Party Lasses

The party that evening at Crickhollow was proving to be another success for Merry and Pippin. The food was more than plentiful, the music lively and the ale the best in the Shire. There were a few married couples present but the majority of the revelers were hobbits and hobbitesses still seeking their special some one and enjoying yet another opportunity to strike up a relationship. Most of them knew each other well, but one never knew when a friendship might blossom into something more.

Persimmone Bolger, a distant relation to Freddy within the large Bolger family, had her eye on Peregrin Took. She was three years younger than he but felt more than ready to find herself a husband. Who better to claim than so important a hobbit as Mr. Peregrin Took? She spent her time hidden amongst the guests, lurking where she could watch him unobtrusively, following him about as he performed his duties as host. He had sung several songs with his pleasing tenor voice. He had played along with the musicians in the band for awhile and now he was taking turns about the dance floor with the lasses. She made sure that she got her chance when the band began to play one of the slower songs.

"Peregrin?"

He jumped a bit and spun around to see Persimmone standing on the dance floor.

"Why, ah . . . “ he paused a moment to remember her name. “Persimmone! You look lovely tonight," He said, smiling as he held his hand out to her. "Would you care to dance?"

She did him a curtsy as she took his hand. "I would love to Peregrin."

He took her in his arms and began to move with her among the other dancers. It had been a wonderful party and he was feeling very happy. Gone were the concerns he had felt that afternoon. When the dance ended she took him by the hand and started to lead him from the dance floor. In his rosy mood, he willingly went. She led him a bit away from the dancers to where it was quieter.

"Oh Pippin!" She was fanning herself with her handkerchief. "You dance so well! I'm quite overheated though. Could we perhaps take a bit of a walk and find some cooler air?"

Pippin hesitated. "Well, I am a host of this party Persimmone, I'm not sure I should just walk off like that, but I suppose we could leave for just a bit." To himself he thought that it wouldn’t do to have her swooning from being too warm. He offered her his arm, she took it and they strolled out onto the lawn surrounding the house.

When they had reached a somewhat secluded spot where the moonlight spilled into the garden she stopped. She sat down on the soft grass pulling Pippin down beside her.

"I'm not as warm now." She said softly. "In fact I'm a bit chilled." She moved herself tightly against Pippin.

Pippin’s mind, and heart, were suddenly racing. Merry’s talks to him about being more careful with the lasses started crowding his thoughts. But he and Persimmone weren’t anywhere all that private, and she seemed a nice enough lass who just had trouble with adjusting to the temperature around her. "Well, perhaps this will help." He said as he put his arm around her shoulders. She wiggled about until his unbuttoned jacket was around both of them, then snuggled tight to his side. Somehow, though Pippin couldn’t quite remember how, they ended up kissing before they went back inside the house.

They returned to the party but were quite unable to stay away from each other. They took advantage of every chance they had to be close, holding hands for brief moments, she even kissed him again while they danced. Several other couples had also become friendly during the evening and as the party wound down most every group sitting about chatting were groups of couples. Finally the time came for the lasses to get into carriages and head for their homes or the homes of relatives. There were many who lived at the Hall and a few were from wealthier families in Bucklebury. Lasses from further away stayed with local relatives or in guest rooms at Brandy Hall. The same was true for the lads, though fellows who lived at a distance found a bed, couch or a place on the floor at Crickhollow to call their own for the night.

The next day, many of the hobbit lasses returned to Merry and Pippin's house to spend more time with each other and the lads that were there. When one had traveled so far to come for a party, it only made sense to stay for more than one day. Merry made sure their married friends returned as well as they were viewed by hobbit society as being adequate chaperones for such gatherings, especially as everyone there was of age.

He and Pippin had not been so cautious before but Merry felt a change was needed.

Pippin had enjoyed being with Persimmone the night before. She was bright, cheerful and had been fun to be with both when they had gone for their walk and when they returned to the party. As soon as she arrived the next morning, he suggested they take a ride into the surrounding countryside, going double on his pony. Folco and Hyacinth Boffin went along as well as Pippin was trying to be careful this time. They took a picnic lunch and spent the whole day together. Persimmone was good company and even listened with interest to a few of his stories about things he had seen during his travels. He was becoming quite taken with her. As they headed toward home, the thought entered Pippin's mind that he might have finally found his special someone. Hyacinth wasn’t quite as impressed with Miss Persimmone Bolger and had decided to speak with Merry as soon as she could. As things oft go, she never got the chance.

That evening after dinner, the hobbit lads went into the study to smoke and play cards while the lasses sat in the sitting room and began to gossip about their time at Crickhollow. Gradually the married lasses drifted together in one corner, talking about running their households, handling their husbands and the prospects of children in their futures. Many of the maiden lasses joined the matrons, while certain others had their own little chat.

"I nearly had Fredegar Bolger." Primrose Proudfoot said in a hushed voice to the group who was staying away from the matrons. "He was definitely aroused when his younger brother came strolling up to us and ruined everything."

"Well I had all I wanted up in the stable loft with Rhugus Grubb,” Violet Boffin said slyly. "Wrapped completely around my finger he is. He'll probably be proposing in no time!"

"I have a better suitor than any of you, I have Mr. Peregrin Took!" Persimmone said with a haughty tone.

"He's not that difficult to get to kissing and cuddling my dear." Iris Chubb said with a snort. "The dear foolish lad thinks he’s in love with nearly every lass he meets. And a couple of us who he courted more seriously nearly managed to try his wares!" A good deal of chuckling followed this comment. "I dare say that neither of us found what we did get from him wanting!" More enthusiastic chuckling and an exchange of knowing looks between Iris and Pansy Underhill came from this confession.

“Hush,” shushed Daisy Burrows. “There’s a Took or two amongst the prissy-missies over there listening to the matrons prattle on about their husbands. As if they aren’t thinking of having their way with the lads as much as we, they just think they’re too good a bunch of lasses to share with the rest of us.”

The lasses all chuckled once more and uttered small comments agreeing with Daisy. Then Persimmone motioned for them to lean in closer to her as she continued her bragging.

"I've in one day got him near to proposing." Persimmone intoned. "Can any of you match that?" The girls were all silent. "He asked my age on the ride home and somehow the subject of his wanting to marry and have a family also came up. I shall have Great Smials yet my dears. The finest smial, the finest clothes and jewelry, and most likely end up in the new king’s court seeing as Pippin is a knight of the new realm.” She paused a moment as though suddenly unsure of herself. “Whatever that all means.” Her puzzled look faded into a smile. “Something important as I’ve heard it discussed by many of those who are well placed in the Shire. As I recall it took you nearly two months to get that far, Iris, and I even had to have the everlastingly dull Hyacinth and Folco Boffin around the whole day.” Persimmone fluffed up her skirts then sat with her pug nose up in the air.

"You little schemer!” Exclaimed Iris, with a mix of admiration and anger at the insult she had just been handed. “However did you manage that?"

"I wore my lowest cut bodice today and made sure I had the food basket close enough to not have to ask for things to be passed to me, yet far enough to make my reaching interesting viewing. I used my best perfume and made sure that the kisses we managed to sneak were not just the little “brush-of-the-lips” sort. And if my bosom happened to bump his hand a few times as I reached for something, that was hardly my fault.”

The gasps and appreciative chuckling that ensued attracted the attention of the group at the other end of the sitting room. Estella Bolger flashed a cutting look at the giggling, whispering lasses.

“I can well imagine what they are going on about,” she said, a flush coming to her cheeks to match the irritation in her voice.

“Yes,” said Petunia Goodbody. “It is part of why Merry invited Togo and I to the party and to be here today. He finally began to wonder if some of those lasses might not be, well . . . the best of female hobbits to have hanging about mooning over Pippin. It seems so many lads can’t tell when a lass is being so much more than friendly. But then,” Petunia looked at the lasses sitting around her, “perhaps some of you are a bit too reticent. You shouldn’t be letting those flirty lasses push you aside so easily.”

Hyacinth Boffin paled a bit as she caught sight of which lass was at the center of the group at the other end of the room. She was sure that she and Folco hadn’t nodded off for too long a time while on the picnic, but now she was rather worried. She might better have that talk with Merry soon.

Persimmone fluttered her lashes with a put on air of innocence before grinning wickedly. She leaned forward in her eagerness to boast. “Then I listened to his foolish stories as though I really wanted to hear them and I told him hearing them made me feel so close to him. Our chaperones had fallen asleep listening to his boring drivel, so I took advantage of the moment and drew my handkerchief from my bodice and gave it to him, saying it was so he could feel close to me as well. Ha! You should have seen his eyes as I eased that dainty bit of linen slowly out and handed it to him, all warm and soft. I offered to give him some comforting, as we seemed to have a bit of privacy, no modesty on my part, my dears. And though he was a gentlehobbit and turned the offer down I could tell he wanted me, really wanted me badly. Then I gazed into his eyes while he told more of his boring tales about his travels, but I was really thinking of what it will be like some day when I've seduced him into having all of me." She tossed her head and gave a sensuous chuckle. "Then he’ll have to marry me."

"Well you didn't hold back much, did you, you little vixen!" Violet exclaimed as she sniggered with delight.

"No she didn't!"

The lasses huddled around Persimmone all jumped in fear at the angry male voice that cut into their private girl's talk. The conversation amongst the group of matron’s and other lasses at the other side of the sitting room staggered to a halt. They all turned towards the door. It was Pippin.

"How dare you!" He strode into the room and stood towering over Persimmone where she sat upon a low footstool.

"I knew you all twittered on about who you've conquered but such details Persimmone? And you lying little hussy! Making me think you cared about me and my life! You horrid little liar!" Pippin's face was red, his voice hoarse and his eyes gleamed furiously. No one moved. They barely breathed.

Slowly the color drained from Pippin’s face until he was nearly as white as the terrified lass he stood over. His hand, which had become a fist, was as pale as his face and trembling. "Get out!” Pippin’s voice was now as cold as it had been fiery just moments before. “Every single one of you get out of my house. Now. Just get out!" Pippin’s voice was low, but each word crackled sharply. The girls sat in shocked silence. Still no one moved. The lads had all come running from the study and stood, amazed, crowded together in the doorway. "Get out now!" Pippin commanded them one last time, then he strode to the door pushing a few of the shocked lads aside until he was face to face with Merry.

Merry raised a hand to his cousin’s shoulder, but said nothing. He could see what the others could not. Not a single one of them knew Pippin as he did. Pain and tears filled his best friend's eyes. Pain, anger, sorrow and a horrible look of emptiness. In a choking voice Pippin whispered, "Get everyone out now Merry. The lads as well. I need everyone gone now." And he walked down the hallway to his room, his bearing unnaturally stiff, and slammed the door.

The house was quickly emptied and soon Merry was knocking at the door of Pippin's room. He received no answer to his knock even though he could hear Pippin moving about and muttering to himself on the other side of the door.

"C'mon Pip! They’re all gone. May I come in?" Merry asked as he now pounded on the door. There was still no reply. "Peregrin Took, I'm coming in whether you answer me or not!" With that Merry turned the knob and opened the door.

Pippin didn't even look at Merry when he walked in, he just continued rolling up clothes and gathering his belongings and stuffing them into a back pack. His bed roll lay strapped up and ready on the floor by the door.

"You're leaving?" Merry asked.

"No, I always pack up my things for when I'm staying home!" Pippin's voice was more than sarcastic, it was still sharp with anger. He finally stopped what he was doing and looked at Merry. "Yes I'm leaving. Escaping. Going away. Getting away. Running away if you like. Whatever you wish to call it. As soon as I can be packed and get Blaze saddled I'm leaving." He turned back to rolling up a shirt and stuffing it into the pack.

"Don't you think it's a little extreme? Where are you going?"

"No, I don't think it's extreme and I don't care where I'm going as long as it's away from this part of the Shire."

"That's not going to help much is it?" Merry sat down on the bed. "There's not a corner of the Shire you're not known in and news travels fast. Just what is it you're running from?"

"I could say everything, but that wouldn't be right." Pippin sat down on the bed beside his cousin. "You're not a problem, sharing the house with you is not a problem. My family isn’t even the problem." He looked at Merry and sighed. “In fact I’m not sure what good leaving will do as I seem to be the problem." Pippin sighed once more and looked down at his feet. “It will be all over the Shire won't it?"

Merry nodded sadly. "Yes. Nothing travels faster than female gossip, and you were none too gentle with those females. You had them terrified." Suddenly Merry grinned. "Not all that bad a thing in a way. It’s about time someone shook some sense into some of them at least. The looks on their faces were quite priceless as well." Merry's grin broadened at the thought, then he became serious again. "What happened?"

"Not a bad thing!" Pippin exclaimed. "I've only made it so not a father in the Shire will let me near his daughters." He paused as a new thought entered his mind. "Actually, you're right Merry, it is a good thing. I have decided to be done with lasses and this will just make it easier."

"Done with lasses? That sounds more drastic than leaving does, so I'll ask again, what happened?"

"I had gone to the kitchen for some more food as I knew we lads were nearly out of wine and cheese. I thought that perhaps the lasses needed something as well and as I neared the sitting room I could hear them talking so I thought I'd listen. You would think I'd know better but it seemed a good idea at the time." He turned to look at Merry with an incredulous look on his face. "They're as bad as we lads Merry! Worse in some ways, for you don't expect it from the lasses. They were comparing us and talking about how we court them. I could hardly believe it. They made all of us sound as though we’ve no minds of our own at all. As though we’re all puppets that they dance about on their hair ribbons.” Pippin wiggled his fingers a bit as though controlling a marionette, then slowly let his hands drop to his lap. “'Twas embarrassing Merry."

He blushed a bit as he went on. "Then Persimmone started up about me.” Pippin looked at Merry who saw the deep hurt had returned to his cousin’s eyes. “Merry, she sounded disappointed that I was able to control myself today whilst we were on our picnic. Iris had already twittered about she and I, and I nearly went into the room then, but I was only thinking of being relieved it hadn’t been Pansy.” A tremor ran through him, then he went on. “They were talking about all the ways they use to get us to . . . well . . . to not be gentlehobbits. I think those lasses understand us lads better than we understand them, Merry. But, back to the matter at hand, I was talking about Persimmone. Nearly the first thing she told them all was how she was going to be the mistress of Great Smials and maybe be taken to the king’s courts. Though she seemed unsure of what the king’s courts were.”

Merry nearly laughed at this but stopped himself as he saw a tear on Pippin’s cheek. This had taken quite a toll on the lad. Merry had asked the married couples to this party, asking them specifically to act as chaperones, because he had started to wonder about just this sort of thing, if the troubles Pippin was having might be as much a problem with the lasses as with himself. He sighed. It did indeed appear that he and Pippin had somehow managed to not be seeing the right sort of lasses. Pippin was continuing so Merry tucked his thoughts away to be dealt with later.

“Then she made me look a fool because I had truly believed she was interested in me." The color started to come up again in his face, his voice grew louder. "She said she could do as she pleased with me and that everything I had said was dull and boring. She claimed that because she had played me right she'd get everything she wanted from me." Pippin's pain filled green eyes looked deep into Merry's concerned dark blue ones. "It was what we had just talked about at lunch yesterday, Merry. I allowed myself to have feelings for her too quickly because she appeared to care about me. I wanted to believe she cared for me." Pippin stood up and started to close up his pack, keeping his eyes on what he was doing and away from looking at Merry. “I made it so easy for her to play me for a fool." His fingers fumbled with the ties. “I'm amazed I had the courage to go in the sitting room to tell her off. I don't think I've felt like such a fool since . . .” Pippin left his sentence unfinished but Merry knew what he was thinking. Pippin had never done anything as foolish as looking into the Seeing Stone. It was a memory he rarely spoke of.

“And I am a fool.” Pippin went on a bit too quickly. “I keep thinking that there should be more to love than that." He looked up and stared off into the air. "My parents may as well arrange my marriage to the highest bidder. ‘What are we offered for our pathetic son Peregrin, the hobbit who can give your daughter the finest home in the Shire, the best clothes and jewelry, and acceptance into the King's court,’” he cast a glance aside to Merry, “whatever that might be, ‘but naught for her to truly love.’” Pippin sighed deeply. "I'm a foolish dreamer, Merry, to think I'll ever have a wife and lover like Sam's Rosie." Pippin knotted his scarf, hoisted his pack then walked over to where his bedroll lay on the floor and bent to pick it up. He once again looked at Merry. "I may go to Minas Tirith, at least there I'm held in respect."

Merry got up and went after Pippin and they walked together out to the stable. He had gone to Pippin's room thinking the lad was acting like a tweenager, but instead Merry sensed a maturity in Pippin that surprised him. He decided that this was not a time to argue with his beloved cousin. Merry helped saddle and load Blaze. Pippin turned to mount up but Merry grabbed him about the shoulders and pulled him into a hug.

"You'll send word which ever way you decide to go, won't you Pip?" Merry suddenly realized that he couldn’t bear the thought of Pippin just leaving. It felt too much like when he had marched away with the army of the West to challenge the Dark Lord before his own gates. The feeling that he might not see his dear cousin again washed over him, leaving him feeling chilled. His right arm began to ache.

Pippin clung to his best friend, laying his head on Merry's shoulder for a few moments before stepping away. He couldn't answer so only nodded in reply. He mounted Blaze, gathered up the reins and walked the pony out of the stable. As soon as they were clear of the building Pippin set Blaze into a canter and was soon gone into the darkness.