[ArwenBaggins]

Dafodyl stood outside of the Took residence, admiring the pipe that Giles had given her. She heard a delightful cry somewhere not far from her, but it didn’t faze her. Another cry drifts in, and she turns to see her father and brothers riding up on ponies.

"Papa! Papa!" She ran forward, almost getting trampled by the ponies. Her father jumped down, and her little brothers followed in suit.

"Oh, Dafodyl! We all missed you so! I was unsure if you would ever come back to the Shire." He embraced her, warm and joyous tears dripping down her back.

"Oh Papa! I missed you as well!" Her little brother’s grabbed onto her, and she counted them silently. One, two, three. One was missing. "Papa! Willie, Tom, and Samwell are all here… but where is Gabriel?"

Her father looked down, and she saw a few tears hit the earth. He used his shirttail to wipe them away, and then looked up at her. "Dafodyl, Gabriel is dead. He died just a few weeks after you left. He cried for you all the time, and the last words he said were, ‘Tell sissy that I hope she gets everyone food, and that I love her.’ He held on as long as he could."

Dafodyl swallowed hard, and broke down crying. Her father rubbed her dark curls, and she stood. "If that is how it is to be, so be it. He was happy before he was sick. He’s happy now." She smiled lightly, and grabbed her brother’s hand. She picked up Willie, the youngest, and bounced him onto her shoulder. "Well, come on! You have to meet Bullroarer and all of my new friends! Come on!"

She laughed, and ran toward the warm house. Her family was greeted, and they settled inside. Everyone enjoyed themselves, as other families came in. She was happy.

[ February 14, 2003: Message edited by: ArwenBaggins ]