Author's Note- I have once again got ahead of my editor.  I am posting this chapter with a few bits still to be dusted off, but I think it is well enough for now.  Since I am ahead of my editor I am going to hold off posting again until I get revisions back so it could be a couple of weeks before I post again.  I thank you for your patience.  ~~MytseriousWays

Chapter Nine

When Esmeralda was worried about something she knitted. She would knit something simple like a plain scarf so that she did not have to think about the stitches she made. The repetition of the movement of her hands soothed her mind and helped her to work through difficult problems or soothe away worries. These days Esmeralda found herself knitting a lot.

There were the worries she had for Merry as well as Pippin, Frodo and Sam. Tookish intuition told her they were still alive but in danger.

There was Linwe. Esmeralda had tended to Linwe personally when she had collapsed in Lila’s room. At first it had been assumed that Linwe had only feinted. When Esmeralda’s strongest smelling salts failed to revive Linwe, Esmeralda could only have Linwe put to bed. It was when Esmeralda was dressing Linwe for bed that she found a large black and purple bruise on Linwe’s side, just below her ribs. Esmeralda’s worries mounted.

Linwe slept through to the following day. Within a few more days the bruise that should have taken weeks to fade completely, was barely a shadow. Esmeralda was as baffled by this ailment as she had been of Linwe’s illness the previous October.

Then there was Lila. Esmeralda knew from experience that Lila was suffering from an ailment of the lungs that would likely never get any better. The stresses of moving and worrying about Linwe only served to make Lila that much weaker and less able to fight the progression of the illness. On average Hobbits lived to be about one hundred years old. For a Hobbit like Lila who had been weakened in childhood by a severe fever, ninety-four was a very respectable age for her to reach. The shock of Linwe’s last collapse appeared to over tax Lila’s reserves and she had begun a rapid decline.

Lila was aware of her eminent demise. Just that morning Lila had made Esmeralda promise that she and Saradoc would keep watch over Linwe. "Whether it’s from being a little bit Elvish or Tookish, Linwe is very special and she needs the love and protection of those who will understand that."

Esmeralda squeezed Lila’s hand and smiled past unshed tears, "You worry too much, Lila. I don’t think anyone who meets Linwe could help but love her. Linwe will be just fine."

"I might worry less if she were married and settled. Marroc Hamwhiche fancies her maybe you can convince her to accept his attentions, I never could. She can be so stubborn sometimes." Lila sighed.

"That is because she is her mother’s daughter. I seem to recall hearing tales of you ignoring the attentions of some of the Shire’s finest sons, at one time."

"Humph! I married the Shire’s finest son! At least at that time. Other lasses turned their noses up at him some even said he was common. Common indeed, there is nothing common about Marmadas Gamwhiche." Lila said indignantly.

Esmeralda chuckled, "There is most certainly nothing common about his wife and daughter."

"No there isn’t, is there." Lila smiled then closed her eyes. Esmeralda thought Lila had gone to sleep and was about to leave Lila’s side when she opened her eyes once more. "Esme, you must keep an eye out for Merenwen, I know she will come looking for Linwe."

"I will, Lila. Now do be quiet and get some rest."

~~~~~

Four days later, Marmadas and Linwe sat on either side of Lila’s bed, each holding one of Lila’s hands. In the last several days they had spent a lot of time together, in just this way. Savoring the time they had together.

"My little Linwe Taralom Gamwhiche," Lila said her voice barely above a whisper. "I do wish you could stop weeping."

"Oh Mummy!" Linwe cried as she held her mother’s hand to her cheek, "I love you so much."

"I love you too, my little one, always."

"Lila dear you should rest now." Said Marmadas, his voice thick with unshed tears.

"Perhaps you’re right, dear." Lila summoned what strength she could to squeeze his hand. "I love you."

"And I love you, my fairest Lila."

"I will be waiting for you."

Marmadas smiled sadly. "I know, my dear."

Lila closed her eyes and with a smile on her lips drifted off to sleep. An hour later, Linwe and Marmadas were still sitting by Lila and holding her hands as Lila took her last sighing breath.

~~~~~

Linwe’s days seemed to be growing darker. Her sleep was haunted by frightening images. When she awakened from the nightmares she was soon overcome with the sense of loss that came with remembering her mother was no longer there. And then there were her concerns for her father.

With the death of Lila, Marmadas lost his own will to live. He would sit for hours on end saying nothing. Sometimes Linwe would sit with him, hoping that at any moment he would come out of his stupor, but he never did. Marmadas was not eating enough to keep a hobbit child alive. Marmadas was slipping away and Linwe knew it. By March he was far too weak to leave his bed.

Linwe finally accepted that she was losing her father as she had lost her mother. So one evening she took extra care in settling him for the night. She washed his hair, saw to it that he was dressed in a clean nightshirt, she carefully combed out his now snow-white curls. When she was done Linwe took one of her father’s hands in one of her own, then with her other hand, she gently turned her father’s face towards her own. "Papa, I know you miss Mummy, I know all you want is to be with her again. It’s okay Papa, go on, I will be okay." Tears were streaming down Linwe’s face. Then for the first time in weeks, Marmadas looked at his daughter and truly saw her. His eyes filled with tears, then with one trembling hand he reached up and brushed a stray curl from her cheek. In a whisper that could barely be heard, he said "I’m sorry Linwe. I love you."

"I love you too, Papa." Sobbed Linwe

When Linwe woke the next morning, Marmadas was with Lila.