8 A Festive Day

The Harvest Festival was one of the main events of the hobbit's year. After all, what better thing to celebrate than another year of being well fed! Unlike the Free Fair that took place on the White Downs on the Lithe Days at Midsummer, the Harvest Festival was for only one day, the last day of the month of Winterfilth, the weather being less predictable in the autumn of the year and no one wishing to chance too long a stay away from home. The Festival brought together hobbits from the four Farthings for buying , selling, trading and fun, ending with the crowning glory of the Festival Ball. Fruits of the year's harvest, food of all kinds and the labors of hobbit crafters filled the booths and stalls that crowded the streets and town square of Hobbiton, and throughout the day the bustling of hundreds of excited hobbits filled the air. Now that the roads through the Wilds were truly safe, there were also wares from far away places that had not been available for many long years: items made by the Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain and the Glittering Caves, and goods from the lands of Rohan, Gondor and Dale, all of which now had strong connections to the hobbits of the Shire.

The small entourage of Mayor Samwise, his family and friends drew the attention of the other hobbits as they went from booth to booth. Everyone, it seemed, wanted to shake the new Mayor's hand to wish him good health and a good term of office. Merry and Pippin drew their share of attention as well. Even though they had decided to not wear their livery until the Ball that evening, most everyone knew them and they were popular, having lost none of their youthful charm and friendly demeanor. Diamond found all the attention overwhelming at first. Pippin, however, made sure her hand was always firmly in his and introduced her simply as his cousin from the North Farthing to everyone they met. He willingly stopped with her whenever she wished to look at some seller's wares and never asked her to hurry. Soon she had relaxed and was thoroughly enjoying the day.

“You can’t do it, you know.”

“Just watch me!”

Merry took careful aim at the stacked bottles on the wooden bench set well back from the hawker’s booth, drew back his arm and . . .

Just as Merry began his throw, Pippin ever so slightly bumped into him. The ball missed the bottles by a hair.

Merry looked angrily to where Pippin had been standing but, as if by magic, the lad was now on the other side of Diamond and well away from Merry.

“Such a shame, Merry,” Pippin tutted. “And you used to have such a good throwing arm. Must’ve ruined it lifting too many halves at the inns of Buckland.”

Merry glared at his smirking cousin then looked at Diamond. “You had best stay between us, Diamond, or you won’t have an escort to the Ball.”

Diamond looked shocked while Pippin chuckled. He bent to whisper in her ear. “Remember, we’re like brothers.” Diamond’s shocked look turned into a knowing grin. Brothers she understood all too well. As Merry took aim at the bottles, Diamond was bumped into him. Merry once more turned his glare on Pippin.

“You should be ashamed of yourself, Peregrin Took! Using an innocent young lass in such a manner.” He turned a kinder eye upon Diamond. “The oaf didn’t hurt you, did he?”

“No, Mr. Brandybuck,” she said sweetly. “Not a bit. Though you do appear to have missed your throw once again. ‘Tis such a pity you only have one more try.” She batted her lashes at Merry.

“Oh! I see. It’s like that is it. Well then . . .” Merry took Diamond by her upper arms and moved her behind Rosie, who was turning red with giggling. “You may stand here, Miss Clever North-took. And you . . .” He grabbed Pippin and shoved him behind Sam. “Mr. Obnoxious Pest-took, may stand right there behind our good Mayor who is honor bound to be honorable and not allow dishonesty.” Merry’s sly grin brightened his voice.

Merry’s next throw was a while in coming as he kept shifting his eyes to check on both Pippin and Diamond. In fact, he suddenly wasn’t at all sure he could trust Rosie or Sam. After a few false starts, the ball flew from Merry’s hand, soundly smacking into the bottles and sending them flying. He happily received everyone’s congratulations as well as his token for a free half of the best ale at the Green Dragon.

So it went at the other game booths. Pippin ended up having to pay for four chances of three stones each at the slingshot booth. Merry bumped him, Isengrim joined the fun by waving a hand in front of Pip’s eyes, and both of them made faces causing him to get the giggles. But eventually Pippin managed to knock over the tin cup three times. Merry happily joined the others in congratulating the lad

“Brandybucks can usually out throw a Took, but they’re all together too good with a sling or a bow. Well done, Pip!”

“Aye,” said Isengrim. “I’ll have to invite you up home for some coney hunting, Peregrin.”

Then Pippin spoke to the hawker to choose his prize. He chose a small embroidered pillow filled with lavender.

“You should have one of these that you didn’t have to make for yourself,” he said softly to Diamond. “Besides, I find I really like the scent of lavender.” He winked as he tucked it into the basket she had brought to carry any purchases she made. But Pippin hadn’t allowed her to pay for any of the small items that had found their way there, he had paid for everything.

They ate second breakfast and elevenses as they wandered from booth to booth. Luncheon they had at the Green Dragon with Diamond’s siblings joining them. It was a happy group at tables that had been moved together to accommodate them all. Topaz, Opal, and Aster Tunnely had bought or won all sorts of feminine trinkets and they were all a-buzz with what they planned to wear to the Ball and who, among the lads they had spied, they hoped would ask them for a dance. Opal was excited too as she had learned a few of the simpler dances that summer and was hoping to show off her newly acquired skills.

Adde and Bandy North-took sat with Robin and Toby Burrows around one corner of the table. Pippin had to hide his enjoyment of the lad’s conversation that he over heard.

“It was a shame that hawker at the darts booth noticed you nudging Topaz, Adde,” Bandy was whispering. “Took away another chance we should have had for getting even with her for salting your tea.”

“If it is her doing.” Adde frowned. “Never have caught her doing it. And then there’s your breeches leg getting stitched closed and you falling on your face when your foot caught short.”

“And the bath soap with the sand in it,” Bandy added, rubbing his arms remembering the scratching he’d got before he figured out what was happening.

Robin and Toby Burrows were having a terrible time not bursting with laughter, but knew better than to draw attention to their small group’s conversation.

“You’d best not laugh out loud!” Adde hissed. “It’s been horrible. We used to pull pranks on Topaz, Aster and Opal all the time and they hardly ever got us back. Now it’s turned about. They even did something to my sheets and I about broke my toes getting into bed one night. It’s war, I tell you. War.”

“You’ll have to try something at the Ball tonight,” Toby said gleefully and the lads leaned closer together to do their plotting.

Pippin grinned mischievously. He wasn’t sure if he would warn the lasses or not.

One of the afternoon’s highlights, well a highlight for all but the hobbit mums, was the candy grab. Rosie barely had time to hand wee Merry to his father before being dragged off by her eager children. Sam, Merry and Isengrim, Pippin and Diamond followed along. A large area with patches of grass and lots of dusty dirt had been roped off to form a square within a square. An adult hobbit stood at each corner of the outer square with a large basket in his hands. In the basket were all sorts of wrapped candies. Bouncing eager lads and lasses ages two to seven pressed against the ropes. There was a moment of trembling silence as the hobbits raised the baskets over their heads, then with a swinging of their arms tossed the candies high into the air where they hung a few moments before falling to earth inside the squares. The older children, those five to seven years old, quickly went into the inner square, diving to the ground to gather the treats. The outer square was for the littlest ones with mums and dads being able to help their faunts with picking up their candies. Soon most every child was dirty and grass-stained.

Rosie was busy helping little Rose-lass and not really watching her eldest child. She could hear some fussing starting up amongst the older children when suddenly she recognized a voice screaming from the inner square.

“Mine! Mine! That’s mine. And so is that one!” Elanor was ranting.

“ ‘Tisn’t! They’re mine. Mine!” returned a lad’s voice with a Tookish brogue.

Rosie Gamgee, the new Mayor’s wife, looked up. She was horrified to see her darling daughter, her daughter who was known for her Elven looks and gentle manner, with her skirts up about her waist, short clothes showing, wrestling in the dirt with a lad. Dust enveloped the two children as they pulled each other’s hair with one hand and kept grabbing for candies that were clenched tightly in the other. Then Frodo lad flung himself into the fray yelling, “ ‘Top hurtin’ ma sister!”

Rosie stood rooted to the spot. She was furious with her two oldest children, but couldn’t leave little Rose-lass alone. In Rosie’s moment of indecision, Diamond pulled up the ropes and made her way into the inner square.

“You stay right here,” she said firmly to Frodo-lad as she tucked him against her leg and a bit behind her skirt. She grabbed Elanor around the waist and pulled her off the lad. “All right, you two. Back to your Mum right now.” She grabbed hold of Frodo-lad’s wrist, ducked back under the rope, and presented the two combatants to Rosie. Elanor was totally filthy. Rosie could see the dirt lying thickly on her daughter’s scalp in amongst the dust dulled golden hairs. Frodo-lad was somewhat less dirty, having joined the wrestling match later.

“It was my candy, Mummy,” Elanor fumed. She held her lower lip in a trembling pout and angry tears were drawing lines through the dirt on her face. “I had my hand over it first and he tried to take it.”

“There was lots of candy, Elanor. You didn’t need to start fightin’ over one small piece.”

“It was mine,” was the fierce reply.

Sam came up next to his wife. “I’ll watch over little Rose. Merry has wee Merry. It looks like to me that two young Gamgees need to go home.”

Rosie looked gratefully at her husband and nodded. “Home, to baths and bed.”

Elanor’s angry look fell from her face, replaced by open mouthed, wide eyed shock. “But Mummy! But . . . but, the party. You said . . . you promised we were going to the big party!”

Rosie looked sternly at her dirty daughter. “And so you shall, though you scarce deserve it. But you will be going home now. You will have a thorough bathin’ and you will nap until it is time to get you ready for the Festival Ball. You will give me no word of argument, young hobbitess, or you won’t be goin’ with us tonight.”

“Yes, Mummy,” Elanor said softly, followed by a very loud sniff.

Rosie grinned at her husband and friends. She and her chicks were all ready for a nap. “Give me the other two, Sam dear, they need naps as well. We will see you when you come back to Bag End to get ready for tonight. Hope you have a quiet afternoon.” She winked as she took wee Merry (who was asleep) in one arm, Rose-lass (who was sucking her fingers and looking owl-eyed) in the other and started to herd the older two children down the road. “I know we will.”

“I got my candy away from him!” They heard Elanor boast as the small group walked away.

Afternoon tea and dinner was enjoyed by all as they walked about. They took second and third looks at various booths and pavilions, just enjoying the afternoon. Finally the shadows began to lengthen and the crowds thinned out as everyone headed for home or the inn to begin readying themselves for the evening’s festivities.

Rosie got Elanor all dressed up. Sam and the older lads said they would tend to the younger children so the two hobbitesses could enjoy their primping. Rosie and Diamond chatted happily about how wonderful the day had been as they helped one another get ready for the Festival Ball. Rosie looked a proper Mayor's wife in her new dress. The full gathered skirt was dark green velvet, the bodice was green velvet a few shades lighter than the skirt with a golden yellow long sleeved blouse beneath it. Pinned at the top of the bodice was the Elven brooch that had graced the cloak that Lady Galadriel had given to her dear Sam.

Diamond was sitting at the dressing table and caught sight of the brooch in Rosie’s reflection. She turned around to have a better look. “Where did you get that brooch, Rosie? Peregrin and Merry have one just like it on the grey cloaks they wear.”

Rosie’s hand went to the green leaf pinned to her bodice as a soft smile lit her face. “Pippin didn’t tell you? I’m surprised at that,” she said as Diamond shook her head. “Exceptin’ Gandalf the Wizard, the whole of the Fellowship, our Travellers, the Elf - Legolas, Gimli the Dwarf, Strider - or rather King Elessar, and Lord Boromir all received one from Lady Galadriel of the Golden Wood. She and her kin gifted them with the cloaks and these brooches.”

Diamond reached out to gently touch the jewel. “This was made by Elves?”

“That it was. My Sam doesn’t wear his finery nor his Elf cloak very often so he gave me this when we wed. He has robes and cloaks as fine as . . .” Rosie caught herself before she said too much. “As fine as a king’s would be. The King insisted that all our lads look as was befittin’ heroes such as they are. Well, befittin’ by the way folks are in his city. But Sam never felt quite right wearin’ his once he was back home as it isn’t how hobbits dress.”

“Peregrin hasn’t told me any of this, nor did I ask to be honest. I’m not sure why, but I didn’t”

Rosie smiled and bent to give Diamond a hug. “Well, you’ll just need to remember to ask him. It’s a wonderful story. But for now, lets get this necklace put on you.” Rosie picked up the necklace that Pippin had chosen to have sent with Diamond’s dress. “I’ve never seen the like of this! I knew the Tooks were wealthy but . . .” Rosie quickly turned red with embarrassment.

Diamond reached up to pat Rosie’s hand. “No need to blush, Rosie. Back in Long Cleeve we often say someone is ‘rich as a Great Smials Took’. You’ve not offended me.” She looked a bit harder at her reflection in the glass. “I'm not at all sure about wearing black to the Festival Ball." Diamond frowned. "It seems a bit somber, don't you agree Rosie?"”

There was nothing hobbitish about the dress that Diamond wore and though it was beautiful Diamond was uncomfortable with the idea of being dressed so oddly. Pippin had the gown made in the style of the dresses that he had seen the Lady Eowyn and ladies in the court of Gondor wearing. The dress was in one piece with no gathering to the skirt. The lines were graceful and, although Diamond was not as slender as the Lady Eowyn, the style did suit her well. The sleeves were of the same velvet as the dress and were full at the ends. Six-pointed stars similar to the Seven Stars of Elendil stitched in silver beads graced the sable velvet at the neckline and the hems of the sleeves.

Rosie smiled at Diamond in the mirror as she fastened the clasp on the ruby and diamond necklace Pippin had borrowed from his mother.

"I don't think you'll feel that way for long, Diamond." The necklace was soon in place resting just below Diamond's collarbone. "Now, let's go see if our lads are ready, shall we?"

The fellows had actually been ready for quite awhile and had been biding their time with pipes and talk in the sitting room. The Gamgee children were playing with Frodo-lad’s farm set. As the two hobbitesses entered, the lads rose to their feet and Diamond understood what Rosie had said about her wearing black. Peregrin was wearing the sable and silver of his rank as a Knight of Gondor, with the images of the White Tree, the Stars of Elendil and the King’s Crown shining upon the breast of his surcoat. He had wanted her dress to be the equal of his livery. Pippin walked over to Diamond and wrapped the deep blue velvet cloak about her shoulders, he bowed to her and then offered her his arm. Diamond could no longer tell if her feet were touching the floor. It seemed to her that she was floating as they left Bag End and headed toward the large pavilion
in the Party Field.

No matter how chill the night air the Festival Ball was always held in a huge pavilion in the Party Field. There were sides on the tent that could be lowered if it was too cold, rainy or, on rare occasions snowing and with hundreds of hobbits dancing inside under the lanterns, warmth was rarely a problem. A dance floor would be laid down, a small stage put up, and a multitude of lanterns hung. An area was also set aside with tables and benches so the dancers could rest their feet and non dancers could sit and watch the dancing. Children scampered about happily as hobbits firmly believed that everyone should enjoy every holiday, festival and feast. And of course, there was food and drink of every kind in abundance, for after all, there is no such thing as a hobbit celebration without food.

Mayor Samwise went to the stage and in his shy, humble manner welcomed everyone to the Festival Ball, then he and Rosie began walking about greeting everyone. That was seen as one of the duties of his office. Sam kept looking toward the dance floor and wishing he and his dear wife were dancing, and Rosie would gently bring him back to the job at hand.

"I promise you my dearest Sam," she whispered in his ear after awhile, "we will dance till our feet hurt tonight, but we can't be disappointing those who want to greet us."

"I'll hold you to that my sweet Rosie." Sam replied as he put one arm around her waist and hugged her tight.

Pippin was alight with joy at being Diamond's escort. The very first thing he did was to search out his parents and his sisters with their spouses so they could meet his radiant companion. Although they all knew one another, Diamond's long standing reserve and withdrawal from participating in festivities had not allowed them to become well acquainted. They spent some time at a large table chatting happily with Pippin's family while one couple or another from the group would have a turn on the dance floor. Finally Pippin decided the moment had come. He rose to his feet and turned to face Diamond.

"You accepted the last time I asked this, so I will be brave and try again." He smiled broadly, took Diamond's hand in his and adopted his courtly manor. "Will you give me the honor of a dance with you, Diamond of Long Cleeve?"

"But that last time, good sir, we were alone." Diamond replied coyly. She still felt a bit unsure of being out in the crowd and she was trying to make light of it by copying Pippin's mannerism.

Pippin had anticipated her fear. He drew her to her feet, held her close and whispered in her ear. "If I look only at you, Diamond, and you look only at me, then it will be as if we're alone. Dance with me, please. Don't turn this poor hopeful lad down again." He took his lips away from her ear and looked into her eyes, With their gazes fixed on each other he moved them out into the midst of the other dancers.

Without interrupting their own dancing, the eyes of most of the couples on the dance floor turned to watch Peregrin and Diamond. Some of them wondered who the maid was that was with the Took and Thain's heir. Those who recognized Diamond were amazed at the change in her. She seemed to have a glow about her and something in her posture or in the drape of her dress made her appear taller than she was, instead of shyly trying to hide inside herself. And that gown! She looked as foreign as Pippin did, the two of them in their silver and sable raiment, styled so differently from anything hobbits wore.

Ever since they had walked into the pavilion, there had been a buzz among the lasses concerning Diamond’s dress. Was this the new style? Did it feel strange, wearing a dress that, like a night gown, had no waist? Didn’t it go well with those foreign clothes that Pippin was wearing, and so often wore as he rode about the Shire? Who made it, and might they be willing to make one for someone else?

Diamond knew nothing of all this. Her attention had been on Peregrin and his family and while they danced there was no one else in her thoughts but him.

While most smiled to see the handsome couple, there were a few whose reactions were quite different. Persimmone Bolger's eyes glared with indignant envy.

"Who on earth is that little nobody dancing with Pippin?" She asked Violet Boffin. Violet shrugged but Primrose Proudfoot gasped in shock.

"It's Diamond of Long Cleeve! Diamond North-took! She's a seamstress for goodness sake!"

"A seamstress!" Persimmone hissed. "She works for a living! What's he doing with a girl whose family can't support her?"

"I'd be careful Persimmone." Violet whispered. "Remember that Mayor Gamgee's wife was a simple farmer’s daughter. Maybe it's fashionable to court lasses from lesser families."

"Dolt!" Persimmone stared Violet down. "And Mayor Gamgee was Frodo Baggins' gardener! Nothing wrong with him marrying a farmer’s daughter. He's only Mayor because people like him and elected him to it. But Pippin, and Merry for that matter, they're different! Their families have wealth and status in the Shire and Buckland. Especially Pippin. Now that there's a King and a Kingdom, the Thain of the Shire is an even more important person, or so I’ve heard, and Peregrin Took is going to be Thain. He's already a Knight. If the old stories are true, that means he’s nearly as important as the King himself!"

"It really should be you in that dress and having Pippin for your escort, Persimmone." Sighed Primrose. "You're from a good family, and you're so pretty, you deserve all that finery."

"I know." Persimmone hissed through clenched teeth. "I'll just have to get rid of her somehow."