[Nurumaiel]

"I... don't know," said Marigold, after a little pause for reflection. "I like every song my papa used to sing to me. But you could play me Mairi's Wedding. They played that song at the hand-fasting yesterday, and I liked it very much. My papa used to sing it to me, you know."

"Did your father know many songs?" Falco inquired, his tone less gruff than before. Marigold, of course, had some small ability to make him cheerier, and Caity also possessed that talent. He had been much delighted with her playing of the tin whistle on the previous evening, and couldn't help but feel a bit better when she was about.

"Oh, yes, he knew every so many songs," said Marigold earnestly. "He knew more songs than any other hobbit in Bywater, I'm sure of it. He had a wonderful voice, but not just in one way. He could make you cry or laugh or scowl when he sang, depending on what he was singing. He could make a song have feeling instead of just words."

"Ah, I know how that is," said Falco, with a little smile. "I had a friend who could sing much like that. But, here now, we should let Miss Caity play her song." The both of them fell silent and Caity, with a little bit of a blush, began to play. Like Marigold, Falco had never hear of this 'orcina' before, and at the name he had wondered if it had anything to do with those 'orcs' some of the travellers in the Shire would mention. He was not prepared for the sweet, melodious sound that came forth, and by that surprise his pleasure of her playing was greatly increased.

When she finished, Marigold clapped her hands together with all enthusiasm, and smiled brightly. "That was very lovely, Miss Brandybuck," she said. "I saw you playing with Mr. Headstrong yesterday, with your tin whistle, you know. You're very good at music."

As Caity blushed and thanked the little girl, Snaveling re-entered the Common Room, an assortment of dresses slung over his arm. Falco was in front of him in an instant, taking the clothes and inspecting them carefully to make sure they had not been soiled (weren't Big Folk fellows always dirty?). But, his mood somewhat improved by Caity's music, he gave a nod and a few words of thanks, and then went to Marigold.

She squealed with delight when she saw the dresses, and piled them all on her lap, going through them again and again, and marvelling over their pretty patterns and fabrics. Falco watched her with a contented smile.

"Have you never had such fine dresses before?" he asked.

"Oh, I've had such lovely dresses," said Marigold. "My papa used to buy the prettiest fabrics, and my mamma would sew them together wonderfully. But Mrs. Hilldweller dressed me in plain, dark colours, like her own children, so it's been awhile since I've had such lovely clothes." She turned her shining eyes up to Falco's face. "Oh, thank you, Mr. Heastrong!" she cried.

Falco coughed and the colour mounted slightly on his cheeks, but he merely said indifferently. "My pleasure, Marigold."