Here's the fourth chapter, finally one of a decent length! I've chosen not to use the shire months here to avoid confusion for the reader, and for myself. I'll warn you, things are much less happy in this chapter, and it gets a bit sappy in places, but its the best I could do.
Thus started, the happy whirlwind of wedding plans began. We chose a date in mid April. Lilac, mother and I designed the gowns for my bridesmaids. Lilac was to be my maid of honor and Mungo's friend Otho Sackville-Baggins was to be best man.
March that year was particularly wet, and the river was close to overflowing its banks. One very rainy night, I was sitting by the fire with Mother and Lily working on the bridesmaid's gowns, when we heard a knock at the door. Lily sprung up to answer it. "Who would be out in this weather?" she said as she opened the door. Standing there in the rain was our best man-to-be, Otho Sackville-Baggins. I hurried to the door.
"Please come in."
"Only for a moment"
"What brings you here on this awful night? I trust you all are well?" I said nervously. He took a short breath.
"I'm afraid not, Mungo was thrown from his pony on his way here."
I staggered back, unsure of what to do or say. Lily steadied me with her hand, in a rare gesture of benevolence.
"You'd best come with me" he said gruffly. Numb with apprehension and grief, I was unable to move. Mother helped me into my cloak, and gave me a gentle push out the door. Otho helped me into his pony cart, and we were off. Once I had recovered somewhat from the shock of it all, I ventured to break the silence. "w-will he be alright?" I managed to ask.
"I dunno, but I best tell you the whole story now. He left late this afternoon, said he had something important for you. From what we could find out, he was thrown from his pony, something must have given it a fright. That might not have been so bad, had he not been crossing the bridge just then. I'm afraid he's in quite a state, I just hope we're not too late."
I stared out on the rainy night, trying to contain my fear, and the tears that threatened to fall. We were both silent for the rest of the trip. When we arrived, Otho helped me down, and gave me a hopeful kind of smile, making me feel just a little better. When I entered however, I was suddenly filled with a feeling of dread. Otho gave my hand a squeeze, and then opened the chamber door.
I ran to the bed, to my beloved Mungo, and found him to be in "quite a state" indeed. Battered and bruised, he could be hardly identified as a hobbit. I knelt by his side and took his hand in mine, "Love?" I asked hopefully.
"Lia" he whispered.
"I'm here love" I responded.
"I'll love you forever" he said softly. "Remember Lia, time is meaningless; love transcends all boundaries."
With tears flowing freely now, I answered. "Yes."
Turning, I went to Otho, and promptly collapsed into tears. Such was the sight that greeted Milo Bolger, Mungo's father, when he entered. Ignoring us, he went to his son. When he took a cold lifeless hand into his, he let out a sorrowful cry that must have been heard across the entire Shire.