Very few people noticed his absence, or so he thought. Almost eight years had passed since Tahitoa Tuk had first come to the Shire after the death of his parents in his native village Maur Tulhau. Eight years since he had first met his adoptive family in Overhill. Gerebaldo and Lullabella had welcomed him in their family, he was the son they never had. Eight years since he had met his sister Amorey and cousin yule, and of course, eight years since Shire Rose and Hobbit Heart became part of his life. The first few strands of silver had appeared on his temples and in his beard, but time had been kind to him.
Two years previusly, Tahi Tuk had gone to hunt some wild boar in the forest, and it was on a moonlit night he had met her. She was dancing on the soft grass by the stream, humming a gentle melody. A pair of delicate eyebrows looked down on sweeping eyelashes. Small pointy ears framed a button nose. It was a pleasure to see her, silvery blonde curls flowing around, almost sparkling in the moonlight. Her enticing, turquoise eyes gazed at him over her full, heart shaped lips. And his world would never be the same again. Her lips tasted strawberry sweet when Tahitoa Tuk kissed her for the first time. She had a kind personality and a gentle voice, which he adored. And his heart was forever taken.
Under a sky filled with a million stars, on a bed of soft grass and bluebells, they tied each other hands and made their vows, and became one. Soon after that Tahitoa Tuk and his young wife Winterly Fae left the Shire and traveled back to his native village of Maur Tulhau when they lived happily and where their son Toanui was born. Recently the Tuk had become thinking more about the Shire and about music and the Shire Rose. He wanted his son to meet Amorey and hear the music of Hobbit Heart, however he was still to make a final decision on the matter.
One evening, Tahi was sitting outside his home in Maur Tulhau smoking his pipe, when his wife Winterly came out with baby Toanui sleeping in her arms, and sat next to him. He smiled at his son and wife and hold them close. " Would you play for me, my love ? " Winterly asked, handing him a flute. The Tuk looked a bit surprised, after all he had not played in over two years, but then like a sudden wave on a calm sea, the memory of his music started to come back to him...
