CHAPTER 36

It was still quite early when Eglantine awakened. She slipped out of bed, careful to not awaken Paladin, and drew on her dressing gown. For the next few days, she was going to have to make every minute count.

She washed and dressed quickly and quietly. Paladin stirred once and reached across the empty side of the bed for her. “Shh,” she told him. “Go back to sleep, dear, it’s early.” He mumbled something along the lines of “I’ll get up too,” and fell back to sleep.

She made her way to the main kitchen where the kitchen hobbits were already preparing first breakfast, and took a cup of tea. She’d no time for more now; she’d join the family for second breakfast when it came time.

Right now, she needed a word with Heather, the head cook.

“We will not be needing a full dinner for the Ball, Heather. What we will need is a side table with refreshments; a few savories, some sweets, but mostly things to drink. And not just ale or wine, I want some ciders and fruit juices available as well as tea. As for the foods, they should all be things which can be passed on trays to be eaten standing, and with the fingers, nothing that one would have to sit down with a fork to eat.”

“Yes, mum; some pastries and some sandwiches, and--”

“I will leave it to you to plan, keeping in mind what’s in store, but for this occasion, do not skimp, and if you have to purchase anything you have a free hand.”

Heather’s eyes went wide at this. Not a thing she’d *ever* heard the Mistress say before. Eglantine smiled.

“When you get the menu finalized, let me have a quick look at it. Remember the short time we have. If you need extra help, let me know that also, and I will draft a few hands to help out. There are plenty of useless cousins hanging about the Smials, after all.”

They both laughed at this, and Eglantine took her tea with her into the south garden.

She was surprised to see the Elf there. The Sun, after all, was barely peeking her way over the horizon. He did not turn around when he spoke.

“Good morning, Mistress Took, it looks to be a lovely day.”

“Yes, yes it does,” she said, startled. How had he known it was her? Uncanny. “You are up early?”

He did turn to face her then, and she looked up into his beautiful face. One of the Fair Folk, indeed. He was smiling, and it was like another sunrise. “Early? I suppose it may seem so to you. I am usually up to greet the Sun when she begins her journey. My people do not sleep so much as yours.” He laughed.

She blushed. “Pearl told me what happened yesterday. I apologize for the actions of my young cousins. I am afraid those three are rather spoilt by their mother, and tend to be a sore trial to everyone they meet. I will try to keep them from annoying you further.” She was more than a little angry with them, and she had plans to put them in their place a bit later in the day.

Legolas smiled. “It was just somewhat surprising, coming from hobbits. I am afraid that most hobbits are somewhat shy around me. But your daughters and Frodo handled the situation quite well.” He looked about him. “I am enjoying my journey here to the Shire very much. You have a beautiful land here, gentle and well-tended and well-loved. The trees here are happy, though not so wild as those of my home. I was very sad to see what Saruman had done to many of them.”

Eglantine considered. “I had never thought of it that way before. But then I know nothing of any other land besides the Shire, and I am afraid I am only a Banks by birth, with no Tookish blood to make me wish to wander. I am afraid most hobbits are very much homebodies.” She looked up at the tall Elf again in wonder, and for the first time realized what would be lost when all the Fair Folk had departed over the Sea.

“I am sorry to take my leave, Master Legolas, but I have many duties to attend to this morning.”

He gave her a nod and a smile in farewell, and placing a hand on the lowermost limb of the handsome beech that stood by him, vanished into its branches. She gaped for just a second, and then turned and walked down to where the encampment of Men was located.

As she had thought, they were all up and stirring already. They courteously rose and bowed to greet her, and offered to share their breakfast, not much by hobbit standards, but it was a nice porridge with dried fruit in it, and suddenly hungry, she accepted. She needed to speak with Targon anyway, she might as well eat a bit while she did so. One bowl of porridge would not spoil her appetite for second breakfast, anyway.

The Gondorian envoy sat next to her as they ate, and the other Men moved a bit to be out of earshot.

“Captain Targon, I am going to need to know every bit that I can of the titles that your King has bestowed on our Travellers. I’m sure that my husband has explained our strategy to you?”

“Yes, Mistress Took, I do understand. In the matter of impressing certain types of people, pheriannath, that is to say, hobbits, are not so different than Gondorians.” He smiled. This canny little matron had an excellent grip on the realities of politics. He would not be surprised to see her hold her own in the court at Minas Tirith.

“Very well, then, let us discuss precedence, and the matter of announcing our guests of honor.”

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She returned to the family apartment in plenty of time for second breakfast, and stopped by the bedroom to tidy her hair and wash her face and hands again after having been outdoors. Paladin had just finished dressing.

He bestowed a peck on her cheek. “Thank you for letting me sleep in, my dear.”

She smiled. “No need for you to be up that early today.”

Arm in arm, they made their way to the family’s private dining room. All the family were there except for the babies and Pimpernel, and all the guests save Legolas. She was fairly sure she knew why Pimmie had not come, and Milo confirmed it.

“I’m sorry to say, Mother Tina, that Pim’s feeling a bit delicate this morning.”

“That’s quite all right, son. It’s only to be expected at this stage. I’m sure that she will be up and about and feeling better by time for elevenses.”

Milo nodded. He’d been through this twice before, but it didn’t seem to make it any easier. Tanto looked over with sympathy. So far, all he and Vinca had produced was little Largo. They’d soon be hoping to increase their family as well. But it was a hard thing to watch one’s wife go through.

The family began to tuck in to the excellent breakfast fare, and Eglantine found that the porridge had not blunted her appetite at all. For some time the conversation, as was the hobbit way, revolved around the food in front of them. She noticed, though, that the lad Bergil was eating very sparingly. She remembered what Esmeralda had told her, though, about the lad’s first night in Brandy Hall, and refrained from telling him to eat up. If he had been a hobbit lad, she would be worried about the lack of appetite. Strange that creatures so much larger ate so little.

Just then one of the servants came in and whispered in her ear. “Oh my yes, show them in.”

The early guests were Longo and Dianthus Goodbody, Milo’s parents. “Mother! Father!” He rose to greet and embrace them, as did Eglantine.

“Dee!” she said to her old friend and cousin. “It’s so good to see you!”

“I thought that I would come to see if you needed any of my help with this Ball you are organizing, my dear, as well as to see my dear children and grandchildren. Where’s Pimmie?”

Milo blushed. Since the young couple had only found out a few days ago, they had not yet time to tell his parents. He did so now, and was rewarded with their thrilled congratulations.

“Well done, son!” said his father. “Maybe this time it will be a lad.” Unfortunately this remark won him the ire of all the females present in the room, and not much sympathy from any of the males. Paladin took pity on him. He’d finished with his breakfast anyway.

“Come along with me, Longo and Milo, we’re going over to the Men’s encampment to speak with the envoys.” This announcement resulted in the mass exodus of the males: Merry and Pippin needed to see their colleagues, Bergil had some duties to attend to there, Frodo and Saradoc wished to speak to the envoys as well, and Sam was going with Frodo. Tanto decided to go check on little Largo, and Gimli to go in search of the Elf. Fredegar decided to accompany Gimli.

Eglantine looked at the table and laughed. “Well, as long as it’s just we lasses, why don’t we get some of the planning out of the way.”

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Somewhat later, Eglantine went alone to her sitting room. Dianthus had gone to commiserate with her daughter-in-law, and she had sent Pervinca with Marigold and Rose to take the grand tour of the Great Smials. Pearl, Esmeralda, Primrose and Peridot all had various tasks to perform in relation to the Ball.

This particular task Eglantine had in mind was not necessarily pleasant, but it would be satisfying. The door opened, and in came Hyacinth, along with her daughters.

“Eglantine, I must protest this high-handed summons. I had an engagement with my seamstress this morning, and if we are to have our frocks ready in time for the Ball--”

“Hyacinth!” Eglantine’s tone was firm and peremptory. “This concerns something far more important than dresses.” She looked at the three sisters, who had sulky expressions on their faces. She wanted to slap them silly, but what she had in mind would be just as good. Locking her eyes on theirs, she pointed to a spot in front of her, and they lined up there. Their mother looked alarmed.

“Did your daughters tell you that they were disgracefully rude and impertinent to one of our guests yesterday?”

Hyacinth went pale and let out a small bleat. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” She rounded on her daughters. “What did you do?”

Amethyst twitched her lips and mumbled, “We just wanted to meet the Elf.”

“They did indeed meet him, and were importunate to him, embarrassing him and others.”

Just then there was a knock on the sitting room door. “Enter,” said Eglantine. The door opened and in came Heather, the head cook, and Appleblossom, the head of housekeeping.

“Mistress Heather,” said the Thain’s wife, “I am sending you an extra pair of hands to help out in the preparations for the ball. Amethyst, you will go with Mistress Heather to the kitchens, and you will do whatever she asks of you for the next three days. Is that clear?” She looked over at the cook. “Do not go easy on her just because she is Mr. Reginard’s daughter.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Mistress Appleblossom, you will have the assistance for the next three days of Garnet and Opal. I ask only that whatever tasks you find them, you keep them separated. Since Miss Opal was the most impertinent of the three, I strongly suggest that at least part of her duties involve cleaning the privies.”

She looked at the shocked faces of her young cousins. “If you give no troubles to Mistress Heather and Mistress Appleblossom, then you shall be released from your punishment in plenty of time to prepare for the Ball, and you shall be allowed to attend. Now go!”

After they had filed out, much chastened, behind the cook and housekeeper, Eglantine turned her attention to their mother. “Hyacinth, I am sorry I had to take this step of disciplining your daughters for you. But I will not allow the hospitality of the Thain’s home to be sullied by rudeness. After this, I suggest you keep better track of your lasses. And you might begin to search for husbands for them. Husbands who do not live in the Smials, or indeed Tuckborough, would be preferable. Good day!”

Watching Hyacinth’s miserable and furious face as she left, Eglantine felt sorry for Reginard. Poor Reggie was going to catch the brunt of his wife’s ill temper later in the day.

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She spent the next few hours wandering about the Great Smials supervising various tasks that were being carried out by her kin and staff. When she went to check on the ballroom, she noticed with satisfaction that one of the figures helping to wax the vast floor was Garnet.

She took a very brief luncheon, and then went to find Esme and Dee. She thought a break and a visit with friends was in order. The three were in the sitting room sipping tea and laughing over how she had dealt with “the Jewelry”. Dianthus was a touch scandalized. “My word, Tina. I wouldn’t have the nerve. After all, Reggie is second in line after Pippin to be Thain.”

“It makes no difference. If my own daughters forgot themselves enough to behave so disgracefully, I would have done the same for them.”

Just then, they were interrupted by the arrival of Merry and Pippin, who had come in search of their mothers. Dianthus had not seen the lads since their return, and of course had to comment on how much they had grown. Pippin enfolded her in a hug. “It’s good to see you Aunt Dee! Have you heard about Pimmie?”

“Oh, yes, indeed I have.”

Merry and Pippin sat on the floor, by their mothers’ feet, and proceeded to regale Dianthus with a few humorous anecdotes from their travels. She listened in amazement, not sure of how much to believe, of this talk of walking trees and kings and great cities. But the occasional shadow she saw flick through their eyes made her realize that the only thing she had to disbelieve was that it was all as much fun as they were trying to make it sound. The troubled looks on their mothers’ faces confirmed this for her.

Eglantine was enjoying this respite, but she was starting to think it was time to go tend to her duties once more when there was another knock on the door, and in came her brother Clodio, unannounced. Of course, she had known she’d have to see him at some time over the next few days, since he was head of the Banks families, but she would have preferred to postpone the dubious pleasure as long as possible. Her guests, sensing her tension, made as if to leave, but she stayed them. She looked at Merry and Pippin. Merry’s eyes were dangerously stormy; good. Pippin, however, was looking distressed. Not good.

“Brother.” She spoke formally. She did not invite him to take a seat.

“Sister.” He moved to sit anyway. He cleared his throat. “I think it is time we put this unpleasantness behind us.”

Merry made a noise that sounded much like a growl. Esmeralda squeezed his shoulder, and he subsided. Eglantine felt like growling herself.

“Unpleasantness? Is that what you call it when your sons nearly killed mine?”

“Egg--”

She winced. Didn’t he know how she hated that nickname?

“--the incident in question was nearly ten years ago. They were all young lads at the time, and did not realize the harm they could cause. I would like them to apologize, and be welcome once more in your home.”

Her eyes narrowed. What was he up to? He could have bent his neck any time in the last ten years if he really cared to. Why now?

Pippin looked up at her, distress in his wide green eyes. “Mother, you know, I was just as much to blame. I should never have listened in the first place; it’s not like I didn’t know what the word ‘No’ meant. Really, it’s not good for kin to be on the outs.”

Merry started to say something, but Esmeralda pinched his ear, and he rubbed it resentfully. His mother didn’t understand. She had not been here to see Pippin: retching, unconscious, blue in the face, cold hands, slow heart--the memory was as fresh for him as the memory of Uruk-hai, or of Gandalf riding away to Minas Tirith with Pippin before him. Until they had gone on the Quest, it was the worst memory of his life. How could Pip talk about forgiving them? And he didn’t like the expression on Banks’ face. That one was up to something, and it wasn’t just reconciliation. He could see Aunt Tina felt the same. But he saw the pleading look on Pip’s face, and he knew she’d cave. So would he if those green eyes turned on him.

“Very well, brother, your sons will be allowed under this roof again. I do expect an apology. I will see you and them tomorrow.”

Clodio realized he was not going to get much more out of her at this point, and took his leave. He was heartened to notice that his nephew seemed more forgiving. If he could talk to him without the Brandybuck brat around he might be able to learn something. But that would keep. He’d see about that tomorrow.

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They had invited the Men from the encampment to come up for tea that afternoon, which they would take in the west garden. She had only just been introduced to them so far, Targon was the only one she had talked with much. She especially wanted to talk to the brothers whom Pippin had saved from the troll. She had heard Paladin’s and Pearl’s account of it; but she wanted to hear first hand. And she had not talked at all with the Men from Rohan. She was interested in them as well.

The tea was a pleasant affair, and all the guests were having a lovely time. Eglantine was amused to note that one of the lasses serving happened to be Amethyst. The lass had not schooled her features very well, and she was favoring everyone with fierce scowls.

After a while, she was able to draw Adrahil and Artamir aside for a brief account of Pippin saving their lives. Artamir did not have much to contribute, since he had been unconscious, but Adrahil’s account was much as he had told Paladin. Unlike her husband, Eglantine was not in the least surprised at her son’s courage or willingness to sacrifice himself. She had always known what a great heart her lad had.

When tea had ended, most of the guests and inhabitants of the Smials wandered back down to the encampment with the Men, for more conversation, smoking, and probably singing. But Eglantine still had a few tasks to see to before supper. She caught Pippin before he headed down.

“Son, tomorrow I’d like you to see about engaging the musicians for the Ball if you would?”

His face lit up in a grin. “Of course, Mother. I’d love to do that for you!”

“Thank you, son.” That was a big relief. Pippin was musical, and he knew who the good musicians were in Tuckborough; it would be a fairly simple task for him. He really was quite grown-up; her heart swelled with pride.

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Supper had been a quiet family affair. Most of the guests had remained to sup with the Men, and it had been only Paladin, Eglantine, Saradoc, Esmeralda and Pearl around the table in the Thain’s apartment. After the meal had ended, Eglantine found herself quite ready to retire early.

She went on to bed, still hearing the murmurs of her husband and brother-in-law talking in the sitting room. She had accomplished a lot. Three more days until the Ball.