Stories of Arda Home Page
About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search
swiss replica watches replica watches uk Replica Rolex DateJust Watches

The Thrum of Tookish Bowstrings, Part 1  by Lindelea

Chapter 23. Reckoning

”I suppose it started on the morning of the Convocation,’ Farry said slowly. ‘Just when it seemed everything was going back to the way it was supposed to be.’

‘Come Farry,’ Diamond said after Pippin had dropped a kiss atop her head and squeezed their young son’s shoulder in passing as he left the breakfast table to take up the day’s work in his study. She got up from the table and went to sit on the comfortable sofa before the fire that Sandy had sparked two hours earlier, when he’d laid the table for early breakfast, nicely warming the small private sitting room in the Thain’s quarters before the family arose.

Diamond patted the seat beside her. ‘At last,’ she said. ‘I think it’s high time we got back to our lessons.’

Ten-year-old Faramir sighed but sat down obediently enough and crowded close as his mum opened the book. Truth be told, he didn’t find his reading lessons all that much of a difficulty. They paled by comparison to the trials of running away to Gondor a little more than a month earlier – thank goodness Ferdi had found him before he’d got too far! – and saving Ferdi and Tolly from banishment by a furious Thain who’d thought they’d had somewhat to do with his son’s disappearance, and then being taken by ruffians, in the Shire in defiance of Elessar’s Edict, and who’d let Farry know in no uncertain terms that his life would last only so long as was convenient for them.

The fever that had gone round the hobbits of the Muster, with some of them falling seriously ill, had disrupted the smooth operations of the Smials just when things should have settled down after Farry’s rescue. The Thain had taken Tolly to meet the King at the Bridge for healing (for the royal party were conveniently on the spot, in the midst of their now-habitual migration between North and South), leaving Regi to run the business of the Tookland whilst Diamond watched over all the domestic matters at the Great Smials. She had the added burden of having to make preparations for the two-day journey to the Bridge to meet the royal party, stopping on their way to Gondor, as had been scheduled months earlier. Regi, already staggering under the weight of many obligations, could offer Diamond little in the way of help and support in her planning. Ferdi, whom Regi (and Pippin, if the truth be told) depended upon heavily in bearing the load, had spent more than a week in bed, recovering from his ruffian-inflicted injuries. 

And then the Thain and his little family had travelled to the Brandywine Bridge to farewell the King and Queen, making their way Southwards again after spending a year in the Northern Kingdom. What a celebration that had been! What joy, after all their recent trials!

And after a day of rest from the return journey, following the departure of the royal party – with so much recent disruption, Pippin, Diamond and Farry had not stayed in Buckland for a visit as they might have at another time – the Thain and wife and son had breakfasted as if this were only a usual day in the Tookland, somewhat dull, perhaps, in its routine. Frankly, a little tedium might be a good thing, at least for the present. Or so Faramir thought privately. Though he was only ten, it seemed to him that his parents were still weary this morning, even after a day of rest.

Though Faramir had yet to see his uncle since their return, he’d gladly received his father’s news that Ferdi was on his feet, as well as Tolly and the rest of the hobbits from the Muster. And so this morning Pippin had gone to his study as was his custom on any usual day.

‘It has been such a long time! Let’s start at the beginning,’ Diamond said. She opened the book to the first page, a brightly illustrated picture of an apple tree heavy with glowing red orbs, and laid it on Farry’s lap. Holding the book steady with one hand, she slipped the other around her little lad and snuggled him with a happy-sounding sigh. She pointed to the letters. ‘A –‘ she prompted.

A is for Apple, hanging ripe on the tree,’ Farry said. The picture gave him a clue, and he’d already learnt this page before his lessons had stopped at the beginning of Yuletide.

‘And B –‘

B is for –‘ he began, only to be interrupted by Sandy, his family’s hobbitservant, clearing his throat.

‘Yes, Sandy?’ Diamond said, looking up. Was it Farry’s imagination, or did the hobbitservant look more grave than his usual dignified manner?

‘Beg pardon, Mistress, but something has come up.’

‘Does my husband need...?’ Diamond began, but Sandy shook his head.

‘There’s a hobbit here to see you,’ he said, ‘actually,’ he corrected himself, ‘he wants a word with the lad.’

‘Farry!’ Diamond said in surprise. Then she rose at seeing the hobbit hovering in the doorway to the private sitting room. Faramir stood up, too, and laid the book aside. His feeling of unease grew, he knew not why, only that Sandy was more solemn than he’d ever seen the hobbit. But his mum laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder. ‘Fortinbrand!’

‘Mistress Diamond,’ the visitor said. ‘I apologise for this interruption, but... I need to ask young Farry a few questions about a matter that has come to my attention.’

‘He’s not made mischief, I hope!’ Diamond said, looking from the visitor to her son and back again. ‘I’m certain he’s put those days behind him...’

‘Not at all,’ Fortinbrand said smoothly. ‘If you don’t mind, Mistress, I’ll just sit down with him here and have a little chat whilst Sandy is sweeping and dusting your apartments. If the lad needs anything at all, Sandy will be here, won’t you, Sandy?’

‘I will be happy to be of service,’ Sandy responded, but to Farry’s heightened senses, something was not quite right.

‘In any event, Mistress,’ Fortinbrand said, ‘I understand you were to be talking with the head holekeeper this morning, something to do with the linens... she’s waiting for you now in the laundries, as a matter of fact.’

‘Waiting for me now?’ Diamond said, obviously befuddled. ‘But I wasn’t to be there for another hour...’

‘She wanted to be sure to have some of your time, Mistress,’ Fortinbrand said. ‘Especially since your meeting from yesterday was postponed until today to allow you some extra rest after your journeyings.’

‘How did you –?’ Diamond said, and then shook her head. It was Fortinbrand’s business to ask questions, usually on the Thain’s or Steward’s behalf, so it was perfectly natural that he’d know about the postponement. ‘Did Pip –?’ she said now, ‘or Regi –?’

‘Mistress,’ he said, inclining his head, saying neither aye or nay to her implied question.

Diamond sighed and threw up her hands. ‘Very well!’ she said. ‘Who am I to gainsay my husband when he has sent the Querier to ask questions!’

Farry saw Sandy’s mouth tighten at the corners, but it was more of a grimace than a smile.

He’d learnt something of patience in his brief – but interminable – sojourn with the ruffians, and so he held his tongue whilst Diamond performed a few last-minute fusses and then took herself out the door to the Thain’s private quarters, separated by a hallway from the more public rooms.

Fortinbrand closed the door to the little sitting room – to Farry’s shock, for he could not remember that door ever being closed before! – firmly behind her immediately after they heard the main door to the suite close, meaning Diamond was on her way to the laundries. ‘We will be uninterrupted,’ he said, dividing a look between Sandy and the small lad.

‘But if Mum forgets something and –?’ Farry began.

‘She will be quite occupied for the next few hours, lad,’ Fortinbrand said. ‘And so will we.’

Farry realised his mouth was hanging open and shut it firmly.

’This was the morning of the Convocation?’ Ferdi said. ‘Pip was in his study with Regi, though Regi was soon called away, I understand, and Hilly and Tolly and I were in the second-best parlour, eating one of the finest breakfasts I can remember the kitchens ever stirring up, and Isen was Messenger, I think, standing outside the Thain’s study door...’ He paused. ‘I imagine Sandy had already been questioned and sworn to silence. And they neatly got Diamond out of the way so that Fortinbrand could set the final stitches in our shrouds by questioning you to confirm or deny what he’d already discovered.’

‘Yes,’ said Farry, though he shuddered at his uncle’s choice of metaphor.

He thought he heard his uncle choke, then, as if in consternation or dismay. ‘They thought to give the condemned a final meal, I suppose,’ Ferdi said. ‘It all makes sense now. We were in the parlour, eating, and Haldi made some excuse or other, and Isen and Adel were taking turns on messenger duty – I imagine they’d all been questioned and sworn to silence as well... and all the while, hobbits were taking down the tables in the Great Room and putting in the benches, and it must not have been long before Tooks and Tooklanders began to arrive, preparatory to banishing us...’

Farry took a shuddering breath.

‘Well then, lad,’ Ferdi said. ‘They can hardly do any worse to me now. So what did you and Fortinbrand talk about?’

‘There now, lad,’ Fortinbrand said. ‘Is it well with you?’ He indicated the sofa, with its abandoned book. ‘Shall we make ourselves more comfortable?’ To Sandy, he said, ‘If you would please fetch the lad a glass of water or somewhat...?’

The hobbit was certainly living up to his title as official Querier, Farry thought sourly, for his uneasy feeling was continuing to grow within him, and what he really wanted at this moment was the comforting presence of his mother. Sitting in her lap, preferably. But he obediently went over to the sofa, picked up the book and closed it with more care than usual, set it on the side table, and sat himself down, meeting the solemn gazes of the adults with a questioning look of his own.

‘Well then,’ Fortinbrand said, sitting himself down and turning to face the lad. ‘I’m sure you’re wondering what this is all about.’

Farry had learnt to hold his tongue in the clutches of the murderous ruffians, to give nothing away that they might use against him or potential rescuers. Better yet, Fortinbrand’s usual unruffled exterior seemed a bit – ruffled, perhaps? taken off balance? – by Farry’s calm silence.

‘Well then,’ the Querier repeated. ‘Sandy? That glass of water?’

The hobbitservant gave a start and offered a slight bow and murmured apology together in the same moment. It was almost never necessary to make a request of him twice; he prided himself on his quality of service. He must be severely rattled, Faramir thought to himself.

As Sandy turned away, Fortinbrand said more quietly, ‘A matter has come to our attention in recent days...’

‘Our?’ Farry said. Just the one word. A question, demanding an answer.

A look of surprise crossed the Querier’s face, after which he appeared to scrutinise the lad more carefully. ‘I have the feeling your father is raising no fool,’ he said quietly, as if to himself.

Faramir tilted his head in consideration. ‘I couldn’t say,’ he admitted candidly. ‘I’ve done any number of foolish things in the last few years.’

Childish things, I should say,’ Fortinbrand corrected. ‘For we must take into consideration your tender years.’

Faramir hmphed internally, but even so, the Querier seemed to read his feelings, for his gaze grew keener. ‘I think, you would say, perhaps, that not everyone has taken your youth into consideration.’

Farry waited. Sandy brought a glass of water and placed it on the side table beside the book, then withdrew without a word, closing the door between hallway and sitting room behind him.

‘The Talk has been fierce,’ Fortinbras said at last, as if feeling his way, and Farry couldn’t help a snort, which brought a smile to the Querier’s face, though there was no humour with it. ‘You’ve heard your share, I take it.’

Farry gave him a nod, short and tight, holding firmly to his feelings.

‘There’s quite a bit of speculation as to why you ran away in the first place, I gather,’ Fortinbrand said. He must have read Farry’s confusion and consternation in his face, for he nodded. ‘Not surprising.’

‘How did you –?’ Farry demanded. ‘They hushed it up! They told me I wasn’t to speak of it, for the harm it would do to my mum and da...! And I didn’t! I promise I said nothing!’

‘Little child that you are,’ Fortinbrand said, his tone gentle, ‘I do not doubt your word, young Faramir.’ He took a deep breath. ‘But the Tooks are very good at piecing small, seemingly unrelated facts together into a scandalous and ultimately damaging whole.’ 

Upset, Farry said, ‘I – I don’t understand...’

‘Faramir,’ the Querier said, laying a hand on the lad’s arm. ‘You did run away, not too long before Yule, when everyone was busy about getting ready for the celebration, and the usual routine was disrupted, and your father was in Buckland, did you not?’

Farry stared at him.

‘The story that Tolly put about was that Ferdibrand had left and taken you with him, to join your father at Brandy Hall, but in truth, you’d told falsehoods to various hobbits to cover your departure – you are too clever by half, lad – and when he found out you’d gone, Ferdi went out after you, to find you, and to bring you to Buckland in truth, to cover up the scandal of your running away.’ The Querier smiled. ‘Tolly is neither devious nor imaginative enough to make up such a story on his own, so I imagine it was Ferdibrand’s idea, though I’ve not yet questioned either of them to be certain.’

Farry opened his mouth and closed it again.

‘So, from what I’ve been able to put together, Ferdi found you and took you on to his sister’s home in the Woody End, where he was supposed to be bringing you to Buckland. But for some reason, he didn’t.’

Farry swallowed hard.

‘And so the Thain, when he sent word that you were to join him – wonderful irony, that – and it became evident that you had disappeared from the Smials, and Reginard returned unlooked-for and found Tolly deep in deceit in covering up your disappearance...’

‘It wasn’t like that!’ Farry said. ‘They were trying to prevent a scandal!’

‘And instead they precipitated one,’ Fortinbrand said calmly. ‘For Regi arrested Tolly, and took him off to the Woody End, where the Thain met up with them, and Ferdibrand... and the Master of Buckland got pulled into it by virtue of his love for his cousin, and his habit of coming to Pippin’s rescue...’

Farry was breathing ragged breaths now, and the Querier stopped speaking and reached over him to take up the glass of water. ‘Drink now, lad,’ he said.

Farry complied. He was trying to calm himself, for he’d heard his da talk about keeping calm in the face of the storm, lest your emotions betray you, but... Farry was only ten. This storm was threatening to sweep him off his feet. 

‘Good lad,’ Fortinbrand said when Farry had taken a few sips and set the glass aside again, sitting himself up straight and square to face the coming questions. ‘Now, your mother has undoubtedly taught you the importance of telling me the truth, and all that is truth, in your answers, has she not?’

Farry, noting the omission of his father from this statement, gave the Querier a quizzical look. He had the impression that Fortinbrand was not one to use words carelessly. But all the lad asked was, ‘All that is truth?’ 

Fortinbrand said, ‘There is something called a “lie of omission”, lad, do you know what that is?’

Farry could guess, but he shook his head. From what he’d read of the situation, especially Sandy’s reactions, this was serious business. Perhaps deadly serious, he really didn’t know. But he had better be sure of what he knew, and not rely on guesses.

‘It’s when you know the truth, but you don’t tell it, and you let someone else make an assumption, sometimes the wrong assumption. That is what makes it a lie, even though it is the other person who speaks it. By your silence...’

‘I understand,’ Farry said.

Fortinbrand fixed him with a keen eye. ‘So do I have your word that you will give me all the truth you know in answer to my questions, and not just what you think I wish to know or even what you think I need to know? Can you let me be the judge of what useful information might consist of?’

‘Are you going to judge Ferdi and Tolly?’ Faramir said.

He got the feeling that he’d stunned the Querier silent, and to cover his confusion and fear, he took up the glass of water again and took a deep draught.

’All this talk of water is making me thirsty,’ Ferdi complained.

’You asked for this story,’ Farry countered.

’So I did, lad,’ Ferdi said. ’So I did.’

At last, Fortinbrand seemed to make up his mind. ‘I am not the judge, Farry,’ he said quietly. ‘It is not my place; I am simply tasked to ask as many questions as I can think of, and to turn the information over to those who will judge the case, that they may make the proper decision.’

He leaned a little towards the lad and dropped his voice. ‘So, lad,’ he said. ‘I need to hear it from your own lips. Did you run away?’

‘Why do you need to know?’ Farry said stubbornly.

‘Because if you did not run away – should you try to hide the fact to spare your parents from the buffeting of the Talk by denying it, or even should you choose to withhold your answer –‘ Farry met the challenge in the Querier’s eye, telling a falsehood by omission, ‘– why then, the outcome for Ferdibrand and Tolibold looks ever-increasingly bleak.’

*** 

Author's note:

A ten-year-old Hobbit child would be roughly between six and seven years of age for a child of Man. 





<< Back

Next >>

Leave Review
Home     Search     Chapter List