The day Shire Rose's Hall was opened, I had an important task: I had to carry part of the gold needed for the puchase to Cousin yule. Why I ever decided to store it in the Bree vaults, is beyond me now. But I had no choice but to travel to Bree Town and collect it. It was a nice day for travelling, so I did not mind and neither did my pony Avornbelt who is always keen on running long stretches.
I collected my precious load and divided it over my saddlebags that, to me, seemed to bulge now as if to let the world know that something worth getting was in them. Poppycock! No one can see that, I told myself, but for a moment I regretted I declined the escort cousin Byco wanted to arrange for me. Trying to look very casual (but knowing I could not help blushing again) and whistling a simple tune I rode out of Bree gate. The guard kindly wished me safe travels, but then warned about brigands being seen around the road to Newbury.
As fast as I could I travelled, making use of the daylight and thinking brigands only would operate in the dark, waylaying belated travellers. But still it was getting dusk by the time I arrived in Stock. As always when I am in Stock I chose my road to pass my parental house, to stand still and remember them for a while, and to look at the big tree by the water where I spent so many a happy childhood moment. And as always I felt a lump in my throat and tears welling up in my eyes. I rode on, without looking back anymore. As I rode on, I suddenly realised I was on the Stock road, the infamous Stock road from the songs and warning posters! And it was getting more and more dark. Turning back or spending the night in Stock or Woodhall was no option, cousin yule really needed that gold as soon as possible.
I remembered on old trick I heard about.. I looked in the bags and found pieces of cloth and bits of string and tied the cloth around the hooves of my pony. That way they would make less noise on the cobblestones of the road, but Avornbelt now could not run anymore. In the almost dead silence of the approaching night, the noise of the muffled hooves still sounded to me like strikes of a hammer on an anvil. So much for that old tale! I kept my eyes wide open, ears pricked, alert as I ever could be. And with my heart beating fast I followed my path.
This was now the most dangerous part of the dreaded Stock road, it was almost dark and I carried a treasure. I wished it was all a nightmare, but no. It was reality. To my right a cricket started singing. I looked sideways and thought I saw the leaves of a bush move. Odd, as there was no wind and all other vegetation was motionless. I thought I must have imagined it and moved on.
Just when I was crossing the Wellbridge I heard a voice behind me: Stand and deliver, halfling! No, keep looking in front of you. It was very scary and the brigand started to laugh at me. Then.. suddenly he stopped laughing and let out a soft moan. I looked over my shoulder and saw bushes move again, but on the road behind me was a dead brigand! How did that happen? Peppy, I said to myself, just be glad it did happen. Maybe he had a bad heart or something, the tension of the robbery just got too much for him and you just have been very, very lucky. I made Avornbelt move forward again as quickly as he could.
Not so fast, you!, shouted a voice and two more highwaymen blocked the road in front of me. I don't know how you did that to our brother Arnold, but you'll pay for it with your life! And he readied a crossbow..
What then happened, happened so fast. Too fast to describe, but I will try. A dark clad, dark cloaked hobbit-sized figure suddenly stood in between the two robbers: the one with the crossbow got knocked on the head and fell unconcious, but he still released his bolt which missed me by an inch. I crouched and looked at the other bandit falling down, suffering from a lethal stab with a dagger. The dark figure disappeared again, as quickly as it had appeared. Go, Avornbelt!, I shouted and off we went, away from the bridge, the dead brigands and the mysterious saviour of my life and goods.
I only once stopped to remove the useless clothes from the hooves of my steed and then made my way to Bramblebury, realising it was already later then the appointed time. Before I reached Shire Rose's Hall, I met a very worried cousin Byco who asked where I'd been and whether I was alright. I just nodded and pointed at the saddlebags to indicate the gold was still there. But he shook his head. Never mind the gold, as long as you are okay, he said, looking as if he still was not convinced I was safe. You should have accepted that escort, silly!, he exclaimed.
I gave my Avornbelt in the capable hands of Puki and went inside the Hall. I was met by a delighted cousin yule who was so happy that we had been able to get these halls. She showed me around together with Miss Marbles, leader of the allied kinship Second Breakfast. It is a lovely place our new kinship hall and I was very glad Yule designated one of the rooms as music room and she once more stressed that she wanted Hobbit Heart to perform there. I nodded happily and had forgotten about my earlier predicaments.
In one of the passages I noticed a hobbit lass crouched in a dark corner, eating a meal. She looked very shy and avoided eyecontact. I greeted her and she only mumbled a bit. My, she was even more shy then I on my worst days! Then I noticed her clothing and the daggers on her belt. They still had stains of blood on them. It was you!! You saved me! She jumped up and scurried away like a frightened mouse, before I could thank her. Who was this mysterious hobbit? A member of Shire Rose too?
I asked Byco about it after I told him what had happened on Stock road. He confirmed she is a member of Shire Rose. Byco had sent her after me when I refused the escort of his Shire Rose guardians, to keep an eye on me. I still want to thank that capable bodyguard as soon as I meet her again.
