Copper Returns to the Shire

Fiesty looks out at the sea from the Shire lighthouse top floor. She has been up there for hours, watching for the dinghy that was to bring her nephew, Copper, to the Shire. The mouth of Long flood River was too small and rocky for the sailing ship he came on so he had arranged a transfer from his sailing ship to the smaller ship to bring him to the Shire Docks.

 Fiesty hopped from one foot to the other in anticipation.
All at once she saw a dot in the distance. She waited for the dot to resolve itself into a ship. It was today or this week that he had said he would arrive, the vagaries of sailing and weather making exact arrival dates impossible. As she knew the shipping traffic schedule that ran through toward the Cheshire Docks she could reasonably gauge the time it might arrive. She had been at this post at this time for several days now.  This day she saw a smaller ship leave the big ship and head for the river.
Fiesty gave a whoop and ran pell-mell down the lighthouse steps and out to the bridge leading to the small dock. Fiesty waved at a few Halflings that were hauling goods toward the garden.
She arrived at the dock in time to see the dinghy closing on the dock.
Fiesty waves furiously and calls to him. "Copper me boy!"

Copper Comes Home

Copper Lotus: "Ahoy Auntie!"

Fiesty Lotus: "OH copper, you do a body good. Jest look at you, so tanned and strong."

Copper Lotus  smiles and hugs his Auntie.

Copper Lotus: "Imma happy ter see you too."

Fiesty Lotus hugs him back and waits as he gets his gear from the boat.
They  take the road to Fiesty’s house and talk companionably.

Fiesty Lotus: "I was a mite surprised when I got yer letter. It be early yet . Don't you sailors sign up for a full year?"

Copper Lotus: "Ah yes Auntie. I did get early leave by Captain Bernadette."

Copper Lotus nods and avoids his auntie's eyes.

Fiesty Lotus is instantly suspicious . "Oh, yer captain was a Lady Captain?"

Copper Lotus: "Yes."

Fiesty Lotus: "And were she comely?"

Copper Lotus says with a casual air "Let’s just say she were striking."

 Fiesty Lotus: "Did you get paid?"

Copper Lotus: "Yessem, I got most of it , it kinda got dropped and I had ter find it all."

 Fiesty Lotus stares hard at her nephew. "You were thrown out weren’t you. You made some moves on the captain."

Copper Lotus: "Oh no Auntie, I, I.."

Fiesty Lotus: "Yer can't lie ter me boy - I knows you."

Fiesty Lotus gets red and seems about to explode. Then she looks out at the Shire  and shakes off her anger.

Fiesty Lotus: "Ahh Copper, will you never learn?"

Fiesty Lotus: "But you got ter straighten up now. The Shire is in danger and we will need every able bodied Halfling ter step up and defend the Shire."

Copper Lotus releases his breath at his Aunties change of mood. "What danger Auntie? Tell me."

Fiesty and Copper amble through the Shire greeting Halflings along the way, their destination home and lots of good food.