Traveling and Tours

The next morning Peter and Edmund tumbled out of bed with sore backs and large bruises on their heads. They had woken up to the lovely smell of breakfast cooking in the frying pan.

"Oh, my head!" Peter whimpered, pressing on his head.

"My back hurts!" Edmund complained, massaging his lower back.

"Mmm…what's that smell?" Peter sniffed the air.

"It smells like breakfast!" Edmund exclaimed, already heading for the door.

As they both walked into the kitchen, they saw Rosie scrambling around making a breakfast consisting of flaky donuts that were glazed with a cream colored frosting and in the frying pan there was hot, sizzling meat and fluffy, golden eggs. There were also dark colored fruits and pastries filled with different vegetables. To drink there was thick, pearly white goat's milk.

"Good morning, Peter and Edmund!" Rosie sang as she sliced a dark green fruit with white insides. "You sure did wake up late. How did you sleep last night?"

"We slept fine." Peter yawned and then smiling he said. "Everything smells great."

"We slept late?" Edmund asked, looking at the little hobbit with a confused expression on his face. "What time is it?"

"Almost nine-thirty, you missed breakfast." Rosie answered.

The boys looked at each other, puzzled.

"We missed breakfast?" Peter questioned, furrowing his brow. "Then why are you cooking?"

"I'm making second breakfast." She replied cheerfully. "Oh yes. I forgot humans only have three meals a day. We hobbits have six or seven large meals every day."

"Really? That's interesting." Peter remarked, raising his eyebrows.

Just then Sam and Frodo burst through the door, talking loudly. They came into the kitchen and sat down at the table.

"Sit down boys." Rosie commanded the two kings respectfully, motioning to the squat, wooden bench.

"Uh…I think after last night's incident we'll sit on the floor." Peter declined politely.

"Are you sure? You're welcome to sit at the table."

"No that's fine." Edmund backed Peter up, not wanting to repeat what his brother did the previous evening.

So they sat against the russet colored wall and Rosie thrust polished silver mugs into their hands and poured some goats milk from a shining, silver pitcher.

Edmund and Peter nodded their thanks as they speedily drank the refreshing milk. Then they gobbled up the delicious, morning meal.

"I don't mean to pry, but what are you planning to do today?" Rosie queried as she sat down to her own 'second breakfast', she had been running round the room getting more food for the hobbits or filling their teacups while the four had eaten their fill.

"I guess head out to look for Susan." Peter answered, setting his dark, wooden plate in the soapy water that was in a big washtub. "Do you know of the lands around here? Who do you think would know if Susan was here?"

"Sam and Frodo could tell you better than I. They were the ones who traveled abroad." Rosie responded, nodding towards the two hobbits across from her; they were drinking the last drops of their black tea.

"Yes." Frodo said, getting up from the table and clearing his own dish. "Let's go into the study where all the maps and books are stored."

They walked down the hall into a small, library type room that was a bit dusty and books and loose pages were piled everywhere. There was a rounded, solid, oak desk and a chair beside it that had a rounded back. There was a brass chandelier hanging over a sturdy, round table.

Frodo pulled out a few maps and pushed aside a leather bound book that was half empty. For the next hour the two hobbits and humans discussed countries, lands, rivers, cities, different races, and traveling. Then they started conversing about who would have the most information about the lost queen.

"I think we should head for Edoras in Rohan." Peter pointed to the ageing map that was spread out before them. "We can stop there on our way to Gondor to see if King Aragorn knows where Queen Susan is located."

"It will take at least a week of riding from here." Frodo told him.

"I know, but I feel like we should head east. What do you think Ed?" Peter questioned, turning to his brother.

"Yeah I think that as well. As you told us, Gondor is the central center for almost every country in Middle Earth. I believe it would be wise to go there." Edmund agreed.

"Then it's settled." Peter straightened up. "We will set out before noon."

"We'll have our bags packed and the horses brought around in a few ticks of the clock." Frodo replied.

"What do you mean, we?" Sam raised an eyebrow.

"Didn't you know? We're going with them!" Frodo said rather matter-of-factly.

"I don't want to travel with him." He hissed, glancing at Edmund. "Do we have to?"

"Yes, Sam." Frodo confirmed. "They don't know their way around this world as well as we do. Come on. It'll be alright."

"I'll come, but I don't like that Edmund fellow." Sam sighed, eyeing Edmund as the kings left the room. "He seems…suspicious."

"It'll be fine." Frodo comforted. "Really."

Within the hour the four travelers were ready to start out on their journey. Rosie had packed big bundles of food and necessities, Sam had tacked the horses, and Frodo had packed both his and Sam's bags.

Then Sam kissed his sweet wife and Peter and Edmund thanked Rosie as well. Frodo said goodbye. Then Peter and Edmund mounted their grand stallions as Sam and Frodo mounted stocky, tough ponies and set out for the grand adventures that were awaiting them.

--

We walked down to the gate and went into the crowded streets. Merry and Pippin were arguing about where they wanted to take me first. They stopped by a street well and continued to quarrel.

"I want to take her to the armory!" Pippin shouted.

"I want to take her to the Houses of Healing!" Merry shot back.

They kept arguing for a few minutes and then they decided to toss a small copper coin that Merry had in his pocket to see where they would take me first.

"I'll flip and you call what side you want." Merry said as he flipped the coin high into the air.

"Tails!" Pippin cried.

Unfortunately, the strong wind that was blowing in gray clouds caught the coin as it spun in the air. The coin arched and instead of falling back down to the cobblestones, it fell down the deep well by where we had stopped. Merry and Pippin groaned.

"This is all your fault, Merry." Pippin blamed.

"My fault?!" Merry retorted. "If you had just let me take her to the Houses of Healing then this wouldn't have happened."

"Oh! Well…"

"Gentlehobbits!" I broke in trying to break up the fight. I thought desperately for another sentence and then without thinking about it I said, "Why don't you take me to the marketplace?"

They both stopped and Pippin's eyes lit up, "What a delightful suggestion, your majesty!" He replied with a deep bow.

Merry agreed, practically jumping up and down. "It is a great idea!"

They both lunged for my arm, but collided into each other instead and fell to the cobblestone street. Both of their faces went red as they stood up and brushed the dust from their trousers. They glared at each other and then started squabbling about who was supposed to escort me.

"Why don't you both hold onto each of my arms?" I suggested, as a small headache started to pound in my head.

"Alright!" Pippin grinned as he gently took my left arm.

Merry took my other arm and they guided me down to the market. There were many strange, delightful smells and colorful foods. Vendors called out their wares to passersby and little children scampered in and out of the crowd. Many people stopped and stared at me. I guess they weren't used to seeing royalty on a regular basis.

Just as they had promised earlier; it was a grand tour.

It was mid afternoon when Pippin said, "I'm hungry. Let's get something to eat."

"Me too!" Merry concurred, rubbing his stomach.

"Let's go get some sugar cakes for the Queen." Pippin proposed, licking his lips.

"No, we should get her some peppermint!" Merry said, trying to outdo Pippin again.

"No!" Pippin's eyes twinkled, "Let's get her some mushrooms!" he exclaimed.

"No fair!"

"Hey, you out did me last time." Pippin shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

I thought I was going to gag. I hated mushrooms! They had a nasty, slippery texture and tasted bland, but I wasn't about to admit it to my gracious hosts.

Pippin and Merry hurried me along and then Merry asked, "Do you know where the mushroom stand is, Pip?"

"No!" Pippin answered horrifically. "They always deliver them to the citadel for me."

Merry groaned.

"Why don't you ask someone?" I recommended.

"Alright." Merry said, running over to the nearest vendor. "Do you know where we can find mushrooms?" He inquired a burly man with red hair and a long beard that owned a basket weaving stand.

"Next street on the left." The man replied gruffly without looking up from his work.

"Thanks!" Merry scampered down the street. "Come on!" he called back over his shoulder.

We trailed him quickly and a few minutes later we arrived at the small vegetable stand. The owner had his back turned toward us. He was short with light brown, curly hair. He wore rough, farmer's clothes and had a big, leather sunhat on his head that was stained with sweat.

"We would like three large mushrooms. The largest ones you've got." Merry told the man.

The man turned and said, "Three large mushrooms?" Then he stopped and Pippin gasped.

"Farmer Maggot!"

"Run!" Merry yelled, dashing away.

I stood there and blinked for a moment.

"Oh no you don't!" The farmer hollered, coming around his wooden stand.

"Run, Queen Susan!" Pippin said grabbing my hand and taking off after Merry.

"Why are we running?" I panted trying to keep a hold on my long skirts while we madly dashed through the crowded streets.

Pippin didn't answer and just kept running. Then he suddenly pulled me into a side alley and I nearly lost my balance. Merry was there, further back into the shadowy alley. I bent over and put my hands on the stone building, trying to catch my breath. Hobbits were fast… too fast.

"What is going on?" I asked breathlessly.

Merry reached up on his tiptoes and clamped his hand around my mouth. "Shhh." He hissed.

I peeked out of the alley and saw Farmer Maggot searching nearby purveyors. Merry tapped me on the shoulder and motioned for me to follow him. The three of us slipped down the passage and through more back streets until we were safely away from the farmer.

"I'm still hungry!" Pippin whined.

"Oh do be quiet!" Merry scolded. "You wouldn't want to be caught by Farmer Maggot would you?"

"No. I guess not." Pippin sighed, scratching his head.

"What was that all about?" I asked, raising a suspicious eyebrow.

Then, reluctantly, they told me about how they had stolen from Farmer Maggot's crops a few years ago and how he was still out to get them.

"You should repay him." I rebuked them, putting my hands on my hips.

"I know." Merry hung his head.

"You will repay him." I said. "Tomorrow."

"What?!" Merry reacted, his head snapping up. "Oh! You don't know Farmer Maggot."

"It doesn't matter." I narrowed my eyes, "You will repay him."

"Oh alright." He sighed, looking rather exasperated with me.

"Good." I smiled. "Now where do you want to take me next?"

--

After more than seven and a half hours of running around the citadel nonstop (except when we stopped for short dinner in the kitchen at the castle), I tossed myself upon the fluffy, white, goose feather pillows of my thick and warm mattress and sighed a deep sigh. It felt good to be alone and quiet in one's room. I slowly started replaying the day in my head.

We had gone to the armory, the Houses of Healing, toured the whole castle, went to see the city walls being repaired, met numerous people, and went to tailors, candle makers, blacksmiths, silversmiths, bookmakers, and an instrument shop. We saw jugglers and street performers, went to the market, watched children run barefoot in the streets, and went to the only horse barn in the whole city; which did not have very many horses staying there.

Merry and Pippin had bought me so much stuff while trying to outdo each other that we had to get someone to cart the items all back to the castle. They had gotten me baskets, flowers, food, candles, gloves, purses, a small dagger, a tiny bottle of perfume that smelled awfully strong, and even a small pendant. I couldn't believe how much they spent on me, but they told me that wasn't a problem.

My feet and lower back ached from walking all day long. My head hurt from all the arguments and noise the hobbits had made, but they were happy and so was I.

I slowly felt my eyes fluttering closed. As I fell asleep I thought about Narnia and about my friends and family.

Aslan, please help my brothers and sister to not be concerned for me. I prayed. Then I peacefully drifted to a long, refreshing sleep.