[Nurumaiel]

"Those candies look good," said Primrose, grinning widely. She turned to Melilot. "Mel, how much money do we have left?"

"Er... enough." Melilot handed Prim a couple coins, and the latter bought a big box of candy.

"Amazing how cheap it was," she said, holding it out for Mel to take. "Annabell... hey, Annabell?"

Annabell was staring into the crowd. "Prim, Mel, isn't that... see those two children?" She pointed to a boy and a girl who seemed to be looking for someone. Annabell turned to look at Prim, who had gone pale and dropped all her packages.

"Samwise Gamgee and Elanor Greenthumb!" their young leader gasped. "Oh, goodness!" She ran forward, leaving Annabell and Mel picking up all that she had dropped.

"Look, Sam, there's Primrose Tussock!" said Elanor, running forward. Sam was close behind her. "Hello!" they cried together. "We've been looking for you for the longest time!"

"Elanor Greenthumb, you be quiet!" said Prim sharply. "What do you think you're doing here?! And Samwise Gamgee, I have much to say to you. What are you doing here?"

"We wouldn't stay with that horrid Bowman Proudfoot one moment longer," said Elanor. "Sam and I decided to run away, and fortunately it rained so we could follow your tracks to here."

"Well, Samwise, what have you to say for yourself?" Prim glared at the boy, who was blushing bright red. "Nothing? Well, I have much to say! I'm sure it was your idea to go running off. When are you going to be responsible? And you left your sister behind, and Camelia! Samwise Gamgee, I've a good mind to send you straight back where you came from!"

Sam jerked his head up, very pale. "Oh no, Miss Primrose, please don't do that. We'll do anything, just don't send us back to that Bowman Proudfoot!"

Primrose took three deep breaths, then grabbed their hands and dragged them back to the two lasses watching in amazement. "It's a good thing you saw them, Annabell," said Prim. "They could have become lost, though they don't deserve anything better after what they've done. Oh, this is the last straw! Being the leader of a group is bad enough, especially when there's others who are much smarter and able for it, but now I have to watch over two children...!" Prim burst into tears.

Sam was too guilty for words. He'd run away, leaving his little sister and Cami in the hands of that horrible monster Bowman Proudfoot, and now he'd gone and made Miss Tussock cry. "Don't cry," he begged. "If you really want us to, Elanor and I will go back."

Elanor was horrified. Prim stopped crying and dried her eyes. "You can't go alone," she said. "That's much too dangerous, and we don't have the time to take you back. You'll just have to come with us."

The two kids began cheering. Mel and Annabell smiled at them and laughed, until Prim gave them a scornful look, and not a little warning. "I expect you to obey every command given to you, and to stay close to the group above all things. We'd be in for it if bandits got you. Though," she added, "I don't believe there are any bandits."

"We've used all our money, Prim," said Mel, abruptly changing the subject and slowly putting her hand into the box of candy.

"Then let's go back to the meeting place and wait for the others," said Prim wearily. She turned and began to walk quickly away, not noticing the two runaways pop some candy into their mouth, and grinning at a wink from Mel.