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Eleventy-one Years: Too Short a Time   by Dreamflower

Chapter 32 : Rory

Summer S.R. 1323

In Afteryule, Bungo had a serious turn, and took to his bed, which he now seldom left. When he did, it was only to go so far as the parlour, where he slept in his armchair by the hearth. Bilbo had taken over all of his father's students now, and his mother filled the duties of the Baggins, acting as Family Head and Mistress of the Hill. He would come of age this fall, and he both dreaded it and looked forward to it.

However, he much enjoyed his teaching duties; he had several students now. Dora and Drogo were still coming to him for their lessons, though Dudo was too young for such, and was also often sick. His mother still was tutoring him. There were a few Goodbody cousins and the local blacksmith had engaged him to teach his newest apprentice, Mat Lightfoot.

"He needs his letters to run a business when he becomes his own Master, Mr. Bilbo; but I've not got the patience nor the head for teaching. I just know my letters and my numbers and how to do sums; but the teacher's got to know more than the student!"

In spite of coming from a poorer working class family, young Mat was an eager pupil. He was quite grateful for the chance to learn how to read and, as he put it, "to figger". Bilbo found him very bright and so good with numbers that it took little time to bring him to more advanced work.

One day when Master Noakes came to pay him for the lad's lessons, Bilbo drew him aside.

"How is he doing as an apprentice blacksmith?" he asked.

"He's good at learning what's needed. I'm hoping though that he grows somewhat more; he's a mite small for the work and needs to build up his muscles. Still, he's only seventeen--he may hit a growth spurt ere long. If not, I'm not sure he'll have the strength for some o' the work."

"Well, I should like you to know that his lessons with me will not be wasted. Mat's very apt with the numbers, and if he cannot make it as a blacksmith, you would do worse than to keep him on as a clerk. He's only been at it a few months, and he already shows an aptitude for accounting. He's honest and he's fond of you. It would free you up for your own work. And, as you say, he may yet grow. If so, he will be very successful in business as his own Master."

Drogo remained (though Bilbo never voiced it, and was scrupulously fair with his other pupils) Bilbo's favourite. Drogo adored his older cousin, and had a passion for reading and learning that they shared. Dora however, spent about half her time at Bag End with Belladonna, learning various forms of needlework and household management. Her own mother was simply not up to it, and spent most of her energy on young Dudo.

It was about the middle of Forelithe when Bilbo brought several letters in. "Mama, the post has come! There's a letter for you from Aunt Mirabella!"

"10 Forelithe, S.R. 1323 Brandy Hall

"Dearest Bella,

I'm writing to see if I can impose on you and on Bilbo. Young Rory has entered his tweens, and is turning into a real handful. He is constantly slipping away from his lessons with his Uncle Orgulas, and has become the ringleader of a group of tweens and older teens who follow his lead in planning and executing all sorts of japes, and twice has been caught scrumping in the Marish.

He's repentant enough when caught, and never lies about what he's been up to, but his father and I are at our wit's end.

Rory has always been very fond of Bilbo, and I know your son has a real talent for teaching. Do you suppose he could come and stay with you for a while and have some lessons from one of his favourite cousins? Bilbo is a sensible hobbit, and I think he could possibly tame his cousin. If it is all right with you, we can drop him off right after the Lithe celebrations at the Great Smials and he can stay until Bilbo's Birthday Party.

Please be honest with me if it is not possible. I know that Bungo is not well, and it may be too much for him to have a boisterous Brandybuck under his roof. If this is the case, don't hesitate to tell me. I would not want to make him worse. But I confess I am very much hoping that the answer will be yes.

In other news, wee Primula has entered faunthood this spring, and I have to say that Rory was very good about supervising the little byrding as she gathered some flowers for me and an interesting looking stick for her Da.

Little Dinny is doing quite well with his lessons; he's become quite the little scholar and often has his nose in a book well beyond his years. Gorbadoc's sister Laurel is teaching both Asphodel and myself how to knit! (Yes, after all these years of avoiding it, I decided to set my daughter a good example and finally learn how!) I know that you are an accomplished knitter, and would laugh to see my poor efforts, but Laurel assures me that I am steadily improving, and Asphodel is becoming quite good at it. When Primula gets old enough to learn, I hope to be good enough at it to teach her myself.

All the older children are doing well (except for Rory, who seems determined to drive both his parents mad).

Do let me know your answer soon.

All my love,

Your fond sister, Mira"

That evening Belladonna and Bilbo spoke to Bungo, who urged them not to keep Rory away just for his sake. So Bell went to write to her sister and tell her yes, while Bilbo discussed Rory with his father. Bungo, after all had been a Family Tutor for many years and had much wisdom to impart.

Rory arrived with his parents and younger siblings in the Brandybuck family carriage three days after Midsummer, just in time for luncheon.

While Uncle Gorbadoc had a quiet word with Bungo, who was seated in the parlour, and Belladonna was embracing Aunt Mira and gushing over how much the younger children had grown, Bilbo drew Rory aside and they escaped to Bilbo's room to talk.

"Are you going to be angry with me as well, Bilbo?" asked Rory as he flopped down in the middle of Bilbo's bed. "Because if you are, I might just as well go home."

Bilbo sat down in the chair next to the bed, and shook his head. "No, I'm not angry. But you are getting a little too old to be pulling the sorts of tricks we did when we were younger. It's true I will need to talk to you about your lessons, but that can wait until tomorrow."

"Oh." Rory looked surprised. "What's so important then?"

"I need your help."

Rory's expression was almost comical. Clearly that was the last thing he had expected. "What do you need my help with?"

Bilbo sighed. "You know my father's health is not getting any better. Mama's had to take over all of Papa's duties as Head of the Family, and I've taken over all his pupils. Yet I will be coming-of-age this year. Everyone will be expecting a really great party, but I have very little time to put into it, and Mama tires easily as well these days--it's all she can do to take care of what she must. I'd like to ask you to take charge of planning my party.

His younger cousin's grey eyes grew large. "Me?" he squeaked, his voicecracking.

"Yes, you! Brandybucks are famous for their parties, so I am sure you know something of the task; and you wouldn't have to do it all by yourself. My cousin Dora knows a lot about things like invitations and what's proper and so forth, and she can help you with it; she's already agreed. I would have asked her if you had not been available, but her mother is not in good health either, and then there's little Dudo. Still, she should have enough time to help you out."

"But...I'm scarcely a tween! I only just turned twenty-one!"

Bilbo shrugged. "I was only your age when I was put in charge of overseeing an entire smial being restored. I know you can do it!"

Rory was beginning to look intrigued. "But don't you want some say in things?"

"Use your judgment, Rory. If you think it's important to ask me about, then come to me. But I've simply no time to see to all the details. I'll be seeing to my gifts, and that is going to be a big task all by itself. I think this is something you can do with Dora's help."

"Well, I did do my own birthday party this year by myself..."

"See! I know you can do it!"

Just then there was a rap on the door, and at Bilbo's call of "Come in," young Dinny stuck his head in. "Lunch is ready!"

The dining room table was crowded with the Bagginses as well as the Brandybuck brood, and there was much laughter and conversation. Even Bungo was able to stay at the table and participate, though Mirabella noted with concern that her brother-in-law only seemed to pick at his food. After the meal was finished, Bella helped Bungo back to bed.

Bilbo took the chance to pull his uncle aside. "Uncle Gorbadoc, do you think that you will be able to locate the items I wrote to you about?"

His uncle nodded. "Orgulas will be making another trip to Bree to deliver some of our apple brandy to one of our customers there. He knows of just the craftsman there who can provide your request."

Bilbo gave a sign of relief, and passed over a purse of coin. It gave a satisfying clink. "I hope that will be enough."

“I'm sure that it will be, lad. But I'll instruct my brother to make up the difference if it isn't, and you can pay him back later.”

“Thank you so much, Uncle,” said Bilbo. “Those are very important gifts!”

The Bagginses saw the Brandybucks off shortly after luncheon. Rory suffered his father's admonitions to behave, and his mother's embraces and his younger siblings' shouts of “Good-bye!” before he watched them drive off, hoping to make the inn at Frogmorton before supper. Belladonna had packed them a basket for tea so that they need not stop before then.

That night after Rory had gone to bed in the guest room, Bilbo looked over the letter from Orgulas Brandybuck and the box containing much of Rory's recent work. Clearly part of the problem, (as Orgulas freely confessed) was that Rory was not challenged. Being taught alongside his younger brothers and sisters meant that Rory was being held back from more advanced lessons.

Bilbo sorted through the essays and the other work in the box. He could tell that his younger cousin had quite the head for figures, but that the sums he'd done most recently, while correct, were sloppy and unfinished. His essays on history were lackluster and showed a complete boredom with the subject: considering that they seemed to concentrate exclusively on the settling of Buckland, its founding, and the Oldbuck family that came as no surprise. There was scarcely an acknowledgment that the rest of the Shire existed. Bilbo was fairly certain that could be laid at his tutor's door.

He thought over what he and his father had discussed when he'd told Bungo of Aunt Mirabella's request as he made his evening ablutions, and by the time he'd gone to bed he had a plan of action.

~~~~~~~

It was with not a little trepidation that Rory followed Bilbo into the study where lessons were given. Bilbo was one of his favorite cousins; he loved the way Bilbo was just always there, steady as a rock and ready to take care of him if disaster fell when they'd been drawn into one of Chop's or Siggy's wild schemes. And when he himself seemed to bring down disaster (usually entirely by accident) Bilbo never blamed him for what he'd never iintended, but just helped him pick up the pieces, and usually shared the punishment if there was any.

But he'd no idea what this almost-grown (well, really grown, because it was only a few months till he came-of-age) person would be like now that he was officially Rory's tutor. Somehow the "official" part was more than a little nerve-wracking; people tended to change when they got put in charge of other people.

Bilbo smiled at him, and gestured to one of the armchairs by the hearth. He took the other one, and leaned forward. "Well, we do need to talk about your lessons. I've read your uncle's letter and looked at your work. I know that you are capable of doing better."

Rory shrugged. "It's just not very interesting."

"I think I got that impression," said Bilbo, though not at all sternly. Rory was surprised not to hear any censure in his cousin's voice. "You've a great head for mathematics. Your essays are legible and correct, but not very interesting, because it's clear you are bored with the subjects. And nothing against your Uncle Orgulas, but I think that his plate is too full to give you the sorts of challenges you need."

While this was exactly what Rory thought himself, he bristled on his uncle's behalf. "He's got Sardy and Dody, not to mention my sisters and a bunch of the cousins. And he has to help my Da as well!

"Exactly."

Rory sat back and blinked. This was not quite how he had expected this talk to go.

"I've decided that for the subjects of history, reading and writing, it will be just the two of us. You are woefully untaught in any history beyond that of Buckland. You need to learn of the founding of the Shire, and of your Tookish heritage. As for reading, it is no wonder you have become bored with books when the ones you are given to read consist mostly of books about husbandry and journals of various Brandybucks. The library in Brandy Hall is extensive, but not terribly varied. You will find more interesting books to choose from here, I dare say."

Rory nodded. He still felt cautious, but he was beginning to feel better about Bilbo as a teacher. Perhaps things would be all right after all.

Bilbo continued. "You are doing quite well with your numbers, though your work could be neater. I have another student who is also gifted in that way. I'd like to put the two of you together, as you are on the same level; he is a year younger than you, and behind in his letters, but in figuring he has learned very quickly. Mat Lightfoot is a working class lad, an apprentice blacksmith, and I think working alongside you will give him some confidence. I believe you will like one another very much."

Bilbo grinned. "As to genealogy and etiquette, I have another tutor in mind for you. Since you'll be working with Dora on planning my party, I figure to bake two loaves in the same oven. You can brush up on your Took longfather tree and such as you work with her planning the guest lists and writing out the invitations. Dora may be young and a Baggins, but she has an extensive knowledge of the Family Trees of the Great Families, and some knowledge even of the Lesser. I don't think formal lessons will be needed, but I do expect you to know your Tooks at least as far back as Thain Isengrim II by the time I come of age!" Bilbo chuckled, and Rory smiled sheepishly. His Mum would be pleased if he came home knowing more about her side of the family.

"Now, to start you off," Bilbo reached to his side and picked up two books from the small table next to his chair. "This was one of my favorite books when I was your age, a birthday gift from my Uncle Isengar." The spine said Stories from the Southlands, and when Rory opened it, it said "by Isengar Took. "It's a collection of some of the tales he heard when he went adventuring in the Outlands in his youth. He freely admits that many of them are probably fancies and fabrications, but they are most entertaining tales. After you read it, write no less than half a page about whichever tale you wish, explaining what it is you like about it, and how it could relate to hobbits."

He handed Rory the other one. West of the Brandywine: Marcho and Blanco of the Fallohides and the Settling of the Shire by Scudamor Bolger. "Read the first chapter and write no less than one page and no more than three about the events that led the King to grant the Shire to the hobbits."

Rory looked at both books. They sounded more interesting than what he usually read for lessons. But he still had one little niggling fear in his heart, and he screwed up his courage to ask: "Bilbo?" He hesitated briefly, but was encouraged by the interest in his cousin's eyes. "Bilbo, will we still be friends, even though you will be my tutor?"

"Oh Rory! Of course we will! And I am quite sure that we will have other things to do and to talk of than just lessons!" And his expression was so friendly and open that he banished all of Rory's fear and doubts.








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