Note to Readers:

Thanks for the comments!

Faramir is quite a bright little lad, much like our 3yo (only she's not three anymore, more like seven going on twenty-something...).

Thanks, Lydia, for catching that typo in chapter 40! I have corrected it.

As I mentioned, I have written well ahead in both "Flames" and "Merlin" so that you ought to be able to enjoy daily updates, as long as everything goes well. Please keep reviewing, it keeps my spirits up (nearly killed off a major OC last week in a fit of depression, how horrid!) and makes the Muse more tractable.

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

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41. Winner

The morning of the tournament, Hally showed up at Ferdi's room. 'Are you free?' he said.

'I'm free for the day,' Ferdi answered. 'No escort duty required this day; as a matter of fact, I do believe the Thain will be allowed up for the first time this afternoon, that he might watch the tournament. I do believe they will still be sitting upon him this morning, though.'

Hally smiled. 'Then we can breakfast together, and join the shooting this morning, if you like. I happen to be free, myself.' There had been no time to load up the waggon with wares for sale; the Bolgers had simply tossed the children in with hastily put-up hampers of food and a few changes of clothes, climbed up themselves, and urged the ponies to their best pace, to be in time for Rosemary to watch with her father before the burial.

'How's the arm?' he added.

'Strong,' Ferdi said. 'Gets a little better every year.'

'Better than getting a little worse,' Hally said easily. 'Come along, then.'

Tolly joined them at breakfast, and the rest of the Tooks left a little space around the three finest archers in Tookland, and perhaps the Shire, for others came long distances to shoot for the prize.

'So, how are you feeling this morning?' Tolly asked. His spirits were remarkably lightened by the fact that the days were long and warm and bright with sunshine.

'Substantial,' Ferdi answered, plying his spoon. 'I think I will be more than just a shadow this day.'

'I look forward to it,' Tolly said. 'We'll see if the hobbit can shoot as well as the shadow did.'

'I dunno,' Hally said, shaking his head. 'He was my shadow, after all, and it seems hard knocks now for him to be shooting against me.'

'Hard knocks,' Ferdi said, toasting with his teacup.

Tolly dissolved into quiet laughter. 'You ought to know, you fool of a Took,' he said. 'But why are we wasting our time here? Let us go and shoot!'

The three rose from the table, taking their bows, and joined other small groups wandering about the countryside. Ferdi picked the first target. 'Say there's a badger hiding in that clump of weeds,' he said, 'right behind that bright yellow flower.' He shot, and his arrow took the head from the flower.

'Not fair,' Hally said. 'What's to aim for, now?'

'Just pretend the flower's there, same's pretending the badger,' Tolly said, and raising his bow, he sent an arrow after Ferdi's.

'Not the same at all,' Hally grumbled good-naturedly, then shot his own arrow. They decided that Hally had come closest to the mark, flower or no flower, and so he chose the next target.

'Let us say there's a squirrel waving from that hole in the tree,' he said. 'Are we going to let him get away with such cheek?'

They continued to walk and shoot until the horn blew to announce the nooning.

It was a cheerful feast, and Rosemary sat back with a sigh. 'It has been a wonderful rest,' she said, 'not to cook or wash up for a whole week! I hope I have not lost the knack...'

'If you have, you can move into the Smials,' Ferdi said. 'There's always room, you know.'

'Don't tempt her,' Hally said. 'Who'd cook and wash up if she left Woody End?'

'O Hally, you're terrible,' Rosemary said, punching her husband's arm with a gentle fist.

'O now, do not damage the golden arm!' Ferdi cried in alarm.

'It's all right, Ferdi, you don't need me anymore,' Hally said. 'You can cast your own shadows this day.'

'And he probably will, too,' Tolly said with a frown. 'Ah well,' he added. 'There's always another tournament next year. Maybe Ferdi will break his arm on that wild pony of his...'

'Or his neck,' Hally added. 'We can always hope.'

'Go on with you!' Rosemary protested. 'And if you don't hurry, you're going to be late and the lists will be closed.'

'We had better hurry, then,' Hally said, and with a kiss for his wife he rose from the table. 'Wish me luck.'

'Luck,' Rosemary said obediently, and the little Bolgers chimed in with good wishes for their father.

It was refreshing for Ferdi to hand his silver coins over, to see his name written upon the lists, to hear his name announced with the other archers, to have the crowd cheer him. The cheers swelled with every shot, for he was at the top of his form, winning easily, receiving the bows of the other archers with a grin and bow of his own. It was sweet to hear the master of the tournament declare him the winner, to walk up to the box where the Thain waited with the purse.

He bowed low before Pippin, and then lower before Mistress Eglantine. She smiled, and when the cheers had died enough for her to be heard, said, 'Don't go kissing the ground, now, Ferdi.' She took the purse from her son and handed it to Ferdibrand.

'Congratulations, lad,' she said. 'I wish your father had seen this day.'

'As do I,' Ferdi said, swallowing hard. 'He'd have been proud.'

'He was proud anyhow,' Eglantine said. 'You can be sure of that.'

'I know,' Ferdi answered. 'He told me so, himself.'