Pumpernickle wrote to her relatives explaining how she was being escorted back to the Shire. She estimated the week of her return, which gave her relations penty of time to freshen up her parents’ home and plan an event for her return. Herbil was excited to see his cousin again, and reminisced to his friend Aluris about the fun they used to have, sneaking into the neighboring farms and pilfering some of the crops. Gaining an understanding of what the hobbit maiden was like, based on the letters her cousin received from her, Aluris offered to cater the party her relatives were throwing for her! Herbil was ecstatic to hear his friend’s offer and enthusiasm about the event, and the two of them spent a good portion of a week planning the menu to coincide with the party’s games and performances.
Little hobbits that played in the fields were asked to keep an eye out for a lady elf and a human warrior escorting a hobbit maiden on the main roads from Oatbarton. When word reached Herbil at the Party Tree, he immediately raced towards where they had been sighted in order to slow their pace while everyone else finished up with the preperations. Pumpernickle squealed with joy as she recognized her cousin from a distance. Hugs and greetings were exchanged as Herbil took them on a detour past the Scary Quarry, making a stop at Stock for a long lunch at the Golden Perch Inn before making their way to Hobbiton. Oh…Pumpernickle could already tell what her cousin was up to, but enjoyed being able to catch up with him before being overwhelmed by the rest of their relations.
As they slowly made their way to the party tree, Krystic and Skrayper helped the hobbit maiden relay their trip from Lindon by filling in some of the details she couldn’t remember too well. Herbil grew enchanted by Krystic’s explanations…her voice sounded so smooth and mystical…which was unlike anything he had heard before. They talked about how Skrayper defended them from a bear and when Krystic found some herbs that helped to settle their stomachs after a rough boat ride down the Brandywine River. Herbil chimed in, knowing what the herb was…explaining how he had been training to become and herbalist.
An explosion of voices and music greeted the weary travelers as they crossed the grounds of the Party Tree. Pumpernickle giggled with joy as her aunts and uncles showered her with hugs as her cousins presented her with gifts. Though she was not entirely prepared to give a speech, she was able to give a simple but joyous oration of gratitude to everyone…while also introducing her escorts to everyone as well. Krystic and Skrayper were swarmed by curious little halflings with questions ranging from who they were and where their adventures took them, all while Pumpernickle tried to get a straight answer out of Herbil about who cooked the food. Sadly, he was still too entranced over the elf maiden’s voice, though the hobbit maiden wouldn’t take offence to it. It’s not very often anyone other than Gandalf or a dwarf comes into the Shire. So she asked around until finally heading towards the outdoor oven and fire pit where some of the treats were being freshly cooked. There, wiping the sweat from his brow was a well-toned hobbit pulling some fruit and berry tarts from the brick oven. Inquiring if he had any idea about the chef, Pumpernickle was soon introduced to Aluris, wandering chef of the Shire. When he isn’t picking some of his ingredients from the wild, he’s harvesting them from his family’s fields. Needless to say, the two chefs truly hit it off well as they spent the night comparing recipes and discussing flavor combinations.
Before the wee hours of the dawn, the hobbitess finally led her traveling companions to her parents’ home…where they wold exhaustingly fall into slumber up comfortable feather mattresses.
