Note to Readers:

I am on vacation for a week, and while I have written well ahead in both "Merlin" and "Flames", I might not be able to post daily again until after next weekend (say, the 7th of July). However, if I am able to sneak online at all, I will keep posting chapters... Hey, you all keep reviewing, okay? Wouldn't want you to get out of the habit... Those lovely reviews, they keep the Muse happy, along with her pina coladas, and she keeps throwing ideas at me, so it works out for everyone.

Thanks for the comments! The Muse is purring along, bubbling over with ideas I've no time to write at the moment... with the holiday weekend coming up I don't know what I'm going to do! (Relax, probably. Is it possible to relax, when not writing?)

I do not know when I will be able to update again, before Monday. At least there is no cliffhanger at the moment in this story. If you are pining for angst, go visit "Where the Merlin Cries". Have a lovely weekend, and see you Monday if not before!

I have added a new chapter to "Merlin" as well, in case you are following that story.

***

36. Prodigal

Tooks travelled from all over Tookland for the burial of the Thain. Eglantine, having assumed the position of "The Took" upon her husband's death, spoke the ritual words, surrounded by her daughters. Even Pimpernel and her Bolger husband came from Bridgefields, with their little ones, who provided much comfort to their grandmother in this sad time. Pimpernel was expecting again, and Ferdi was satisfied to see Rudivacar Bolger taking as much care of his wife as a dragon might of his hoard.

The only missing member of the Thain's family was Pippin. He was missing, but unmissed, at least, if you were to gauge by the lack of mention of his name. As far as the Tooks were concerned, he was gone, as gone as old Gorhendad Oldbuck had been when he left Tookland, claimed the Eastmarch, and changed his name to "Brandybuck".

There was a three-day celebration of the Thain's life, and then the Tooklanders got back into their waggons and rumbled back home, for it was nearly time for the spring planting, and there was harness to finish repairing and plowshares to sharpen, not to mention all the other preparations that went along with planting time. On the clear days in between the spring storms, hobbit mums and their daughters were busily cleaning out their holes from the long winter occupation: beating rugs, washing curtains, sweeping and dusting and cleaning and waxing. It was a relief for the farmers and their sons to get out from underfoot into the barns and byres and fields.

Reginard spent much time in the company of Mistress Eglantine, and the Tooks of the Smials nodded wisely. Of course, when the period of mourning was over, Regi would be confirmed as Thain. He'd earned it, steady, faithful hobbit that he was, he'd practically run Tookland for the past year after the Thain took to his bed. The formal confirmation would take place at the annual pony races just before Mid-year's Day, a time when many Tooklanders would have occasion to travel to Tuckborough.

Ferdi continued his business of fletching arrows, but now he had the pleasant addition of conversation as he worked, and he no longer hid away in the solitude of his room. He still passed late supper with his father, but now other hobbits joined in with their talk, and there was much laughter and lively debate to brighten old Ferdinand's evenings.

About a week after the burial, the current storm spent itself and the Sun showed her face for the first time in days. Ferdi was sitting in the great room, having a spot of second breakfast, when Tolly sat down opposite him, face longer than usual.

'What's wrong?' Ferdi asked.

Tolly shook his head, sipped at his scalding tea and scowled. 'It's like a bad dream,' he said.

'What?' Ferdi pressed.

'Guess who slipped his escort, rode off early, before early breakfast, even, alone?' Tolly said. 'The Mistress is going to put me on water rations, I just know it.'

'Regi?' Ferdi asked in astonishment. 'Regi slipped his escort? Is the sky about to fall?'

'Been falling the past week,' Tolly said morosely. 'Hadn't you noticed?' Rain always made him gloomy, and he struggled through the long dark winter days, with only his strong sense of duty and the hope of the Sun's return in spring to keep him going.

'Where did he go?' Ferdi asked.

Tolly shrugged. 'Who knows?'

'You don't think...'

'What?' Tolly said. His tea was approaching drinking temperature, and he gulped down half the cup, then turned to his food. He shook his head again. 'Water rations, for sure,' he said. 'How could he do this to me?'

'Do you think he went to fetch...?' Ferdi said.

'You've got to be joking,' Tolly replied, digging into his griddlecakes drizzled with honey. The better they tasted, the worse he felt, knowing that he would soon be having to explain to Mistress Eglantine the neglect of his duties. 'He's a Bucklander now. Going to change his name to "Brandybuck", last I heard.'

'He wouldn't be the first to do that,' Ferdi replied, turning back to his own breakfast before it got cold. 'Still, it's not like Regi, to go off alone. Something's up.'

'I guess we shall see when he gets back,' Tolly sighed.

'Yes, if you haven't starved to death,' Ferdi said. 'Don't worry, I'll put fresh flowers on your grave every Remembering Day.'

'Much obliged,' Tolly said through a mouthful of bacon.

***

A few days later, Hilly rode into the yard with a clatter of hurried pony hoofs. He slid down and threw the reins to a stable lad, then strode into the Smials. Finding Tolly and Ferdi talking over their tea (for Mistress Eglantine, mysteriously, had accepted Tolly's profuse apologies with only a mild scolding and no punishment), he said excitedly, 'Regi's coming, and he's bringing Pip back with him!'

'How do you know?' Ferdi demanded.

'I was at the Cockerel, enjoying my free day with the best beer on the Stock Road, and I saw them come in.'

'You rode to the Cockerel through yesterday's storm?' Tolly asked. 'You're crazier than Ferdi, here.'

'I'm not crazy,' Ferdi said.

'Could have fooled me,' Tolly said, taking a bite of seedcake. 'The hobbit who coined the phrase "fool of a Took" was thinking of you at the time.'

'At least I'm famous for something,' Ferdi quipped, then turned serious again. 'Pip's coming? Here?'

'Where else would he come?' Hilly said.

'He could have been meeting Regi halfway, to get the news of his da,' Ferdi said, 'and then back to Buckland.'

Hilly shook his head stubbornly. 'They came in together, out of the storm, looking half-drowned, the two of them, and the innkeeper showed them the best room, and brought them dinner on trays. Regi was looking after Pip, just like in the old days when he used to follow the son of the Thain around, wipe his nose for him if he sneezed.'

'No, he wouldn't...' Ferdi said, shaking his own head. 'He couldn't bring Pip back... could he?'

'No point in arguing about it,' Tolly said. 'If he does, then he does, and we shall see soon enough.'

'And if he does, I shall be giving Regi a piece of my mind,' Ferdi said grimly. 'What does he think, bringing that wastrel back here?'

'Don't give him too many pieces of your mind, Ferdi, you're going to need all you can garner if Pip comes back... he's not served you all that well in the past. I'd be on my toes, were I you,' Tolly said morosely. Finishing his seedcake, he gulped the last of his tea and rose from the table.

Word spread through the Great Smials that the son of the Thain was returning, and groups of Tooks stood about in the corridors gossiping and speculating, though when Regi and Pippin actually walked into the Smials, they fell silent, offering no greeting to Pippin while welcoming Regi back with questioning looks.

Regi sent Pippin off to greet Mistress Eglantine, then retired to the Thain's study, where he was soon confronted by his brother Everard and an incensed Ferdibrand.

'Why did you bring that wastrel back here?' Ferdi demanded.

'He's nothing but a troublemaker!' Everard said bitterly. 'You're to be the next Thain, Reg, all the Tooks know that.'

'Funny that Thain Paladin didn't know that,' Reginard answered. 'His last order to me was to bring his son back, and I am nothing if not dutiful.'

Though it was pointless, Pippin already on the spot as it were, the two continued to badger Reginard until Pippin himself spoke up from the door. Ferdi could no longer control the bitterness that welled up inside him at the sight of the other, and shot stinging words before stalking from the room.

He shook his head at himself and sought the refuge of his room. He would not allow bitterness to claim him, now, would not waste the effort of the past years, the effort to achieve a measure of peace in the midst of his own personal ruin. But it was a bitter mouthful to swallow, this treachery on Reginard's part, bringing Pippin back to the Smials after his long exile.

***

In the study, Reginard sat and watched Pippin whittling at a stick.

Finally, the younger hobbit spoke. 'I can understand Ev'ard's objections,' he said, 'for he is looking after your interests. If I weren't here, you would be the next Thain. I'm sure you deserve the title; I hear you've done the bulk of the work the past few years.'

'I have tried to carry out Thain Paladin's wishes, to the best of my ability,' Regi said carefully.

Pippin shot him a keen look. 'But why is Ferdi so bitter?' he asked. 'I haven't laid eyes on him, or had words with him since...'

'Since you slipped your escort and rode into the ice storm,' Reginard said quietly. '...and never returned to the Smials again.' He clenched his jaw and tightened his fists. 'Do you really not know what you did to him?'

Pippin looked puzzled. 'I'd slipped the escort before and nothing came of it,' he said.

Regi controlled himself with an effort. 'To go down to the Duck for a mug is one thing,' he said. 'To go off to Buckland, without a word... no, worse, you misled him into thinking you'd leave the next day or the day after, and deliberately rode off without a word to anyone.'

'Did the Thain put him on water rations?' Pippin asked. 'I wasn't thinking about the trouble I was causing Ferdi, really, Reg, I just wanted to think my own thoughts for a time, and then... well, once the ice had me, and the Old Gaffer's Friend* got his claws into me, there was no thinking at all for a long time after.'

'Water rations,' Regi breathed. 'If only it were as simple as that. Pippin...' how to put it? 'Pip, the Thain ordered him shunned.'

'He put Ferdi under the ban?' Pippin said, stunned. 'For letting me trick him? Whether or not there was carelessness on his part, the worst he should get is water rations for a day or three to make him attend more closely to his duty.'

'Ferdi was always one to do his duty, and you know it, Pip,' Reginard returned angrily. 'You played him a shabby trick, and if you'd returned from Buckland a week or two later, I'm sure you'd have smoothed it all over again. But you didn't return, and the Thain blamed him, and put him under the ban.'

'For how long?' Pippin asked, aghast.

'Paladin lifted the ban on the day he died,' Regi said heavily.

'No,' Pippin breathed, closing his eyes in horror, opening them again to stare into Reginard's grim face. 'Even a thief is put under the ban for a year, at most.'

Regi took a deep breath. 'Aye, lad,' he said softly. 'Ferdi's been under the ban ever since you left.'

'But that's years!' Pippin protested.

'Nine years,' Regi nodded.

'Why didn't he leave Tookland?' Pippin asked. 'Why would he choose to live under the ban, for so long a time?'

'Did you forget his da?' Regi asked. 'He never forgot Ferdinand, you can be sure of that.'

Pippin dropped knife and stick and buried his face in his hands. 'O Reg,' he mourned. 'I didn't know... how he must hate me. No need to wonder at the greeting the Tooks gave me just now... I'm to blame for Ferdi's ruin.'

'Well,' Regi said more gently, 'he's not quite ruined, yet. I think he's salvageable, as a matter of fact.'

Pippin looked up. 'What do you mean?' he whispered.

Regi smiled grimly. 'He's won the tournament every year he's shot in it, the past few years, even though he shot as Hally's shadow and could not claim the prize,' he said. 'I'm going to start by assigning him as head of your escort.'

'You're going to...' Pippin said, at a loss for words.

'O aye, little cousin, and if I may offer a word of advice...' Regi said.

'Shoot,' Pippin answered.

Regi snorted at his choice of words. 'Don't try to slip your escort, or that's just what Ferdi might be tempted to do to you,' he said. 'I'm going to go fetch a pot of tea. Shall I bring a cup for you as well?'

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[Author's Note: Old Gaffer's Friend: term used in the Shire to refer to pneumonia]