Good old Bootsy Woodbine had taken it upon herself to make the gigantic wedding cake and Frodo had readily agreed. Bootsy was the best baker of cakes and sweets in all the Shire. She had enquired if her old flame, Bilbo, would be attending and Frodo had to tell her that, no, dear Bilbo could not travel any longer. She was disappointed but continued to transfer her fondness for Bagginses into delicious treats delivered daily to the Bag End kitchen.

Bilbo had been notified of the great event and of course invited. He had replied that as much as he wished to be there he could only make one more journey. Frodo understood this sadly but accepted that this was how it must be. Still every day a new gift arrived via various strange messengers from Rivendell. Jewels and elvish artifacts of dazzling beauty to mundane practicalities like umbrellas and silver spoons, in fact an entire Mithral silver service!) engraved by elvish smiths with F&PB and a note from Bilbo to keep the spoons away from the SB’s. These especially brought a smile and many wistful thoughts to Frodo.

Guests, too, were filling every available extra room in every smial.

Sam though, had insisted that Bag End not be overwhelmed with excessive unwanted relatives or acquaintances.
“It’s not fitting, Mr. Frodo.” Sam had said. “You and Miss Poppy will be needin’ your privacy. I’m a married hobbit myself and I know about these sorta things.”

“Well Merry and Pippin are staying here, of course.”

“Aye.. as I feared. No one’s more likely to pull an unseemly prank on you than your cousins.”

“They wouldn’t dare.”

Sam just shook his head.

“They would, sir.”

“Nevertheless they are coming.”

“Like a horde of orcs... “

“Sam.......” Frodo really didn’t like his cousins to be referred to in that manner, even by Sam. But he let the disagreement go. Those two probably WOULD get up to some sort of mischief.”

Right on schedule early on the fifth the two heroic hobbits arrived at Bag End looking resplendent and magnificent. They had certainly taken a liking to wearing their Gondorian finery. Frodo would be wearing his for the wedding but he just wore his usual gentle-hobbit garments most of the time.

“Hello Frodo!“ Pippin exclaimed as he burst unceremoniously through the round green door with Merry right behind him. “We’ve brought a few presents for you and Poppy.” he added nodding brightly over his shoulder at the heavily laden wagon that stood at the gate.

“Pippin, Merry..” Frodo said hugging them both in welcome. “Thank you. But whatever will I do with more gifts?”

Indeed Bag End seemed to be overflowing with ornately wrapped boxes of all shapes and sizes.

“Well you’ll use ours, Frodo.” Merry asserted. “We’ve been practical in what we’ve brought for you. You can throw a lot of this other rubbish away or build another room for it all.”

“I think I shall have to build several more rooms.”

“The rooms might be coming in handy in a year or two or three.” Pippin said with a wink.

“Pip, could you let Poppy and I marry first before you’ve got us filling all our rooms with offspring.”

“Well, you know how it is with hobbits. We tend to be prolific.”

Frodo just gave Pippin a condescending look. Silly young Took!

“Well now, Frodo, what can we do to help?” Merry asked as he wandered into the kitchen and picked up a honey cake and bit into it complacently.

“Not eat all the food before the ceremony.”

Merry just smiled and tossed himself into a chair in the parlor.

“We are at your command.” Merry said, not looking in the least likely to do anything at that moment.

Pippin began munching on an apple dumpling as he smiled at Frodo.

“So... tomorrow is the big day, then?”

A few hours later Poppy stopped in to help open more presents. She and Frodo were buried beneath heaps of wrapping paper and ribbons and endless and sundry items and many mathoms when there came a knock at the door.

“Please, let it NOT be more presents.” Frodo said. “ I do hope it’s Gandalf, though. Leave it to him to be late again.”

Pippin meandered to the door and opened it.

“It’s neither presents nor Gandalf. There’s a dwarf and an elf here you may remember.” Then Pippin burst into joyful laughter as he threw his arms around Gimli and an always restrained and mildly embarrassed Legolas.

“Oh! They came!” Frodo exclaimed gladly, trying to extricate himself from the piles of wrappings. Poppy assisted him by unwinding the strands of ribbon that were tangled all about him and then they both struggled to their feet to greet their new visitors.

Gimli sauntered into Bag End easily but Legolas had to manage gracefully to avoid knocking his head on the hanging lamp that Gandalf always managed to walk into. Elves never knock their heads on anything.

“It’s so good to see you both!” Frodo exclaimed hugging Gimli and since he was so tall shaking both Legolas’ hands vigorously. “Watch your head, Legolas. I imagine you are not used to the low ceilings of hobbit dwellings.”

“I shall manage quite well.” Legolas said stooping beneath the curve of the roof. “You look .... wonderful, Frodo.“ He added when he was nearly face to face with the hobbit he hadn’t seen for nearly two years.

“Why does everyone sound so surprised when they say that?” Frodo asked.

“You did not look as well when last we saw you. He was rather pale and worn-looking. Was he not, Gimli?” Legolas explained with a faint frown of puzzlement upon his noble brow.

“Aye, laddie!” Gimli said, clapping Frodo soundly on the back. “You were not at your best then. But you are fairly blooming now!” Gimli gave Frodo another resounding thwack of fond affection.

Frodo coughed and spluttered. Gimli laughed heartily and Legolas looked concerned.

“Gimli, be careful.” Legolas warned.

“Argh! The wee laddie can take it! He was skewered by that cave troll’s spear and survived.”

“I...was ..wearing the mithril mail at the time.” Frodo said, recovering his breath. “But I AM fine and I do wish everyone would stop expecting me to be at death’s door.”

“I am sorry, Frodo.” Legolas said, “You were through quite an ordeal and that you are looking so well is very... extra-ordinary.. and a pleasant surprise.”

“Thank you..... I think.” Frodo said laughing. “Now do come in and take a seat and have some refreshments, both of you. We are drowning in food and ale and wine and presents, but if you can find seats please make yourselves at home.”

Gimli immediately accepted Frodo’s invitation by zeroing in on a large barrel of home brew, filling a mug-full and downing it in one gulp.

“Excellent ale!”

‘Aye, isn’t it!” Pippin agreed, refilling his pint.

“Have some more.” Frodo said.

Gimli did not have to be asked again.

Legolas gracefully declined.

“We will not be staying here with you, Frodo” he said. “We have a camp with all our own provisions not far away.”

This was fortunate because Frodo had nowhere to put them. Gandalf, if and when he arrived, was accustomed to have his own special guest room and he didn't think the wizard would wish to share it even with old friends though in a pinch he would just have to put up with them.

“Now is this the lovely lass you’ve chosen, Frodo?” Gimli said, noticing Poppy, who had been standing quietly amid the wrapping paper as the old friends had greeted one another.

“ Oh my! Yes. This is Poppy Whitfoot, soon to be Baggins. And shall I say I am grateful she chose me.” Frodo said, proudly presenting his bride-to-be.

“She is a bonny, bonny lass, Frodo!” Gimli said kissing Poppy’s hand enthusiastically.

Poppy smiled and blushed.

‘Poppy, my dear, this is, of course, Gimli, son of Gloin.” Frodo introduced formally, “And this tall fellow is the Elven Prince of Mirkwood, Legolas son of Thranduil.”

Legolas bowed elegantly to Poppy and smiled.

“That’s a mouthful to say!” Gimli guffawed as he chided his elf-friend.

“It’s wonderful to meet you.” Poppy said. “I have heard so much about you both.”

“Oh, I hope you didn’t believe everything you heard.” Gimli joked. “Hobbits may be short in stature but they tell tall tales.”

“I’m sure every word was true as told to me by Frodo. As for what these other two cousins of his have said...that is another matter.” Poppy. replied dryly.

Her wit was met with approval by everyone but Merry and Pippin.

“You have chosen a worthy bride, “ Legolas told Frodo, with a small sly smile. “She is most perceptive and wise.”

“I say, Legolas! That’s not fair. We do not fabricate false stories!” Pippin objected.

“Indeed!” Merry asserted.

Everyone else chuckled knowingly while Frodo’s cousins stared at them indignantly.

TBC.