Chapter 25. Behold Then and See if There is Any Sorrow

Ferdi entered Regi's room, rubbing his hands together.

'Cold outside?' asked the Thain.

'No, no, a bit brisk, that's all,' Ferdi said. 'And I was out without gloves, for my fingers needed all their cleverness just now.'

'O?' Pippin said. 'Been fletching arrows, just to pass the time?'

'No, better than that,' came the answer. 'I think our steward shall ride well this day, if all goes as it ought.'

'What do you mean?' Reginard asked. His colour was better, and the healer had relented and allowed him to eat a solid and satisfying breakfast after yesterday's broth.

'You'll see,' Ferdi said. 'Something an Elf taught me once.'

'Legolas taught you to throw a knife, as I recall,' Pippin said. 'Are you going to skewer Regi, then, put him out of his misery?'

'I beg your pardon,' Ferdi said with dignity. ' 'Twas something else, not as useful up until now, perhaps, but I think it worth a try.'

'Then let us try,' Regi said, pushing himself up from the pillows.

'Not so fast,' Ferdi said. 'We're going to wrap you well against the chill and carry you out.'

'Carry me!' Reginard said, aghast.

'O aye, you might as well get used to the idea,' Ferdi said sternly. 'For if you fight me I will have to be firm.'

'Firm?' Pippin queried.

'Leotred is that far,' and Ferdi held his finger and thumb very close indeed, 'from giving you a sleeping draught, I will have you know.'

He fixed Regi with a glare. 'In your head, or out of it, you're to be carried to the coach.'

At Regi's look of resignation, he relaxed and smiled cheerily. 'Well,' he said briskly. 'Shall we get started?'

'Have at it,' Regi answered gloomily. Without comment, he allowed them to wrap him up, lift him between four hobbits, and carry him out to the waiting coach. Inside, they found a sort of sling suspended from the frame of the coach from ropes attached to heavy springs of the sort the coach-makers used in the most expensive vehicles.

'It's a hammock,' Ferdi explained. 'Just like you'll find in your garden at home. Legolas explained to me that sailors in ships sleep this way, as easily as rocking a babe in a cradle.'

'Ships,' Regi said under his breath, and suppressed a shudder.

They maneuvered Reginard into the sling, still blanket-wrapped.

'There,' Ferdi said in satisfaction. 'Cosy?'

'Surprisingly, yes,' Regi answered.

Ferdi laughed and patted him on the shoulder. 'Good,' he said. 'Perhaps you'll be back in good time to rock that babe of your own.' He stepped out of the coach so that Rose, her daughters, and Leotred could settle themselves.

***

They made good time that day, with no distress to the steward. Stopping at an inn for hot drinks and hot food, Pippin shook his head. 'Ferdi, you're a wonder.'

'I keep telling you that, and only now you believe me?' Ferdi said with a grin.

Fastred broke in. 'You mentioned an Elf,' he said. 'You know an Elf?'

'Do I know an Elf?' Ferdi said expansively. 'Why, we are practically cousins! Finest of the Fair Folk you'd ever hope to meet. He was running about in bad company before I set him straight though...'

'Bad company?' Leotred asked.

'O aye,' Ferdi nodded wisely. 'Seems he took a long trip with a scruffy ranger and a dwarf and a few hobbits of the Shire who ought to have known better... They corrupted him, you know.'

'Corrupted him?' Fastred repeated, fascinated.

'O aye,' Ferdi said. 'Instead of them learning of him some of those fancy elvish ways, they taught him hobbit songs and stories and games. Why, I understand his folk won't even let him in, back home in the Greenwood, anymore; made him go off South somewhere or other and set up his own dwelling place.'

'Don't believe a word he says,' the Thain said grimly.

'Now what have I said that isn't true?' Ferdi protested. 'Name me one thing.'

Pippin sputtered.

'Hah,' Ferdi said in satisfaction. He gulped the last of his tea and handed the mug to the open-mouthed serving lass. 'Are we going to sit around here all the day, or are we going to take Regi back to Tuckborough before his poor wife pops?'

***

There was one more day's delay while Elessar, his staff, and the advisors to the newly crowned King of Haragost worked out details, such as the release of slaves, and return of lands to their rightful owners.

General Ha'alan would act as regent to the young King until he came of age, two years hence. In the meantime, Elessar invited King Ha'alas to travel with him, to see personally to the return of the hobbits to their homeland, then to visit the North-kingdom, and finally to travel through the lands from Fornost and New Annuminas to Minas Tirith, and south to Haragost again.

General Ha'alan considered, and consented to the plan, naming it an excellent education for the young King. Elessar's advisors told him that the honourable old soldier would be a trustworthy guardian of the young King's land and people, and Elessar was inclined to agree.

The littlest hobbits were in a fair way to be spoilt by the attentions of Elessar's army and the people of Haragost, showered with attention and gifts everywhere they went, had not Celandine so much good, solid hobbit sense.

When she began to feel overwhelmed, she herded her little brood to where the dwarves camped, settling them in the midst of this no-nonsense group, where grunts and grumbles were more prevalent than gushes and goo.

Gimli welcomed them, telling them stories, letting the littlest ones settle in his lap with his beard for a blanket, crooning softly in his own tongue as they dropped off to sleep.

One of the dwarves stalked over, to drop a handful of bright ribbons in his lap. 'Bought them off a peddlar, terrible persistent fellow he was, took the pretties off his hands just to get rid of him,' he growled. 'P'rhaps the wee bairns might find them amusing.'

Gimli nodded, and the other moved quietly away, not quite tip-toeing, but making sure his heavy boots made no noise to disturb the little ones' nap.

'That was a lovely thing for him to do,' Celandine said, and yawned.

'Why don't you lie yourself down as well,' Gimli said. 'I'll keep an eye on the little ones for you.'

'I think I will,' the hobbit mum said, stretching out on a blanket roll that had been conveniently laid out nearby. 'I must confess we slept very little, the past few nights.'

'Sleep well, then, and dream in peace and safety,' the dwarf rumbled.

Celandine smiled, sighed, and allowed her eyelids to drift closed. Soon all the hobbits, from mum to tiny babe, were sleeping peacefully. The dwarves sat very quietly, without the slightest rumble to disturb their guests. Gimli found himself nodding as well...

When he awakened, it was to the delightful sound of tiny hobbit giggles, and he looked down to see little Poppy clapping her hands with glee. 'Pretty,' she crowed, smiling up at him. 'Pretty, pretty!'

He smiled back at the lass, unconsciously reaching to stroke his beard, to encounter unfamiliarity. Looking down, he saw that the braids that showed his family and clan had been taken out and replaced with many small braids, bright lengths of ribbon worked in amongst the twists of hair, a work of hobbit art if he'd ever seen one.

'Did you do this?' he asked, and Poppy nodded in delight.

'And Mayblossom and Meadowsweet and Larkspur!' she announced proudly.

Celandine awakened and rubbed her eyes. 'O Poppy,' she began in distress.

The little face turned sober, and the wide eyes went from mother to dwarf. 'Isn't it... isn't it...?' she began, but Gimli lifted her up, to give her a gentle hug.

'It is nearly perfect,' he said gallantly. 'I think your mother just wanted to point out a little spot you missed. Here now...' he said, pulling the errant hair out to make it more convenient for little fingers. 'You get to braiding this. I think I see one more piece of ribbon, isn't that handy?'

***

The message proceeded at speed up the Harad Road, the riders changing horses every twenty miles, where the army had left re-mounts for just such a relay. Passing Minas Tirith, the riders split, one going to the White City, one to Ithilien, and the rest towards Rohan and ever northward, until at last the word reached Buckland, bringing the news to the folk of the Shire.

"By order of King Elessar, I, Targil, write this message.
"We have found the hostages and set them free.
"They shall travel by ship to Buckland,
"and with fair winds should arrive in the New Year.
"Hobbits rescued: Blossom, Poppy, Larkspur"...

***

Author's Notes from original posting:Note to Readers:

Thank you for the comments! Reviews keep the Muse happy.

Pansy Chubb, My little ones still do my hair up on occasion, usually whilst I am reading aloud to them. You cannot imagine how gorgeous I am when they have finished...

Xena and Bookworm, I went to canoe camp in my teens, and our group had a male and a female counselor. One day, the male counselor, who had a long, bushy beard and long hair, went to sleep after a swim, after a hard day of paddling and carrying canoes over portages. Would you believe that our gaggle of giggly 13- and 14-year-olds braided his hair and beard in tiny braids and tied each braid with a bright red ribbon, all while he slept? Yes, I confess. We did. ...and he was a very good sport about the whole thing, even when he took the braids out, finally, and discovered we had "zapped" his hair (braiding it wet, letting it dry, it stood out as if he'd stuck his finger in an electric socket).

Have written well ahead in this story (am at chapter 34 already, can you believe it?), so look forward to daily updates for the nonce, unless something happens to interrupt.

I have added a new chapter to "Flames" as well, in case you are following that story.