[Lalwendë]

Jinniver ought to have been in her bed, but she had woken early and gone outside, wrapped in her shawl, barely noticing the chill in the air from the rain. She was filled with thoughts of her new found happiness, and the thought that the garden she had made ought to be perfect was still on her mind. She knew that the only thing that would soothe her would be to go outside. Despite it being night, she knew it would be safe, and she knew she would find some peace in the open air.

Early the previous morning, the cart had arrived from Bree carrying all the little plants she needed to make the garden perfect for Derufin's bride. She had been eating her breakfast when it arrived, and had run out with her half eaten toast hanging from her mouth, forgetting herself, as she was so excited to see her plants arrive. She had continued to munch on the toast while she examined the delivery to make sure everything she wanted was there and had arrived safely. When at last she was satisfied that she had everything she needed, Jinniver unloaded the plants and paid the carter a good sum for his trouble.

She had worked right through until lunchtime without ever once thinking of her brother Pegram and where he might have got to. Once she had heard of Aman's plan to carry out a little trick on him she had gone straight to her bed without even looking for him. He had upset her and she had just wanted to go to sleep and forget all about it; if she could not throw herself into work to forget her troubles, then sleep was the next best thing. But he had not appeared that morning, and in her excitement over the cart arriving, she had not noticed his absence. Once she had stopped for a rest, she began to wonder where he was and walked round to the side of the inn where his room, one of the 'best' was situated. The shutters were closed. But she heard a faint noise, and listening closely, realised it was her brother groaning and splashing water about in his bathtub.

She had laughed when she heard it as she knew what Aman had done to his bed. She had put ants into it. Talking conspiratorially over that late night cup of tea she had told Jinniver that when Pegram asked for one of the best rooms, as they both knew he would, then she would make sure he was offered one in which she had quietly slipped a few ants, along with the warming pan. Jinniver had thought it a good idea, and it had sent her to bed with a wide smile on her face as she thought of how her proud and overbearing brother might be brought a little more humble after the experience of a night with ants in his bed.

Jinniver had crept up to the corridor outside her brother's room when she heard his groaning; half laughing and half a little worried that he might take it angrily. When she got to the door she heard him splashing the water in his bathtub and muttering. "Wretched ants", he said gruffly. "How can I stop this itching?" Her natural concern got the better of her and she spoke up.

"Pegram, what is the matter?" she had said, crouching at the edge of the locked door.

"I am bitten all over with ants," he wailed, and she stepped back a little to hear the upset in his voice. She thought she heard a sniffle. "Jinniver?" he said hesitantly. "Could you leave me some of that balm you make? Leave it outside the door for me? Please?"

She had smiled at this. He usually refused to use the old remedies she made from their mother's cook book.They were not good enough for him; he preferred whatever expensive unguents he could buy from traders coming up the Greenway from Gondor. Of course she would bring him some balm. Nothing would give her greater pleasure than to see him finally accept that his sister might have something useful to offer after all. But she hadn't been able to resist adding something before she agreed.

"If I bring you this, will you promise to leave me be here?" she had said boldly. "I am your sister and you should let me alone you know. I know you care for me as any brother should, but I am not the silly young girl I used to be." She had fought hard to resist tears as she said it and was rewarded with a very quiet, whispered "yes".

All afternoon she had worked on the garden until she was happy with it and then was so tired, she fell asleep beneath one of the trees. She was woken at sunset by a hand on her shoulder, a gentle hand. It was Pegram, dressed for travelling, leading his fine horse in the other hand. He was smiling uncertainly.

"I am going now, just as you asked, " he had said, unable to look her in the eye and red faced. "I, erm, I would like to thank you for your help." Then he turned and saw all the hard work she had put in through the day. His mouth fell open as he saw the beautiful borders in front of the cottage, stocked with fine healthy plants, all the work his sister had done. No words were needed. He looked at his sister as she sat up.

"This is a fine place," he said quietly. "We will miss you in Bree if you linger too long you know, but you are safe here. After all you have suffered, you ought to be able to enjoy your life and do what is best. And I was one of those who made you suffer." He hung his head, and before Jinniver could rise, climbed into the saddle of his horse. He had been humbled by the sight of his sister's work, and humbled by having to ask her for help. But he was not yet so humble that he would linger for her to have the chance to act proudly with him. He wanted to go now, back to Bree. He wanted to go quietly, and Jinniver could see this, so she let him go as he wished. But she sat a while longer beneath the tree, watching his horse disappear into the evening, listening to the sounds from the inn.

*

Now in the darkness, she finally stood quietly alone and was able to appreciate her work. The scent of the flowers was heady in the night air and she breathed it in deeply, sighing as she did so. It had been important to her that she create as perfect a garden as she could; this was to be a gift from Derufin to his bride after all, and she knew how important that would be. She checked the flowers once again, stamped down a little more earth to settle the roots of the plants, and picked off a few straggly leaves, enjoying the work despite the late hour. She thought of how happy she was in The Shire. All her old troubles had been left behind. She had managed to bring her brother around to seeing that she was now grown and sensible. She had friends here, and one of them was about to be married. She even relished the thought of the party to come, and a party would normally have frightened her more than anything. She stretched out her arms, yawned and enjoyed the sensation of the cool night air on her hands, and then smiled.