Chapter 9
The Rabbit hole
A May fly buzzed its wings pitching and darting against the harsh breeze that sent waves across the open meadow. Farther and farther the helpless fly was flung along the path of the wind until it happened to land unto the brim of an old tattered hat. Pressing its wings under itself, it clung unto the fibers, pulling its self along until it was out of the fearsomeness of the wind.
Four travelers trekked through the tall grassland edging their way fearlessly closer to the back of the small private stable. Silently they lined themselves with their backs against the outer wall and crept to the single open door that banged against the stable wall. The first one of the travelers rushed to reach out to stop the loud noise that could send someone from inside to shut it. Leaning himself against the wagging door and taking in a deep breath he mentally tried to prepare himself.
Dougal reached out and grasped his reluctant son's shoulder and pushed him ahead of them. Brushing off his father's hand and glaring at him from over his shoulder, he stubbornly straightened himself trying to muster his own courage. The young lad swallowed hard and inched his way around the corner of the doorframe until he had a clear view inside. Luckily no one was about and this lightened his spirits. The young lad first put one hairy foot inside and then another, making a sudden dash to the nearest stall, crouching down, he peered in all directions.
The young foal snapped her head around and just caught the glimpse of the stranger entering. Snorting and neighing at the intruder by her stall, she raced over to peer down upon him. This sent Sheffield's heart to his toes and almost yelled out in fear. Beads of sweat began to drip off the young lad's brow while he tried to compose himself. Looking over his shoulder he could see his brothers and his father staring at him waiting for the signal that all was clear. He speculated just how much he had hated his own family for forcing him to do these underhanded things, but still too fearful of them not to obey.
Waving his hand to them, they sauntered in as if they were the owners and looked around. Shimmering pawed the ground in her stall showing her disdain and watched them carefully. With a sudden whoosh of motion, Sheffield's older brother Digger pounced in front of the startled foal. Waving his arms about and fabricating a hideous look upon his face, he frightened the young foal sending her dashed back into the farthest safety of her stall. Digger broke out laughing and held his sides almost rolling to the ground seeing her fear of him.
"Stop it ya fool!" snapped his father and smacking his son upon the back of his head, "Ya'll be a sendin' what's left o' 'em Bucklanders down upon us with yer tom-foolering!"
Too fearful to challenge the old Gaffer, Digger rubbed the back of his head and obediently followed his father over to the front stable doors and peered out looking around the empty grounds of Brandy Hall.
"Knowing Fardom, he's a held up in 'at there halls," said the Gaffer to his son's who now stood behind him and stared at the great manor before them.
"Most likely they've caught him, by my figuring," commented Till.
"Yer figuring is a bit off, there lad. Knowing yer brother as I do, I'm bettin' his deep pockets are full and his rat's nose is a sniffing his way out, as we speak!" speculated the old Gaffer.
"If'n 'at be true as ya says, he'd 'o met up with us by the clearing long a'fore we made it there," said Digger.
Nodding, the old Gaffer theorized the truth in what his son said. Pulling his old hat firmly down upon his brow and sending the May Fly fluttering to the safety of the rafters, he turned and walked over to the workbench and spotted torches soaking in a barrel of oil. He smirked when a plan came into the old Gaffer's mind and he motioned his son's closer. "Then by all means, let's be a helpin' yer poor brother out some by torchin' dis here 'ole barn. That'll send 'em Bucklanders a runnin' and away from our poor dear Fardom and his freedom. Get yerselves a torch lit and let's set about our work!"
Sheffield made an attempt to open the stall to let the small foal out and Dougal took a stick and snapped it down hard upon his son's writs. "What ya thinkin' yer doing? That pony will make more than enough ruckus ta bring 'em folks a runnin' than the roar o' flames or smoke!"
"Ya could kill her!" snapped Sheffield in horror of his father suggestion. Clutching his hand over to his right wrist that throbbed from the forceful swat that his father gave him.
"Yer weak lad an' born with no sense!" he snapped back at him. "Makes me wonderin' if'n ya be a true Tewksbury or not! Ya learned nothin' o' me teachin' there boy! Yer brother Fardom has eyes o' a hawk and quickness o' da ferret, he could steel a hobbit blind and he'd not be knowin' whose done it!" His eyes narrowed threatening to his youngest son until the lad cowered away from him.
Chuckling at his own prowess, he pointed to the torches that his brothers were lighting and ordered him to do the same.
Sheffield's hands shook when he took a torch and held it in his hand. Looking at the young foal and the beauty that she possessed, he could not bring himself to ignite his torch no matter what he would suffer from his father. Squaring his shoulders firmly, he shouted at his father. "No! I'll not be havin' a thing to do with this!"
Digger and Till both stood away from their younger brother in knowing what their father would do whenever they refused one of his orders. Staring at the young hobbit, their fear for him grew in their hearts while Dougal slowly approached him. Grasping the handle of a torch soaked in oil, he flung it onto his son's shirt. Taking the lit touch that his older son held in his hand, he threatened to light his shirt on fire.
The closer Saradoc and Paladin approached the stable with the reluctant armed servants following behind them, they knew that they had found their quarry. Gesturing to Paladin to take his group of hobbits around to the back of the stables, Saradoc would cover the front. Silently and carefully, Saradoc approached the front doors of the stable and got his first glimpse of them. His heart sunk not seeing his wife or Estella with them and he wondered what had befallen them. Narrowing his eyes and bending an ear to listen to what they were saying to each other dismayed him. Anger built in his chest overhearing their plans that they made. He crouched down closer to the ground and sat upon his heels giving Paladin enough time to get himself in position. When seeing the elderly hobbit fling the oil upon his youngest son's chest, Saradoc knew that they could not wait any longer. Seething in anger, Saradoc closed the distance between them.
Sheffield's face was etched in horror of what his own father was capable of and sent shivers of fear down his spine. His gaze locked upon his father's eyes almost boring into the blackness of his soul. He knew without question that his father cared nothing for him and his own death was upon him. Time stood still for Sheffield and everything seemed to move in slow motion as the seconds ticked by. His father raised his hand that held the torched and he could see that he was bringing it down almost upon him. In that moment when he prepared himself for his death that he caught a glimpse of movement just coming behind his father. Swarms of hobbits rushed in gathering all about them. The sound of a metal scrapping the sheath deafened the lad's ears as if it was the only sound in the stable.
XXX
Flickering of the flame that came from the lanterns opened the darkness of the black tunnel and yielded its path for Fardom. He made his way away from the group that nestled together in the cloud of blackness and he cocked his head around to make sure that they were not following him. Carelessly he bumped into a pole that held up the rafters above him. Trickling of dirt and dust cascaded about him from his impact with it. Holding his two lanterns up, he could see the deterioration of the old pole and rafters and the adjoining ones next to it. The frail looking pole would not take much of a push to send the earth that it held from crashing down to the ground and sealing the fate of those he left behind. Thinking only of himself and being rid of these affluent hobbits, he quickly gave the weak pole a final push and felt it crumble under his grasp. Running as fast as his legs could carry him, he heard one pole after another snapping and crumbling from the weight of the earth it tried to hold up. The earth that rumbled to the ground was on his heels as he raced his fastest to get away from it. Dirt, rocks and gravel poured in one great wave and the sound of it was deafening as it echoed through the entire tunnel. The tunnel shook and pitched and tossed Faradom to the ground, covering his hands over his head, he laid face down in the dirt. Within moments the ground beneath settled and the shaking had stopped. A thick coat of dirt covered his backside and ground deeply into his hair. He slowly got to his knees and shook it off of him. Looking back for only a moment, he could see a wall of earth and rock covering the tunnel in which he had just came from. Scrambling to his feet, he quickly ran the distances back to the hole where he had first entered these tunnels.
XXX
For Faramir who paid little attention to the adults around him and their rather odd behavior, could never figure them out entirely. The more times that he tried, the more they confused him. When his grandfather and old Saradoc rushed out of the kitchen grabbing their sword and bow, and giving a holler to the reluctant armed servants, they left their bowls of strawberries and cream barely touched. What was more important than the fine treat in front of them; this idea was lost to the little lad. He snatched his grandfather's bowl and quickly finished it while his grandmother, mother and old Hatty rushed to the window to watch the men folk running down towards the small, farthest stable. When he finished eating all that he could hold in his stomach, he placed the rest into his pocket of his weskit and walked over to his mother. Trying to gain their attention to him, they only nodded their heads when he tried to tell them he was going to his own room
With his stomach filled full and his weskit pocket that had an extra bulge in it, Faramir walked away from the table with all the empty bowls. Thinking of his little bed, Faramir wanted to lay down and rest for a time. His small little feet padded down the long lengths of the corridor and merrily he sang a song while his eyes took in everything around him.
"Hey ho, the rabbit goes,
a scamperin' down its hole.
With a nose that twitched
A giggle pitched;
From taking a carrot that he stole."
Stopping when he finished his little song, made him think of the rabbit hole that he was forced into by the ugly and scary hobbit that took him and Esmeralda. His auntie Estella told him that they were going to play a game and have an adventure down that rabbit hole. Thinking on that, little Faramir wondered if perhaps a large rabbit still lived within those tunnels. Maybe having so many others with him was the cause that the rabbit never shown himself. Thinking about this, Faramir decided to hide by the rabbit hole and see if he would come out. Perhaps then, he could capture the elusive rabbit and have a friend to play with him.
He decided that this was a great plan, little Faramir made his way to the oldest part of Brandy Hall and found the door pulled off its hinges and leaning up against the outer wall. Carefully he tiptoed into the empty room and saw the chest that was pulled away from the wall exposing the rabbit hole behind it. Reaching into his pocket he found the extra strawberries he had placed in there when his stomach could not hold another berry. Taking them in his small hands, he placed them in front of the hole. Knowing rabbits as he did, he knew they too could not resist to nibble on fresh strawberries. Then quick as a bunny, Faramir choose his hiding spot and dashed under the old desk to wait.
The floor that he rested upon suddenly pitched and shook. Little Faramir buried his face into his arms and covered his ears with his hands. Not know what could have happened, the little lad slowly raised his eyes up from his arms when the floor stopped shaking. Looking around the room from his safe hiding spot, he noticed that everything seemed to be as it once was and this seemed to calm his frazzled nerves. Wondering if the rabbit was ever going to show himself, Faramir watched the rabbit hole intently.
Suddenly he heard a noise coming from the rabbit hole, scratching and scrapping at first and then quiet sounds of movement. Holding his breath, he waited with excitement for the appearance of the rabbit
XXX
Tom sat between Estella and Esmeralda in the blackness of the tunnel that surrounded them. He could hear the soft puffs of their breath and could feel the tension building within them. Putting his arms around them, he gathered them closer to him. The warmth and caring of his hobbit gave comfort to Estella and Esmeralda. Leaning her head down upon his shoulder, Estella breathed a sigh of relief. Being left alone in the blackness of this tunnel frightened her, but having Tom with them seemed to take the fear away to some degree.
Tom heard the first snapping and cracking from the tunnel just a head of them. Rushing to his feet, he stood in shock in what he knew was about to happen. The ground under his feet began to tremble and then a great roar that seemed to echo through the cave. Reaching down with both of his hands, he pulled Estella and Esmeralda to their feet and pushed them to the farthest back wall by the locked gate. Shoving them down in one quick motion, he laid down upon them, protecting them. Not knowing what had happened to Tulsi and Myrtle, he only had enough time to cover their head with his hands. Screams and terror mixed in with the earth that seemed to swallow them.
A/N: This chapter had been rewritten thanks to my reviewers who let me know that there was some confusion with some of the events taking place. Hopefully I have cleared the confusion a bit. Please let me know if you think this is much clearer......yikes! Sorry for any problems this may have caused.
The Rabbit hole
A May fly buzzed its wings pitching and darting against the harsh breeze that sent waves across the open meadow. Farther and farther the helpless fly was flung along the path of the wind until it happened to land unto the brim of an old tattered hat. Pressing its wings under itself, it clung unto the fibers, pulling its self along until it was out of the fearsomeness of the wind.
Four travelers trekked through the tall grassland edging their way fearlessly closer to the back of the small private stable. Silently they lined themselves with their backs against the outer wall and crept to the single open door that banged against the stable wall. The first one of the travelers rushed to reach out to stop the loud noise that could send someone from inside to shut it. Leaning himself against the wagging door and taking in a deep breath he mentally tried to prepare himself.
Dougal reached out and grasped his reluctant son's shoulder and pushed him ahead of them. Brushing off his father's hand and glaring at him from over his shoulder, he stubbornly straightened himself trying to muster his own courage. The young lad swallowed hard and inched his way around the corner of the doorframe until he had a clear view inside. Luckily no one was about and this lightened his spirits. The young lad first put one hairy foot inside and then another, making a sudden dash to the nearest stall, crouching down, he peered in all directions.
The young foal snapped her head around and just caught the glimpse of the stranger entering. Snorting and neighing at the intruder by her stall, she raced over to peer down upon him. This sent Sheffield's heart to his toes and almost yelled out in fear. Beads of sweat began to drip off the young lad's brow while he tried to compose himself. Looking over his shoulder he could see his brothers and his father staring at him waiting for the signal that all was clear. He speculated just how much he had hated his own family for forcing him to do these underhanded things, but still too fearful of them not to obey.
Waving his hand to them, they sauntered in as if they were the owners and looked around. Shimmering pawed the ground in her stall showing her disdain and watched them carefully. With a sudden whoosh of motion, Sheffield's older brother Digger pounced in front of the startled foal. Waving his arms about and fabricating a hideous look upon his face, he frightened the young foal sending her dashed back into the farthest safety of her stall. Digger broke out laughing and held his sides almost rolling to the ground seeing her fear of him.
"Stop it ya fool!" snapped his father and smacking his son upon the back of his head, "Ya'll be a sendin' what's left o' 'em Bucklanders down upon us with yer tom-foolering!"
Too fearful to challenge the old Gaffer, Digger rubbed the back of his head and obediently followed his father over to the front stable doors and peered out looking around the empty grounds of Brandy Hall.
"Knowing Fardom, he's a held up in 'at there halls," said the Gaffer to his son's who now stood behind him and stared at the great manor before them.
"Most likely they've caught him, by my figuring," commented Till.
"Yer figuring is a bit off, there lad. Knowing yer brother as I do, I'm bettin' his deep pockets are full and his rat's nose is a sniffing his way out, as we speak!" speculated the old Gaffer.
"If'n 'at be true as ya says, he'd 'o met up with us by the clearing long a'fore we made it there," said Digger.
Nodding, the old Gaffer theorized the truth in what his son said. Pulling his old hat firmly down upon his brow and sending the May Fly fluttering to the safety of the rafters, he turned and walked over to the workbench and spotted torches soaking in a barrel of oil. He smirked when a plan came into the old Gaffer's mind and he motioned his son's closer. "Then by all means, let's be a helpin' yer poor brother out some by torchin' dis here 'ole barn. That'll send 'em Bucklanders a runnin' and away from our poor dear Fardom and his freedom. Get yerselves a torch lit and let's set about our work!"
Sheffield made an attempt to open the stall to let the small foal out and Dougal took a stick and snapped it down hard upon his son's writs. "What ya thinkin' yer doing? That pony will make more than enough ruckus ta bring 'em folks a runnin' than the roar o' flames or smoke!"
"Ya could kill her!" snapped Sheffield in horror of his father suggestion. Clutching his hand over to his right wrist that throbbed from the forceful swat that his father gave him.
"Yer weak lad an' born with no sense!" he snapped back at him. "Makes me wonderin' if'n ya be a true Tewksbury or not! Ya learned nothin' o' me teachin' there boy! Yer brother Fardom has eyes o' a hawk and quickness o' da ferret, he could steel a hobbit blind and he'd not be knowin' whose done it!" His eyes narrowed threatening to his youngest son until the lad cowered away from him.
Chuckling at his own prowess, he pointed to the torches that his brothers were lighting and ordered him to do the same.
Sheffield's hands shook when he took a torch and held it in his hand. Looking at the young foal and the beauty that she possessed, he could not bring himself to ignite his torch no matter what he would suffer from his father. Squaring his shoulders firmly, he shouted at his father. "No! I'll not be havin' a thing to do with this!"
Digger and Till both stood away from their younger brother in knowing what their father would do whenever they refused one of his orders. Staring at the young hobbit, their fear for him grew in their hearts while Dougal slowly approached him. Grasping the handle of a torch soaked in oil, he flung it onto his son's shirt. Taking the lit touch that his older son held in his hand, he threatened to light his shirt on fire.
The closer Saradoc and Paladin approached the stable with the reluctant armed servants following behind them, they knew that they had found their quarry. Gesturing to Paladin to take his group of hobbits around to the back of the stables, Saradoc would cover the front. Silently and carefully, Saradoc approached the front doors of the stable and got his first glimpse of them. His heart sunk not seeing his wife or Estella with them and he wondered what had befallen them. Narrowing his eyes and bending an ear to listen to what they were saying to each other dismayed him. Anger built in his chest overhearing their plans that they made. He crouched down closer to the ground and sat upon his heels giving Paladin enough time to get himself in position. When seeing the elderly hobbit fling the oil upon his youngest son's chest, Saradoc knew that they could not wait any longer. Seething in anger, Saradoc closed the distance between them.
Sheffield's face was etched in horror of what his own father was capable of and sent shivers of fear down his spine. His gaze locked upon his father's eyes almost boring into the blackness of his soul. He knew without question that his father cared nothing for him and his own death was upon him. Time stood still for Sheffield and everything seemed to move in slow motion as the seconds ticked by. His father raised his hand that held the torched and he could see that he was bringing it down almost upon him. In that moment when he prepared himself for his death that he caught a glimpse of movement just coming behind his father. Swarms of hobbits rushed in gathering all about them. The sound of a metal scrapping the sheath deafened the lad's ears as if it was the only sound in the stable.
XXX
Flickering of the flame that came from the lanterns opened the darkness of the black tunnel and yielded its path for Fardom. He made his way away from the group that nestled together in the cloud of blackness and he cocked his head around to make sure that they were not following him. Carelessly he bumped into a pole that held up the rafters above him. Trickling of dirt and dust cascaded about him from his impact with it. Holding his two lanterns up, he could see the deterioration of the old pole and rafters and the adjoining ones next to it. The frail looking pole would not take much of a push to send the earth that it held from crashing down to the ground and sealing the fate of those he left behind. Thinking only of himself and being rid of these affluent hobbits, he quickly gave the weak pole a final push and felt it crumble under his grasp. Running as fast as his legs could carry him, he heard one pole after another snapping and crumbling from the weight of the earth it tried to hold up. The earth that rumbled to the ground was on his heels as he raced his fastest to get away from it. Dirt, rocks and gravel poured in one great wave and the sound of it was deafening as it echoed through the entire tunnel. The tunnel shook and pitched and tossed Faradom to the ground, covering his hands over his head, he laid face down in the dirt. Within moments the ground beneath settled and the shaking had stopped. A thick coat of dirt covered his backside and ground deeply into his hair. He slowly got to his knees and shook it off of him. Looking back for only a moment, he could see a wall of earth and rock covering the tunnel in which he had just came from. Scrambling to his feet, he quickly ran the distances back to the hole where he had first entered these tunnels.
XXX
For Faramir who paid little attention to the adults around him and their rather odd behavior, could never figure them out entirely. The more times that he tried, the more they confused him. When his grandfather and old Saradoc rushed out of the kitchen grabbing their sword and bow, and giving a holler to the reluctant armed servants, they left their bowls of strawberries and cream barely touched. What was more important than the fine treat in front of them; this idea was lost to the little lad. He snatched his grandfather's bowl and quickly finished it while his grandmother, mother and old Hatty rushed to the window to watch the men folk running down towards the small, farthest stable. When he finished eating all that he could hold in his stomach, he placed the rest into his pocket of his weskit and walked over to his mother. Trying to gain their attention to him, they only nodded their heads when he tried to tell them he was going to his own room
With his stomach filled full and his weskit pocket that had an extra bulge in it, Faramir walked away from the table with all the empty bowls. Thinking of his little bed, Faramir wanted to lay down and rest for a time. His small little feet padded down the long lengths of the corridor and merrily he sang a song while his eyes took in everything around him.
"Hey ho, the rabbit goes,
a scamperin' down its hole.
With a nose that twitched
A giggle pitched;
From taking a carrot that he stole."
Stopping when he finished his little song, made him think of the rabbit hole that he was forced into by the ugly and scary hobbit that took him and Esmeralda. His auntie Estella told him that they were going to play a game and have an adventure down that rabbit hole. Thinking on that, little Faramir wondered if perhaps a large rabbit still lived within those tunnels. Maybe having so many others with him was the cause that the rabbit never shown himself. Thinking about this, Faramir decided to hide by the rabbit hole and see if he would come out. Perhaps then, he could capture the elusive rabbit and have a friend to play with him.
He decided that this was a great plan, little Faramir made his way to the oldest part of Brandy Hall and found the door pulled off its hinges and leaning up against the outer wall. Carefully he tiptoed into the empty room and saw the chest that was pulled away from the wall exposing the rabbit hole behind it. Reaching into his pocket he found the extra strawberries he had placed in there when his stomach could not hold another berry. Taking them in his small hands, he placed them in front of the hole. Knowing rabbits as he did, he knew they too could not resist to nibble on fresh strawberries. Then quick as a bunny, Faramir choose his hiding spot and dashed under the old desk to wait.
The floor that he rested upon suddenly pitched and shook. Little Faramir buried his face into his arms and covered his ears with his hands. Not know what could have happened, the little lad slowly raised his eyes up from his arms when the floor stopped shaking. Looking around the room from his safe hiding spot, he noticed that everything seemed to be as it once was and this seemed to calm his frazzled nerves. Wondering if the rabbit was ever going to show himself, Faramir watched the rabbit hole intently.
Suddenly he heard a noise coming from the rabbit hole, scratching and scrapping at first and then quiet sounds of movement. Holding his breath, he waited with excitement for the appearance of the rabbit
XXX
Tom sat between Estella and Esmeralda in the blackness of the tunnel that surrounded them. He could hear the soft puffs of their breath and could feel the tension building within them. Putting his arms around them, he gathered them closer to him. The warmth and caring of his hobbit gave comfort to Estella and Esmeralda. Leaning her head down upon his shoulder, Estella breathed a sigh of relief. Being left alone in the blackness of this tunnel frightened her, but having Tom with them seemed to take the fear away to some degree.
Tom heard the first snapping and cracking from the tunnel just a head of them. Rushing to his feet, he stood in shock in what he knew was about to happen. The ground under his feet began to tremble and then a great roar that seemed to echo through the cave. Reaching down with both of his hands, he pulled Estella and Esmeralda to their feet and pushed them to the farthest back wall by the locked gate. Shoving them down in one quick motion, he laid down upon them, protecting them. Not knowing what had happened to Tulsi and Myrtle, he only had enough time to cover their head with his hands. Screams and terror mixed in with the earth that seemed to swallow them.
A/N: This chapter had been rewritten thanks to my reviewers who let me know that there was some confusion with some of the events taking place. Hopefully I have cleared the confusion a bit. Please let me know if you think this is much clearer......yikes! Sorry for any problems this may have caused.