Chapter Two

Marmadas and Lila had a small holding just outside the village of Bree. As a young lad, Marmadas had become the apprentice of his uncle who was a carpenter. Marmadas did well because he enjoyed working with his hands and being creative in his work. When his uncle passed away, Marmadas inherited his property, which included a small cottage and a good-sized workshop. Upon his marriage to Lila, he added a chicken house and a pen to keep a few goats, both at Lila’s insistence. Though Lila was of the wealthy well-to-do Brandybuck line she was well educated in how to run a household as economically as possible. In very little time Lila had turned the small, somewhat haphazard bachelor’s home into a warm cozy place to raise a family.

Marmadas had watched as his sad, heartbroken Lila left for her solitary ramble in the woods only to return several hours later, singing cheerfully. He was speechless when Lila told him whom she had met and all that had been said and done. Marmadas had spent a good portion of his life mixing with the big folk of Bree. But nothing in Marmadas’ life could have prepared him for the wonder of the elf Merenwen coming to the aid of his dear Lila. When Marmadas finally got over his shock, he became as hopeful as Lila that at last they would have the child Lila wanted so much. Marmadas did not care if they ever had children. He loved Lila so much, and that was enough for him. It grieved Marmadas greatly to see Lila get her hopes up only to have them dashed again with each pregnancy. Truth be told, Marmadas had long ago started hoping that soon Lila would give up on these dreams and find fulfillment in other areas of her life. But perhaps now Lila’s arms would finally be filled with the child she longed for.

Lila did as she was instructed. She took the tonic every morning without fail. She was rewarded for her diligence by feeling healthier than she ever had before. During the next three months Lila had Merenwen as a regular visitor, the two women discovering similar interest and just generally enjoying each other’s company.

It was towards the end of July that Lila and Merenwen had first met. Much of August and September they spent gathering herbs for future use in Merenwen’s plans for Lila. Merenwen had Marmadas build a small glass box to be set in a sunny window sill so that certain herbs that needed to be used fresh could be kept growing through the winter. October Lila was busy finishing the final preparations of winter stores, and seeing to it that winter clothes and bedding were all in good order. Lila went about this in a bit of fervor. She was anxious to go further with Merenwen’s plan and found that, if she kept busy, it was easier to wait.

The cool crisp days of October had left them, and November had arrived cold and damp. The sky overhead was steely gray, and a bitter wind blew through the trees around the little Gamwhiche home. This sort of weather made Lila nervous, as it always seemed to be soon followed with her coming down with a persistent cough that would usually not leave her until the warm days of spring. But this year was different. This year Lila was healthier than she had been since she was a small child.

Merenwen came to visit one blustery November day and with welcomed news. "Today, Lila we start the next part of my plan. We will be putting together a blend of herbs that you will drink as a tea once a day until you are once again with child."

Lila was crestfallen. "Is that it?"

Merenwen chuckled, "I am sorry to disappoint you, but I am afraid so. That is all there is, for today anyway."

"And what will this tea do?" asked Lila still feeling less than confident.

"What it needs to do. It is rather difficult to explain, and all that you really need to know is that it should work."

Lila heaved a sigh of resignation, "All right then, what do we need for this tea?"

Merenwen gave Lila a list of herbs; Lila fetched them from her herb pantry. There were things that Lila never would have dreamed of putting in an herbal tea, but when she tried to ask Merenwen about them, the Elf continued to be deliberately vague.

By the end of the afternoon, they had made up a rather large jar of the tea blend, and Lila was feeling a little dismayed. "Merenwen, you said I was to drink this tea until I was again with child. Just how long do you think it will take?"

"Did I say until you were with child? I am sorry, you will be drinking this for awhile afterwards as well," said Merenwen smiling serenely. "As for how quickly you will conceive, well that part I can’t be sure of. But I would imagine that largely depends on you and Marmadas."

"Oh, err, I see," Lila started to blush violently.

"But don’t fret if it takes a few months. A little additional time can be to your advantage. And as I said before, none of what we are doing should be harmful to you in anyway," said Merenwen reassuringly.

"I trust you. I must, considering you have told me so little; yet I continue to do exactly as you say. I will be patient."

And patient Lila was. She drank her tea, spent time with Marmadas, and waited all through the rest of November, then December, January, and February. At first she was giddy with anticipation. Lila and Marmadas went to Brandy Hall for the Yule Holiday. Lila had a hard time not telling her friend Esmeralda about Merenwen and her plan, but she had promised Merenwen to tell no one. All the same many of her relations noticed a healthy glow about Lila and speculated as to what it could be, but Lila resisted and said very little.

By the end of January, Lila was starting to lose her patience. Merenwen made regular visits and, using her Elvish gifts, had only to rest her hand on Lila’s belly to determine if Lila had yet conceived. It had come to the point that Lila knew by looking in Merenwen’s eyes what the answer would be before Merenwen could even speak. It was that look Lila was anticipating ready to be disappointed again when Merenwen had come to visit one day in February. It was a lovely day with lots of white puffy clouds in the sky, and the faintest hint of Spring could be felt and smelled in the air. Merenwen arrived early in the day, just when Lila was taking fresh baked bread out of the oven. Merenwen no longer bothered to knock when she came to visit but just let herself in.

"Good morning, Lila. How are you today?" greeted Merenwen.

"Good morning to you as well, Merenwen. I am well."

"You don’t sound as lively as you usually do. Is there anything wrong?" asked Merenwen, frowning slightly in concern.

"Now that you mention it, I have not been sleeping as well the last several days. I have been tossing and turning, and poor Marmadas has not been sleeping well either, as a result. I am about ready to get one of our little guest cots out to sleep on so that he at least can sleep comfortably; he has so much to do."

"Oh really, Lila," said Merenwen in exasperation. "Have you completely forgotten just what it is we are trying to do here?"

"No, of course I haven’t. It never leaves my mind for more than an instant."

"Then does it not occur to you that your troubles sleeping may very well have to do with this little project?"

Lila was taken aback. Her eyes went wide in surprise and blinked once or twice. "Actually, no it hadn’t. Do you think I might be…"

"Pregnant? You very well could be." Merenwen said with a warm smile on her face.

"But I don’t remember ever having sleeping problems with my other pregnancies?"

Merenwen’s smile took on the faintest hint of sadness. "You have never had a healthy pregnancy before either. Now, before we discuss this any further or get your hopes up too high, just let me check."

Merenwen sat down on a low stool that Marmadas had built for the comfort of their tall guest. Lila stood before Merenwen, as she had so many times before, and watched Merenwen’s face closely as she went through the usual routine. Merenwen rested one hand lightly on Lila’s belly; her violet eyes took on a somewhat vague and distant look. Just at the point at which Lila was expecting Merenwen’s eyes to look at her somewhat sadly, Merenwen’s face lit up like a bright summer afternoon. "Lila my dear, congratulations you are pregnant and with a very healthy and happy child."

Lila could feel the beat of her own heart quicken in excitement. "Are you certain?"

"Very much so."

"And my baby is healthy and happy? You can tell all of this? How?" Lila’s words came out in a rush.

Merenwen laughed joyfully. "Your child is healthy, and yes, even happy, or at least as happy as one so young and small can be."

Lila smiled as happy tears spilled down her cheeks. "This is such wonderful news! I can hardly believe it."

"Believe it, Lila. I think it is safe to say that by the end of September, you will have a little one of your own to fuss over. Now, before I forget there is something I need to give to you. Merenwen reached into her pocket and pulled out a chain that to Lila’s eyes was the brightest silver she had ever scene. Suspended from the chain was a pendent shaped into the form of an acorn with an oak leaf attached to its top. The detail was so exact that to Lila it looked to be a real acorn and leaf.

Merenwen opened the clasp on the chain and proceeded to place the necklace about Lila’s neck. "This is a very special necklace. It is made of mithrill, and with it I will be able to detect long before you will if you or your babe should be in danger. Hopefully that will allow enough time for me to get here and do what I can to keep you from losing this child, though I doubt that will be an issue this time."

Lila reached up and touched the necklace with trembling fingers. "It is so light and slightly warm to the touch, I will forget that it is there. What if the chain should break?"

"Let me assure you, there is very little in this world that will actually break that chain. Mithrill is remarkably strong for so light of a metal."

Lila was overcome by tears yet again. "How shall I ever thank you for all you have done for me?"

"You may thank me by not weeping so much." said Merenwen trying unsuccessfully to look stern.

Lila laughed, "I will try to do just that, though I can make you no promises."