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Runaway  by Lindelea

12. Mixed Messages

Tooks and servants stared, stunned to silence as Haldegrim escorted Tolly through the Great Smials to the main entrance. They could hear the whispers start up behind them, Did you see... He was bound! What’s happened?

At the door, Haldegrim stopped to throw Tolly’s cloak over his shoulders and fasten the clasp, pulling the hood up over his head for good measure. It was cold outside. Tolly nodded thanks as Haldegrim donned his own cloak, then took the head of escort’s arm once more to walk him out into the yard, where saddled ponies waited, their breath making white plumes in the icy air. Tolly shivered and tried to shrug more deeply into his cloak. The clouds stared sullenly down, bringing early twilight to the dismal day, and lamps shone forth from the windows of the Great Smials. There was a breathless heaviness to the air, as if a storm were about to break. Tolly had no doubt that it was so.

Reaching the ponies, they turned back to the Smials to wait for Reginard. Movement caught Tolly’s eye; he looked more closely and saw his wife Meadowsweet standing at a window, her hands pressed to the glass, staring at him. Though it was her right to stand by his side, he had put her off with a headshake when she’d stopped them in the tunnel, demanding an explanation.

‘Business of the Thain,’ Haldegrim had said, gently moving her out of the way. ‘Tolly, do you want...?’

Tolly shook his head again. With a glance at Haldegrim, he risked a whisper. ‘It’ll be all right. Take care of the children. I—‘ Haldegrim gripped his arm tighter in warning, and he broke off.

She knew what he’d been about to say, whispering her own love to him as Haldegrim pulled him away from her. Now Tolly saw her lips moving, knew she said, I love you! He nodded, tried to smile reassuringly, and then Haldegrim was turning him towards the ponies preparatory to mounting. Reginard had exited the Smials and the party was ready to depart.

***

Ferdi fell into a heavy sleep near teatime, just about the time Hally and Robin returned empty-handed from their hunt.

‘All the wild creatures are hiding, it seems,’ Hally said. ‘All of Woody End seems to be holding its breath.’ He put down his bow and called his older sons to make sure everything was tied down or locked up tight while everyone hurried to finish their evening chores now rather than after teatime.

The air bore down oppressively. ‘It’s no wonder Ferdi’s laid so low,’ Hally whispered to Rosemary as she watched by her brother’s bedside. ‘I can hardly breathe, myself, and if the air is pressing on his head anything like it’s pressing on mine...’

Rosemary nodded. Though she held his hand, Ferdi made no sign of knowing she was there.

‘Do you want me to ride for the healer?’ Hally said.

‘No,’ Rosemary answered. ‘There’s a storm about to break loose, and I don’t want you in the middle of it, having a tree limb blow down upon you or something of the sort. I don’t know what more a healer would do for him than I’ve already done, besides.’

‘Right,’ Hally said, bending to kiss her cheek. ‘You stay here with him, then, and we’ll get tea on.’ She nodded again, her eyes fixed on her brother’s face.

Farry was glad that Rosemary was busy with Ferdibrand; he wasn’t feeling all that well, himself, and he was afraid her sharp eyes might find him out. Thankfully, everyone was on edge and out of sorts and no one remarked on Farry’s heavy eyes and flushed face.

Robin had let slip that he and his father had visited an inn and his father had spoken to the quick post rider there. Farry determined that he would have to slip out tonight, when the family were sleeping. It was good luck for him that Ferdi was so ill, though he felt a twinge of conscience at the thought, rather than the satisfaction he expected to feel at knowing Ferdibrand was in no condition to follow him. Sleeping by the hearth as he was, rather than bundled into a bed with several others, it would be easy enough to pick up his blanket, swipe a loaf of bread from the sideboard, and slip out the door in the middle night.

A few hours after the Bolgers sought their beds, Farry roused slightly, hearing a roaring noise outside. He wondered for a moment if he was dreaming about dragons, then realised that he was hearing the sound of a mighty wind, and spatters of rain driving upon the roof above. He felt another blanket being laid over him, and looked up to see Rosemary’s smile.

‘Go back to sleep, Farry,’ she said. He nodded and closed his eyes, then cracked one eyelid to see her stretching herself wearily upon the bed in the corner. Hally must be watching with Ferdi. Farry snuggled deeper into his blankets. He’d just wait long enough for her to fall asleep, and for the blankets to chase away the chills that assailed him afresh, and then he’d take himself off into the night and the storm.

***

Late supper came and went at Brandy Hall, but no messenger with small boy in his charge.

‘What d’you suppose happened?’ Pippin said, sipping brandy in the Master’s study. ‘Pony post has never failed us before...’

‘Perhaps a pony pulled up lame, and the messenger had to walk to the next inn,’ Berilac commented, filling Merry’s glass.

‘That would slow him down considerably,’ Merry said. ‘I cannot believe it, however, with what we’re paying to keep the ponies ready and in good condition.’

‘It’s not the weather,’ Pippin said. ‘Despite all your misgivings, cousin, I’ve seen no sign of a storm as of yet.’

‘Just wait,’ Merry said gloomily. At that moment, there was an urgent knock on the door.

Pippin started up from his chair. ‘Here they are at last!’ he said.

‘Come!’ Merry called, and the door opened, to admit a pony post rider, but no small boy in his train.

‘Palanard?’ Pippin said, coming forward.

The messenger strode into the room, removing a folded note from his pouch and extending it with a trembling hand. ‘I rode as quick as I could, Sir,’ he said.

‘What is it?’ Merry asked, rising from his desk as Pippin took the note, broke the seal and began to read. All colour drained from the Thain’s face and he staggered as the grim-faced messenger reached out to steady him.

‘Call the healer!’ Merry rapped out, moving to Pippin’s other side. Berilac jumped to obey. Together, Merry and Palanard half-carried Pippin to a chair and eased him down.

Merry took up Pippin’s glass and held it to his cousin’s lips, but Pippin turned his head away. ‘Faramir,’ he whispered. His hand fell to his side and released the note. Merry caught it and scanned the few lines, then understood the reason for his cousin’s collapse.

‘Steady, Pip,’ he said. ‘Breathe, cousin,’ he added, for Pippin’s breaths were coming fast and short, and he’d begun to wheeze.

‘Farry,’ Pippin said again, staring at nothing, locked in a private nightmare of realised fear.

It was with great relief that Merry saw the door open some moments later to admit old Ossilan, head healer at Brandy Hall, Berilac close at his heels.

‘What’s happened?’ Ossilan said as one hand closed about the Thain’s wrist. His calm was a steady rock to cling to in the swirl of emotions that Merry fought down: fear for Pippin, and for his son; fury at whomever was responsible for the lad’s disappearance; a thirst for vengeance that surprised him with its unhobbitlike power.

‘His son’s gone missing,’ Merry said.

‘Come, Master Peregrin,’ Ossilan said, for all the world as if the Thain were a tween once more, resisting the healer’s ministrations. ‘Breathe for me, now, lad. In... out... in... out... that’s it, steady breaths.’ Merry found himself relaxing and breathing more deeply in response to Ossilan’s rhythmic cadence and soothing tone. Colour began to return to Pippin’s face, and Merry saw the healer subtly relax.

‘Farry,’ Pippin said again. ‘Where’s Farry?’

‘We’ll find him,’ Merry said staunchly. He had no idea how, but he had no doubt.

There was a commotion in the corridor, and then Everard Took flung himself into the Master’s study, to fall to his knees before Pippin, taking the Thain’s hands in his own.

‘Farry,’ Pippin murmured, still in a state of shock.

‘He’s found, Pip,’ Everard gasped, ‘at least, we think he is.’ He’d run all the way up to the Hall from the Ferry landing.

‘What do you mean?’ Merry said sharply.

‘Just after Regi sent off the message that the lad wasn’t at the Smials, a note came from Ferdi, in Woody End, saying that he had the lad there and safe,’ Everard explained in gasps, still gripping Pippin’s hands. ‘Pip, do you hear me?’ he added. He had nearly killed that last pony in the effort to catch the pony post rider, who had stayed just ahead of him; as it was, Everard arrived at the Western Ferry landing in time to see the Ferry pull up to the landing at Brandy Hall.

‘Woody End?’ Berilac said. ‘What’s he doing there?’

‘That is what we are going to find out,’ Merry said grimly.





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