[piosenniel]

The second she crossed the door sill, the hair stood up on the back of Holly’s neck, and an uneasy feeling crept into her bones. It was cold in this dark place, and uncomfortable. And even with the lantern turned high, the air was murky and thick. Bird’s eyes were wide with barely suppressed panic.

Holly grasped Volondil’s arm and pulled him back through the door into the hallway, the moving mass of their two bodies forcing Olo and Bird further down the corridor and away from the room they had entered. Volondil closed the door as they exited and Holly led them at a rapid pace back down the hallway, heading toward the small door at the northwest corner. ‘I don’t care how much gold there is in this bloody castle, I want out of here.’ Bird only nodded as she pulled up alongside Holly and nudged her friend to a faster pace.

The four companions reached the small door, pausing in the shadows just south of the doorway. Olo had hooded the lantern, and only a small flicker of light escaped it as it hung from his hand. Moonlight poured in through the open doorway, beckoning like a silvery path to the four weary friends.

Holly drew the book that Andreth had given her from the waistband of her breeches, and peering back into the darkness from which they'd come, she whispered, 'Andreth! If you can hear me,' or understand me, 'I'm leaving your book here for you. We are leaving.' The Hobbit wrapped the book in a handkerchief and placed it on the small, dusty table near the doorway.

Volondil crept to the door and peered out. All was quiet. It was the midnight hour and the moon stood high in the dark heavens. The shadows of the trees in the orchard were at their smallest; the three graves stood on the greensward like ghoulish loaves of silvery iced lady fingers set on a green napkin.

The Ranger gave the signal, and like arrows loosed from a bow, the companions shot across the lawn to the shelter of the orchard, pausing where it met the edge of the garden against the wall. Like passing shadows they made their way to the small open gateway in the northwestern corner of the castle surround wall and flew out of it and to the shelter of the trees where Peri stood, waiting.

From their place beneath the trees they could hear the sound of tumult coming from the front entry to the castle. Bird changed to her jackdaw form and flew up to the castle roof for a better look. Less than a heartbeat, and she was back among them, warning them to be quiet and hissing one word. ‘Orcs!’

Peri startled at the word as if he understood it. His nose told him there were no Orcs before them and he pulled on Holly’s sleeve, urging her in a northwesterly direction. She grabbed his lead, and let him take the group deeper into the trees and away from the castle.

They trudged along in silence, stopping only long enough to take a pull on their waterskins or grab a handful of dried fruit to eat. It was at one of these brief respites that Holly hooked her arm through Bird’s and said she was sorry they hadn’t even made it out with any of the gold. Bird laughed and patted Peri’s saddle bag. ‘Where do you think I went with the Mewlip’s coins when I went running out to hide them?’ Holly shook her head saying she might have known Bird would think of contingencies when it came to making sure the loot left with them.

When they were far from the castle, and well into the night, Holly, thinking of Maladil and Adela, and their sad story, began to hum an old tune, then softly took up the words. Bird joined in singing harmony, their voices twining through the verses


Cold blows the wind to my true love,
And gently drops the rain.
I've never had but one true love,
And in green-wood she lies slain.

I'll do as much for my true love,
As any young man may,
I'll sit and mourn all on her grave,
For twelve months and a day.

And when twelve months and a day was passed,
The ghost did rise and speak,
"why sittest thou all on my grave
And will no let me sleep?"

"Go fetch me water from the desert,
And blood from out the stone,
Go fetch me milk from a fair maid's breast
That young man never has known."

"My breast is cold as clay,
My breath is earthly strong,
And if you kiss my cold clay lips,
Your days they won't be long."

"How oft on yonder grave, sweetheart,
Where we were want to walk,
The fairest flower that e'er I saw
Has withered to a stalk."

"When will we meet again, sweetheart,
When will we meet again?"
"When the autumn leaves that fall from the trees
Are green and spring up again."

‘Even singing that gives me the shivers.’said Holly drawing her cloak tight about her.

They traveled on for many days making their way slowly back to the relative safety of Eriador. Their feet drew them north up the Brandywine River to Lake Nenuial, skirting the boundaries of the Shire, and across the Emyn Uial to the River Lhûn.

And there their story is lost . . .
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Child Ballads; Volume II; # 78

[ February 19, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ]