9. Heart-felt Reunion

‘...but you ought to see the view from here!’ Bandobras called, making his voice sound much more jovial than he felt. He had neither the time nor the inclination to present his arguments in front of the staring crowd surrounding them. 

At the thoughtful look his older brother directed at him, the scout groaned inwardly. Ferumbras knew him all too well.  

Nevertheless, he poked Friend gently and asked the horse to “down”. To the delight and astonishment of the onlookers, Friend folded his forelegs and bowed his head to the ground. 

Bandobras held out his hand. ‘Come up!’ 

Ferumbras goggled. 

***  

Somehow Bandobras convinced his incredulous brother to join him on Friend’s back, whereupon the horse scrambled to all four feet once more. 

With no time for pleasantries, he urged, ‘We need to find the Thain!’ 

‘You wish to show off your new pet?’ Ferumbras said whimsically. 

‘Ferry! I’m serious!’ 

Ferumbras nearly upset as he turned to meet Bandobras’ gaze, but Friend scooped his back somehow to “catch” the hobbit and secure his seat. 

Gasping at his near-fall, the older brother turned his head more cautiously to say, ‘How can I be serious, riding upon an Oliphaunt!’ 

‘Ferry!’ 

‘O very well!’ 

***  

Ferumbras thought their father would be at the butts, for the archery finals were scheduled to follow nuncheon. 

‘Better and better!’ Bandobras said fervently, though he did not take the time to explain, merely guided their mount in the new direction and urged the beast to “walk on”. 

At first Friend had to lower his head and nudge curious hobbits out of his way as he walked, but soon the hobbity impediments caught the beast’s purpose and parted before him, then fell in with the other onlookers and trotted alongside and behind the horse and his riders, a curious parade. 

***  

Standing on the archery grounds as the Mayor prepared to announce the final rounds that would assess and reward the best archers in the Shire, at least for this year, Thain Isumbras first heard the cheers and then saw the commotion approaching the butts, raising a cloud of dust. ‘Here now!’ he barked at the Master of the Tournament and the Mayor. ‘This is hardly the time or place for a processional! Opening or closing the Faire with a grand spectacle is one thing, but...’ 

‘It is not my doing,’ demurred the Master, and the Mayor hurried to follow suit. 

One might imagine the Thain’s chagrin at seeing two of his sons heading the parade, perched upon an impossibly tall horse and thus threatening to disrupt the proceedings! And worse, a goodly number of the finalists were Tookish archers! 

‘Da!’ came a shout from one of the miscreants.  

Isumbras started, then shielded his eyes to squint at the taller of the riders. ‘Bandobras?’ he gasped. Why, they’d had no word from the lad since spring planting had begun, and being busy with spring planting had left the Tooks little time to fret about the absence of news, good or otherwise. The Thain cleared his throat and bellowed, ‘What’re you doing here?’ 

‘Looking for you!’ Ferumbras shouted. 

‘Looks like you’ve found ‘im!’ shouted a wit in the crowd. General hilarity ensued. 

The horse quickly brought its riders to the astounded Thain, Master and Mayor and bowed down, allowing them to slide safely to the ground. Ferumbras stood beaming as the Thain heartily embraced his younger son, speaking words of welcome. 

‘Da!’ Bandobras cried, tears of joy streaming down. ‘O but it’s good to see you again!’ 

‘And you,’ Isumbras murmured into his son’s shoulder, thumping his back with a glad fist. 

***