Chapter 21
The Abandonment of Bywater
Rosie lit the wicks on the candles, and a warm glow began to envelop the occupants of The Green Dragon. A couple of Tooks argued quietly in a near- by corner, while others sipped their ale at their leisure. Saradoc talked quietly with Paladin as he pointed to areas of the map that was sitting in front them. Paladin put his chin in his hand as he thought of the next place they should travel.
The door of the tavern burst opened, and everyone in the tavern jumped with a start. Their eyes were frozen wide open on the post runner who collapsed onto the floor. Saradoc recovering quickly as he ran to the hobbit who lay on the floor.
He raised his head and ordered for someone to bring him a drink for the runner. The post runner gasped trying to catch his breath. He reached up to Saradoc with his hand and grasped his weskit firmly.
"They've taken it!" the post runner gasped. "They're moving on the towns of the Shire. They'll be coming here too!"
"Who will?" shouted Saradoc. "Who is coming? Quickly tell me!"
"Big Folk!"
Saradoc handed a drink to him and held it to the runner's lips. He watched him patiently as he gulped the drink. The liquid ran from the corners of his mouth and down his chin, dripping onto his clothing.
"Now tell us, what is going on?" Saradoc demanded.
"The big folk have taken the Brandywine Bridge. They barred it. Hundreds of the big folk! They got clubs and whips. I was sent from Frogmorton, almost twenty miles, as we seen them coming. They're taking hobbits as prisoners on their march. Be warned!" said the post runner.
Rosie gasped, putting her finger tips to her lips as her uncle wrapped a protective arm around her.
Saradoc looked up at Paladin in shock hearing this. He stood as his face whitens trying to think quickly of a plan. Paladin raced over to the map and began planning where they would head next and how long it would take them to get to Bywater. "We've more than a day to set up what we need."
"Bring your Mayor here immediately!" Saradoc ordered.
They did not have to wait too long before a well-rounded, gray-haired and red-faced hobbit sneaked into the Green Dragon. "Well I must say these are pressing circumstances, to say the least. More's the pity. Whatever shall we do?" said Old Will Whitefoot, after being told of the Big Folk coming.
Lotho swaggered into the doorway and stood gazing at the group of hobbits. "Why do anything? Maybe they can be reasoned with?"
"Reasoned with?" asked Saradoc. "I will not drop my defenses to be taken. They have not come to talk."
"Perhaps not, but by offering a greater share of what the Shire has to offer might convince them to lower their weapons and saving the hobbits from harm. That way no one is hurt."
"Just hand over the Shire just like that! Are you crazed in your thinking, Lotho!" shouted Paladin.
"If we band together, we can stop them!" stated Saradoc so all could hear him.
"That would mean war, Saradoc. These are gentle hobbits of the Shire and not clan that hunt or fight. They have no weapons to speak of. What would you have them do, hit them with a fry'n pan?" Lotho mocked.
"If need be, yes! Gather your hunting bows, your pitchforks or rope. Cut clubs from the trees if you have too! But we must stop them!" Saradoc pleaded.
"For the Shire, we all must fight!" said Paladin.
Their clan of Tooks and Bucklanders all shouted, "For the Shire!" But the town folk cowered in silence.
Rosie came forward saying, "We must do something to stop them. We just can not allow them to take everything we have worked so hard for. Think of your families!"
"That they are, Rosie! They do'nt want them killed or taken away. Fighting is not the answer. We could even profit from all of this for those of us knowing good business sense," argued Lotho. "Make me your head shirriff. I will talk with them, reason with them. You will see not one hobbit shall be harmed."
"I think I speak for Bywater's town folk. I say we listen to Lotho. It is too risky to fight. Town folk no nothing of war," said Old Will Whitefoot.
"Hear! Hear!" shouted the town folk of Bywater. "Make Lotho our Shirriff!"
"You heard them Saradoc and Paladin. As acting Shirriff, I want you all to leave Bywater immediately! Your presence will only cause the Big Folk to fight. Gather your clan folk and leave now!"
Saradoc turned and shouted to the Bucklanders, "Prepare to leave!"
Paladin grabbed Saradoc's arm and said, "Join us Saradoc, together in our Green Hills of Tuckborough, we would stand a better chance of stopping them." Saradoc nodded his head and the Bucklanders followed him. Within a half-hour, great numbers of ponies and rider thundered out of Bywater.
Rosie placed her hand to the side of her cheek as fear seized her watching the strength of the Shire abandoning them. Now with Lotho in power of Bywater, what hope was left?
~*~
The next morning time seemed to stand still as the town folk watched the horizon and startled at each sudden noise. Hobbits began locking their doors and window, while other stocked up on items such as food and blankets. They brought in more logs for firewood and gathered all the eggs they could find. They moved their cattle father back in their pastures and closed unnecessary businesses.
Lotho gathered the Shirriffs and sent post runners out with messages for other shirriffs to come to Bywater. He told them that he planned to use the holes in Michel Delving for lockups if the big folk get out of hand.
The Cotton's sharpened their pitchforks and gathered with little weapons they could find. Tom went to the Green Dragon to bring Rosie home.
Rosie set her bags down in front of the doors as she hugged her Uncle Will good-bye. Rosie did not wait too long until Tom came to escort her home, carrying the larger portions of her bags. While she carried a small carpetbag. Rosie turned and looked at Bywater one last time. She only hoped for all the hobbits sake that everything would be all right. She saw a faint smoke rising over Bagshot Row and she wondered about it.
"Come on Rosie! Keep up now," said Tom.
"Tom, look! What do you make of that?" asked Rosie pointing to the horizon.
Tom looked in the direction that she pointed and he saw that the smoke rising over Bagshot Row increased becoming blacker and thicker.
"They're burning Bagshot Row!" shouted Tom. "They're here! Run Rosie, we must hurray now!"
"The Gaffer is there and the other poor hobbits! Tom we must do something!" begged Rosie as shock and tears began to appear on her face.
"There is nothing we can do now. The Gaffer will see 'em coming. He'll get himself out 'o there. Others will come help him, Rosie. You'll see. Now come on, they'll be here shortly."
Tom put a bag under his arm and grabbed Rosie's arm pulling her down the street. Rosie kept looking back as they ran all the way home.
The hobbits all ran screaming and crying to their homes. They locked all the doors and windows. They huddled together in the farthest corners of their homes, shaking in fear.
Lotho bravely walked a head of his small group of shirriffs. He wore three long brightly colored feathers in his cap to show all that he was now the head shirriff. The other shirriffs with their single long feather looked back and forth at each other as fear was clearly written on their faces. While Lotho's face registered as fearless and confident.
Lotho halted in the center of the road and held his hand up for his shirriffs to stop were they where. "Hold your steps, lads. Don't move no matter what happens," Lotho calmly told them.
They stood behind Lotho, but remained poised ready to run when the opportunity presented its self.
In front of them they watched the horizon as the black billowing smoke poured into the sky and darkened it.
They waited for sometime standing in the middle of the road as the hobbits began slowly losing their nerve and confidence. But Lotho held them together saying, "I'll stop them, lads. They will listen to me, you'll see. Just hold firm where you are. I'll do all the talking." Lotho's voice was calm and collected which helped calm the nerves of his shirriffs.
Jolly and Tom hide behind a stable and tied their ponies in the back just incase they would need them. They watched Lotho with a new respect for his bravery.
A hush fell over the shirriffs as there heart beat rapidly in their chest as they heard the first sound of rolling wagons slowly approaching further up the road. They could hear loud voices of the big folk as they shouted among each other.
Slowly the men rounded the curve that headed into the town of Bywater, first in tens than twenties, thirties until more than fifty stood in the center of the road a short distance away from the shirriffs. The hobbits looked at the big folk as they came into view. The shirriffs could clearly see the faces of each man. They were horrid looking beast of men ragged with long beards and scared worn faces. In there thick burly arms and hands they carried axes and clubs. Some had whips, while others had chains. Their huge wagons followed from behind them. They were loaded with all types of Shire found items that were taken from the other towns.
One burly man had a hold of the Gaffer and threw him down on the ground in front of Lotho. From behind a tree, Rosie dashed in front of Lotho and put the Gaffer's head in her lap trying to comfort him.
Jolly tried to make a run towards Rosie, but Tom pulled him forcing him back. "Are you Crazy? That's our sister out there!" shouted Jolly.
~*~
Sam pulled the blanket around his neck as the cold night wind chilled him to his bones. Sam thought about his soft comfortable bed at home, and he thought about his Gaffer, but mostly he thought about Rosie as he pulled his feet a little closer to the campfire to warm them.
Sam watched the ranger Strider puffing his pipe as he sat away from them on guard as he began to sing a sad song. But Sam did not understand all the words as it was in elvish. But it was sad, and it made him sad as he listened.
Sam's mind wondered to his thoughts of Rosie that brought warmth to his soul as he fell in a deep sleep thinking of her.
The Abandonment of Bywater
Rosie lit the wicks on the candles, and a warm glow began to envelop the occupants of The Green Dragon. A couple of Tooks argued quietly in a near- by corner, while others sipped their ale at their leisure. Saradoc talked quietly with Paladin as he pointed to areas of the map that was sitting in front them. Paladin put his chin in his hand as he thought of the next place they should travel.
The door of the tavern burst opened, and everyone in the tavern jumped with a start. Their eyes were frozen wide open on the post runner who collapsed onto the floor. Saradoc recovering quickly as he ran to the hobbit who lay on the floor.
He raised his head and ordered for someone to bring him a drink for the runner. The post runner gasped trying to catch his breath. He reached up to Saradoc with his hand and grasped his weskit firmly.
"They've taken it!" the post runner gasped. "They're moving on the towns of the Shire. They'll be coming here too!"
"Who will?" shouted Saradoc. "Who is coming? Quickly tell me!"
"Big Folk!"
Saradoc handed a drink to him and held it to the runner's lips. He watched him patiently as he gulped the drink. The liquid ran from the corners of his mouth and down his chin, dripping onto his clothing.
"Now tell us, what is going on?" Saradoc demanded.
"The big folk have taken the Brandywine Bridge. They barred it. Hundreds of the big folk! They got clubs and whips. I was sent from Frogmorton, almost twenty miles, as we seen them coming. They're taking hobbits as prisoners on their march. Be warned!" said the post runner.
Rosie gasped, putting her finger tips to her lips as her uncle wrapped a protective arm around her.
Saradoc looked up at Paladin in shock hearing this. He stood as his face whitens trying to think quickly of a plan. Paladin raced over to the map and began planning where they would head next and how long it would take them to get to Bywater. "We've more than a day to set up what we need."
"Bring your Mayor here immediately!" Saradoc ordered.
They did not have to wait too long before a well-rounded, gray-haired and red-faced hobbit sneaked into the Green Dragon. "Well I must say these are pressing circumstances, to say the least. More's the pity. Whatever shall we do?" said Old Will Whitefoot, after being told of the Big Folk coming.
Lotho swaggered into the doorway and stood gazing at the group of hobbits. "Why do anything? Maybe they can be reasoned with?"
"Reasoned with?" asked Saradoc. "I will not drop my defenses to be taken. They have not come to talk."
"Perhaps not, but by offering a greater share of what the Shire has to offer might convince them to lower their weapons and saving the hobbits from harm. That way no one is hurt."
"Just hand over the Shire just like that! Are you crazed in your thinking, Lotho!" shouted Paladin.
"If we band together, we can stop them!" stated Saradoc so all could hear him.
"That would mean war, Saradoc. These are gentle hobbits of the Shire and not clan that hunt or fight. They have no weapons to speak of. What would you have them do, hit them with a fry'n pan?" Lotho mocked.
"If need be, yes! Gather your hunting bows, your pitchforks or rope. Cut clubs from the trees if you have too! But we must stop them!" Saradoc pleaded.
"For the Shire, we all must fight!" said Paladin.
Their clan of Tooks and Bucklanders all shouted, "For the Shire!" But the town folk cowered in silence.
Rosie came forward saying, "We must do something to stop them. We just can not allow them to take everything we have worked so hard for. Think of your families!"
"That they are, Rosie! They do'nt want them killed or taken away. Fighting is not the answer. We could even profit from all of this for those of us knowing good business sense," argued Lotho. "Make me your head shirriff. I will talk with them, reason with them. You will see not one hobbit shall be harmed."
"I think I speak for Bywater's town folk. I say we listen to Lotho. It is too risky to fight. Town folk no nothing of war," said Old Will Whitefoot.
"Hear! Hear!" shouted the town folk of Bywater. "Make Lotho our Shirriff!"
"You heard them Saradoc and Paladin. As acting Shirriff, I want you all to leave Bywater immediately! Your presence will only cause the Big Folk to fight. Gather your clan folk and leave now!"
Saradoc turned and shouted to the Bucklanders, "Prepare to leave!"
Paladin grabbed Saradoc's arm and said, "Join us Saradoc, together in our Green Hills of Tuckborough, we would stand a better chance of stopping them." Saradoc nodded his head and the Bucklanders followed him. Within a half-hour, great numbers of ponies and rider thundered out of Bywater.
Rosie placed her hand to the side of her cheek as fear seized her watching the strength of the Shire abandoning them. Now with Lotho in power of Bywater, what hope was left?
~*~
The next morning time seemed to stand still as the town folk watched the horizon and startled at each sudden noise. Hobbits began locking their doors and window, while other stocked up on items such as food and blankets. They brought in more logs for firewood and gathered all the eggs they could find. They moved their cattle father back in their pastures and closed unnecessary businesses.
Lotho gathered the Shirriffs and sent post runners out with messages for other shirriffs to come to Bywater. He told them that he planned to use the holes in Michel Delving for lockups if the big folk get out of hand.
The Cotton's sharpened their pitchforks and gathered with little weapons they could find. Tom went to the Green Dragon to bring Rosie home.
Rosie set her bags down in front of the doors as she hugged her Uncle Will good-bye. Rosie did not wait too long until Tom came to escort her home, carrying the larger portions of her bags. While she carried a small carpetbag. Rosie turned and looked at Bywater one last time. She only hoped for all the hobbits sake that everything would be all right. She saw a faint smoke rising over Bagshot Row and she wondered about it.
"Come on Rosie! Keep up now," said Tom.
"Tom, look! What do you make of that?" asked Rosie pointing to the horizon.
Tom looked in the direction that she pointed and he saw that the smoke rising over Bagshot Row increased becoming blacker and thicker.
"They're burning Bagshot Row!" shouted Tom. "They're here! Run Rosie, we must hurray now!"
"The Gaffer is there and the other poor hobbits! Tom we must do something!" begged Rosie as shock and tears began to appear on her face.
"There is nothing we can do now. The Gaffer will see 'em coming. He'll get himself out 'o there. Others will come help him, Rosie. You'll see. Now come on, they'll be here shortly."
Tom put a bag under his arm and grabbed Rosie's arm pulling her down the street. Rosie kept looking back as they ran all the way home.
The hobbits all ran screaming and crying to their homes. They locked all the doors and windows. They huddled together in the farthest corners of their homes, shaking in fear.
Lotho bravely walked a head of his small group of shirriffs. He wore three long brightly colored feathers in his cap to show all that he was now the head shirriff. The other shirriffs with their single long feather looked back and forth at each other as fear was clearly written on their faces. While Lotho's face registered as fearless and confident.
Lotho halted in the center of the road and held his hand up for his shirriffs to stop were they where. "Hold your steps, lads. Don't move no matter what happens," Lotho calmly told them.
They stood behind Lotho, but remained poised ready to run when the opportunity presented its self.
In front of them they watched the horizon as the black billowing smoke poured into the sky and darkened it.
They waited for sometime standing in the middle of the road as the hobbits began slowly losing their nerve and confidence. But Lotho held them together saying, "I'll stop them, lads. They will listen to me, you'll see. Just hold firm where you are. I'll do all the talking." Lotho's voice was calm and collected which helped calm the nerves of his shirriffs.
Jolly and Tom hide behind a stable and tied their ponies in the back just incase they would need them. They watched Lotho with a new respect for his bravery.
A hush fell over the shirriffs as there heart beat rapidly in their chest as they heard the first sound of rolling wagons slowly approaching further up the road. They could hear loud voices of the big folk as they shouted among each other.
Slowly the men rounded the curve that headed into the town of Bywater, first in tens than twenties, thirties until more than fifty stood in the center of the road a short distance away from the shirriffs. The hobbits looked at the big folk as they came into view. The shirriffs could clearly see the faces of each man. They were horrid looking beast of men ragged with long beards and scared worn faces. In there thick burly arms and hands they carried axes and clubs. Some had whips, while others had chains. Their huge wagons followed from behind them. They were loaded with all types of Shire found items that were taken from the other towns.
One burly man had a hold of the Gaffer and threw him down on the ground in front of Lotho. From behind a tree, Rosie dashed in front of Lotho and put the Gaffer's head in her lap trying to comfort him.
Jolly tried to make a run towards Rosie, but Tom pulled him forcing him back. "Are you Crazy? That's our sister out there!" shouted Jolly.
~*~
Sam pulled the blanket around his neck as the cold night wind chilled him to his bones. Sam thought about his soft comfortable bed at home, and he thought about his Gaffer, but mostly he thought about Rosie as he pulled his feet a little closer to the campfire to warm them.
Sam watched the ranger Strider puffing his pipe as he sat away from them on guard as he began to sing a sad song. But Sam did not understand all the words as it was in elvish. But it was sad, and it made him sad as he listened.
Sam's mind wondered to his thoughts of Rosie that brought warmth to his soul as he fell in a deep sleep thinking of her.