The Other Child, Part One: A Guest of Tom Bombadil

It had been a restless night in the House under the Hill.  Tom Bombadil stomped about on the hearthrug in his great yellow boots, pausing to trim the wick of a candle on the large oaken mantel.  In a chamber to the left, he could hear soothing words spoken by his beloved Goldberry.

"There now," she crooned to the distraught woman in her care.  "There now, it is almost finished.  You must be strong."

The sunlight had just begun to kiss the uppermost branches of the Old Forest, dappling its leaves with its first rays when the quiet morning was broken by the woman's agonized cry, followed by the shrill mewling of a baby whose life was as new as the day that dawned.

At last Goldberry emerged from her weary vigil, cradling the newborn in her tender arms.  She held it up for Tom's anxious gaze.  He grinned broadly.  "So it's a girl, then, eh?"

Goldberry drew the blanket closer round the baby and smiled.  "She's as hale and hearty as could be hoped for."

"And the woman?"

"She is exhausted but sleeps now.  I shall return the babe to her presently; she will grow hungry soon."

Tom Bombadil gently patted the tiny child on her forehead with his enormous forefinger.  "Her destiny will be great; She smiles on this tiny one."

Goldberry blessed the child with a kiss.  "She has many years to grow, Tom."

Tom sank into his huge chair by the fireside.  "Aye, so she does.  Has the mother spoken her wishes?"

Sighing, Goldberry held the baby to her shoulder.  "Yes.  She has made them very clear.  It is her son on which she has pinned her hopes; indeed, it is Aragorn's fate to lead Middle Earth from its darkening days.  Therefore, we must find this child a home.  It cannot be otherwise."

"Hmph.  I suppose not, and certainly the father is out of the question."

Goldberry chided her husband gently.  "His identity is not clear to us, Tom."

"Isn't it?  She has not been so long away from Rivendell.  And she has his eyes," he added, nodding at the little girl.

"It would explain a great many things," agreed Goldberry.  "Yet she will not speak his name.  She will bear the shame just as she bore this child, in secrecy."

"Let us then help her as we can with her burden."

"We could keep her here, my love," began Goldberry.

Tom shook his head.  "It would not be wise to do so.  But I suppose we must, until we find her a more suitable home.  The woman will return to her people in Eriador soon?"

"Yes.  She means to leave as soon as she is able."

Their conversation was interrupted by a hearty sob from the baby.  "I will take her in now, to her mother."

Tom sat in deep thought for a long time, feeling in his heart great sorrow for Gilraen the Fair, who at that moment nursed her newborn child.

Next: A New Home