Chapter Six - The Thain Holds Court
"Cousin Lalia was officially pronounced dead by a healer, and the following day in the afternoon Pearl and myself were standing before a multitude of relatives in the Thain's Study. That was the first time I had ever been inside the office of the Thain, and I was a bit nervous at first. Our father had a host of serious questions to answer to the rest of the family, and rightly so. Cousin Lalia was quite loved and generally liked in spite of her greatness, and it seemed that I was the only one besides the accused to witness the event in question. Pearl then was seated in a chair off to the side, and was not allowed to speak. Other than answering questions asked of me, I was not allowed to speak either.
"It was Cousin Ferumbras, The Thain, who held court, so to speak. Since no Took was ever believed to have killed another hobbit on purpose before, the rule was made then and there by the Thain, and now also The Took, that an inquisition should be held. Later that evening, a ruling would be made as how to proceed with the accused--if found guilty.
"Father sat silently in his chair next to Ferumbras III, and would act in Pearl's defense, if needed. The Thain leaned forward in his leather high-back chair, looking at me straight in the eyes.
'Do you understand why you are here, Peregrin?'
"I gaze apprehensively at the rest of my kinsmen in the room. 'Yes, sir.' I say.
'Do you understand, Peregrin, that Pearl is accused of deliberately allowing the chair of Lalia Took to tip and fall down the garden steps, resulting in her death?'
"I swallowed hard, remembering the horror of yesterday, and knowing I must maintain decorum. Inwardly though, I became angry because I knew Pearl; she never did anything deliberately vicious to anyone. I can barely answer in an audible voice, 'Yes, sir, I understand.'
"Ferumbras looks at father, who nods. 'Where was Pearl in all of this, laddie?'
"I reply, 'She was in the main hallway, with me.' I tried not to make a face at my last statement, but the Thain had caught my words.
'With you, Peregrin? Was Pearl not supposed to be attending her Cousin?'
"I lick my lips before I answer, 'She was, sir.'
'Then how was it that my mother ended up dead in the garden below?'
"I shrink at his speech. I imagined myself in his position. What if it had been my mother in that chair? I shudder at my own thoughts. I can hear Pearl sniffling tears in her chair and look over at her. I could see she didn't have a handkerchief, and no one bothers to offer her one. My heart goes out to my Pearl.
'Peregrin!' I heard my name shouted, or so it seemed to be. Either way, it brought my attention back to the present. I turn my head back to the present situation.
'Answer the question, Peregrin.', my father says. I am anxious as I watch my father's mouth move to form the words.
'I.....me....Pervinca....and me...' I started to speak, but the words were just as jumbled in my own head. Finally, my Took side begins to warm up and my thoughts become clearer.
'Pervinca and I were--getting acquainted with the various tunnels in the Smials when Pearl wheeled Cousin Lalia into the same hallway we occupied. It was a sore trial for Pearl to steer the chair, and--'
"Various chuckles around the room cut off my answer. One look from the Thain staunched it.
'--and Pearl accidentally broke a vase that Cousin Lalia loved so much. She got angry, and so Pearl tried to clean it up.' I said.
"Cousin Ferdinand shouted his opinion from behind Pearl, 'That's what the servants are for! And they are well paid for their efforts!' I could see others nodding in assent.
"I quickly stammer out my answer, 'But we always clean up our own messes! Mother carries on so, if we don't!' I could hear mixed grumbling and quiet laughter.
"Ferumbras called for peace and order. The din slowly died down as Cousin Adelard stood up from his seat near the back of the great room holding his pocket watch in his hand, 'See here, dear Cousin! I loved Lalia as much as anyone here, but I have a tween at home that has a nose for mischief, if you get my meaning.' Then more murmuring was heard throughout the room.
"Ferumbras was becoming agitated, 'Everyone! Silence!'
"The room became so quiet you could hear a hairpin drop in the next tunnel over. Cousin Adelard sat back down; a little disappointed that he wasn't going to get to the Oak Leaf Inn any time soon.
"The Thain spoke the next words, 'Very well. I will ask the one question that is on every Took's mind right now. Then I watch as Ferumbras leans forward in his chair, 'Peregrin Took, did you watch your sister, Pearl, purposefully allow her Cousin Lalia--my mother--to fall down the garden steps while sitting in her wheeling chair?'
