I do not own any of the places or characters in this story; they are the property of New Line Cinema and the Tolkien Estate. I just fell in love with them 29 years ago, so please don't sue me. I'm worth less than a turnip.

Of Difficulties and Delicate Situations.

1

Pippin sat at the desk in the office of the chief assistant to the Thain, staring at the letter in his hand. In his mind, this couldn't have come at a better time. This would be a chance, probably the last before he became Thain himself, for Diamond and himself to get away from Great Smials for a time.

The looks from the relatives, especially the female ones, and the words of the gossips had been wearing on Diamond's nerves for quite a while now, and Pippin had to admit that they were finally getting to him as well. The rumors and the innuendo had been rampant for several months now. Pippin had heard every imaginable scenario that could possibly be conceived of by hobbits.

"Well, you know, she's as cold as ice. She doesn't love him, or anyone. She just wants to be the mistress of Great Smials."

"I've heard they don't even sleep in the same room."

"You know, don't you, that he's got an understanding with one of the barmaids down at the Slippery Eel over in Pincup. When his bed at home gets too cold, he can go see her? I've even heard that they have a daughter together."

"I've heard she can't have children."

"I've heard neither of them wants a child."

"Well, I've heard he's unnatural. You know, he doesn't favor the lasses at all."

"I think it's his size. He's so tall, you know, other things have to be large, too. Face it, they just don't fit."

These tidbits, as well as others even darker had come to the future Thain's ears. He knew his wife had heard them, too, and it tore at his heart to think that she was being so hurt by people who knew nothing about their personal life.

Pippin had spoken to his father about the situation, but there was really nothing that could be done. Took's, by nature, were a talkative lot, and the close living arrangements did nothing to slow this down; in fact, they enhanced it and gave more fodder for the gossips.

"Yes," Pippin finally said aloud to himself, "I think a trip to Gondor might be just the thing we need. Aragorn wants me to serve a term as his personal guard, and I can't refuse my king. Diamond can see many of the places I've been, and it will get us away from the busybodies. Plus, to be honest, a talk with Aragorn--the healer-- might not be a bad thing."

-----

They set out just as spring was beginning to spread over the Shire, and by the time they reached Minas Tirith it felt like high summer to the hobbits; although it was only Thrimidge back home.

"Hey," exclaimed Pippin, as they approached the outer walls of the city, "I'll get to celebrate my birthday here again. And this time, it won't be overshadowed by coronations and kingly weddings."

Diamond just looked over at him and smiled. Only her Pippin would think of that, when the real reason for being here was much more serious; and, to her way of thinking, frightening, too. She had no idea what her husband would have to face as one of the king's personal guards. And the more she thought about it, the wilder her imaginings became, until she was almost beside herself with fear for him.

"Dearest," she finally said, "I have a bit of an odd question: odd to you, maybe, but not to me. Just what are you going to be doing while we're here? I know you're going to be a guard, but, I mean, is it going to be dangerous or anything?"

Pippin looked over at his wife and, seeing the fear and doubt in her eyes, realized that he hadn't explained just what it was he did as a Guard of the Citadel. "I'm sorry, Di, I guess I never even thought to explain all this to you. Actually, mostly it's boring. You stand either at the gate of the top most level of the city and question those who wish to enter. Sometimes, you stand guard outside the great hall where the king holds his audiences. And, occasionally, if you're very fortunate, you get to be personal guard to the king himself. This means standing at the foot of the throne and watching all who come before the king to make sure no one tries to do him harm. Actually, love, it's safer than being one of the city guards. They have to deal with all the troublemakers and the drunks.

"I'm not saying that there isn't any risks involved, because there can be. Assassins have been known to hide themselves in embassies going before the king, in which case, things can be dangerous. Or, if the king decides to travel, then you have to be extra watchful; especially when the king is Aragorn. He likes to take risks and drive those whose job it is to keep him safe to the brink of insanity. Truth be told, Aragorn is as capable of protecting his guards as they are of protecting him.

"Trust me, sweetest, I'll be perfectly safe. And even if something should happen, you've got to remember that Aragorn is also a gifted healer. If he can save a squished hobbit, there's not much he can't put back together."

Diamond smiled back at her husband. It was obvious that he was excited to be back doing this job for his king, and she was not going to let her fears ruin that.

-----

Upon their arrival in the city, the hobbits were escorted to an immediate audience with the king. Diamond found herself in total awe of everything she was seeing. Pippin's descriptions had not prepared her for the size and grandeur of this place. Pippin sensed his wife's discomfort and tried to ease her with his native levity.

"Well, it certainly has grown," he said, looking at the White Tree. "I may have to try to climb it on this visit. It wasn't much taller than Aragorn when we left for home, and now even he could sit up there and enjoy the view."

Diamond's jaw dropped. "You aren't even thinking about doing such a thing. Are you?"

Pippin chuckled. "You should have seen your face, my dear. If that got such a look from you, I may just have to try it on Aragorn. Actually, I believe climbing the White Tree is a capital offence, so, no, I won't risk my life on such a stunt."

Suddenly and quietly the doors before them opened to reveal the throne room of the High King of Gondor and Arnor. "Enter, and be welcomed, dear friends," Came the king's voice from the far end of the room.

Pippin walked confidently toward the high throne. Diamond followed hesitantly behind him. At the proper distance from the steps that led to the seat of the king, Pippin knelt and made his obeisance. "Peregrin son of Paladin, Guard of the Citadel, reporting for duty as requested, my lord." Beside him, Diamond dropped into a curtsy.

Smiling, Aragorn descended the steps to the throne room floor. "Enough of the formality, Pippin," he said, extending a hand to assist his small knight in regaining his feet. "I may have issued a formal request for your service, but my reasons were much more selfish. I've missed my friends and wished to see you again. That doesn't mean you won't be serving as a guard; you will be. In fact you should report tomorrow morning for your first assignment.

"Now," he said with a glance toward Diamond, "who is this lovely jewel at your side? Is this your sweet lady Diamond that you have written so poetically of in all your letters over the last few years?"

Pippin blushed furiously. "Yes," he finally managed. "Your Majesty, this is my wife Diamond."

Now it was Diamond's turn to blush as the handsome, but oh so tall, king politely took her hand and dropped a quick kiss to the back of it. "Pleased to meet you, my lord," she stammered.

"I won't keep you from going to your guesthouse," said Aragorn, "but I would request your presence for dinner tonight. Nothing formal, mind you. Just yourselves, Arwen and myself."

"Thank you, my lord," answered Pippin. "Should we arrive at the sounding of the evening bells?"

"That will be fine," said Aragorn. "You know that you have the use of the house that the Fellowship shared. It has been kept in readiness for the return of yourself, Merry or Sam. Legolas and Gimli have their own homes here for when they visit. I must confess that I think of that house in the sixth circle as the hobbits' house. I hope it is comfortable to you both."

"I'm sure it will be: and we'll see you this evening." With that Pippin bowed and, taking her hand, led Diamond from the great hall.

-----

The house was much as Pippin remembered it. It was clear that no one else had used it since the departure of the Fellowship almost exactly 10 years ago.

Diamond was amazed by what she saw. "The furniture's our size," she exclaimed. "Was it made for all of you when you were here before?" Then she noticed the garden. "This is just beautiful! The king must have been having everything kept up for such a time as you, Merry or Sam came back here." She wandered from plant to plant, studying both the familiar and exotic with equal interest.

All Pippin could do was follow in her wake and try to answer her questions. "Yes, love, the furniture was made just for us hobbits. Aragorn had it commissioned as soon as he came back to the city after the last battle. He said that he didn't want us to face the daily indignity and inconvenience of having to climb up onto chairs and sofas designed for Big People. I must say that getting into a seat the way a faunt does is embarrassing. Frodo and I were especially grateful for his thoughtfulness. Frodo, with his poor hand, and I, with my recently-healed injuries, found getting in to and out of man-sized chairs very difficult. And all of us hated being picked up like children.

"As for the maintenance of the house and gardens; I think Aragorn had hoped one of us would have come to visit before now. He knows we have obligations at home, but that didn't stop him wanting us to return here. I think that is a large part of why he summoned me. I am the one he has the power to order to return to Gondor as I am the only one to actually swear an oath of service to king and country. It is possible that Eomer could do the same to Merry, but so far has chosen not to. Personally, I think he is just wanting some perspective and good hobbit-sense in his court."

"Then, I think, he summoned the wrong hobbit," Diamond teased. "If he wanted sense, then a Took is the last hobbit he would call on."

Pippin tossed a pillow in her direction. "Would you care to finish the tour," he asked, indicating the stairs, "or would you rather stand here and insult your very sensible husband?"

"Well, as much fun as standing here and insulting you is, I guess we'd better finish touring the house. After all, we have a dinner to prepare for." Diamond offered her arm to her husband and allowed him to escort her up the stairs.

-----

The last room they came to was the one that had been Pippin's when he was previously in the city. "I figured we could use this one as ours, if you have no objections," he said to Diamond. "The view is quite nice, and the bed is plenty big enough for the two of us. I know it's on the second floor, but that's not as bad as it may seem at first. You hardly notice how high up you are unless you go out on the balcony."

"This is fine," answered Diamond. "I'm not as squeamish about heights as some people we know. I'm a Took, remember, not a Brandybuck." She gave Pippin a meaningful look and they both giggled.

Once they had their baggage stowed in their bedroom, they prepared for dinner with the king and queen.

-----

Dinner was everything the hobbit guests could have hoped for. Aragorn had clearly instructed the kitchen staff on what hobbits like and just how much they can eat.

"That was some of the best chicken and mushroom stew I've ever had," said Pippin after the meal was over.

"I will let the cooks know you enjoyed it," answered Arwen.

The two couples sat together in the king's private sitting room sipping fine wine and talking late into the evening. The talk covered a multitude of topics from politics to what each member of the Fellowship had been doing since they were all last together.

Finally the conversation reached the topic both Pippin and Diamond dreaded. Pippin, though, had also hoped this subject would come up at some point. He had only hoped that he could have been the one to bring it up, and when Diamond wasn't present, since it was something that caused her such anguish.

"So, you say Merry and Estella are expecting their second child late this summer," said Aragorn, " and Sam and his Rosie just had their fifth. My goodness. I'm surprised that you haven't had one yet. After all, you've been married, what, a year or so longer than Merry. Of course, he is older and waited longer: maybe he thinks he needs to make up for lost time."

Both Pippin and Diamond ducked their heads. Pippin was the first to look back at the king. "It's a long story, Aragorn," he finally said. "I do want to talk to you about it, but right now probably isn't the best time. If you'll excuse us, I think I'd better get my wife back to our rooms. It's been a very busy day, and I believe we are both tired."

"By all means," said Aragorn. "We'll talk later, after you've got settled and back into some sort of a routine. I'll bid you both a pleasant evening then."

After the two hobbits left, Aragorn looked at his wife. "I think there's something not quite right there. I hope Pippin talks to me soon. You don't think their marriage is in difficulty, do you, love?"

"No, I don't," Arwen answered. "From what I can tell, and what you've told me about the things Pippin has written in his letters, I believe they are as much in love as we are. I think there is something else going on. They were fine until children came up. Either they don't want any and are tired of being hounded about it, or they're having trouble conceiving. I hope Pippin talks to you soon as well."

-----

Back in the privacy of their own room, Pippin held Diamond close as she sobbed her heartbroken distress. "Why?" she cried. "Why can't people just stop talking about babies. I want to have yours so badly that it hurts. Just when I think I've accepted that it's not going to happen, someone says something and I'm back to hating myself for what I can't give you. Pippin, you know I love you with all my heart, but if you wish it, I will release you from your vows so that you can find someone who can give you the heir you need."

"Diamond! Never say such a thing. I can never love another. Yes, I want children as much as you do, but I don't want them with someone other than you. If being with you means being childless, then so be it." He held her at arms length and looked intently into her eyes. "I married you because of who you are, not how many children you could give me. The only thing that will ever separate us is death."

Once Diamond's tears had subsided, Pippin took his lovely wife to bed and made slow, sweet love to her.

Later, after she was asleep, he lay awake thinking about their situation. Neither of them had had any real sexual experience before their marriage, so they had no knowledge of what was and was not considered normal. Pippin had thought about asking Merry a few questions from time to time, but he always talked himself out of it. Talking about what a husband and wife do in the privacy of their own bedroom was just not something done by proper gentlehobbits. "I think I really do need to have a talk with Aragorn," he mumbled to himself before he turned onto his side and drifted off to sleep.

-----

It turned out to be several days before Pippin got a chance for a private word with the king. In the meantime, Arwen had made it a point to get to know Diamond. They were now spending just about every afternoon together either sightseeing around the city or working on various domestic tasks. They both had a fondness for embroidery and both were enthusiastic gardeners.

On this particular day, Pippin had been assigned as Aragorn's personal guard. He patiently stood his watch all morning as the king held his audiences with various members of the court as well as the common populous who had requests and judgments that only the king could settle. As the noon bells sounded, and Pippin's duty ended, Aragorn motioned for the hobbit to join him.

"My public meetings are done for the day," said the king. "I thought that since we were both free this afternoon, we might share luncheon and talk for a bit."

"That would be wonderful," answered Pippin. At last he was going to get to talk candidly about what was going on to Aragorn without unwanted ears overhearing or his wife becoming upset by the subject at hand.

-----

After lunch they sat in Aragorn's study. Now that it had come to it, Pippin was nervous about bringing his and Diamond's dilemma up to even this dear friend, who actually might be the only one able to help them.

"Well," Aragorn said, breaking the silence. "It appears that I may have trodden on a few toes the other evening. I did not mean to upset your beloved wife, or offend you, over the subject of children. I had just assumed that like most hobbits you were planning on having a sizable family. I had not considered that the two of you might have chosen otherwise."

"We haven't," muttered Pippin. He said it so low that Aragorn had to strain to hear him.

"Then, is there some difficulty preventing you from starting a family?" he asked.

"That's the problem!" exclaimed Pippin. "We don't know why we can't seem to...you know...get...um..." He lost his nerve. He could not bring himself to say what he had wanted to for almost a year.

"You two can't conceive, is that what you're trying to say?"

"Yes," sighed Pippin. "That's it. And Diamond is so upset about it that she actually offered to release me form our vows the other night. I couldn't believe it. I told her no, of course. I can't imagine spending my life with anyone but her. I never dreamed she'd be so perfect for me. I knew since I was 16 that I'd marry her someday, even though I hadn't even met her yet--I had only dreamt of her, but I had no idea that she'd be the only other person, besides Merry, who understood me and accepted me. She's the only person I can think of ever sharing the horrors of the Quest with, not to mention my little talent, as Gandalf sometimes referred to the Took Sight."

"So, you're sure that she is the one with the fertility problem," stated Aragorn matter-of-factly. He was determined to bring this conversation back to the heart of the matter before Pippin could go off too far onto a tangent.

"Huh?" Pippin looked dumbstruck at his king. "I...that is we...she thought it was, so I just believed her. You mean...um...I could be the problem."

"I wouldn't say you're the problem; I'd say that your body might have a problem. It's not something you purposely did, it's something that sometimes happens to people. Just like it'd no more be Diamond's fault if she were the one having the difficulty. And, don't get me wrong, it could be her, but it never hurts to look at both parties in a couple when something like this is going on.

"Now, for us to get to the bottom of this, you're going to have to be totally honest with me, otherwise, there's nothing I, or anyone else, can do to help you. Can you do this?"

Pippin nodded.

"Very well. Then our next step should be a visit to the Houses of Healing. I need to examine you and get as full a medical history on you as possible."

"Aragorn, I just thought of something." said Pippin as they left the Citadel and headed for the sixth circle and the Houses of Healing. "Could getting squished by that troll all those years ago have caused this?"

"I'm wondering the same thing, my friend," answered the king.

-----

Arwen and Diamond were sharing afternoon tea and enjoying some female talk.

"Your majesty," said Diamond, hesitating to bring up any painful subjects, "may I ask you a very personal question?"

"Certainly," answered Arwen, "and there is no need to be so formal with me. Just call me Arwen. We are friends after all."

"Well, I was just wondering if you, being the daughter of a healer and all, knew of anything to help a lass who can't get pregnant. We've been trying ever since we've been married, but still I've never got with child. I'm desperate. Pippin needs an heir to hand his offices over to when the time comes, and, so far, I haven't been able to give him that."

"Are you sure that you are infertile?" asked Arwen.

"I guess so," said Diamond hesitantly. "I don't see what else could be the matter."

"You realize that it is not always the wife who has difficulties, don't you?"

Diamond shook her head. "I just thought it was always the lass who couldn't carry a child, not the lad who couldn't get her pregnant.

"Oh, I can't believe I'm talking about this. My mother would be shocked; not to mention Pippin. Please, don't tell him I said anything to you about this."

"I won't say a word to him. I may, however, bring it up to Aragorn if it seems like there is something he can do to help. He is a very good healer in his own right."

"All right," said Diamond.

"Now," asked Arwen, "do you have normal monthly cycles? You know what I mean, don't you?"

"Yes, I know what you're talking about; and, yes, I have them."

"Do you ever have pain at that time?"

"Now and then," said Diamond. "But, usually, I hardly notice it. In fact, I have to confess I've been surprised a time or two when I've lost count of the days."

Arwen smiled. "I think that's happened to females of all races since the dawn of time.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with you, Diamond. I will talk to my husband, though, and see what he thinks. If he deems it necessary, he may want to talk to you or examine you to be sure. The only advice I can give you is have faith and be patient. When the time is right, I'm sure you will conceive."

"Thank you," said Diamond, smiling at the queen; but there was still a trace of sadness in her eyes.

-----

"I need to ask you some very personal questions," said Aragorn after he had finished examining Pippin, "and I need you to answer them with absolute truth."

"What kind of questions?" Now that it came down to it, Pippin was not sure he wanted to share all the details of his personal life with this man, even if he was the king and the best healer Pippin had ever known.

"Let's start with something safe and basic," said Aragorn. "At about what age do hobbits reach their sexual maturity?"

"Usually, it's in their early tweens," answered Pippin.

"can you tell me how old you were when you knew you had reached your own maturity?"

Pippin thought for a moment. He definitely remembered all the embarrassment of discovering that he was having all sorts of new reactions when he thought about lasses, and of finding evidence of his vivid nighttime imaginings. He had been so worried at first that he hadn't told anyone. But Merry had figured it out when Pippin refused to share a room, let alone a bed, with his cousin on one of their visits together.

"Um," stammered Pippin finally. "I must have been about 21--a little younger than average, but not unreasonably so."

"Now," said Aragorn, "I need to ask you this. Did you notice any major changes in how your body reacted to things after your flattening by the troll? By this I mean, did you still react as readily to seeing a lovely lass, or anything else that might cause certain body-parts to 'rise to the occasion'?"

Pippin thought about this for a long moment. "You know," he said with some hesitation, "now that you mention it, things didn't seem quite the same. I think I just put it down to finally growing up. I was getting near the end of my tweens by then, and Merry had said that things tended to settle down a bit in that area once a lad became an adult. To be honest, I viewed it with a bit of relief. I could finally look at Diamond, or another pretty lass, and not have to worry about everyone seeing that I was attracted to her."

"I have one last question I need to ask you," said Aragron, "and I don't want you to take this the wrong way. I'm not passing any judgments on what you have, or have not, done in the past. I just need to know this to better help me figure out what may be going on with you. Had you been with anyone before you left home with Frodo?"

"You mean, had I had relations with anyone?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I mean."

"No! Aragorn, I was still underage, for one thing; and, for another, that sort of thing is not looked on well in the Shire. Believe me, enough tongues wagged when Diamond and I got married. A lot of people were just sure that we had been up to something and had to wed to keep up appearances."

"Why would people make that kind of assumption just because two people were getting married?" asked the king. "You two are obviously in love, so why shouldn't you have been wed? There wasn't some sort of arrangement that one of you broke, was there?"

"Oh no, nothing like that," answered Pippin. "In fact both branches of the Took clan were more than happy to see us bound, as it would reunite the two halves of the family. They only wished we'd waited another year before taking our vows. You see, Diamond was only 32 on our wedding day. She didn't come of age until late that summer. No one wanted to believe that we were just anxious to have everything over and done with, and we were just tired of waiting. They all wanted to think that we had been improper and that she was with child. Imagine how all those gossips are feeling now when it's been two years and there still isn't a baby. Now they're all saying we don't love each other, or that we can't have children, or that I've been unfaithful. It's bad enough that I hear these things, for Diamond it is devastating."

"Oh," was all Aragorn could say. "I'm sorry I brought up all that pain," he finally added.

"So," Pippin said, in an effort to turn the talk back to the problem at hand. Now all he really wanted was for this whole discussion to come to an end. He was beginning to regret having asked for the king's help in the first place. "Am I the cause of our problems, or is it Diamond? I really just need to know so that we can get on with our lives. If we cannot have children, then I've got to let my father know that I, like his predecessor, will eventually have to hand the offices of Took and Thain over to another branch of the family."

"Now, don't get pessimistic," said Aragorn. "I can tell you, for sure, that you do have a problem. Now, that's not to say that your dear wife does not--but that would be highly unlikely, not to mention, most inconvenient. I don't think we need to worry about that now at any rate. I believe that your problem stems from spending too much time under a rather large and heavy troll. You see, when you were squished, your blood was unable to flow properly to certain parts of your body, and one of those places was,...well...you know what I mean. After that long without the needed blood-flow your reproductive system just shut down. It actually says a lot for how much you have recovered that you can perform at all. You do have at least some reaction in that region, don't you?"

"If you must know, yes," answered Pippin. This was really getting much more embarrassing than he had originally planned on. "If you must know," he said a bit defensibly, "I have to work at it. It takes a great deal of patience on both my part and Diamond's

"Well, at least now I can let her know that she can stand blameless before all the gossips of Great Smials. She can just smile and tell them that her husband--the handsome and strong hero of the Troubles--is merely a shell of male hobbithood."

"I wasn't finished," interjected the king. "I was going to say that I think I can help you, if you'll stop lamenting your lot and listen. Now, there are certain herbs that one can take for your difficulty, and there are things that you can do to increase the chances that you can produce enough seed to get your wife with child, but you must follow my instructions to the letter. Do you understand?"

Pippin nodded. "Sorry, Aragorn."

"I am going to give you several packets of herbs," the king continued, "and I want you to mix one packet in a cup of tea and drink it each evening. Can you do that faithfully?"

"Yes."

"The next thing I'm going to ask you to do is not going to be easy for you at all, especially if you have been trying as hard as I think you have to get Diamond pregnant. I want you to abstain for one week. You are to do nothing of a sexual nature for seven days."

"What! How am I supposed to do that? What do I tell Di? She's going to be ready to kill after three days. I don't know what she'll be ready to do to me after seven."

"Hopefully," answered Aragorn, "she'll be ready to make love with you." The smile on the former ranger's face was one Pippin had never seen before. It occurred to the hobbit that he had never seen Aragorn's reaction to a naughty thought before. "Why don't you just tell her the truth? After all, things like this work best when both parties know exactly what's going on."

"All right," answered Pippin. "I'll tell her everything. At least I can allay her fears about her own inadequacies."

"Exactly," said Aragorn.

"But, Aragorn," asked Pippin as he stood with his hand on the door, ready to leave, "why do you want us to wait a week?"

"Two reasons," answered the king. "One is so that those herbs can start working, and another is so that you can have an adequate supply, if you know what I mean. You don't produce that much, and the more often you have relations the less you have. You haven't given yourself time to recover. Now I'm forcing you to give your body time to rest before trying again."

"Oh," was all Pippin could say. He left before things could get any more uncomfortable.

-----

That night, before they went to bed, Pippin had a long talk with Diamond. He explained what he had done, and what Aragorn had told him, then he broke the news that they were to remain abstinent for seven nights.

"What?!" she shouted. "He expects us to not do anything for a whole week? How can he do that and expect us to share the same bed? I don't believe this. Do you realize that the longest we've gone without has been four days, and that was when you were ill?"

"Yes, Dear," answered Pippin in as calming a voice as he could muster, "I realize this. I told him you would not be the least bit happy about it also. I know this is going to be difficult for both of us, but we have to do it if we're going to have any hope of having a child. If it will make it easier, I'll sleep elsewhere. I could use the sofa in the sitting room, or even go down and sleep in the guard barracks, if you think that will help."

"No," she replied in a much more subdued voice. "I'm sorry I reacted that way. I know you're doing everything you can to help us have a baby. I was just being selfish. I'll be good. You can stay. Now, go take those herbs. If I have to do without, then the least you can do is take any nasty medicine the king proscribed."

-----

Their week was over tonight, and Diamond wanted everything to be just perfect. Instead of dining with the king and queen, she prepared a private dinner for just herself and Pippin. She had told Arwen some of what she was planning, and the queen had helped her procure some mushroom, as well as a bottle of one of Gondor's finest wines. Diamond had also had a special dress made for just this occasion. It was a flowing gown, very unlike her normal hobbit-style dresses, with a very low neckline and flowing sleeves. She had also decorated the bedroom with springtime flowers and candles scented to match.

When Pippin walked in, she escorted him to the table. He was so busy staring at her dress, and what it revealed (and what it barely hid), that he almost forgot his manners. At last, he remembered that he was supposed to pull out her chair for her and help her get seated at the table before sitting down himself.

Once they were both seated, Diamond picked up her glass of wine. "A toast," she said, "to tonight, and all the promise it holds."

"Hear, hear," said Pippin, picking up his own glass and touching it lightly to his wife's.

After several minutes of quiet eating, Pippin finally looked closely at his wife again. "Did you make all of this?" he asked.

"I certainly did," she answered. "I wanted tonight to be special, so I fixed a good hobbit-meal and I did a few extra things that you have yet to see."

When they at last entered the bedroom, Pippin's breath was taken away by the sight and smell of it. To his thinking, it was like something one might find in Lothlorien, not in the midst of a stone city of men.

He had to admit later that trying to remove his wife's cumbersome dress was actually quite fun. By the time she was released from it, they were both very much in the mood for a feast of a whole other sort.

Afterwards, they both had to admit that a week without had been a very good thing. Before, one time had been all Pippin could handle, but this night he managed three. Diamond had been quite pleased, and told him so not just with words, but also with kisses and touches.

After the last time, Pippin lay on his side with one arm draped across Diamond's waist. "That was wonderful," he said in a sleepy but satisfied voice. "You were wonderful."

"You were pretty amazing yourself. I could get spoiled, you know."

The only response she received was a contented sigh. Pippin was sound asleep.

Diamond lay on her back just watching her husband sleep. He was so cute like that. She was determined to not move for as long as she could wait. Arwen had told her that afternoon that in order to insure the best chance of the husbands seed getting to where it needed to be, and staying there, the wife should lay on her back for at least half an hour before getting up and going to the privy. Diamond waited much longer than that and only got up when she could no longer ignore nature's call.

2

Over the next several days, Pippin continued to take the herbs that Aragorn had given him, and he and Diamond continued to have relations every few days. They actually found this quite pleasant and much less demanding than trying to be in the mood almost every day.

Diamond had talked to Aragorn soon after they had arrived and told him how much Pippin was looking forward to celebrating his birthday in Minas Tirith, so the king had started planning something special for his smallest knight.

-----

On the morning of her husband's birthday, Diamond awoke to a most distressing sound. Pippin was being violently sick into the chamber pot beside their bed.

"What's wrong," she asked sleepily, as if she couldn't figure it out from the sound.

"I don't know," came her husband's weak reply as he flopped limply back onto the bed. "I just woke up to this horrible churning in my stomach, and when I started to get up to go to the privy, I got so sick that all I could do was grab the chamber pot. The strange thing is, that now that I've done that, I feel fine. In fact, I'm ready for breakfast."

Unfortunately, Diamond did not have much of an appetite. She had not been all that hungry for the last several days, and she had no idea why.

-----

That night Aragorn hosted a lavish feast in honor of Pippin's thirty-ninth birthday. The food was excellent, but neither hobbit seemed up to eating as much as they normally did.

After Pippin had handed out presents in traditional hobbit-fashion, and had received a few, as was common in Gondor; the two hobbits excused themselves and retired early for the evening.

"Do you suppose everything is all right?" asked Arwen as she watched the diminutive couple leave.

Aragorn followed her gaze thoughtfully but said nothing.

-----

The next morning began just as the previous one had. Only this time, Diamond, too, felt queasy upon awaking; although she was able to avoid actually throwing up. "Maybe you should tell Aragorn you're sick," she said through the hand she had clamped to her mouth.

"Why?" asked Pippin, splashing water on his face and rinsing his mouth, "I feel fine now. I'm sure it was just because of all the new foods we've been eating lately. Maybe there's a reason hobbits cook so sensibly: we just can't tolerate all the strange and exotic tastes that men seem to enjoy."

Diamond just shook her head. She knew that until he was ready, Pippin would not say a word about this to anyone, least of all the king.

-----

By the fourth morning, they were both throwing up.

"This isn't right," said Diamond. "If you won't speak to the king, then I will."

As soon as breakfast concluded, she approached Aragorn where he sat at the table with his wife. "Your Majesty, I need to speak with you. It's about Pippin."

"What is the matter, Mistress Diamond?" asked Aragorn.

"Well, it is a little hard to explain. It started the morning of his birthday. He woke up that morning and was very ill, but as quickly as he got sick, he felt better. That was strange enough, but then it has happened every morning since. He's sick, and then he's fine. He didn't want me to say anything, but I figured I should. I'm worried that it might be some sort of reaction to those herbs you've been giving him."

Aragorn had a thoughtful look on his face. Finally he asked, "Diamond, have you had any nausea the last few days?"

"Um, now that you mention it, I have to admit that I have. I think it's from waking up to the sound of my husband being sick."

"Yes, it could be," said the king, "but it could also be something else. I want both of you to report to me at the Houses of Healing at the sounding of the seventh hour. And don't worry," he added, seeing the look of concern on the hobbit's face, "I don't think it's anything serious."

-----

"Oh, this is ridiculous," Pippin groused. He sat in a room in the Houses of Healing, holding Diamond's hand. "I'm sure all Aragorn is going to find is that I've had some minor illness that's been going around, or something. This is such a waste of time."

"Now now, Dear" said Diamond, squeezing his hand and giving it a little pat. "Humor us, all right? I, for one, am tired of waking up feeling ill every morning, even if you're not."

"All right," said Pippin, "but I reserve the right to say 'I told you so" when Aragorn tells us I've just caught something that's going around.

At this point, Aragorn walked in. "How are you both feeling this afternoon?" he asked.

"I'm fine," said Pippin, "or I would be, if my sweet wife didn't insist that we spend the afternoon sitting in the Houses of Healing listening to you tell us that nothing is wrong. Personally, I'd just as soon be serving the duty I had been assigned before Diamond got this bee in her bonnet."

"Hmmm, Moody, isn't he?" Aragorn quipped, casting a look at Diamond. "And what about you?" he asked, giving Diamond his full attention.

"I'm fine," she answered. "I'm not the one who's been sick for almost a week now."

"No," her husband shot back at her, "you've only been sick the last three days, or so."

-----

Aragorn thoroughly examined Pippin, but made no comment as to his findings. When he was done, he turned to Diamond. "Now, Mistress Took, it is your turn."

"My turn?" she exclaimed. "But there's nothing wrong with me. Pippin's the one who's been sick, and the only thing wrong with me comes from witnessing his moments of indisposition."

"Nonetheless," insisted the king, "I want to make sure all is well with you."

Reluctantly, Diamond submitted to the examination. It seemed to both hobbits that Aragorn paid special attention to the lass's abdomen.

-----

When Aragorn was satisfied with his findings, he sat the couple down before him and explained what was happening to them.

"I have some very serious news for you," said the king, but he couldn't quite keep the smile off of his face, no matter how hard he tried. "This news will change your lives forever."

"Would you please get to the point, Srrider!" demanded Pippin.

"Oh, very well," sighed Aragorn. "You are going to have a baby."

"W-what?!" exclaimed Diamond. Her face was as white as flour, and she looked very near to fainting.

"Yes!" shouted her husband, jumping from his seat and hugging the healer/king.

"But, what about Pippin's illness?" asked Diamond when she had recovered from her own shock.

"Oddly enough," said Aragorn, "that is actually connected to your pregnancy, Diamond. Some expectant fathers actually have morning sickness as badly as their wives, and even worse in some cases." He gave Pippin an intense, but sympathetic, look.

Pippin's smile faded. "You mean I'm going to be sick every morning until the babe comes?"

"It's possible, but not likely. Morning sickness usually ends after about three months. You should feel fine by the time I give your wife permission to travel again. I do assume that you will wish for this child to be born in the Shire and not here in Minas Tirith. As much as we would love for the first child of our Ernil i Pheriannath to be born here, we understand that it is important for you to be surrounded by your family and close friends. Besides, I know Merry would never forgive me if I deprived him of seeing his newest cousin as a newborn."

"So we will be able to travel home?" asked Pippin.

"Yes. There should be no reason that you should have to stay here once the first three months are over. The second three months are actually the safest time in a pregnancy to travel. You should be safely back home by the time the baby is due."

-----

That night Pippin and Diamond lay awake late into the night talking about their joy, and how they would break the news to their families

"You know," Diamond pointed out, "it's going to be pretty obvious that I'm in the family way by the time we arrive back home. I don't think we're going to need to say a whole lot to anyone."

"Oh, I guess you're right. I hadn't even thought that far ahead," said Pippin.

"No, I hadn't figured you had. Pippin could hear the smile in his wife's voice.

Both hobbits fell asleep with contented sighs and smiles on their faces.

-----

Just after mid-summer the hobbits made plans to return to the Shire. They wanted to be home long before the autumn rains, and they wanted to have the journey over with long before there was the slightest risk that Diamond would have the baby early.

On the first day of Halimath they set out. They planned to take their time and arrive home sometime in early Winterfilth. This would give them a chance to get settled and get a nursery set up before the baby was due to arrive sometime the following Solmath.

The trip went well, and the first day of Blotmath saw them crossing the borders of Buckland.

-----

"Pippin!" called Merry, greeting his cousin as the Tooks arrived at Brandy Hall. "Your timing is perfect, as usual. We were just sitting down to dinner. And tomorrow we have a celebration planned to mark the tenth anniversary of the removal of Sharkey and his men. I'm sure I don't have to ask twice to get you to stay for that."

"Of course not," answered Pippin. "It will give us a chance to share all of our news with you, and there is a lot to tell." Merry didn't miss the look Pippin gave his smiling wife, nor did he fail to notice the change in Diamond's figure.

-----

That night, after Pippin had seen Diamond properly tucked into bed, he sat in Merry's office sharing a bottle of Buckland's best brandy.

"So, care to tell me how that happened?" asked Merry, setting his glass down and fixing his cousin with an intense look.

"How what happened?" asked Pippin, all innocence. He was pretty sure he knew exactly what Merry was referring to, but he was going to make the Brandybuck come right out and ask.

"Don't play that game with me, Peregrin Took. You know good and well what I'm talking about. Just last winter you sat right here and lamented to me that you and Diamond would never have children and how the office of Thain would pass to yet another branch of the family upon your death. And now you show back up here less than a year later with a wife who is obviously expecting. So, I'll ask you again, how'd that happen?"

"It happened, dear cousin, in the usual way. I certainly hope I don't have to explain the bees and the blossoms to you. After all, you have a son and daughter of your own. I think you know how they are conceived." Pippin couldn't help but smirk. He was finding tormenting Merry on this particular subject quite amusing.

Merry looked scandalized. "No! You certainly don't have to explain things to me. But I do want to know what happened. Not that," he added hastily. "Did Aragorn cure Diamond?"

"Noooo," said Pippin. "He cured me. Or, more accurately, he gave me some herbs and some good advice. After that, nature just took its course. Now, will it happen again; not likely. The herbs are pretty powerful and Aragorn didn't recommend using them again. Besides, we don't know if it was the herbs or just my sympathetic nature, but I have no desire to have morning sickness again."

Merry practically fell on the floor laughing. When he had calmed a little, he looked at his cousin whose face resembled a thundercloud. "You were sick instead of Diamond," he blurted. "That is hysterical. I've never heard of the father being the sick one. Are you sure those herbs didn't do something else?"

"That's not funny, Merry. In fact that's just about the nastiest thing I've heard in a while, and I've been around a bunch of Gondorian guardsmen all summer.

"Aragorn assured me that I was just having sympathy sickness. Trust me, Diamond had her share of it, too.

"But to get back to you question; this will, most likely, be our only one. I kind of wish we could have more, but to have one is all the miracle I'm going to hope for."

-----

On Solmath 10, S.R. 1430, Faramir Took came into the world. He was a large baby, by hobbit standards, and there was some concern for his mother's welfare, but all went well, in the end, and both were deemed healthy.

-----

That evening, Pippin sat in his office. He had gone there to find some peace and quiet after all the excitement. He found himself looking at the Yearbook of the Tooks, old Yellowskin as they called it. In a week there would be a ceremony to enter his son's name into that tome. 'My son," he said aloud. "I thank the Valar for you, and Aragorn, too."

Without another thought, he picked up a piece of paper and a pen and began to compose a letter to the king.

The End.