Chapter Twelve

A bleak November had settled on the Shire.

Many months had passed since Linwe’s ‘illness’ in March. She now bore a pale mark around her finger on her right hand. Occaisionally she had the oddest feeling that her finger was no longer there.

Linwe quickly regained her health after that episode and was also happier than she had been since her first few days after arriving at Brandy Hall, though she still had quiet moments of melancholy and even deep sadness.

Merenwen left Brandy Hall when it became apparent that Linwe would now make a full recovery. Merenwen had an idea of what she had witnessed and knew she should tell Lord Elrond about it. She slipped away without telling anyone of her plans.

The passing months saw much change in the Shire. The trouble Lotho Sackville-Baggins had started to stir as soon as he moved into Bag End had steadily escalated. The Shire was now over run with Big Folk who thought nothing of abusing the peaceful Hobbits. By November no one had actually seen Lotho in a long time. His own mother had been imprisoned by his hired henchmen, and there were references to a person or people known only as "The Boss", "The Chief", or "Sharkey". No one knew who this was exactly, many assumed this was Lotho using some terrible new names, but others suspected that maybe Lotho had been imprisoned or worse.

By the one year anniversary of the disappearance of the four Hobbits, had arrived, few in the Shire remembered or even cared. The entire Shire was looking at spending a winter, wrought in starvation, because The Boss, The Chief, or Sharkey, what ever you wanted to call him or them, had taken almost all of the harvest from the past growing season. It has started with Lotho telling his tenant farmers something about sharing out that made no sense to the framers. But at that point the farmers were afraid of Lotho and would say and do nothing to stop him. About the time that folk stopped seeing Lotho about the Shire, his henchmen were taking from everyone in the Shire whether they were Lotho’s tenants or not.

On October 6^th Linwe was confined to her bed yet again, though she was not so ill as she had been in the past. Mostly she was weak and felt cold. Only Esmeralda noticed that it had been exactly one year ago that day, that Linwe had collapsed in her room and developed the Mark on her chest that seemed would never fade away.

The autumn months had been dreary that year. So when Esmeralda rose before dawn the morning of November second, she had no real hope of that day’s weather being different in any way.

If the weather showed little sign of changing, news came to Brandy Hall that morning, which gave everyone, hopes that the prospects of the Shire would. Esmeralda and Saradoc were sitting in their private dining room, before breakfast, discussing the needs of the Hall for that day, when Hob Hayward was shown in by one of the maids. "Hob!" exclaimed Saradoc "What brings you to Brandy Hall?"

"Begging your pardon, Sir and Mrs. Brandybuck, but I come with a message for you form your son, young Meriadoc." Said Hob as he carried a folded piece of paper to the table and handed it to Saradoc.

Questions started to pour from Esmeralda’s mouth, "You have seen Merry? And what of the others, were they with him? Is he okay? Why didn’t he come himself? When can we expect him?"

"Esmeralda" broke in Saradoc, " I think we should excuse ourselves to another room, read Merry’s letter, then we can ask him any questions if we have any."

"You are right dear. Hob, I want you to settle yourself down here, and I will send Daisy in with some breakfast for you."

A few minutes later Saradoc and Esmeralda were in his study reading Merry’s letter together.

Dear Mother and Father,

I wanted to write and let you know that I am safely returned to the Shire, as are Pippin, Frodo, and Sam. I am sorry for any worry we may have caused, but Frodo and Sam had an errand to run

We wanted to come to Brandy Hall right away, but we have found that the situation in the Shire to be in such a state that we felt it necessary to waste no time in taking matters up with Lotho Sackville-Baggins. We are now on our way to Hobbiton as you are reading this.

Please try not to worry. Frodo insists that we try to settle matters without actually killing anyone. I hope to return home soon.

Your loving son,

Meriadoc Brandybuck

Knight of Rohan and Holdwine of the Shire

  and Pippin and I thought we should go along.

"Killing! Knight of Rohan…! Oh Saradoc! What have they got themselves into?"

"I wish I knew my dear. I suggest we go talk with Hob, and see if he can tell us more."

Saradoc and Esmeralda left the study and met up with Linwe in the passage. "Linwe! There is good news this morning!" Exclaimed Esmeralda "Merry and the other lads have returned to the Shire."

"That is wonderful news. Are they here?"

"I am afraid not." Answered Saradoc "Merry sent a message with Hob Hayward this morning, but it raises more questions than it answers. We do know that they are on their way to Hobbiton now, to take up matters with Lotho Sackville-Baggins. Hob is in the dining room now, we were just going in there to talk with him."

Once in the dining room and settled about the table, Saradoc said to Hob "Well, we have read the letter from Merry, but he tells us very little. Could you tell us what has happened?"

"Gladly sir, gladly. It was just after sundown yesterday, when the four travelers arrived at the gate on the bridge, demanding to be let in. All four of them were dressed funny, in armor, carrying shields and swords. There was a lot of angry talk between the travelers and the guards about all of the rules and such, then young Merry and the others forced their way in. They spent the night in the guardhouse, sharing what food they had, with a bunch of us. I told them what all has been going on since they had up and left. The others thought I should not, scared they were. Bit I took one look at those lads looking so splendid in their foreign gear, and I figured here was our chance to finally take back the Shire. This morning the four of them decided that they had best make their way to Bywater and see what might be done."

"Saradoc, you must go after them and stop them." Esmeralda cried in alarm. "They will be killed for sure!"

"No dear," Saradoc said thoughtfully, "I don’t think I will. I have a feeling that this is just what is needed to save the Shire. Hob, go out and spread the word quietly around Buckland. I want everyone to know that those lads are back and what they are going off to do."

Old Hob cackled, "That is already done, sir. Why I expect word has already reached the furthest edge of the west farthing."

Rumors of the four travelers progress towards Bywater, rushed back into Buckland. One set of rumors would contradict another set of rumors. It was an anxious two days before any reliable news arrived, in the form of another letter from Merry.

Dear Mother and Father,

I wanted to inform you that the ruffians are being run out of the Shire. Sharkey is dead, as is Lotho Sackville-Baggins, who had been under Sharkey’s control for sometime.

Pippin and I hope to be at Brandy Hall, sometime on the sixth, as we make our way about the Shire, hunting down any remaining ruffians. Frodo and Sam are staying in Hobbiton to help with the start of rebuilding and repairing what was lost or damaged.

Your loving Son,

Captain Meriadoc Brandybuck

Knight of Rohan and

Holdwine of the Shire

~~~~~

True to his word, Merry, in the company of Pippin, arrived at Brandy Hall, on the afternoon of the sixth, just in time for tea. The entire Hall turned out, as well almany neighbors form the surrounding area. Everyone wanted to see and welcome the pair of strangely dressed and considerably taller Hobbits.

Esmeralda, weeping tears of joy, took both of the travelers into her arms at once and refused to let got for the longest time. This was followed by Merry and Pippin being welcomed back by one Hobbit after another. As Esmeralda stood back and watched she remembered Linwe and found her off in a corner of the main Hall where everyone was gathered, looking shy and nervous in such a large crowd. "Come Linwe, Merry has not seen you since he was a wee lad. He adored you then and will be very happy to see you now." Said Esmeralda, taking Linwe by the hand and pulling her to her feet.

"But Esmeralda, there are so many others here, I am sure it would be better if I waited until later."

"Nonsense, now come along!"

The crowd around Merry and Pippin parted to make way for Esmeralda and Linwe. "Merry," called Esmeralda as she neared the tall pair, "I have someone here you have not seen since you were a young lad, and Pippin has never met at all though she is cousin to you both." With that Esmeralda pulled Linwe from behind her. When Merry saw Linwe, his eyes let up. "Linwe!" he cried sweeping her up into his arms "You are as pretty as ever if not a bit smaller."

"I am no smaller than I ever was, it is you who have grown nearly as tall as the big folk. Now put me down!" Laughed Linwe.

"Pippin, this is Linwe Taralom Gamwhiche, daughter of Lila and Marmadas Gamwhiche, and granddaughter of old Dodinas Brandybuck. I was but seven years old the first time I saw Linwe, I fell in love with her from the moment I saw her and followed her around everyday of her visit."

"Yes" Said Esmeralda chuckling "It was the longest time in Merry’s life that he was able to stay out of trouble."

Pippin took Linwe’s hands in his own and smiled mischievously. "Would you mind terribly, if I fell in love with you as well? I promise to follow you around for days and days." He said with a gleam in his Tookish Green eyes.

"Now Pip, I saw her first so by rights she is mine. In fact I think I should go ask her father for her hand now. Where are Marmadas and Lila? I don’t think I have seen them yet." Said Merry turning to Linwe just in time to see her eyes fill with tears.

With her chin quivering as she fought to hold back the tears, Linwe said "Mother and Father passed away a few months after you left."

"I am so sorry, Linwe." Merry said taking Linwe into his arms again.

~~~~~

The following morning, Merry went to his mother’s sitting room, where Esmeralda sat sewing. "Good morning, Mother." Merry said, while bending over to kiss her on the top of her head.

"Good morning dear. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes I did. It is good to be home again."

"It is good to have you home, my son." Tears started to well up in Esmeralda’s eyes.

"Where in Linwe this morning? I thought I might start following her around before Pippin has a chance to."

Esmeralda sighed "Meriadoc Brandybuck, how is it that you go off for a year, see and do all that you have seen and done, only to return and still be an impudent as ever?"

"‘Tis a gift my dear mother. Now I believe you were telling me where Linwe is."

"Linwe, is most likely out for a walk. She does that a lot. Ramble’s about Buckland keeping to herself."

Merry’s voice was low and touched with sadness when he spoke. "Linwe has taken the deaths of Lila and Marmadas very hard hasn’t she?"

"Yes she has, but that is not all she has had to deal with so much more. First there was leaving the only home she has ever known to come here. A few days after they arrived she became very ill, from what we never knew. Then she lost Lila and Marmadas as well, though he did not actually pass till about a month later. He loved Lila so much, and I think he tried to hold on for Linwe, but he just couldn’t. Then Linwe was dreadfully ill again soon after that."

"I can see the sadness in her eyes. I think if I looked long enough I would drown in it myself. Does it ever go away? Is she ever happy?"

"From time to time she appears to be happy. One would have to know her very well to see the undercurrent of sadness. You have to understand, that she is a very lonely girl. She has always been rather shy, and let very few people get near her. Her parents were all she felt she had, and I think now she feels lost without them. Then there is the fact this isn’t her home. She can not go back to Bree alone, so she is left with no choice but to stay here, feeling like a burdensome guest."

"Maybe a change of scenery is what she needs. What if Pippin and I were to take her to Hobbiton. She can stay with the Cotton’s. Their smaller home might be more comfortable to her. And there is more than enough for her to do there." Suggested Merry.

"There is a lot of work to be done, isn’t there."

"Yes, there is."

Esmeralda thought about Merry’s suggestion for a moment, her eyes narrowed in concentration. "Didn’t you say was in terrible condition?"

"Yes, it looks like animals have been living in it. Sam is sure it can be restored though."

"Merry, I think you have just the right idea. Linwe is a gifted healer in her own right. I think you should take her with you to help Healer Burrows care for the wounded from the battle. Then once they are all well, then maybe she would like to stay on and help restore Bag End."

"That she could." Agreed Merry, "Sam would might even consider her worthy of helping to restore the old place. And Linwe and Rosie would get along well together."

"As soon as Linwe returns, we will tell her our idea. She will most likely be reluctant at first, but I think between us we can convince her to go along with it."