Does One Say “Farewell” to a Ghost?

There was a joyous meeting in the game room of Brandy Hall, as neither Jebbin and Marjy’s nor Other and Athelas’ apartments were large enough. Their parents were there, Toby Took and Rosemary Proudfoot, Macidoc and his mother, Togo and Daisy Goodbody, Myrtle Fairbairn and Holman Gardener, and Isenbras Took. The ghosts of the Travellers and Jebiamac Brandybuck were there as well.

Chalcedony sent for refreshments to brought from the Hall’s kitchens along with several decanters of the Hall’s best brandy. All of which was rather hard on the Ghosts, seeing as they couldn’t partake of the repast,but they were gracious and didn’t let on.

“It seems so strange,” Myrtle was saying to her ancestor’s ghost. “That those families, the Caskburys and Grittisons, could have such a hold on the Brandybucks and Tooks.” She hung her head a moment. “And they were able to change our thinking even out in the Westmarch and Undertowers.” She sighed then looked at Sam again. “From all that was said, it seems to have happened so quickly.”

“I was thinkin’ that myself, Myrtle,” Sam Gamgee replied. He thought a moment then called out. “Frodo?”

“Yes, Sam?” Frodo looked over from where he had been conversing Rosemary Proudfoot.

“Have you any ideas as to how those descendants of old Lotho’s took over the Masters and Thains so easily?”

“Well . . .”

“I do,” said Chalcy.

The others in the room became aware of the question being asked and everyone’s attention was now on the Mistress.

“As do I,” Pippin added, while Athelas, her mouth currently full of biscuit, nodded to indicate that she also knew.

Beside Jebbin, Merry muttered, “Green-eyed Tooks.” Jebbin grinned.

“Then share the tale with us,” several of the guests said at once.

Chalcedony and Athelas both inclined their heads to Pippin. He cleared his throat and began.

“Well, from what I saw for myself in how Mac’s father behaved, from what I’ve learned from Jebi, what we now know of the way Longo raised his children, and what I know from . . .” Pippin paused.

His head tipped to one side as though he was listening to something, then his eyebrows raised as a big grin brightened his features.

“Actually, I’ve learned most of it from a certain ancestor of mine. It’s an interesting tale. Saruman, Sharky when he came here to the Shire, was diminished in his wizardly abilities; but they certainly weren’t gone completely. Lotho apparently, though he had no desire to help young Daisy Sandyman, was rather pleased with himself for having sown his seed. It made him feel he had once more bested Bilbo and Frodo.”

Pippin looked at Frodo who said, “Lotho would see getting a poor lass pregnant as another score against us.” Frodo sadly shook his head.

Pippin continued the story. “He apparently thought quite often of taking the child away from her after it was born and hiring a nurse to care for it. He had no desire for a wife, only for an heir. Saruman knew the thoughts in Lotho’s mind. He already had in place his plans for wreaking as much havoc as he could while he was in the Shire and here was an opportunity to go one better. He found out where Daisy was living and visited the lass. We don’t know in what guise, perhaps saying he was a messenger from Lotho. While he was with her, he cast into her babes, for he knew immediately that she carried twin lads, a bit of his own power and wrath.”

Sam perked up. “His voice! The old serpent gave the lads his powers with his voice.”

“Exactly, Sam. The lads were bound together in spirit. It was why, even though Daisy was a sweet and simple hobbit lass, they grew to carry so much hatred for the respect that was given to us, the Travellers. It was why that hatred grew without Lotho or Ted there to encourage it along. They learned early that they could make others do what they wanted by how they used their voices.”

Here, Pippin blushed a bit. He looked down at the floor, but from under his lashes, he exchanged brief glances with Chalcedony and Athelas. There were others in the Shire with a similar gift, but the source of their gift was benevolent.

“Ahem! Yes, well, so they used this ability to get the apprenticeships with the bookbinder, reckoning they could then learn to read and write. They charmed a Brandybuck lass and a Took lass into marrying them so to gain access to Brandy Hall and Great Smials. Their sons charmed their ways into becoming secretaries to the Master and Thain. The rest is easy to follow. As each new generation came along, they were taken in under the spell of the secretaries and their sons. Lasses born to the Caskburys and Grittisons didn’t carry Saruman’s curse, nor is there any record of children born to any Caskbury or Grittison lasses carrying the evil traits. It only fell upon eldest males who would carry the family names and positions. The lasses, it seems, were most often like dear Daisy had been, sweet and shy.”

“Like Delphinia,” Macidoc murmured and those standing near him nodded in agreement.

“Rollo,” continued Pippin, “had not yet taken his place as secretary to a Master of Buckland and apparently the curse wasn’t yet fully developed in him or I don’t think we would have seen what we did at the trial.”

“I agree.” Frodo was nodding his head. “He would have begun raving like his father if he had been completely under the curse. Rollo could still accept mercy. Longo, like Sharky, could not.”

Soon, the room was filled with the hum of several conversations all taking place at once and the evening went on. Gradually the refreshments were eaten, the brandy depleted, and the guests began to leave. Chalcy had ordered guest rooms made ready as well as sending servants to tidy the apartments of Marrin and Clary, Jebbin and Marjy, and Other and Athelas. Eventually, the only hobbits left in the game room were the four Travellers, the five Restorers (as they would come to be called) and Jebiamac.

Jebbin looked at Merry and Pippin and sighed. “I don’t know what to say. I was thrilled to meet you two, then I was sorry we met you. I loved you both and I hated you both before coming to love you even more dearly than I had at first.” Jebbin bowed. “Honored Great Grand Sire and,” He looked up from his bow with a twinkle in his eyes, “Honored Meddling Great Grand Sire.” He was rewarded with Peregrin’s ghostly blush. Jebbin straightened up, then turned to look at Jebi. “And Jebiamac . . . dearest several times Great Grandfather. None of it would have happened at all if you hadn’t written the truth in your journal.”

He paused, then addressed Frodo and Sam. “Honored Ring Bearers, for so I’ve always thought of you both. You were always two sides of the same coin to me, as much as Meriadoc and Peregrin were. I’m unable to speak for the hobbits of the Shire and Buckland, but for my part, I will endeavor to make sure that you aren’t swept aside again, most especially you, Frodo Baggins. I will see to it more copies of my book are made. I will make sure all the copies of the Red Book of Westmarch are found and restored, and I will continue to speak so that your true place in history is remembered.”

He took a few moments to look each ghost in the eye.

“There is nothing I can do or say to thank any of you enough.”

The Ghosts all muttered various forms of, “Quite all right, lad. No need to thank us. It was our pleasure.”

“We won’t see you again, will we?” Other asked. He voice was shaky and tears flowed unchecked down his cheeks. He suddenly found himself in a cold, ghostly hug. He heard Pippin’s voice at his ear.

“No, Other, lad. I don’t think you will.”

When the ghost finally stepped back from the embrace, Other saw its face was shiny with ghostly tears. Yet, Pippin was smiling. “At least, not here,” he added with a wink.

Jebbin found himself similarly engulfed by Merry. Then there were hugs all ‘round.

“Farewell!” all of the Ghosts exclaimed as they began to fade from sight.

The living hobbits began to return the sentiment but stopped.

“Does one say farewell to ghosts?” Other voiced what they were all wondering. “After all, where they are, all is ‘faring well’.”

The Restorers smiled at each other, then Other remembered what Pippin had said.

“Till we meet again!” he said with a wink.

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Finis

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A/N: Once again I owe thanks to Dreamflower. She mentioned in her review of Chapter 18 that:

“I'm wondering how Lotho's descendants had maintained their power over the years. I have some very odd ideas...”

I asked her to share her “odd ideas” and the explanation given here is the result of one of her ideas and some feelings of my own on the matter that hadn’t coalesced until I read what she thought. Thank you so much again, Dreamflower.

Oh, and I had forgotten. Way back when I first started working on this story, my sweet husband suggested a heated trial, like the Scopes trial, for the climax. He also suggested the Ghosts appear at the trial to speak on behalf of the accused, like in a bluegrass song we both know, “Polly Vaughn”. So that was all part of the plot since very early on. Many thanks to my dear hubby!