Melody was in pain but it all eased when she lay close to Tom. He was worried about her. Melody could see it and so could all the other survivors. Melody had many dreams whilst huddled in Tom’s arms. Many weren’t pleasant dreams; Orcs and Wild Dogs and her lovely Ivy. She could see Ivy’s big smile in her mind, she could see Ivy running in the fields of flowers. She wanted Ivy back; she wanted revenge or at least some closure.
Tom's words kept coming back into Melody’s mind, “I love you and… and I want to know you for, for as long as I can! I’ll buy us a cottage and I’ll give you a garden or whatever please don’t leave me… I need you!”
The words made her smile but was it true? If Tom hadn’t spoken to Melody she would have given up. The things he said gave her hope, a reason to keep going! She hoped and prayed that Tom really meant that. She pictured her garden filled with green, red, pink and yellow. She wanted to plant a huge tree where she could sit under reading a novel in spring time. Or a big, healthy rose bush that she could sit for hours admiring.
Tom played softly with Melody’s hair talking to her softly about the Shire. He reminded her of how it looked and how happy the people would be to see them. She opened her eyes slightly and tried to sit up but Tom begged her to rest and not move. So she stayed there covered in a quilt to keep her warm while Tom carried on speaking to her.
~*~
Melody heard talking and a different, happier vibe in the air. She opened her eyes slightly and saw Madoc with Prisca his sister. Melody smiled, “We are close to the Shire aren’t we Tom?” she said. Tom chuckled, “We are Melody, we are” he said with a sigh of relief.
Prisca looked sad when she noticed how few hobbits had returned. Melody didn’t want to picture all the sad faces when they return. But the ones who passed would be loved and honoured forever this Melody knew as did the others.
Melody could smell the distinctive air of The Shire. There was cheering in the distance, not far away as they returned. The wagon drew nearer and soon entered The Shire with a warm welcome. The happy cheers soon became shocked and sad. Only a few Shire Folk were there, not all. The others didn’t know of their arrival yet.
“Excuse me! We need warm water and some help for her first of all. She has been stabbed.” Tom shouted wanting immediate help. Melody’s wound was cleaned and bandaged up and she was wrapped in a warm quilt and put in a chair close to the fire place at Tom’s house. Daisy, Madoc and Tom were also cleaned up and bandaged where needed.
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