Chapter Seventeen: I Become a Ranger

The Rangers and their families, I was pleased to learn, celebrated Yule much the same way as we did in the Shire, with greenery, a bonfire, song and feasting. One thing was different: the wedding. It was not usual to have a wedding at Yule in the Shire, and on the rare occasions when such a thing had taken place, it had been during the day.

But Dirhael and Ivorwen were wed on the night of the bonfire. The ceremony was much different than a Shire wedding. Ivorwen was attended by Moriel, and Dirhael was attended by Arador, but they were not there as witnesses-- nor was there any contract, nor seven witnesses, nor red ink.

Instead, they stood before Argonui as Chieftain. He heard their vows to one another, vows to be faithful and to honour one another. They exchanged rings, something else that hobbits rarely do, and then the Chieftain bound their wrists together with ribbons, and held their joined hands up for all to see. Then he invoked the "blessings of the Valar" upon the couple (something I still was not quite clear about) and introduced them to the community as husband and wife.

The newlyweds led off the dancing, and a jolly time was had. I listened to the songs-- many of them had the same tunes as songs I knew in the Shire, though the words were different. I did not try to join the dancing-- I still felt somewhat shy of drawing attention to myself, but it was pleasant to watch.

Dirhael and Ivorwen were a well-suited couple. Ivorwen was, as were most of the people of the town, dark-haired and grey-eyed like her husband. She was taller and more slender than many of the women, and she had a sharp wit and a level mind. Often when Dirhael would wax poetic-- which, of course, had earned him his nickname-- she would say something clever to make him laugh and bring him back down to earth. And yet, I also often saw her listening to him with her eyes shining with pride as well. She was well-known in Two Rivers for her skill in spinning and weaving, although there were often jests made about her cooking abilities. Dirhael had teased me, that I should offer cooking lessons to his bride as a wedding gift. I could tell he was half-serious, and so I approached her about it. She had been delighted, for she confided in me that she was not so skilled in the kitchen as a bride was expected to be. Dirhael was going to find himself in for a surprise.

The winter was pleasant. We had more snow than I was accustomed to in the Shire, but it was never heavy, and seldom stayed on the ground for long. I enjoyed playing in the snow with young Thorn, and the other children of the town. I was in a rather useful position as a child-minder: as an adult, I was trusted to watch over them, and had the authority to be obeyed. But since I was their size, they thought of me as a playmate, and so welcomed my company-- I never had to threaten them with any other punishment than to be banished from my presence for a time. And usually the threat was enough to bring instant compliance.

They also enjoyed learning the stories an songs and games of the Shire. I wrote a letter to my parents, which I hoped to get a chance to send when Spring arrived. I told them I was well, and was finding new friends among the Men I had met, and that I hoped to come home one day-- but not yet.

Finally, the weather began to break, and Lord Argonui and Arador began to make plans for the patrols of the Rangers. Archer, whose name I had learned was Pilimor (though even among his own people, he went by Archer--for some reason he was not fond of his given name) and Stark, whose name was Beron, would be returning to the Western patrol, but this year, Argonui himself was taking out a patrol to the South, although his patrol would be leaving slightly later--they had a longer journey to make, and were awaiting some news of the area they were going to. Arador was leading a group of Men to the North, for there had been a rumour of wolves-- and he desired to investigate, to see whether they were ordinary wolves (which sounded bad enough!) or a kind of wolf they called "Wargs", which were bred by the Enemy, and were much more cunning and fierce.

All the while I had been among them, I heard rumour of this Enemy, who would have been pleased to destroy the Dúnedain. Yet no one seemed to wish to speak of who this Enemy was, nor of why he was so dangerous. It would be a long time before I had the full story, and although I understood that the people I dwelt among believed in this Enemy, I am sorry to say, that for myself I did not, not quite-- not for a very long time.

Preparations for the Men to go out began-- weapons were honed, maps were studied, supplies were gathered.

I was feeling very much out of place at this time. I was uncertain of what would be expected of me, and I was uncertain of what I wished to do.
The day before the patrols were preparing to head forth, Arador called me aside.

"Trotter, you have made a place for yourself among us here, but I do not wish to take anything for granted. What are your plans?"

I blinked, taken aback. "I've made no plans-- I do not know what you wish of me."

Arador smiled. "I see. Well, as far as I can tell, you have four choices: you may stay here-- my wife and my mother would be very pleased about that--as would my son. Or you may go out with one of the patrols. If you go to the West with Beron and his group, you may also have the opportunity to return to the Shire. Or you may go with my patrol, and see lands you have not seen before. If you stay here, you should be safe enough, but if you go with either patrol, you will be in danger at times, just as the rest of us Rangers are."

I stared at him for a moment. He had said "the rest of us Rangers". Did he consider me one of them? I was not ready to go back to the Shire yet-- I did miss my family greatly, but there was so much of the world I had not yet seen. And although I loved Two Rivers, I wished to be with my Ranger friends. I only thought for an instant, before I said "I will go with you, Arador, if you will have me."

He grinned. "I had hoped you would say that. Make your preparations, then, Ranger Trotter. You will be leaving with us early tomorrow. We shall be joined later by the twin sons of Elrond-- they will meet us along the way."