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Seeing the heartwood, Kael's eyes lit up. He could feel a potent magical aura emanating from it; from a wandmaker's perspective, this was the finest material imaginable. A piece of this length was enough to craft more than a dozen wands.

Beaming with joy, Kael reached out to take the heartwood. His hand immediately sank under its surprising weight. Its texture and density were like solid metal; no wonder it had taken two Hobbits to carry. After thanking the guards, Kael was left to ponder how to deal with the formidable material.

He estimated the heartwood was about four meters long, far too large to bring inside. He would have to work on it in the yard. Kael only needed a small section for his wand, so he planned to split the log in half first. However, when he struck it with his cleaver, a sharp ding rang out, and sparks flew. A numbing shock ran up his arm as if he had struck an iron anvil. Only a shallow mark was left on the wood.

So hard? Kael was stunned. He couldn't quite understand how his spell had managed to sever the tree before, given its incredible hardness.

Having no choice, Kael sought the help of a professional carpenter. The Hobbit craftsmen, grateful to the hero who had saved their home, agreed without a second thought and offered their services for free. Finally, after ruining more than a dozen saw blades, the carpenters managed to saw the heartwood in half, drenched in sweat and their arms trembling from exhaustion.

"Kael, this is the best we can do," the lead carpenter panted, wiping his brow. "This heartwood is as hard as pig iron. To shape it further, ordinary tools are useless. You'd need blades or swords from the Legends"

"I understand. Thank you," Kael said, accepting his advice. Seeing the exhausted carpenters, he felt a touch of embarrassment and discreetly left his remaining silver coins on their workbench before departing with the two halves of the heartwood.

Back at Drogo's house, Kael stared at the two pieces with a troubled expression. If just cutting it in half had been so strenuous, shaping it into a delicate wand would be an even greater challenge. It required not just cutting, but meticulous carving and grinding, a feat beyond ordinary tools.

Just as Kael was wrestling with this problem, Rory Brandybuck offered a useful suggestion during a visit to Brandy Hall.

"Kael, you might seek help from Tom Bombadil," he said with a knowing chuckle. "You know, he has lived for a very, very long time, and his knowledge is more profound than anyone's. He is always happy to help. And didn't he invite you to be a guest? This is the perfect opportunity."

Rory's words sparked a realization in Kael; he had almost forgotten Tom's invitation. Rory was right. An ancient and powerful being like Tom might possess a tool that could easily work the impossibly hard wood.

While he kept Rory's words in mind, Kael did not immediately visit Tom Bombadil. Instead, he remained at Drogo's house, allowing his magic to recover from the backlash of his outburst while practicing his wand carving on the other, softer woods he had collected.

As for Drogo Baggins, ever since the night of the banquet, he had been utterly smitten with Dora Brandybuck. He was constantly running to Brandy Hall with a silly grin, almost treating it as his own home. Kael playfully grumbled about his friend prioritizing romance but sincerely wished him success in winning the maiden's heart. He remembered that Dora Brandybuck was destined to be the mother of Frodo Baggins, and he wondered if his actions, by causing the two to meet earlier, might lead to the future Ring-bearer being born sooner.

A month passed in a flash. Kael had now been in Bucklebury for three months. After practicing with a small mountain of scrap wood, he finally succeeded in carving a wand. It was twelve inches long, crafted from a lesser piece of willow, flexible and perfectly balanced, its magical channels clear and unobstructed. Seeing his first finished work, Kael felt a deep sense of accomplishment.

Having finally honed his craft, Kael no longer lingered. After saying goodbye to Drogo and Rory, he loaded the precious heartwood onto his carriage and rode south, following the Willow River upstream.

When he passed through the valley where the Old Man Willow stood, he saw the ancient Huorn once more. It was still rooted by the river, with no signs of having been disturbed, as if it had never moved. Only its charred bark and the stump of its lower trunk confirmed it was the same tree that had forced him to his limit. The Old Man Willow was deep in slumber, showing no reaction to Kael's presence. A few new green leaves had sprouted from its battered form, a sign that it was still alive. Kael glanced at it, then continued on his way.

Soon, a riverside path appeared. Kael knew he was not far from Tom Bombadil's house. After another hour, he saw a low house on a distant hill. Evening had fallen, and the house was lit from within, a warm, orange glow shining from its windows and open door, a welcoming beacon in the twilight.

Tom Bombadil's house stood at the eastern edge of the Old Forest, bordering the Barrow-downs. A neat green lawn and a garden filled with flowers surrounded it, with a cobblestone path leading to the door.

Kael dismounted and approached. Tom Bombadil was standing outside the door as if he had been waiting.

"Welcome! Kael, Wizard, come in quickly!" Tom boomed, his face alight with joy. He stepped forward and gave Kael a hearty hug. "My beautiful wife, Goldberry, has prepared dinner for you! We were just waiting for your arrival!"

Kael was surprised that they had known he was coming. Tom led him into the house, then took his pony to the stable.

As Kael entered, he saw a table laden with various delicacies, the aroma filling the air and making his mouth water. And there, in a great chair facing the door, sat a woman of breathtaking beauty. She had rich, shoulder-length golden hair and wore a long, emerald-green dress adorned with shimmering silver threads like dewdrops and a golden belt tied around her waist. At her feet, set in wide earthenware pots, floated water lilies.

***

(End of Chapter)

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