[personal profile] pearltook1 posting in [community profile] lotrchallenges
Author: Pearl Took
Title:Morning Hasn't Broken
Rating:G
Theme:The Longest Day
Elements: Morning Has Broken - from an old Gaelic melody. The lyrics are by Eleanor Farjeon, written in 1931. I love the 1970s version by Cat Stevens - here on YouTube with lovely nature photos and lyrics - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ylf62YYB4V8
Beta: Just whipped this out the afternoon of the due date, so I'm sorry for any boo boos.
Summary: A little tale about the Remarkable Daughters of Gerontius Took
Word Count:962



It was a most unusual sight, had anyone seen it. Three hobbit lasses walking the verge along the Stock Road headed east from Great Smials in Tuckborough.

“I’m determined to find out for myself.” The eldest of the sisters, for they were sisters, said, completing a previous statement.

“Then I am too, for it’s never made sense to me either,” said the middle sister.

“Is it going to be far? I’m getting hungry,” put in the youngest.

Belladonna Took stopped and turned on her heal in one graceful motion.

“Didn’t you bring your hiking satchel, Mira?”

Moonlight washes out blushes, so Mirabella’s was hidden from her sister’s gaze.

“Umm . . .”

Bella huffed, plunged a hand into her own satchel, pulled out an apple and smacked it into the child’s palm.

“I reckoned you’d forget so I brought double.”

After a crunch and mumbled “thank you”, the lasses set off.

“You really think we’ll get our answer further east, Bella?” Donnamira resumed the conversation.

“Of course. It where the sun comes up out of. That’s got to be where the breaking happens.”

“And the fixing.” Mira swallowed quickly to get her bit said clearly.

“Of course. For I’ve got up many a morning before dawn and never ever have I heard any sounds of breaking, and goodness knows we all know that sound when we hear it.” Bella’s sisters nodded in agreement. With ten brothers they definitely knew the sounds breaking things make. “And the sun, she never looks broken, as you can look at her then, afore she gets too bright, and I’ve seen nary a crack. So, why in the Shire do the grownups go on about ‘tis the break o’ dawn’ and ‘mornin’ has broken in grand form this mornin’!”

“We’ll get to the bottom of it.” Donna sounded like their Mother when she was giving her large brood orders that had best be followed. “We’re Tooks and Tooks do that sort of thing.”

“Do they really?”

Tree trunks echoed back the shrieking.

“Enough! Enough!” The Voice boomed and silence reigned.

“Gandalf?” Bella thought she recognized the wizard’s voice, but then again, she wasn’t certain.

All three lasses recognized his chuckle.

“Yes, Belladonna Took.”

The soft grey form of the tall wizard seemed to float out from the wooded shadows.

“I would ask what the three daughters of my good friend were doing out this hour of the night, but I heard a good deal of your conversation. You’re all off to learn about day break.”

“Yes, Gandalf.” Mirrabella, being the youngest, had happily rushed at her tall friend to hug him around his knees. “She’s ever so bothered by ‘dawn breaking’ and ‘morning breaking’ and such that she decided we should all go find out.”

Donnamira grabbed hold on Gandalf’s other side. It was a wonder he didn’t fall over.

“And when we get that all figured out, we’re going to go west and see what all the nonsense is about ‘night fall’ and ‘dusk descending’, as those don’t make any sense either.”

Belladonna, with nowhere left to hug the wizard’s legs, leapt at him. Catching her nearly did knock him over.

“We’ll take you along, if you’d like, Gandalf.”

“Oh, you’ll take me along, will you?” Only a Took would word it that way, he thought with a grin.

“It would be ever so much fun, Gandalf!” Mirra chirped. “You know more stories than anyone else in all of the Shire!”

“And you’re tall enough to see when we’re near the edge of the east and will be able to see where the breaking and fixing happens even better than we shall.” Donna thought a moment. “Well, at least see it sooner than we shall.”

He set Bella down on her furry feet and then eased her sisters from around his knees.

“As pleasant an offer as that is, my dear lasses, I’m terribly sorry to have to turn your offer down.”

“Why?” all three said together.

“Because you’re . . .”

“Lasses! Don’t you dare say it is ‘cause we’re lasses, Gandalf the Wizard!”

He nearly burst with not laughing at Belladonna’s “fierce face”, though he wagered with himself that one day it might just halt a troll in its tracks.

“It has nothing to do with you’re being lasses, Miss Belladonna. Are you of age?”

Bella went sheepish, shaking her head in silence. This was a factor she herself had considered. Not enough to make her stay home. Not enough to not bring her sisters along. But she had considered it.

“No, you are not, and you’re the eldest. I really must escort you all back to Great Smials. But I will say this. Someday if ever a hobbit is to go find the answers to those monumental questions, I’m sure it will be you three.”

“Hoorah!” the lasses danced about him. “We’ll go to the east and to the west!”

“At least to the west,” Gandalf pointed, “as that way leads home.”

They started off together westward down the road.

“Tell us a story as we walk, Gandalf?” Mirra asked.

And he did.

*     *     *

“Morning breaks fair.” Legolas gestured eastward with a sweep of his arm. “We will need to stop sooner if we are to avoid being seen.”

“You mean even Elves say that?” Pippin muttered. “Morning doesn’t break. I’ve never heard or seen it break, and believe me, I know breakage. I can’t count how many dawns I’ve got up early for, not to even mention all the ones we’ve been awake for on this walk of ours. It never has ‘broken’. ‘Tis pure folly!”

Gandalf smiled.

“I’ve a story to tell you, my lad, when we stop for the day. Something about those remarkable daughters of Gerontius Took.”





Date: 2007-02-28 02:22 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] telperion1.livejournal.com
Oh, good! I worked for a nonprofit working in the Katrina aftermath, and I heard my share of stories. So glad for her.

Date: 2007-02-28 06:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] aspenjules.livejournal.com
I LOVE your icon!

I'm new here to livejournal... so I don't know the courtesy rules. Would it be ok if I stole/borrowed/copied (yeah, that's the best word!) it? I can copy your name to give you credit if it's yours.

Date: 2007-02-28 10:29 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] telperion1.livejournal.com
Well, none of my icons are *made* by me - just found by me. This particular one was made by [livejournal.com profile] juno_magic; her icon journal is juno_icons. You can find this particular icon here (http://juno-icons.livejournal.com/9636.html#cutid1). And her "rules" are pretty standard:

1. No hotlinking. That means don't just point to the URL where she has it hosted. Actually save it to your computer and upload it to LJ.

2. Comment to tell her which one you're taking. Just like writers, artists love feedback.

3. Credit her.

And of course: 4. Enjoy!

Date: 2007-02-28 11:38 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] aspenjules.livejournal.com
Thanks! I found a lot of other cool/cute icons there as well.

Just one more question - how do I go about crediting her when I take one?

Sorry for being so full of questions... just don't want to offend anyone!

Date: 2007-03-01 02:52 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] telperion1.livejournal.com
Not a problem. I usually comment on the entry where I took the icon from, and put her name in the "comments" space when I upload the userpic at http://www.livejournal.com/editpics.bml. Specifically I say something like: "By [lj user=juno_icons]" (replacing [ with < and ] with >). That's how you credit someone.

I know you said you're new to LJ, but I am assuming you know how to add a picture. The "comments" thing is one of the spaces you can fill in when you upload a userpic, right below keywords. If you're lost let me know and I'll go more slowly. ;-)

Marta

Date: 2007-03-03 01:36 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] aspenjules.livejournal.com
Thanks for all your help, Marta!

It took a few tries, but I'm able to do it now.

*bounces with (just a little) pride*

Date: 2007-03-03 04:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] telperion1.livejournal.com
Go you! I'm proud you did it, too - new computer skills are not always easy to learn. ;-)

Marta

Date: 2007-03-01 03:31 am (UTC)
dreamflower: gandalf at bag end (Coffee)
From: [personal profile] dreamflower
I'm so glad as well. It's been a long time coming!

Date: 2007-02-28 02:30 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mews1945.livejournal.com
That's great to hear. How are things with you? Did you get things straightened out about your hubby's check?

Date: 2007-03-01 03:31 am (UTC)
dreamflower: gandalf at bag end (Hobbits)
From: [personal profile] dreamflower
Yep! A new check was issued, and his keys were found as well!

Date: 2007-02-28 02:32 pm (UTC)
shirebound: (Piglet dancing)
From: [personal profile] shirebound
Whoooot!

Date: 2007-03-01 03:32 am (UTC)
dreamflower: gandalf at bag end (Default)
From: [personal profile] dreamflower
*grin*
(deleted comment)

Date: 2007-03-01 03:33 am (UTC)
dreamflower: gandalf at bag end (delicate by creative_meow)
From: [personal profile] dreamflower
Yes, she was beginning to get very worried! The apartment she had originally planned to be in last month fell through,as the owners ran into red tape getting it finished. This one, however, opened up for her all of a sudden!

Date: 2007-02-28 05:04 pm (UTC)
ext_28878: (LOTR GFIC)
From: [identity profile] claudia603.livejournal.com
What great news!!! What a long time to be in a trailer like that!

Date: 2007-03-01 03:34 am (UTC)
dreamflower: gandalf at bag end (Default)
From: [personal profile] dreamflower
Yes, it is: 16 months. And it was really nothing more than a flimsy camper!

Date: 2007-02-28 06:05 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] aspenjules.livejournal.com
Congrats to her! I can't imagine living unsettled for so long!

By the way - what is GMA? I see you often have that as your music and try as I might, I can't think of what it might be.

Date: 2007-03-01 03:35 am (UTC)
dreamflower: gandalf at bag end (Pippin)
From: [personal profile] dreamflower
She's very pleased.

Good Morning America, on ABC. That's where we usually listen to the news before the DH goes off to work.

And I'm a big fan of Robin Roberts.

Date: 2007-03-01 02:46 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lilybaggins.livejournal.com
What wonderful, relieving news for your family. *hugs*

Date: 2007-03-01 03:36 am (UTC)
dreamflower: gandalf at bag end (Default)
From: [personal profile] dreamflower
It really is! ((hugs back))

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