Meli's late, and Dinny paces in the hall and frets. A dream had woken her, and troubled, she slipped from Pippin's arms and went to check on her children. Faramir lay lost in his own dreams, but Meli's bed was cold.
As much as her girl loves mischief, Meli always comes home.
The sun has started to light up the east when Dinny finally hears the thump that means Meli has just slipped back in her window. Frantic with worry, anger and joy, she hurries to the room and stops, heart in her throat.
Meli freezes in the act of placing her dress on her chair, her curls tangled with leaves. Her neck is a mass of bruises, and her skin paler even than the time she powdered it. Dinny has one hand against her mouth to hold in a scream and the other reaches for Meli.
Pale and fey, Meli shies back, stepping into the reach of the window. She hisses and darts forward, slipping past Dinny without a sound. Dinny sinks to the floor, tears falling unchecked down her cheeks.
Meli returns with a thick blanket and covers the window, then lights a candle. The bruises are already fading, and Dinny can feel a sob in her throat. She swallows hard.
"Who?" Dinny whispers.
Her smile is sad and sharp. "How could I let my Molly-lark go into the dark alone?" she replies, and candle light makes the sharp teeth glint ferally.
~