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Elsa was still wandering helplessly through the trees when she suddenly heard a great eruption of shouts nearby. There were several howls, but they seemed somehow less frightening, and she felt heartened. Suddenly there was a great cheer, and she rushed toward the sound. She burst into a small clearing and was startled to see it full of armed hobbits.
Pushing her way through the crowd, Elsa nearly wept to see her children all right. She could see Sarah across the clearing, and for a moment felt relieved that the other hobbit had made it safely there. Then she forgot all about Sarah and ran to smother Alora and Crispin with kisses. Crispin was the closest, so he soon found himself subject to a hail of apologies, reprimands, and relieved embraces.
Elsa could not seem to decide if she was more thankful for her children's safety or angered at their leaving. Soon deciding on the former, she searched for Alora, pulling Crispin with her. The lass was with her father, so Elsa dragged Crispin over and hugged all three of them at once, sobbing hysterically. She tired to put some feeling into her reprimands, but her heart wasn't in it. She could hardly put her relief into words through her tears, so she soon gave up and set her heart on having a good cry.
After a few moments of sobbing (which her family tolerated remarkably well) Elsa noticed Adelard Proudfoot standing across the clearing with blood on his shirt. She turned to her children, wiping her eyes.
"Are you hurt?" she asked. Both children denied injury, but their mother insisted on checking them over thoroughly, and promised to serve them both a hot meal and send them to bed soon afterwards when they returned to the campsite.
Elsa knew that she was likely to get a reprimand from her husband for not staying behind as soon as the children fell asleep, and she would probably get another from Marcho soon after. Still, she felt that she could feel nothing but grateful. She hugged her children again, still crying in relief.
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