Stories of Arda Home Page
About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search
swiss replica watches replica watches uk Replica Rolex DateJust Watches

Celeritas' Birthday Bash 2012  by Celeritas

“No!” Adamanta said.  “No wizards!”  Isengrim was nearly six months old, but somehow, Gerontius’ wife had as much say over the baby’s welfare as when he was still in her womb.

“Adamanta, love, he’ll be fine!  Why, Gandalf’s almost family!”

“To you, maybe.  You grew up with him!  And you can go on and visit him as much as you like—doesn’t seem to have done you much harm—but in no wise will I let him do anything to our son!”

“He won’t do anything to him, love.  No more than any of our other kin already have.  Even a wizard, I am sure, likes to coddle a baby.”

“That’s not what wizards were put here for, and you know it.  They’re made for nothing but mischief.”

Gerontius grinned.  “I happen to be rather fond of mischief, you know.  And a little mischief never did anyone any harm—in fact, I rather remember it leading me to you!”  He kissed his wife on the cheek.

“Yes, and while your bum sticking out of a briar bush was a lovely first sight of you, it still isn’t a future I’d like to inspire our children with.”

“Very well—but you must not forget, Adamanta my love—we are all Tooks here, and you cannot deny a Took his Tookishness.”

“I should never dream of it,” said Adamanta.  “And indeed, all of our children have my blessing on Tookishness.  I only draw the line at wizards.”

Gerontius harrumphed, and let her be.  Gandalf was only planning on staying for a night, but as far as he was concerned, wizards were a perfectly natural expression of Tookishness—and if they were not now, he was determined to make them so in the future.

He returned to Gandalf and told him, regrettably, that his lady wife did not give him permission to show him their son, but—if he did not mind being woken up in the middle of the night—he would have a surprise for him.

And, once he was certain Adamanta was asleep, he crept out of bed, slipped young Isengrim from his cradle, and went to the guest room where they had set two mattresses on the floor for Gandalf.

Nudging the wizard awake with his toe, he carefully set Isengrim in Gandalf’s enormous hand.  “I don’t suppose you get to see babies terribly often?” he said.

“Oftener than you would think,” said Gandalf.  “There are enough nobles in the South who take enough stock in me that they believe my blessing will allow their children some greater favor in the court when they grow up.”

Gerontius raised both his eyebrows.

“I make it a point to bless none of them.  As for your son—I think the blessing that comes of being a Took is enough, although I certainly wish him the best.”

“That’s quite good,” said Gerontius.  “Adamanta didn’t want you to do anything to Isengrim.”

“I try my best not to do things to people.  I can only speak—if you choose to listen, that is entirely up to you.”

“Can babes listen, then?”

Gandalf sighed.  “I am very fortunate to have met you, Master Gerontius—you teach me the meaning of the word ‘forbearance’ anew.  Have no fear—Isengrim is in no danger.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“Babes must listen, or they would never learn anything.  The true question is when they can begin to understand.”

Gerontius knew he would not get anything else out of Gandalf, so he simply nodded.  “Don’t worry.  Adamanta will come round in time—she always does.  But—even if she becomes fond of you—don’t expect her to show it.”  He set out to remove Isengrim from Gandalf, but found his son had entangled himself quite thoroughly in Gandalf’s beard.

As he tried to extract his son—gently—Isengrim woke up fully and began to cry.

“Hush,” Gerontius murmured, but it was too late.  His son was wailing, and it was only a matter of time before—

“Gerontius!  What was it I said about Isengrim and wizards?”

Gerontius turned around, gazed at his wife, and tried not to think of how attractive she was when she was this upset with him.

 





<< Back

Next >>

Leave Review
Home     Search     Chapter List