The air was warm, the wind mild, and the sunlight not strong enough to hurt the eyes. Morning in Bag End had begun as it often did, with Sam waking first and seeing to milking, coming back inside to find Frodo putting the kettle on. Frodo put his arms around Sam's neck and kissed him hello, and if there was a better way to greet a morning Sam didn't know it.

They made Rosie breakfast in bed, because she did the same for them as often as she could and it was nice to return the favour.

They'd all started in their daily routines when Elanor awoke in a stormy mood. She was, for the most part, as sweet a baby as three parents could hope for, but when the fancy took her she had a set of lungs to rival a dragon's. Frodo had taken her out for a walk, to save Sam and Rosie from the noise for a few hours.

Nestled safely in a carry-sling, Elanor soon got bored of crying and began to babble in her baby language, chattering away happily as Frodo walked.

A group of girls painting a wagon a bright poppy colour waved as he passed, one of them daring to shout that if he'd wait about until they finished she'd give him a ride he wouldn't forget.

"I'm too old for you!" Frodo called back, laughing. The girl, so freckled she was almost evenly tanned, ignored the jeering of her friends and twirled around.

"You've got enough years left yet for me," she retorted. "Anyway, tales I've heard say Bagginses are long in more than lifespan. Is there truth in that?"

"Lila!" one of the other girls shrieked, horrified. "You'd get a switch across your rump if Dad heard that!"

Blowing a kiss to the cheeky Lila, Frodo continued on his ambling path. There seemed to be flowers of every shade, shape and size in bloom, blanketing the ground with rainbows. The whole day felt like a warm, sunny laugh.

"Ow, Jacky, stop, my feet hurt and you go too fast!" a young voice complained loudly. Frodo paused to watch as two boys, one a few years older than the other, came down the road. The one in front, Jacky, paused when he saw Frodo. The smaller boy jogged up, then grinned when he noticed what had caused Jacky to stop.

"Can I see your baby?" he asked.

"Yes, of course." Frodo smiled. "But careful, she's very small."

"She's not yours," Jacky cut in. "She's your gardener's. And she's not a proper hobbit baby, I heard my mother say so, she's got queer yellow hair."

Frodo's eyes narrowed. "What's your name?"

"I'm Jacky Fairbairn. Is it true you saw elves? I asked your gardener but he was rude to me, he wouldn't tell me stories. You should put him in his proper place, my dad says."

"Seems your parents know what I should do about everything," Frodo said dryly. "With all their advice, did they teach you how to be polite?"

Jacky sniffed, then glared down at the smaller boy. "Come on slowcoach, keep up!" Running off, he shouted something, but it was impossible to understand. The smaller boy sighed, looking back at Elanor.

"Don't listen to my stupid brother," he said to Frodo.

"That's all right. I've dealt with worse than him."

"Yuck." The boy made a face. "I shouldn't like to meet worse than Jacky. My name's Fastred, by the way. She's a very pretty baby. Yellow hair's nice."

"She's going to be beautiful when she grows older," Frodo said with a soft smile. "People will fall in love with her wherever she goes."

"How can you possibly know something like that?"

"I just know it in my heart. And I'm pleased to meet you, Fastred. We were just on our way to the pond, would you like to come?"

"I caught tadpoles there once," Fastred enthused. "Can you skim stones? I want to know how, could you teach me?"

"I'm afraid I don't know myself. Maybe we can learn together."

They went to the water, and played at skimming stones, and Fastred tickled Elanor and made her squeal. It was great fun, but thoroughly muddy, and by midday they were brown from foot to head.

"I had a good time. Can I come visit you on another day and hear your stories?" Fastred asked as they parted ways.

"Any time," Frodo promised.

Sam and Rosie were highly amused by the dirty state of Frodo and Elanor when they got back to Bag End. They poured heavy jugs of warm water into the copper bathtub, collecting fluffy towels and thick bars of soap.

"I think you've made it too hot." Frodo shrank back. Rosie rolled her sleeve up and tested the temperature on the inside of her wrist.

"That's never hot! And Elanor seems happy as anything." She flicked a bit of water at the baby. "Your body holds a chill too deep. The heat will be good for you, and if it's too much for your liking you can just sit and wait for it to cool."

Of course, clothes ended up wet and hair sudsy, and it was more an excuse to splash than any actual cleaning. But none of them really minded that.

~

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