9

“Do you think it’s safe to tell them?” Pippin asked Diamond as they prepared for bed one evening in late Forelithe.

“I don’t know,” she answered, turning down the light covers on the bed and climbing in.  “Try to remember how you reacted to such news at their age.”

Pippin got a horrified look on his face.  “No, I’ll wait till a day or two before we need to leave.  If I say anything any sooner, they’re likely to tear the Smials completely down in their eagerness to be on the road.”

Diamond had to laugh.  “I think it’s a wonder that the Tooks still have this magnificent home considering how you must have acted as a child.”

“The only reason they do, my dear, is because I wasn’t living here.  We moved here when I was a tween, still a handful but not as bad as I had been as a child and teen.”

-----

Two days before they were to leave for the Lithe Days Free Fair in Michel Delving, Pippin called both lads into the family’s sitting room.  Faramir and Bandobras entered cautiously.  They couldn’t think of any reason they might be in trouble but anything was possible.  They had lifted a couple of cooling tarts the other day but since the older children were doing it too, they didn’t think anyone could single them out for punishment.

“Have a seat,” Pippin said when they shuffled in, “and don’t look so down.  This isn’t about the missing tarts.”

Both lads looked shocked.  Someone had reported their misdeed.  

“You know about that?” Bandobras stammered.

“I know the cooks said that there were no tarts for tea in the dining room because a herd - I believe that was the word she used - of young hobbits made off with most of them.  I simply guess that you two were involved and I also know that, given the right prompting, the guilty will reveal themselves.  Never forget that I was one of the biggest scoundrels that the Shire has ever seen.

Faramir could only shake his head in amazement.  He still could not picture his responsible father as a crop raiding, pie stealing teen.

“What I wanted to talk you about,” Pippin said, bringing their thoughts back to the present, “is the three of us taking a trip to the Free Fair.”

“What about Mum and the lasses?” asked Faramir.  “Wouldn’t they be coming too?”

Pippin shook his head.  “No, not this year.  Sapphire is still a little young for all the traveling and the crowds and all the noise.  Ruby might enjoy some of it but she’s still a little young.  Besides, her birthday is on the third of Afterlithe and this is an important one.  She’ll become a faunt this year so there’s a party to plan while we’re gone.”

At this, the questions flew thick and fast.

“Is Uncle Merry and his children coming?” asked Faramir.

“What’s the Free Fair like?” asked Bandobras.

Pippin opened his mouth to answer these questions but, before he could, they on to the next questions.

“Will the Mayor and his lads be there?  I want to see Merry and Pippin and I hope Goldy gets to come with them this year.”

“How long will it take to get there and how long will we stay?”

Faramir also added, “Will we be camping or are we staying at an inn?”

“Slow down,” Pippin begged, holding up his hands.  “I can only answer one question at a time.  As far as I know, the Brandybucks will be there; at least Merry, Perry and Wenny.  The Free Fair is had to describe, Bandy, It’s like the biggest market day you’ve ever seen with livestock judging, and sales going on too and there are displays of crafts and produce and amazing food.”  Pippin had to stop himself from wandering off-topic and into a daydream of all the delicacies to be found at the fair.

He finally continued his answers.  “The Mayor has to be there to open the fair and to judge some of the contests.  I’m assuming that some of the Gamgee brood will be with him.  Though I’m wondering just why you are asking about Goldy.  I figured a lass would be one of the last people you would want to see.”

“She’s not like other lasses,” Faramir answered.  “She’s not afraid to get dirty and she doesn’t scream at worms and frogs.”

“Oh,” was Pippin’s only comment on that.  “As for your other questions, it will take us a couple of days to get there.  We’ll travel to Hobbiton and then go to Michel Delving from there.  As much as I’d enjoy camping like many families do, I don’t have that freedom.  As the Thain, I’m expected to do certain things and behave in ways that people believe a leader of the Shire should behave.  For some reason, people expect the Thain to stay at an inn.”

The lads looked disappointed and Pippin guessed that his own expression was a mirror of theirs.

-----

Just after second breakfast on Forelithe 29, Pippin loaded the last of the luggage into one of the Tooks’ wagons.  He had decided that the wagon was more practical and less ostentatious to take to the fair.  Once this was done, he helped Faramir and Bandobras into the wagon bed.  Lastly he turned to Diamond and Reginard. “We should be back by teatime on the second of Afterlithe.”

“We’ll keep things running smoothly while you’re gone,” Regi assured him.  “I guess it’s a good thing that I have no real interest in attending the fair.”

“You don’t know what you’re missing,” Pippin answered.

“I’ll live in blissful ignorance.”

Pippin gave both Sapphire, who was nestled in her mother’s arms, and Ruby, who was standing with a hand wrapped in Diamond’s skirts, a little kiss on the cheek.  He then gave Diamond a lingering kiss.  “I love you,” he said, “and I’ll miss you.”

“You’re going to be so busy and have such a good time that you won’t even have a moment to spare for thoughts of us.”  She smiled as she said it so that he knew she was teasing.  “I’ll just have to make sure you know what you missed by not being here when you get back.”

“Mmm, I’ll hold you to that,” he said.  

“Just make sure you don’t wear yourself out on the trip home.”  She giggled and that set Pippin to laughing too.  Regi just shook his head and turned to leave.

“I guess we’d better not carry this any further or we might embarrass the relatives,” Pippin was finally able to say.

“But only the relatives,” Diamond answered.  

“Oh, I’ll keep that in mind.  You know I love embarrassing the family.”

She gave him a playful swat on the shoulder.  “You’d better get on with yourself or you’ll miss tea with the Mayor.”

-----

“There it is!” shouted Faramir.  “Yay, we’re almost there!”

“There’s what?” asked Bandobras.  He had to admit that he was glad they were almost to their first stop.  He was getting tire of bouncing around in the wagon even though it had been well padded.

“Bag End,” answered Faramir.  “That’s where Mayor Sam lives.  It used to belong to Frodo Baggins but when he left, he left it to Sam Gamgee and he’s lived there ever since.”

Bandy was at a loss for something to say.  He had heard of Sam Gamgee since he was the Mayor but he couldn’t remember ever hearing of anyone named Frodo.  He turned a confused look toward Pippin.

“You’ll learn the whole story soon,” he told the lad, “but not necessarily today and not all at once.  “You may hear some of the story on this trip but I can’t promise that.  Even Faramir hasn’t heard it all.”

“But Ellie has and she sometimes tell the rest of us stories but she leaves out the best parts,” the older lad said.  

“The best parts?” asked Pippin.

“You know, the scary stuff like battles and monsters and people dying.”

Pippin’s mood suddenly turned very serious.  “Those weren’t the best parts, trust me,” he said.  They may be exciting to hear but they were not exciting to live through.  They were terrifying.”

Faramir subsided.  He knew he’d gone too far and had upset his da.  He hadn’t meant to do that.  

“Sorry.”

Pippin sighed.  “I hope those parts of the story can remain exciting to you and that you never have to know the fear your Uncle Merry and your Uncle Frodo and Sam and even I went through.”

The rest of trip to the stables in Hobbiton was made in silence.  Once they had left the wagon and the two ponies with the stable hand, they climbed the Hill to Bag End.

By the time the neared the neatly painted green door, the lads’ good humor had returned and they were running and skipping ahead of Pippin.  He smiled as he watched his sons.  He was becoming sure that Bandy and Ruby would be his children by the end of the year.

Faramir rang the bell and then stood bouncing on the balls of his feet as he eagerly waited for someone to answer the door.

“Well, who do we have here?” asked Rosie Gamgee as she opened the door and looked down at the two lads on her doorstep.  “Faramir Took, if you don’t stop growing, you’re going to have the same problem finding clothing that fits as your father does.”

“Oh, I’ll never be as tall as da is since I can’t have any of the Ent draught he had.”

“But who’s your friend here?” Rose asked, looking at the other lad.

“Oh, this is my new brother, Bandobras,” Faramir said by way of introduction.

“New brother?” asked Rose.  She was obviously not expecting that answer.

“Well, he will be soon, if all goes well,” said Pippin, walking up and catching the end of the exchange.  “I guess I should have written to Sam and yourself when I wrote to tell Merry about it.  I guess it slipped my mind.  Things were a bit stressful for a few weeks there.”

“Well, come on in,” Rose said, ushering them into the smial.  “Sam should be along shortly and then you, Peregrin Took - Thain though you be, can explain it all to both of us.  As for the lads, they can run along and find my brood to play with.  They can both share a room with Merry and Pip-lad tonight.”

“Yes!” exclaimed Faramir, jumping up and down.  He then grabbed Bandy by the hand and ran back outside to find the Gamgee children.

When they were gone, Pippin looked closely at Rose.  “It seems that I’m not the only one who hasn’t been forthcoming with all the news.  When are you due to have this one?” 

“Not for another month yet,” Rose answered.  “And it’s hardly news when another babe arrives in this family,” she said and tapped him on the nose for emphasis.

“Since I can’t go to the fair, Goldy is the youngest one of the lot that will be attending and the only reason she’s going is that your son is going to be there and she refuses to be left out of anything that Faramir is included in.

“I still cannot understand why a little lass has to feel like she has to keep up with a lad more than a year her elder.”

“Maybe for the same reason that that lad only talks about three of the Gamgee children, that being Merry-lad, Pip-lad and Goldilocks.”

Rose just shook her head at that.  “Well, come along and have a seat.  Sam should be back soon and then we can have supper and a nice long catch-up.”

-----

It didn’t take long for Faramir to find his two favorite Gamgees and to introduce them to Bandobras.  The four lads were soon engrossed in watching the doings of an ant hill near the compost heap.  

Goldilocks caught the attention of Merry-lad and placing her finger to her lips pointed at Faramir.  Her older brother blinked to let her know that he knew to keep quiet about her presence.

Soundlessly, the wee lass slipped up behind Faramir and began tying knots in his curls.  Like his father, Faramirs hair hung in loose ringlet to his shoulders and Goldy found it extremely easy to tie up without him even feeling it.

Finally, Merry could keep a straight face no longer and began to laugh.  Goldy glared at him and stormed off.  Faramir put his hands to his head and screamed.

While the greater part of the children were outside, Rosie took the opportunity to see to dinner and put the finishing touches on tea.  Sam noted that she added an extra cup to the children’s tea tray.

“What’s that for?” he asked.  “Did Pippin pick up a stray on the way here?”  Pippin had been infamous for finding stray animals as a child and trying to bring them home, or to wherever he was visiting at the time.

“Not exactly,” answered Pippin.  “I brought my new son along with Faramir.  He’s never been to the fair and he’s old enough to go so the three of us came.  Diamond decided that the lasses were still too young for it so she stayed back at the Smials.”

“Lasses?” said the Gamgees together.

“Last I knew, you only had the one precious little jewel,” added Sam.

“We doubled our blessings,” answered Pippin, “though it was not without sorrow.”

“Orphans?” asked Sam.

Pippin nodded.  “Diamond’s sister Jade died in childbirth three years ago.”  Here he couldn’t help but look at Rose who was due any time.  She gave him a sad look and protectively put her hand to her swollen belly.

“Well, Jade’s husband had been raising the two children with help from her parents.  That was until the sudden late winter storm back in Rethe.  While we had wind, rain and some ice, the North Farthing had a blizzard.  Rudy was caught out when he went to care for the livestock.  They found him only steps from his door.”

Sam was remembering the blinding snows of the Redhorn Gate and how disorienting it had been.  “I see that it could happen that you could get helplessly lost in snow like that.”

“Diamond’s parents asked us, when we were there for the funeral, if we would be willing to take Bandobras and Ruby.  Of course, we said yes.  It’s been a challenge at times but they’re starting to fit in well enough.  We’re hoping to make the adoption final just after harvest.”

“Then I guess congratulations are in order,” said Sam.

It was at this moment that they heard the scream.

All the adults headed for the front door but were met by four young lads before they could step outside.

“Who screamed?” demanded Sam.

“What happened?” asked Pippin.

“I’m going to kill that little orc!” exclaimed Faramir.

“No you’re not!” yelled Merry and Pip-lad at the same time.

“Everybody calm down, use indoor voices and tell us what happened.” ordered Rose.

At this moment, Goldilocks came through the door looking like the picture of innocence.

“She did this to me!” shouted Faramir, pointing a finger at the little lass.

It was then that Peregrin saw his son’s hair.  “Oh, no.  Diamond’s going to kill me.”

“Are you going to have to cut it?” the lad whined.  

Rose looked at the knots and twists that her daughter had woven into the young Took’s hair.  “We may have to I’m afraid.  We’ll see what we can do though.”

“Diamond really dislikes having to cut his hair.  She likes it longer like mine.”

“It figures,” said Sam.  “Your outlandishness has begun to rub off on your wise wife.”

Pippin chuckled and shook his head.  “I can’t help that she, and I, like the Gondorian style.”

“Well, let’s see what we can do to salvage young Faramir’s locks,” she Rose.  “And as for you, young lass,” she said, turning to her young daughter, “You need to go to your room and think about what you’ve done and what you need to do about it.”

As Rose lead Faramir to the kitchen where the light was better, Sam and Pippin turned to the other lads.

“And did you see what Goldy was doing to Faramir?” Sam asked his sons.

They hesitantly nodded.

“And you said nothing to stop her or warn your friend what was happening?”

Pippin-lad just stared at his toes while Merry-lad answered for both of them.  “We just thought it was funny and that he’d figure it out sooner than he did.  You know that Faramir and Goldy have always been at each other since they were faunts and he shoved her face into the mud.”

Peregrin looked at Bandobras.  “Did you know what was happening?” he asked.

Bandy was clearly nervous.  “You won’t be mad at me if I tell you, will you?” he asked.

“No,” answered Pippin.  “I may not be pleased with your answer but I won’t be mad at you.”

“I saw,” Bandobras confessed, “but since the others didn’t say anything, I kept my mouth shut.  I’m sorry.”

“All right then,” said Sam.  “All of you to your rooms until supper.”

The three young lads disappeared as fast as their feet would carry them.

“You know,” said Pippin when there were no young ears to hear, “we’re going to have our hands full when those two reach courting age.”

“No, we won’t” answered Sam.  “It will be the easiest match the Shire has ever seen.  They’ve made it clear that they belong to each other from the time Goldy reached faunthood.”

-----

When Pippin entered the kitchen, he saw that Rose had made some small progress in untangling his son’s hair.

“I think we’re going to be about to get most of these out,” Rose informed him.  “I could use another set of hands and a few less yelps from this one.”  She gave a gentle tug on the curl she had just unwound.  

Pippin stepped up and looked the mess that had been his oldest child’s hair over.  He then found a spot and began working the first knot loose.

In the end, they were able to get most of the knot and tangles out and had to only cut a couple of snarls out.

“Do you think the missing bits are hidden enough that Diamond won’t notice?” Pippin asked when they were done.

“She never be the wiser as long as all you lads keep your mouths shut,” she said.  And that was the end of the discussion except for Pippin’s reminders to Faramir and Bandobras that what happened at Bag End stayed there and would not be brought up at home.

-----

At dinner that night, a very subdued Goldilocks apologized to Faramir and Pippin-lad and Merry-lad said that they were sorry they didn’t warn Faramir about their mischievous little sister.

-----

Even before the sun had sought her bed, everyone at Bag End was settling for the night.  The next day would begin three busy days of festivities.