Chapter 14. Fox and Hound

As Ferdi and Merry walked, the hunter broke twigs, leaving them pointing along the trail they followed. ‘Jay will lead the archers around the bog,’ he told Merry. ‘We’ll leave them clear markers.’ 

 ‘All the faster for them to catch us up when we find the ruffians,’ Merry agreed, his fingers brushing his sword. ‘How many are we dealing with?’

 ‘A small band, it seems,’ Ferdi said. ‘But then, they don’t travel in large groups these days. Too difficult to pass unnoticed.’

***

Jack pressed them to go as quickly as possible. When Diamond tired, he put her on the pony with Farry and carried little Rob, and when the pony began to stumble after an hour or two, Diamond bravely said she was sufficiently rested to walk, and walk she did, mile after mile, though her feet protested the unaccustomed demand and her legs began to ache before the day was half done. She jested often with Pippin, how she walked leagues in a day in her oversight of domestic matters of the Great Smials. Now she was realising just how far a league was, and decided that a usual day of duties was restful and lazy, compared to this desperate journey.

Hilly walked along in silence, listening to every word he could catch. The young ruffian said almost nothing as he led the hobbit of escort, save a caution to watch his step when the footing was tricky. The boy chattered softly with Farry, and Hilly gathered that the two young ones considered all this a game. Diamond, evidently, didn’t want the ruffians annoyed with her young son, and had convinced Farry that this was some sort of picnic outing. Hilly only hoped the little lad could keep his illusions. From what Pippin had told the escort, about the ruthlessness of ruffians holding folk for ransom... His breath came shorter as he remembered grim details.

 ‘Are you well?’ the youth asked, turning to regard him. ‘Jack!’

Jack turned and the youth let go the rope to trot to him. It was Hilly’s chance to get away... but where would he go? They’d catch him up and grab the trailing rope before he got more than a few steps away, and what terrible retribution would they visit upon innocent Farry or Diamond for his attempt? He let his legs fold up under him and sat upon the grass.

The two ruffians had a low-voiced conversation, and walked back to where Hilly waited. ‘Are you well?’ Jack echoed, bending to eye the escort. He listened to Hilly’s breathing and nodded to himself. ‘You sound well enough,’ he said. He held the back of one of his hands to Hilly’s forehead, though the hobbit flinched away. ‘No fever.’ He frowned at Hilly. ‘Do you wish to ride for a time?’

Stung, Hilly straightened, and scrambled to his feet. ‘I am well,’ he said defiantly. ‘You may let my Mistress ride; she’s limping.’ He strode forward, not waiting for the ruffians. The youth caught up the trailing rope and they were off again.

Hilly had made good use of the stop; he’d drawn with his finger in the mud, and pulled grass to cover the message. He’d managed to divert the ruffians’ attention by his reference to Diamond; they had not looked at the ground where he’d sat himself down.

***

Ferdi scouted the camping spot under the uprooted tree, thrusting a cautious finger into the ashes of the fire. ‘Cold,’ he said. ‘They’ve been gone some hours. I’d imagine they started just after dawn.’

The ruffians had left little other sign for him to read; Merry found ferns kicked into the underbrush that might have been used for bedding, but the ground was harder here, and there were few footprints. Ferdi scouted until he was sure of the direction of departure, and leading their ponies, the two hobbits followed the trail, if you could call it that. It might be a clear trail to a hunter, Merry mused. He saw little sign of anyone’s passing, perhaps a broken twig here or there, but nothing remarkable.

 ‘They’re heading towards the Shirebourn,’ Ferdi muttered, stopping a moment to get his bearings.

 ‘Away from Tookland again,’ Merry said, ‘and giving Pincup a wide berth. Out of the Shire?’

 ‘Perhaps they’ve found what they wanted,’ Ferdi said grimly. The ruffians could ask for the moon, in exchange for Diamond and Faramir, and Pippin might well give it to them... When it came to his wife and child, he did not think at all clearly.

***

When they reached the bank of the River Shirebourn, Jack sat down upon the grass and removed his boots. ‘We’ll all be hobbits for a time,’ he said, and Will nodded and followed his example. They stuck their boots into their blanket-rolls and stepped into the chill waters, walking along the sandy shallows of the river, their feet sliding over stones washed smooth by the constant flow of water.

Hilly knew what the ruffians were doing, of course. They were throwing off pursuit, or at least they hoped. Their trail would disappear at river’s edge, and any trackers would waste valuable time deciding which way they went, across the river, down the stream, or up. He hoped the distinct footprint he’d left on the sandy shore, pointing downstream, would make the matter clearer for their pursuers.

They splashed along the shallows of the river for miles and hours, as the foggy day brightened and long, numbing miles later, began to dim. Diamond and Farry rode the pony. (“No need, my lady, for you to wet those delicate toes of yours,” Jack had growled unpleasantly as he lifted little Rob to his back.)

At last, as the light of day was retreating, the river turned and they left its course, climbing the grassy bank where a copse of ghostly trees rose before them, mist-shrouded and foreboding in the gathering gloom. Hilly stumbled, scuffing the sand at river's edge, before answering to Will's tug on the rope and toiling up the bank, falling to his knees again when he was halfway up. He pulled at some grass to help him, but the roots didn't hold and the grass pulled free, cascading down to river's edge. At last Hilly gained the top of the bank, where Jack was waiting. The ruffian gestured them into the shadowy copse.

 ‘We’ll halt here for a bit,’ Jack said when they were well within the shelter of the trees, setting Rob down again with a groan. He sat down upon the ground and pulled on socks, and then boots. Will followed suit. Next Jack dug in his pack, bringing out a rough flask. ‘Been saving this for a rainy day,’ he said, shaking it as if to ascertain the contents, ‘and I’m as wet and cold as if it had been raining all the day, instead of cloaking us in mist.’

He lifted the flask to his lips and then handed it to Will. ‘Take some warmth,’ he said. ‘I don’t want to make a fire, so this’ll have to do.’

Will nodded and lifted the flask to his own lips. As Jack had instructed him earlier, the youth stoppered the opening with his tongue so that none of the liquid entered his mouth, pretending a hearty swallow or two until Jack protested and made to snatch the flask away again.

 ‘Hi there! Save a bit for our guests!’ he said.

Will gasped as if he’d just swallowed strong drink and handed the bottle to Jack. ‘Warming it is,’ he said, wiping his mouth.

 ‘Take it,’ Jack said, extending the flask to Hilly. ‘ ‘Tisn’t poison; you saw us drink without harm. It’ll warm you.’

Hilly shook his head, but Diamond said, ‘Hilly, I think you ought. You took a terrible chill yesterday, you were walking in the river half the day, and we’ll have no fire to warm us this night.’

 ‘As you wish, Mistress,’ Hilly said, accepting the flask rather awkwardly. His hands were bound before him, at least, which meant that he could lift the flask to his lips himself and not be nursed like a babe. The liquid was warm in his mouth, a burst of golden sunshine, and he felt the warmth cascade downwards into his innermost being and begin to spread from there. He could understand the youth’s greed. He might have drained the flask himself, but for the fact that Diamond was shivering.

Lowering the flask, Hilly said, ‘Thank you, Mistress, that was warming indeed.’

 ‘You’re welcome,’ Jack said, a chuckle in his voice, but then he remembered to growl. He shook the flask. ‘Nearly done,’ he said. ‘Between you and the lad, it’s a wonder there’s any left.’ He tucked the flask away and turned to help Diamond from the pony. ‘We’ll just get you settled, my fine lady, and then you may finish the rest, or give the little one a sip if you like, to warm him.’

The ruffian pulled some ferns and piled them, settling Diamond on the improvised bed. ‘A bit of travel bread and dried fruit, I think,’ the ruffian said, ‘and then if you need warming before we go on, well, there’s a swallow or two left.’ He dug out some travel rations and distributed them; Farry and Rob immediately began to eat, ravenous though they’d done nothing that day but sit still and be carried. Will ate more slowly, and Hilly barely nibbled at his portion.

 ‘It’s strong drink,’ Hilly warned when Diamond was finished eating, as Jack fumbled for the flask, watching the escort out of the corner of his eye. Diamond nodded, though she seemed to waver before Hilly’s eyes. Indeed, the drink was stronger than he’d realised; just the small amount he’d taken was beginning to make his head swim. He sank down on the bed of ferns Will prepared for him, and a moment later he collapsed gently into a ball and sighed.

 ‘Hilly!’ Diamond said anxiously, and Jack hastened to reassure her as Will and Rob spread Hilly’s cloak over him and came to stand before Diamond and Farry.

 ‘A sleeping draught,’ the old man said. ‘I carry it in case of injury, bones needing to be set or something of the sort. He’ll sleep, and I can take back my rope and not fear the consequences.’ He spoke softly to the glistening rope and it seemed to unwind of itself from Hilly’s wrists. Jack stroked the rope, coiled it, and laid it atop his pack, preparatory to stowing it and the rest of the food.

 ‘You’re leaving us here?’ Diamond said.

Jack nodded. ‘Darkness has overtaken us,’ he said. ‘This is as good a place as any for you. There are farms nearby, and you’ll be heard if you shout for help loud enough. If you’d be so kind as to give us a few hours’ start...’

 ‘Of course, and grace go with you,’ Diamond said.

Farry threw himself at Rob. ‘Don’t go!’ he begged. ‘They say that Men cannot enter the Shire, but you’re only a boy! Surely you can stay!’ He turned to Diamond. ‘Can’t he stay? We’ve become such good friends!’

Tears were spilling from Rob’s eyes. ‘I have to go,’ he said, wiping at his face with a ragged sleeve. ‘But I won’t never forget you, Farry.’

Will picked up Farry to be able to see eye-to-eye. ‘I’ve been glad to meet you,’ he said. ‘Gran always told us about the wee folk, and their odd ways, and their magic and their tricks, but I find that you’re just like anybody else I’ve known. Perhaps a bit jollier, and kinder...’

Diamond was about to remark on the kindness of the departing ruffians, when a voice spoke sharply from the shadows. ‘You’re covered by arrows! Put the lad down, step away, sit yourselves upon the ground, and keep your hands where we can see them!’