Chapter Eight: Safe Return
Gandalf took no time rejoicing over the departure of the two villains; his mind was already straying to other matters. "Seeing his face answers many questions," he mused to himself. "I wonder..."
Gandalf soon turned to the two hobbits panting on the ground. "I will escort you two as far as the forest's edge and into Bree if you wish, but no further! This battle is but a shimmer and a glimpse of a bigger fray that needs my immediate attention. Come, let us go!"
Roscoe's famished and exhausted state was just beginning to catch up with him; the high of pursuing his purpose was gone with it's completion, and at the moment he wanted nothing more than just to lay in that forest (accursed though it was) and sleep -- better yet, to lay in his bed at home, with a fire going... He knew he had to go, though.
"Just a little while and everything will be back to normal!" he thought to himself. He turned to Ivy, and realized that in the heat of battle he hasn't had time to really acknowledge her. "How are you, Ivy? Can you walk just now?"
Ivy thought for a moment. Her legs, though undamaged, felt shaky but able to support her.
"I think so." She said, feeling dazed. Everything had happened so quickly...and now it was over, or so it seemed. "Where are we going?" She asked, rubbing her neck carefully. Either Gandalf hadn't said, or she should have been listening more attentively.
Roscoe helped her to her feet. "Don't worry about that -- I'll make sure you're taken care of all right!" He walked with Ivy to the end of the clearing where Gandalf was, offering his arm in case she needed to steady herself. "I think we're ready to go, Gandalf. Thank you so much for all that you've done! I don't know what I would have done without you!"
Gandalf nodded at Roscoe's thanks and smiled. "Let us leave, then." He led the way carefully through the forest, minding to go slowly for the sake of the tired and beaten hobbits.
Roscoe followed after with Ivy, very interested to hear about Ivy's adventure but not wanting to overburden her for the moment. "Perhaps I'll see her tomorrow, when she's more rested…" he hoped.
Roscoe followed the wizard silently as he led the way through the wood, his mind numbed and very tired himself.
Remembering that the wizard had played a large part in their general return to safety, Ivy bowed clumsily, one hand holding tight to Roscoe's arm.
"Thank you..." She smiled, feeling quite small in Gandalf's presence, much moreso than from the Big People or the Fair Folk. Wizards, she decided, were quite a different sort of people than what most would normally deal with.
Gandalf chuckled silently to himself as the team moved soundlessly through the trees. He secretly wished to himself that his travels more often brought him in the company of hobbits. "They're much more grateful and polite than men and elves," he thought.
The thought reminded him of Bilbo's upcoming birthday party. "My my, he should be what, 110 this year? I should hope my affairs bring me back to the Shire in time; it will be nice to visit the Shire again... quite nice indeed..."
Ivy nodded to herself, listening to Gandalf talk without thinking up much that would make a good (or even understandable) response. Her thoughts went no further than somehow getting somewhere safe and sleeping until she woke up; then turning over and falling back asleep again. "And warm, too," she thought. "maybe back at the Inn…" The night's events had sort of a hazy veil over them, but Ivy had a feeling that in the morning she would have some memories to deal with and stow away in the back of her mind.
The night was almost over when Roscoe and Ivy entered the Prancing Pony inn; neither of them were very awake. Gandalf had left them at the gates of Bree, wishing them both a fair morning before disappearing along the darkened roads. Barliman was asleep, but Nob was keeping watch.
Roscoe put down some money on the counter. "See that Ivy here gets a proper room. There's some extra there for breakfast in the morning, and anything else she may need! I'll be back before noon tomorrow to pay any other costs that may be required."
With that, Nob walked to a one-bed hobbit-sized room. Roscoe and Ivy followed close behind.
Ivy smiled politely at Nob, walking carefully behind him towards the room. Rest was closer than ever before; it was getting harder to keep her eyes open. Suspecting Roscoe was similarly afflicted, she winced. It had not been a fun night...but the sun was beginning to rise, so it was not quite evening at all anymore. Whatever it was, it merited a good, long sleep.
Roscoe saw that Ivy was put to bed before turning slowly himself and taking the short trek back to his own house. He smiled slightly, wondering where he'd ever got the nerve to do the things he did this day...
It was too late for such thought, he said to himself. "Just now, home to bed. Thank goodness we're both still in one piece."
Ivy rolled over, firmly cocooning herself in the soft blankets. She felt like she was sinking into the soft mattress, but had very little time to think (or even remember to give Roscoe a proper farewell) before burrowing her head under the pillow and falling asleep like a log.
Gandalf took no time rejoicing over the departure of the two villains; his mind was already straying to other matters. "Seeing his face answers many questions," he mused to himself. "I wonder..."
Gandalf soon turned to the two hobbits panting on the ground. "I will escort you two as far as the forest's edge and into Bree if you wish, but no further! This battle is but a shimmer and a glimpse of a bigger fray that needs my immediate attention. Come, let us go!"
Roscoe's famished and exhausted state was just beginning to catch up with him; the high of pursuing his purpose was gone with it's completion, and at the moment he wanted nothing more than just to lay in that forest (accursed though it was) and sleep -- better yet, to lay in his bed at home, with a fire going... He knew he had to go, though.
"Just a little while and everything will be back to normal!" he thought to himself. He turned to Ivy, and realized that in the heat of battle he hasn't had time to really acknowledge her. "How are you, Ivy? Can you walk just now?"
Ivy thought for a moment. Her legs, though undamaged, felt shaky but able to support her.
"I think so." She said, feeling dazed. Everything had happened so quickly...and now it was over, or so it seemed. "Where are we going?" She asked, rubbing her neck carefully. Either Gandalf hadn't said, or she should have been listening more attentively.
Roscoe helped her to her feet. "Don't worry about that -- I'll make sure you're taken care of all right!" He walked with Ivy to the end of the clearing where Gandalf was, offering his arm in case she needed to steady herself. "I think we're ready to go, Gandalf. Thank you so much for all that you've done! I don't know what I would have done without you!"
Gandalf nodded at Roscoe's thanks and smiled. "Let us leave, then." He led the way carefully through the forest, minding to go slowly for the sake of the tired and beaten hobbits.
Roscoe followed after with Ivy, very interested to hear about Ivy's adventure but not wanting to overburden her for the moment. "Perhaps I'll see her tomorrow, when she's more rested…" he hoped.
Roscoe followed the wizard silently as he led the way through the wood, his mind numbed and very tired himself.
Remembering that the wizard had played a large part in their general return to safety, Ivy bowed clumsily, one hand holding tight to Roscoe's arm.
"Thank you..." She smiled, feeling quite small in Gandalf's presence, much moreso than from the Big People or the Fair Folk. Wizards, she decided, were quite a different sort of people than what most would normally deal with.
Gandalf chuckled silently to himself as the team moved soundlessly through the trees. He secretly wished to himself that his travels more often brought him in the company of hobbits. "They're much more grateful and polite than men and elves," he thought.
The thought reminded him of Bilbo's upcoming birthday party. "My my, he should be what, 110 this year? I should hope my affairs bring me back to the Shire in time; it will be nice to visit the Shire again... quite nice indeed..."
Ivy nodded to herself, listening to Gandalf talk without thinking up much that would make a good (or even understandable) response. Her thoughts went no further than somehow getting somewhere safe and sleeping until she woke up; then turning over and falling back asleep again. "And warm, too," she thought. "maybe back at the Inn…" The night's events had sort of a hazy veil over them, but Ivy had a feeling that in the morning she would have some memories to deal with and stow away in the back of her mind.
The night was almost over when Roscoe and Ivy entered the Prancing Pony inn; neither of them were very awake. Gandalf had left them at the gates of Bree, wishing them both a fair morning before disappearing along the darkened roads. Barliman was asleep, but Nob was keeping watch.
Roscoe put down some money on the counter. "See that Ivy here gets a proper room. There's some extra there for breakfast in the morning, and anything else she may need! I'll be back before noon tomorrow to pay any other costs that may be required."
With that, Nob walked to a one-bed hobbit-sized room. Roscoe and Ivy followed close behind.
Ivy smiled politely at Nob, walking carefully behind him towards the room. Rest was closer than ever before; it was getting harder to keep her eyes open. Suspecting Roscoe was similarly afflicted, she winced. It had not been a fun night...but the sun was beginning to rise, so it was not quite evening at all anymore. Whatever it was, it merited a good, long sleep.
Roscoe saw that Ivy was put to bed before turning slowly himself and taking the short trek back to his own house. He smiled slightly, wondering where he'd ever got the nerve to do the things he did this day...
It was too late for such thought, he said to himself. "Just now, home to bed. Thank goodness we're both still in one piece."
Ivy rolled over, firmly cocooning herself in the soft blankets. She felt like she was sinking into the soft mattress, but had very little time to think (or even remember to give Roscoe a proper farewell) before burrowing her head under the pillow and falling asleep like a log.
