Blossom felt momentary panic as the coach left the gates of Bree and turned south down the Greenway. This was it. The adventure was about to begin.

       Marjy leaned forward and took Blossom's hands in hers. "Everything will be fine, dear. We're all feeling it a bit but we're all in this together."

       Araminta agreed. "We're lucky. We don't have to walk all the way like the Travellers did, and we're not being pursued by orcs and Black Riders."

       Blossom smiled and wiped her palms with her handkerchief. "Sorry. I'm being daft."

       Minta disagreed. "It isn't daft at all, dear. Only natural we all feel a bit strange. None of us Shire-folk on this trip have been this far before." She placed baby Jonquil in Blossom's arms. "Be a pet and hold her for me while I find a fresh napkin. She likes you."

       The baby proved an excellent distraction and Blossom was soon looking eagerly out at the scenery. To the west they could see the misty edges of the valley of the Barrow-downs, while to the east were the South Downs, rolling swathes of green with occasional mysterious figures carved into the chalk, not unlike the ones on the Far Downs. Blossom remembered that Mister Frodo had given her a map, and rummaged in her bag for it. When the other lasses saw it they all wanted to see where they were and follow the journey to its destination. The baby, changed and fed, was settled in her basket, the folding table set up and the map spread out for everyone to peruse.

       "So we're.........here? So we go down the Greenway, across the River Greyflood at Tharbad, cross the......what's that? ........Enedwaith.... to the Gap of Rohan. Well that looks reasonable. No mountains to cross, and the rivers have proper bridges, so Pippin said." Phlox pointed with her finger and traced the line of the Greenway.

       "Sam said the one at Tharbad was restored, although people have never returned to the settlement there. He says the new bridge is a fine stone one, made by Mister Gimli's people."

       "I wonder if there'll be time to see Isengard?" pondered Marjy.

       "I hope we meet the Ents! Wouldn't that be exciting?"

       Phlox peered at the map. "We go to Edoras (by Yule hopefully) and then follow the road down here, through the....Firien Wood, across the Mering Stream, round the........," she turned her head to read the word, "Druadan Forest and so to the City."

       "I'm sure someone said the Mering Stream marks the border between Rohan and Gondor," said Marjy.

       "And there is Mordor," whispered Minta, pointing to the enclosed land with its border of mountains on three sides. "Fancy walking all that way!" She shuddered. "There's the mountain. Merry says nearly half of it has gone now."

       "The Travellers didn't go the way we're going, did they? Let's see.............." Phlox leaned over and studied the portion of the map with Eriador drawn on it. "They went from Bree into the wild...."

       "With the mysterious Strider!" Blossom giggled.

       "With the strange and menacing Ranger! They camped there - see? - and that's where Frodo was stabbed. Then they went to Rivendell........"

       "Oooh look! The Trollshaws! That's where Bilbo Baggins and the dwarves were nearly eaten!"

       "Yes, and the trolls are still there. Sam said when they were in the dell they saw them."

       Phlox was squinting at the map agan. "When they left Rivendell they tried to go over the mountains, then went through Moria and into Lothlorien, and from there they went down the river to Amon Hen, where poor Captain Boromir was killed." Frodo had written Boromir died here over the place.

       "Wasn't that where Sam and Mister Frodo left the company?" asked Blossom.

       "Yes, and Merry and Pippin were captured and carried off by those......whatchermacallums.......the big orcs from Isengard." Minta frowned as she tried to recall the name, without success. Exasperated, she pulled down the window and called out to Halacar, who was nearest. "Excuse me, sir, but what were those huge orcs from Isengard called? I cannot remember the name."

       "Those were the Uruk-hai, Mistress Minta. It is rumoured that they were the result of crossing orcs and Men."

       "Errgghh!" Phlox shuddered. "I don't want to think about that! Some of those ruffians in the Shire were part-orc so Pippin said."

       The Man nodded in agreement. "No indeed. That is something none of us want to examine too closely, and certainly not just before lunch!"

                                                                         ************

       The day had blended into night with a clear sky bruised with a winter sunset as the party halted at a word from Hallas. The two young Rangers left the road, urging their horses down a shallow slope and into some bushes on the left. After a few minutes Dirhael returned and waved the others forward. Less than ten yards further on was a path and the coach and carts were steered gently down into the dip and through the bushes. They found themselves in a clearing, where two pavillions - one smaller than the other - had been set up and two areas at the back screened off. A fire was burning brightly, sparks fluttering orange against the darkness, and the clearing was filled with the aroma of roasting rabbit and cooking vegetables. Grazing at the edge of the clearing were three horses: one appeared to be a chestnut, one a roan and the third was a striking silver-white. Two dark-haired Elves busied themselves tending the fire and stirring the pot, and a third Elf stood silently under the trees, singing softly as he groomed the white horse.

       "Welcome, friends!" called Elladan cheerfully.

       Everyone greeted the sons of Elrond with delight.

       "Oh dear. I can never tell them apart," Blossom sighed.

       "My dear Mistress Blossom, it is very easy," smiled Elladan. "I am the handsome one."

       "And I'm the intelligent one," murmured Elrohir smoothly.

       The fair-haired Elf approached and bowed. Brand had the impression he was veiling his light and power because they would be too much for mortals to bear. This was the one who had confronted the Black Riders at the Ford, the Elf who had died killing a Balrog and gone to the Halls of Mandos before being returned to live again. He looked into the eyes and saw the wisdom and sorrow and joy of ages.

       "You are all most welcome. We have prepared a bathing tent for Men and a smaller one for the Shire-folk. Each has a brazier to warm you. Supper will be ready soon, and we shall help to put up your tents. You have done well to travel this far in a day and you must be ready for a meal and a rest."

       "Thank you, my Lord Glorfindel," said Brand, making the introductions. "You did not sail with Lord Elrond?"

       "No, I am not yet ready to leave Middle-earth. Besides, someone is required to keep these two young ones in order." Glorfindel gestured towards his companions, who managed to look completely unrepentant. He smiled at a suddenly shy Tornilac and the little one toddled slowly forward.

       Freddy had no such inhibitions. "Fedegund Took, at your service, Mister Glorfidel!" he declared, bowing to the surprised Elf.

       "Welcome, Master Fredegund and Master Tornilac. And who is this tiny one?" He rested his hand gently on the baby's brow and she smiled happily at his blessing.

       "Our daughter, Jonquil."

       "She is very lovely, like her name-flower. Come, let me show you ladies to the bathing-tent, as I'm sure you would like to freshen yourselves before the meal."

       Blossom was very touched to find that the Elves had made considerable preparations for them. A sheltered area behind some low bushes had been screened off to use as a privy. The hobbits' large bathing tent had a brazier which glowed warmly, with a large cauldron of steaming water over it and a jug nearby . There was a low table with a basin and two leaf-shaped bars of soap. They unpacked their towels and washed, the baby was changed and the faunts were re-aquainted with a flannel - much to their disgust - before they all returned to the clearing, to find the two hobbit tents up. The two couples with children would share one and Gil, Marjy, Nibs and Blossom the other.

       They were soon settled on logs around the fire, with blankets over their knees, as the Steward and Elladan served up the rabbit and vegetables. It was cosy and fun and even Blossom was enjoying the experience, particularly as there were mushrooms in the stew.

                                                                          ************

       When the meal was over the hobbit males and the Men all produced their pipes, careful to sit downwind of the Elves. Torni drowsed on his father's lap, Jonquil slept in her basket and Freddy snuggled on Erithain's lap, wrapped in the Ranger's cloak.

       "How are the Ringbearers?" asked Glorfindel.

       "Frodo and Sam? They're both very well," said Brand. "They would have come with us but Rose is expecting another baby in Thrimidge."

       "Another?" cried Elladan. "That's wonderful news." He turned to Glorfindel. "You really should visit the Shire. It has a peace and beauty coupled with a joy in the simple pleasures which make one feel totally at home."

       "I can see I shall have to do so. I have heard so much about it. I have travelled through it, of course, but I have never visited the populated areas."

       "You would be most welcome, my lord," Brand assured him.

       Nibs addressed the elf-lord a little hesitantly, his curiosity too great to be ignored.

       "There's one thing I don't really understand, sir. You made a prophecy, I believe, many long years ago, about the......the leader of the ...Black Riders."

       "Far off yet is his doom, and not by the hand of Man will he fall," Glorfindel murmured. "The gift of foresight was granted to me in that moment. What is it that puzzles you, Master Nibs?"

       "Well, why did he think that meant he couldn't be killed at all? If that had been me I'd have been worried about all sorts of dangers. Even if he didn't think a woman could kill him, and he didn't know about hobbits, why didn't he worry that he'd be killed by an Elf such as yourself - beggin' your pardon, my lord - or a Dwarf? Then there's Wizards, orcs, trolls, dragons, spiders.......and his Master. I would never have assumed I couldn't be killed with all that lot around."

       Everyone was started by the Elf's laughter. "My dear Master Nibs, forgive me. I am not laughing at you but with joy and wonder at the common-sense of hobbits. If only that creature had possessed one hundreth of your good honest hobbit-sense the world would have been a better and safer place. I'm afraid the Witch-King took me both too literally and not literally enough, in the arrogance of evil which affects all those who seek to dominate others. Even I could not possibly know how the prophecy might be fulfilled but I thought he might wonder about such as Gandalf."

       "Instead he was defeated by a hobbit of the Shire and a Shieldmaiden of Rohan. The small and overlooked triumphed, as Frodo and Sam did over his Dark Master." The Steward laughed. "The great arrogance of the powerful means they fail to see the dangers."

       "In the Shire we say pride goes before a fall," said Nibs.

       "Saruman discovered the same truth, brought down by the Ents he had dismissed and finally defeated, not by his fellow Wizards but by hobbits defending their land."

       "Our King does not think like that."

       "He is a rare one, humble despite his power, always thinking of others and not abusing the trust of those he rules."

       "He is indeed. My friends, it grows late. We should think about getting these sleepy little ones to bed and organising the night's watch," said Erithain, stroking a slumbering Freddy's curls.

       After helping to wash the dishes in the nearby stream the group prepared for rest. Brand had a whispered discussion with the other hobbit men-folk and then spoke. "We have agreed that we will take our share of the watch. We are happy to do so."

       "We should do so too," said Minta. "It doesn't seem fair for us not to."

       "Nay, we have never asked our women-folk to take the watch. Besides, two of you have children to look after and need your rest," said the Steward.

       The ladies had a hasty conversation. "In that case we will cook supper and breakfast," declared Marjy firmly. "That can be our contribution."

       "Very well, Mistress Marjy, we will take you up on that." Tarondor's words drew whoops from Dirhael and Hallas.

       "Hobbit cooking! Wonderful! And anything will be better than Elrohir's 'partridge in cinders' which we had the other night!"

       "It was hardly my fault that the wretched bird fell off the stick and landed in the fire," Elrohir protested, to laughter from Glorfindel and his brother.

       "My dear little elfling, you swiped it while making an expansive gesture with your fork!"

       "I have to say you rascally older brother is correct."

       Laughing, the group broke up. Nibs and Brand took first watch with Elrohir and Hallas, settling themselves down in the corners of the clearing. Brand fetched his bow from the cart and Nibs gathered a pile of stones, in case missiles were needed. Elrohir placed his own beautiful bow within reach and Hallas had his sword on his belt.

       Blossom and Marjy went to their tent and readied themselves for bed, undoing each other's laces and brushing hair while Gil waited outside, enjoying a last pipe before bed. When Marjy called he knocked out the pipe, scuffed the contents to prevent anything catching fire, and ducked into the tent.

       Blossom snuggled down in her blankets, grateful for Rose's advice about flannel nightwear. She could see the fire through the tent wall and hear the soft movement of horses and ponies. She felt quite safe and drifted off without trepidation. When Nibs finally slipped in behind her, draped an arm round her waist and kissed the back of her neck she stirred and threaded her fingers through his.

       "Goodnight, dearling," he whispered.

       "Good-night, love," she said, and knew no more until the first patch of morning daylight crept into the tent.