Pansyblossom

Leoffrith is trying not to pace. The ruins, kind of lonely and noble in their austerity, let in the sunshine of a lovely day, but there's no decorations beyond the stones; all the celebration is to happen elsewhere, after the ceremony. Leoffrith fidgets in his gold-bedecked tunic.
Taite hobbles over the sunlit grass, smiling as the weather whispers of coming spring. Demurely holding up the front of her skirt a little, she pauses when she sees Leoffrith, then nods in relief when he invites her in.

I've lost count of the months, but it was about half a year ago, late summer or early autumn, when I were first in Bree and starting to think about the trip back to the Mark, and now, at last, we're taking the first steps. Today will be an easy start to the journey, as me and Miss Adri only mean to make the camp-site below Weathertop, by the spring, same as last time.

It's near on two weeks since I thunk as we were about to start on our journey, and I'd made arrangements for Miss Inayat to take care of the stable, but here I am still in Hookworth, up on the stable roof, watching spring-melt drip down the hillsides. There's hardly any snow left even on the highest hills now, and the grass is starting to green up. Was a big rainstorm few days ago with wind blew branches off the trees.

I've been in to Bree before, of course. Da has taken me several times through the years. It's different when you go alone the first time, and you're carrying the burden of the family business on your shoulders. It's bigger and scarier, but I didn't let that stop me. I couldn't. Our customers have to get their deliveries and I had to introduce myself to them. It's been slow going sometimes. I got lost a few times looking for a few of them, but I found them all eventually. Everyone was real kind. Well, not everyone. Not kind.