It was hours later that Frodo was able to beg weariness for himself and his companions to retire.  Personally I thought it was an act of extreme compassion, especially since Merry and Pippin were calling for encores.  The elder hobbit seemed more amused than anything of his friend’s plight.  I watched as he threw his arm around Samwise’s shoulder and spoke into his ear as they walked away.  I wondered what he said, and snooping unashamedly, I slipped from my seat and moved closer.  I was fascinated by this hobbit.  He reminded me of myself, an interesting comparison I admit, but nonetheless, one I could not shake.   

“Glorfindel, you silly elf,” I sighed in exasperation as I stealthily followed the hobbits out of the room and down the hallways.  Minutes later I was walking normally, convinced that with the amount of noise Pippin was making, even a troop of orcs could have snuck up on them.  The youngest hobbit was swinging his arms in wide arcs, and short thrusts while making swishing noises.  Merry had fallen behind to glare at him. 

“Shhhh, Pippin!” he hissed, rather noisily himself. 

I smothered hysterical giggles (most undignified for an elf, Elrond would have had to exercise his eyebrows yet again) as I finally deduced what he was doing. 

Pippin, having heard that elves act out great deeds, was practicing his defeat of the troll.  The hobbit was wheeling in the hallway and menacing an irritated Merry with an imaginary sword.  I sagged against a wall, weak with repressed laughter.  Pippin stalked forward, a determined expression on his face and shouted,

“Get back, you foul thing!”

Merry flapped his hand at his cousin, “Pippin! Quit it!” and thus, provoked an attack the likes of which I doubt I’d survive seeing again.   

"Eeeeeeeiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!"

"Oww! Pippin! Get OFF!"

"Die! Die troll! DIE!"

"Pippin! Pippin! STOP IT RIGHT NOW! FRODO!! HELP MEEE!!"

The true volume and enormity of Pippin's attack could only be measured in the fact that none of the four hobbits noticed an elven lord several feet away, rolling about on the floor and howling with laughter.  Unsurprisingly, it took both Frodo and Sam to rescue Merry from his cousin.  During those minutes I managed to compose myself enough to stagger back out of sight.  Still cackling, I watched them walk into their rooms.  Sam's, I noted was the second to the left, right beside Frodo's.  Mentally marking the door, I resolved to have a talk with Samwise in the morning about all this hero business.  If he couldn't sit through an hour of songs about himself without nearly dying of embarrassment, he would definitely need it before he ventured out of the Shire ever again. 

"Help meee!" I whispered and snickered.  No wonder Mithrandir spent so much time in the Shire.