Watch the Clouds Go Sailing By

This fic is about the relationship between Pippin’s son, Faramir, and Sam’s daughter, Goldilocks (if you look at the Appendices at the end of RotK, you’ll see that Faramir and Goldilocks get married). I couldn’t found a story about these two, so I decided to write my own. If you haven’t read all of the books, I suggest you don’t read this fic, as it is a real spoiler for the end of Return of the King.

This is the revised version of this story. I went back through it and changed a couple of things. The main change is the addition of Meriadoc’s wife and children. As stated in one of the chapters, my old version of LotR didn’t have Meriadoc’s marriage to Estella Bolger included, so when I started writing this, I didn’t include it. Since then, I’ve decided to mention Estella (mainly because I want to write a Merry/Estella fic at some stage, and I’d like all of my hobbit fics to tie in together). Meriadoc’s children are of my own creation. The family trees do not include any children of Meriadoc, but the end of the Tale of Years states that he and Peregrin “handed over their goods and offices to their sons”, suggesting that Merry did indeed have children (or at son, at least). I decided to give him a son and a daughter; their names will be revealed later in the story.

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Chapter 1: A Night at The Ivy Bush

"PIPPIN! COME DOWN!" Goldilocks Gamgee yelled to her older brother. The 31-year-old hobbit was a known mischief-maker, and had climbed the mallorn tree in the field by Bag End.

"No way, Goldi," he called back. "The view from here is great. You should see it."

Goldi frowned, annoyed that Pippin, who was two years her elder, was still as stupid and irresponsible as a hobbit in his teens. She shook her head, golden curls tumbling, and stormed off.

"Goldi! Goldi, wait!" Pippin quickly scooted down the tree, and ran after his sister. "I’m sorry."

The golden-haired hobbit-maid smiled. Although Pippin was as foolish as his namesake, Peregrin (Pippin) Took, he was also just as kind-hearted and friendly.

"I forgive you," she sighed. "But Mother wants us to help her with the invitations."

Pippin and Goldi’s older brother, Merry, would soon be turning 33, quite a respectable age for a hobbit, as it was when he or she would "come of age". However, most people believed that reaching the age of 33 would have little effect on Merry Gamgee. He, too, was very much like his namesake, Meriadoc Brandybuck. And Meriadoc, along with Peregrin, was still a notorious rascal.

Still, Pippin and Goldi were excited, if only for the reason that they would soon reach this age also. But aside from this, Merry, Pippin and Goldi were the closest of the Gamgee children. The eldest two, Elanor and Frodo, were married, and Elanor had a son, Elfstan. The next down, Rosie, busied herself by helping her mother with the house duties, claiming that she never wished to be married. Merry, Pippin and Goldi came next, a tight trio; close friends as well as siblings. Although younger brother, Hamfast, was closest in age to Goldilocks, he preferred the company of his Cotton cousins. Daisy and Primrose worried only about finding a husband, while Bilbo, Ruby and Robin were barely out of their teens, and Tolman (Tom) was still in them.

As soon as they had entered Bag End, Pippin and Goldi were laden with envelopes. Rose – their mother – piled each of them with as many invitations as they could carry, and sent them to the post office.

After delivering the invitations to Hobbiton Post Office, Goldi and Pippin strolled back to Bag End, purposely slow, so that they would not have to go on another errand. It was widely known that Merry Gamgee’s birthday was going to be one of the biggest parties in a long time. Not since Old Bilbo Baggins’ infamous party had so many hobbits been invited to a party.

Pippin and Goldi both knew so much about Bilbo’s party from stories told to them by their father, and Peregrin and Meriadoc, that it was almost as if they had been their themselves.

"Do you suppose that Merry’s party will be as remembered as Bilbo and Frodo’s?" Goldi asked.

"Probably not," sighed Pippin. "There won’t be any fireworks, and I don’t think that Merry is planning on using a magic ring to disappear at the end of it, and run off somewhere."

Goldi laughed. "True."

"Goldi! Goldilocks Gamgee!" a voice called.

Pippin grinned as Goldi cringed. The voice belonged to Lily Noakes, a young hobbit-maid from Bywater, who believed herself to be Goldilocks Gamgee’s closest friend. In actual fact, Goldi was not too fond of Lily, but did not have the heart to tell her. Lily was much like Goldi’s younger sisters, Daisy and Primrose (in fact, she was also "friends" with Daisy) – only concerned with finding a husband and starting a family. Unfortunately for Lily (and also unknown to her), she had become a joke with most of the hobbit-lads from the Hobbiton and Bywater area. She was not the most attractive of lasses (unlike the Gamgee girls, who were all considered rare beauties), and her constant flirtatious behaviour was a source of ridicule for almost everyone. The Gamgee children had made a game of escaping from Lily and her constant babble.

Goldi forced a smile, knowing that she would not escape Lily today. "Hullo, Lily."

"Hullo, Goldi, Pippin." Lily smiled at Pippin, and fluttered her eyelashes. Pippin screwed up his nose in disgust as soon as she was not looking. "Are you doing some party errands?"

"Yes. Delivering invitations," Goldi answered.

"I cannot wait until the party! Will there be many handsome – and rich – hobbits there?"

"Well…uh…"

"Oh, speaking of handsome, do you want to come out to The Ivy Bush Inn tonight? You could bring Daisy along."

Goldi thought for a moment at whether she would prefer to stay at home and help her mother and father with party business, or spend the night with her silly sister and even sillier friend. She decided that The Ivy Bush sounded (only slightly) more appealing. At least, with Daisy and Lily both present, she would not really have to worry about either of them.

"I shall ask Mother, but it should be fine."

"Fantastic! Shall we meet at about six?"

"Yes, fine. Now, Pippin and I must be off. We have a lot of work to do. Good day to you."

"All right. Good bye, Pippin."

Pippin and Goldi rushed back towards Bag End, completely forgetting that they had planned to walk back as slowly as possible.

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"Oh, why does Lily have to come too?" whined Daisy, as she and Goldi left Bag End. As soon as the words "Ivy Bush" had left Goldi’s mouth, Daisy had locked herself in her room to get ready, so it was only now that she had found out about Lily.

"It was her idea." Goldi knew that she was not going to enjoy herself tonight. Maybe I’ll find a nice quiet corner to hide in.

The Gamgee girls met Lily outside The Ivy Bush. They could already see that it was quite crowded inside, especially for a Tuesday night, but the girls knew the reason for this. Many people from out of town had been invited to Merry’s party. They had travelled to Hobbiton several days before the party, to "enjoy the Bywater air".

They walked in, and immediately, at least five hobbits called out to Lily, asking her to come and meet their friend from out of town. Lily ran off to her favourite of these hobbits, leaving Daisy laughing at how foolish she really was.

"She doesn’t even realise that they only want to show her off as their favourite joke!" Daisy herself wandered off, still giggling.

Goldi let out a sigh of relief, finally free of her annoying companions. She tried to find a quiet corner, but with so many people, this proved to be quite difficult. Finally, she found a seat, furthest from the bar.

She was sitting for barely five minutes, when a hobbit wandered over to her. He smiled at her, and she had to admit that he was quite good-looking, but also strangely familiar. He reminded her of someone, but she could not think whom.

"What are you doing sitting all by yourself?" he asked.

"Trying to avoid my ridiculous sister and friend," Goldi answered, curtly.

"I’m sure there are better ways to do that, rather than hide in a corner. Are you thirsty? Can I buy you a drink?"

"I am quite capable of buying myself a drink, thank you very much, sir."

"Sorry, I did not mean to offend you."

Goldi sighed, and silently scolded herself. You have to stop being so rude to people, Goldilocks Gamgee. He was just trying to be friendly, and you jumped down his throat. "It’s okay. I am sorry that I snapped at you. Would you like to sit down?"

"Thank you. But I must find my father first, to tell him where I will be sitting."

But as the young hobbit turned to walk away, a voice called to him. "Hi, son! There you are."

Two older hobbits joined Goldi and her new companion in her hiding spot, which was now proving to be not so good a spot. Goldi looked at the two newcomers, and gasped. It couldn’t be!