Summer Stars and Ladies Fair
The summer night was warm, a million and one stars shining like bright jewels in the sky. There were probably more, so that statement held a certain sense of inadequacy, a falsehood that could not be proven right or wrong. There were probably more stars than just that in the heavens above. One could never be sure, or so they were wont to say, when it came to the stars.
It was a warm night, whatever the count of stars really truly was, mild and with no breeze to curl the locks of the hobbits that sat outside the round front door of Bag End. Frodo sat in his good chair from within, having been brought out for the occasion. (Sam had insisted, and Frodo hadn't been able to change his mind once it had been decided. Stubborn as a Gamgee, Frodo had sighed, and gotten a friendly swat to the hand when he'd tried to help.) Merry and Pippin were sitting on the longer bench, and there was something amusing, no, completely hysterical about the Thane and Took, especially when he was passed out and leaning heavily against the shoulder of the Master of Buckland.
Chuckling, Frodo shook his head and stuffed his pipe.
Gritting his teeth, Merry pushed at Pippin for all he was worth.
"You lazy beast, get of me, Pippin!" He shoved again but Pippin fell back with an audible *thwump*. Merry scowled and directed his gaze in the direction of Frodo's laughter. "I don't see what's so funny about this, Frodo," he said, narrowing his gaze.
Frodo gaze a helpless shrug, striking the flint and lighting his pipe. "Oh, nothing at all, Merry. I was simply reminded of a funny story Rosie told me in the morning."
"Right," Merry said, not believing Frodo at all, for the devious light in his eyes. Merry grimaced and shoved at Pippin again. Pippin grunted and Merry rolled his eyes, waving a hand and trying to flick something off of his fingers. "Just great. Now he's drooling on me."
"I'm not drooling on you," Pippin replied in a quiet, muffled voice. "You just managed to get your fingers in my mouth."
Frodo was laughing harder now and not even that scolding look from Merry managed to quiet him. "I did not, you monster. Now get off of me."
"Don't want to," Pippin responded, then wriggled and turned over, letting his head plop down in Merry's lap so he could stretch out his legs and gaze up at the night sky. "I'd rather stay... right here."
Merry eyed him dryly, and Pippin grinned back at him. "What?"
"You have no manners. How is that you manage yourself, Pippin?"
"Well, it takes a bit of talent, I suppose." Came the reply, with a flippant wave of his hand. Merry snorted, and then, with the utmost love and care, he put a hand under Pippin's shoulder and then rolled him right off his lap. Pippin yelped in indignation, rolling onto the ground without grace. "That was uncalled for, Merry." Pippin commented, sitting back and brushing hair out of his eyes. Scowl met scowl. Frodo's laughter was reaching new heights, and his sides felt like they were ready to split.
Sam's chuckle was softer and caught Frodo off guard. He gasped for breath and peered up at the other, smiling at him through a shadow of unruly curls. "Good to hear you laughing, Frodo," he said, shaking his head just a bit. "What are these two scamps up to?"
Pippin shot a look back over his shoulder then climbed up next to Merry, leaning back and crossing his arms behind his neck. "We've just been putting on a little show for dear old Frodo, is all," he said, his eyes bright with locked up laughter. Merry was shaking his head.
"Sometimes... oh, sometimes, you two." He shook his head, trying not to laugh.
Frodo smiled at Sam and patted the arm of the chair. Sam smiled back at him and eased down on it, his back creaking. "I think Rosie's finally managed to get the hoard inside under control," he said fondly. "And your Stell and Dinny are two amazing ladies, and that's a fact." Sam grinned at Merry and Pippin.
Pippin looked at Merry, and smiled. "We know."
There was a shout from inside, and then a roar of laughter from the children. "I should go keep an eye on them, though, don't know what they could be letting the children onto," Sam laughed, then squeezed Frodo's arm. He slipped back inside, Frodo watching him fade into the shadow of the front hall. When he looked back, Merry and Pippin's gazes were upon him. Raising his eyebrows, Frodo spoke. "What's the looks for, cousins?"
"Well, you've known a fine lady or two yourself, cousin," Pippin replied.
"If I remember correctly, there was that time with the lady... oh, what was her name?" Merry glanced at Pippin, and Pippin nodded, gasping as a thought came to him.
"Oh! Was it the lady Goldberry, perhaps? Master Bombadil's wife. You were practically falling over yourself about her, Frodo. Shameless, really," he shook his head, laughing under his breath. How easily it went from one to another. Frodo couldn't help but feel that this was planned.
"Now, Pippin, I don't know what you mention. Yes, she was fair..." Frodo replied, and Pippin laughed sharply. Now, this wasn't fair. That had been years and years ago, and for them to bring it up now. At least, he thought, and that thought was enough to comfort, Sam and Rose weren't about.
"You were falling over your feet around her, Frodo. I've never seen you act like that around a lady. So, Frodo, tell us, is your lady Rose close to compare?"
Frodo felt the tips of his hears go red, hot and embarrassed. "Now, let's not bring Rose into this," he said, and the chair squeaked a bit as he rose. "I'd have thought you two were old for such behaviour, but I've been mistaken."
Even that voice, the one that worked so well when it was directed at the children, especially when their parents weren't about, didn't do anything when it was directed at Merry and Pippin. Really, he should have learned. Merry slung an arm about Pippin's shoulders, and Pippin was laughing now, hard and breathless and barely audible. "Well, Frodo, are you going to answer us?"
"This is childish." Frodo scowled, but even that was to no avail. Merry nodded, in the most serious way possible.
"I know. Well, Frodo, are we going to be waiting here all night?"
The air seemed heavier now and Frodo rocked back on his heels. Well, it couldn't hurt. "Rose," he said, and Merry and Pippin's eyes went wide, "is completely beyond compare. I don't think there's a lady alive that could out do *her*... Well, is that enough for you?"
"I hope it is, and it's enough for me, too," Rose's voice came from behind him and Frodo giggled like a nervous child as he turned to look at her. She was smiling, and looked very pretty in the light. "It's good knowing that sweetness comes from you, beyond all the whining and complaining." Rose's smile was brighter and Frodo's ears were redder, and she kissed him on the cheek, then, with her hands on his shoulders, looked at Merry and Pippin. She gave them a look, and Pippin nodded. It would all be explained in time.
"Let's get in, then. We've put the little ones to sleep and Rose-lass and Daisy want to hear from their Uncles." She kissed Frodo's cheek again, smiling brighter than any of the stars in the sky. Frodo smiled back at her, and found himself thanking the heavens, silently, for all the blessings in his life.
"Right, then, let's get in." He embraced Rose, kissing her gently and playing with her hair, then skipped past her, feeling for the moment like a tween, and not a hobbit of his age. Rose crossed her arms, shaking her head then smiling at Merry and Pippin as they came up to her.
"Well?"
Pippin was grinning. "Have we told you about our time in the house of Master Bombadil?" he asked her, and Rose smiled as she was guided into the house.
"I like that one, it's not so heavy."
"Well, there's something about it that we've never told you before."
They went into the shadows of the front hall, then down into the depths of the smial. They met with Sam, who went out to pull the chair back in. Things were righted, and it wasn't long before the sound of laughter was heard within, out into the night air.
~
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