They spent a week or two in Rivendell, to rest. The Hobbits had much
to talk of with Bilbo, and Elladan, who seemed to have finally gotten over
the infamous tripping incident of Dunharrow, and Elrohir insisted on
showing Dawn the entire land, from the Ford of Bruinen to the great
Library. Her favourite feature of the Elven city became the waterfalls,
and every day the twins had to lead her up a different concealed path so
she could see more and more of the natural wonders which she found so
fascinating.
When they were finally on their way again, Gandalf went with them, claiming to want to see 'Old Butterbur' again. Just before they left, Elrond drew Frodo aside to give him a private word of advice.
"I think, Frodo, that maybe you will not need to come back, unless you come very soon. For about this time of the year, when the leaves are gold before they fall, look for Bilbo in the woods of the Shire. I shall be with him."
Frodo nodded, and the six remaining travellers finished saying their goodbyes to Elrond and his sons. The Hobbits were relieved to be on the road; it meant that at last they could turn their faces towards home. The going was slow at first, because of some disquiet or illness in Frodo which Dawn did not understand. The others grimly noted that it was the sixth of October, the same day a year before that Frodo had been stabbed in the shoulder with a Morgul blade.
The next day, however, Frodo seemed completely recovered so they were able to pick up their pace and on one wet evening near the end of October, they came to the south gate of Bree, which Dawn seemed to find endless amusement in calling 'the cheese place'.
After banging on the gate several times, the Gate-keeper shuffled out carrying a great cudgel. He looked at them with eyes full of fear and suspicion, but as soon as he saw it was Gandalf, with four Hobbits and a young Lady as his companions, he brightened up and let them in.
When they walked past a house with tattered hedging and boarded windows, Pippin turned to Sam, asking, "Do you think you killed him with that apple, Sam?"
"I'm not so hopeful, Mr. Pippin," said Sam. "But I'd like to know what became of that poor pony. He's been on my mind many a time, and the wolves howling and all."
Dawn shot Merry a look, eyebrows raised. "What the...?" she asked.
"I'll explain later," Merry yelled, straining to be heard over the rain as they came to the doors of the Inn, the Prancing Pony.
Once again, Gandalf and the Hobbits were recognised easily, and with a minute or so of questioning who their Lady companion, dressed in a strange combination of Elvish clothing and the designs of Men, was, their horses and ponies were taken to the stables and they were hustled up into a private parlour and brought supper.
After that, the Innkeeper, Butterbur, came to talk to them. They spoke a fair bit about what they had gone through, but most of it was far beyond his vision, so they silenced themselves and settled to hear his news of Bree's woes over the past year. Thieves had taken to attacking the land and waylaying the roads to the extent that they were barely used anymore, and nobody came to Bree. The Breelanders themselves locked their doors tight and refused to venture out in the darkness, which made Dawn send up a silent prayer that the wild men roaming around didn't actually have bumpy foreheads and fangs. As Butterbur spoke, Dawn began to recall Galadriel's words to her in Minas Tirith: /There is one task yet you have to accomplish here, Dawn. But as always, your path is dictated by your heart and mind/.
Her help was needed around here, but she had a strong feeling that the place she would carry out her last task for the PTB would be the Shire. She was brought out of her thoughts by Pippin's surprised voice.
"Well, no one troubled us and we came along slowly, and kept no watch. We thought we had left trouble behind us."
"That you haven't, Master," Butterbur responded with remorse. "But it's no wonder they left you alone, the six of you are so well armed, and they wouldn't go for armed folk I don't think." He moved on to lament that the Rangers, who Dawn recognised as Aragorn's Dunedain, had gone away, and how they had not understood the protection the strange and feared folk had given Bree until they were missed.
Gandalf gave him an encouraging smile. "Cheer up, Barliman! I am only glad you were not deeper in the very great troubles of late, and better times are coming. The Rangers have returned. And their is a king again, Barliman. He will soon be turning his mind this way, and then the Greenway will be opened again, and the evil things will be driven out."
"So long as he lets Bree alone," said Barliman slowly, as all of the town's inhabitants had become distrustful of outsiders, and wanted them nowhere near their borders.
"He will. He knows it and loves it."
Butterbur became increasingly puzzled, until finally Sam took pity on him and ended the game which seemed to amuse the others so much. "He's Strider! The chief of the Rangers. Haven't you got that into your head yet?"
When Sam's words finally sunk in, Butterbur was more amazed than they could even imagine. "Strider! Him with a crown and all and a golden cup! Well, what are we coming to?"
"Better times, for Bree at any rate," said Gandalf. "The King will come, and already he sends two of his emissaries before him." At the questioning glance, the Wizard nodded first to Pippin, then to Dawn. "Peregrin Took is one of his Knights, and Dawn here shares something of a sibling relationship with the King Elessar."
Upon hearing this, Butterbur became flustered. He stood and bowed to Dawn, babbling, "Humblest apologies, my Lady, I was not informed of your stature or I would have made more effort for your comfort, that is sure. Is the room suitable to your tastes, or would you like another? I have not such a room fit for a Lady the likes of you, but I would do everything I possibly could to honour your presence, my Lady..."
He would have babbled on all night, but Dawn held up her hand to forestall the barrage of words coming at her. "Please stop. It's all good, I'm comfy enough here, just like my friends. Although..."
"Anything I can possibly do, Lady," Butterbur interjected with a nervous smile.
"Did my brother have a favourite room here? If he did, I wouldn't mind having a bed in Estel's room, stupid as it sounds."
Butterbur looked a little apprehensive. "I could have Nob fix the room Strider stayed in when last he was here, if that is indeed your will, but my Lady, I must advise you stay under the protection of the rest of your party here. The room is in another wing, and it would grieve me if any should attack the sister of the King- well, I still can not see Strider sitting on a throne and all- whilst under my hospitality."
Dawn just rolled her eyes and patted Me'ahyanda, still sheathed at her hip. "I got all the protection I need, man. Just fix the room up and it'll all be sweet."
Her request granted, Dawn left the Hobbits and Gandalf and went to bed. They stayed in Bree for one more night after that, and most of the citizens crowded into the common room of the Inn to see the travellers and hear their stories.
* * * * *
When they reached a certain point on the East road, Gandalf took leave of them to visit Tom Bombadil who, Dawn soon learned, had aided the Hobbits when they were just leaving the Shire.
Frodo hesitated, wanting to see the cheery Bombadil again, but Gandalf urged him on with words laced with warning. "If I were you, I should press on now for home, or you will not come to the Brandywine Bridge before the gates are locked."
"But there aren't any gates," said Merry. "Only the Buckland Gate, and they'll let me through that at any time."
"There weren't any gates, you mean" Gandalf corrected. "I think you will find some now. And you might have more trouble even at the Buckland Gate than you think, but you'll manage all right. Goodbye for now, but not yet for the last time, dear friends."
In the blink of an eye, Shadowfax had been turned off the road and disappeared in the direction of the Barrow-downs, racing like a wind from the North.
"So- likes the hasty exit," Dawn noted.
"Well here we are, just four of us that started and Dawn with us. One by one, we've left the rest behind and it all seems like a dream that has slowly faded," Merry commented after Gandalf and Shadowfax vanished.
Frodo shook his head. "To me it feels more like falling asleep again."
"Well, we'd best be off," Merry announced with a wink. "Time for Dawn to come and fall in love with Buckland."
"And so she may," Pippin replied, smirking back. "That is, until she lays eyes on the House of the Tooks!"
It was after nightfall when, they reached the Brandywine, which was barred just as Gandalf had cautioned them. The Hobbits knocked and yelled through the gate, but were refused entry by a voice shouting back.
"Can't you read the notice; NO ADMITTANCE BETWEEN SUNDOWN AND SUNRISE!"
"Is that a trick question?" Dawn asked Pippin who rolled his eyes grimly whilst Sam answered the voice.
"Of course we can't read the notice in the dark! And if Hobbits of the Shire are to be kept out in the wet on a night like this, I'll tear down your notice when I find it!"
A flurry of activity ensued behind the gate at Sam's threat and a crowd of Hobbits with lanterns gathered round in no time. Some of them, the four Hobbits outside recognised and tried to convince them to open the gate. But they all seemed scared of some 'Chief up at Bag End' and still refused entry, however apologetically.
Finally having enough of the frightened Hobbits, Merry and Pippin climbed the gate, drawing out the 'Big Man' from his guard house. It was Bill Ferny and Merry wasted no time in relieving him of the keys and evicting him from the Shire. Sam was pleased when his pony, Bill, who he had found again in Bree, gave the retreating ruffian a kick with his heels and, despite the protestations of the Hobbits at the gate that it was unlawful, and the lady travelling with them was a stranger, they demanded board for the night.
Dawn spoke sparingly, only a few polite words which she hoped would do a little to ease the nerves the Hobbits clearly had at the prospect of more of the 'Big Folk' as they called humans, in their lands. The Big Folk had given the sleepy Shire nothing but trouble for a year now. While her friends listened with dismay as the others spoke of the ruin that had come to the Shire almost as soon as Frodo had sold Bag End to Lotho, she slid into a meditation-like state that Tara had taught her. Tara had told her it would relax her, and allow her to centre her energy, but Dawn soon found that she was able, presumably another key-power, to bend her trances to her will, almost like a vision. She could not, however, visualise the future, only the past, and only if she had been there at the time. She used to manipulate it to replay all her favourite moments in Sunnydale, like having the best parts of her life recorded on a private video just for her. It had very much kept her sane with vivid memories of her mother, at the worst of times.
Now she took her mind back to all the battles she had been a part of since she had come to Middle-Earth fighting side by side with her brother and her friends, but instead of assessing herself, she focused her energy and watched Aragorn closely. She studied every move he made, down to the flicker of his eyes while he sized up opponents and allies alike. She gathered as much information as she could about what made her brother the leader he was. Dawn knew she did not have his natural talent, but she could at least draw on his experience and wisdom to help her friends fight for their homes.
She shook out of her trance to find Pippin happily feeding large handfuls of paper into the meagre fire, which he informed her were the lists of rules which had been nailed to each wall of the little guard house.
* * * * *
The next day the group decided to head straight to Hobbiton and set off at as brisk a pace that the ponies of the Hobbits could handle. None of them missed the excessive clouds of smoke wafting into the atmosphere from many points across the land.
As evening fell and they were passing through a small village called Frogmorton, they came to a barrier on the road, accompanied by a board which said 'NO ROAD'. Behind the barrier stood a large, but pathetic looking group of Shirriffs.
The five travellers exchanged amused smirks before Frodo spoke, feeling inclined to laugh as he did so. "What's all this?"
The Shirriff-leader then told them they were arrested for gate- breaking, tearing up rules, assaulting gate-keepers, trespassing, sleeping in Shire buildings without leave and bribing guards with food.
Dawn snorted. This was way funnier than the time she had gotten caught being a complete kleptomaniac at fifteen. That really wasn't funny at all, at the time.
"And what else?" challenged Frodo languidly.
"That'll do to go on with," said the Shirriff-leader.
"I can add some more, if you'd like it," Sam said. "Calling your chief names-"
"Like ass-clown," Merry interrupted, at the very same moment that Pippin called out, "He's a buttmonkey!"
Sam continued without missing a beat. "Wishing to punch his pimply face, and thinking you Shirriffs look like a lot of Tom-fools."
"It's the Chief's orders that you come along quiet. We're going to take you to Bywater and hand you over to the Chief's Men; and when he deals with your case you can have your say. But if you don't want to stay in the Lockholes any longer than you need, I should cut that say short, if I was you," the Shirriff told them.
The five travellers could contain themselves no longer. They all burst out laughing. Finally Frodo had recovered well enough to speak again.
"Don't be absurd! I am going where I please, and in my own time. I happen to be going to Bag End on business, but if you insist on going too, that is your choice."
The leader had no choice but to push the barrier aside. "Just don't forget I've arrested you."
"I won't," Frodo promised. "Never. But I may forgive you."
They refused to go any further that night, but when they set out late the next morning, after taking their sweet time to get ready, they made the Shirriffs march in front of them much to the delight of the villagers.
One old gaffer made a joke about the arresters becoming the arrested, and two of the Shirriffs moved towards him menacingly. But before they could lift a finger against the Hobbit, Merry had them ordered back into position.
Then the travellers set their rides at a pace too fast for the Shirriffs to maintain, and eventually they were too tired to keep up with the ponies. When Merry informed them that they could come along in their own time, but he and his friends would be continuing now, the leader ruefully reminded them that he would not be answerable for their breaking arrest.
"We shall break a good many things yet, and not ask you to answer," Pippin promised, before wishing them all luck and trotting on with the others.
It wasn't long before they were met with six large, glowery men trying to cut them off. When they argued over the fate of Isengard's servants, one of the ruffians laughed.
"When I see one of the King's messengers, I'll take notice, perhaps," he mocked.
"How about his sister?" Dawn shot out, just as Pippin stepped forward, drawing his sword in a flash of silver. As his cloak swept apart, the silver tree of Gondor on his chest was exposed.
"I am a Messenger of the King," he said, hearing the ring of steel as Dawn, Merry and Sam drew their swords with him. The ruffians turned and fled, but they blew loud horns as they went.
"Wusses."
Frodo still hung back, sad and thoughtful. He knew his friends were preparing for another battle, but he was disheartened at the thought of the very last blood of the War of the Ring being spilt in his homeland. He warned them that no Hobbit had ever killed another on purpose in the Shire, and no matter what, they could not break that peace.
He wished that nobody would be killed at all, if it was possible, but deep down they all knew the ruffians wouldn't scare so easily again. Even so, they quickly discarded the idea of taking cover; Hobbits had being doing that in the Shire for far too long, and it was time for them to reclaim their lands.
Sam took off for Farmer Cotton's farm, since Cotton was the sturdiest Hobbit in the Shire, and something of a leader, while Merry blew on a silver horn that Eomer and Eowyn had insisted he take from Rohan.
Dawn watched, amazed, as Merry blew a tune that Frodo explained was the Horn-cry of Buckland, and called for the Hobbits, who came scurrying out of the woodwork, or so it seemed to her.
Cotton and three of his boys had gone ahead of Sam, and by the time he had returned more than a hundred Hobbits had gathered in the village, armed with anything and everything. A bonfire had been lit as well, just because it was not allowed. The Shirriffs had finally arrived to find barriers at both ends of the village, and most of them joined the revolt at the first opportunity.
Cotton had joined the returning travellers to help them plan the next move and give them some more reliable information on the happenings of the Shire. He mentioned there was a bigger Chief settled in Bag End now, and the ruffians called him Sharkey, but very little was known of him. He also told them that there were possibly three hundred ruffians invading the Shire, and that Pippin's family, the Tooks, had fought with them to the point that they were now left alone deep in their home, the Great Smialls.
Straight away, Pippin took six Hobbits who had ponies and rode away to bring his family into the fray. The rest stayed to prepare for the imminent attack from twenty Hobbiton ruffians closing in on them.
The plans were laid and when the ruffians reached the barricaded road, there were Hobbits lining the streets on both sides. They moved the barricade aside for the men, and when they went through, quietly closed in behind them.
Cotton stood alone at the bonfire, warming his hands, but when the men advanced on him, they suddenly found themselves surrounded by innumerable Hobbits. From the shadows of the fire stepped four Hobbits in strange clothing, and a young woman.
Merry stepped forwards, Dawn backing him with Me'ahyanda resting easily in her hand. They calmly ordered them to surrender, but the leader foolishly rushed Merry. He fell dead with four arrows in him, courtesy of archers concealed above.
* * * * *
When they were finally on their way again, Gandalf went with them, claiming to want to see 'Old Butterbur' again. Just before they left, Elrond drew Frodo aside to give him a private word of advice.
"I think, Frodo, that maybe you will not need to come back, unless you come very soon. For about this time of the year, when the leaves are gold before they fall, look for Bilbo in the woods of the Shire. I shall be with him."
Frodo nodded, and the six remaining travellers finished saying their goodbyes to Elrond and his sons. The Hobbits were relieved to be on the road; it meant that at last they could turn their faces towards home. The going was slow at first, because of some disquiet or illness in Frodo which Dawn did not understand. The others grimly noted that it was the sixth of October, the same day a year before that Frodo had been stabbed in the shoulder with a Morgul blade.
The next day, however, Frodo seemed completely recovered so they were able to pick up their pace and on one wet evening near the end of October, they came to the south gate of Bree, which Dawn seemed to find endless amusement in calling 'the cheese place'.
After banging on the gate several times, the Gate-keeper shuffled out carrying a great cudgel. He looked at them with eyes full of fear and suspicion, but as soon as he saw it was Gandalf, with four Hobbits and a young Lady as his companions, he brightened up and let them in.
When they walked past a house with tattered hedging and boarded windows, Pippin turned to Sam, asking, "Do you think you killed him with that apple, Sam?"
"I'm not so hopeful, Mr. Pippin," said Sam. "But I'd like to know what became of that poor pony. He's been on my mind many a time, and the wolves howling and all."
Dawn shot Merry a look, eyebrows raised. "What the...?" she asked.
"I'll explain later," Merry yelled, straining to be heard over the rain as they came to the doors of the Inn, the Prancing Pony.
Once again, Gandalf and the Hobbits were recognised easily, and with a minute or so of questioning who their Lady companion, dressed in a strange combination of Elvish clothing and the designs of Men, was, their horses and ponies were taken to the stables and they were hustled up into a private parlour and brought supper.
After that, the Innkeeper, Butterbur, came to talk to them. They spoke a fair bit about what they had gone through, but most of it was far beyond his vision, so they silenced themselves and settled to hear his news of Bree's woes over the past year. Thieves had taken to attacking the land and waylaying the roads to the extent that they were barely used anymore, and nobody came to Bree. The Breelanders themselves locked their doors tight and refused to venture out in the darkness, which made Dawn send up a silent prayer that the wild men roaming around didn't actually have bumpy foreheads and fangs. As Butterbur spoke, Dawn began to recall Galadriel's words to her in Minas Tirith: /There is one task yet you have to accomplish here, Dawn. But as always, your path is dictated by your heart and mind/.
Her help was needed around here, but she had a strong feeling that the place she would carry out her last task for the PTB would be the Shire. She was brought out of her thoughts by Pippin's surprised voice.
"Well, no one troubled us and we came along slowly, and kept no watch. We thought we had left trouble behind us."
"That you haven't, Master," Butterbur responded with remorse. "But it's no wonder they left you alone, the six of you are so well armed, and they wouldn't go for armed folk I don't think." He moved on to lament that the Rangers, who Dawn recognised as Aragorn's Dunedain, had gone away, and how they had not understood the protection the strange and feared folk had given Bree until they were missed.
Gandalf gave him an encouraging smile. "Cheer up, Barliman! I am only glad you were not deeper in the very great troubles of late, and better times are coming. The Rangers have returned. And their is a king again, Barliman. He will soon be turning his mind this way, and then the Greenway will be opened again, and the evil things will be driven out."
"So long as he lets Bree alone," said Barliman slowly, as all of the town's inhabitants had become distrustful of outsiders, and wanted them nowhere near their borders.
"He will. He knows it and loves it."
Butterbur became increasingly puzzled, until finally Sam took pity on him and ended the game which seemed to amuse the others so much. "He's Strider! The chief of the Rangers. Haven't you got that into your head yet?"
When Sam's words finally sunk in, Butterbur was more amazed than they could even imagine. "Strider! Him with a crown and all and a golden cup! Well, what are we coming to?"
"Better times, for Bree at any rate," said Gandalf. "The King will come, and already he sends two of his emissaries before him." At the questioning glance, the Wizard nodded first to Pippin, then to Dawn. "Peregrin Took is one of his Knights, and Dawn here shares something of a sibling relationship with the King Elessar."
Upon hearing this, Butterbur became flustered. He stood and bowed to Dawn, babbling, "Humblest apologies, my Lady, I was not informed of your stature or I would have made more effort for your comfort, that is sure. Is the room suitable to your tastes, or would you like another? I have not such a room fit for a Lady the likes of you, but I would do everything I possibly could to honour your presence, my Lady..."
He would have babbled on all night, but Dawn held up her hand to forestall the barrage of words coming at her. "Please stop. It's all good, I'm comfy enough here, just like my friends. Although..."
"Anything I can possibly do, Lady," Butterbur interjected with a nervous smile.
"Did my brother have a favourite room here? If he did, I wouldn't mind having a bed in Estel's room, stupid as it sounds."
Butterbur looked a little apprehensive. "I could have Nob fix the room Strider stayed in when last he was here, if that is indeed your will, but my Lady, I must advise you stay under the protection of the rest of your party here. The room is in another wing, and it would grieve me if any should attack the sister of the King- well, I still can not see Strider sitting on a throne and all- whilst under my hospitality."
Dawn just rolled her eyes and patted Me'ahyanda, still sheathed at her hip. "I got all the protection I need, man. Just fix the room up and it'll all be sweet."
Her request granted, Dawn left the Hobbits and Gandalf and went to bed. They stayed in Bree for one more night after that, and most of the citizens crowded into the common room of the Inn to see the travellers and hear their stories.
* * * * *
When they reached a certain point on the East road, Gandalf took leave of them to visit Tom Bombadil who, Dawn soon learned, had aided the Hobbits when they were just leaving the Shire.
Frodo hesitated, wanting to see the cheery Bombadil again, but Gandalf urged him on with words laced with warning. "If I were you, I should press on now for home, or you will not come to the Brandywine Bridge before the gates are locked."
"But there aren't any gates," said Merry. "Only the Buckland Gate, and they'll let me through that at any time."
"There weren't any gates, you mean" Gandalf corrected. "I think you will find some now. And you might have more trouble even at the Buckland Gate than you think, but you'll manage all right. Goodbye for now, but not yet for the last time, dear friends."
In the blink of an eye, Shadowfax had been turned off the road and disappeared in the direction of the Barrow-downs, racing like a wind from the North.
"So- likes the hasty exit," Dawn noted.
"Well here we are, just four of us that started and Dawn with us. One by one, we've left the rest behind and it all seems like a dream that has slowly faded," Merry commented after Gandalf and Shadowfax vanished.
Frodo shook his head. "To me it feels more like falling asleep again."
"Well, we'd best be off," Merry announced with a wink. "Time for Dawn to come and fall in love with Buckland."
"And so she may," Pippin replied, smirking back. "That is, until she lays eyes on the House of the Tooks!"
It was after nightfall when, they reached the Brandywine, which was barred just as Gandalf had cautioned them. The Hobbits knocked and yelled through the gate, but were refused entry by a voice shouting back.
"Can't you read the notice; NO ADMITTANCE BETWEEN SUNDOWN AND SUNRISE!"
"Is that a trick question?" Dawn asked Pippin who rolled his eyes grimly whilst Sam answered the voice.
"Of course we can't read the notice in the dark! And if Hobbits of the Shire are to be kept out in the wet on a night like this, I'll tear down your notice when I find it!"
A flurry of activity ensued behind the gate at Sam's threat and a crowd of Hobbits with lanterns gathered round in no time. Some of them, the four Hobbits outside recognised and tried to convince them to open the gate. But they all seemed scared of some 'Chief up at Bag End' and still refused entry, however apologetically.
Finally having enough of the frightened Hobbits, Merry and Pippin climbed the gate, drawing out the 'Big Man' from his guard house. It was Bill Ferny and Merry wasted no time in relieving him of the keys and evicting him from the Shire. Sam was pleased when his pony, Bill, who he had found again in Bree, gave the retreating ruffian a kick with his heels and, despite the protestations of the Hobbits at the gate that it was unlawful, and the lady travelling with them was a stranger, they demanded board for the night.
Dawn spoke sparingly, only a few polite words which she hoped would do a little to ease the nerves the Hobbits clearly had at the prospect of more of the 'Big Folk' as they called humans, in their lands. The Big Folk had given the sleepy Shire nothing but trouble for a year now. While her friends listened with dismay as the others spoke of the ruin that had come to the Shire almost as soon as Frodo had sold Bag End to Lotho, she slid into a meditation-like state that Tara had taught her. Tara had told her it would relax her, and allow her to centre her energy, but Dawn soon found that she was able, presumably another key-power, to bend her trances to her will, almost like a vision. She could not, however, visualise the future, only the past, and only if she had been there at the time. She used to manipulate it to replay all her favourite moments in Sunnydale, like having the best parts of her life recorded on a private video just for her. It had very much kept her sane with vivid memories of her mother, at the worst of times.
Now she took her mind back to all the battles she had been a part of since she had come to Middle-Earth fighting side by side with her brother and her friends, but instead of assessing herself, she focused her energy and watched Aragorn closely. She studied every move he made, down to the flicker of his eyes while he sized up opponents and allies alike. She gathered as much information as she could about what made her brother the leader he was. Dawn knew she did not have his natural talent, but she could at least draw on his experience and wisdom to help her friends fight for their homes.
She shook out of her trance to find Pippin happily feeding large handfuls of paper into the meagre fire, which he informed her were the lists of rules which had been nailed to each wall of the little guard house.
* * * * *
The next day the group decided to head straight to Hobbiton and set off at as brisk a pace that the ponies of the Hobbits could handle. None of them missed the excessive clouds of smoke wafting into the atmosphere from many points across the land.
As evening fell and they were passing through a small village called Frogmorton, they came to a barrier on the road, accompanied by a board which said 'NO ROAD'. Behind the barrier stood a large, but pathetic looking group of Shirriffs.
The five travellers exchanged amused smirks before Frodo spoke, feeling inclined to laugh as he did so. "What's all this?"
The Shirriff-leader then told them they were arrested for gate- breaking, tearing up rules, assaulting gate-keepers, trespassing, sleeping in Shire buildings without leave and bribing guards with food.
Dawn snorted. This was way funnier than the time she had gotten caught being a complete kleptomaniac at fifteen. That really wasn't funny at all, at the time.
"And what else?" challenged Frodo languidly.
"That'll do to go on with," said the Shirriff-leader.
"I can add some more, if you'd like it," Sam said. "Calling your chief names-"
"Like ass-clown," Merry interrupted, at the very same moment that Pippin called out, "He's a buttmonkey!"
Sam continued without missing a beat. "Wishing to punch his pimply face, and thinking you Shirriffs look like a lot of Tom-fools."
"It's the Chief's orders that you come along quiet. We're going to take you to Bywater and hand you over to the Chief's Men; and when he deals with your case you can have your say. But if you don't want to stay in the Lockholes any longer than you need, I should cut that say short, if I was you," the Shirriff told them.
The five travellers could contain themselves no longer. They all burst out laughing. Finally Frodo had recovered well enough to speak again.
"Don't be absurd! I am going where I please, and in my own time. I happen to be going to Bag End on business, but if you insist on going too, that is your choice."
The leader had no choice but to push the barrier aside. "Just don't forget I've arrested you."
"I won't," Frodo promised. "Never. But I may forgive you."
They refused to go any further that night, but when they set out late the next morning, after taking their sweet time to get ready, they made the Shirriffs march in front of them much to the delight of the villagers.
One old gaffer made a joke about the arresters becoming the arrested, and two of the Shirriffs moved towards him menacingly. But before they could lift a finger against the Hobbit, Merry had them ordered back into position.
Then the travellers set their rides at a pace too fast for the Shirriffs to maintain, and eventually they were too tired to keep up with the ponies. When Merry informed them that they could come along in their own time, but he and his friends would be continuing now, the leader ruefully reminded them that he would not be answerable for their breaking arrest.
"We shall break a good many things yet, and not ask you to answer," Pippin promised, before wishing them all luck and trotting on with the others.
It wasn't long before they were met with six large, glowery men trying to cut them off. When they argued over the fate of Isengard's servants, one of the ruffians laughed.
"When I see one of the King's messengers, I'll take notice, perhaps," he mocked.
"How about his sister?" Dawn shot out, just as Pippin stepped forward, drawing his sword in a flash of silver. As his cloak swept apart, the silver tree of Gondor on his chest was exposed.
"I am a Messenger of the King," he said, hearing the ring of steel as Dawn, Merry and Sam drew their swords with him. The ruffians turned and fled, but they blew loud horns as they went.
"Wusses."
Frodo still hung back, sad and thoughtful. He knew his friends were preparing for another battle, but he was disheartened at the thought of the very last blood of the War of the Ring being spilt in his homeland. He warned them that no Hobbit had ever killed another on purpose in the Shire, and no matter what, they could not break that peace.
He wished that nobody would be killed at all, if it was possible, but deep down they all knew the ruffians wouldn't scare so easily again. Even so, they quickly discarded the idea of taking cover; Hobbits had being doing that in the Shire for far too long, and it was time for them to reclaim their lands.
Sam took off for Farmer Cotton's farm, since Cotton was the sturdiest Hobbit in the Shire, and something of a leader, while Merry blew on a silver horn that Eomer and Eowyn had insisted he take from Rohan.
Dawn watched, amazed, as Merry blew a tune that Frodo explained was the Horn-cry of Buckland, and called for the Hobbits, who came scurrying out of the woodwork, or so it seemed to her.
Cotton and three of his boys had gone ahead of Sam, and by the time he had returned more than a hundred Hobbits had gathered in the village, armed with anything and everything. A bonfire had been lit as well, just because it was not allowed. The Shirriffs had finally arrived to find barriers at both ends of the village, and most of them joined the revolt at the first opportunity.
Cotton had joined the returning travellers to help them plan the next move and give them some more reliable information on the happenings of the Shire. He mentioned there was a bigger Chief settled in Bag End now, and the ruffians called him Sharkey, but very little was known of him. He also told them that there were possibly three hundred ruffians invading the Shire, and that Pippin's family, the Tooks, had fought with them to the point that they were now left alone deep in their home, the Great Smialls.
Straight away, Pippin took six Hobbits who had ponies and rode away to bring his family into the fray. The rest stayed to prepare for the imminent attack from twenty Hobbiton ruffians closing in on them.
The plans were laid and when the ruffians reached the barricaded road, there were Hobbits lining the streets on both sides. They moved the barricade aside for the men, and when they went through, quietly closed in behind them.
Cotton stood alone at the bonfire, warming his hands, but when the men advanced on him, they suddenly found themselves surrounded by innumerable Hobbits. From the shadows of the fire stepped four Hobbits in strange clothing, and a young woman.
Merry stepped forwards, Dawn backing him with Me'ahyanda resting easily in her hand. They calmly ordered them to surrender, but the leader foolishly rushed Merry. He fell dead with four arrows in him, courtesy of archers concealed above.
* * * * *