The news of my mother's death was a bitter blow to me. Gandalf comforted me as he well knew how to do. How I regretted once more, that I had never taken the chance to see my family at least one more time while I still could. And my poor father! Thankfully, he had many other children and grandchildren to comfort him.

Gandalf gave me news of all my brothers and sisters. Isengrim, who would follow my father as Thain, had been widowed several years earlier, when his wife died in childbirth. The child had not survived its mother, and so it looked as though my brother Isumbras would follow him as Thain. I learned of my many nieces and nephews, and of my younger brother Isengar's own vanishment into Adventure. "I could not see your father's heart broken again, Hildifons. I took Isengar home when I found him."

"You could have made me go home, those many years ago." I said. If Gandalf had made me go home all would have been different.

"I know. But I do not like to gainsay the choice of another, when it is made with the heart. Isengar was ready to return, as you were not."

I was amazed to learn that my lively sister Belladonna had wed a stodgy Baggins, though Gandalf assured me that Bungo Baggins adored my sister to distraction and made her a fine husband--they had one child, a son named Bilbo. I was less surprised to hear that Donnamira had wed a Boffin, for she had a dear friend who was a Boffin and had spent much time among that clan. And it was no surprise at all to me to learn that Mirabella was wife to the heir to Buckland. The Brandybucks and the Tooks often intermarried.

Gandalf remained for a while, as Two Rivers put itself back together after that Fell Winter. The schoolhouse remained closed until the following year, for new furnishings had to be built. Lord Elrond took Lady Meldis back to Rivendell, for her health and spirit had been sadly broken, both by the death of her husband and by her bout with the illness. She lived among the Elves for three years before she finally died.

But gradually things went back to normal. For eighteen years, I continued as the schoolmaster. I had other assistants, now that Oriel had children of her own. But when her youngest child, Halbarad was five years old, she decided to start him early at the school, and return to help me out. And one year earlier, Arathorn son of Arador had finally taken a bride.

He had married Gilraen, the daughter of Dirhael, and the cherished baby of her family. Their courtship had very nearly driven a rift between Thorn and the Poet, who had been such close friends for so many years. The differences in their ages was wide, and Thorn lived a life even more perilous than the average Ranger. But it soon became clear that the love between Thorn and Gilraen was strong and true, and could not be denied. I had been both shocked and honoured when I was asked to stand with Thorn at his wedding! What a day of joy that had been for us all!

The patrols had grown more perilous over the years. We had lost many of our Rangers to bands of roving Orcs, which had somehow become more numerous over the years since the Fell Winter.

I had just finished the day's lessons and dismissed my pupils. Oriel and I were tidying the classroom, and preparing to leave as well, when we heard shouting and clamoring in the streets. A patrol had arrived home early--always a bad sign these days.

Oriel reached for my hand, as she picked little Halbarad up, and we started towards the gate, where we could hear the cries of grief. I was afraid-- clearly, someone in the patrol was dead.

Gaunt and dirty, his face stained with blood and sweat, Thorn rode at the head of the patrol. But cradled in his arms on the saddle before him was the broken body of Arador son of Argonui, his father.

Longshanks. My first and oldest friend among the Rangers had been killed. I felt a keening cry of grief arise from deep within. At the same time, I felt weak, light-headed, and numb. I could not breathe. My hand slipped numbly from Oriel's and I fell to the cobbles of the street.

I vaguely recall a circle of concerned faces about me, but it was not until I wakened later in bed that I learned I had suffered from a seizure of the heart. I was not fit to go to the funeral, and later Thorn came to me, and told me of his father's brave battle with an immense hill-troll, trying to buy time for the rest of the patrol to finish their own battle with a band of Orcs. It had been hopeless, of course, but he had wounded the troll sufficiently that it fled, once its Orc-masters were no more. But Longshanks had taken several blows from the thing's immense club, and he breathed his last in his son's arms.

Elladan and Elrohir had been among the patrol, and it was Elrohir who attended on me, as I began to slowly recover. I was much weaker than once I had been, and my breath came with more difficulty.

It was Elrohir who persuaded me that I needed to return to Rivendell. "The climate is far better there for you, and you will be well tended."

I resisted at first, but finally Thorn convinced me. "Please go, Trotter. I will rest far easier in my mind knowing you have the best care possible."

"Won't you miss me?" I said plaintively.

"You know that I will, my friend. But do this for me anyway. I need to know you are safe."