Deeper Than the Darkness

***

Part 2: Visit to Stock

The next day dawned bright; there were no signs of the storm clouds from the previous day. As he walked down the path to the Ferry, Merry reflected that the whole place looked as if it were scrubbed clean. Puddles of water still lingered in the path, but even these sparkled in the sun. Pippin had insisted on leaving early, so that they would have the whole day ahead of them. Merry shook his head. Sometimes there was no accounting for Peregrin Took. It was Pippin who had decided in favor of walking, as well. Apparently, he thought that the ponies had had plenty of exercise the day before, and when Merry pointed out that Stock was twice as far away as Brandy Hall, Pippin just grinned. It seemed his aversion was not to walking, but to getting wet.

"What are you thinking about this morning?" Pippin’s voice interrupted Merry’s thoughts.

"Oh, nothing, really." Merry replied off-handedly. "Just how silly you are sometimes."

"What! How am I silly?" Pippin asked, rather unwisely.

"Hmmmm." Merry held up his hand, ticking off on his fingers. "You make silly decisions, you talk silly, you wave your hands about silly, you play with children silly, you…" Merry would have continued, but Pippin interrupted.

"Enough! What did I do to deserve that?"

"Well, you did ask."

"True. I shall have to be more careful of my questions."

They continued in silence until they reached the Ferry. Merry untied the rope from one of the white bollards, and then jumped lightly onto the flat ferry. Pippin picked up the long pole and pushed off into the stream. He stared intently at the landing on the other side, so that he would be sure to hit it.

"What are you looking for?" asked Merry.

"Black Riders" said Pippin without blinking.

Merry started. "Pippin! Don’t do that! It isn’t funny."

"I know. I’m sorry. Truce?"

Merry just shook his head. "I should know better than to insult a Took."

Pippin looked smug.

"Especially such a silly Took as you," Merry continued.

Pippin raised an eyebrow, but still didn’t look at him.

"Alright, fine. Truce?"

Pippin smiled, and glanced over so that Merry could see the twinkle in his eyes.

They tied up the ferry on the west bank, and went up the lane to the Road. They could see the River from the Road in some places, but mostly it was shielded from their sight by trees and the budding greenery.

"You know, I’ve been thinking about what Cellie said yesterday," Pippin began. "I think I know who it was who had such an effect on Melilot."

"Really? Who?" asked Merry, with some curiosity.

"Well, I saw her sitting by Fatty for awhile, and they did have their heads together an awful lot."

"Melilot Brandybuck has taken a liking to dear Fatty? Oh that is good, Pip! Do you really think it’s true?" Merry asked. He seemed a bit surprised. "Not that there’s anything wrong with Fatty, of course," he hastily added.

"I don’t know. I don’t see why not, and why else would she have been hanging on his words?" Pip countered. "I mean, Fatty isn’t one to talk a girl’s ear off, I didn’t think. Besides, even Cellie noticed, and she wasn’t even there."

"In that case, we will just have to tease Fatty mercilessly next time we see him, until we can wring the truth from him," Merry finished.

***

Stock was about five miles north of the Ferry, and Berilac had said that Sam was staying at the Golden Perch, which was just south of the town. They did not meet anyone on the road, and arrived about mid-morning. As they crossed the bridge over the Stockbrook, they could see the old Inn on their left. The building had been worked on considerably since the last time they were there. Merry noticed a fresh coat of paint as well as a new sign. They stepped inside, and went in search of Mr. Gosner, the Innkeeper.

"Sam Gamgee? Yes, he’s staying here. Came in early yesterday morning, in fact. He’s not in at the moment, I’m afraid. Went out this morning. Didn’t say where he was off to, but he did tell me he’d be back for nuncheon. Shall I tell him you came by?"

"Oh, no, that’s alright. We’ll be back to see him then," replied Pippin.

Pippin followed Merry out, and they strolled about the village of Stock. They poked around in some of the shops, just to see what was for sale. They didn’t intend to buy anything, but the shopkeepers didn’t mind; they knew that visitors from Buckland were the best way to get customers from Buckland. The pair had just left Man Tinker’s blacksmith shop when Pippin spied Sam down the road.

"Hoy, Sam!" he called. Sam looked up in surprise, and then a smile spread across his face. "Why, Mr. Pippin!" He hurried up to meet them. "So good to see you. And Mr. Merry, too! What brings you to Stock?"

"You," said Pippin simply.
"Oh, so you got Mr. Frodo’s letter, then?"

"We did, but my cousin told us you were here before it arrived," grinned Merry.

"I would have written myself," Sam continued, "but he offered to, and I thought there weren’t no need for two letters. I was that busy before I left, you see."

"And how is Frodo keeping?" asked Merry.

"Oh, well enough, I think," Sam replied. "The Cottons are taking good care of him."

"Do you see much of him, then?" asked Pippin.

"Yes, I stop by the Cotton farm as often as I can," said Sam, suddenly blushing.

"Well, I hope they’re keeping him out of trouble," smiled Merry.

"We hear you’re checking on all of your trees," continued Pippin.

"That I am!" said Sam. "A good many of them have made it through the winter, and I’ve replanted some of those that haven’t. I stopped here to get some more supplies."

"What sort of supplies?" asked Merry.

"Well, mulch, for one thing. I used up an entire cartload of that already, if you can believe it. And I was hoping I could find a few more burlap sacks. Oh, and I had two shovels as needed repairing, but they’ve been taken care of, now."

"Sounds like quite the undertaking!" said Pippin, clearly impressed.

They went with Sam as he finished up his errands, and asked him for more news of Hobbiton. He told them of his sister and the Gaffer, and mentioned several other folks whom they only knew slightly. He filled them in on the progress of Bag End, and as much of Frodo's plans as he was familiar with. Sam also seemed to have acquired a good deal of news from the Southfarthing in his travels, some of which he shared with them. He wasn’t doing all of this work by himself. He had Robin Smallburrow with him, and a Bywater lad they didn’t know. It appeared those two were at a local farm, refilling the mulch cart. The three friends went back to the Golden Perch after Sam was finished his errands. As they entered the yard, they heard geese honking in the back.

"They’re as noisy as dogs," laughed Pippin.

"Tell me about it," replied Sam, dryly.

They went in, and asked Mr. Gosner for a small (by hobbit standards) meal. He served them a pot pie, biscuits with butter and honey, and tankards of ale.

"If you’re wanting anything else, just let me know. I’m afraid the beer isn’t our usual, but it is the best we can do, for now."

There weren’t many other people in the Inn, only a few small groups of hobbits scattered around. Merry, Pippin and Sam had a large wooden table to themselves. The talk of local affairs petered out, and the hobbits ate silently for awhile. Despite Mr. Gosner’s apology, the meal was excellent, and Sam thought the beer more than satisfactory.

"You know, there isn’t a single book in Brandy Hall’s library that so much as mentions Rohan," remarked Merry after awhile. "Doesn’t that seem odd?"

"Not at all!" laughed Pippin. "I would be more surprised if there were one."

"Begging your pardon, Mr. Merry, but I don’t think as there’s a hobbit who even so much as heard of Rohan, before you and Mr. Pippin went there," Sam added.

"I suppose not," mused Merry. "I don’t know why it seems odd to me, now."

"Wait, now, I may be wrong about that," Sam continued. "Did Mr. Bilbo ever tell us anything about Rohan, do you recollect?"

"No, I don’t think so," said Pippin. "You would think we would have remembered the name, at least."
"That’s what put it in my mind," said Sam. "Thinking back, when you told your story to me and Mr. Frodo, back in Ithilien, I don’t think the name sounded strange to me then. At least, not as strange as all those other names! Rohan sounded more familiar-like. I just can’t think where I heard it before."

"Maybe Strider or Gandalf mentioned it, before you and Frodo left," suggested Pippin.

"That must be it!" Sam replied. "Now when would Mr. Gandalf have been talking about Rohan?"

"Didn’t Boromir come through there?" said Merry. "They might have discussed it before Moria."

"Oh, that’s it! They talked about it at the Council. How silly of me to forget. Though all of those places they talked about sounded so far away. I didn’t know I’d be visiting all of them myself, then!"
"Yes, we are rather well-traveled hobbits, aren’t we?" said Pippin.

"Here’s to us, and all Travellers!" said Merry, raising his glass. They all drank, though they received a few queer looks from the hobbits at the table nearest them.

After a moment, Pippin resumed the conversation. "Once the Roads are made safe again, we will probably have more folk traveling from Rohan and Gondor, to Bree at least. And maybe some hobbits will even go there."

"There you are, Mr. Merry," Sam smiled. "Some adventuresome hobbit will visit Rohan, and write a book for Brandy Hall’s library!"

After lunch, Sam showed Merry and Pippin the wagon he had out back. There were about fifteen trees (saplings, really) leaning against the side with burlap sacks around their roots. Various tools, several large buckets and a few bales of straw filled the rest of the space. Two wheelbarrows were clearly meant for the other cart. Sam explained that he had been doing some thinning as he went, collecting young trees from wooded areas, and replanting them where the damage was worst. It appeared that the Southfarthing was badly affected. Lotho must have started his mischief there earlier, though Sharkey made sure that that wasn’t the only place damaged. The Tooks had kept the ruffians at bay, though, so Tuckborough hadn’t been hurt nearly as much. Sam told them that he had gotten quite a few trees from there.

"Folk have been wonderful, really," Sam continued. "Everywhere I’ve been, I’ve had no want of help. Course, they all remember me from November, when I planted the trees in the first place. I’ve been offered a place to stay in every town I visit, and more food than I can eat, even. Why, in Hurston, they threw a small party. I’m thinking they don’t get many visitors there, leastways not from Hobbiton! But most places, they knew we were coming. News travels fast in the Shire, but I’m thinking Mr. Frodo wrote a few more letters than I expected."

"Speaking of Frodo, why didn’t he come with you?" asked Pippin, suddenly being reminded of the letter. "Why would he want to stay cooped up in Hobbiton instead of wandering around the Shire?"

"I don’t rightly know, though I suspect he wanted to keep a close watch on Bag End. The work there is going on apace, and it will probably be finished a’fore too long," Sam said. "He told me he had some business or other that he wanted to attend to, and he didn’t have no time to go anywhere ‘til its finished."

"That’s a shame. Your venture sounds as if it’s been a great success," said Merry.

"Yes, this is the first time I’ve stayed in an Inn, really, and it was just to have a chance to get organized again. The Puddifoots made sure the folk around here have taken care of the land themselves, so there really isn’t much for me to do. But I’ve heard things are different up by Scary, so it’s good we have this chance. Which reminds me, where are you two staying tonight?"

Merry looked over at Pippin, and then replied, "Oh, we’ll be heading back to Crickhollow this evening. We just came over for the day. How long are you staying in Stock, though?"

"Oh, we’ll probably be off in the morning, assuming those lads were able to get the mulch. Can’t see why farmers around here would keep mulch on hand, with the soil being so wet." Seeing the look of dismay on Pippin’s face, he continued, "Though of course I would have come on over to Crickhollow, if you two hadn’t made it here. I wouldn’t have come this far without stopping by!"

"Well, Sam, it looks like you have used the Lady’s gift well," said Merry. "I’m sure the Shire will be better for it, and I’m glad we were able to see you while you were here."

Sam blushed at the mention of Lady Galadriel, and waving aside Merry’s praise, he led them back inside.

Robin, and a lad he called Cres, rejoined them for supper. They had had to visit two different farms, but still managed to get what Sam wanted. They had a pleasant meal at the Inn, and though the conversation did dwell a bit more on trees than Pippin would have usually liked, there was a lot of laughter and comfortable talk about the goings-on around the Shire. It was getting late when he and Merry bid the other hobbits goodnight and began the walk back to the Ferry. The sky was deepening to a velvety blue, and the wind was still. Merry was whistling, and, faintly at first, the stars began to appear. Pippin was in good spirits.

"I’m glad we got to see Sam again." Pippin began. "Too bad Frodo wasn’t able to come by too."

"Oh well, I suppose we shall have to visit him in Hobbiton." Merry answered. "He sounded rather busy, though I don’t understand why he wouldn’t want to go tramping around with Sam."

"Yes, I think he must be getting rather set in his ways if he can’t even take off on a lark to go visit trees with Sam," laughed Pippin. "I shall have to tease him about that when we see him." They continued walking in amiable silence.

"Why don’t we go tramping around the Shire, as you put it?" Pippin continued after awhile. "Going out for the day and having guests is all well and good, but we should do something more, now that it is getting to be spring, don’t you think?"

"Yes, perhaps, though for now, I just want to enjoy the long walk home."

"Why are we walking, again?" asked Pippin.

"It was your idea, silly. You said the ponies got plenty of exercise yesterday."

"I did say that, didn’t I?" Pippin laughed. "Well, it is a beautiful quiet night, and the stars are coming out, so I think I will enjoy the walk after all."