[piosenniel]

Pio poured the flustered Hobbit a half pint of ale, inviting her to sit at a table and talk. She was curious why this young woman thought she might know her, and tired of listening to the loud talk of the others fueled by numerous mugs of wine and ale they had consumed.

She eyed them, and shook her head. When they had at first come in, she had given them a flyer about the Town Meeting called by Sam. But they had politely and firmly told her that their business was their own, and they were meeting here. There were ten of them, most from the outlying farms and holdings around the area, all clustered around two of the long tables they had shoved together. Smoke from their pipes hung in a blue haze above their heads, and from what she could see the usual calming effect of the pipe smoking ritual had not abated their anger in the least.

A few cool heads, more thoughtful and analytic were among them, but they were overcome by the angrier members, whose eyes darted every now and then toward her, and not with kindness. She stayed as far from them as she could, allowing them to fill their own tankards.

Distance, though, could not keep the effect of their anger from her. They wanted all the Big Folk away from here, in any way possible. And as their glances fell more and more often on her, she had the urge to stuff her pack with what she needed and drag Mithadan and Bird from this place as quickly as she could. Eight days would bring them to Mithlond; she could have the twins there, and they could book passage on a ship at the Grey Havens and sail to Gondor.

The thought of leaving Cami held her back from following through on this plan. This would be her last time with her dear friend. Though the fact that she was now with Maura would ease their parting when it came. Pio smiled, then, remembering that she had not spoken yet to Cami of what she had learned.

The soft thud of Gilly’s tankard on the table pulled her back from her wool-gathering. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said, turning back to face the Hobbit. ‘Where are my manners?’

She introduced herself to Gilly, and got the story from her of how Amaranthas had written her, asking her to come be Pio’s nursemaid. ‘I see now!’ Pio laughed out loud. ‘I think I do remember a quick discussion about this with her and with Angelica, but I did not know the plans were quite so “finalized” between the two of them!’

Gilly blushed, and in turn told Pio about herself, adding that she would be available, and quite willing, to travel once the babies were born. Her eyes glanced over at the gathering, drawn there by a sudden rise in the loudness of the talk. ‘Why are they so angry? What’s happening here?’ And to herself she thought, ‘And why do they keep looking over here with such hateful faces?’

Pio explained briefly what had happened in the past few days, and told her of the reports they’d heard from other parts of the Shire. Gilly shook her head as Pio talked on. ‘There have been rumors of those kind going about in my little part of the Westfarthing, too, Mistress Piosenniel. Of late, people there have thought they’ve seen shadowy, tall figures skulking about on the outskirts of Waymeet. You knew, didn’t you that Waymeet was one of the headquarters for the Chief and his men?’

‘The Chief?’ Pio had no recollection of this name. ‘During the War,’ continued Gilly, ‘Sharkey’s men had a stronghold there, under the supervision of Lotho Sackville-Baggins.’ She lowered her voice. ‘Some say one of the meanest ones has come back to claim what he feels is his by right.’

The evening shadows had grown longer and darker outside the Inn. The night was proving to be as warm as the day had been, still Pio shook herself slightly trying to throw off the chilled feeling that had crept on her. The small group of Hobbits was breaking up its meeting, the members hurrying home to their own snug dwellings. A few acknowledged her as they left, nodding their heads at her or tugging at their caps.

Once they had gone, she motioned for Gilly to follow her. ‘It’s too late for you to be seeing Amaranthas tonight. The old dear will have gone to bed by now. Stay the night here at the Inn. My guest, of course! Tomorrow I will introduce you to my friends and to Mithadan.’