir thought to himself. From the stories he'd heard, his father had made more than his share. He didn't answer, and Pippin let it go, thinking his son properly chastised.

Faramir moped around the Thain's quarters for a day or two, refusing to play, even when Ferdibrand's son Rudivar stopped by to invite him. Rudi was so perishingly dull. He almost never participated in the mischief that the other lads thought so diverting.

'We haven't banned you from all your friends, you know,' Diamond said.

'I know,' Faramir answered. 'I just don't feel like playing.' He buried his nose in a book to forestall further comment. Diamond sighed. At least he was eating with good appetite, so she wouldn't worry about his spirits.

That night, Palangrim made another daring visit, and the two laid plans in whispers.

The next day, Faramir looked up at breakfast. 'I'd like to play with Rudi this day, if I may,' he said.

'That's a fine idea,' Pippin replied with a smile. 'Rudi's a good friend.' He drained his teacup and set it precisely on the saucer. 'Well, my loves, I must be off if I am to finish the day's work by teatime,' he said. He kissed Diamond, and ruffled Faramir's curls. 'Don't do anything I wouldn't do,' he added with a grin.

'I won't,' Faramir promised. After all, his father had done any number of stupid things in his youth. What Farry and Palan were planning hardly held a candle to him.

Faramir did seek out Rudi, and they played through the morning hours. He even sent word to Diamond that he would share the noontide meal with Rudi's family, and so he did. Shortly after that, as the two lads were tossing pony shoes in the yard, Faramir manufactured an argument and stalked away. Rudivar called after him, but he stiffened his shoulders and shook his head, plainly furious. Since Farry was headed into the stables, probably to feed apples to his pony, or maybe his father's, Rudi shrugged and turned away. Faramir couldn't get into trouble with the stable hobbits present.

At the far end of the stables, in an empty stall, Palangrim slapped Faramir on the back. 'Nicely done!' he said. 'You got rid of that old stick-in-the-mud very neatly, I'd say.'

'Yes, and he won't be calling Stoney back to duty anytime soon,' Faramir whispered. 'They figure that I'll spend an hour or two talking to the ponies and grooming them, 'cause that's what I always do when I'm mad.'

'You're not mad now, are you, cousin?' Palangrim said with a grin. He shook his head in delight. 'A neat trick, very neat indeed. They'll never miss us.'

'Where are the others?' Faramir asked.

'Gone ahead; they have the fishing gear and worms and everything, even a snack,' Palan answered. He poked his head out of the stall, to see no stable hobbits nearby. 'All's clear... come on!' The two eased themselves out of the stall, and out the side door of the stables with no one the wiser, save an old pony that pricked its ears at them and snorted in annoyance when they didn't stop to chat.

When Pippin missed Faramir at tea that afternoon, Diamond said, 'O that's right, he's taking tea with Ferdi's family this day.'

'Ah,' Pippin said. 'I'm glad to hear it.'