CHAPTER 34

“A ball, Tina?” asked Esmeralda. “However did you come up with a ball?”

The sisters-in-law were in Eglantine’s sitting room plotting their strategy.

“I wanted something that was rare, and since the last ball held in the Shire was fifteen years ago when Paladin became Thain, I think that qualifies as rare. It automatically puts it at the top of the gossips’ lists on that score alone. It also means we can use the ballroom, so that our guests will not be at a disadvantage,” ( The ceilings in the ballroom were four times the normal height.) “and best of all a ball is formal, so that means the guests of honor will be announced *with all their titles* in utmost pomp.” She grinned.

“You do realize that none of the hobbits here will have the slightest understanding of what the title ’Ringbearer’ means?”

“It doesn’t matter, Esme. That’s what’s so lovely! Hobbits understand *precedence*. It will be made crystal clear that as far as our new King is concerned, Frodo and Sam outrank everyone else in the world, including the Thain and a Prince of Elves.”

Esmeralda laughed delightedly. Seeing her dear Frodo receive such honor would do her heart good. “And certain people can put *that* bit of leaf in their pipes to smoke!”

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Pervinca shifted Largo on her hip, and went over to the wardrobe to open it and take out the half dozen dresses hanging there.

“Now my dears, let’s choose your dresses for the ball.”

While the babies played on one bed, the five lasses laid the dresses out on the other, and soon there was much chatter and giggling.

“I do believe, Marigold, that the color on this one suits your--” Pervinca was saying, when they were interrupted by a knock on the door.

Pearl opened the door, and there stood Pippin and Sam, with Rose’s and Marigold’s traveling bags.

“See, Sam, I told you it sounded like a lot more than two lasses in here!”

Pearl gestured them in. “Pip, why didn’t you just have a servant bring those?”

“And pass up the chance to pester my sisters, and deprive Sam of a chance to see Rosie?” He grinned at his friend, whose eyes had immediately latched onto those of his betrothed. They took an involuntary step towards one another, oblivious to anyone else.

“Oh my,” said Pimmie, “they have got it bad!”

“None worse,” said Marigold. “Rosie!” She snapped her fingers at her friend to get her attention.

Pippin gave Sam a jab in the side. “Come on, Sam, they are talking about dresses, and if we linger they may decide to make us model them for them.” He was only half joking. He still had terrifying childhood memories of his sisters using him as a dress dummy. He gave Sam a sly look--his friend was still not paying attention. “Of course, I could just leave you here with the lasses--”

That got him with a jolt. “Mr. Pippin! You know that would not--” he caught himself just in time. “be ’appropriate’,” he finished with reproach.

Pippin laughed. “Well, you can’t blame a fellow for trying.” He took Sam by the arm and led him away.

Pearl shut the door behind them, and the lasses dissolved into gales of laughter.

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Hyacinth was in rare form as she berated her daughters. “I cannot believe that daughters of mine would stand on the corner of the streets of Tuckborough to stare after a parade of riders just like any common hobbit! Right out in public for everyone to see! It was useless anyway! If you had been here, you would have been introduced to the guests when they arrived, and you would have been in a position to find out what Eglantine is up to. We have people staying here in the Smials as *guests* that by rights ought to be in the servants’ quarters, for goodness’ sake! We may be *forced* to socialize with them--Eglantine is adamant on this!”

Amethyst, Garnet and Opal rolled their eyes and slouched as they endured another of their mother’s tirades. It was not that they did not agree with her, but she did tend to just go on and on and on. Besides, they really wished to get out of here, and see if they could come across that Elf.

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Legolas looked with amusement at the room that had been prepared for him. They had removed the footboards and placed two hobbit sized beds end to end. Fortunately, the ceilings in the Great Smials, like those of Brandy Hall, were quite a bit higher than those at Crickhollow or Bag End. He was touched by the effort they had gone to and not for the world would he tell them that he would prefer to slip outside and perch in a tree. Still, he did not find hobbit holes to be oppressive, as he did Dwarven caverns. Hobbit holes were lighter, with many windows, and the weight of earth was more alive than the weight of stone.

There was a knock on the door.

“Enter, Gimli.”

The Dwarf came in. “They’ve put me in the next room. This is quite a hole. Very well built indeed, even if it is of earth instead of stone.” He sat down on the edge of the makeshift bed, and watched the Elf opening wide the windows, which overlooked the west gardens. “Lad, did you get the feeling that our Master Pippin’s mother is up to something?”

Legolas laughed. “I daresay she is. She had a look in her eye that I have often seen gleaming in that of her son; Merry’s mother also. But females are always ‘up to something’. As long as that ‘something’ does not involve marrying me off, I do not try to fathom it. I do not think that I have reason to be concerned about *that* here, at least.”

The Dwarf chuckled and nodded. “You have a point there. Besides, I think whatever it is involves our Samwise; otherwise, why have him bring his intended along?”

Legolas looked at Gimli, and his expression changed to fondly serious. “The only couple I have ever seen in my long years as besotted as those two, are our King and Queen.”

Gimli smiled. “They are destined for one another, that is obvious.” His expression turned serious. “How does Frodo seem to you?”

“He is clearly making an effort to regain his life,” Legolas sighed, “and that is what troubles me most: that he is having to make an *effort* of it. Come, mellon nin, let us go and find our hosts. And I should like to check on Arod.”

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Frodo lay on the bed in the guest room assigned to him. It was one he had stayed in many times in the past. He had agreed to go along with Eglantine’s little charade, and he could quite see her point. It would establish Sam as a person worthy of consideration and respect, and it would give Paladin and Saradoc a handle to use on the assembly.

But he still didn’t think he was going to like it.

He’d gone through worse.

He kept reminding himself of that.

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Originally, Eglantine had planned to put Merry in with Pippin, with Pippin’s new bed there even larger than the one he had at home in Crickhollow, and give Bergil Merry’s usual guest room, also furnished now with a larger bed.

“Merry,” asked Pippin hesitantly, “what would you think if I had Bergil in with me?”

Merry raised a brow. “Instead of me? Well, a bit surprised, but not at all offended. After all, the child came hundreds of leagues to visit you.”

“Then I will see what he thinks of it; he is not used to sharing beds as hobbit children do, and he may not wish to, but I thought he might like it."

“That’s splendid, Pip.” Merry was pleased at his cousin’s thoughtfulness for the youngster. Pippin had never spent much time with lads younger than himself, and had not much experience at being the older friend.

“I just tried to think what you or Frodo would do. You were always so patient and careful with me, but you never made me feel like a baby.”

Merry blushed with pleasure at the compliment. It was nice to know he had set a good example.

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Fredegar shut the door to his room, took Folco’s flute from his jacket, and lay atop the bed, clutching it.

The last time he had been in this guest room was the summer before the Travellers had left the Shire. If he could have brought himself to go with them would anything have been different?

Perhaps not. Lotho had always been a nasty piece of work. He had simply taken advantage of Frodo’s absence; but if Frodo had stayed in the Shire things would have been infinitely worse. And though he had run it through his mind over and over, he could not think of what he could have done to save Folco.

And though his life had begun to once more move forward, the Shire still seemed a bleak and lonely and colorless place without his friend’s music in it.

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Targon and Éothain strolled about the encampment attended by the Thain and his cousin Reginard. From what they could understand, Reginard functioned as the Thain’s steward.

Reginard was impressed. Although Paladin had assured him that these Men were different, he had been skeptical. He had not a high opinion of Men’s intelligence. All the ones he had met before had been rather stupid, and wicked and brutal as well. But Paladin was right. These Men were intelligent and polite. They also seemed well-disposed towards hobbits. He thought of what Eglantine had in mind; he had not believed it would work. Now he was sure it would. These Men would definitely strike awe in the assembly of hobbits.

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Primrose and Peridot came to Eglantine’s sitting room, and found her there with their youngest sister. There were hugs all around, as they had not seen Esmerelda since Yule. She was glad to see her older sisters, though they were not especially close. There was a large gap in their ages. Primrose had never wed, and Peridot had long been widowed; they had been in their teens when Esmeralda was born. There had been a third older sister, as well, after whom Pearl was named, but she had died young, and Esmeralda had never known her.

“The invitations are finished, Tina,” said Primrose.

“Good. We’ll send them out at once,” she grinned at Esmerelda, “since it will be the night before the assembly opens.”

“My word, Tina! That’s short notice!”

Eglantine looked at her sisters-in-law like a general surveying the troops. “I know. But I don’t think there’s anyone in this room that’s not up to the task.”
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