In the Shadow of the Star: Part 2

[Mithadan]

Piosenniel took the bundled baby with a laugh. "Doesn't Auntie Bird want to change her after helping care for her the past few days?" she teased.

Mithadan, however, approached the horse that had carried Bird into the clearing. After examining it for a moment, he turned to the shapechanger with raised eyebrows. "Stoat?" he asked.

Bird smiled grimly. "He's been...squeezed out of the picture. You needn't concern yourself with him. He'll never trouble The Shire again."

Mithadan nodded with satisfaction. Then his attention turned to the strongbox tied to the horse's saddle. "And what have we here?" he asked.

Bird turned red and stammered. "Uh...nothing. Just something I happened to pick up in my travels."

Mithadan placed a hand on the side of the box and gave it a quick shake. A jingling noise came as its contents shifted. He gave a quiet laugh and looked sidewise at Piosenniel who smiled as well. With a nod, he turned to Bird and opened his arms wide and bowed. "Why Bird," he said. "It seems that you're twice a hero. First, for helping rescue the children and second for seizing Ferny's ill-gotten profits so that they can be distributed fairly!"

"What!" answered Bird. "Wait a minute! Distributed? Fairly? What does that mean?"

Mithadan waved Sam over to hear his words. "Surely the parents of the kidnapped Hobbits deserve some compensation. And the village of Bree will have some cleaning up to do after our raid. Surely Bree should receive some payment for that. It seems to me that Sam, as the Mayor, should see to the proper distribution of Ferny's money."

Sam took Bird's hand, which seemed suspiciously limp, and shook it vigorously. "Thank you, Bird!" he cried. "I'm sure that this can be put to good use!"

Bird ground her teeth and glared darkly at Mithadan. "Yes," she growled. "It should be put to good use."

Mithadan took her by the shoulders and gave her a quick squeeze. "There you go!" he said loudly. Then he whispered so that no others could hear, "Your share of the profits from the last voyage of the Lonely Star awaits you in Gondor; enough gold to last you for some time even if you spend it freely...partner."

She perked up a bit at this, but gave Mithadan a none too gentle shove towards Piosenniel. "I'll remember this, 'Mithy'," she said. "And get your hands off me and put them where they belong. Pio, give this rogue a diaper. Its time he started acting like a responsible daddy."