~The Pirates of Bag End: Part Two~

“Get ready to sail, First Mate!” Pippin called to his cousin as he stood atop the deck, hands on the wheel, sailing his ship out to sea. “There’s still a chance we can save the lady Elizabeth!”

“Aye, Captain Sparrow!” Sam called back, then went to unfurl the sails.

“Merry, bring me my rum!” Pippin yelled to Merry, who was sitting in a nearby chair, looking to be asleep. He paid no heed to the captain. “MERRY!” Pippin repeated, kicking the leg of the chair.

Merry jolted awake, nearly falling off the chair, and Pippin giggled, momentarily forgetting his fearsome pirate façade.

“What, Pippin?” Merry demanded.

Pippin straightened. “That’s Captain Sparrow to you, you miscreant! I said, bring me my rum!” he ordered.

Merry bowed with a sarcastic flourish, then dashed off to find the empty wine bottle Pippin had been playing with earlier.

“AND MY HAT!” Pippin called after him, noticing that his floppy hat was not on his head.

“We’re coming up to the island, sir!” Sam called, pointing in the distance to where the island stood on the horizon.

“Aye, I see it,” Pippin said.

* * *

Gandalf stood in the hallway, amused by all of Merry and Sam and Pippin’s pirate chatter in the other room.

“You’d think they actually believed they were pirates,” he whispered to Frodo, standing next to him.

Frodo smiled. “They will believe anything they pretend if you let them pretend long enough,” he replied. “Last summer it took us forever to get Pippin to stop saying his mother was a fairy, just because he had heard someone say the Tooks might be related to fairies and he made up a story about Aunt Tina being a fairy.”

Rosie chuckled from where she was sitting on the floor beside them.

“My brother Jolly was like that when we was little. But he’d believe anything anyone else told him as well as stuff he’d made up,” she said. Suddenly she yawned. “Do you think they’ve found the island yet? I’m right tired of bein’ kidnapped, Mr. Frodo.”

“I’m sure you are. Sounds like they’re just about landed to me,” Frodo replied. “You shouldn’t be held here too long, Rose.” He gave her a sympathetic smile and she grinned.

Suddenly the three scallywags rushed into the room and Pippin thrust his wooden sword at Frodo.

“Hand her over, Flint!” he demanded, looking at his cousin with his most fearsome pirate face.

Sam giggled, then went to stand by Rosie as Frodo pulled his own sword out. “Oh, I suppose I’ll have to fight you, then. I won’t hand her over for anything!” he cried dashing at Pippin.

For a moment they engaged in a fairly comical duel, while Merry, Sam, Rosie and Gandalf sat by laughing.

Pippin finally managed to disarm Frodo (though he didn’t do it on his own. Frodo started to feel bad when Pippin was most obviously getting the worst end of the deal), and he leaped up, victorious as Frodo backed away.

“All right, Captain Sparrow! You can have her!” Frodo said, going to stand beside Gandalf. “I’m too tired to fight you more anyhow.” He smiled at his cousin.

Pippin grinned. “I’ve won!” he cried. “Will, we’ve freed your girlfriend! Now you two can live happily ever after on my ship as pirates!”

Sam blushed again. “She’s not my girlfriend, Captain Sparrow!” he protested.

Rosie laughed. “Captain Sparrow seems to be havin’ a joke at yer expense, Sam,” she said.

Sam was quiet for a moment, then said, “Oh,” and fell silent again, still blushing.

“Well, that was a fun game,” Merry said. “But really, I think the story should be more original next time.”

“Like what?” Pippin asked, glancing around for inspiration as to what their next adventure could be.

“Like this!” Merry grabbed Pippin’s hat from his head and dashed down the hall.

“HEY! THAT’S MY HAT!” Pippin cried, and dashed after him.

“Well, I’d best take Rosie home and get on home meself,” Sam said, smiling. “My Gaffer’ll be expectin’ me and I don’t think he’d appreciate it if I spent all afternoon playin’. I’d love to, though.”

“Well, we wouldn’t want to make your gaffer mad, though, so you get on home, Sam-lad,” Frodo said, giving his friend a hug. “See you both later!” he said as he showed them out the door. “Come by later to help with supper, Sam?” he added, winking at his friend.

Sam smiled. “Sure will, Mr. Frodo!” he called. “And I’ll help clean up whatever yer cousins’ve broken while they’re here.”

“Good bye, Sam!”

Frodo headed inside where he found Gandalf sitting in the hallway, listening with an amused smile to the rambunctious chatter of the two young hobbits still chasing each other around in the halls.

“I’ll let them run their energy out and then Pippin might actually go to bed tonight. He seems to forget he’s nearly twenty years younger than me, and thinks I need as little sleep as he does,” Frodo said with a chuckle, explaining to the wizard why he wasn’t trying to calm the two down.

Gandalf chuckled. “Hobbits,” he muttered under his breath.

~Finis~