[Orual]

Melilot sat silent for a little while, watching Prim carefully as they drove along. Her friend was tense and stiff, and was obviously taking all of the past few hours' events in, or trying to. Mel scooted over and began to rub Prim's shoulders. Sure enough, they were tense and hard as rocks. "Relax, Prim. It'll be all right--Sam and Elanor are well-behaved." Prim began to respond, but Mel interrupted her with what was probably the same thing that Prim was thinking. "Well, maybe not quite so well-behaved, as they just ran away. Hmm."

Prim laughed, and Mel grinned. "You know, we ought to be having fun with this, not stressing ourselves over it. It'll be all right, and the children will be entertaining if nothing else." She stole a look at the children, who were talking amongst themselves. "And they'll probably be nothing else."

***

Sam held the reins tightly, carefully following the older hobbits. He felt a little better now, since Prim didn't seem to be mad at them anymore, but guilt still poked at him, reminding him that he wasn't supposed to be here. "Oh, hush," he whispered angrily, "I'll do as much good here as I would've with Cami and them."

He looked over at Elanor, who looked a little more reassured by Prim's smile than he had been. He grinned at her with an effort. "How do you feel?"