We rode with them Elves as far as the North Downs. Them took a turnin’ ter what they said was an Elven Haven. A place where the Lady could get a horse and some more suitable clothes. Not that I thought she or Lord Estarfin minded riding together, but the poor horse likely had a long journey ahead, an’ would do better with just one rider. Norlomë was her name. I liked her, even though she be very tall. Henepa liked her too.
“Good horse, nice horse,” she said. An’ she should know, having ridden on her.
But we Shire-folk, we just wanted the quickest way home. Now that be down the Greenway, like the Elves planned on travellin’, but we didn’t need no visit ter Lin Gilliath, nice though I’m sure it would be. All four of us wanted ter be back among our own folk, with cosy beds an’ baths an’ lots o’ good an’ filling meals. We wanted the stars of the Shire over our heads. We had more than enough of travellin’.
After we all got out that burnin’ smelly house, an’ them decided the way the High Lord had probably been taken (ter a ship at a port!) we all got on our ponies, well them on their horses, an’ set out. I tell yer, an’ no mistake, it be grand travelling out of Angmar! We did have a spot o’ bother. There still be a bit of trouble from them dead but not dead, whose crawlin’ arms chased us. But no crawlin’ arm will overtake my mare, Honey, and if anything dead got close, them Elves just killed it dead again. Tolbold was getting the hang of it too!
It be grand ter see Tolbold so happy again. He and Miss Henepa were ridin’ together as well. I looked at him, an’ I looked at the Lord Estarfin, an’ I thought them both be happy in many ways. (Though Tolbold and Henepa be riding home and ter a welcome back meal if I knew their friends, whereas Lord Estarfin an’ his Lady were riding on in search of the missing High Lord Parnard. Them may not have a welcome back meal for some weeks.)
An’ then there be Gaisarix. He be good ter ride with, no swayin’ an no grabbing at Honey’s mane or at meself. But he be sad. Now I knew he be happy to be rescued, and ter see the Lady safe, but he also knew he stood no chance with dear Henepa. She known Tolbold for some time, I thought, just like the Lady tell me she known Lord Estarfin over six and a half THOUSAND years. (I giggle at that. Yer would think they be wed by now. Elves! What can yer do with ‘em?) Anyways, I chatted a bit to Gaisarix, telling him how brave I think he is, an’ that just make him more unhappy.
“I didn’t do a thing,” he wailed in me ear. Him be riding behind me yer see. “I couldn’t fight off them rough Men, an’ I couldn’t lead ‘em a chase after me so Miss Henepa could escape. An’ I did nothin’ when they tried ter pull Miss Henepa apart to make them Elves lay down their weapons. An’ I did nothin’ when them bundled us on their boat. An’ then I did nothin’ fer the rest of the journey, save tried ter make sure Miss Henepa got enough food an water. I got a smack round me head a few times fer that, but it be no matter. Then I let ‘em set her aside ter be killed by them Barrow Hounds, an’ then I let that Dwarf give me a cup o’ tea with a sleepin’ draft in it! Stupid, stupid Hobbit.”
I told him he was not stupid. He keep Henepa as safe as was possible. He be one lad against rough men an’ proper guards. “We can each only do what we can do, Gaisarix. It be no use wailin’ over not doin’ what we can’t do.”
He sort of smiled at that. Then he took a look at the Elves ridin’ ahead. “But Lord Estarfin, him would have taken ‘em all down.”
“Yes indeed,” I told him, saying the obvious. “But him be a sort of protector-trained-fighter Elf. Yer not be that.” I thought a moment more. “But if yer want ter be more like him, yer can kneel down beside Honey next time we ride, and offer yer hand so as I can climb up on yer leg.”
He chuckled. “I can do that, right enough.”
“Well the Lady not be her usual self, anyone can see that.” I turned to look at her. Though I had never met her before, she be so frail lookin’ against them other Elves. She was still unearthly pale of face, and her features were etched with concern (fer the High Lord, probably?) but she was calm. Given a few weeks or so, or maybe sooner being what she was, she would be fit as a fiddle again. “But I not say ‘no’ ter a noble gesture.”
The both of us laughed softly, an’ a little ahead, Tolbold an’ Henepa turned their heads ter see what we be laughin’ at.
An’ I saw Captain Culufinnel, riding rear guard. Him be the least happy, of course. There be no comfort fer him while his brother be missin’.
I asked Gaisarix if he knew him, but he shook his head. “I didn’t know the High Lord had a brother. But I know how I would feel if someone grabbed Sarno.”
I nodded, “Or how Sarno feels with someone grabbin’ yer?”
Gaisarix sighed. “I fail me brother too.”
“Stop it now. Yer goin’ home.”
This Captain be an Elf of some presence too. Him have long golden lookin’ hair, with a reddish tinge. That may have been them streaks of red lightnin’ in the sky, shining on his head, or maybe him did have reddish hair? Whichever it was, him have a stern an’ capable look ter him. Nothing much like the noble High Lord the others were so fond of. I wondered a bit about where he be, an’ what he be thinkin’? Henepa an’ the Lady, them have folk who love ‘em, but the poor High Lord was likely lookin’ at some pre-arranged marriage, that is, one arranged without his say-so. I wished an’ wished he be rescued before that happened. An’ then, fer a few moments I thought about meself. Me dream was bust. I had saved Lord Estarfin from that burning beam o’ wood from the rafters. An’ I felt good? Such a small thing it was; a shove in the right direction. If him had died, it would have been very sad. It would have been a waste. Now I knew the Lady an’ others would have been distraught, but was that it? I had that dream about havin’ ter save an Elf, an’ one that certainly looked like him, since I was in me tweens. An’ then there were the words me old Gammer had said ter me. “Yer should be thinkin’ of findin’ a good lad ter settle down with, an’ having a family an’ workin’ at what yer enjoy. But yer can’t do that with visions in her head. Yer have a gift of foresight, lass, an’ that be both blessin’ an’ curse. Yer can never truly settle down till yer done what yer meant ter do.” So said me Pa’s Ma, me Mam-maw. An’ she be right old.
An’ now, have I done all I was meant ter do? Is Lord Estarfin needed fer some other purpose? I don’t rightly know, but I do have a feelin’ that be the end o’ me dreams. Perhaps, when we get back ter Tighfield, I can answer Sarno’s questions about if I dream of him more openly.
