She finished cutting the cake and passed out the last of the slices, then ducked into the kitchen for extra drinks. Out of the corner of her eyes, Azaelia saw something out the window. It looked like a cloaked figure riding a horse. But it couldn't be; no one out of the ordinary ever came to Buckleberry Fern. It was just a flash, merely a moment. It were gone now, no worries…
"Hey, Azaelia, what's up?" Merry asked around the still-frosted spoon.
"I-I thought I saw something…a black rider of sorts, but it was one of the big folk, and it almost looked like-oh nevermind. Whatever it was-whoever it was is gone now."
Merry's eyes glanced toward the window with the faintest inklings of concern. But he shrugged it off. "Eh, it's dark. Could'a been anything. Com'on, let's enjoy the party." He placed a hand on Azaelia's back and led her back to the group. She looked back at the window and shuddered.
"Yes…let's go back to the party…"
When Azaelia reentered the room, Ruby could see something was bothering her, but before she had a chance to ask what it was, her old grin was back and she was calling out, "Presents! Presents!"
With a yell and a cheer, Ruby's many friends made her sit in a chair in the center of the room, each presenting her with a gift. Before the ritual began, however, Azaelia made it plain and clear that her gift was the beautiful thing that Ruby was wearing. More showers of praise and complements ensued before Rosie presented Ruby with a lovely array of different red and black ribbons. She assumed that Azaelia had suggested the colors. Smiling, Ruby immediately tied them into her hair. Next came Sam, presenting her with an assortment of his very best smelling and most colorful flowers. Azaelia swept them up and placed them in a vase on a nearby table. Following Sam came Frodo, who, knowing well Ruby's love for writing, had put together a leather bound book of blank pages. Merry gave her a necklace of tiny, smooth pebbles that he said he had found in a pond, and Pippin gave her a bracelet much the same to the necklace. Hugs were exchanged, as well as much laughter and joking, and the evening was a lovely one.
Just as everyone was looking ready to go, Ruby decided that the last embarrassment would be hers to deal out. She turned to Azaelia, her chin in her hands. "Azaelia, I've been wondering…how is song of yours been coming?"
Azaelia's eyes widened as everyone turned to her. Ruby knew all too well that she was finished, and has heard it several times…but to sing in front of Merry…
"I-it's done. But it's not fitting to take the glory from your birthday."
Ruby smiled. "Why not another birthday present? Please? I've never heard you sing it seriously before, anyhow...you're always making faces while you sing it and ruin the mood!" Now that Ruby had gotten started, so did the other five hobbits. They began applauding and cheering, calling for a song.
"Com'on, Azaelia, you used to sing when we were kids all the time. Why not sing for us?" asked Merry, giving her a small push on the shoulder.
Azaelia blushed and stood up, fidgeting. She started out so softly, her friends could barely hear her…
"Though freedom flies on bended wings, you'll find it in the mountains. The song of life will be sung again, but only in the mountains. Across the plains on angels' wings, you'll find me in the mountains…"
A bit of confidence lodged itself inside of Azaelia and her voice grew and strengthened with it.
"The peace you find will soon fly again, but only in the mountains. The valleys then will bring you food, but safety's in the mountains. Then as a nation we'll all bring this song into the mountains. Though rocky they may sometimes be, our safety's in the mountains…"
The final note hung in the air. Azaelia smiled sheepishly. A little shaken, she took back to her seat.
For a moment no one said or did anything, merely watched her with content smiles as she sat back down.
"That was beautiful." Ruby whispered, giving her hand a squeeze.
When finally came the end of the night and all good byes were said, Azaelia and Ruby changed out of their party clothes and slipped into much more comfortable sleeping clothes. Together, they curled up by the fire. Ruby noticed her friend was a little distant.
"Zaelia, the song was so lovely..." She gave her a sly smile. "Merry seemed to be particularly enraptured."
Azaelia blushed and shook her head, "No, I don't think so. I think it was just the icing giving him a stomach ache."
Ruby poked her in the ribs, despite knowing that her friend wasn't ticklish, even in the slightest bit. "I didn't know stomach aches made you smile like a goober and stare at pretty girls..."
"No! He couldn't be all that interested…it was just the song, anyway…"
After a long moment of quiet, Ruby took in a deep breath, then let it out slowly. She felt it was now time to confess.
"Zaelia...I'm afraid have a bit of a confession to make."
"Hmm? What is it Ruby?" Azaelia looked a little concerned.
"I...I'm in love with someone." She looked away shyly, now regretting having brought up the subject. Ooh, how she longed to take those words back. "With…Pippin."
Azaelia laughed a little. "Ruby, it's not like you have a disease! It's a good thing, and Pippin may be a little goofy—well, very goofy at times…but he's still a good choice."
Ruby blushed furiously, turning a color not unlike her own name. "He's a Took." She muttered, causing Azaelia to laugh.
"Yes, he's a Took!" Azaelia giggled more when she heard a knock at the front door. Only seconds later, a knock came from the back door, as well. "Would you go get the back door, Ruby? I'll get the front."
Thankful for an escape from the conversation, Ruby gladly went to the backdoor. She opened it, and there stood Merry.
"Hi there." He grinned. "I left my coat here, mind if I come get it?"
Ruby let him in, grateful that he was alone. She was not interested in allowing Pippin to see her in her night clothes. As Merry and Ruby made their way to the main room, a very, very cold chill overtook them. A very small, frightened sound came from the front hall and they rushed off to see what was wrong.
Azaelia opened the door and saw the black cloaked figure on the horse. She backed up a step, trembling. It was the one she had seen from the window of her kitchen earlier. She gasped, feeling her insides freeze solid as the man spoke.
"Shire…Baggins…" The eery, whispy voice took hold of Azaelia and she stumbled backward into her house. She shook her head and said,
"I-I don't know any Bagginses…and you have to go that way to the Shire…"
Azaelia pointed the man in the direction he had come from. The entirely opposite direction that he would need to go to get to Hobbiton. When he was gone, she slammed the door and collapsed to the ground. The rider let out a deathly scream as it tore away on its horse.
The scream chilled them worse than the rider's presence had before. Ruby and Merry rushed to Azaelia's side.
"What was that thing?" Ruby cried, hugging her frightened friend.
"What did it want with the Bagginses?" Merry wondered, lifting Azaelia off the ground and helping her to the main room.
"I-I don't know what it was…Merry, it was that thing I saw earlier…!" She was trembling all over, her insides still frozen from the encounter.
Merry looked at her with uncharacteristically concerned eyes. "I saw it, too. Now I wish we hadn't ignored it..."Ruby held tight to Azaelia's shaking hands.
"You were right to point that rider in the wrong direction, I think, Zaelia..."
"I-I couldn't let them harm Frodo, or anyone else in the shire…what if he comes back? He'll be mad for being pointed in the wrong direction…oh what should I do!" Azaelia buried her face in her hands.
Merry put a protective arm around her shoulders. "Come to my place. It's a way's walk, yes, but I think you'll be safe there." Ruby nodded emphatically.
"I think that would be wise. We'll take the back way through the woods."
Merry nodded his own agreement and then helped Azaelia back to her feet.
"Let's hurry, before he realizes what's happened. Ru, think you can help her get dressed?" Ruby nodded, taking her friend's arm and leading her down the hall and to her room.
Azaelia tried to steady herself as she moved down the hall with Ruby.
"Thank you, Ru." Her voice was shaky, as was the rest of her and it took her some effort to get into a dress. The one Ruby had chosen for her was mostly dark blues and purples, which they hoped would help to conceal her in the dark. Azaelia grabbed one other dress and walked down the hall. She grabbed a cloak off of the rack and found Merry's jacket there, as well. She took it down and handed it to him.
"I believe this belongs to you…" She struggled awhile to get her cloak's clasp closed, but her fingers were still a bit shaky.
"Curse this clasp!"
Merry caught her hands and in the exasperated tone of an older brother doing very well at being patient, said,
"Here, let me help you." He closed the brooch and smoothed the shoulders and hood if the cloak. "Better?"
"Yes, much…thank you."
Merry put a comforting arm about her shoulders. "Hey, don't worry." He whispered, Azaelia staring down at the floor. "Ruby and I'll take care of you."
Ruby rummaged through Azaelia's closet for those dresses she'd left there a few weeks prior. The first one she found, she put on; white shirt, purple skirt, and a black bodice. The other, a very red version of the one she was wearing, she stuffed into a backpack, calling to Azaelia that she would be using both that and one of her cloaks.
Once Azaelia and Ruby's extra clothes were packed and the pack securely on Ruby's back, they set off through the back door, down the back walk, and to the road.
"Maybe it would be best to stay off the road..." She whispered, hugging the borrowed cloak about her in the chill summer night air.
Azaelia nodded and walked silently behind Merry and Ruby. If this was any other night, she would have been chatting and blabbing until they begged her to be quiet, but tonight she was occupied, listening to the sounds of the night.
After a while's walking, Ruby grabbed Merry's arm, now realizing that her own was empty.
"Azaelia's gone!" She whispered frantically.
Quickly and quietly as they could, the two hobbits retraced their steps through the woods along the road, trying desperately to find their friend in the pressing dark. Ruby shivered. It was much too cold for a late-August night…Ruby grabbed again at Merry's sleeve and looked toward the road.
"I think I heard something fall…!"
The two of them went very still and peered through the trees and at the road. There was something very small huddled on the ground…Azaelia. They pulled her to her feet and into the trees just as two more riders passed down the road. After a few moments, they heard that terrifying shriek again. The three hobbits gasped and took off, running as fast as their legs could carry them toward Merry's house.
They ran through the trees and as they neared the edge of the forest across the road from Merry's house, they stopped and watched silently, waiting to see if the riders were coming. Once it was clear, they ran into the house and Azaelia slammed the door, then leaned against it. She slumped down, letting her weary legs rest. She hoped she never saw a rider again.
Ruby wrapped comforting arms around Azaelia's shoulders as she fought down her own fear. Merry crouched nearby, looking through the window, breathing hard.
"What's going on?" Someone asked from the door to kitchen. Ruby looked up to find Pippin standing in the door frame, a lump of bread and cheese in his hand.
"Shhh!" Cried Merry, motioning for him to avoid the windows.
After a few moments, Merry exchanged looks with the two girl hobbits. Then he stood up, clapping his hands and grinning. On Pippin's face lay a look of worry and confusion.
"Ha!" He cried, laughing, "Had you fooled, Didn't we, Pip?" Following suit, Ruby laughed.
"Ya! Good joke, Merry! He looked really scared there..."
Azaelia pretended to be disappointed that they'd play a trick like that on Pip.
"Aww," said Merry, pulling her to her feet, "It wasn't THAT bad. It's not like we're spinning some crazy tale about monsters or anything..."
"I guess you're right." She smiled and stood up shakily.
He whispered in her ear as he helped steady her, "You know as well as I do that those riders will only frighten him. We're safe now...we don't have to worry about them anymore."
"I know, I know…"She walked across the hall toward Pippin. "So when is our next trip to Farmer Maggot's? I'm coming with you this time!"
Pippin, the most oblivious Took that ever did Took, grinned, "We can go tomorrow, if you'd like."
"Good! And afterwards you both can have some the apples from my tree-red, delicious and sweet!"
Merry's eyes shown and his mouth watered. "Apples? Really?" Behind them, Ruby stifled a giggle.
"Yes, tomorrow will be the first day they'll be good to eat! They've been on that tree, reddening, getting sweeter and juicier with all the water I pour on, and don't forget all the sun we've been getting lately."
Finally, Ruby couldn't hold it anymore. She began laughing so hard, her sides ached. Merry looked about ready to burst with anticipation. Nearby, it seemed Pippin was suffering the same affliction. He moved over to where Ruby was standing and whispered,
"Looks to me like he'll soon drown in his own drool." This only caused further laughter, and before anyone knew it, they were having to support each other to keep from falling to the floor.
Azaelia smiled and stuck her tongue out at them. "So, tomorrow we go to Farmer Maggot's! And after that-apples! And if you two strong, tall men help me pick them," Azaelia put on her best innocent face, "Ruby and I will make you each a pie!"
Ruby calmed her laughter a little. She loved to bake and cook; in fact, she loved anything that involved making something. "Of course." She said, brushing tears from her eyes.
Merry and Pippin agreed happily. They loved apple pies, even though these particular pies would involve a little work. But they'd get apples, and apple pies, so all for!
"Now, if we want to go about this the smart way…" Azaelia put on a sly look "We'd best pick some apples before we go to Farmer Maggot's, so it looks like we've been picking apples since second breakfast!"
"Ah, a wise suggestion, Zaelia." Ruby grinned. Merry nodded emphatically. She knew exactly what was running through his head at that very moment...
"Apples apples apples apples apples APPLES!"
Azaelia giggled a little, knowing very well Merry's weak spot. "We'd best be getting to bed then so we can get up early and stop at my house before we go to Farmer Maggot's."
Merry insisted that the two girls take his room, whilst he and Pippin took the living room. After much debating, it was agreed upon and Azaelia and Ruby got ready for bed. Ruby, a little concerned although thoroughly entertained, wondered if Azaelia would even be able to sleep, pressed between the sheets and blankets of her Merry's bed.
Azaelia dressed once more in her sleeping clothes and looked around. She felt strange in Merry's room. "I feel so…awkward, I guess…being in his house is enough, but to be in his room…in his bed…" She blushed violently and sat on the window seat. "I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight, Ruby…"
Ruby sat beside her friend and placed a hand on hers. "I'm here with you, Zaelia, and Merry and Pippin are just a few rooms over." In an attempt to make Azaelia laugh, or at least smile, she added ruefully, "Well, Merry's a few rooms over. Those riders won't find us here, I'm sure of it. We'll be all right. Those mean looking riders can't possibly have much interest in our little green Shire."
Azaelia smiled and sighed. "Let's go to bed, then…we have a long day in front of us!" She pulled back the covers and settled in. "Mmm, his bed smells good…" She thought to herself and drifted off to sleep, though her dreams haunted her sleep and she tossed and turned all night.
If it weren't for her own exhaustion and thrashing, Ruby was sure Azaelia would have kept her up. The next morning they woke up refreshed, if not a little bruised. With the days' warm sunlight filtering in through the windows, the terror of the night before seemed a bit less unnerving.
Ruby got out of bed carefully, trying not to disturb her still sleeping friend. She got dressed and slipped out the front door. Merry seemed to have awoken in the same manor as she and was sitting awake in the kitchen when she got there. Again, that uncharacteristic solemnity darkened his face.
"Oh, Merry," she whispered, because mornings call for whispering, "Did you even sleep at all?" Merry shook his head and gave her the briefest glimpse of a smile.
"How is she?"
"All right. At least she slept, if not a bit fitfully. But then, I think we were all a bit frightened." She joined him at the table, where he sat spinning a cup of now-cold tea in his hands.
"What d'you think those things were?"
Ruby sighed and shook her head. "I don't know, I've never seen anything like them before..."
Merry took a sip of his tea and made a face, discovering that it was cold. He went to the fireplace where the teapot sat keeping warm and poured two new cups. He handed one to Ruby.
"Well, whatever they are...I hope they're gone away." And with that, the two hobbits sat quietly, sipping their tea.
Azaelia tossed and turned, and somehow got tangled up in the blankets after Ruby left. Dreaming that she was in chains, she made a final struggle and fell to the floor with a loud "THUD". Merry and Ruby heard a solemn "Ow…" come from the bedroom. Azaelia got dressed and came out, rubbing the side of her head as she sat at the table.
"Are you all right?" Ruby asked, patting the seat beside her. Merry passed her a cup of tea. He looked out the window.
"Well, if we're going to get to Farmer Maggot's, we should leave soon. Which means Pip needs to be drug from his nest." Ruby and Azaelia nodded their agreement, but made no motion to get up. It seemed as though Pippin was the only one truly enthusiastic about their day's upcoming excursion...
Azaelia smiled, a bit playfully, "We could always jump on him and tickle him."
Merry laughed. "That's a sight I would like to see..." But still, no movement whatsoever from the kitchen table.
Finally, Azaelia got up and marched into the living room, where they heard a surprised cry and laughter. Azaelia came back with a satisfied smile.
"Remembering ticklish spots has been proven very helpful!" She giggled as Pippin called from the living room,
"Ya ya, just because you were able to beat me up as a child doesn't mean you're still entitled to now!"
Ruby giggled, staring into her tea. How cute. Curse that Took. "You shouldn't tease him so, it's not very nice." But she couldn't fight her smile.
Azaelia laughed as Pippin joined them at the table. "But it's so easy, you just have to tickle right under the ribs-right here!" She poked Pippin's side. Pippin squeaked and leapt away from her. In his flight from Azaelia's assaulting fingers, his feet got caught up in each other and he stumbled and would have fallen, had it not been for Ruby and her chair breaking his fall. Blushing furiously as he stood back up, Ruby tried to hide away behind her hair. Ahhhhh. Bad thoughts.
Azaelia laughed furiously, whipping tears from her eyes. "And don't think I'd forget your ticklish spot, Merry! Right around the same place, but a little higher!" Merry's eyes widened, confirming her statement.
Ruby stood and retreated to the back of the kitchen where she began assembling an assortment of yummy picnic snacks, placing them inside the backpack she had brought from Azaelia's house. Azaelia followed, still laughing. She looked out the window and her face fell solemn.
"I want to get back here before nightfall…and I'd like to make sure my house is all right. I heard a loud noise coming from that way last night."
"I know...I heard them, too."
Ruby sighed and finished packing, being sure to leave plenty of room for the new vegetables and many, many apples for Merry. Azaelia became more anxious as she thought about her poor little hobbit hole. Soon she was pacing.
"Are we almost done?"
Ruby tightened the straps on the bag. "Yes. And we'll pass right by your house on our way."
"Why don't we have Merry and Pippin go ahead of us; we can pick a few apples and meet them at Farmer Maggot's. We don't want Pippin seeing my house if it is…"
Ruby nodded, pulling the pack onto her back. They returned to the main part of the kitchen where Merry and Pippin sat, stuffing themselves with bread and cheese.
"We need to stop at Zaelia's for a moment before we go, why don't you go on ahead of us?"
. "All right. Can you maybe pick a few apples?" Merry smiled that goofy grin and looked up at Ruby.
They promised that they would, and soon they split on their separate ways, Merry distracting Pippin with some story of his so he wouldn't notice that they were going the long way to Farmer Maggot's, instead of the short way, passed Azaelia's house.
Azaelia ran up her walkway when she reached the front gate and stood in horror looking at the scene in front of her. Her beautiful flowers were trampled, rose bushes uprooted, her front door lay on the ground, torn from its hinges, paper and various other items lay strewn on the floor and across her garden, broken, torn…
"My…my house…" Azaelia about sank to her knees, but curiosity pulled her into the dark recesses of her house. "Go pick some apples. We need to hurry to meet them at Farmer Maggot's." She bit her lip to keep from crying as she saw all that she loved torn, shattered and broken…beyond repair.
Ruby took Azaelia's hand and gave it a squeeze. "We'll make it shine, Zaelia...we'll make it grow again." She saw the tears in her dear friend's eyes and felt her own burn the corners of hers. She hugged Azaelia. "I promise-we'll make it beautiful again. The envy of all the Shire."
Together they wandered through the house. Azaelia found her father's wedding band on the floor. It was pure gold. She picked it up and put it on her thumb. That had always brought her comfort. It did now, but as she saw the last of the house it was too much to bear. Tears exploded from her eyes as she went to the back orchard and started picking apples for Merry.
The tree was ragged and almost barren. The sight of it made Ruby's heart break for both the tree's spirit and for her friend's. That tree was as old as the Shire. Seeing it so defiled brought the tears spilling from her eyes. Silent and tear streaked, they brought down every apple from the tree that was fit to bring down. Ruby packed them into a sack, then into the backpack. Back on went the pack and as they left Azaelia's yard, Ruby once again took her hand.
"We'll be back soon. And then we'll fix it. I'll make it better, Zaelia. Even if I have to fight all the riders off it myself."
Azaelia smiled and wiped away a tear. "Thank you. But Ruby, why would they do this to my house? Ever since my parents died everyone's left me well enough alone… They must be something Evil to be able to do this—this—this!" Her voice caught in her throat and she quieted as they came to Farmer Maggot's gate. Merry and Pippin were coming around the bend. She wiped away the last of her tears and smiled at the two as well as she could.
Ruby reached into her pack and threw the sack of apples at Merry. He caught it, stumbling into Pippin under the weight of it. Straightening himself, he gave a whoop. Within seconds, he was crunching down on the first one.
Azaelia smiled, even giggled a little when she saw him so happy. Her heart sank a little as she looked back in the direction of her home, laid to ruins. "Those are the best apples, and the only ones left…"
Ruby caught his eye and gave him a very Significant look. For a moment, Merry's guard went down. His eyes went wide and his mouth dropped slightly open. He looked down at the sack and back at the girls. "It's all gone?" Ruby and Azaelia nodded.
Azaelia bit her lip again, turning away, trying not to let Pippin see her. She couldn't ruin their fun, it wouldn't be fair.
Wonderful, sweet, oblivious Pippin pushed Farmer Maggot's gate open and gestured impatiently. "Come on-if we don't hurry, we won't be able to make this work."
Azaelia nodded and strangled a sob. She wiped at her eyes and followed Pippin and Ruby, with Merry following behind. She shook her head and looked for the carrot patch, figuring she'd start by picking a couple.
Quietly and carefully, the four hobbits browsed Farmer Maggot's crops. They were building up quite a collection and much time had passed when Ruby looked up and discovered something. She had absolutely no idea where Merry and Pippin were. Azaelia, who was harvesting close behind Ruby, bumped into her while lifting a cabbage.
"Why'd you stop?" She whispered curiously.
"Zaelia...where'd Merry and Pippin go?"
Azaelia stood up and looked around "Umm…" A small knot of fear bunched up in her stomach. "I…good question…maybe they're in the corn fields…should we go look there?"
"All right."
Ruby and Azaelia moved through the fields, but for the life of them couldn't find Merry and Pippin. The sun was high over head and the day had become very hot. The two hobbits decided to give up on their search for a little while; they'd rest in the woods a little before continuing.
Azaelia seated herself under a tree with Ruby when she heard a shrill scream. She leapt up, then realized that some dog had killed a rabbit.
"Bloody rabbit…must have gotten caught by one of Farmer Maggot's…" Azaelia stood there for a second, then heard the sound of dogs baying and feet running straight towards them, "dogs!"
Without thinking, the two of them ducked behind a log and hid to the best of their keen, hobbit ability. Azaelia and Ruby watched as Merry and Pippin ran out from the fields with Sam and Frodo behind them, Farmer Maggot and his dogs close behind. Then...they were gone.