[Pippin Pondlily]

Esmerelda was startled by a knock on the door. She had dozed in one of the chairs in the living room of the Millwinds' house while Eli and Daisy slept. It was still early in the day. The rest of her family had left to find Eric a couple hours ago while she stayed home with the two littlest ones. She stood and approached the door, swinging it open quietly.

"Willow?"

Esmerelda smiled. "No, Cherry, it's me."

"Oh, Esmerelda!" Cherry was a hefty woman in her mid-fifties, her children all grown and gone but a dear friend of the Whitfields and the Millwinds. "How is the family? I've just come by to see if everyone's alright before we get on our way."

Esmerelda frowned. "On your way?"

Cherry nodded heartily and tightened her shawl about her shoulders against the rising wind. "Aye, there's no staying in Dale for my family. We're all going Southeast to Esgaroth. That dragon'll be back and with a mind for total obliteration. Don't want to be around for that ye know." She looked tired and frazzled, her messy brown hair falling out of its bun. "You should be coming too. I'd hate for two wonderful families such as yours and your brother's sisters to be left at the mercy of that thing." Esmerelda nodded, her eyes were sad at the thought of leaving. Cherry looked past Esmerelda into the house. "They're not here?" she asked, concern rising in her face.

Esmerelda shook her head. "No, they left a couple hours ago, Rhys, Arinn, Willow, Elian and Elanor too look for Eric. Daisy and little Eli are sleeping here though."

"Poor Eric!" cried Cherry clapping her hands to her face.

"Ah," said Esmerelda, "I think he's a brave boy and I have faith that he'll be found safe and sound. They're probably heading home even at this minute."

Cherry winked and smiled. "You're a brave woman, Esmerelda." She gave her a warm hug. "We'll meet in Esgaroth, then, eh?"

Esmerelda nodded slowly. "Yes, I guess so…"

"Goodbye dear, take care."

Esmerelda shut the door and leaned her back against it. Leave Dale. It made sense, it really did. But how, in what manner, would they do so? Pack a wagon and hitch up horses piling their belongings in the back? Would they walk with bags over their shoulders, their pockets stuffed with food? And what about crossing the lake? She definitely wasn't sure of how they'd do any of these things, but she was starting to get an idea of what they'd need. She could make herself useful by beginning to gather them up while the others were out.

She went into the small bedroom and roused Daisy. "My dear, I'm going to go over to our house and get a few things. Will you be alright here with Eli or do you want to come with me?"

Daisy yawned. "We'll be fine, Mum." Esmerelda smiled and kissed her daughter's forehead.

She ran quickly over to her homestead. She passed the laundry cauldron on its side in the lawn. The clothes that had been inside were strewn about, soaked in mud and ruined. There were but a few clothes, covered now in dust that hung on the line flapping idly in the breeze. She abandoned these and went inside, hoping there were at least some things that could be of use.

Luckily there were still a couple clean clothes in her children's trunks. These she took out and folded, placing them into a leather saddlebag along with a cloak apiece. She did the same for herself and Rhysdan, working as fast as she could. Once clothes were packed she went into the kitchen and rummaged through her pantry, taking things such as dried fruit, bread, hard cheese, and a block of tea--things that would travel. She ran about the house again picking up a handful of things that they would surely need and one or two that were of sentimental value.

In the end she had four bags: perfect. And who knew, maybe they would find a way to take all of their belongings--it all depended on when the dragon was to return.

Once back at the Millwinds she found Daisy and Eli awake and anxious about the missing family members.

"When do you think they'll come back?" Daisy asked.

"When they've found Eric, dear." Esmerelda said it with such assuredness that Daisy and Eli were quite convinced that the boy would be found. Around noon they looked to the west for their families …