Wow, has it really been that long since my last update?
Larner – Glad you like it. And if you think you’ve seen the last of it, just wait… Thanks!
Grey Wonderer– I’m glad I have such a perceptive reader. Thanks!
EstellaB – Well, perhaps some things just can’t be gotten rid of – but hopefully in the course of the story, he will grow up a great deal more. Thanks!
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A Light In Dark Places – Chapter X
Diamond had heard little on the matter of whether or not Pippin and Fosco were to be punished for their juvenile deed. However, Fosco seemed in no dark mood that might be the result of a good chewing out from their father, so all seemed to be well with him. Amethyst and Garnet, however, were quite peeved that they had gotten away with their crime; as there had been no evidence that the two had committed it at all, being that no one could remember their presence anyway, there was nothing to charge them with. The two sisters had questioned Diamond, who swore she knew nothing of the prank.
“You probably saw it, didn’t you, with your weird mind powers?” Garnet accused, looking at her with contempt.
“They’re not mind powers, they’re intuitive dreams – I can’t control when they occur, and they don’t happen that often. I’m no more psychic than you are.”
“Whatever, you knew this would happen, and you didn’t have the heart to warn us!” Amethyst said snootily, and the two walked off with their proud noses high in the air.
The two glared at her and Fosco the entire day before they were to return to Long Cleeve, and longer even. Fosco, though, seemed in no position to even pay attention to the two, as he related stories of his and Pippin’s juvenile pranks to her.
“You heard about how we threw the fruit at the girls,” he said under his breath; though he paid no attention to them, he was still aware of his sisters’ stares.
“Well, when Amethyst came in shrieking and smelling of fruit, I figured you’d had something to do with it.”
“Well, that was only one thing that we did. Though, they,” he nodded his head towards Amethyst and Garnet, “Weren’t always our targets.”
“Where did the two of you go after the prank?” Diamond asked.
“Ah, we left as soon as the coast was clear – Pippin said he had this secret place, somewhere we could hide out until the heat was over. It was all the way in the Old Forest, so it took a while to run there. Anyway, it’s a place I’ll probably never find again – I’d know the tree if I saw it, a big yew that had a weathervane sticking out of it. But I’d never be able to get there, as Pippin lead me on such a winding path that I have no idea of which direction from I came from, or where we went. He seemed to know it, though,” Fosco said.
“So it was a tree house, in the branches of a tree that had a weathervane stuck in its bark?”
“Well, not a tree house per say – the weathervane is only to mark where the secret place is near to, I suppose – but it is actually a hole in the ground, underneath the tree. I guess it’s all right if I tell you this – I’m sure Pippin wouldn’t mind, and you’d never find your way there alone anyway. You enter the hole down these steps, and at first you can’t see anything – but then Pippin lit a nearby candle, to reveal quite a cozy little hole. The roots of the tree come down through the ceiling. I suppose that’s what holds up the roof – they branched down the walls like fingers, forming a neat little cave. Hardly ever gets wet, Pippin said, as the roots get the moisture out and the heat in.”
“And what’s in this little cave of his?”
“Well, everything, I suppose – there’s a couple cots to sleep on, and some food of course, knowing Merry and Pippin. Rest of its mostly just stuff the two of them fooled around with when they were young – eye patches and fake swords to play pirates. Different things for different pranks. Calls it The Pit, Pippin does. Nice little hole, wonder how they found it.”
“And who dug it, as I doubt they did it themselves.”
“Mysteries abound, little sister – maybe you can figure them out. Tell those intuitions of yours to get on the job already, we haven’t heard from them in a while.”
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“Not a bad visit, honestly,” Pippin spoke before taking another bite out of his juicy apple, “I might tolerate the one next spring, when I have to go up to Long Cleeve myself.”
“See, I knew you’d enjoy it,” Merry spoke, and he threw his own finished apple in the shallow stream – it landed with a small splash, floating along until it drifted out of sight under the bridge. The ripples that had formed as result of the disturbance flowed out in wide circles, until the surface was clear again, and Pippin could see his own reflection once more as he and Merry sat stop the bridge.
“But not all of the visit was great – I had to deal with my nasty, spoiled cousins.”
“You mean Amethyst and Garnet? I thought they’d be married off by now. Not that I hold a torch for either of them, mind you, but surely there must be someone up North who’d fancy them.”
“You know those Northern types,” Pippin said, rolling his eyes.
“I know the way they talk, and that’s all I need to know – slurring every word they say, and taking out some letters altogether. Can’t make sense of what any of them say – surprised you were able to communicate with them.”
“Well, not all of them talk that way – it’s mostly those from further North than Long Cleeve, up near Scary. I know Fastolph’s wife Camellia’s from up there, and it shows. But Fastolph himself, as well as Fosco and all his sisters don’t talk like that – it’s more of a light influence you can detect in their speech, not noticeable enough to be called an accent.”
Merry snorted. “Whatever it is, they’re a strange folk.”
“You’re just jealous because Fosco’s a better prankster than you.”
“A better prankster than I? Pippin, no such being exists.”
“Well, he did come up with the idea to pelt rotten fruit at Pervinca. You and I have never done something like that.”
“Of course we’ve never done something like that – what we do is worse! Your dear Fosco’s prank was quite tame compared to some of the things I’ve concocted. Remember the one time when we snuck her pony into her bedroom while she slept?”
“I remember that one – her room smelt for days, didn’t it!” The two lads laughed to themselves, remembering better days long gone.
Merry wiped tears of mirth from his eyes as he began to speak again. “Well, you’ve told me all about Fosco – where there any lasses that you met during this visit?” Merry smirked as he said this, and his eyes held a look of mischief.
“Well, I already knew Amethyst and Garnet, and didn’t really want to know them better – but –” He trailed off.
“But?” Merry said, his eyes alight with curiosity.
“Well – I knew her to exist before the visit, and I never really had anything against her then – but I never really had a chance to talk to her before either. She’s quite nice, rather pretty –”
“And what might her name be?”
“Diamond – Diamond Took. Younger sister of Fosco, and she’s –” He debated telling Merry of Diamond’s seemingly intuitive dreams, and decided against it. “She’s different from her sisters, which I suppose is a good thing.”
“Ah, the plot thickens – and when will you be seeing this lass again? Anytime soon?”
“In the spring, I suppose – that’s when my family goes up to visit them in Long Cleeve.”
“Well, I guess that’s when I’ll have to find something else to do again – without you, Pip, things are as dull as dirt.”
“Things boring at Buckland?”
“Dreadfully – has your father been giving you talks about your future duties, and reasons why you should find a suitable wife soon?”
“Sounds like our fathers are rather alike in their topics of discussion.”
“I live for the days when I can get away to Maggot’s, or Hobbiton – but what with Sam, that hasn’t been a great thrill either.”
“And what exactly is Samwise up to these days?”
“Oh, just the usual – tending to Bag End’s garden and wooing Rosie Cotton. Made quite a bit of progress recently, I believe – actually said hello for once.”
“I shall have to see this.”
“Well, come around in the next day or two – I plan myself to accompany him to Bywater, see for myself whether or not the story is true.”
“Good idea – I need to get away from the Smials, Pervinca’s had it out for me since the rotten fruit incident. Seems determined to catch me in the act of another prank. Following me in the most outlandish places.”
“Even into the loo?”
Pippin grinned, shaking his head. “She’s not that determined.”