An Old Halfing's Leaf

[Charlie4vb 26]

     The smell of grain and oak was particularly strong in the air this afternoon.  The sun shone through the window of his burrow on Kip-on-the-hill and with it a gentle breeze that made the flowers in the pot dance in the sunlight.  On that breeze was a single leaf, plucked from it's mother tree only a few meters away and swayed itself into Kip's open window.  The leaf swayed, spun, and danced as if on it's way to a prominade in the wind, but then settled for landing on an old halfing's nose.  With one slow, shallow breath Kip whispered the leaf away which then danced itself on the side of the bed.

 

     "Papa Kip, how ya feelin' this afternoon?" his granddaughter Deedee asked, "A bit early to be restin' don'tchya' think?" 

 

     Kip cracked a smile, showing his crows feet and marionette lines as Deedee moved around the bed to the window to water the potted flowers.  "Aye, perhaps fer you my dear, but my old bones tell me when it's time to lay."  Kip said as he started into a wheezing cough.  Trick, Kip's grandson, was standing in the doorway.

 

     "Papa, how old are ya anyhow?" Trick said.  Deedee shot him a dirty look as she put down the watering can and sat next to Kip nearly knocking the leaf off the bedside, but no one noticed.

 

     "Oh... older than I'd care 'ta admit." Kip said with a slight, dry chuckle. "Two-hundred-and-twelve tomorrow, lad."

 

     Trick thought about that a moment when Deedee spoke up, "Pappa, can we get ya anythin'?  Some of that Brandybuck tea perhaps?" Deedee was tucking in Kip's covers.

 

     "Aye'ya, tea would be right as rain, sweet pea."  Kip said then looked to Trick, "Hand me that book there." Kip gestured to a lonely, dusty book at the bottom of the bookshelf.  Trick turned and picked it up, looking over the book.  It was a fairly large book with only the markings 'Dunwood' across it.  "Well come on then." Kip said to Trick impatiently.  Trick handed Kip the book called 'Dunwood'.

 

     "I think ya told me about th' place once Papa." Trick said, "Where'd you get that?"

 

     Kip tried to hide a grin. "I 'borrowed' it from Len's private library.  Do you remember Len?"  Trick nodded as Deedee brought tea for the three of them.  There was a comotion outside, the beginnings of a party as the sun set.  You could hear the mugs of ale clattering from across the lake and fields or from anywhere in the Vale.  Trick started to go but stopped and looked back at Kip.  Deedee shot her brother yet another dirty look, but still had a longing to be in the festivities in her eye. "Go ahead" Kip said with a cough, "I'll be 'round when ya get back, loves." They hesitated a moment, then hugged Kip and went out the door.

 

     The sun was gone and the moon was returning yet again for the party.  Moonlight shone in through the window and the fireplace was still lit from Deedee's Brandybuck tea.  Kip slowly opened his boo and began flipping through pages of drawings from old Dunwood.  A young Kip, Len, and Gimblo (if there is such a thing as a young Gimblo) stood in a relatively small farm with a large fence all holding hoes and ales smiling.  Another drawing was of Gimblo and Kip chasing after an Orc with shovels while the orc fled the farms.  Kip laughed at one drawing with Len and Bell putting mud on Gimblo to make him appear like a swamp monster.  Kip stopped on one last drawing of the townsfolk and their children all standing on the party deck over Dunwood Lake.  The drawing had signatures of everyone from the town beneath it.  The ink on Kip's name began to smear when a tear dropped on the page.  He closed the book, set it on his nightstand beside the bed and layed his head down one last time with a smile on his face.

 

     A gentle breeze came in through the moonlit window and caught the leaf.  The leaf began to dance again to a music of it's own whismical tune through Kip's small burrow.  It swirrled around a central pillar, over a cozy chair, through Kip's shovel collection and out the window on the other side.

[♦ Kal ♦ 242]

It was late at night, when Trick returned home. He had a lot of fun on Lenfest and as he would notice to his own shame later, didn't spend much time thinking about his sick Pappa.

 

He knocked at the door and entered without waiting for a response like he always does. The burrow was dark and cold and didn't feel right at all. The fire in the fire place must have died out hours ago.

 

"Pappa?", he called into the dark, that consumed his grandfathers home. "I'm back..."

 

He lit a candle and walked over to the fire place to lignite it again. After the living room was back to it luminous glory he gingerly walked over to the bedroom. "Pappa?", he whispered. He got no response again so he walked up to the bed. His Pappa wasn't breathing anymore. Tears started to gather in Tricks face. It took him a few moments to collect himself. He got up eventually, left the room and the burrow, to inform his sister, the Branmaster and the Sheriff. His heart was breaking with every step a little bit.

 

"Thank ya .... for everythin', Pappa", he mumbled as he walk out the door.

[Dalek348 1962]

Faldo, hearing of the dreadful news the next morning, trudges down from his burrow of Faldo Hollow and begins to carve words into the back of a bench in the peace of Lenfarthing. Not a sound can be heard as the village all lay sleeping. As Faldo finishes inscribing the words, he goes to DeeDee and Trick offering his condolences. 

 

Faldo had never known who Kip truly was, as humble as the man was, which makes it even more sad. He believed Kip existed only in stories and songs, and had never known that he had become a friend.

 

[Jadles 85]

Thyrius Gumblefoot kneels by the plaque that remembers the life of Kip. Trying his best to hold back a tear he lays a bunch of fresh flowers next to the wooden bench.

He mumbles a prayer softly:

"I did'n' 'now you all so well, bu' a frien' ye surely be,

A papa to your family, but also oft' t' me,

Rest well Kip Tooke, you've earned 't true,

Until we meet again in time, I raise me glass t' you."

He stands and wipes his eyes, before turning and heading away to his burrow.

[Dawn 55]

Changing from her dress into her night clothes, Deedee smiled as she recalled the events of the night. Dancing with Thy and racing her brother to finish a tall mug of ale made tonight's party one of the best of her life. Hearing a soft knock on her door, she calls for the visitor to enter, knowing that at this late hour, it must be her brother. She turns to him preparing to continue the onslaught of teases over his loss to her in their drinking contest, but is rendered speechless by the sight of him.

 

Standing in the dim candle light, he appears pale and is visibly shaking. Rushing to his side, she demands to know what is wrong, what has happened. He does not answer, but only raises his eyes from his interwoven fingers to meet her own. There, seemingly etched into his very soul, is her answer. Her dearest Papa, the core of her world, has left them.

 

[Bircalin 332]

Moved to the Great Library. It shall be sorted into appropriate category shortly.