Chapter 4
The Search
The bows of the fiddlers suddenly fell silent and lowered to each player's side. The roar of clapping hands that wanted to cheer for the newlywed couple, who stood before them, all stopped at the same time. Open mouths and staring eyes rested upon a single frightened stable lad who pushed his way to see his master. Gasp and confusion arose as each hobbit shifted their eyes to the young master and the simple lad that now met each other in the center of the Grand Hall.
Lads closest to Merry pushed through the crowd as each hobbit bent an ear closer to hear what had just happened.
Straw and dirt clung to Tom's ragged and faded vest as if he rolled himself upon the ground. Chunks of straw that was matted into the thick dirty curls of his hair, snapped around seeing groups of lads pressing closer to get around the two hobbits who faced each other, startling Tom. Merry noticed a small trickle of blood that came from the matted clumps of straw that stuck to this lad's hair.
Merry's heart raced in his chest and seized Tom's shoulder tightly. "Who took Snowclad? How many of them were there? Where are they now?" The questions came rapidly that matched the panic in his mind.
Tom's rounded eyes stared blankly at Merry and he could still see the shock clearly written upon his face. "I-I'm not sure, Master Merry. I was hit from behind, but as I fell ta the ground, I heard many thudding o' feet. I tried, Master Merry, really I did! I tired to get a glimpse of 'em, but darkness took me, sir and my eyes couldn't focus upon 'em. I'm not sure how long I laid upon the ground, but when I woke, she was gone, sir. Snowclad is gone. I searched every where fer her, but she is gone!"
The crowd of Bucklander' eyes were now upon Merry and they pressed in closer to hear what he was going to say. Taking a few steps back, Merry's mind raced in thinking about everything that the lad told him.
The crowd slightly parted as a lass dressed in white approached him. Just as he raised his eyes from the floor, a sword was held before him. "Take this Merry and bring Snowclad back!"
Merry held the hilt of the sword of the Westernesse in his hand and pulled it from it sheathe. A shocked look rested upon his wife and then immediately upon the wall where once his sword and shield where housed. Nodding to his beloved, he raised his sword in front of him, "Come lads, let's find her!"
Merry stepped a few paces while the lad's in front of him began to make their way through the crowd. Turning for one last look at his wife, he allowed himself a moment to take in her beautiful, sweet face and a pain of guilt hit him. Seeing his father who approached her, he placed a protective arm around her, gesturing to his son that she would be all right.
Merry bowed his head to his father and then followed the lads out of the Grand Hall.
Diamond held on to her husband's arm and set her pleading eyes upon him. "I have to go, my love. Merry needs me, now." Patting her hand gently to calm her, he leaned down to kiss her lips, good- bye. Casting his eyes downward and seeing his son at his mother's side, Pippin rumpled his hair playfully. "Take good care of your Mum, lad. I'm counting on you."
Faramir hid his face into his mother's skirt and grasped her leg. Diamond bent down and picked up her son to comfort him, while he rested his sweet, little face upon her shoulder and wept.
Taking one more look at them and nodding to his father and mother, he turned quickly and ran after his cousin.
XXX
Merry organized the lads and barked out orders. Seeing Tom standing upon the spot where it all had happened and the bewilderment of what he had experienced, left him in a state of confusion and sadness. He wanted to help, but new nothing of carrying a sword, let alone bow and arrow. He stood helplessly just watching.
Merry approached him, "It will be okay, Tom. We'll get her back where she belongs."
"Snowclad will be frighten, sir. She's coming close to having her foal. What's to become o' her?" asked Tom. Merry knew how much Tom loved the ponies and his bewildered look only confirmed this more. "I'd be willing ta help ya, Master Merry, in finding her with ya!"
Merry knew the feeling well, being left behind and went over to him. "Tom, saddle up Sheerimac for me and while I'm gone, I only trust you to guard Shimmering. Don't let anyone near her!"
"Ya have my word on that, Master Merry, but Sheerimac is still very unpredictable, he's not fully trained, yet sir!"
"He's trained good enough and I trust him as I do you," said Merry. "Now go, Tom, saddle him for me!"
Merry looked at the spot where his pony was taken and tried to map out in which direction that they took Snowclad. However, with so many lads scrambling about, the tracks could not tell him what he wanted to know. He scanned the horizon in any hope of finding a direction. He knew he had to break the lads into groups to begin his search.
The image of his pony drifted in his mind of the day, King Theoden of Rohan had given Stybba to him and the day the pony accepted him as her master and friend. The pony had been at his side every since taking him across his journey through middle earth and home again. He brought her to his beloved Buckland, where he renamed her, Snowclad. Part in memory of the king's horse Snowmane and the other that spoke of the mountains that surrounded them in the farthest distance and peeks that seemed to touch the very sky that protected and made secret the land that he loved. This was to be her last foal as age was coming upon her. The pain of her being taken from him took his breath away and desperation in finding her ensued him to the very core of his soul.
Berilac and Pippin mounted their ponies and approached Merry who was just climbing upon Sheerimac.
Skillfully, Merry divided the hobbits and grouped them in areas for them to begin searching. Pippin would take the group and follow the river, while Berilac would turn south and search the country roads and foothills by Standelf. While he lead his lads to the fields of The High Hay and townships there with.
Thunderous sounds of hooves beat the ground at the same time as the groups parted their way and raced from Brandy Hall.
Merry road ahead of his group and scoped the ground in hopes of finding the slightest hint of fresh tracks.
All through the rest of the long morning and into the earlier part of the afternoon until their stomachs wagged like empty sacks, were forced to stop and eat. Merry only nibbled on brown crusted, flat bread and paced back and forth. He knew if old Hatty were here, that she would have nagged him endlessly to sit and eat more. But for the knots that bound his stomach from his raw nerves he felt inside of him, he could not feel the hunger of his own stomach. "Why would someone want to take the older mare? And who was capable of doing such a underhanded task?" echoed through his mind, thinking and contemplating on these two questions that eluded him.
Taking in a deep breath and running his hand down upon his chest, he felt the smoothness of his best vest that he wore for his own wedding. He closed his eyes tightly and wished he could feel the comfort of his beloved wife's arms around him. 'Wife,' he thought, 'My wife,' that thought gave him the comfort that he needed at that immediate moment.
XXX Falling upon her bed and focusing upon the ceiling before her, she sighed and curled her arm over her brow and allowed the tears to fall from her eyes. Racking sobs shook her shoulders and she turned to cry upon her pillow and feel the softness of the linen. She stroked her hand, running it down the pillory comfort that she rested upon while her tears slowly lessened.
She looked about the room that would now be theirs to share as a wedded couple. The closet that housed all of Esmeralda's dresses that she had made for her suddenly caught her eye. Not from the beauty of these dresses or the brilliant colors that her mother-in-law loved so much, but rather lack of. The dresses were ripped to shreds and pieces that hung upon the pegs.
Quickly, Estella climbed from the bed and rushed over to the dresses to confirm what her eyes had told her. Pulling each dress from the peg, she examined the tattered mass. One after another she pulled out of her closet and cast them down upon the ground. Every dress that was placed in the closet was now nothing but torn rags.
Her eyes widened and then darted to each section of the room and slowly approached the open door that lead to their small common room from their bedroom. Her heart suddenly felt like it stopped beating and fear clouded her every thought. Inch by inch she eased her way over to the door, wanting to peer in and see if someone was there. Her eyes did not blink, too fearful that something would within seconds jump out upon her. Her breath came in faint wisps, but still she pressed on. Reaching her hand out to the handle of the door to open it further and just as she reached it, the door swung open with a loud bang against the wall. A piercing scream broke from her chest, while a lass with a pair of scissors suddenly stood in front of her.
XXXXXX
A/N: Short chapter, but I needed to stop here for effect of this story. You just have to do it once in while to keep it interesting.....
Thank you all for your reviews they keep me writing and thinking about what I want to do next in this story. You all are so awesome! Wink a ShireElf, especially! -
The Search
The bows of the fiddlers suddenly fell silent and lowered to each player's side. The roar of clapping hands that wanted to cheer for the newlywed couple, who stood before them, all stopped at the same time. Open mouths and staring eyes rested upon a single frightened stable lad who pushed his way to see his master. Gasp and confusion arose as each hobbit shifted their eyes to the young master and the simple lad that now met each other in the center of the Grand Hall.
Lads closest to Merry pushed through the crowd as each hobbit bent an ear closer to hear what had just happened.
Straw and dirt clung to Tom's ragged and faded vest as if he rolled himself upon the ground. Chunks of straw that was matted into the thick dirty curls of his hair, snapped around seeing groups of lads pressing closer to get around the two hobbits who faced each other, startling Tom. Merry noticed a small trickle of blood that came from the matted clumps of straw that stuck to this lad's hair.
Merry's heart raced in his chest and seized Tom's shoulder tightly. "Who took Snowclad? How many of them were there? Where are they now?" The questions came rapidly that matched the panic in his mind.
Tom's rounded eyes stared blankly at Merry and he could still see the shock clearly written upon his face. "I-I'm not sure, Master Merry. I was hit from behind, but as I fell ta the ground, I heard many thudding o' feet. I tried, Master Merry, really I did! I tired to get a glimpse of 'em, but darkness took me, sir and my eyes couldn't focus upon 'em. I'm not sure how long I laid upon the ground, but when I woke, she was gone, sir. Snowclad is gone. I searched every where fer her, but she is gone!"
The crowd of Bucklander' eyes were now upon Merry and they pressed in closer to hear what he was going to say. Taking a few steps back, Merry's mind raced in thinking about everything that the lad told him.
The crowd slightly parted as a lass dressed in white approached him. Just as he raised his eyes from the floor, a sword was held before him. "Take this Merry and bring Snowclad back!"
Merry held the hilt of the sword of the Westernesse in his hand and pulled it from it sheathe. A shocked look rested upon his wife and then immediately upon the wall where once his sword and shield where housed. Nodding to his beloved, he raised his sword in front of him, "Come lads, let's find her!"
Merry stepped a few paces while the lad's in front of him began to make their way through the crowd. Turning for one last look at his wife, he allowed himself a moment to take in her beautiful, sweet face and a pain of guilt hit him. Seeing his father who approached her, he placed a protective arm around her, gesturing to his son that she would be all right.
Merry bowed his head to his father and then followed the lads out of the Grand Hall.
Diamond held on to her husband's arm and set her pleading eyes upon him. "I have to go, my love. Merry needs me, now." Patting her hand gently to calm her, he leaned down to kiss her lips, good- bye. Casting his eyes downward and seeing his son at his mother's side, Pippin rumpled his hair playfully. "Take good care of your Mum, lad. I'm counting on you."
Faramir hid his face into his mother's skirt and grasped her leg. Diamond bent down and picked up her son to comfort him, while he rested his sweet, little face upon her shoulder and wept.
Taking one more look at them and nodding to his father and mother, he turned quickly and ran after his cousin.
XXX
Merry organized the lads and barked out orders. Seeing Tom standing upon the spot where it all had happened and the bewilderment of what he had experienced, left him in a state of confusion and sadness. He wanted to help, but new nothing of carrying a sword, let alone bow and arrow. He stood helplessly just watching.
Merry approached him, "It will be okay, Tom. We'll get her back where she belongs."
"Snowclad will be frighten, sir. She's coming close to having her foal. What's to become o' her?" asked Tom. Merry knew how much Tom loved the ponies and his bewildered look only confirmed this more. "I'd be willing ta help ya, Master Merry, in finding her with ya!"
Merry knew the feeling well, being left behind and went over to him. "Tom, saddle up Sheerimac for me and while I'm gone, I only trust you to guard Shimmering. Don't let anyone near her!"
"Ya have my word on that, Master Merry, but Sheerimac is still very unpredictable, he's not fully trained, yet sir!"
"He's trained good enough and I trust him as I do you," said Merry. "Now go, Tom, saddle him for me!"
Merry looked at the spot where his pony was taken and tried to map out in which direction that they took Snowclad. However, with so many lads scrambling about, the tracks could not tell him what he wanted to know. He scanned the horizon in any hope of finding a direction. He knew he had to break the lads into groups to begin his search.
The image of his pony drifted in his mind of the day, King Theoden of Rohan had given Stybba to him and the day the pony accepted him as her master and friend. The pony had been at his side every since taking him across his journey through middle earth and home again. He brought her to his beloved Buckland, where he renamed her, Snowclad. Part in memory of the king's horse Snowmane and the other that spoke of the mountains that surrounded them in the farthest distance and peeks that seemed to touch the very sky that protected and made secret the land that he loved. This was to be her last foal as age was coming upon her. The pain of her being taken from him took his breath away and desperation in finding her ensued him to the very core of his soul.
Berilac and Pippin mounted their ponies and approached Merry who was just climbing upon Sheerimac.
Skillfully, Merry divided the hobbits and grouped them in areas for them to begin searching. Pippin would take the group and follow the river, while Berilac would turn south and search the country roads and foothills by Standelf. While he lead his lads to the fields of The High Hay and townships there with.
Thunderous sounds of hooves beat the ground at the same time as the groups parted their way and raced from Brandy Hall.
Merry road ahead of his group and scoped the ground in hopes of finding the slightest hint of fresh tracks.
All through the rest of the long morning and into the earlier part of the afternoon until their stomachs wagged like empty sacks, were forced to stop and eat. Merry only nibbled on brown crusted, flat bread and paced back and forth. He knew if old Hatty were here, that she would have nagged him endlessly to sit and eat more. But for the knots that bound his stomach from his raw nerves he felt inside of him, he could not feel the hunger of his own stomach. "Why would someone want to take the older mare? And who was capable of doing such a underhanded task?" echoed through his mind, thinking and contemplating on these two questions that eluded him.
Taking in a deep breath and running his hand down upon his chest, he felt the smoothness of his best vest that he wore for his own wedding. He closed his eyes tightly and wished he could feel the comfort of his beloved wife's arms around him. 'Wife,' he thought, 'My wife,' that thought gave him the comfort that he needed at that immediate moment.
XXX Falling upon her bed and focusing upon the ceiling before her, she sighed and curled her arm over her brow and allowed the tears to fall from her eyes. Racking sobs shook her shoulders and she turned to cry upon her pillow and feel the softness of the linen. She stroked her hand, running it down the pillory comfort that she rested upon while her tears slowly lessened.
She looked about the room that would now be theirs to share as a wedded couple. The closet that housed all of Esmeralda's dresses that she had made for her suddenly caught her eye. Not from the beauty of these dresses or the brilliant colors that her mother-in-law loved so much, but rather lack of. The dresses were ripped to shreds and pieces that hung upon the pegs.
Quickly, Estella climbed from the bed and rushed over to the dresses to confirm what her eyes had told her. Pulling each dress from the peg, she examined the tattered mass. One after another she pulled out of her closet and cast them down upon the ground. Every dress that was placed in the closet was now nothing but torn rags.
Her eyes widened and then darted to each section of the room and slowly approached the open door that lead to their small common room from their bedroom. Her heart suddenly felt like it stopped beating and fear clouded her every thought. Inch by inch she eased her way over to the door, wanting to peer in and see if someone was there. Her eyes did not blink, too fearful that something would within seconds jump out upon her. Her breath came in faint wisps, but still she pressed on. Reaching her hand out to the handle of the door to open it further and just as she reached it, the door swung open with a loud bang against the wall. A piercing scream broke from her chest, while a lass with a pair of scissors suddenly stood in front of her.
XXXXXX
A/N: Short chapter, but I needed to stop here for effect of this story. You just have to do it once in while to keep it interesting.....
Thank you all for your reviews they keep me writing and thinking about what I want to do next in this story. You all are so awesome! Wink a ShireElf, especially! -