Watch the Clouds Go Sailing By

Chapter 8: An Evening with the Maggots

Peregrin and Meriadoc waited for Sam to catch up to them. This was the fifth time that they had had to do so. After becoming Mayor, Sam had taken on several other traits of the previous Mayor, Will Whitfoot. Though he was nowhere near as large as "Flourdumpling", Sam’s girth had been steadily growing. He was also eighty years old, which wasn’t particularly aiding in his fitness.

Despite having to wait on Sam often (and Meriadoc on several occasions too – Peregrin was the only one having no trouble with the pace), the three of them had made quite good progress. They had passed the Three-Farthing Stone, and were coming close to Frogmorton as the day began to end.

When Sam had caught up, Meriadoc yawned and stretched. "We shouldn’t go on too much further today. I say we stop at The Floating Log, since we never ended up doing that long ago, thanks to ‘Sharkey’ and his goons."

Sam seemed hesitant to stop. Whether for worry about his two children, or fear of his wife, Peregrin and Meriadoc could not tell.

"Sam, they’ll be fine. No doubt they’re stopping somewhere for the night too," said Peregrin, who was essentially, in the same situation as Sam. "Besides, Faramir won’t let anything happen to them – Goldi especially."

"I’ll have you remember that my Pippin is a year older than Fara…" Sam trailed off as he registered Peregrin’s final line. "What do you mean, ‘Goldi especially’?"

Peregrin shrugged. "Faramir likes Goldi, a lot. They grew up together, and he was always looking out for her." He smiled. "Wouldn’t they make the perfect couple?"

Meriadoc saw the look of rage that appeared on Sam’s face. Peregrin didn’t seem to notice – or he was ignoring it – for he continued with his little speech.

"Just imagine it. A Took and a Gamgee – a truly splendid match! I have little doubt that Faramir is in love with Goldi, and it probably goes the other way too."

"Peregrin…" Meriadoc warned.

But his warning came too late. While Peregrin was mid-sentence about where they could hold the wedding, Sam punched him square in the jaw. Peregrin yelped in pain, and fell onto his behind.

"My daughter will not be marrying your son. Do you understand?" Sam growled. Peregrin nodded mutely. Neither he, nor Meriadoc had ever seen Sam so angry (in fact, very few people had – only Shelob and Gollum). Without another word, Sam started back down the road towards The Floating Log, and Peregrin and Meriadoc had to run to keep up with him.

* * * * * *

As Harry, Goldi, Faramir and Pippin neared the Farm House, they were joined by another hobbit. He was obviously younger than Harry, perhaps even younger than Goldi. When he saw Harry’s companions, he shook his head sadly.

"What’s this, Harry?" he asked. "You’ve been into Buckland again, haven’t you? Picked yourself up another pretty little ‘Brandybuck’ lass?" He looked at Goldi scornfully, then glared at Pippin and Faramir. "And who are these? Her bodyguards? I mean, with her bein’ a ‘Brandybuck’ she needs protectin’, right?"

"What is he talking about?" Pippin whispered to Faramir. The Took shrugged.

"Ed," said Harry to the other Hobbit. "You don’t know what you’re talkin’ about. This here lass is…"

"A greedy liar, simply after your land and money!" Ed sneered. Both Pippin and Faramir scowled at Ed, disliking him more than they did Harry for insulting Goldi.

Goldi, herself, frowned at Ed. "Now, you see here! How dare you go around accusing me of such things! I am not after any land or money. I have quite enough of that of my own."

"Sure you do. With you being a Brandybuck and all…"

"I am no Brandybuck, though I do know one quite well. Master Meriadoc, if that name means anything to you." Goldi smiled to herself as a look of shock passed over Ed’s face.

"She ain’t lying, Ed," said Harry. "That’s what I was tryin’ to tell you. This here is Goldilocks Gamgee. Yes, that’s right – Gamgee. You know that name as well as I do. And one of them is her brother." Harry pointed to Pippin and Faramir. "The other one is Faramir Took, son of Thain Peregrin. So you’d better watch your mouth!"

Ed promptly shut up. The five of them continued on to the Farm House.

"You’ll have to excuse Edmund," said Harry, seemingly forgetting that Ed was now walking with them, though he kept several paces behind. "He’s my younger brother, the second oldest in our family. He really loves the farm, and he don’t want it to fall into…bad hands." Goldi heard – or thought she heard – a snort come from Ed’s direction.

"What did you mean by all that talk about Brandybucks, Ed?" she asked, wanting Ed to join in with the conversation. She felt sorry for him. In a family like the Maggots, Goldi assumed that there was nothing worse than being the second eldest son. Being so close to inheriting everything, and yet having to watch your elder brother receive it. Goldi was glad that her family did not work quite like that. Sam had an heir (it was Merry, since Frodo had established his own family and estate), but all the Gamgee children would inherit some of the fortune that their father possessed. In fact, the girls might end up better off, if they married into another rich family.

Harry shifted uncomfortably as Ed answered the question. "Well, you see, Miss Gamgee, Harry has had several encounters with young lasses claiming to be Brandybuck heiresses. They know who he is, and what he’s going to inherit. This here farm is on good land, some of the best in the Shire, especially since your Dad came and sprinkled some of his dust here. I don’t suppose you could tell me, but was that dust magic?"

Goldi smiled. "No. It just came from a land far away, with rich and fertile soil. Elvish land."

"Ahh. Elves! Well, I guess that makes sense. Anyway, like I was saying, Bamfurlong is very well known as one of the greatest in the Shire. So, young lasses, upon seeing my brother, pretend to be young Brandybucks. What their true names were, we never found out, but we’ve had three ‘Brandybuck heiresses’ try to convince Harry into marrying them. It got Harry’s – and the rest of us, I’ll admit – hopes up. If Harry were to marry a Brandybuck – or any other rich girl – we could expand the farm. But, as I told you, none of these lasses were true Brandybucks. And as soon as we discovered them, they took off. That’s why I acted the way I did when I saw you. Them so-called ‘Brandybucks’ are the only lasses who seem to come by here now days."

"Well, I forgive you for your manner, Edmund. It is quite understandable that you would react harshly to any girl who met up with your brother after three…‘false alarms’. Fear not. I am not planning to marry your brother and take all of this land." Goldi wanted to add, "My heart belongs to another," but thought it wise not to do so.

The rich smell of bacon cooking indicated to the group that they were drawing near to the Farm House. Pippin’s stomach growled loudly.

"Mmm. That smells really good," he mumbled. Faramir nodded in agreement. For the time being, their earlier fight had been forgotten.

They were greeted at the door by Allysia Maggot, the beautiful wife of the current Farmer Maggot. She welcomed Goldi, Faramir and Pippin, for she was a kind-hearted hobbit-maid, who was always willing to take in guests.

Harry almost immediately led his newfound friends to his father, Abemund Maggot. Harry introduced them, and Maggot’s eyes grew wide.

"Gamgee? Took? You don’t say!" he cried. "I remember when your fathers came through here. I, myself, wasn’t much older than Harry here when that happened. Fancy that. Harry, fetch the gentlemen a pint each. And, what would you like, young lady?"

"Just water will be fine," Goldi answered, shyly.

Harry left to collect the drinks, while Maggot asked them the question that they were dreading. "So, what brings you out this way?"

If Faramir had not been there, Goldi was convinced that Pippin would have spilt the entire story to the Farmer. But fortunately for them all, Faramir was there, and he had already devised an answer for that question if it was asked.

"My father still owns Crickhollow, along with his cousin Meriadoc Brandybuck. The three of us are going on a little holiday in Buckland. We…ah…felt like being reminiscent and following the trails our fathers took."

That part, at least, was true. In fact, Faramir’s entire explanation was only a slight expansion of the truth. He did plan to stop at Crickhollow; he had the keys in his pocket. They would rest there for the night, and leave in the early morning.

"I see," said Maggot. "Well, I hope that you will at least stay for dinner. My missus always cooks enough food to feed a small army of hobbits, so we should have plenty to spare for guests."

Goldi, Faramir and Pippin graciously (and somewhat eagerly) accepted Maggot’s kind invitation (though, Harry had already offered it to them). Maggot led them to the dining room, and found seats for them all: Goldi on his right, and Pippin and Faramir on his left. The rest of the Maggot family soon filed in, along with several non-related workers. When everyone was seated, Mrs. Maggot brought out the meal. It was an average sort of meal at the Maggot household, but to the three guests, it was an almost exotic feast.

There were mushroom dishes of every sort: baked mushrooms, pickled mushrooms, mushrooms with bacon, fresh mushrooms – just to name a few. There was also fine salted pork, diced bacon and vegetables that were cooked little enough that they still kept their crispness. Though the hobbits ate to their hearts content, there seemed no lack.

While they ate, Maggot spoke to Goldi. The conversation occasionally involved Pippin and Faramir too, but Maggot seemed to find Goldi easiest to talk to. Either that, or he was annoyed at the other two for drinking his ale a little too heartily. Both were slightly red in the face, and Pippin seemed to be having some trouble keeping upright. They also had obviously forgiven each other for the earlier fight.

Maggot spoke of the weather, and also mentioned how good the soil had been ever since Sam had gifted the land with a little of his precious Lothlórien dust. Maggot asked Goldi to thank her father next time she saw him, and she promised that she would.

"Round here, we call that stuff ‘Gamgee’s Magic Dust’, but I hear that you said it was from Elvish lands, is that right?" Maggot asked.

Goldi nodded. "Yes, my father received it as a gift from the Lady Galadriel."

"Well, fancy that. But I suppose that isn’t too hard to believe. Word has it that Frodo Baggins and his companions went to some strange lands in their travels. Too bad nobody in their own Shire seems to recognise them for that. They’re only concerned with what happens here." Maggot shook his head sadly. Goldi realised that he was one of the few hobbits outside of their own families that recognised that Frodo, Samwise, Peregrin and Meriadoc had taken part in much more important events then simply the Battle of Bywater. "Frodo Baggins…he passed away didn’t he?"

Goldi had been told the tale of Frodo by her father. She knew that Frodo had passed from Middle-Earth at the Grey Havens, and gone to the Undying Lands, a place where Elves could live out eternity in peace. Frodo and Bilbo, as Ringbearers, had been allowed to travel to the Undying Lands to find peace from their burden. Goldi suspected that her father would, one day, join Frodo, Bilbo and the rest, since he, too, had for a time been a ring-bearer.

Goldi sighed, and with an effort, answered: "Yes. Mister Baggins did pass away."

Maggot again shook his head sadly. "A shame, really. When Mister Bilbo lived to such an old age. Well, he’s in a better place now."

"Yes, I’m sure he is."