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Flames  by Lindelea

 

No news came from Buckland the next day, or the next. The waiting stretched out, with no word from the Thain. Ferdibrand supposed that no news was better than the bad news all were expecting to hear, but still, the waiting told on his nerves. All the Tooks were snappish, as a matter of fact, and the Great Smials seemed strangely empty without the presence of the Thain, his energetic stride echoing through the corridors, his voice booming down the tunnels.

Tolly saw to it that things ran smoothly in Paladin's absence, though he deferred all major decisions until the Thain's return. Several days after the Thain's departure, a messenger arrived from Buckland and was shown to the Thain's study. He closeted himself with Tolly, who ordered a meal served to them there, and a fresh pony saddled, and then the messenger was off again.

Everard knocked on the study door, entering at the quiet invitation to come in.

'What was that all about?' he asked. 'The entire Smials is drowning in suspense.'

'Drowning, eh?' Tolly answered obliquely. 'That sounds more like a Brandybuck thing to do, than a Tookish occupation.'

'Was there any word from my brother?' Everard asked.

'No, the message is from the Thain, though it is written in your brother's hand,' Tolly answered.

'Well? Are you to see to the details of the memorial?' Everard pressed.

'That might be a bit difficult, seeing as how the Thain expressed the intention of staying in Buckland until further notice.'

'He's grown that fond of brandy?' Everard said dryly.

'No,' Tolly said quietly, and shoved the letter across the desk to Everard, who read in silence.

'Well, I could have told you that,' he said at length.

'What?'

'Pip's a stubborn one. If the healer gave him up, saying he expected him to die that night, well, of course Pip would refuse to die, just to spite him. When has he ever done what was expected of him?' Everard said sourly.

Tolly snorted. 'So it looks as if Ferdi will get his apology after all.'

'For all the good it'll do,' Everard said morosely. 'Did you hear he's going to fletch for a living?'

'Not as exciting or prestigious, perhaps, as head of the Thain's escort,' Tolly admitted, 'but he'll make the best of it. And when Pip becomes Thain, perhaps he'll offer Ferdi some position.'

'Hah!' Everard said explosively. 'Ferdi serve under Pip? That'll happen as soon as pigs fly.'

'Would you serve under him?' Tolly asked curiously.

'Would you?' Everard challenged in return, only to nod in satisfaction when the other hesitated. 'I thought not,' he added. 'I know the succession is pretty near inevitable, but if the Tooks could find a way to choose another Thain, at this point, to follow Paladin, I think they would.'

'Well, it's up to Paladin to name his successor, you know, and usually the Thain names his oldest son. It's tradition,' Tolly said. 'We don't have to like it.'

'No, we just have to live with it,' Everard said heavily.

A week later, another message arrived. This time, Tolly stood up in the great room at late supper and raised his arms for quiet. When all eyes were upon him, he said, 'I have news from Buckland.' There was a stir, and then silence. 'Pippin is out of danger,' he said. 'The Thain will be remaining in Buckland for a time.' He looked about, then left the room.

Everard caught up with him, halfway to the Thain's study. 'If Pip's out of danger, why aren't they coming back?' he asked.

'He cannot travel for some weeks, yet,' Tolly answered. He stopped to meet Everard's gaze. 'He nearly died,' he said quietly. 'Have you ever seen what the Old Gaffer's Friend can do to a body? I doubt he'll ever be the same Pip we used to know.'

'Well, that might be a good reason to overrule the succession,' Everard said thoughtfully.

Tolly regarded him for a long moment. 'Don't count your chickens until they're in the pot,' he said finally.

'O, I won't,' Everard answered. 'I just like to keep my options open, is all.'

'Well, keep them to yourself whilst you're keeping them open, then,' Tolly said. 'The Thain won't take to kindly to what you're saying.'

'I'm not the only one saying it,' Everard murmured, but Tolly only shook his head and turned away.

***

The Thain and his entourage returned to the Smials a few weeks later, for planting time was upon them and he did not wish to be away from the Smials during such a critical season. He smiled, though, and seemed satisfied about something.

Ferdibrand found out one night when he came to sit with his father over late supper, as usual.

'Coney pie for supper this night, Da,' he said, settling a serviette under Ferdinand's chin, and digging the spoon into the fluffy crust, to scoop out the first bite.

'Are you going to the handfasting?' his father asked abruptly.

'Handfasting?' Ferdi murmured absently. He hadn't heard of any cousins pledging their troth.

Old Ferdinand snapped the spoonful of pie, chewed, and swallowed. 'You know,' he said, 'our Pip, and your cousin Estella.'

'Handfasting?' Ferdi said. 'First I've heard of it.'

'The Thain's invited all the cousins, everybody who's related in some degree, practically the whole Shire, I hear tell.'

'Ah,' Ferdi said, spooning up another bite.

'You were not invited?' Old Ferdinand said, fixing his son with a keen glance.

'So it seems,' Ferdi answered. 'Here, now, you'll want to eat this whilst it is still hot. The cooks did an excellent job on the supper tonight.' Old Ferdinand let the subject drop, and allowed his son to feed him the rest of his supper, but he shot several troubled glances Ferdi's way before the evening was out.

***

Odovacar Bolger rode into the courtyard while Ferdi was sitting in the sun, fletching arrows. The old hobbit had a strained look on his face in place of his usual broad grin, and Ferdi and the rest of the hobbits of the Smials soon found out why... he heard the roar of the outraged Took even where he sat, with his back against the stables in the afternoon sunshine.

Not long after, Hilly hurried out of the Smials to seek him out. 'Did you hear?' he hissed.

Ferdi calmly put down the arrow he'd just finished, and picked up the next shaft, applying the glue with care, fitting the feathers precisely, winding the securing thread around, and placing the finished arrow with the others. Hilly, of a wonder, waited through the entire process.

'What?' Ferdi said finally, picking up the next shaft. 'I heard an uproar, but not what it was about.'

'Cousin Estella's rejected Pip! She dissolved the betrothal agreement.'

'I always thought she was a sensible lass,' Ferdi said equably, 'even though I suspect it was her stole my da's teeth, the last time she was here.'

'Ferdi, be serious!' Hilly said.

'I am serious,' Ferdi answered. 'Do you know the trouble he has eating without them? I do hope they turn up soon, and not in a pickle barrel, either.'

Hilly dropped his voice. 'It's a terrible scandal,' he said.

'Tell me about it,' Ferdi said. 'Tooks are great ones for gossip.'

'It's all the news,' Hilly said. 'She threw him over for Merry Brandybuck.'

Ferdi was startled into laughing. 'Merry?' he asked in astonishment. 'Merry took something away from Pippin, instead of the other way around? Will wonders never cease!'

'It gets worse,' Hilly said.

'I can't wait,' Ferdi replied.

'In his grief at being rejected, Pip has asked a farmer's daughter to marry him! Can you believe it?'

'Whom?' Ferdi asked, curious.

'One of the north-Tooks,' Hilly said. 'I cannot recall, exactly...'

'Diamond?' Ferdi asked.

'Yes, that was the name! However did you know?' Hilly said curiously.

'I've met Diamond,' Ferdi said shortly. You're a sly one, Pip, he thought. Still up to your old tricks, are you? You get the girl you want, and let your cousin Estella take the blame... well, you won't fool me so easily as you used to.

'Ferdi?' Hilly interrupted his thoughts.

'Sorry, cousin, just had a tricky bit of fletching, you know,' Ferdi answered.

'Of course,' Hilly said, nodding understandingly. 'I'll leave you be now.'

'You do that,' Ferdi said. 'I've got quite a bit of work yet to do, before the tournament, you know.'

 





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