2. Perian The thunder boomed and the lightning flashed
As on the battlefield the armies clashed.
As Elendil raised his sword on high
The soldiers drew their swords and gave the cry...

Through the air elven arrows flew,
Orc and troll and man they slew.
If men had let their duty go
The Dark would have taken Gondor long ago...

(from a lullaby of Gondor)

The sunset bells had already sounded when the boys burst in through the door. They roiled around the room, and what had been a comfortable space seemed hardly to contain them. They fetched up against Gilwyn, who was standing, hands on hips, with a frown on her face. Bergil picked Fargil up off the floor and, after a few quick swipes at their dusty clothes, the boys stood at attention before her.

She eyed them sternly. 'Well?'

Fargil burst out, 'It is Bergil who was late! I was just waiting for him!' Bergil moved as if to pummel his cousin but was stopped as his aunt's stern eye turned to him. He settled back into his stiff stance. While still staring him down, Gilwyn spoke to Fargil. 'Do not go blaming your troubles on others. You are late. You know your way home; you do not have to wait for Bergil.'

'Yes, ma'am,' Fargil answered, lowering his eyes.

'Now, Bergil?'

He met her eyes, and suddenly all the excitement burst out again. 'Oh, Aunt! There's a Halfling in the City! He's...'

'Yes, I seem to have heard that a Prince of the Halflings had come. I did not see him myself... they say that when Rohan comes each Rider will have a halfling warrior riding behind him. So, did you see him?'

'See him! I...'

Fargil interrupted stormily, 'He took him all over the City, and I couldn't come!'

Bergil turned to him. 'Father sent him to me.'

'And I had to stay with the other boys, and Bergil got to go beyond the Gate to watch the Captains of the Outlands marching in.'

'Beyond the Gate?' Gilwyn questioned.

'Yes! Pippin knows the password, and the guard let us through, and... I am allowed past the Gate with an elder. Pippin's as old as Uncle Iorlas, even though he only comes to here on me.' Bergil's hand measured a point somewhere below his own height.

Gilwyn's lips twitched, but then she stepped back and surveyed the boys grimly. 'You men are a disgrace to the Company,' she scolded. 'Now go back out, dust yourselves off properly, wipe your feet, wash up, and march into the mess as proper disciplined troops should.'

'Yes, ma'am,' both boys shouted.

After they had complied with orders, and after the Standing Silence, they piled onto the bench and began jabbering both together about the Halfling and the Outland Captains and all they had seen and done that day. Gilwyn ladled stew and set a basket of bread on the table, and they dug in as famished men who have not eaten in days. Not able to get a word in, as usual, Gilwyn ate silently and enjoyed the chatter.

She rose to pour herself a cup of tea, and continued to watch the boys ravage the table. When the talk had died down, and the boys' appetites had been satisfied for the moment, she spoke.

'Your father was here this morning, Bergil.' The boy gave a start and dropped his eyes. 'Did you forget that he was to come today?'

'No,' he said low.

'Bergil...'

He forced himself to meet her eyes. 'No, ma'am,' he corrected.

She smiled. 'That is not what I meant, Bergil.' The boy looked puzzled. 'Time is so short,' she added. 'Your father has so little time these days to visit. When he is here, you ought to be here as well.' He nodded, and she changed the subject. 'It was so warm today for March! Do you know, I got an entire washing dried in the sun, and didn't have to bring any in to dry by the fire.' Relieved that the time of lecture was over, the boys pretended interest in these domestic affairs and the conversation continued companionably, with much mention of the Halfling, until it was time for them to wash up and go to bed.