A/N: This was written for Marigold’s Challenge Eight.

Write a story about the first meeting between Gandalf and one of the hobbits.

Disclaimer: The Lord of the Rings and all its characters belong to the Tolkien Estate, New Line Cinema, Peter Jackson, etc. But that hasn’t stopped them from taking up residence in my imagination for the last 27 years. I’m making no money from this, so please don’t sue. You’d get more from a turnip than you would from me.

Victories Won

by Garnet Took

The army of Gondor was now camped in fair Ithilien. Those wounded in the last battle before the Black Gate were being well tended, and those unhurt rested from their labors. Many of the hale, and some of those only slightly injured, sat vigil with comrades who were not so fortunate.

Among those keeping watch was Gimli the dwarf. Solemnly he sat by the young hobbit he had saved from under the carcass of a troll. Gimli was not a patient sort, and the lack of improvement in Pippin’s condition had done nothing to help his disposition.

Gandalf found himself being drawn toward the tent where young Peregrin lay. He didn’t know just why, but the wizard felt that was where he should be right now. After all, there was nothing he could do for Frodo and Sam. Aragorn had already done everything he could for them. Now it was up to time, and their own will, to heal them. He knew there was nothing he could do for Pippin either; but since he had been the one to bring the hobbit to Minas Tirith in the first place, and since Merry had not arrived yet to be with his cousin, Gandalf felt that he might be a familiar presence for the hobbit should he, by some miracle, awaken.

"Any news, my good dwarf?" asked the wizard as he entered the tent.

"No," was Gimli’s terse reply. "There has been no change since I took up this vigil from the elf. I begin to fear that he may linger like this for weeks or months before he either improves or succumbs."

"Have faith, Gimli. I know for a fact that young Master Peregrin is a fighter. He will recover, and sooner than you think."

"Urmgh," grumbled the dwarf. "What makes you so sure of that?"

"Because," answered Gandalf, "this isn’t the first battle of this nature our friend here has fought. If you wish, I can relate the story to you."

"Go on." Gimli nodded toward the other chair that had been placed on the opposite side of Pippin’s bed from where the dwarf now sat.

"Well," began Gandalf, sitting and making himself comfortable. "It all started with a letter that arrived at Bag End while I was visiting Bilbo and Frodo in the Spring of S.R.1390....

Bilbo quickly read through the letter that had just arrived from Whitwell. "Well", he spoke aloud, "it appears that there is good news and bad from the Tooks. The good new is that Paladin has the son he’s always wanted. The bad news is that the child is not expected to live the week. They have written to let us know that, if we wish to see the little lad, we should come as soon as possible."

"Do they say what’s wrong with the baby?" asked Frodo.

"It seems," began Bilbo, leading Frodo to a seat on the sitting room sofa, "that this particular young Took was in too great a hurry to enter the world. I don’t know how much you know about hobbit babies, Frodo, but most of them born too soon do not survive.

Frodo looked devastated. "We have to go. I have to be there, if for no other reason than to help Merry through this. He was so looking forward to this new cousin. He’d convinced himself that it was going to be a lad, and he wanted a little cousin to look after the way I look after him. He’s going to be as upset as anyone in Paladin and Eglantine’s family."

"Why am I not surprised," said Gimli, "that our Peregrin just couldn’t wait till the proper time to be born?"

"No," answered the wizard. "Patience never was one of his virtues." He smiled down at the unconscious hobbit.

"Well," Gandalf took up the story again....

"I’m coming with you," announced Gandalf, coming to sit next to the two hobbits. "I don’t know why, but there is a reason that I’m supposed to meet this child. So, if you don’t mind the company of an old, grumpy wizard, I’ll join you on this journey."

"Oh, Gandalf, you’re always welcome," said Frodo.

"I’ll go get what we need together," said Bilbo. "If we leave in an hour, we should be able to reach Whitwell by supper."

The three travellers spent the pleasant afternoon riding through the Green Hills on one of the saddest errands of their lives.

Here Gandalf paused in his tale. He looked down upon Pippin’s bruised and swollen face, and the look of concern and love on the wizard’s own face was enough to melt even the stony heart of a dwarf.

"You care for this one greatly, do you not?" Gimli spoke the words so softly that Gandalf almost missed them.

"More than most will ever know," was the wizard’s equally soft reply.

After a few more minutes of silence, Gandalf resumed the story....

They arrived at the farm at Whitwell just as night was beginning to fall. The late-Spring stars were just showing their bright faces in a clear sky. They were in direct contrast to the subdued light coming from the Took family hobbit hole.

"Oh," said Frodo, "I hope we’re not too late. Everything looks so sad." At this point, Paladin emerged from the hole, drawn by the sound of approaching riders.

"Welcome, Bilbo. Welcome, Frodo. I’m glad you could make it." Paladin seemed genuinely glad to see them, but the smile on the face of the future Thain was clearly forced. "O h, a thousand pardons," he suddenly added, seeing Gandalf for the first time. "I hadn’t noticed you in my haste to greet my cousins. Welcome, Gandalf, to my humble smial."

"Thank you very much, Master Paladin." answered the wizard formally. "I only wish my visit were coming at a more fortuitous time for you and yours."

At these words, Bilbo cleared his throat. "Yes, well, how fairs the little lad, Paladin?"

"He has amazed all of us," said the Took, ushering them all into the sitting room. "He’s now three days old. The midwife never dreamed he’d make it this long. He’s struggling, though. He gasps for breath, and he’s too weak to suckle. Tina tries to nurse him, but we don’t think he’s getting much that way. The midwife has us giving him sugar water every hour or so. We just put a few drops of it in his mouth at a time and he swallows it. I don’t think it’s going to work for much longer, though. He’s so frail. He’s exhausting himself just to stay alive. It’s just not right." They could see the tears shining in the father’s eyes.

Gimli looked over at Gandalf. The wizard’s eyes seemed just a little too bright. "This is hard for you, isn’t it?"

"Only because of the current situation. This little one has fought more battles in his short life than most old campaigners; though, until now, all his fights have been against the unseen forces that would take his life while all anyone else could do was watch hopelessly. Every breath taken, every pound gained, every inch grown has been a victory for him. Now to think that he may lose all he gained to the mere whim of where a dying troll happened to fall seems patently unfair.

"Should I finish the story, my good dwarf?"

"By all means."

Gandalf gently grasped Pippin’s left hand as he continued....

"Can we see him?" was Frodo’s subdued question.

"I’ll go see if Tina and the healer think he’s strong enough for visitors."

Paladin left the room hastily. Frodo looked at Bilbo and Gandalf. "I wonder when the Brandybucks are going to arrive."

"Probably tomorrow," was Bilbo’s hushed answer. "They couldn’t have received word until sometime today; and it takes almost a day and a half from Buckland to here by carriage. I imagine they’ll arrive about this time tomorrow, Frodo."

Just then, Paladin returned carrying a very tiny, blanket-wrapped bundle. He was accompanied by an elderly matron, obviously the healer. "May I present my son, Peregrin Took." Paladin spoke the words softly, but with undeniable pride. Carefully he folded back the blanket to reveal a tiny face framed by wispy chestnut-colored curls.

Frodo’s mouth dropped open. "He looks so different," was his unthinking comment. "Uh, sorry," he added. "I didn’t mean that."

"He does look different," was Paladin’s calm reply. "Most hobbit babies are pink and chubby and alert. Our little one is too thin, too red and too quiet. Hopefully, soon, he’ll look like all the other babies, but no matter, we love him just the same. Hold out your arms, Frodo, so that you may hold your newest cousin."

Frodo carefully held the tiny Took for several minutes. He was fascinated by the perfectly formed angular features, and tried to envision what the face would look like as the child grew. "He’s going to be a strikingly handsome hobbit", Frodo said almost to himself.

Bilbo was the next to hold him. "Well, my little lad, you need to grow strong and healthy so that you and that scamp Merry can come to visit Frodo and myself. We’ll take you walking with us, and tell you stories and nurture your Tookish spirit."

"Would you like to hold him, Gandalf?" asked Paladin a little uncertainly, taking the babe back from Bilbo’s arms. He wasn’t sure how the large wizard would feel holding such a tiny thing as this.

"I would be honored," was the wizard’s solemn reply. Cautiously he accepted the bundle into his arms. "Oh my," said Gandalf suddenly. "He has the most amazing eyes, Paladin." Everyone gathered ‘round to look at the now waking baby. They are the shade of Mallorn leaves in mid-Summer."

"What’s a Mallorn?" asked all three hobbits.

"It is the most beautiful and majestic of all trees. It grows only in the elven realm of Lothlorien." Gandalf continued to look into Peregrin’s eyes for long moments. At last, he said, "This child will live. His early years will be difficult. Many will be the times you will fear for his life, but do not despair. He will live to see great changes in the world, and will do his part to bring them about. This is a person of incredible mental strength. He will face great evil, and he will overcome it. He will always be a source of light, love and laughter to all those around him. Raise this child well, Paladin Took, for you have been given a gift far greater than you may ever know. The Valar give their special gifts to mortals rarely, and they are to be treasured."

There was complete silence in the room. Only Bilbo had the slightest idea of the import of the wizard’s words, and he kept their meaning to himself for many years. He vowed, though, to do all he could to help this special hobbit to achieve the greatness for which he was destined.

Gandalf’s words did have a calming effect on all those caring for the newborn, and by morning everyone was in brighter spirits than they had been for days.

When the Brandybucks arrived that evening, it was to a smial filled once again with light and laughter and the rejoicing in a new addition to the family.

Frodo called Merry aside immediately and explained what had happened the night before. "You have a difficult job ahead of you, Meriadoc. You are now the older cousin to a Gift of the Valar, whatever that may be, and you’re going to have to take very good care of him, and teach him well, because Gandalf’s going to be watching, and you don’t want to displease him."

"I’ll do anything," was Merry’s confident reply. "Peregrin is a gift, and I’ll treasure him and love him always."

There was silence in the tent as Gandalf’s tale ended. The night was passing and all was peaceful.

"G’nd’lf," the voice was barely a whisper, and the wizard was not sure at first that he had even heard it. "W’s ‘t true?"

Gandalf looked down into only slightly open eyes of golden green. "Yes, it is true," answered the wizard.

"They sent me back," said Pippin breathlessly. "They said I had more to do. I don’t know if I can do any more. I’m tired, Gandalf, and I want my Merry."

"He’ll be here later today, Pippin. Now, Aragorn left some medicine for you to take should you awaken, and once you’ve had that, I’ll give you a little water. All right?"

Pippin accepted Gandalf’s ministration without a word. It was only after the hobbit had been settled as comfortably as possible that Gandalf noticed that Gimli was sound asleep. "Well, my tale must not have been as interesting as I thought."

"Oh, but it was," said Pippin sleepily. "What did you mean by a Gift from the Valar?"

"That will have to keep till another time, my dear hobbit. "Now, you need to rest so that you can reassure your worried cousin when he arrives."

Soon Pippin was sleeping soundly. "When I first laid eyes on you, Peregrin Took, I knew that you would play a part in these momentous days. I didn’t know just what part, but I knew you had a task. I also saw what most others could not; you were the only one who could have done the things you did. You had a special strength to withstand Sauron’s probing mind, and you had the wisdom to know when that mind had broken Denethor’s. I don’t know if you have fulfilled all of the Valar’s plans for you yet, but I have faith that you can meet any challenge that comes your way. You will keep fighting just as you have all your life."