Epilogue

Weeks passed and the hobbits were busier than ever. The Men’s houses were ripped down and new houses were built while others were repaired and, in most cases, improved. Instead of streaming into Brandy Hall, folk now could not get away from it fast enough. Everybody was eager to return to their own home and Saradoc was not unhappy to see his halls become less crowded.

Winter, Saradoc found, would not be as difficult as he had feared. The Chief’s storage houses were bursting with food, enough to feed every family in Buckland and all over the Shire well into summer. They also discovered that they had more livestock than they had thought. The Hall’s sheep, stolen from them a lifetime ago or so it seemed, were found again at Newbury, all well fed and still un-sheared.

Saradoc was out almost every day, but he found that his business had become a lot easier and definitely more enjoyable. He helped where he could, offered advice, and saw to it that no one was left out when the food sharing took place. Being busy in his own land prevented him from riding to Hobbiton and see Frodo, and so it happened that his cousin surprised him by suddenly standing at his doorstep one evening. He was welcomed heartily and Saradoc listened intently to all he, his son, and Pippin had to tell although he noted not without a certain sting of sadness that there were things they kept hidden from him. Especially Frodo seemed filled with a pain that tore at his heart, and although he let him know that he would listen he did not push him. Years of experience had taught him that pushing Frodo was no good thing to do.

When Merry, who at first was either at his side or helped all over the Shire, announced that he would like to stay at Crickhollow with Pippin Saradoc had been loath to see him go again. In the end, however, he realised that he could not hold him back and let him go willingly, although he made sure his son paid frequent visits to Brandy Hall.

Paladin and Eglantine came to Buckland almost as soon as the roads were free again. They were beside themselves with joy to find Pimpernel was not only all right but with child, and there was many a round of drink poured on behalf of the soon-to-be-parents. Yet, the Took’s joy was mingled with a silent sadness. Saradoc saw Paladin walk with Pippin almost every day and every so often Eglantine would join them. Pippin’s decision to stay at Crickhollow grieved them, but they too came to accept their son’s wish.

Merimac had worries that were entirely different from Saradoc’s. After the first joy of reunion had passed he had tried to get to the bottom of Merry’s and Pippin’s sudden growth. So far Merimac had been the tallest in the family and the tales about Treebeard and his Ent-draught did not convince him in the slightest. After two weeks, however, he gave up and started on his new project. Pimpernel was pregnant not just with one child but two and Merimac had put it onto himself to get a second, brand-new cradle for his daughter-in-law, knowing that his son was hopeless at any kind of handicraft. Not that Merimac was any better, but Saradoc would not dare to tell him that. His brother got cross enough when he happened to sneak a glance at his bruised and scratched fingers.

Yule was a feast like none before it. Everybody celebrated the heartier to make up for a missed Lithe and several other occasions that could have done with some merriment. There was drink and food a-plenty and even some pipe-weed could be found. The inns were reopened and rebuilt and whenever the hobbits did not find enough reason at home to make merry they would sit in The Jumping Pike or the Bridge Inn and chat and sing over a pint or two.

Merimac, eventually, came up with his promised song of The Crop Raid of Brandy Hall and gained many a round of laughter and applause for his performance. Especially Paladin, who returned to Brandy Hall with his wife shortly after Yule, never seemed to tire of it and was determined to come up with a song about his own troubles in Tookland.

The Tooks stayed well into spring for in Solmath Pimpernel gave birth to two wonderful children: Roderic and Amaryllis Brandybuck, one even more golden-haired than his mother, the other with chestnut curls and a snub nose for which Nel argued Berilac was to blame.

When summer came and Saradoc saw children swimming in the river and a new generation of colts and fillies gallop alongside their mothers, as he walked next to his fields there was only joy in his heart. Nothing reminded of last year’s events, but Saradoc would never forget the Troubles in Buckland and how his people had stuck together and, after a while, found the courage to face an enemy that was no longer stronger than they. He was proud of them and he would treasure the memory of that year although it had caused him great pain and worry. The last eighteen months had shown him again what it meant to be Master of Buckland and he was glad to have passed the test. And when he looked to his side where Merry liked to walk and enjoy the peace he knew that Buckland would be in the best of hands once he passed on his title.

~THE END~