[piosenniel]

Berilac

There was to be no sleep for Berilac after the meeting, and none for Farmer Thistle. Mausi’s house was quiet when they arrived, she and the children fast asleep. The Ranger stirred up the embers of the fire, adding some shavings and a few small pieces of wood to the hungry flames. Drawing their chairs close to the warmth, the two men talked until dawn. Farmer Thistle would gather his sons when he got back to his little holding and they would see to their neighboring farms. News of the raid would have already gotten round the outlying area, and they would start the requests for families to get themselves into the safety of Bree itself. Berilac wrote two messages, one to be delivered to his brother, Rosco, and one to go to Griffo and Tomlin, his brothers-in-law. They could all start the message chain in their areas, and Griffo could see to the Men he knew who lived near him.

The little household was just stirring when Berilac stood at the door seeing Farmer Thistle off. Kali came up, his feet padding on the wooden floor of the little hallway, and stood just behind Berilac, his little hand seeking that of the older Hobbit. Knuckling the sleepy dust from the corners of his eyes with his free hand, he yawned, asking what the man had come about.

‘Nothing to worry about before breakfast,’ said Berilac, a smile creasing his grey, tired face. He swung the boy to his shoulders and trotted toward the kitchen where Mausi and the others were just fixing the morning’s porridge. ‘We’re here to help!’ he declared, sliding a giggling Kali to the floor.

It was near the end of breakfast, that Berilac gently explained what had happened to the Farroweed family, and what he was planning to do. ‘I think Andreth still wants the children at school. She has things for them to do that will help us get ready to meet the bandits when they attempt Bree.’ He reached out and ruffled Kali’s tousled curls. ‘Why don’t you all get ready to go, and I’ll go with you.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ella, Mondy, and Kali had proved a subdued group as they walked to the Inn. Berilac gave them into the capable hands of Andreth, saying Mausi would be there to pick them up when classes were done.

His steps turned toward the Hedge where the Hobbits had already gathered and were hard at work. They nodded as he approached, but did not slow the pace of their labors. Rolling up the sleeves of his tunic, he pitched in to help them. Today and tomorrow, if they worked, long and hard, the Hedge should be done up to the North Gate. Elfrid and Sammael were already starting the repair of the Gate there, and should be finished then, too.

He wondered, as he worked, if the Mayor had sent off the message to Minastan. It would be helpful to know if the bandits were bringing in more of their own. His thoughts turned to Farmer Thistle, hoping that he had already contacted Rosco and Griffo. Giving a sigh at the thought of how independent the outlying families could be, both Hobbits and Men, he made a small plea to whomever might be listening, that the gathering in might be successful.

So much to be done, he thought. So little time . . .