It was three weeks after the honoring of the Ringbearers at Cormallen, and still recovering wounded filled the Houses of Healing. Wynneth, head cook at the Houses of Healing found herself watching in bewilderment as two of the halflings firmly, but politely, took over her kitchen. They excused her staff and tried to convince the exhausted woman to retire for the afternoon, but she refused to surrender her post entirely.

"The Warden of the House said you might have the afternoon to yourself," the stouter hobbit reminded her. "I don't imagine you've had much time away from here in months.

It was true. With the battles there were many wounded still in the healer's care and it was the responsibility of her staff to see them fed.

"I prefer to remain," Wynneth said. She had the feeling this hobbit with his rougher speech and unthinking use of deferential terms for his companion understood. He gave her a sympathetic nod before commencing an inspection of the kitchens.

"Where are your cooking herbs?" the one called Meriadoc asked while the Ringbearer referred to as Samwise inspected her stores and emerged from the storeroom bearing an armful of leeks and tomatoes. He set the vegetables down on the largest chopping block.

"I'll fetch whatever you require from the kitchen gardens," the cook offered. "They're set aways from the healing herbs in the terrace gardens – almost in the fifth circle."

Meriadoc turned to his companion. "This was your idea, Sam."

Sam paused in his cleaning of the leeks. He had the manner of one accustomed to kitchen work and this reassured the cook. "Thyme. That's all we need for this."

When she returned with the requested herb, she found the Ringbearer perched on a stool stirring a pot of something – it smelt of leeks – over the fire. The other halfling was chopping tomatoes, which were quickly added to the pot. After a smile and a few words of thanks, Meriadoc took and chopped the thyme, then carefully added some of it to the leeks.

The cook found herself surprised the both halflings were both quick and proficient in culinary skills. They chopped leeks and tomatoes as quickly as six of her helpers. She knew Samwise to be a servant and one expected such talents from him, but rumor painted the small knight as the heir of a great lord in his own land and his speech – especially when contrasted with that Samwise – confirmed the gossip. Wynneth tried to imagine the nobles of Gondor cooking anything and had to bite her lip to prevent giggles. She'd seen enough soldiers from diverse background to know that while many admirable things might be learned in military service, even the rudiments of cooking were not among them.

Samwise poured several spoonfuls of her special chicken broth into the pot. After allowing the mixture – the cook suspected it was a soup - to simmer, he lowered a double-sided tasting spoon into the pot. As the liquid moved from the pot-end to tasting-end it cooled enough for him to sample.

He considered the flavor and rendered his judgment. "A bit more thyme, Mr. Merry. And a pinch of salt wouldn't go amiss."

Meriadoc added more thyme and a sprinkling of sea salt. Samwise stirred the soup and tested it again, this time he offered his companion a taste. It met with their approval.

They turned to the cook. "Would you like a taste, ma'am?"

The cook stepped forward. Whatever it was it smelt wonderful. When Wynneth sampled the soup (for it was a soup) she found that it tasted even better than it smelt.

"It's my mum's leek and tomato soup," Meriadoc informed her. "She taught Frodo and he taught Sam. Its especially good when one is feeling frail."

"Its this for your kinsman?" the cook asked, curious.

Meriadoc and Samwise startled. "Even Pippin couldn't eat a whole pot of soup. This is for the ill."

"We thought they might like something different – meaning no insult to your cooking," Samwise said.

"Hobbits show appreciation with cooking," the halfling knight of Rohan explained.

"And you seemed fair worn out from all the folk to cook for," Samwise added with a smile.

"So we thought we'd be of assistance."

Wynneth blinked, surprised that the noble halflings even noticed her exhaustion. They were truly remarkable people. "I'm certain those yet under the healer's care will enjoy your soup."