While Tom Bombadil is off gathering the ponies and the clothing, four naked hobbits have a conversation.

Beta by Llinos and Marigold

***As always, not my characters. They belong to J.R.R. Tolkien and I will thank you all to remember that he's the one what undressed them, not me! This was written for Marigold and Llino's Challenge 38. The elements listed below had to be included somewhere in the story. Llinos selected the elements for this one.
Elements are: a dose of castor oil, a marigold, and a flag (My flag may be a bit of a cheat but let's say it's a symbolic flag, shall we?) It must also be said that this story is somewhat suggestive in nature. Somewhat...

The Barrow-Downs from Book One

'Dressed up like this, sir?' said Sam. 'Where are my clothes?' He flung his circlet, belt, and rings on the grass, and looked round helplessly, as if he expected to find his cloak, jacket, and breeches, and other hobbit-garments lying somewhere to hand.

'You won't find your clothes again,' said Tom, bounding down from the mound, and laughing as he danced round them in the sunlight. One would have thought that nothing dangerous or dreadful had happened; and indeed the horror faded out of their hearts as they looked at him, and saw the merry glint in his eyes.

'What do you mean?' asked Pippin, looking at him, half puzzled and half amused. 'Why not?'

But Tom shook his head, saying: 'You've found yourselves again, out of the deep water. Clothes are but little loss, if you escape from drowning. Be glad, my merry friends, and let the warm sunlight heat now heart and limb! Cast off those cold rags! Run naked on the grass, while Tom goes a-hunting.'

~~~~~from: 'Fog on the Barrow-downs' J.R.R. Tolkien

"Thinking of Marigold"

Merry closed his eyes and yawned. The warm sun was indeed doing its work. Old Tom Bombadil had been correct when he had suggested that they cast off the cold, white rags that they had been wearing. At first Merry had been shy about removing his clothing but after thinking it through he had realized that he was being silly. There was no sign of any other living soul within sight of them.

Sam Gamgee had been concerned about the loss of his clothing. He'd found it very distressing that the clothes he'd been wearing before his capture were lost for good and all. Merry supposed this was a natural reaction for someone who worked hard for what he owned. Sam probably had brought his very best things along on this adventure and losing some of them would mean a great deal more to him than it would to Merry.

Frodo had been ill at ease because it was very clear that he felt guilty about the incident and was blaming himself for the situation in which they now found themselves. Merry wished desperately that he could say something to ease Frodo's mind but nothing seemed to help. Frodo did seem to be enjoying the sun just now. Merry noted with satisfaction that Frodo was stretched out on the warm grass on his stomach, resting.

Pippin had surprised them all by being more than willing to disrobe. Pippin had shrugged his shoulders, and grinned shyly at Tom but had slid out of the white garments and the gold jewellery as quick as a wink. Merry's younger cousin had been more than happy to run about in the altogether in the sun. Back in the Shire Pippin was not nearly so casual about such matters. I suppose that all of us have changed in the short time that has passed since we've left our home. I can't expect Pippin to remain unchanged, can I?

"I wish there were a pond here," Pippin said as he sat down beside Merry. "I'd not mind a swim. Wouldn't it be lovely to be able to put our feet in a cool stream?"

Merry smiled but didn't open his eyes. "It might be at that. It is warm enough for swimming."

"I love sunshine," Pippin said falling back onto the grass.

"You also love snow and rain and falling leaves," Merry laughed, turning his head to look at Pippin.

"I do love all those things but today I love sunshine best of all," Pippin smiled. "It is quite a comfort to see the sun after all we've been through recently. It cheers me somehow."

"The flowers are nice here too," Sam remarked. "I seen some marigolds over there in that wide patch o' grass."

"Marigolds," Pippin smiled dreamily. "Simply lovely."

Frodo stirred and sat up. "I noticed some violets and a few wild flowers that I didn't recognize."

Merry was glad to hear Frodo joining in the conversation. "I suspect that Sam knows what all of them are, Cousin."

Sam smiled as if pleased with Merry's compliment. "After years o' workin' in gardens around the Shire I suppose I do know the names 'o most of the flowers."

"Marigold," Pippin sighed.

Merry, Sam and Frodo all looked over at Pippin curiously. "I didn't know you liked flowers so much, Mr. Pippin," Sam said, the surprise evident in his voice.

"What?" Pippin looked over at them and frowned. "Oh, flowers! Yes, well, everyone likes flowers, don't they?"

"You just said marigolds," Merry narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "From the way you said it, it sounded as if those might be your favourite flowers."

"Oh, I think they're lovely flowers but I wasn't thinking about flowers just now," Pippin said absently.

"Pippin, you are being even more vague than usual," Frodo chuckled. "If you weren't thinking about marigolds then why did you mention them?" Frodo looked interested and amused. This pleased Merry and so he reached over and poked Pippin in the ribs to encourage his younger cousin to continue. Anything that could lift Frodo's dark mood was to be encouraged.

"Ouch, Meriadoc," Pippin complained inching slightly away from Merry and rubbing his side.

"Well, what's this interest in marigolds, Pip. Tell us. Are you planning a garden?" Merry grinned. He couldn't imagine Pippin with his own garden. It was true that Pippin had grown up on a farm and Pippin's father had a great deal of skill as a farmer. Merry had often helped in his Uncle's gardens. He and Pippin had worked alongside Paladin on the farm but in spite of this, Pippin did not strike Merry as a farmer. No matter how often he considered the image of Pip out tending to the crops, he couldn't reconcile that Pippin with the Pippin who followed him into mischief.

Pippin blushed as he answered. "I suppose I was thinking of one Marigold in particular rather than the flowers. This Marigold happens to be a lass and not a flower."

"So, this Marigold has caught your fancy?" Frodo said with a wink at Merry. Merry snorted but didn't say anything. In light of Frodo's interest he did hope that Pippin would continue.

"I was just thinking about her," Pippin said with a sigh. "Sometimes I find myself thinking about her for no reason at all."

"There are lots of lasses in the Shire named Marigold," Frodo said. "Do I know this one?"

Pippin seemed to be considering his answer. He rolled over onto his stomach and then smiled. "Marigold Gamgee and I do think that you've met her a time or two," Pippin said.

"Sam's sister?" Merry blurted out utterly taken aback by Pippin's announcement.

"She's very nice," Pippin said. "She always speaks to me when I'm visiting Bag End and sometimes she brings me things. She gave me a cherry pie once." Pippin looked immensely pleased. Merry wasn't sure if it was the thought of the lovely Marigold Gamgee or the pie but either way it was comical. Pippin seemed a bit dreamy-eyed. Pie could do that to a hobbit but Merry suspected that this time it was the lass rather than the pie. "She has nice eyes and she calls me Mr. Peregrin as if I were important."

Merry smirked. "And we all know that you aren't."

Pippin glared at him for a moment before continuing. "She has nice ankles too. They're so small."

Sam cleared his throat. "Just what might your intentions be toward my younger sister, Mr. Pippin?" He was trying not to smile as he looked at Pippin. Merry could tell that Sam was amused by Pippin's fondness for Marigold. That was a good thing because Merry didn't doubt for a minute that Sam could be very protective when it came to his sisters. After all, if one had sisters then one did have an obligation to look out for them. Even Pippin had been known to defend the honour of his sisters. In spite of the fact that he was their younger brother he was still the only brother that they had and so matters of defence fell to him.

"Intentions?" Pippin frowned. He looked at Sam and then said, "I hadn't thought of that actually. I enjoy daydreaming about her and she makes splendid pie but I wasn't clear on any intentions really."

"Isn't she a bit old for you?" Merry asked.

"Not really, Merry," Pippin objected. "Your mum is nearly five years older than your father and that seems to be going well enough. I could marry an older lass. I'm mature for my age and so an older lass might be a very good idea. We'd have more in common that way."

"Sam, is Marigold at all interested in fishing or playing beaner?" Merry asked rolling his eyes.

"She can fish," Sam offered.

"I do more than that," Pippin frowned.

"Well, it might work I suppose," Frodo said.

"Thank you, Frodo!" Pippin said.

"Marigold can bake and Pippin can eat," Frodo grinned.

"A match for the ages," Merry said with a laugh.

Sam beamed. "She could do worse I expect."

"Now just a minute!" Pippin said with annoyance. "I admire her a great deal. She has a fine sense of humour. She laughs at all of my jokes."

"She's polite," Merry whispered loudly to Frodo who laughed.

"She's walked in the garden with me a time or two," Pippin said looking very proud of this.

"She's very polite," Merry whispered.

"Honestly, Meriadoc," Pippin said. "Is it impossible for you to believe any lass might enjoy my company?"

"Nearly," Merry said. "Besides, I thought that Marigold Gamgee was too clever to get mixed up with a Took."

Pippin scowled and then replied. "She is clever and she has very good taste in friends. You had best remember that your own father got mixed up with a Took, Meriadoc. Even if you won't admit it, we both know what that makes you."

"I'm a Brandybuck," Merry said firmly. "I'm too sensible to be a Took."

"So you have an interest in Sam's sister, Pippin?" Frodo said. Merry recognized this as an attempt on Frodo's part to keep Pippin and him from exchanging further insults. Merry allowed himself to be distracted. He found Pippin's choice of lasses entertaining and he wanted to hear more. He knew that Marigold Gamgee was too old for Pippin but he did want to know what Pippin thought. At least his younger cousin had excellent taste.

"I just sometimes think I might fancy her," Pippin said. "When I least expect it, I think of her and, and, and it's just something that happens." Pippin frowned. "Lately I've noticed that I think of Marigold and then sometimes I think about a friend of Pearl's who lives in Tuckborough and has the most ample bosom that I've ever seen."

"Lilly Brockhouse," Merry and Frodo said at the same time.

"How did you know?"

"Pip, everyone knows about Lilly Brockhouse and her endowment," Merry said with a wave of his hand. "She's famous for it."

"Well, I never did notice it until recently," Pippin said. "All at once I began to realize that she was much, much, larger there than most of the lasses that I know."

"If you tossed her in the Brandywine she'd float without any effort at all," Merry said grinning over at Sam who had probably not met Miss Brockhouse.

Sam raised his eyebrows and looked interested but was too polite to comment.

"Merry!" Frodo hissed rapping his knuckles on the top of Merry's head.

Pippin smiled that dreamy smile again. "Then there's Violet Greenholm and Sam's sister, Daisy and-"

"How many of Sam's sisters are you interested in, Pip?" Merry laughed.

"Well, it's only that I see them when I come to visit Frodo," Pippin said defensively. "They're about and I see them and so naturally I've noticed that they are all very lovely. Marigold is my favourite but May and Daisy are quite attractive too. I've not talked to them as often so I don't know them as well. Marigold is special and she makes excellent pies."

Frodo lowered his face and Merry knew that Frodo was trying to hide a grin. Merry winked at Sam and then turned to Pippin and said, "Have you said anything at all about this to Marigold?"

"Not really," Pippin said. "I did tell her how splendid the pie was of course."

"Of course," Merry said.

"I might have told her that she looked pretty once," Pippin said leaning his head to one side as if trying to recall. "She was wearing this rather low-cut bodice with little bits of lace sewn into the neckline. If you looked you could see a bit of. . . "

Merry clamped a hand over Pippin's mouth just as Sam's eyes began to narrow. Frodo's head was even lower now. "Pippin, you arse, that's Sam's sister you're talking about," Merry hissed. He pulled his hand away from Pippin's mouth slowly and frowned at him. As amused as Frodo was, Merry couldn't allow Pippin to get Sam angry. Sam could knock Pippin out with one punch and if Sam felt the need to defend his sister's virtue then it would be Merry who wound up fighting Sam. Merry had no desire to tangle with an angry Sam. Sometimes defending Pippin was more trouble than having to defend a sister. Maybe, Merry thought, that was exactly why he was not blessed with any sisters. The Valar probably knew he wouldn't have the time to properly defend a sister or two and still keep folk from attacking Pippin. Pippin was a full-time responsibility.

Pippin swallowed hard. "Sorry, Sam. I didn't mean anything offensive," Pippin said contritely. "I really was only thinking about how lovely the day was and then I saw the flowers just like you did and since the marigolds were the flowers that I saw, naturally I thought of your sister, Marigold and then one thing led to another and the next thing I knew I was thinking about her. . ."

"Pippin!" Frodo and Merry both shouted in alarm.

"Pie," Pippin protested. "I was about to say pie!"

"Let's you and I go for a walk in the sunshine, Pip," Merry suggested. Maybe if he could get Pippin far enough away from Sam he might still avoid disaster.

Pippin looked uncomfortable and mumbled something that Merry didn't quite get. "What was that, Pip?"

"I don't think I should go for a walk just now," Pippin said only slightly louder. It was clear that there was a problem but Merry wasn't certain what that problem might be.

"Why not?"

Pippin cleared his throat and blushed. "I think all this talk of lasses and such has caused me to rise to the occasion if you understand," Pippin whispered nervously.

Merry's eyes widened. "You mean that you've hoisted the flag?" Merry whispered.

"What are you two going on about?" Frodo asked and Merry could see that Frodo was straining to hear what was being said. Sam also looked interested.

Merry snickered but couldn't bring himself to say anything. Pippin surprised him by saying, "If you must know now isn't the time for me to get up because some of me already has." Pippin's face was flushed and he was looking down at the grass.

Frodo closed his eyes and groaned. Merry was unable to hold back his laughter now. Sam was blushing as if he were the one sporting the erection.

Pippin sighed. "I can't believe that none of you were affected by this discussion of lasses. Surely the three of you aren't that old. I can understand Sam because we are discussing his sister but what is the matter with the two of you?" Pippin looked curiously at his older cousins.

"Now, just a minute," Merry frowned. Sometimes Pippin could be infuriating. Here Pippin really should be embarrassed but instead Pippin seemed to be turning the entire thing around so that it was Merry and Frodo who should be embarrassed.

"I'm going for a walk *alone* over there in that high grass," Pippin said turning on his side facing away from Merry and the others. He was doing his very best to hide the portion of his body that had come to life during their talk. "I had best try to lower the flag of the Tooklands before Tom returns," Pippin stood and keeping his back to all of them, walked awkwardly off towards the field.

Merry was seized by an uncontrollable bout of laughter and Frodo was chuckling. Sam just shook his head and said, "That lad needs a good dose o' caster oil."

"What?" Merry giggled. "Castor oil?"

"My old Gaffer always said that if you've got the taste o' castor oil in your mouth and you're worrying about when it will start doin' it's work on you then you've not much else on your mind," Sam said seriously.

Merry howled with laughter again and now Frodo was laughing too. Both of them were probably starting to look like a couple of complete idiots. Sam didn't seem at all bothered by it. He just shrugged. "I hear tell it works."

"You hear it works or you know it works?" Merry laughed.

"It works," Sam smiled blushing again.

"Have we any castor oil with us?" Frodo asked between giggles while tears of mirth streamed down his face.

"No," Sam said. "If you'll forgive, Mr. Frodo. I wasn't expectin' this sort o' thing when we left Buckland."

Just then the sound of Tom Bombadil's cheerful singing could be hear in the distance and Merry looked at Frodo and then turned to shout in the direction of the high grass, "Lower the sails on the good ship Peregrin, Pip! I think Tom's here!"

Frodo collapsed onto the grass again helpless with laughter. Merry saw Sam trying to hide a smile as he stood up and walked over to meet Tom as he came over the brow of the hill.

The End

GW 03/04/2007

Until recently this was my only 'on the Quest' story. Who knew there was more to say? GW