21 A Special Wedding Gift

It was a carriage full of happy talkative hobbits that made it's way from Great Smials to Bag End later that day. Merry and Estella decided that if Pippin and Diamond were leaving they would as well and the four of them were filled with the high spirits that only being young and in love can bring. Sam and Rosie and all the little Gamgees were happy to have the company and soon things settled into as calm a pattern as was possible with Pippin and Diamond's wedding day quickly approaching.

The days began with a good breakfast and then Pippin and Diamond would leave for a walk together, if the day was warm enough, or would retire to Rosie's sitting room if the weather was chilly. Invitations for their presence at tea and such were received, but very few were accepted and the slower pace and increased time together did both of them a great deal of good.

Presents were arriving as well, to be admired and then packed away, ready to be moved to Crickhollow. Many were from Pippin. He had carefully noted everything Diamond had admired the day they spent walking among the stalls and booths at the Harvest Festival. With a nod or a gesture of his hand he had let the sellers know which items to set aside and bill him for. Candlesticks from the Lonely Mountains, table cloths with Elven embroidery, porcelain dishes for holidays and feasts made by a potter in Michel Delving, tapestries from Rohan and a small statue of a Gondorian Knight from Minas Tirith. Every day something new arrived and Diamond was overcome that he had been so attentive to her whims.

One day a package came from Great Smials and Merry and Estella insisted on watching Diamond and Pippin open it, with Sam and Rosie joining them as well.
"You must read the letter first!" Estella exclaimed. So Pippin read it aloud.

Pippin and Diamond tore off the wrapping to find . . . a book.

"A book?" Pippin said, meeting Merry and Estella's beaming faces with a perplexed look.

"Open it to the title page and you'll understand Pippin," Merry replied. Diamond open the book's cover and she and Pippin read:

Diamond was laughing delightedly. "Peregrin, my love! I had know idea that you were so complicated that I would need formal instructions in order to properly care for you!"

Pippin was not sure he found it all so humorous. "What is this all about Merry?" There was no laughter in his voice and apprehension filled his eyes.

"It's about you, what else? You should be flattered!" Merry said with a smile. "Well, it's about you and just generally good sound hobbit sense. You know the sort of thing, advice on life and marriage and child rearing."

Estella jumped in, "And how to fix your favorite foods and how to make all of Merry's herbal teas and tonics to keep you from getting sick, and your Mother's poultices and herbal oils for when Merry's teas and tonics don't work as they should. All about how to care for babies, although we knew you know much of that already Diamond, having cared for your siblings, but it's nice to have it written down."

"And secrets for keeping Pippin under control from each one of his sisters." Merry said and he winked at Diamond.

"Let me see that!" Pippin yelped, though he was now smiling. "The Terrible Took Sisters will have Diamond tying and gagging me and dunking me in rain barrels!"

"Actually, I think there is something in there about tying you to a chair, gagging you, and then everyone eating a sumptuous meal in front of you. With mention being made that even if you were to close your eyes, you would still be able to smell it all." Merry was grinning evilly.

Pippin grabbed the book and started rifling through the pages. He stopped at a page near the end and read for a few moments. Then he sat back, suddenly blushing and his eyes filling with tears. "I never knew they felt that way." Pippin said in an amazed whisper. He moved the book to Diamond's lap while he stared out the window and marveled over what he had just read. Diamond read the page, but not aloud.

Diamond gave the book to Estella, then turned and put her arms around her Peregrin, he turned to her and held her tightly. Merry and Estella knew what they had read so Estella handed the book to Sam and Rosie for them to read. When they finished, Rosie was needing to dry her eyes and Sam had to keep blinking. The four friends quietly left the room leaving the betrothed couple alone.

Pippin kissed Diamond's forehead then rested his chin on top of her head. "I truly never thought they would say such kind things about me." He chuckled a bit and gave her a squeeze. "I always thought I was such a terror to them. At least to Pimpernel and Vinca. Especially Vinca! There were times that I am sure our parents thought we were going to kill each other, and they may have wished we would have." Pippin laughed a little more and rubbed Diamond's head with his chin.

"But I thought you were everyone's little darling, my dear Peregrin, the household's pampered favorite." She poked him in the ribs and he jumped and squirmed. "You *are* ticklish!"

"No! Never have been. You just startled me, that's all."

"Pervinca said your right side in particular." Diamond’s eyes gleamed.

"Vinca told you that! Well she's lied to you then. No, never been ticklish." Pippin insisted.

But Diamond noticed that he had backed away from her the slightest bit and now held his right arm close to his side. She started to put her hand on his shoulder but fast as any striking snake she had her fingers between his arm and his ribs and wiggled them viciously. Pippin threw his head back with laughter as he tried to move farther away from her, but he was already up against the arm of the sofa.

"No!" He exclaimed while he writhed in helpless tickled agony. "I'm . . . he, he, he, . . . going to kill . . . ha, no, ha, he, stop . . . kill Pervinca!"

Diamond knew this game well, she had played often and hard with her siblings. She managed to push Pippin off the sofa and onto the floor where she promptly straddled him and sat on his stomach, all without having her fingers lose their spot on his side.

Pippin was very red in the face and breathing in great gasps and gulps. "Off!" he said as loud as he could, "Can't breathe! Off stomach! Please!"

"What was that!" Diamond crowed, "Begging for mercy, soldier of Gondor?"

"Don't . . . make . . . me," he gasped, "I'll hurt you. Don't . . . make me hurt . . . you!"

"I'll take my bruises, I've had plenty from my brothers. This is much too much fun!" Her voice and expression were happily malicious.

Pippin tried to pull her off, but he was weak from laughing and breathlessness, while Diamond grabbed his other side and started dancing her fingers there as well.

"Ask nicely!" She demanded.

"P . . . please!" He truly could barely breathe by this time. "Please . . . you . . . you can give me . . . hair cut. . . Cut my hair. . . Anything!"

"Your token of surrender is accepted!" Diamond proclaimed as she slid off of him to lie on her side next to him on the floor. She alternated blowing on his face to help cool him and kissing his cheek and forehead. After several minutes of gasping and taking deep breaths, Pippin finally felt like he might survive. The next time Diamond moved in to kiss his cheek, his lips were there instead. After a good amount of time had been pleasantly passed in kisses, he took his lips from hers and hugged her tightly with one arm while he worked the other under her head.

"You are much too good at that, Miss North-took of Long Cleeve. But I will honor the conditions of my surrender." Pippin shook his long locks in her face and it was Diamond's turn to giggle and squirm. "Sam used to cut Frodo's hair and I'm sure he cuts Frodo-lad's now, so I know there are some good shears here somewhere. Are you ready to trim my hair to your liking?"

"No," she replied, "but I'll trim it to your liking. How will that be Mr. Peregrin Took of Great Smials?"

Pippin gave her one more kiss on the mouth then stood up and helped her to her feet.

"That will be just fine, my dear." He held her by her shoulders and suddenly looked serious. "But you must make me a promise first."

"What is it you wish?"

"You must promise that you won't tickle me at the same time that you are cutting my hair." He said, and smiled one of his smiles that can light up a room.

"Of course I won't tickle you then!" Diamond grinned, and then as they were leaving the room she added, "I might clip my finger tips with the shears!" She shrieked and ran as he chased her down the tunnel to the kitchen.