| SIX |
| Kicked out of Brandy Hall for ‘sassing their elders,’ Molly Brandybuck and her three friends, Sammie and Daisy Gardner and Meli Took fumed in the heat. Stupid Doll Brandybuck. Head Healer or not it just isn’t smart to gossip about the Master of Buckland’s guests within his daughter’s hearing. Within the guest’s hearing even! Wait’ll I tell Dad. Molly thought with a mental sneer. Well, if the alternative was staying inside and listening to her malign my friends then I’d much rather be exiled from Brandy Hall forever, thank you very much. She looked around to where Sammie was sprawled on the grass and her heart gave a sympathetic beat of pain. From the dark curls on his head to his fine-boned frame to his beautiful eyes, Sammie was the very image of Frodo Baggins. Which was rather unfortunate as Sammie’s mother, Rose, was married to the Shire’s Mayor Samwise. The three of them had made a home together in Bag End and how they lived and what they did at night is no one’s stupid, nosy business! Molly studied Sammie. He was growing tall, she noted. Bony, sort of stretched looking. He’s getting older, Molly thought with testy disapproval and turned back to the view she had been contemplating. The Old Forest was lovely. Dark and Deep. Certainly it would be much cooler under the shadow of those ancient trees than the fitful shade of the High Hay, the protective hedge that separated the Forest from the Buckland, and Molly Brandybuck so wanted to escape the oppressive heat. She wasn’t used to the breast band that her mother was forcing her to wear and it made her even more itchy and hot. She hated it. What a day. But there was a gap in the hedge, just here. She and the others could slip right through. No one had to know. Molly had to go into those trees. She just had to. "I!" she announced, "Want to play, play, play all dayyy!” She sang. “And to that end, I have a plan." Her three prone companions looked up at her. "A plan for what, exactly?" Meli asked. Molly frowned. "Does it matter what it's for? It'll be fun." "The sort of fun that gets us in enough hot water to make a stew soooo big….” Sammie asked, his arms opening wide. “…as to feed all of Hobbiton?" Daisy fanned herself with a handful of broad leaves and said nothing. "Well, yes. And since we’re cooking already….c’mon!” Molly wheedled. She just HAD to go. Glances were exchanged. Nobody said anything for a long time. Perhaps the heat slowed their thinking and Molly sighed impatiently. Finally, Meli shrugged and stood. "Let's go. Might as well, the day can’t get any worse." Molly hugged her best friend tight and tried not to resent the fact that Meli didn’t need a breast band yet. "Knew I could count on you." Daisy and Sammie slowly rolled to their feet with the usual complaints and groans. Taking Meli by the hand, Molly led the three through the gap and headed directly for the woods. Daisy pitched her leaves to the ground and stopped. "We're not supposed to go in there alone, Molly. You know that." She balled up her hands and placed them on her hips, looking exactly like her formidable mother, the Mistress Rose. "Oh, quiet. When did you become such a coward?" Molly didn’t stop walking and neither did the others. She overheard an indignant gasp from Daisy as the Gardner girl started moving again, tromping through the grass with a sullen look on her face. “I’m not afraid of ANYTHING, I’ll have you know!” She swatted at Sammie who was beginning to snicker. "Hoy, now. Don't be mad at me!" he protested. “Oh, great warrior!” She lashed out again and they had a giggling slap fight. "Oh, please, both of you, stop it." Molly said finally, as they reached the edge of the woods. Four curly heads looked at the trees stretching out high above them. Molly swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. "Molly. What are we doing again?" Sammie asked. Molly chewed her lip for a moment, thinking. She could feel the temperature dropping, even here. "We're on a quest." She swiped at the sweat on her face. “A QUEST!” Suddenly mischievous, Sammie asked, "Where are we going, Oh Great Leader? Are you going to show us something new? Different?" Molly played along, "I'm not sure where we are bound, Samlad." she replied. "But, I fear that what we find will be more new and different than even such as we can stand." She grinned at them and started off through a tangle of blackberry brambles. Being the height of August, the bushes were black with heavy, rich berries. The weather was miserably hot, yes, but there had been plenty of rain and all the fruits and berries were bursting with sweet juice. I am leading them into Shadow came the sudden strange thought and Molly hesitated. Maybe we shouldn’t go...we could pick these berries instead… no…no, we need to go now. "Are we going to meet fantastic creatures, Great Leader?" Daisy was finally interested. "I do believe so, Daisy. Strange and beautiful creatures!" As if in answer, they were hailed from across the field. They turned to see Delphinium Grubb loping over the grass towards them, Aster Digg-Tooter dawdling just behind her. "So," Del puffed as she arrived, "Where're we going?" Meli rolled her eyes. "Glad you didn't say this was a secret quest, Molly." Molly saw Del become angry. “Good to see you, too, Meli. A real pleasure.” the Grubb girl said with mock politeness. “Meli!” Sammie hissed. "Didn't say I didn't want you here." Meli quickly amended. Del ignored her and looked down as Aster joined them and fell over. "Oh, come on, it’s not that hot.” "Sorry," Aster panted, and stretched out a languid hand to Sammie for assistance. He gallantly helped her to her feet and simpered at her. Del gagged. ”I thought you two were going swimming with Little Pip and the rest?” Sammie asked, his hand still holding Aster’s. “Pip’s not coming here, is he?!” Molly asked with a sudden wrenching dread. She glared back across the field. If he tried to kiss her or snap her band again she’d kill him. Del shook her head. “Pip never showed up. We’re thinking he ran away back to Hobbiton to be with Merry-lad.” Del watched Aster swinging Sammie’s hand and Molly saw her neck flush red. Del had been wearing a breast band for a year but Aster probably had a year to go before she picked one up. WHY, Molly thought, suddenly disgusted, do I care about all my friends’ breasts!? She irritably scratched her ribcage again. At least Sammie didn’t have any to gawp at. “Poor Merry-lad.” Aster sighed. “Poor Merry-lad nothing!” Del snapped. “He deserved to be grounded for peeping at my sister. Again. The pervert.” Something about the droll way Del said ‘pervert’ set the entire group to laughing. Del smiled thinly. “And the swimming hole was a crowded mud puddle. Everyone else went back to the cellars but we couldn’t stand it in there. It’s cool but it smells like dead mice and mold. So here we are.” Del finished. She eyed Aster and Sammie and bared her teeth at Meli. “Frankly, I’d rather go back to the mudhole. You people have fun.” She turned her back on them all and began to stride away through the grass. “NO!” Molly shrieked. Del jumped and spun around. “WHAT?!” she scanned the ground, raising her summer skirt as she went on guard against venomous creatures lurking in the meadow stalks. Molly decided to lay it on thick and pushed Meli in the shoulder as she walked up to the irate Grubb. Meli gave an indignant squeak. Molly took Del by the hand. “You’ve got to come, too. I am leading us all on a glorious QUEST! And Meli’s sorry, she didn’t mean to offend you.” “But I didn’t offend her!” Meli started but noticed the look on Del’s face. “Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to!” It was Del’s turn to roll her eyes and she pulled away. Molly threw a desperate look at Sammie. If anyone could convince Del, he could. Del liked him. A lot. Which pleased him immensely because not many people, outside of his family, liked him at all. Oh, Sammie Gardner, y’know, the Ringbearer’s Bastard. I swear that sort of indecency shouldn’t be ALLOWED! Molly’s fists clenched. He sprang into action. “Del!” Sammie let go of Aster’s hand. “We’re going into the Old Forest. We’re going to have an adventure.” His voice dropped dramatically. “You don’t want to miss out on that, do you?” Delphinium humphed. “It’s dangerous in there and we really can’t do without you, y’know.” He reached out and pulled on her arm. “Uuerrr.” Del mumbled, looking into Sammie’s beautifully large eyes. He gave her his best smile and slid his fingers down to hold her hand. She sighed, defeated, and tucked her hair behind her ear as she cocked her head towards him. She batted her eyelashes. “Now tell me I’m beautiful and delectable.” Sammie grinned and passionately clasped her hand to his breast. “You’re beautiful! You’re delectable!” Aster giggled. “Meleth!” He continued. “Darling! Sugar Dumpling! Sweetie-boos! Uhhh…” Del was giving him a look that Molly couldn’t describe but it was making her own stomach do strange flip-flops. Sammie went red. “My air! My light! My all!” he gasped and Aster giggled louder. Molly was suddenly frantic. If Del thought Sammie was making fun of her she would leave. If Del left, Aster, an intensely loyal friend, would follow her. And Sammie would follow Aster and… Del pulled away and stopped him, laughing. Molly was relieved. “Fine. Fine, I’ll go. If only to save you idiots from being eaten by the trees.” “Eaten by the trees?!” Aster asked, suddenly alarmed. Del bit a finger in mock horror. “I’ve been in there before. They move around. They watch. They wait.” "Shall we go, then?!" Daisy demanded, glaring at Del who was enjoying Aster’s panic. Daisy rather obviously needed a breast band but she wasn’t wearing one. Molly smacked herself in the head and looked away. Meli blinked at her, puzzled, but Molly didn’t explain herself. She couldn’t. She just couldn’t. Oh, the trees…they were perfectly still, cool and inviting. Too inviting? Molly sighed. What an imagination. Why would trees want to lure them? “FOLLOW ME!” she shouted and snatched Meli's hand as the two took the lead again. “I really am sorry, Del.” Meli muttered, looking back. Del shrugged a shoulder and Molly frowned. Del better not throw any rocks at Meli. One by one the six slipped out of the sunlight and into the gloom of the forest. Yes, the heat wasn’t as bad but there was such a gloom here. Molly suddenly shivered. Picking a path she resolutely continued walking. The trees seemed to close in, breathing down their necks as if trees could breathe. Spiderwebs shrouded their branches. “No, it’s moss. Just moss.” Molly decided. “Hm?” “Nothing.” Faster, Molly, you must go faster. Molly obeyed the strange sense of urgency and set a quick pace for the others to follow. The shade just wasn’t helping. Maybe if I went and rolled in the mud. Merry thought wearily as he leaned against a water barrel and surveyed the prone bodies of countless Brandybucks, several Gardeners, a Baggins, a Bunce, a Grubb and a Took trying to escape the heat underneath a towering oak tree. Buckland was sweltering and its Master was miserable. “Master Meriadoc?” said a small voice near his knee. Merry jumped and looked down at the young Hobbit nervously bowing to him. “Hullo! At your service!” Clearly heartened by the cheery greeting the boy straightened. “Farmer Bunce said you wanted to be told when his new racing pony was foaled.” “It’s happening now?!” “Yessir.” “PIP! Hoy, Pip!” Merry called, striding over to the one Took. Master Peregrin opened one eye. “Bunce’s new pony is coming. I’ve got twenty silver pennies and the old goat’s entire plum orchard riding on what color it is. Let’s go!” “I might as well die on my feet.” Pippin agreed and crawled upright. “Frodo! You too!” The lone Baggins winced. “Bunce’s farm is three hours ride away.” he complained. “Just on the off-chance that it’s cooler there than here?” Pippin pleaded, reinforcing his request with action as he hefted Frodo bodily off the ground. Frodo staggered. “Well, if you put it that way. Sam? Coming?” “Nngh.” “C’mon, Sam. Or I’ll send Pip over there.” Sam started and slowly got up, yawning. Merry was amused, and just a touch resentful, at the way Sam’s Rosie and all their children immediately followed his example and soon the Gardners were ready to leave, too. He wished his own son was so ready to go wherever Merry led but the lad was an independent cuss…speaking of whom, Boromir Brandybuck and Pippin’s son Faramir soon joined the party. And since Rosie was going Hope Grubb, Estella and Diamond also struggled to their feet. Merry decided the younger children, his own Molly and her friends out playing at the waterhole, last he heard, could last the day in Brandy Hall without them. Sam’s oldest daughter Elanor, called Elanor the Fair and rightly so, walked past to join her family and Merry saw one of Brandy Hall’s hunters, Farmer Bunce’s own youngest grandson, watching her as she went. Not unusual in and of itself but the lad had such a sad smile on his ugly face. As if he were watching a glorious and unattainable dream fade away but was glad of the treat of seeing it. Merry doubted Elanor even knew his name. Poor lad. Moved, Merry called out to him. “Pug Bunce!” Pug lifted his head from where it was resting on his panting hound dog, Huan. “Sir!” “You’re in charge while I’m gone. Try to keep everyone from getting too excited.” Pug’s eyes widened in surprise and delight and he looked around at the mass of collapsed Brandybucks. “I can only try to restrain these wild beasts, sir.” He vowed and several people laughed. One of his friends, Ardal Brandybuck, found the strength to roll over and tease him. “If any trouble comes up you can just frighten it away with your looks!” Pug was nothing if not good-natured. “It’s worked before!” he exclaimed to more laughter and gave Merry a salute before dropping his head back onto his dog. Elanor looked at him interestedly and Pug, pretending not to notice, self-consciously lowered the brim of his hat further over his eyes. Merry chuckled. Well, at least she’d seen him. And a Bunce in charge of the Brandybucks? This should be an interesting day. “When does the fun begin, Molly?” Daisy groused. "Hey, wait up! We've left Aster behind!" Sammie turned around and jogged back to where Del was threatening to drag Aster by the hair. Everyone stopped. Aster was wailing about briars and Meli dropped Molly’s hand to nurse a sore arm. Molly stared blankly at them all and restrained herself from stomping in frustration. "I think I’ve had enough of this Quest. You're pulled my arm off, Molly. We want to take a rest and the further we go the darker it gets." Meli began to reason. There's no time. "There's no TIME!" Molly shrieked. "We have to hurry!" Meli stepped back, shocked. Molly’s panic echoed clearly through the dim, gnarled trunks and branches. The six of them bent slightly under the sudden forbidden shadows of the dark, dark trees. Molly clapped a hand over her mouth and tears suddenly gleamed in her eyes. I’m afraid I’m afraid I’m afraid we should have picked blackberries. She watched as Meli turned fearfully to Daisy who turned to Sammie who turned to Aster who turned to Del who…oh no… …had abandoned Aster and Sammie and was striding towards Molly with the cold, sweet smile she usually reserved for people who were about to get a thumping. “Ehhssxcuse me?” Del asked as she leaned towards Molly. “We…can’t stop…we can’t rest…there’s no time!” Molly begged. Del studied her carefully and her sharp grin faded away. “Del…Meli…please…” Something wet on her face…drips from the moss? No. Tears. Tears were sliding down her face and Molly wiped at them, horrified and confused, as if they were blood. Meli sidled up next to her and threw an arm across her shoulders. It only made Molly feel worse. “We have to go on!” “All right! Molly, it’s all right, I’ll go with you.” Meli soothed. “Molly?” Del pressed and her voice was uncharacteristically gentle. “I don’t know. Please, we have to hurry.” Molly stopped crying. Crying wouldn’t help. The trees suddenly groaned and their branches flexed and waved. But there was no wind. Not so much as a breeze. Sammie and Aster gasped. Meli's grip tightened and Daisy darted to Sammie's side. Molly was strangely unsurprised and she watched impassively as Del studied the boughs above her before putting a cautious hand on the nearest trunk. She ran her fingers over the bark. Del looked at Molly again. “Do you have any idea at all what’s going on?” “No.” Molly waited a beat. “Do you?” Del stared at her. “No. This isn’t my quest.” “All I know is we have to go in. We’re NEEDED, Del.” “We’re needed.” Del repeated and her chin went up as she quickly decided. “Well, all right, then. I’ll go along, too.” Molly closed her eyes in surprise and relief. She had Meli. She had Del. She turned around and sized up the others. Then she pointed to the youngest of them. “Aster, go back to Brandy Hall.” “What? Why?” Aster had gone terribly pale as she wildly gaped at the leaves and twigs weaving above her. She desperately returned Sammie’s comforting hug. “This…this Quest isn’t for you. Go back to the hall and tell them we’re all in deep trouble. The path is clear and you have to run.” “What trouble? Where?!” “HERE! WE NEED HELP!” Molly shouted. The children had drawn closer together and her shout was unnecessary but it soothed her. “Aster, we’re in deep trouble. We’re going into worse trouble. I feel it. You have to bring us help.” Sammie’s eyes were closed as if he were trying to listen to sounds no one else could hear. Suddenly, he opened them and they were wide with shock and fright. “Get my Dad.” Molly breathed. “Get my Dad. We need help, Aster, and you need to go now.” Aster was wringing Sammie’s collar with fright and looked wildly around at the black forest. She looked so small. “You…you…I know you don’t want to go where we’re going.” Molly looked down the path ahead. She could see nothing, nothing to be afraid of, really, just the dark and the trees but her skin, her very breath, was cold with fear. "Wherever that is." “By myself?” Aster whispered. “Who wants to go back with her?” Molly asked the world in general but looked at Sammie in particular. Sammie stepped away from Aster and the girl gulped in disbelief. “I’m not going back.” He said firmly. “Aster. No. I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s happening but I’m sticking with the Quest.” Molly sighed in gratitude. “Daize? You go back.” “And leave you? Honestly!” Daisy replied immediately. “Don’t even ask me.” Meli stuck out her bottom lip. Aster looked wildly about at Delphinium. “Are they joking? This is really mean if they’re joking.” “They’re...” Del began but stopped as she looked at her own arms with surprise. Molly looked, too, and saw Del’s skin rise into shockflesh. Del continued, rubbing her arms. “No. No. This is no joke at all. Go, Aster.” Del made a strange sort of releasing motion, as if she were freeing a dove from her hands. “Go back.” Molly saw Daisy whirl around as if a ghost had trailed a cold finger down her spine. Daisy brought up her hand and frantically scrubbed at her neck. “They feel it, too.” Molly whispered to a pale Meli. “Don’t you?” Meli stood still as a statue and didn’t answer. “Oh, we’re in for it now.” Daisy said with the utmost conviction. “This is all your fault, Molly.” “I know.” the Brandybuck nodded, resigned. “But, Del…” Aster was still pleading with Delphinium. Molly lost her temper at last. “ASTER, WE NEED YOU TO SAVE US!!” she screamed. Aster gasped and jumped back. “We’re depending on you. Bring help. You can do it, I’m sure of you.” Tears welled in Aster’s large eyes. Sammie gently turned her around until she was facing the direction they had come. He kissed her on the cheek. “We have to keep going. Something is here. Something awful and we have to stop it.” The trees waved even harder, creaking and moaning as if they were pleading. Aster stared up at them. “Save us.” Sammie echoed. “Go. The path back is perfectly clear.” He kissed the back of her head and gave her a gentle push. Aster glanced back at them once. Then she was gone, as fast as her small legs could manage, bobbing ridiculously in her fright with her arms straight out ahead of her. She rounded a bend and disappeared. Molly groaned. “We have to run, too. Hurry. Hurry!” The trees made a path that was clean and smooth as a stream. Molly pelted along it, deeper and deeper into the forest, with her four friends directly behind her as if all were seized by madness. It seemed she had been running through the dark forever and Aster gave a great sob of relief as she burst out into the bright sunlight at last. Her side was throbbing with pain and her legs were cramping but she didn’t dare stop. The heat swallowed her whole and she found it almost too hard to breathe. Her thoughts were nonsensical and frantic with panic. She shot through the grass towards Brandy Hall. Find Master Meriadoc…he’s big…he can help…find Master Pippin…he’s big, too…help help help…She ran and ran and ran. Please help Sammie please please…help! Molly was crawling. Creeping forward through the underbrush as silently as mist she stared straight ahead, fixated on only she knew what. Sammie shivered to look at her but he still followed, inching along the ground behind her. Meli was at her side. Sammie himself was flanked by Del and Daisy and he felt strangely safe sandwiched between them though their over-protectiveness annoyed him under normal circumstances. He was terrified for them. His friends were creeping into danger and he would rather be here all alone than watch them get hurt. Sammie could count on the fingers of one hand the number of good friends he had outside of his immediate family. It wasn’t easy for the Shire’s Leading Bastard Child to get close to people. Sammie sighed and counted, tapping the loam with his fingertips. Let’s see, there was Aster, Del, Meli and Molly. If anything happened to them, he would do himself a fatal injury, he really would. Not a single thorn, root or twig impeded their progress and he shuddered as he wondered why. Were they being led to Old Man willow? Were they going to be eaten? But no, Aster had freely left the forest. So, if the trees had meant them harm then they would have been squashed long before now. He wondered if Aster had made it to Brandy Hall safely and if she were afraid. He wished he could be at her side now but she was heading away from danger. She was well. It was selfish of him to wish she were with him. When was this going to end? He felt Del give him a warning tug on his hair and he stopped, cursing himself for not noticing that they had reached the edge of a dark clearing and Molly was motioning them to be still. They slithered quietly up beside her and looked out. What he saw confused him. Opposite the clearing a small copse of saplings were completely wrapped in white linen. White linen? Then Sammie saw movement in the dark. Small scuttling creatures… his eyes finally recognized what he was seeing. Spiderwebs. The creeping things…spiders. Giant Spiders! “Mirkwood Spiders.” Molly breathed. “Look! Look, they’re choking that entire grove!” “They’re small. They only come up to our knees.” Meli answered. “That’s quite big enough for me, thank you.” Daisy murmured and continued, for Del’s benefit, “Uncle Pippin killed two on the edge of the forest, years ago. He said they were big as Boarhounds. He barely got away.” she was shaking and Sammie rubbed her back. Del was visibly impressed. “They’re…maybe they’re hatchlings?” Sammie offered. Daisy nodded in agreement. Molly was chewing her knuckle, staring out at the creatures. Del and Meli were grim and silent. Sammie pointed at the wrapped trees. “Yes, they’re hatchlings. Look at all of them crawling through there. It’s a nest! We found a nest.” Sammie watched the arachnids crawl and spin in fascinated horror. “It’s huge. If all these grew up and had nests of their own they could blanket the entire Forest.” Was that a wince from a TREE? Sammie ignored the sound and fought back his sudden nausea. It was all well and good to play at Mirkwood Spider Battles but this! Sammie suddenly had a deeper respect for his Uncle Pippin and his long-lost Uncle Bilbo. Attercop, attercop. “Nasty.” Del decided. “You can just feel the nastiness. I can practically smell it.” Her face twisted with disgust as she followed the trail of one of the monsters with her eyes. “Those things are evil.” Sammie swallowed. He could feel it too. Del could smell it, well, he could see it, as if every one of the darting beasts had a foul light within them. No, not a light…a dark. Mobile globs of blackness with too many legs. He shivered and Del patted his leg comfortingly. He almost jumped directly out of his skin at that and was immediately embarrassed. Del didn’t touch him that often and he always overreacted when she did. Fool. He studied the creatures. “We’d better go back now…” Sammie started to say when he felt Del flinch beside him. “Don’t scream.” she suddenly hissed to them all. They all looked around frantically but there was nothing to see. Del wasn’t giving anything away either. Her eyes were fixed on the ground and she rose up on her knees to stretch across Sammie. She grasped Daisy with one hand and clutched the back of his burning neck with the other. Sammie’s heart was in his throat. “Don’t scream, Sammie. Don’t scream, Daisy. You’ll bring them all down on us if you do. They’ll kill us.” “Del…what?” Her hands covered their mouths. She nodded at Molly and Molly clapped a hand over Meli’s mouth. Meli obligingly returned the favor. Seeing they were properly suppressed Del whispered. “I know why Pip didn’t meet us now.” she looked straight up and they followed her gaze. Sammie gasped, threw his arm over his eyes, and dove into the leaf litter of the forest floor to escape the terrible sight above his head. A shrill whine issued from Daisy’s throat and she clawed at Del’s hand. Sammie felt the strength in Del as she leaned over him, fighting to keep her hand over Daisy’s mouth. Daisy suddenly sobbed and went limp. Sammie sat up, pulled his sister to his chest, and buried his head in her neck. Del took her hands away from them both and collapsed in on herself. Meli and Molly were clutching each other, their faces turned away, hidden from the awful, awful view, and Molly’s shoulder’s trembled with necessarily silent sobs. Sammie watched her shake her head back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. Sammie forced himself to look up again. My brother my brother my brother…Peregrin Gardner was hanging head downwards from the branch of a tree directly above their heads. His body was tied with sickly pale streamers of spider silk and his empty eyes seemed to gaze directly into Sammie’s own. He was dead. Huan raised his head from the ground and whined, staring into the distance. “What is it, dog?” With a great bark Huan jumped to his feet and Pug’s head hit the ground. The hound began to race across the field. Pug struggled to his feet and stared in surprise after him. Then he saw her. A little girl. She was running, running, running towards them. Is she insane? Running in this heat? Suddenly Pug could hear her shrill cries. He toed his friend in the chest. “Find the healer for me, please, Ardal. Something is wrong here.” “Oh, Pip, I’m so sorry.” Del whispered up to her dead friend. “I’m so sorry for you.” Sammie gently grasped her hand and brought it to his mouth. Just as much to comfort her as to block his own cries of pain and loss. She squeezed his hand. Sammie moved out from beneath his brother and dragged Del and Daisy with him. Did the spiders bring Pip here? Or had the trees? Bait to ensure that the children brought help? Sammie stared at his brother’s face. This isn’t true. This isn’t happening. A string of saliva formed on Pip’s lip and it dripped silently onto the forest floor. Sammie watched it fall and sudden fierce hope appeared in his chest. Sammie was a stranger to death but he was nevertheless quite certain that corpses didn’t drool. “He’s alive!” he hissed. “What?” Daisy muttered, raising her head. “Two poisons…the spiders have two poisons!” Sammie shook Daisy for emphasis. “Sh!” Del warned. “Remember Dad and Uncle Frodo? Dad thought that Uncle Frodo was dead but he wasn’t! And Bilbo! And the Dwarves! He’s not dead! Two poisons! One poison to kill and the other to…to knock out.” “How can you tell, Sammie?” Meli reluctantly studied Pip. “He’s slobbering.” They all stared and soon another drop of spit fell to the ground. Molly began to cry and buried her face in her bunched up skirt to stifle the noise. Sammie bit his hands to keep from whooping with joy. He was alive. Pip was alive! Soon all the children were weeping in earnest relief. Even Del was sniffling. “We’ve got to get Pip down.” Molly looked as if she barely had the strength to stand up. Sammie assessed the situation. Pip was hanging directly above their heads. They could not leave the safety of the underbrush or they’d be seen by the countless hatchlings inhabiting the nest on the other side of the clearing. The clearing itself was alive with movement. “Del, do you have your knife?” Del produced the small clasp blade from a deep pocket and handed it over. “Why are you always armed?” Meli hissed at Del. “I’m not armed, I’m PREPARED!” Del snarled back. Sammie interrupted. “We’ll cut him down with this,” he clicked it open. “We’d be seen.” Molly whispered back. “We could go back for help. Your Dad is death on spiders. He got Shelob! He’d know what to do.” “What if they decide to eat Pip while we’re gone? The sun’ll be setting soon. We won’t even have enough light to find our way back to him.” Sammie countered. Molly turned to him in exasperation. “We can get him down but we’d have the entire nest on us. We’ll all wind up hanging like Yule ornaments. And the trees might not let us leave if we don’t help that smothered grove. Oh, we’re stuck here.” “We can fight!” Daisy decided. “No, we’ll get killed.” Meli answered. “Honestly, Daize, you can’t fight EVERYTHING!” “Light.” Del murmured, ransacking her pockets again. She pulled out string, a comb, a pretty stone and, finally, a tiny tinderbox. Sammie wondered why Del was always prepared with the necessities of a Ranger. “That nest looks pretty dry.” Del said. “I bet setting it on fire would distract those things long enough for us to grab Pip and get away.” A sudden moan from a nearby tree made Del flinch. “It’s alright!” she hissed into thin air. “The NEST is dry but the wood isn’t! The grove’ll get a little scorched, that’s all.” She waited for a further protest but received none. “And just who is going to go over there and torch the nest?” Daisy scoffed. Del answered her immediately. “I will. It’s my idea so I’m the one to go.” “And you’ll be the one to die, instead of Pip. No. Forget it, Del.” Sammie refused. She looked at him as if he were phenomenally stupid. “Does anyone have a better idea?” She asked and began to gather dry brush and sticks together as the others wracked their brains. She picked up a pine knot, heavy with tar, and tucked it into her waistband with satisfaction. She began to gather rocks and dropped them into her pockets. Sammie watched her and his panic was rising. He genuinely couldn’t think of a better plan. “Look.” she clarified. “I can go through the underbrush of the forest, circle around, come up on the nest from behind, throw lit pinecones in and take off running. They’ll be distracted from me, too.” She began to tie her skirt into knots to keep it out of her way. “And the trees will help. WON’T you?” The branches above her head swayed in an agreeable manner and Pip’s body bobbed up and down. Del skidded over to the nearest trunk and gave it a hug and kiss. With her skirt up like that Sammie could see all of her legs. Her thighs were pale as moonlight and looked soft to the touch. Sammie yanked his own hair for thinking of such a strange thing at such a time. The other girls began to tie their skirts up, too, and Sammie sighed. Looked like Del’s plan was it, then. He rolled up the wide cuffs of his trousers. Molly was thinking hard. “Sammie and me, we’re the strongest, we’ll carry Pip.” she decided. “Meli, you’re the smallest. You climb the tree, go out on the branch and cut him down as soon as the nest catches fire.” She took Del’s knife away from Sammie and handed it to Meli. Meli took it and shuddered. “What about me?” Daisy asked, her hands balled into fists. Molly answered her. “You go with Del.” Sammie tried to hide his apprehension over that. He’d be all alone. If they got out of this he’d never get miffed at their coddling ever, ever again. “Guard her back while she lights the fire. Find a really stout branch and get ready to swing it.” She chewed her lip. “Get some rocks, too. Clubs. Clubs for all of us.” They busied themselves, gathering ammunition and stroking what they found as if they could magically pull courage directly from the crude weapons. “Heat exhaustion.” The Head Healer, Doll Brandybuck, diagnosed, poking at the prone little body while Pug, Ardal and Huan looked on. “Damn terrible case, too. This girl has had a fright. What did she say again?” Pug tried to fit a name to the child and couldn’t. “Just some babbling about the Old Forest. I’ll check it out but I think the heat’s got to her, really.” “She’s the fifth one today. I wish those storm clouds would hurry up.” Doll patted her flushed cheeks with a soaked handkerchief and gave Pug’s hound a dirty look. Huan was worse than a mother hen where hurt children were concerned and he had followed Pug right into the healer’s quarters. “Well, she’s still sweating so that’s a good sign. Don’t give her anything to drink until she’s cooled down more. Certainly don’t dip her in water, the shock could kill her. We’ll put her in the cellars. Nice and cool down there.” “It smells like mouse turds down there.” Pug countered, wrinkling his crooked nose. Aster Digg-Tooter. “Oh, no.” He slapped his head in despair. “What?” Ardal asked him. “I remember her, now. Her name is Aster. She’s a guest of the Master’s. Came up with the Gardners from Hobbiton. She’s a friend of Molly’s.” Pug attention was suddenly drawn to Huan. He had thought the dog was sniffing Aster in concern. He wasn’t. His brindle fur was rising in a ridge from his neck all the way to his tail and a low growl suddenly boomed from his throat. The dog could smell something. Something wrong. Doll stood frozen. “Huan! Down!” Pug ordered and the dog backed away, still growling. Aster stirred and Doll rushed to her. “Oh, if Molly went into the Forest…if anything’s happened to his daughter while the Master was gone.” Doll moaned. Pug looked at Ardal in horror and pointed at him. “Ardie, please gather up a crowd, there’s trouble in the Old Forest.” Ardal gave a grimace of fright and darted out the door. Pug shouted after him, “And get my bow! And the other hunters! Have everyone meet back home at the Game Cabin!” Pug heard a faint affirmative and turned to point at the healer. “Send someone down the road to fetch the Master back.” “It’ll be hours before he gets here!” “PLEASE!” Pug yelped and Doll jumped and called for her oldest daughter. She kept her hands on Aster as if afraid the dog, which was still snarling and pacing, would savage her patient. Pug dragged his hands through his long boar-bristle hair and gave his braid a savage yank. Why did the Master pick now to leave!? Why did he take the best fighters with him?! WHY did he leave ME in charge?! He ran out the door, Huan barking at his heels. Molly waited, still as a stone underneath the cover of the bushes at the edge of the spider’s clearing. And waited. And waited some more. Where were Del and Daisy? Where was the fire? How long had it been? It was getting even darker if that was possible. Storm clouds were moving in. Where were they? Where was the fire? If it began to rain before the nest was destroyed… Molly felt a hand close comfortingly around her ankle. It was Sammie’s and he smiled at her. She took comfort from this. If Sammie wasn’t panicking then perhaps things would go well. He had a special sort of foresight that he had inherited from his ‘Uncle’ Frodo. Why hadn’t the trees called him? Because it was her quest. Molly Brandybuck’s Quest of the Spider’s Nest. No. Molly’s Old Forest Adventure. Oh, that was terrible. Molly’s Last Stand. No, certainly not! Where were they? Where was the fire? With a crackle and a roar the trees suddenly blazed with scarlet light. The flames shot through the dry webs and leapt high. Pip’s hanging body cast a shadow that swung slowly back and forth over the pale faces of his family. “Go, Meli, go!” Meli scrambled up the tree. Molly could hear the spiders begin to react. They were screaming. The clearing exploded into movement as…hundreds of them oh no there are HUNDREDS of them…the creatures began to run, burning, from the fire. Molly stood up, ready to fight. “Molly, help!” Sammie shouted. Molly dashed to his side. Meli had reached Pip’s spiderweb and was having some difficulty cutting him down. Del’s knife was razor sharp but the webbing was attached to the underside of the branch at an awkward angle and Meli had to lean dangerously far over to hack at it. Suddenly the cord was severed, Meli's branch snapped up, Pip fell, and Molly and Sammie crashed to the forest floor as they clumsily caught him. No one caught Meli. With a shriek she fell into the bushes. “MELI! Meli?” “I’m fine.” Meli gasped as she struggled out of the clutching briars. She was scratched and bleeding everywhere but still retained a death grip on the knife. “THEY’RE COMING!” Sammie screamed and Meli whirled to pick up her own club, lying ready on the ground. “Hurry, Sammie.” Molly and Sammie hefted Pip’s dead weight between them and began to run down the path. ”What do you mean you won’t go in?” Pug exclaimed. The Chief Hunter, Philo Brandybuck, faced Pug with his legs set belligerently wide. The other hunters and gamekeepers, some 10 in all, were ranged along the porch of the Game Cabin which was situated within an orchard of dogwoods just on the inside of the High Hay and they were all subdued and doubtful. There was a gate to the Forest here and it was open. A curious, tense crowd had gathered and the cabin was surrounded by Hobbits. “We don’t have any PROOF that Molly’s in there! I’m not risking mine or my hunters’ necks on a rumor!” “Philo!” Everyone turned as Strongwill Bunce, Pug’s cousin and the only non-trapper that lived in the cabin made his way carefully down the steps, his fingers brushing alone the rail. “Philo, can’t you feel the air? It’s heavy. Waiting. Whether Molly is in the Forest or not, something is about to happen.” There was a soft murmur of agreement from the audience. Philo ignored everyone. “Don’t give me that nonsense, Will, you’re only backing up your cousin.” Will turned towards Philo’s voice. “And you’re only a coward.” Will said with finality and a shocked gasp went up from all sides. Philo opened and shut his mouth in a sudden rage. “And the Master left Pug in charge, not you. We do what he says.” “Shut up, you damned blind fiddler!" “QUIET!” Pug barked and Philo turned to him with his fists clenched. “We’re going into the Forest and that’s it.” “Make me, boy!” POW! Philo hit the dirt and ogled the sky in stunned confusion as blood seeped from his mouth. Pug shook his hand and ignored the whoops, gasps and shrieks from the crowd. “Is he still conscious?” Will asked with a grin. Pug turned to answer when a horrible, pained groan filled the air and the earth trembled. Not even the ice creaking in the Brandywine River in the depths of winter was as loud as this and Pug stared around in sudden fear and confusion. “THE FOREST! THE FOREST!” someone screamed. Pug turned and watched the forest in horror as the branches churned and waved. There’s no wind. There’s no wind…he thought stupidly and suddenly there was a path before the gate leading inside the wood. It hadn’t been there before. People began to scatter, shrieking. “STOP! QUIET! They’re not attacking!” he shouted and the panicked Hobbits slowly became still as they saw that this was true. The High Hay wasn’t being rushed again. “Pug!” Will’s horrified voice rang out. “I just heard a child scream!” “I didn’t hear anything.” “I…I swear I heard it!” Will’s hands came up to press against his head and the sight of his phlegmatic cousin in a confused panic decided Pug instantly. “I’m going in.” He tightened the strap on his quiver of arrows and checked to make sure his knife hilt was secure. Huan yowled and pelted back and forth in a frenzy. “Anyone else?” “Me.” Ardal said at once. His younger brothers, the twins Theovald and Theodore, green and frightened but eager, grabbed up their shiny new bows and stood beside their big brother. No one else moved. “Philo?” Pug asked. The hobbit was on his feet and gaping at the Forest. A smudge of smoke was rising from the depths of it and Pug wondered what it might mean. Philo shook his head. “No. No, I’m not going in there.” “It’ll be your ass when the Master comes back.” Will warned him. “Anything happens to his daughter and he’ll twist your head off with his bare hands.” Philo visibly wavered but then his jaw set again. “I don’t care. I’m not going.” “Fine. Make yourself useful on this side of the Hay and close down the Buckland.” Pug ordered between clenched teeth. “Get everyone into Brandy Hall and close and lock all the doors. Arm yourselves. Will, make sure they do it.” Strongwill nodded. “Be careful, cousin.” he said and his fists were clenched in helpless fury. Pug drew an arrow out of his quiver, fitted it loosely to his bow, and looked at his friends. They nodded. They were ready. “Let’s go.” was all Pug said and, with Huan howling rapturously, they ran into the Forest. The spiders’ first instinct had been escape. Those that could scattered in all directions as the flames devoured the slow and the weak. Several followed the strange instinct that drew moths to light and were themselves drawn to their doom. Several more blindly returned to the nest seeking the safety it had always been and found none. The smoke confused many and they set upon each other, fighting, clawing and killing. The webs burned and burned and burned. It didn’t take long before nothing but the green wood remained and the trees and saplings stood straight and tall and free, if a little singed, once more. The fire consumed a few dead leaves and a scattering of old, rotten branches before it died as well. The survivors began to reappear. Drastically reduced in number they wandered aimlessly through the devastation and hissed and struck at each other. Suddenly a voice like the scraping of glass on glass was raised in fury. “Where’s the fresh meat?! It’s gone!” Pip’s tree was frantically searched but there was no sign of him. One of the larger and more intelligent spiders spoke up. “Stolen! Stolen! Thieves!” “Thieves!” “Find them! Catch them!” The big spider found the children’s trail and raised the alarm. “This way! This way!” With horrible speed it bounded away and dozens of its brethren followed. “Catch them! Catch them!” “KILL THEM!” The first wave of spiders had run heedlessly past the children when the nest first burst into flame. Then Del and Daisy had reappeared and surprised their friends so badly that their chorus of screams joined the hatchlings' among the dark trunks of the wood.Molly and Sammie, carrying Pip with Meli and Daisy at their sides and Delphinium bringing up the rear with half her hair burned off, had passed through and even followed behind several of the deadly creatures as they made their escape. Soon, they had left them all behind. But now… The hunt was up. Molly’s arms and shoulders were throbbing with pain and Sammie obviously was feeling no better. His face was red and sweat dripped off the end of his nose. Pip was heavy but they didn’t dare put him down to rest. “Move, Sammie, before you fall over.” Daisy was smaller than her brother, but just as strong, and she handed her club over to him as she hefted Pip easily. Molly, in turn, was bumped aside by Del. Panting, Molly dug a heavy rock out of her pocket and untucked a thick stick from her waistband. She looked at Pip’s face, cold and pale in the dim light. Stupid Pip. Stupid Pip and his stupid practical jokes and his stupid frogs and lizards that he lived to send down the collar of her dress and his stupid warm smile and his stupid always-trying-to-kiss-her ways and if Molly couldn’t bring him out of the Forest safely she was going to kill herself. She heard them before she saw them. They rustled through the underbrush…they shook the limbs of the trees… “They’re REALLY coming now!” Daisy shouted and she and Del dumped Pip to the ground. Del plucked two stones from her deep pockets and Daisy took back her club from Sammie. They surrounded Pip’s helpless body and faced out in all directions. “Kill them! Kill the thieves!” A terrible, high-pitched voice shrieked as the path became alive with scuttling horror. Molly screamed, threw a rock, which went wide, and took her stick in both hands. A spider the size of a small dog was lowering itself from a tree branch directly over Sammie’s head. Molly screamed again and swung. Crack! One dead, twitching spider. “Kill them!” The spiders shrieked. “Kill them!” “Attercop!” Del charged and her rock found its target. “Attercop! Attercop! Down you drop!” Molly felt the air of Daisy’s swing and another spider fell. Daisy hit it again and again until yellow goo burst from its bloated body. Meli batted another back into the trees. Sammie was throwing stones, too, and he was joining Del in her rendition of Bilbo Baggins’ Spider Song. “Lazy Lob and Crazy Cob are weaving webs to wind me!” Sammie kicked another out of his way. “I am far more sweet than other meat but still they cannot find me!” Sammie and Del were laughing and Molly thought it was the most unpleasant sound she’d ever heard. One of the smaller beasts was creeping up behind Daisy. Molly took a flying leap and landed on it. Disgusting pus oozed from between her toes and a rank smell filled the air. “Oh, my feet’ll never be clean again…” The spiders were drawing back and Daisy roared at them, shaking her stick. Suddenly Molly realized with absolute horror that she and Daisy were the only ones standing next to Pip. “HEY! Come back! Everybody stay together! Come back!” Sammie and Del heard and turned around, Sammie veering to yank at Meli who had been chasing down a particularly fat and juicy specimen with a bloodthirsty glare. The Took abandoned her prey and came loping along. “They’re joining back up together…” Molly panted. The word she wanted was ‘regrouping’ but for the life of her she couldn’t remember it. “Let’s go!” Sammie stepped up and he and Molly lifted Pip as easily as if he were a baby. Molly didn’t stop to wonder at this, she was simply grateful. “When they come again…” Del gasped. “You two keep running. Don’t give ‘em a chance to get all around us and trap us.” “Surround us.” Sammie puffed. “Right. What Sammie said.” Del replenished her rock supply as she ran. “Let me and Daisy and Meli take care of ‘em.” She whipped a stone into the bushes and Molly heard a shrill death cry. “Y’know, these things sound like rabbits! Like dying rabbits! Rabbits caught by dogs…being killed.” “Shut up, Del!” Molly panted. “Well, they do!” Del asserted but she did shut up. They ran. In the trees above their head, the hatchlings ran, too. It was a deadly game the young of the forest were playing. “Sir! Sirsirsir!” Master Meriadoc watched in horror as Rivendell Brandybuck, the head healer’s daughter, rode her exhausted pony right into Gaffer Bunce’s front garden and fell off at his feet. “Sir! Sir!” He dropped his drink on the grass and hoisted her upright. The top of her head barely reached his waist and she was clearly terrified as she gaped up at him. “What?! What is it?” They were suddenly surrounded by fearful Hobbits. She gulped in air. Frodo Baggins offered his cool drink to her but she shook her head, refusing it. “The Old Forest, sir. It’s gone mad. Branches whipping around…” she waved her arms. “…and groaning…frantic...” Rivendell looked into his face, gulped, and took a cautious step back, extricating herself from his strong hands. “Aster Digg-Tooter came running into the Hall alone, sir. She was hysterical…Muh…Molly…” At his expression she quailed and took another step back directly into Elanor’s arms. Ellie hugged her tight and whispered some words of encouragement in her ear and the girl immediately calmed. Elanor had that effect on people. Merry, however, was going to start screaming soon. Rivendell looked up at him again. “Aster was exhausted by the heat but she’s fine. She woke up long enough to give me and my mother the story before I left. Molly’s in the forest, sir. So is…” She looked around and swallowed. Ellie rubbed her back. “So is Meli Took.” Pippin and Diamond flinched. “Sammie and Daisy Gardner…” Sam and Rosie and all their children went pale. “And Delphinium Grubb.” “That little monster. I’ll kill her!” Hope began to wring her hands and Boromir put a steadying arm across her shoulders. Merry exploded. “WHY?! Did she say why they went in?” “Aster said Molly was taking them on a Quest.” Rivendell cringed at the torrent of curses from all directions at that. “But the further they went in the stranger things got. Aster said something was awfully wrong in the forest and the children were being drawn towards it. She said she was ‘let go’ to bring back help.” “How long ago was this?” “We don’t know how long ago they went in, sir. But it took me two hours to get here.” Rivendell guiltily looked at her wheezing pony. She was now solidly hidden behind Elanor and had a death grip around the girl’s waist. “And it’ll take us that long to get back. Where is Pug Bunce? What is he doing?” Her answer was muffled in Elanor’s back. “He told us to lock down the Bucklands. Then he got the hunters together and went into the forest after them.” Gaffer Bunce drove his cane into the ground with fury and worry. All the Bunces, who had laughed so heartily when Merry told them their own Pug was temporary Master of Buckland, were terrified now. Pug was much beloved, the homely pride of his extended family. “Your ponies are tired out from the heat. Take ours.” Gaffer Bunce declared. He waved his cane at his children and grandchildren and they all scattered to saddle up their own ponies for their guests. “Thank you, sir.” Merry said. “You wouldn’t happen to have any weapons?” “We’re hunters as well as farmers.” Gaffer Bunce puffed out his chest. “We’ve got all kinds of things.” He waved his cane again and Merry followed him into the barn. Too many there’s too many there’s too many…Meli slashed with the fruit knife again and again. A high-pitched and evil voice rose up, like the squeak of thin ice breaking underneath her. “It’s got a nasty little sting, has it?” A heavy weight hit her in the back and she went down. “Got you!” the thing gloated. Meli twisted and stabbed. Eight legs raked eight cuts down her front and long fangs dripped venom into her face. She stabbed again. And again. And again and again and again. “Yes. I’ve got a sting.” Meli struggled to her feet in time to see Daisy being pulled down by three of the beasts. Meli charged and they scattered. Daisy staggered back up. Her face was a mask of sweat, dirt, tears, yellow spider filth and blood. Her hair was tangled with webbing. Meli knew she looked no better. Ah, we’re going to die here. She wasn’t particularly unhappy about it. They had all gone through abject panic long ago and now they simply struggled to stay alive. But if they couldn’t do that…it would be kind of a relief, really. Meli thought of her father. “You can always tell the measure of a person by how well they face death.” He had said. “But I hope you never have to find out the truth about someone like that, Meli Lark, my darlin.’” “I’m a Sparrow!” she had corrected. “Whatever. Fly birdie!” he had yelled and threw her into the air. Meli looked at her friends and decided that they were measuring up just fine in their last moments. Molly had been bitten, and was slowing, but she still stood over Pip’s body and was swinging, swinging, swinging with her club. The spiders were leaving a good ten feet of space around her - save those stupid enough to try to drop on her from above. Twitching bodies with cracked carapaces surrounded her and Molly’s face was grim and cold. Daisy was fighting with her bare hands. She would grab a leg, whip the creature into the air and slam it onto the ground. Or she would use it to batter its brethren to death, adding insult to injury. She was weeping hopelessly and quietly and Meli’s heart broke at the sight. This was the first fight Daisy had no chance of winning and she knew it. Del and Sammie were taking the fight to the spiders, picking their victims and leaping on them with glee, stomping, slashing and tearing, keeping count and singing songs. Attercop, attercop. They were entirely covered in gore and their voices were hoarse with shrieking laughter. Suddenly there was an ambush from the undergrowth and Sammie gave a shout and clutched his leg. Poison seeped from between his fingers. Del speared his attacker with a long branch and flung both branch and corpse aside. Sammie showed Del the venom on his palm and Meli saw her take his hand, draw him in, and kiss him on the mouth. It was all the girl could do. Sammie’s eyes went wide…and then he melted, simply melted, against Delphinium and his eyes drifted shut. Meli looked away. She heard a hiss directly behind her and she turned and stabbed with a quick upward thrust. The beast shrieked and dropped to the ground. Meli stood and panted, resting. “I shall give you a name.” she said to her knife. And it really was hers; if Del ever asked for it back she’d get such a punch. But Del wouldn’t. The dead don’t care much for possessions. Unless they were wraiths. Meli wondered what it would be like to be a wraith. Well, she’d soon find out. “You shall be called Sting Junior.” Not the most original name but she was finding it hard to concentrate at the moment. Another wave of monsters leapt from the bushes and floated down from the trees on long, cold strands. Not as many as there were before but more than enough for the five exhausted children. Meli watched them come with a bitter detachment. Why weren’t the trees helping? Possibly, they had decided that as long as their clearing was burned clean then what further use were the Hobbits? Did her father feel like this? When he stood in front of the black gates of Mordor watching the trolls come for him? Probably. He was saved by the eagles. No eagles would save Meli. Or Molly. Or any of them. This was it. This was simply it. The wave crashed into her and she went flying, streamers of spider-silk drifting along in her wake. She hit the ground hard, her head struck a hard root and the last thing she heard was Daisy’s scream of despair. That and a dog barking. Buckland was still, the Old Forest quiet. Everyone they passed was going about as usual but Merry’s group might as well have been invisible. No one called to them or so much as offered a cup of cool water and their eyes were turned away. The danger, whatever it had been, was obviously past but at what price? They know. Merry thought as a crow’s claw of despair raked his soul. They turned into the long, broad avenue of cherry trees that lined the front entrance lane of his ancestral home. They know but they’re not telling. It’s not their place to tell. We’re too late. Molly. Oh, my baby…blank, unspeaking and uselessly armed the group reached the huge, elaborately carved front door and gardens of Brandy Hall. Pug Bunce was waiting for them on the lawn. Merry heard Gaffer Bunce breathe out a deep sigh of relief. Behind Pug on the wide marble steps were arrayed Merry’s mother, Esmeralda, the Elders of Brandy Hall and leading representatives of all the guilds, Cooks, Tailors, Artisans etc. that the Hall contained, some thirty Hobbits in all. They were regally dressed in their best but free of jewelry or any other adornment. It was a gesture of respect. It was a sign of mourning. Merry groaned and dimly felt rather than heard his wife, Estella, begin to weep. Pug was a marked contrast to the gentry. His clothes were torn and bloody, his hair had pulled free from its dwarfish braid and flew wild around his face, which sported a freshly stitched gash in his cheek, as if he weren’t ugly enough. A full canvas bag was lying at his side. Merry stopped and dismounted, they all did, in brittle silence, and the exhausted ponies were led away. Merry strode forth to meet Pug, Estella on his right and Boromir on his left. Frodo, Sam, Pippin, Diamond, Rose and all their children fell in behind him. Merry was the Master of leagues upon leagues of land and thousands of people but without that support he would have surely fallen to the ground. He saw Pug miserably seek out his grandfather’s eyes. The Old Hobbit nodded firmly and, strengthened, Pug stepped forward, alone, to meet his Master. He bowed low. “Master Meriadoc.” “Hunter Bunce.” Merry answered, bowing back. “I have terrible news I must impart before I give you my report. I have your leave?” “You do.” Pug walked away from him, to Merry’s guilty joy, and all the Hobbits in Merry’s train went pale. Pug passed Frodo, he passed Pippin and Diamond, he passed Hope Grubb, who staggered against Elanor with relief, and stopped in front of Mayor Samwise and the Mistress Rose. Now it was Hope’s turn to bear up Elanor as Pug bowed again. Sam turned away in horror and Fro, his eldest son, caught and held him. His daughter, Goldilocks, wrapped her arms around them both, shock contorting her pretty face. Faramir helplessly rested his hand on her back. Rose, alone, stepped forward to return Pug’s courtesy and her face was rigid with icy control. Pug wasted no one’s time. “Mistress, your son, Peregrin, has been killed.” The Gardners clutched at each other but they kept silent. “Pip?!” Rose gasped. Merry was confused. Out of Sam and Rose’s children, Rivendell had said that only Daisy had gone into the Forest. Rose controlled herself. “How?” Esmeralda and Doll began to descend the front stairs. They slowly closed in on her. “He was killed by a new invasion of Mirkwood Spiders.” Rose closed her eyes and a chorus of despair and anger rose up from the Gardners. “Daisy and Sammie? The others?” she asked tonelessly. “They are hurt but they will recover.” Pug reached out but pulled back before he could touch her. “Somehow, they knew. They went in after him. They destroyed an entire nest to bring him back. I’ve never seen…I mean…I…” Pug, his eyes overflowing, opened his mouth to say more, a useless apology or meaningless consolation but Rose kindly put a hand on his arm, stopping him. She wordlessly waved him back towards Merry and Pug, bowing again, gratefully went. Esmeralda and Doll caught Rose by the arms and began to escort her inside the Hall. Stunned and numb she was easily led away. Goldilocks and Fro followed with their father between them. Frodo watched them go, his hand clutching the jewel around his neck with a white-knuckled grip, but he stayed on the lawn, obviously determined to hear how this nightmare happened. He moved to Merry’s side, and Borry gave way to him. Borry and Farry sought each other out and began to mutter grand schemes of revenge. The other children were gently halted by Diamond, Hope, Estella and various Elders and matronly aunts before they could follow their parents into the Hall. It would not be wise to allow all of the many Gardners into their brother’s death chamber at once. “What’s in the bag?” Merry whispered and his hands were clenched, trembling with sorrow and rage. “Spiders. Spiders the children killed themselves. Proof in...in case you didn’t believe me. I’m sorry. It was stupid to bring them here. I’m not thinking straight. Everything’s gone wrong. I haven’t done a single thing right since you left…” Pug began to babble. He wiped at the blood that was beginning to seep from his stitches. Merry caught Pug by the scruff of his neck and gently shook him. “How did my daughter get away?” “I brought her out, Sir. Ardal, Theo and Theo, and me. And my dog, Huan. A path led straight to them…they’d been hit pretty hard but they were alive, except for the boy, Peregrin. We ran out of arrows fast and took to using daggers. I could feel the trees watching us…just watching us…they didn’t help us at all.” Pug looked wildly up at the sky and breathed deep. Merry’s hands clenched his shoulders and shook him again. Pug’s tears fell then and he didn’t try to stop them. “After all they’d been through…the boy was dead…there weren’t many spiders left and they fell back. We got out of the Forest. They didn’t follow. The kids’re sleeping now in the healer’s quarters. They’re alright. They’re…they’re sleeping.” Pug put a hand over his mouth to shut himself up. Merry nodded. “You did everything right then. Good lad.” “He’s a VERY good lad.” One of the Elders, Marjoram Brandybuck, spoke up and her eyes were blazing though she continued to stroke Elanor’s hair tenderly as the beautiful girl cried and held tight to Rose-lass, her best friend and sister. “Strongwill tol’ me what happened. He and Ardal and Ardie’s two brothers were the only ones with the guts to go in after ‘em. All six would be dead if it weren’t for him.” The old lady sniffed and violently wiped at her eyes. Elanor looked up at Pug and he turned away from her with something very close to horror. Merry thumped him on the back. “Good lad.” He said again. “Good lad. We are all in your deepest debt.” Pug shook his head and looked on the verge of collapse. Merry understood. Killing monsters that could scream and curse at you were leagues away from trapping coneys in a snare. “Lemme take him, Master.” Gaffer Bunce said and, without any preamble, gently led his grandson away. “At first light we’ll go in and clean the survivors out.” Merry muttered to Pippin who simply nodded, too pained to respond. Marjie handed Elanor and Rose-lass off to someone else and approached Merry. “I hate to…I hate to tell you this but somebody’s got to. The shock has gotten to the children. They insist Pip isn’t dead. They kept screaming about two poisons and ‘Shelob’ and ‘Uncle Frodo’ and Bilbo and Dwarves and spit and all kinds of nonsense and Doll dosed them to shut them up.” Marjie’s face was disapproving but she looked up at him with dim hope in her eyes. “Does that make any sense to you? Are there two poisons?” Merry slowly turned to Frodo. “SAM!!” the Ringbearer exploded and, shoving aside all in his way, pelted up the stairs after Sam and Rosie. “ROSIE! SAM! WAIT!” Oh, the tears. Molly had woken up clean and bandaged and, somehow, it was too much for her to take. Her Mum was there and she lifted Molly into her arms. Her Dad pulled them both onto his lap and Molly cried so hard her eyes and the skin of her face were flecked with red from the small blood vessels that had burst. All was well. Everyone was alive. A hole had been dug for Pip but it was empty. He was awake and confused. He remembered nothing. She slept again. Healers and well-wishers came and went and there were so many of them. They all seemed to know what had happened and Molly wondered how. Certainly she hadn’t told them. She wondered who did. Too much. Just too much. There was another dose of something and another deep sleep. Then it was dawn and the rain beat against the windows. The heat was ended. It didn’t take long for the six heroes, plus Pip, to stagger about in search of each other and when the lost were found they fell against each other with terrible incoherencies of relief. More crying. Pug’s room was the biggest and everyone gathered there to convalesce. Doll was inclined to protest but Master Meriadoc had told her to leave off, or else. Pug welcomed his guests and he was a very comfortable and easy person to be around. One by one the children settled in; Daisy and Delphinium with their bruises and burns, Sammie, Pip and Molly, herself, with their terrible spider bites that would have been fatal to them if they had been slightly younger or the spiders slightly older, Meli with her concussion and lacerations and Aster without a mark on her playing nurse to all of them, despite Doll’s disapproval, and enjoying every second. Pug himself had been bitten as well and blamed his breakdown in front of his Master on the spider's poison. Ardal, Theo and Theo, severely banged up but still mobile, allowed him this with only a token amount of mock-condescending sympathy. As soon as he could comfortably move again he was going to get 'em, he swore, and everyone had laughed. He enlisted the support of the Spider Slaying Six, as he dubbed them, and they all plotted revenge. The Brandybuck hunters feigned terror. It was fun. Everyone laughed just a touch too loudly. It was a relief when another visitor, Pug’s cousin, Strongwill, arrived and with barely a hello, took out a violin and played them all to sleep. Now Pug was leaning weakly against the headboard of his large bed and Molly was under his left arm and Daisy was under his right. Sammie and Aster were flopped down across the foot. Pip was wrapped in blankets on an old, faded settee and his limbs, as well as Molly’s, Sammie’s and Pug’s, would occasionally shake uncontrollably. An aftereffect of the poison Frodo Baggins had said and he would most certainly know. It was awful. Molly couldn't stop staring at Pip. Every once in a while he'd look towards her and she'd drop her eyes. She didn't know why. Del and Meli were sprawled on the rug and Huan, missing half a tail, was draped across their laps, in love with both of them. They were easing their nerves by petting and massaging and generally squishing the dog into happy submission and his tongue was lolling out so far Molly was afraid someone was going to step on it. Del was telling the story of a horrible attack from an entirely unexpected quarter and everyone that had the strength was laughing. "Daisy was whacking me on the head! I turned around and was about to smack her back when I heard...I didn't feel 'em I HEARD 'em...flames in my hair! She had caught my hair on fire and was trying to put me out! So, there we were, surrounded by webs and stings and fangs and trees with eyes and we were rolling around in the dirt beating the life out of each other. That's where I got this black eye." Daisy put her red face in her hands. "You ran into a branch! And anyway, I was trying to help you." Ordinarily, Daisy would have leapt at Del for such a ridiculous accusation but she had been quiet and controlled ever since she’d left the forest. She seemed beaten. "Did you have to help me so much?" Del laughed and rubbed her poor, shorn head. Daisy just smiled and looked at her hands. “It’ll grow back…lad.” Pug teased Del and the Grubb gave him a growl that was too broken to be very convincing. Del’s voice was rough and cracked, a perfect complement to Sammie who could barely speak at all. We've all got raw voices. Molly thought. But those two were screaming and laughing and singing so hard. They had downright shocked her, the way they had thrown themselves into the battle with terror, yes, but joy, too. Molly knew that Del, personable as she was, could be wild and mean but Sammie’s reaction was a total surprise. He just seemed so gentle and quiet with his books and his letters and...and…every other person he met calling him foul names. Maybe Sammie had what her Dad called ‘pent-up anger.’ Maybe Del did, too. Maybe they just didn't care whether they lived or died. Maybe. Molly sighed and Pug tightened his arm on her for a moment. She dropped her head on his shoulder. She had always liked Pug. Now she loved him. She was going to marry him. Her eyes wandered over her closest friends. They had survived her Quest. Alive. They were alive. She hadn’t killed them. They had saved Pip. They had destroyed the nest. Molly noticed Pip watching her again and she stared at the tremor in her hands until he looked away. She hid her face against the hunter and drifted into sleep. Pug was on the floor, contentedly teaching Aster, Sammie, Del, Huan and Daisy how to cheat at cards when he saw Pip slowly get off his settee and approach the bed where the Terror Twins, Meli and Molly, were reclined. He climbed in next to them and Pug could just barely hear him and Molly murmuring to each other. Something about no more lizards or frogs or band snapping. Pip smiled and agreed. He threw an arm around both girls before all three dozed off. Awww! Thought Pug. I say those two…those three? Well, with that family anything is possible…he looked at Sammie and wondered if he dared to ask the boy if the rumors about the one big bed in Bag End’s master bedroom were true. He decided against it for now and looked over at the three sleepers again…those three are going to be married before they get out of their tweens. He smiled at them, warmed at the thought and silently wished them all the best. “H’lo, Elly!” Sammie suddenly brightened as his golden sister entered the room with baked treats heaped on a silver platter. Oh, no. Not her. Not again. I can’t stand it. Pug drooped visibly and Daisy bumped him with her shoulder. “It’s only Elly-Elle.” she whispered. “Yes, I knoowwww.” Pug whispered back and, out loud, thanked Elanor’s perfect feet as he blindly took a pastry from the tray she offered him. “Pug loves you.” Daisy helpfully informed the most beautiful, kindest, warmest Hobbit lass ever born and Pug wished the spiders had gotten him rather than suffer through this. “Well.” he tried to jokingly amend. “I don’t hate you, anyway. Maybe.” He took a bite. “These are delicious.” “Thank you. I made them.” Even her voice was exquisite. She could cook, too. Pug shook his head at the horror of his situation as she squeezed into the circle beside him. He wanted to put some space between himself and her but the kids weren’t budging from their tight circle. She was warm. If Ardal could only see him now...he’d see how miserable Pug was. She was smiling at him and Pug reluctantly smiled back for the briefest moment. “I’ve never seen a person with one green eye and one brown eye before.” she said conversationally. “I like his hair.” Del decided. “All wild and wiry. Like a Wild Man of the Forest!” “Ghan Buri Ghan.” Daisy agreed, nodding. Now they were all appraising him. Pug showed them his profile. “He’s strong and fast, too. And nice.” Aster pointed out. Her cards were showing. The girl didn’t have an underhanded bone in her body and Pug sighed. “And I like his nose.” She leaned conspiratorially towards Elanor. “He broke it falling out of a boat but he claims a troll did it. He told us not to…tell…oh, I’m sorry!” “And he’s funny. And the scar makes him interesting!” Sammie said. Elanor was still smiling at him with her perfect teeth and the sun existed only to shine through her gossamer hair. Pug wanted to die. “Yes.” He smiled. “I’m so ugly, I’m beautiful.” “Now, that IS funny.” Elanor answered. “If I had a gold piece for every time I heard someone say ‘She’s so beautiful, she’s ugly.’ I’d be a very rich person.” Pug scowled and glanced at her again. What sort of jealous beast would say a thing like that? Elanor the Fair gazed calmly back. He realized they were staring at each other. A revelation hit him all at once. She understood him. She didn’t judge by appearances as she had been judged all her life. As he had been judged. She actually liked him. He smiled again and this time, it was genuine. “Awww!” Del exclaimed. “I think they’ll cancel each other out. Their children will be all normal looking and boring.” Even Pug laughed at that. “’Pug’ can’t be your name.” Elanor said. “What’s your real name?” she leaned towards him expectantly. My real name is Kiss Me Ere I Die. “Granddad named me Goodwill.” he murmured. “Goodwill.” Elanor smiled. “It suits you.” “Ehrr…” “And thank you. Did I thank you?” “Thank me for what?” “For saving my brothers and sister.” “Ummm…” Elanor kissed him on the cheek and blushed. Pug couldn’t believe it. She’s gone red. She’s gone red over me. “He saved us, too!” Del declared. “Me and Meli and Molly. So that’s three more kisses!” Pug expected Elanor to insist that Del kiss him, then, but she didn’t. She leaned over and gave him three more in three different places on his right cheek. Her lips were sssoooo soft. “And one for Huan! Pug got that spider off his tail with his bare hands.” A kiss for Huan’s sake, then. Right under his green eyes on the left side. All the kids still awake were giggling. Let ‘em giggle. “And one for me!” Aster declared. “He didn’t save you, you saved yourself.” Sammie countered “Quiet, boy.” Pug warned and quickly, before he lost his nerve, leaned in and pecked Elanor on the lips. SOFT! They were SOFT! Before she could even react he had pulled away and was studying his cards again as if nothing untoward had happened at all. Aster squealed and the others cheered and applauded. Elanor was flustered and laughing. “Why, thank you!” “Miss Elanor.” There were no words for the way he felt. He had caught a dream in his hands. “You’re welcome.” It was a bright and glorious day and Meli and Molly were wandering the grounds and watching the children play in the sunshine. “I just feel so strange. I feel like nothing will ever be the same again.” Meli said and her voice was low and confused. “Del and Sammie aren't speaking to each other. Daisy’s suddenly afraid of her own shadow. Aster was impertinent to the healers. And you and Pip like each other.” “And you’re armed.” Molly pointed out. Meli closed her hand around Sting Junior in her pocket. “I’m not armed! I’m…prepared.” Del had let her keep the knife without complaint and was herself gifted with a gold and mother-of-pearl inlaid replacement from Peregrin Took to her complete delight. Hope had tried to take it away for safekeeping but Del wouldn’t allow it. She could keep it safe herself, thank you very much. Surprised, Hope had backed down. We’re all so full of surprises, lately, Molly thought. “Nothing’s right anymore.” Meli finished. “Well, what’s wrong?” “Nothing. Nothing’s right, nothing’s wrong. It’s just…” Meli was stuck. “Different.” Molly finished for her and remembered Pip’s face as he cornered her under the cherry trees the previous night. Thank you, Molly. I owe you everything…and he had slowly leaned close for the thousandth time to kiss her and for the first time, ever, she had let him. It had been wet but nice and Molly smiled to herself, remembering. She would let him do it again. And speaking of Pip, ”There he is, telling stories.” Pip had been morbidly fascinated by the deep hole that had been hurriedly dug for him, days before. The terrible heat and the oncoming storm were the two major factors that almost got him buried alive and he was frightening his little brothers and sisters with gory tales of pale hands reaching out of fresh graves. Suddenly his mother appeared, coming out of a side door with Frodo and Merry Lad in tow, and rebuked him. The children scattered and some regrouped around the two girls and clamored for their attention. Molly teased them distractedly as she continued to watch the Gardners. Pip gave his mother a strong hug and a kiss and Rosie returned them fiercely. Then she let him go so he could join Merry and the two wandered off. Rose sagged against Frodo and he put his arms around her. Suddenly he noticed Molly watching them and beckoned her over. Meli was distracted by some outrageous story little Bilbo was telling her about spiders hiding in the cellars so Molly left her and went. Rose wiped her eyes and smiled as she approached and Molly smiled back. “Feeling better today, Canary?” Frodo asked. “Lark.” Molly corrected and gave him a Glare ‘O Doom. He did that on purpose, all the grown-ups did. He grinned at her and pulled a small silver calendar out of his pocket. It was a clever little device that kept the proper year and date with just a few twists of a jeweled knob and Molly’s eyes opened wide when she saw it. It twinkled in the sun and Uncle Frodo handed it right over. “For you. I gave one to Pip, Pug and Sammie, too. Everyone who was spider-bit. You can all get together every year and moan and complain about being wounded by Fang and Claw without hope of healing, as I do.” Molly was delighted. “Thank you! But I don’t think our Spiders were as bad as yours was.” True. The wound on her arm was red and ugly but it was a mere mosquito nip compared to the bite Frodo had suffered. “Shhh!” Frodo warned. “Don’t say that. Milk it for all it’s worth.” Molly and Rosie laughed and Rosie swatted at him. Frodo caught her hand and kissed her palm. Molly watched his mouth linger on warm skin and felt her stomach fill with rampaging butterflies. How odd and horrible and wonderful and…her smile was suddenly set strangely on her face and she turned away. “Here comes the hunters back.” she gasped. Merry, Pippin, Sam and a selection of volunteers and the hunters of Brandy Hall (only four in all, Pug, Ardal, Theo and Theo, as the rest had left the Buckland out of shame and fear of Master Meriadoc Brandybuck) were returning from another foray into the Forest, empty handed, except for Pug who had a brace of pheasants over his shoulder. “You were right, Frodo!” Sam called over. “We’ve got the lot seemingly. The trees didn’t want us there. Poor Ardie got a branch on the head.” Meli was abandoned as the youngest Gardners ran for their Dad and clamored for his attention. “I told you. If any of the spiders were still alive the trees would have welcomed you.” Frodo sounded smug which earned him another poke from Rosie. Elanor, Aster and Sammie came out of the hall and approached the scout party. Pug showed off his pheasants. Elly and Sammie praised him but Aster looked a little ill. Pug was laughing at her. He then very slowly and very calmly and carefully draped his arm across Elanor’s shoulders. She let it remain and Ardal and the rest of Pug’s friends nearly fell over themselves with joyful shock. Ellie laughed at their reaction and smiled up at Pug and there was such a heat in their eyes…Molly looked away again. She tucked her calendar into a deep pocket and thanked Frodo again, who didn't hear her as both he and the Mistress Rose were staring, surprised and rather appalled, at Pug. Molly wandered off to rejoin Meli. She still found it bizarre that people were giving her gifts instead of punishing her for going into the Old Forest in the first place. She gazed at the dark trees off in the distance. Her imagination had one of the branches slyly waving at her. “If you hadn’t gone in there your head would have exploded.” Meli muttered in her ear. Molly stared at her in shock. “Stop looking at the trees. You couldn’t help it. So, in you went.” “But Meli…” “Don’t ‘but’ me.” Meli gently said. “Don’t ‘but’ me.” she repeated. “Don’t say anything.” Molly was on the verge of weeping and wanted to slap herself. Tears again. What was wrong with her? How could she go from laughter to anger to tears and back again in so short a time? “Meli, I saw you fall. I saw Daisy fall. I thought…” “I know!” Meli began to cry outright. “It wasn’t your fault! Will you just shut up?” Daisy came out of the hall then and, spying Meli and Molly, slowly walked towards the two girls though she looked as if she’d rather not. She scratched at her ribcage with an expression of tired disgust. Ah, the Mistress Rose had noticed Daisy’s need. Molly sympathized, completely. Suddenly Merry-Lad and Del pelted into view with a score of hero-worshipping children and a laughing Pip on their heels. “HOLD STILL! YOUR HEAD’S ON FIRE!” Del shouted. “NO, IT’S NOT! YOU’RE TRYING TO KILL ME!!” Merry shrieked back in a girly voice. The little Brandybucks were falling about laughing. Del and Daisy’s ‘misunderstanding’ in the Forest had grown more gruesome and violent with every re-enactment. This one involved tackling, kicking and Del beating Merry’s skull against the ground. “OW! OW! OW! OW! OW!” This was too much for the babies to resist and the two disappeared under a wave of Brandybucks. “HELP!” Del’s voice called. “Brandybuck Spiders have us! HELLLPP!!” Molly shuddered and watched Aster and Sammie come running to the rescue as Pip dove into the fray. “C’mon, Molly. This looks like a job for the Spider Slaying Six!” Molly hung back and Meli put a hand on her arm. “C’mon, Molly. It’s just playing.” “Just playing.” Molly echoed and saw Sammie dash to Daisy’s side to pull her into the melee. She smiled at him and went, if not with full enthusiasm then at least not reluctantly. Sammie plucked a strangling child off Merry’s neck and ignored Del, which was just fine as Del was ignoring him as well. The two were maintaining a heavily charged distance and Molly didn’t wonder why. “…they are weaving webs to wind me! I am far more sweet than other meat!” Aster was singing and all the Brandybuck Spiders, even Sammie and Del, joined in. “But still they cannot find me!” “Think of it this way…the Quest was a success, Molly.” Meli insisted. “We won. We’re alive. And we certainly found something new and interesting!” Molly nodded. “Strange and beautiful creatures, yes.” Pip was laughing and Molly watched the sun shine warm in the softness of his hair. She adjusted the constricting band that she hated and made sure her calendar was secure. Far more sweet…sweet, sweet, sweet... She nodded at Meli and smiled. Meli whooped and shot towards the battle. Molly followed and no one heard her say, “I don’t want to play anymore.” End |
| Singe's Note: This started life as a PGY round-robin but it was abandoned. I took it over and finished it, tweaking it out of all recognition. I really must get my Obsessive Compulsive Disorder checked out by a doctor. Everything past the kids' entry into the forest is my own. |