Sorry about the wait. Dealing with all the pressures of being a freshman in college, mind you.
Larner – I hope it’s not too unbelievable that a hobbit would have – well, she’s not psychic. The best way I can explain it is that she’s like Fiver from Watership Down. She just seems to know things, and she doesn’t know how or why. I hope that makes sense, I didn’t want it to seem like too much of a fantasy. Thanks!
Grey Wonderer – Yes, Merry has a long way to go with Estella. And Pippin has even longer with Diamond. Thanks!
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A Light In Dark Places – Chapter V
It was nearly nightfall when Fastolph and his family arrived at the Great Smials, all the windows of which were aglow with soft candlelight – Paladin and his own family were there to greet them, his three daughters excited upon seeing their cousins once more, especially after the long and terrible months of the Occupation. Pippin, however, was none too thrilled about being there at all, and might have rather liked to be at The Green Dragon with Merry.
“Fastolph, welcome – I hope we find you and your family well,” the Thain said, shaking the hand of his cousin.
“As well as we can hope, Paladin,” he said, retuning the heartfelt shake, “You know my son Fosco, of course,” he said, holding out his hand to his family behind him. Having gone through this ritual before, Fosco Took came forward at his father’s bidding.
“Greetings, young Fosco – you look even more like your father than the last time we met. I hope you enjoy your stay here at the Smials.”
“I certainly hope so, your Thainship,” Fosco replied politely.
“And of course, you know my son Peregrin,” Paladin said, and held his arm out just as Fastolph had – however, there was no son that appeared behind him, and turning his head, his saw that Pippin was standing behind his sisters, completely unaware of what was going on around him. “Peregrin!” he hissed, and Pippin abruptly came to attention, scurrying up to stand next to his father. Paladin’s face bore an annoyed expression as Pippin and Fosco greeted one another in a formal manner that Pippin most often referred to as The Meeting of The Sons. It was a bore, but something that had to be done every time the two met, for they were someday to be the heads of their households, just as Paladin and Fastolph were.
“My wife Camellia, of course,” Fastolph said, introducing the rest of his family. His smiling wife came forward to shake hands with Paladin and Eglantine, her daughters behind her. “Then there’s Amethyst, Fosco’s younger twin sister.” Fosco flashed a hint of a devious smile as his father introduced his oldest daughter – it had always been the source of much hatred of his sister’s part to know that he outranked her by a few minutes of life. “Then there’s Garnet, who just came of age last year – the next one, Diamond – and our youngest, Ruby.” The lasses each shook the hand of Paladin as they were announced. This routine was done also for the Thain’s daughters, though Pippin had no intent of paying attention to any of it.
Eventually the greetings were done with, much to Pippin’s enjoyment, and the two families adjourned to supper, the day’s dinner having already occurred. Pippin, of course, was called on to sit next to his father, with Fastolph on the other side of the Thain. The evening’s talk was decidedly boring, with Paladin and Fastolph discussing the results from the year’s harvest – “A meager gathering it was, Fastolph – we barely made enough to be survive the winter.” Pippin snorted to himself at this remark – even if they had made no profit from the year’s crops, the Tooks were more than rich enough to survive several winters for years to come. The topic eventually moved to the status of the two families – it seemed both were unhappy that none of their daughters were as of yet married. “Two of my daughters are of age, Paladin, and all of yours as well – you’d think one would be married by now!”
“Aye, but yeh mus’ give ‘em some time, Fastolph dear,” Camellia Took spoke beside him, “Yeh and I, we weren’ married as soon as we met, now were we?”
Fastolph sighed. “No we weren’t, my dear – though it didn’t take long for you and your charming accent to win me over,” he said, gently patting the hands of his wife as her face blushed a light scarlet. “One should hope they won’t be long in choosing, though!” He banged his mug of ale on the table as he said this.
Eventually the meal ended, and Pippin was glad to get away to the sanction of his room – he was only in there a few minutes when he heard a soft knock on the door. He remained silent, though, hoping that perhaps his uninvited guest would think he were not present and leave.
“Open up, Pippin, I know you’re in there! You can’t fool your own cousin, you know,” a familiar voice sounded from within the hallway, and he opened the door to find his cousin Fosco.
“Frightfully dull greeting that was earlier, Peregrin,” he said, grinning, “I know it’s mandatory, but The Meeting of The Sons doesn’t have to be boring.”
“Well, I never saw fit to make anything that was mandatory entertaining – not get in here, I’d like to at least try to avoid some members of my extended family – and otherwise,” he said, closing the door quickly.
“What? You mean your sisters?”
“Not only them, but – well, Ruby. You know how she feels about me.”
“I know all too well how she feels,” Fosco said shaking his head knowingly, “The lass has talked of nothing else but this trip for weeks – quite peeved she was last year that we didn’t have it. We tried to calm her down by reminding her that you were missing anyway – didn’t work, she only got more riled up.”
“Worried?”
“Terribly – she started crying and whatnot, claiming that you had gone off and eloped with some Brandybuck lass. ‘Evil is the one that stole my Peregrin away from me!’ she yelled, quite loudly mind you.”
“She yelled that?”
“And several other phrases which were quite unbecoming to a lass her age – lucky Father didn’t hear her. Locked herself up in her room for two weeks, refusing to eat a thing we brought her – eventually we just left her well enough alone, and she came out, saying she was sorry for her outbursts. Think she just wanted the attention, though she still claims it was the result of her broken heart,” Fosco said, “By the way – while we’re on the subject of your absence, where exactly did you go?”
“Away, and that’s all you need to know,” Pippin said with a sure tone, nodding his head. Fosco, however, was not pleased, and with raised eyebrows he crossed his arms.
“Now, that’s not the Peregrin Took I used to know.”
“Well,” Pippin said, “People change, and so can I – what about you? Surely you’ve changed during the Occupation, am I right?”
Fosco’s face fell, and he uncrossed his arms, the grin dissipating from his face. “We’ve all suffered hurts, Pippin – your family, and most of the East and West Farthings as well. I’m don’t have to pretend to be sad that we in the North were spared while the rest were not – my family could have done something about, challenged them, or freed the trapped hobbits – but we didn’t. I could have done something, but I didn’t. It’ll be my responsibility someday to look out for all the North-Tooks, just as you will for those here. We will have duties to our families – duties that need to be upheld.” Fosco fell silent – Pippin’s words had hit him to the core, and they both knew it.
Placing a hand upon his cousin’s shoulder, Pippin spoke softly. “You’re right, of course – we will have those duties, someday – but until then,” he said with a roguish grin and a wink of his eye, before reaching into the drawer of his nightstand next to his bed. Within, Fosco heard a scurry of motion, and saw Pippin’s arm retch around to catch something – finally, he brought his arm out to reveal a large bullfrog clutched in his hand, wriggling and slippery.
“Caught him this morning,” Pippin said with a grin as Fosco stared at the creature with mischievous eyes, “And I know just whose bed to put him in.”
“Pervinca’s, I assume?”
“Like anyone else deserves it more.”
“Well, my darling twin sister has been quite snooty lately – but we can get her and Garnet later, of course.” The frog struggled in Pippin’s strong grip, and croaked loudly.
“Keep it quiet – I think I heard something,” Fosco hissed under his breath, and stuffing the frog under his shirt, Pippin stood with bated breath. Indeed, there was noise nearby, in the hallway they presumed.
“It must be Ruby,” Fosco mouthed, and Pippin nodded, making his way towards the window with the frog still under shirt, wriggling to get away. The window squeaked as he opened it, having not been used for so long, and he climbed out into the moonlit night, Fosco following behind. Closing the window behind them, they ran along the dark landscape, the lit windows of the Smials lighting their way.
Back inside the hole, a shadowed figured came close to the door of Pippin’s room – after gently knocking and receiving no answer from within, Diamond Took opened the door. A candle was still lit in the room, revealing that it had been occupied sometime earlier – but for the time being, it was empty.
“Hmm – thought I heard Fosco down here,” she said before retreating to her own quarters for the night.