11

The trip back to Hobbiton was relatively quiet.  The children were still tired from all the excitement of the last three days and all were feeling the let-down that always comes after a holiday.

Goldilocks spent most of the trip sitting next to her favorite friend.  It appeared that Faramir had forgiven her and all was now well between them, for the moment.

-----

The Tooks stayed that night with the Mayor’s family and then headed back to the Great Smials the next morning.

“We have a birthday to get back for,” Pippin said as they prepared to leave.  “And Faramir’s got a job to do as a big brother for the first time.”

Sam nodded sagely.  “Ah, yes,” he said.  “He’s got to take young Ruby out to find her first gifts.”

Faramir stood close by with a smile on his face.  He didn’t want to let anyone know just how excited he was about this upcoming activity.

-----

Pippin and the lads arrived back at Great Smials at teatime.  They were able to slip in and surprise Diamond and the lasses since they were occupied with the meal.

He was able to keep the lads quiet till they reached the head table in the great dining room.  Quietly, Pippin leaned down and placed a kiss on Diamond’s cheek.  She jumped and gasped in shock.

“Miss me?” he asked when she looked up at him.

“Did you miss us too?” asked Faramir as he and Bandobras joined Pippin at Diamond’s side.

“Yes,” answered Diamond.  “I missed all my lads.”

“Good, Nana,” said Bandy.  “We brought you presents.”

“Nana?” asked Diamond, looking from Bandy to Pippin.  “Isn’t that what the King’s children call the Queen?”

Pippin nodded and smiled.  “Yes it is,” he answered.  “Faramir and Bandobras talked to Elanor about Bandy’s dilemma of what to call us.  Apparently, she suggested ada and nana and the lads liked it.  So, I guess we’d better get used to being called da and mum in Elvish.”

Diamond smiled.  “You brought us presents?” she asked Bandy.

The six-year-old nodded.  “Ada said we have to wait till after we give Ruby her birthday gifts first.  He said we have to do that before her birthday when she gives us her presents for us.”

“That’s right,” Diamond answered.  “Ruby gets presents from us because we’re her closest family.”

“I remember,” Bandy said.  “We get presents before noon on our birthday from parents, grandparents, sisters and brothers and any other close relative that wants to send us something.  We give presents to all family and friends on our birthdays.”

Diamond acknowledged his statement with a nod.

-----

When they were back in their apartments, the lads eagerly retrieved the gifts they had for the lasses.

Faramir went first.  “I found this necklace for you, Ruby.  Ada says it looks like your name-jewel, even though it’s not.  I thought you’d like it for your birthday.”

Ruby took the necklace and looked at it.  “Like!” she exclaimed.  “Fank you Far’mir!”

Bandy stepped forward next.  “I got you a doll,” he said.  “I thought it looked like your momma.  I hope you like it and I hope ada and nana are all right with it.”

“Of course we are,” answered Diamond.  “Your momma, my sister, was very pretty and would have been a good model for a doll.  Let’s see it.”

Bandobras handed the package to Ruby and Diamond helped her open it.  “Purdy!” said the faunt.  She gave her brother a hug.  When she let him go, the lad wiped a hand across his eyes.  If anyone had seen the tears, they kept silent.

“Now for our present, since we’re adopting you we get to break with the tradition,” said Diamond.  “You get to move out of the nursery and into a big girl room.  Come see it.”

Pippin and Diamond each took one of the child’s hands and led her to her new room.  She seemed a bit apprehensive but she looked into the room curiously.

“Do you like it?” Pippin asked.  

Ruby nodded.  “I big like Bandy and Far’mir now?”

“Yes, you are,” said Diamond.  “And tomorrow, Faramir and Bandobras will take you out to find your presents for everyone for your birthday.”

-----

The rest of the gifts from the fair were quickly distributed.  Sassy got a rattle from Bandy and a set of stacking/nesting blocks from Faramir.  He knew she was a little young for them now, but he hoped she’d be using them before Yule.

They gave Diamond matching mugs to put flowers in.  Pippin gave her the ribbon for her sewing project.  He also give her the blanket and wall hanging and the ribbons they had won.  “A loving Took relative wanted you to have these,” he said.

“Who did you talk out of their prize-winning work?”

“Now, that would be telling,” he teased.

“Now,” he said, turning to the children.  “Time for you all to go to bed.  Tomorrow will be a busy day.”

-----

Once the little ones were in bed, Pippin asked Diamond if she’d accompany him to late supper.  “I’ve already asked a minder to come sit with the children,” he told her.

“I surely can’t say no after you went to all the trouble to get a minder now, can I?” she said smiling.

“No, you can’t,” agreed her husband.  “And I hope you won’t say no to what I have planned after supper.”

“And what would that be?”

“Let’s just say it starts with warm water and ends in soft sheets.”

“You know, that sounds like something we both might enjoy.” Diamond batted her eyes seductively at him.

They both laughed.  Only they knew how wonderful it was to have this part of their marriage back at last.

-----

The sun rose early in the morning of Ruby’s third birthday.  The lads, while not up as early as the sun or their parents, were up earlier than they normally were.

The three older children rushed through their first breakfast so that they could go find Ruby’s gifts.

Diamond called warnings to be careful and not go too far to them as they headed out the door closest to their quarters.

-----

“Well,” said Faramir once they were safely outside, “where do you want to start, Ruby?”

The little lass looked confused.  She put two of her fingers in her mouth and looked up at her brothers.

“How ‘bout we find Nana’s gift first?” suggested Bandy.

Ruby nodded but didn’t move.

“Would you like to give her flowers?” asked Faramir.

Once again the little lass nodded.

Bandy took his sister’s hand and began to guide her out to the meadow near the Smials that was full of summer wildflowers.

Faramir pointed out various flowers and Ruby nodded at the ones she liked.  The lads helped her collect a nice handful.  Bandy placed them carefully in the basket that Diamond had sent with them.

Faramir took charge of the basket as Bandy took Ruby’s hand again.  “Now who do you want to find something for?  He asked.

“You!” she answered enthusiastically.  “Find you a good rock.”

“A rock?” asked Bandy.  “Why a rock for me?”

“For you to skip on dhe water,” she answered.  “I find one for bofe o’ you.”  At this she looked up and smiled at Faramir.

“What do you want to find for Ada and Sassy?” asked Faramir.

Ruby cocked her head to the side and thought hard for a long moment.  “A piece of wood for Ada and leaves for Sassy.”

“Interesting,” answered Faramir.

“Ada can make somefing from dhe wood and leaves are purdy, like Sassy.”

Once her mind was made up and she had the concept of giving the presents down, it took Ruby very little time to find what she wanted for each person in the family.

-----

That evening after her birthday supper, Ruby proudly handed out her gifts.  Everyone praised her choices and said she was growing into a fine, young, lass.

-----

Later that evening, once the children were all in bed, Diamond sat admiring the flowers Ruby had given and Pippin was enjoying a glass of Tookland’s best ale.

Diamond gave a little sigh, “They’re growing up so fast,” she said.

“Um-hm,” Pippin agreed.  “But you wouldn’t want them to stay little for ever.  Part of the joy of being a parent is watching them grow and learn.  Part of me can’t wait to see Sapphire on her third birthday.  I think she’s going to be beautiful and amazing and precocious and charming and….”

Diamond interrupted Pippin’s list.  “She’s already those things.  You’re just proud because she’s so much like you.”  She laughed and gave her husband a gentle punch on the arm.

Pippin shook his head.  “Yes, I am proud of her because she reminds me of myself.  I just hope she doesn’t give us half the grief I gave my parents.”

“Hear, hear,” Diamond agreed.

“Speaking of our children,” said Pippin, remembering that he needed to talk to his wife about taking the lads to Buckland and a few weeks, “I was thinking about taking the lads to out to Buckland the middle of next month.  Merry’s offered to work with them on riding and caring for ponies.  I was thinking that it’s about time they learned those skills and I can’t think of a better teacher for them than Merry.”

Diamond looked a little sad.  “You just got back from the fair,” she said, “and now you’re talking about going to visit Merry.  I’d like to have you here for a while, and so would Regi.  You know how hard he is to live with when he’s worried you might fly the coop and leave him stuck here as Thain.”

“I’d only be gone for five days,” he promised.  “I’d take the two days going out and the two coming back, plus I’d stay for one day since there is some business between the Master and the Thain that needs to seen to.  We’ve each got contracts and purchase agreements for the other to sign.  I’d leave Faramir and Bandobras there for a month or so and then Merry would bring them back to Hobbiton in time for Frodo’s birthday memorial.  We’d pick them up then.  And by that time, it will be time to get all the adoption paperwork finalized.”

“All right,” Diamond said, “but it better be no more than five days.  And remember, the next trip you take, we lasses are coming along!”

“Yes, milady,” Pippin said, bowing his head.