A/N: Some of Meadowsweet's character, and her eldest son's name, are courtesy of Jodancingtree, who first wrote them in Runaway. Thanks, Jo!

Chapter 43. Teatime, and a little before 

Meadowsweet became slowly aware that her husband was lying beside her, holding her tightly. He smelt of soap, and when she turned to embrace him, to run her fingers through his hair, the curls were still damp, as if he’d come fresh from the bath.

‘Tolly-love!’ she said, half-sitting up in surprise, but he pulled her closer, burying his face in her bosom, shaking with... with fear? With grief?

‘Tolly,’ she said gently, stroking the damp head. ‘Tolly, what is it?’

‘I cannot...’ he sobbed. ‘I cannot wash it away. I’ve scrubbed, and scrubbed...’ And truly, his skin was reddened from scrubbing, she saw, though he shook as if with a chill. His skin was cold to the touch, she felt, and so she pulled the coverlet up over them both, and twined her arms and legs around him, to share her warmth, fresh from sleeping.

‘What is it that you cannot scrub away, my love?’ she said, her voice very soft. ‘How can I help?’

He shook his head, and very hopelessness filled his tone as he answered, ‘Naught. There’s naught you can do, my love. It is my own burden to bear.’

‘But it seems to be something that cannot be borne,’ she pressed, and when he did not answer, she sharpened her tone, just a bit. ‘Tolly, I begin to lose patience with you! Certainly, you’re a very sober hobbit in the winter months, when the sun hardly shows her face, but this is more than just that!’

‘I let them go,’ he whispered.

Meadowsweet sat up and froze, stock still. ‘You let the ruffians go?’ she hissed, and looked to see that the bedroom door was well-shut. ‘You let them go?’ she said in growing outrage, ‘after what they did—they nearly did—to young Farry?’

‘No, not those,’ Tolly said. ‘I am well and truly mortified, Sweetie, for watching them die, and horrible deaths. Nay—some time ago, when the leaves were turning... in autumn last, before Farry ran away and Ferdi meant to fetch him back and we both were accused of child-stealing—I found some wanderers in the Shire, and led them out again, past the Rangers. I let them go, and it’s likely they told the others, how to sneak into the Shire... I never thought, at the time... I only meant to spare them a terrible death... and then these ruffians, mine was the hand, mine the tongue that pronounced sentence upon them, and such a terrible judgment it was, I can scarce draw breath for the horror of it.’

‘It was the Thain’s judgment,’ Meadowsweet urged. ‘The Thain’s...’

Tolly shook his head. ‘Nay,’ he said. ‘The Thain never said... he said only... and I was the one, told the Rangers...’

‘You’re not making sense, my love,’ Meadowsweet said, pulling him to her breast and caressing him once more.

‘I almost feel I brought them to it,’ he whispered.

‘But you did bring them to it,’ Meadowsweet said, desperately trying to understand. ‘You and the Mayor and the rest of the escort...’

‘Nay!’ Tolly said again, brokenly. ‘I showed those other Men a safe way past the Rangers... These ruffians were evil Men,’ and under his breath he repeated, ‘evil Men, but had they not found their way into the Shire, unmolested...’ He stopped, buried his head once more, and lay shuddering with silent sobs of horror.

‘And so,’ Meadowsweet said, feeling her way, ‘and so you are the one to blame, both for what happened to Ferdi, and for Farry, and even, for the ruffians themselves...?’

And Tolly lay very still in her embrace, while she wracked her brains. What to say? She’d heard how the King’s healing hands had opened young Farry’s eyes to life again, and wiped away the horrors he’d beheld, but what was to be done for Tolibold?

‘My love,’ she said at last, working her hand under his chin, raising his head by main force when he did not seem able to look her in the face. ‘My own love,’ she said again, and kissed him, tasting the salt of his tears on his cheeks, even on his lips, and then she pressed herself against him, mouth to mouth, eye to eye, stretching her body over his, breathing her love into him, breath by breath, kiss by kiss, until he began to respond to her life and warmth.

And yes, a thought of hers, very deep and private, murmured in the back of her head. She’d cast her lot, sealed her fate, for it was the time for quickening, or so her body told her. Likely some time, some months hence, in the time of falling leaves Tolly would have his wish.

***

When they wakened, still entwined, it was to a gentle rapping at the bedroom door, and the voice of their eldest, calling. ‘Mum? Dad? It’s time—the Naming is about to begin... and you’re supposed to begin it!’

Meadowsweet sat up with a gasp, pulling the bed linens around herself just in case he should open the door. ‘All right, Gorbi!’ she called. ‘We’ll come, just as quick as we can!’

‘I’ll tell them,’ Gorbibold answered through the door. ‘Shall we meet you in the great room?’

‘That’s right,’ Meadowsweet said, hastily arising and seeking out her best gown, that she’d left ready, draped over a chair, when she’d sought her pillow. ‘That’s right, lovie—take the rest of the childer with you, will you, dear? And your father and I will be right there!’

Tolly groaned himself upright, dark circles still visible under his eyes, and he blinked as if having trouble awakening.

‘Come, my love,’ Meadowsweet said. ‘It’s time for the Naming, and you promised to be first...’

Tolly squeezed his eyes shut and bowed his head, grieving. Yes, before all this mess, Ferdi'd wrung a promise from him, in jest, that he’d be the first to bring a gift to the new lass, a bottle of wine “for joy, and make sure it’s a good one, finest that money can buy! After all, the Thain gave you quite a bonus, last month...!”

‘Aye,’ he whispered voicelessly. ‘Aye.’ And he arose abruptly from the bed, grabbing at his “fancy togs” that Meadowsweet had left hanging on a convenient hook, for just this occasion.

He pulled the clothes on, while Meadowsweet silently worried. This was worse than any winter-sadness she’d seen in her husband before. Usually, after... he’d waken refreshed, stretching like a cat, and give her a wink and a nuzzle before tossing on his clothing and going to his duties, suitably cheered despite the dreary weather.

‘Stand there,’ she said, adjusting the lace at his throat, smoothing the collar of his jacket, sneaking a quick kiss on his chin, but even that did not bring a smile. ‘All ready now, I think.’

‘Fine,’ he said with a sigh. ‘Let’s get this over with as best we can.’

‘Aren’t you even curious as to her naming?’ Meadowsweet said.

Tolly sighed again. ‘Ferdi didn’t know, the last time we spoke,’ he said. ‘I’m sure that Nell has picked something suitable.’

‘I’m sure she’d like to,’ Meadowsweet said, rather cryptically, but Tolly wasn’t paying much attention. He was searching in the cupboard, finally coming up with a promising bottle, gracefully formed of dark glass. ‘Careful! Don’t shake it!’

‘I know better,’ Tolly said, ‘though I’m half-tempted to sit down and drink it, and drown my sorrows.’

‘Don’t you dare,’ Meadowsweet said. ‘Now, love, come along, or we’ll find that we’ve kept them all waiting!’

The soft chiming of the clock in the sitting room gave emphasis to her words. ‘Four o’clock!’ she said. ‘Why, tea ought to be starting! You’re keeping the Thain waiting!’

‘What more can he do to me, than he’s already done?’ Tolly muttered, but he squared his shoulders, took up the bottle in one arm and offered the other to Meadowsweet. And so they hurried to the great room, arm-in-arm, if the term “hurried” may be used to describe their progress. They could not go so quickly as to jar the fine wine, after all. Even though it’s not as if Ferdi will be enjoying it, this evening, Meadowsweet whispered, for the injured hobbit would not be allowed spirits for some days yet. Tolly blinked his eyes fiercely and nodded agreement.

The great room was full to bursting as Smials Tooks and Tuckborough residents and friends and relations from far and near gathered to honour Ferdibrand and Nell’s youngest.

Ferdi was seated by the great hearth, in a chair made comfortable with cushions and soft knitted blankets, his feet elevated on a stool. He was thinking privately that he might as well have stayed in bed, but he looked up at Pimpernel, standing with the baby in her arms, with a smile and a wink to let her know that all was well. Their children were clustered near at hand, all grinning broadly.

Regi was watching the door. ‘Do you want me to go and fetch him myself?’ he said.

Pippin shook his head. ‘I already took care of it. I saw Gorbi, hovering about the tables of sweets, and sent him off to tell his parents that we cannot start without them.’ His eyes lighted. ‘Ah,’ he said in satisfaction. ‘Here they are now. Tolly’s a sight, but Sweetie looks like the cat that’s been in the cream.’

Diamond gave him a sharp nudge with her elbow and he subsided, putting on a properly dignified face. ‘Ahem,’ he said, and the nearest hobbits in the crowd began to subside, silence spreading from the front of the room to the back, until everyone was as quiet as Ferdibrand himself.

As head of the family, the Thain moved to stand by the proud parents and raised his voice to speak the traditional words.

'It has been a month and a day since this new hobbit graced the Shire with her presence,' he said, 'and we gather now to welcome her to the family and to write her name in the Book.'

Little Lass gave a sort of hiccough, and a ripple of amusement ran through the crowed, and then a soft murmur of "welcome".

An expectant hush fell, and the crowd parted so that Tolly and Meadowsweet could make their way to the head of the room, their children falling in to either side. Tolly kept his eyes on his toes as he walked, right to where Pimpernel stood, and stopped.

Meadowsweet nudged him, but he seemed to have lost the use of his tongue.

A lot of that going round, Ferdi thought to himself. He wanted to say something, opened his mouth, in fact, groped for a word, and fastened on about the only word he’d been able to manage, this morning. ‘What?’

Tolly looked up, slowly, his eyes widening to see Ferdi, in the life, sitting before him. ‘F-Ferdi?’ he said, unbelieving.

Ferdi grinned just as widely as he could manage. Sweetie didn’t bother to tell you? Reports of my burial were... well... only slightly exaggerated, but they were exaggerated, all the same.

‘W-w-w,’ was all Tolly could manage.

Meadowsweet, stricken with remorse, for she hadn’t realised... she’d thought... in any event, she tried to save the situation. ‘Welcome to the family,’ she said in a high, clear tone. ‘We give the gift of wine, for joy...’

‘Joy, indeed!’ Nell said, and Ferdi put out a hand to take the symbolic gift, and then Regi took it from him, to leave his hands free for the next. Usually it was the father holding the babe, and the mother accepting the gifts, but the general consensus was, with Ferdi still so very shaky, ‘twould be better for him to drop a gift than to drop the babe.

Joy, indeed! Tolly allowed the tears to flow freely as he fell forward, to grasp Ferdi’s hand in his and pump it vigorously. He was becoming quite a leaky sieve, he was, tears here and tears there and yet he cared not a whit.

And Ferdi was grinning like an idiot, and nodding, and squeezing Tolly’s hand in return with as much strength as he could manage.

And when Tolly could pull himself away, he embraced Nell and the babe, leaving a kiss upon each of their foreheads, and he whispered his blessing to the sweet and wondering face that stared into his. ‘Welcome to the family, little love!’

Reginard and Rosa came forward with a loaf of bread. ‘Welcome to the family,’ Regi said, and Rosamunda added, ‘We bring bread, that she may never know hunger.’

Meliloc Brandybuck stepped forward with a small bowl filled with white crystals. 'Salt,' he said, after his greeting, a twinkle in his eye. 'That she would never be spoiled.' There were a few soft snorts here, a few discreet eye-rollings there, but on the whole the crowd of Tooks kept their composure from long practice. Meliloc, Pervinca’s husband, always gave the same gift. Some said it was the fruit of wisdom gained by being married to a difficult wife, though he managed her beautifully and appeared to adore and revere Pippin’s mercurial sister.

Faramir stepped forward, carrying a butterfly he’d netted, and with his uncle Ferdi’s help, mounted, though he’d been unable to stick the pin through the velvet-soft body. Ferdi’d had to do that part. ‘Welcome to the family,’ he said. ‘I give the gift of wonder, that the world might always hold a little magic in her eyes.’

Merry smiled and swallowed hard, remembering a similar gift at Pippin’s Naming celebration, given by their beloved cousin Frodo.

One by one the relations and friends stepped up with their greeting and their gifts, a flute to bring music to her heart, flowers for beauty, honey that life might be ever sweet, oil that she might live off the fat of the land, and more. Many of the gifts were clever, and laughter was sprinkled amongst the more serious presents. Some of the gifts were duplicated, of course, but in hobbit eyes this merely multiplied the blessing.

After the last gift was given, Reginard stepped forward again with a sparkling crystal glass filled with water. 'Welcome to the family,' he repeated. 'I bring water, that she may never know thirst, or drought, that the rain that falls into her life may be ever sweet and refreshing, that all her sorrows may be quickly washed away.'

He moved to stand at Ferdi's side, as Pimpernel turned to lay the tiny lass in her father’s lap. Ferdi dipped his thumb into the water that Regi extended to him, stroked it gently over the babe's forehead, and kissed the wet spot tenderly.

He looked up at Nell, for he was unable to speak the traditional greeting. Mischief, however, sparkled in his eyes, and she gave an answering grin, though she gave a soft snort before speaking.

'Welcome to the family, my lass,' she murmured, and laid a hand on either side of their little daughter, to help Ferdi to lift her as high as he could manage. Together they held the little one up, for everyone to see, and Nell raised her voice to announce, at last, the Name.  'We welcome...’ she said, and paused, a smile that fully matched Ferdi’s for mischief playing about her lips. And she took a deep breath, meeting Ferdi’s eyes, and then looking to the crowd. ‘...Wonder!’

There was a wondering murmur, as if in answer to this novel address, surprised laughter chuckling forth from more than one hobbit, a gasp of surprise from others. What sort of name was that?

And yet, with all the strange happenings of the past few days, the marvels, the unheard-of goings-on, well... somehow it seemed fitting, if extremely unTookish.

‘Wonder,’ Diamond said softly to her husband. ‘I’m surprised they thought of it before you did!’

Pippin laid a gentle hand on her swelling abdomen. ‘There’s time yet,’ he said. ‘Just you wait. I’ll figure out a way to outdo them.’

‘That’s what I’m afraid of,’ Diamond said, and shook her head. ‘It’s a good thing we have love-names to fall back on, don’t you agree, Farry?’

Farry laughed out loud, a high peal of pure joy, and many of the hobbits standing close by stopped to savour the sound.

‘Wonder,’ Merry said to Sam, and Sam nodded, and being Mayor, he always knew the right thing to say, and he said it.

‘Indeed.’

But Pippin was speaking in a voice that carried over the crowd, shouting his greeting, and indicating the beginning of the festive tea, though there was something rather more festive than tea in the glass he was brandishing aloft, for the servants were circulating through the crowd with trays full of “cheer” as the Tooks call it. The Thain, as tradition demanded, gave the first toast of the evening.

‘Welcome, Wonder!’

There was a cheer and a chorus of welcome as other glasses were raised, and the musicians struck up the first tune, with many more to come.