Magnificent

8: A Visit to Old Friends

Pippin grinned broadly as he saw the Fords of Isen approaching ahead of him. He had been riding for many days, only resting when he felt that Mithrandir was tiring, and that was seldom. Before he reached the water, he was greeted by the sight of several men standing to arms. Though the dangers of the world had lessened, the people of Rohan still kept guard at the Fords of Isen. Those on duty had to ask any travelers using the Fords what their business was, and where they were heading.

"Good day to you, Riders of the Mark!" Pippin called, waving.

The men relaxed, and one even laughed. "And to you, Master Holbytla!"

Pippin recognised him as Éothain, a rider known to Merry, as he was a relative of Éomer and Éowyn. He had met the rider once or twice, the most recent time being his last trip to Rohan and Gondor with Merry and Estella. Pippin slipped from Mithrandir and bowed. "Greetings, Éothain."

"Peregrin, is it not? What brings you to our lands? And without your cousin, the Holdwine, at that?" Éothain's tone was not suspicious, merely curious.

"I felt I was in need of a little holiday, and wished to visit some friends. Perhaps you may be able to assist me, or at least cut many useless miles from my journey. Can you tell me if Gimli the Dwarf is visiting the Glittering Caves at this time?"

Éothain nodded. "You are indeed lucky, Master Peregrin. I have heard word that there is a party of dwarves visiting the Caves of Aglarond. If you stay upon this road you will come to the Deeping Stream, and from there it is easy enough to find the Hornburg and Helm's Deep."

Pippin smiled in thanks. Though he had a vague idea of where to find Helm's Deep, it was good to have the directions confirmed. He was also very pleased to hear that Gimli was in Rohan. He knew that Gimli had made his home in the White Mountains near Minas Tirith, and it would probably take a week of riding to reach Gondor. Peregrin mounted Mithrandir once more.

"Give our greetings to Meriadoc when next you see him," Éothain called, as he moved aside to let Pippin pass. Pippin promised he would.

Pippin looked to the north as he rode, and could see the dark boughs of Fangorn Forest. He had been debating for many days as to whether he would include a visit to Treebeard and the Ents on this journey. He had finally decided against this, when he remembered Treebeard’s heartbreaking tale about his lost love Fimbrethil. Pippin had decided that the last thing he needed at this particular time was mourning lost loves.

That was, in fact, the reason he was hoping to see Legolas and Gimli. He knew for certain that neither of them had any female attachments, and he remembered them once admitting that they doubted they would ever settle down. Their friendship for each other was one reason for this (Legolas had once joked that no elvish maiden would want her husband to love a dwarf more than her), and Gimli’s love for the Lady Galadriel would not let him find anything else fair.

“Pity Bilbo and Frodo aren’t around,” Pippin mumbled to Mithrandir. “The whole lot of us could have had a wonderful time discussing how life is better without lasses!”

It was almost twenty miles from the Fords to the Deeping Coomb, but Mithrandir was a sturdy beast, and covered the distance quite quickly. Soon, Pippin was traveling alongside the Deeping Stream, and could see the high walls of the Hornburg ahead of him. Outside, their appeared to be some pavilions set up.

This confused Pippin for a moment. Éothain had said that a party of dwarves was visiting the caves. Pippin assumed they would stay in the caves themselves, thus having no need for pavilions outside. The Men of Rohan who inhabited Helm’s Deep would have no need for them either.

Pippin had his answer when he saw a stout figure with a white beard conversing with a tall, slender figure with golden hair. It seemed that Gimli was not the only one to invite some friends to visit the glorious caves. The elf noticed Pippin, and both he and his dwarvish companion waved.

“Hail, Master Hobbit!” the elf called, as Pippin rode up near them and dismounted.

Pippin was surprised to be addressed as such. Very few folk outside the Shire or the close friends the hobbits had made on their journey called them “hobbits”. Sam, Merry and Pippin had now become so used to being called Halflings that they rarely bothered correcting anyone anymore. It seemed this elf had been educated in the preferred name of the hobbits.

The dwarf saw the look that passed over Pippin’s face. “Don’t you worry, lad. We’ve had some dealings with your folk before. Glóin, at your service.”

Pippin gasped. He had thought the old dwarf looked familiar. Not only did he remind Pippin of Gimli, but he had also seen Glóin once or twice during their stay in Rivendell, before and after the Council of Elrond.

“Peregrin Took at yours and your family’s,” Pippin finally remembered to say.

“Peregrin Took? It can’t be! Last time I saw you, you were a frightened little lad, shadowing your cousin.”

The elf smiled. “I have heard much about you from my son, Master Peregrin. I am Thranduil, father of Legolas.”

Pippin was sure that he must have looked very comical to the dwarf and elf. When he had first seen them, he had not expected them to be revealed as such high-standing people. He was speaking with the King of Mirkwood!

Peregrin finally managed to shake away his shock, and remembered that he was a Knight of Gondor. He bowed. “It is an honour to meet you both, especially you, Glóin. I will forever be indebted to your son.”

“Peregrin?” a voice asked from behind him.

Pippin turned sharply. There stood Gimli and Legolas, having just come out of one of the nearby pavilions. Pippin was happy to realise that if he had looked comical moments before, Gimli looked just as bad, face caught somewhere between shock and joy.

“Gimli!” cried Pippin, throwing his arms around the dwarf, the same thing he had done to his cousins many a time when he had been much younger.

“My young hobbit, to what do we owe the privilege?” Gimli laughed.

“I felt like coming to visit you,” Pippin replied, moving away from Gimli to hug Legolas. “Éothain – he was watching the Fords – told me you’d be here. I’m glad he did. I don’t think Mithrandir would have been too pleased with me if I made him take me all the way to Gondor!”

“Mithrandir?” Thranduil asked, a questioning look on his face.

Pippin grinned. “My pony.”

They all laughed. Legolas looked around. “Is Merry not with you?”

“Uh, no, he’s back home,” Pippin admitted. “He was not able to come with me.” Pippin was not completely comfortable about discussing the reasons for is journey with Thranduil and Glóin present.

“Well, it is his loss,” laughed Gimli. “Come now, Peregrin, as is usual of your race, you have arrived just in time for a meal.”

Gimli lead them all to the pavilion that he and Legolas had emerged from. It seemed that the two of them had been preparing for supper when they heard Pippin’s voice outside.

“Do you suppose we shall have enough to cater for Peregrin?” Legolas joked.

Fortunately, there was enough for Pippin to join them. They spoke while they ate; Gimli told Pippin what had been happening in Minas Tirith since his last visit, and Legolas did the same for Ithilien. In turn, Pippin mentioned a few of the recent events in the Shire, including the birth of Frodo Gamgee.

The talk then turned to events from the journeys Pippin, Gimli and Legolas had shared. Thranduil and Glóin had heard some of the stories, but others they had not. The story they enjoyed the most was about the second time Gimli had saved Pippin’s life.

“Oh, no, not this story,” Gimli groaned, as Legolas made mention of it.

Legolas grinned, and continued. “While we were waiting for the arrival of the Queen, Peregrin here decided that he would make his own fun.”

“It was Merry and Frodo’s fault!” Pippin retorted. “They dared me to do it.”

“Dared you to do what?” Glóin asked, who had always enjoyed a good story and did not like for it to be interrupted.

Pippin sighed. “I stole Gimli’s gift from the Lady Galadriel.”

Glóin and Thranduil looked at him for a moment, not knowing whether he was serious or not, and then roared with laughter.

“You must take after your Uncle Bilbo,” Glóin chuckled. “He made quite the fine burglar.”

“Well, Pippin actually decided that he would return what he stole,” said Legolas. “But Gimli and I had spoken with Frodo by this point, and discovered the true story behind the theft, as well as the fact that Peregrin enjoyed climbing through windows. He got such a fright when he climbed in and found us waiting there, that he knocked his cousin out the window, and nearly fell out himself. It was lucky that Gimli was there to catch them, and pull them both into the safety of the room.”

Pippin was red to the tips of his ears. “I still say it was Merry and Frodo’s fault.”

Glóin laughed again, but it turned into a yawn. “Well, I’m not as young as I used to be, so I believe it is time for me to turn in. Good night to you all. It was wonderful to see you again, Master Peregrin.”

“It was wonderful to see you also, Glóin,” Pippin returned.

“I think I shall also leave you three friends for now,” Thranduil announced. He looked at Pippin knowingly. “Some things are perhaps best discussed in the company of good friends alone. Good night.”

Once both the dwarf and elf had left, Pippin turned to his friends. “It is strange that your fathers seem to get along so well. Gimli, isn’t your father still upset by his imprisonment by the elves. Sam told me he mentioned it at Elrond’s council.”

“I believe he has forgiven Thranduil now,” Gimli replied. “Though if the Elf-king annoys him, my father is quick to remind all about his unnecessary imprisonment.”

“My father was hesitant to speak with a dwarf, I must admit,” Legolas added. “But I spoke with him, mostly about Gimli’s great deeds in the War, and of his favour with the Lady Galadriel, and that seemed to convince him. They actually get along quite well.”

“That’s good to hear,” said Pippin, fidgeting.

“And now, my young friend, are you going to tell us the reason for your visit?”

“Yes, and how are things with that lass of yours?” Gimli chimed. “The one you told us about in your letters.”

The smile that had been on Pippin’s face faded. “She’s getting married. I think that answers Legolas’ question as well.”

“You did not wish to attend the wedding,” said Legolas. “What did you tell her?”

“I did not really speak to her about it. I told Merry to let everyone know that I had been summoned by the King. I doubt very many believed it, though. I left the necklace with Merry – remember the one I had made with a celandine, her namesake flower, on it. It was going to be a betrothal gift.”

“You mean that lass?” asked Gimli. “I was not speaking of her. I thought you had given up on her a long time ago. I meant the lass you have mentioned much in your letters; the one who lives with you.”

“Diamond?” Pippin asked in shock.

“Yes, that was the name! And a beautiful one at that. Far nicer than a flower, in any case.” Gimli grinned at Legolas as he said this.

“Diamond and I aren’t courting,” Pippin quickly explained. “She’s Estella’s friend. I asked her to move to Crickhollow, because then we could be imposing together. She and I are basically the only ones of our friends not married or courting.”

Gimli made a strange sound, which usually meant he was laughing. “I see. So, though you are not courting yet, you will be soon.”

“No, I…uh…” Pippin had turned a darker shade of red than he had earlier when his thieving skills were being discussed. His feelings for Diamond were still very confusing to him.

“You must forgive Gimli,” said Legolas, giving the still smirking dwarf a stern glare. “From the way you spoke of Diamond in your letters to us, we assumed that you were courting her. You spoke of her very highly.”

“And we are not the only ones to assume so,” said Gimli.

“I suppose I do fancy her,” Pippin admitted. “She’s very pretty – with dark hair, and green eyes. And much more interesting than Celandine ever was. Her ancestor was the great Bullroarer Took, and she’s almost as tall as I am.”

“Then what are you waiting for, lad? Go and make that lass Mrs. Peregrin Took!”

Pippin smiled like he had not in a good while. It had all been made perfectly clear to him. He had fallen in love with Diamond, and from the hints Merry, Estella and his sisters had dropped, there was a chance that Diamond felt the same about him.

“Gimli, I don’t suppose I could ask a favour of you?”

* * * * * *

A/N: The story Legolas tells to Thranduil and Glóin come from another of my stories – “The Lady’s Gift”. I thought it would work well in this chapter.