[Folwren]

“I’m surprised that things are so crazy today,” Lilly was saying to Cela. “Generally, Dick is always talking about how well things run here at the inn. I mean-”

At that moment, she was interrupted as Gable burst into the kitchen. She looked wild and excited. “Prim and Will need help!” she panted. “They fell off, Primrose’s leg looks broken!”

Lilly started up to her feet in alarm, and Cela dropped her spoon. It clattered the floor, splattering sticky egg in every direction two or three feet. “You stay here, Cela,” Lilly said, quickly coming forward. “You need to be in here. Gable, go tell Dick.” She passed the young elf quickly and ran from the door to the barn. She saw them immediately - Tollers sitting on the ground, holding Primrose’s hand. Primose and Will lay side be side on the ground, the ladder between them.

Tollers lifted his head as she approached. “Mrs. Boffin, she’s hurt and Will’s not woke up yet!”

Lilly knelt quickly by Primrose’s head. She saw the tears flowing down the hobbit’s face and she gently brushed them away. “It’s alright, Prim,” she said gently, speaking to her as she would a crying child. “You’ll be fine. Your leg is caught in the ladder. We’re going to move it, will you be alright?” Primose nodded, a grimace passing briefly over her face. Lilly smiled encouragingly and caressed her hair slightly once more. “Hold on, now,” she whispered, and then stood up.

“Come here, Tollers,” she said, standing up and walking about to the ladder. She knelt again, this time at Primrose’s foot, and pushed her sleeves up until the cuffs grew tight on her forearm. Tollers came about and stood waiting. “Hold onto the ladder and when I tell you to, lift it up and move it out of the way. First, though, I have to figure out just how this leg is situated. . .” her voice faded off to a low mumble and she looked carefully at the situation.

Before she had quite decided how it would be best fixed, footsteps coming from the inn told her more help was one the way. She looked up as Dick came to a hurried stop before them. “What happened? What’s the matter?” he asked.

“Don’t know what happened, but we’ve got to get these two fixed up before we find out,” Lilly answered. “Don’t get excited, Dick. Help me here. Tollers, get ready.”

With gentle hands, the couple gently moved Primrose’s leg away from the ladder. Tollers picked it up and moved it away several paces. “It’s broken, alright,” Dick said, sitting back with a sigh. He looked at Primrose and then at Will. “Now, what about him? Knocked out, is he? Tollers, go get a bucket of water. That should rouse him.”

“Why, Dick, that’s a little rough, isn’t it?” Lilly asked. She got up and went to Will. He lay half on his face and half on his side, one hand braced against the ground as though he had fallen on it. He probably had, and goodness knows what he did to the wrist or elbow. She turned him over onto his back and felt the joint. A moan told her he would come around in a moment. Water would not be necessary.