The trade canoe slowly drew away and turned upriver carrying all I knew and loved away from me. My Da, Ramson Sirdan, turned and called back to me, "You take care Ash. I'll pick you up here this fall. Be safe son." With powerful strokes of their paddles he and his brother Franklin drove our family canoe, Greygull, upriver toward the crumbling remnants of Fornost with a load of Shire wheat safely stowed. Resolutely I pulled my tunic down smooth and shoved the sense of panic growing in my chest away. Turning, I shouldered my pack, picked up my walking staff and headed south from the docks at The Bridge of Stonebows along the road to Stock. The King's agent Thala was reported to be there recruiting adventurers to assist her with clearing the East Farthing. Da is the Headman of our Shiredain sept and he has sent me as our people's contribution and so that we would have eyes and ears in The Shire and involved in the security measures taken by King Aranath. It was a beautiful late spring morning and it beckoned me onward with gentle breezes and the warbling of songbirds. The walk to Stock from the Bridge is not a long one so after a few hours of gentle exercise I reached Stock.
The Golden Perch occupies one side of the town square and a long table had been set up out front. A Dunadan ranger sat on one side, opposite was a small group of people, a tall elf wearing a beautiful cloak carrying a longbow with a sword tip poking out beneath the cloak, a Shire hobbit with a crossbow strapped to his back and wearing chain mail, dwarf fully covered by his dwarven mail and helm and finally a human man wearing the robes of a wizard. I joined them in the queue and gave my name and age to Ranger Thala when it came to be my turn. When she asked me what my skills were, I told her I could handle a boat on any river in Eriador, that I knew the use of quarterstaff and crossbow, could read, write and cypher and what I did not know about beasts of burden could be written in large script on a hobbit's calling card. The ranger laughed at my boasting but said she imagined the other adventurers could use my help and that I could keep a written record of their adventures for her. And so I became a member of the East Farthing Royal Company of Adventurers and was introduced to my companions.
The elf has come all the way from Lothlorien east of the Misty Mountains. Back at home in Pinnath Ceren, we of the Dolduinadan know of elves and occasionally meet and host one or another of the Wandering Companies. So we have heard tales of the mystery and beauty of Lothlorien and the peace and quiet of Imladris. But to actually meet one who called one of these places home was exciting and a wonder. The elf introduced himself with a long and complicated name that fled my memory almost as soon as I heard it. Fox was part of it so I will call him Fox as I write our tale. The hobbit is typical for his kind, the Harfoot clan. He is of darker skin and rather small even for a hobbit. He is a cleric of Yavanna and can cast divine spells. His name is Gorssam. He gave no family name. The dwarf hails from Khazad-dûm and uses the name Bufur. He wields an axe in battle. The human is a wizard, I shall see yet more magic. His name in Meryl and he comes from a family of rivermen like me! What a surprise that is. I know his family, mine has nighted over at his family's housestead at Gridley Island. It is a small world at times. Ranger Thala has provided us with lodging at the Golden Perch for this first night of our fellowship. We are to leave at first light on our first task, to patrol the road south through Rushy and on to Deephallow. From there we are to take the road to Willowbottom. We are to remove any obstacles we find, to drive off or kill any wandering vermin or monsters we encounter and to let the inhabitants know that King Aranath is taking steps to restore law and order in his Kingdom. It has been a long and eventful day. As I climb into my bed I wonder where my father, uncle and Greygull are and hope they are both fine and safely tied off in some quiet backwater. As I considered the question it struck me he might very well be tied up at Gridley Island dining with Meryl's family even as I have dined with Meryl.