It was refreshing to waken alone in one's room, Ferdi reflected, with no watcher snoring in the chair beside the bed, or worse, awake and watching him sleep. He rose, stretched leisurely, took an experimental deep breath. The resulting coughing fit did not last so long nor shake him as hard as on the previous day, which could be considered progress.

He dressed and sought his breakfast in the great room--another mark of progress, no breakfast tray, eaten in bed, for him this day. The Tooks were much more animated this morning, the good news of the Thain's improvement having spread as fast as puffpenny seeds on a windy day, and Ferdi found himself drawn into a lively conversation over his eggs, bacon, fried tomatoes and fried bread.

After breakfast, he returned to the Thain's quarters. Pippin slept, but Diamond was missing, the healers having persuaded her to breakfast with young Faramir this day. Pimpernel sat in Diamond's chair in her stead, smiling at Ferdi as he entered.

'Have a seat,' she said with a graceful gesture.

'My lady,' he inclined his head.

She laughed. 'You don't have to stand on ceremony with me, you know,' she said. 'I'm not the daughter of the Thain or the lady of the mansion anymore, just a poor relation living on her brother's charity.'

'Never,' he said gallantly. 'You've always been a lady in my eyes, Nell.'

'Well, then, this particular lady orders you to take a seat before I get a crick in my neck from having to look up at you,' she said pertly, and he bowed and complied.

'Your wish is my command,' he said.

'Enough of that,' she said. Pippin stirred, and she bent closer to the bed. 'Hullo, baby brother, and how are we feeling today?'

'You sound just like a healer, Nell, I do believe you missed your calling,' Pippin said without opening his eyes.

'Good morning, Pip,' Ferdi added.

'Ferdi? Is that you?' Pippin said.

'It was the last time I checked,' Ferdi answered.

Pippin chuckled, then said, 'Don't make me laugh, it takes too much breath.'

'How about some breakfast?' Pimpernel said brightly.

'You jest,' Pippin replied, opening his eyes. 'I wager if I'd drowned, the first thing you'd ask when they pulled me from the stream was if I wanted cream or butter on my scones...'

'Do you want cream or butter?' Ferdi asked, and Pimpernel laughed.

'Funny, very funny,' Pippin grumbled. Between them, they managed to coax a fair breakfast into the Thain, and by the time Healer Woodruff entered he was looking much more like himself.

'Good morning!' Healer Woodruff said with a broad smile.

'When can I get up?' the Thain answered. The smile turned to a glower.

'Don't you try me,' Woodruff warned. 'I was having a very pleasant morning, with all those who were burned or breathed smoke mending nicely, and I do not intend to argue with you over staying abed.'

'You may stay abed as long as you like,' Pippin said cheerily.

'Now, Pip,' Ferdi began, but was interrupted.

'Don't you "Now, Pippin" me! You're just as bad,' Pippin said, and turning back to Woodruff, he added, 'I wager you let him up out of the bed a full week before you intended, didn't you?'

'That's beside the point...' the healer said, shaking a finger at him.

'Ha, I knew it,' Pippin said smugly. 'I just...' he was interrupted by a yawn.

'You settle back now,' Pimpernel broke in smoothly, getting up from her chair, to bend over him, soothing his forehead with her fingertips. 'There, now, how's that?'

'I...' Pippin said again, with another huge yawn. He eyed the Healer sleepily. 'I'm not finished with you yet,' he said, yawning again.

'Fine,' Woodruff said gently, watching the sinking eyelids. 'You can finish with me... later.' The last word was whispered as the eyes closed.

'That was quick,' Ferdi said.

'He'll sleep more than he wakes this day, and a good thing too. He needs all the healing he can get, knowing how he'll push himself once he thinks we'll let him get away with it,' the healer answered grimly.

Ferdi was still smiling ironically when the healer turned on him. 'Now for you,' she said briskly.

'Me?' he asked.

'Don't pretend innocence with me,' the healer snapped. 'I'm fed up to here with Tooks and their pride.' She jerked a hand across her chin in an expressive gesture.

'Might as well give in, Ferdi, or next thing you know she'll be popping you into a bed again,' Pimpernel said with a smile.

Ferdibrand sighed and submitted to the healer's examination. 'Satisfied?' he asked when she was finished.

'No,' she said sharply. 'Your lungs are not yet all they ought to be. Don't go running any footraces in the next few days.'

'I'll keep that in mind,' Ferdi said, and with a sniff the healer was gone again.

Ferdibrand and Pimpernel talked quietly through the rest of that watch. Pippin roused a few times to add a comment of his own, but he spent much of the time in a healing sleep.

When Diamond came in just after the late nooning, Pimpernel rose, saying, 'Well, Ferdi, perhaps I shall see you on the morrow. Be sure you do come; I have the feeling you will be needed to sit on my brother.'

'I have the feeling you're right,' Ferdi answered with a laugh. He had risen himself at Diamond's entrance, and she waved him back to his chair.

'He's feeling better, then,' she said hopefully.

'Yes,' Pimpernel answered, 'and he'll be sneaking out to commune with that pony of his before you know it.'

'Not if I have anything to say about it,' Diamond said grimly. 'One four-year-old is about all I can manage at the moment.'

'I'm not a four-year-old,' Pippin protested, opening his eyes.

'Then don't act like one,' his wife said, with a kiss to his forehead. 'Stay in the bed.'

***

Pippin continued to improve rapidly, badgering the healers until Woodruff let him out of bed nearly a week before she'd told Diamond he ought to get up.

'I don't need an escort here in the Smials,' he said to Ferdi as the other walked down to the great room with him.

'Of course you don't,' Ferdi said affably, unobtrusively steadying him. 'But if you fall on your nose I'll get sacked for dereliction of duty.'

'Not to mention the harm it would do to my nose,' Pippin added.

'Exactly,' Ferdi said. 'Besides, I promised Regi that you'd be up for his wedding, and if you fall flat, Woodruff will stick you in bed for another month...'

'We cannot have that,' the Thain said hastily. 'Regi's having enough trouble concentrating on his work as it is. Let us get him safely married off on schedule, shall we?'

'I'll do my part, if you'll do yours,' Ferdi said solemnly.

***

Somehow the Thain managed to evade the healers' clutches, even riding out to watch the progress of the harvest, Ferdi and Tolly or Hilly at his sides. More than once he chided them for crowding him, but the escort took their duties seriously, and in the early days he was shaky enough in the saddle to warrant their caution, in their own eyes, at least.

At last, harvest was finished, the barns and storage holes were bulging, and a great horde of Brandybucks descended upon Tuckborough, bearing with them Everard's bride.

'The trees can breathe easier, now,' Ferdi teased over mugs of ale in the Spotted Duck. 'We won't need to cut so many for your letter writing.'

'Remind me why I asked you to stand up with me,' Everard said.

'Well, if you don't know, then how can I be expected to know?' Ferdi asked reasonably.

Everard snorted, and bought another round.

'Have you seen her yet?' Tolly wanted to know. Everard shook his head.

'Bad luck to see the bride the day before the wedding,' Reginard said morosely, staring into his own ale.

'Don't worry, Regi, you'll remember what she looks like when she stands by your side,' Fredebold said. 'I hardly think you'll mix her up with Ev'ard's bride.'

'No, but the two brides might mistake the brothers,' Tolly said, and shouted with laughter.

'We don't look that much alike,' Reginard said. 'I'm much handsomer.'

'Hah,' Ev'ard said. 'Not on your best day.' He placed his face next to Regi's, saying, 'We do not look a bit alike, now...'

'Yes, Regi,' Ferdi said. 'I mean, Ev'ard. I mean... just which brother are you, anyhow?' The table erupted in laughter again, until a quiet voice spoke just behind the brothers.

'Reginard, I think you and your brother have had enough. 'Tis time to take your rest, now. You do want to enjoy your wedding day, do you not?'

Regi and Ev'ard turned to find Pippin standing behind them, smiling, but firm. He tossed a coin upon the table, saying, 'I'll buy the last round,' then took both brothers by the elbows and escorted them from the room.

'Had enough?' Fredebold laughed. 'Whatever does he mean? The evening's young!' He forestalled Ferdi and Tolly when they would have risen to follow the Thain. 'You told me yourself he gave you the evening off.'

'Yes, but that means he rode out of the Smials alone,' Ferdi said, more bothered than he cared to admit.

'What are you afraid of? That he'll get lost?' a Brandybuck called from the next table.

'More like he'll discover he doesn't need an escort in the first place, and they'll lose their position,' another jeered.

Tolly put a restraining hand on Ferdi's arm. 'Watch your temper,' he said under his breath. 'Consider the source.'

Brandybucks, Ferdi fumed to himself. For the life of him, he couldn't imagine what Ev'ard thought he was doing, hitching himself up to that family. Still, it was his waggon, he could choose his own ponies, but he'd be stuck with the driving of them for the rest of his life... He shook his head and drank down the rest of his mug.

'I'm done,' he said, rising from the table. 'Are you coming, Tolly?'

'Stay a bit longer,' Freddy said. 'We hardly see you as it is, since you moved into the Smials, Tolly.'

'I'm done, as well,' Tolly said, shaking off his brother's hand. 'I'll see you at the wedding.'

'I'll be there with bells on,' Freddy answered.

'Going to dance the Springle-ring, then?' Ferdi asked.

'Don't I, at every wedding?' Freddy said proudly.

'Wouldn't be a wedding without it,' Tolly said glumly, and then to Ferdi, 'Let's go.'