[Mithadan]

Lorien's eyes opened wide suddenly and he sat up quickly, which proved to be unwise. He shut his eyes tight and swayed for a moment, steadying himself against a chair with his hands. Then, with a grimace, he opened one eye slowly and peered at Cami. "Must you shout?" he asked weakly.

He shook his head as Pio rushed over with a cup of tea poured from a pot which had been resting on a table. Lorien accepted the cup gratefully, missing it on his first attempt to grasp it, and took a long sip. Then he attempted unsuccessfully to stand. Embarrassed, he said, "It seems that this body is not obeying my wishes at the moment. Would you please help me up?"

The three grasped him firmly and helped him into a chair. The Vala sank into the cushions with a groan and held his head in his hands. "What happened?" he moaned. "I recall that charming party and the savory drinks that Mistress Prim was serving. And I recall Tom and...pardon me for a moment. I just remembered something." He closed his eyes and seemed to concentrate. Then he smiled impishly and turned back to Cami and her friends...

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Fatty Bolger lay fast asleep in his feather bed, exhausted by the long evening. Then his eyes fluttered under their lids and his tossed and turned a bit as the dream came to him.

He was in the Green Dragon again and there was another party taking place. Everyone he knew was there, including his long-departed parents and grandparents. They were laughing and singing with mugs of beer in their hands. His mother, who looked well for one who had died eight years earlier, came over and kissed him. "A blessing on your head, Fatty!" Others shouted congratulations, and his grandfather, dead nearly 30 years, came over and shook his hand. "You could certainly do much worse, lad. Cami Goodchild is a fine lass indeed!"

Fatty sat back smiling broadly in satisfaction. So he had prevailed and she had agreed to marry him. Lucky lass. He lifted a mug and took a long draught as his friends and family cheered. Then suddenly all grew silent. His father squinted at the door which had just swung open, letting in a dank mist. "What Hobbit is this? Could it be...?" The hairs on the back of Fatty's neck stood up as his guests backed away from the dark figure that had entered. It advanced until the light from the fire illuminated its face, which was not nearly as well preserved as that of his mother, as well as a deep bloody gash across its belly.

The guests began whispering a name frantically. "Hob Fields! Its Hob Fields!" Hob shambled over to stand swaying before the horrified Fatty. He bent over until his face was inches from the Bolger's and, with charnal breath, began to speak. "What is this about you marrying my wife? How could you do this to your friend and neighbor Hob Fields?" Fatty shook his head and tried to slip off the chair sideways to escape the mouldering figure, to no avail. Hob grasped Fatty's hands in a steel grip and continued. "If you marry Cami Goodchild, I'll give you three weeks. And when three weeks are out..." Hob let go of Fatty's hands and rose to his full height. His eyes began to glow a dull red and blood oozed from his gash. Hoarse pants punctuated his words as he continued. "...I'll come to you by night...and I'll take you by your throat...AND..."

Fatty woke up screaming...

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Lorien's smile grew broader. "That should do it," he chuckled. Cami blinked in confusion. Lorien did not seem to be speaking to any of them. Then he appeared to return to the present and looked down at the Hobbit. "So, why did you wake me, little one? What could be so important that you couldn't let me suffer in peace?"

Cami looked up at the kindly face, then took note of the bloodshot eyes. It was difficult to believe that this was one of the Valar sitting on the chair before her. For a moment, she felt sorry that she had woken him, but the moment passed quickly. "You were beginning to tell me why I had been brought here when we were...interrupted."

Lorien winced and rubbed his temples again. "I don't know how Olorin managed to stay in one of these bodies so long. They can be so uncomfortable." Then he focused upon Cami again. "You don't know? Didn't Bilbo tell you?" Cami shook her head impatiently. Lorien laughed, then grimaced again. "Well, I suppose we haven't been here long yet. Bilbo asked for this."

"I was brought here just to see Bilbo?" asked Cami.

"Yes. No!" the Vala shook his head and nearly toppled with the effort. "He was concerned for you. He felt that you had done great deeds, which you did, but that you had suffered a wound and had not found healing like Frodo did."

Cami's eyes narrowed. "I suffered no wound. None that has not healed at any rate." Bird, standing behind Lorien, rolled her eyes, brought a finger to her temple and made a circular motion with it.

"Not a wound from a knife or blade," reponded Lorien irritably. "Not that kind."

"Then what?" shouted Cami, her patience dissolved by weariness and frustration.

Lorien's mouth dropped open and his eyes snapped shut at the outburst. "If he's fallen asleep again, I'll slap him silly," growled Bird. The Vala's eyes opened again, slowly, and he turned to glare at Bird. "Next time you fall asleep on the shoulder of some Southron and he decides to swat you, I won't wake you, if you don't stay civil," snapped Lorien. Then he turned back to Cami.

"Your wound is from Beleriand," he said. "You suffered there greatly and the one ray of hope which you had was snatched away when you returned unselfishly to the Lonely Star to complete your task. That was a great sacrifice. That is the wound which we will heal."

Cami shook her head in confusion. "I don't understand," she cried, with tears of frustration welling up in her eyes.

Lorien smiled at the Hobbit. "I'm sorry," he said. "I do not communicate well with words. I'm not really used to it I suppose. Maura. We're bringing him here...for a time...so that you can be together. So that the two of you may marry if you wish, though you cannot be together in your future or his..."

[ March 05, 2003: Message edited by: Mithadan ]