CHAPTER 32

The Yule feast for First Yule had been magnificent. The always abundant tables of the Master of Brandy Hall had groaned even more than usual under the weight of the victuals. Saradoc’s reputation for generous hospitality was beginning to rival that of his legendary grandfather, Gorbadoc.

In the main dining room, the servants had taken away the last of the empty dishes, and hobbits--both servants and guests--were busily shoving the tables and chairs back to the edges of the room, to clear the floor for dancing. Through the wide open doors on one side, other servants could be seen busily setting up tables of drinks and nibbles in the smaller second dining room.

In one corner, the musicians had gathered. Esmeralda and Pippin were tuning their fiddles, and Pippin spared a smile for his cousin Ilberic, who was nervously practicing his shepherd’s pipes. Pippin had been giving him lessons since coming to live at Crickhollow, but this was Ilbie’s first time to play in public, and he had a bit of stage fright. Pippin winked at him and mouthed “You’ll do just fine.” Cousin Melilot was setting up her large harp, and her sister Mentha was tuning her lute, while young Myrtle Burrows had taken out a tambour.

Merry came up, flushed with the exertion of helping move tables and chairs. “Hullo, Pip! Are you doing all right?”

Pippin finished giving a twist to one of the tuning pegs before looking up. “I’m fine! Where are the lasses?”

“They went with Pearl to ‘freshen up’ before the dancing starts.”

Pippin felt a bit on edge at the thought of Diamond dancing with other lads, but he couldn’t deny her the fun of dancing --and since Cousin Dody had been adamant about his only doing one dance, he was going to be playing his fiddle instead, at least until it was time for “Candles”.

“Relax, cousin,” laughed Merry. “My da and yours are going to take turns dancing with Diamond and keep the other lads off.”

“Oh, bless them!” said Pippin, with a sigh of heartfelt gratitude. “Merry, I’ve been meaning to ask you how you and Estella have been managing to evade Dragon Rosamunda for the last few days?”

Merry laughed. “That was Da’s doing! He had a quiet word with Odovocar, and explained that here in Buckland, such close surveillance could damage Estella’s reputation, as it would indicate her parents thought her untrustworthy.”

Pippin grinned. “Like Celly?”

Celandine’s reputation as a flirt meant she was constantly under her mother’s watchful eye. She’d been told in no uncertain terms that tonight she was to dance with no one but her father, brothers and uncles.

Merry nodded. “You could imagine that did not sit well with my future mother-in-law. She cut Estella loose fairly quickly after that, I assure you!”

Pippin’s answer died on his lips as his face lit up. Merry turned to look over his shoulder, to see Diamond and Estella approaching.

Merry took Estella’s hand in his, and raised it to his lips. Hand-kissing was a custom he’d learned in the courts of the South, and Estella found it quite charming. She blushed prettily.

Pippin’s hands were occupied by his fiddle and bow. He contented himself with a brilliant smile, and said “Hullo, Diamond.”

Diamond blushed as well, in the radiance of that Tookish grin, and said “I’m looking forward to hearing you play.”

Esmeralda looked up from her own fiddle, which she now had adjusted to her satisfaction. “Then you will get your wish now, my dear, because we are ready to start.”

“What’s first, Mum?” asked Merry.

“Southfarthing Brawl,” she answered, with the name of a popular circle dance.

Merry grabbed both the lasses by the hands and headed toward the center of the floor, as the musicians struck up the first notes. This dance did not call for partners, and was popular with the children, who flocked to join in. It was a rather breathless dance, in which the music went faster and faster toward the end.

There were a few more of the circle dances, and then they began to play the dances that called for sets of partners. Pippin smiled to see first his Uncle Saradoc, and then his father, squiring Diamond across the dance floor. Paladin was kept busy, as in between dancing with Diamond, Eglantine was demanding his arm for her own dancing. He scowled a bit to notice that Moro Burrows kept trying to catch up to Diamond in between dances. Fortunately, Moro did not quite have the nerve to cut in on the Thain or the Master. He supposed that no one had clued the young Burrows in on the state of things between him and Diamond. He might have to have a talk with him.

On the sidelines, Celandine was gossiping with her friend Heather Bunce.

“Celly, that lass over there is my Aunt Lavender’s apprentice!”

Celandine smiled smugly. “It certainly is. Don’t you know that the Thain and his family invited her to come because Pippin is smitten with her?”

“Captain Peregrin? Smitten with a healer’s apprentice?” Heather’s eyes were a tad disappointed. She was a little bit smitten herself with the dashing Thain’s son, so handsome and heroic. “I wonder if my Aunt Lavender knows. It could hardly be proper for her to get involved with him, if she’s going to be a healer and all.”

“Oh, well they’re Tooks, after all. What does proper have to do with it?”

Celandine was watching Moro. He was a very nice looking lad, and if she could evade her mother, she might be able to have a little chat with him.

She had disdained to dance with her father, and Doderic was nowhere to be seen. With Ilberic playing in the band, she didn’t think she was going to get a chance to dance anytime soon. Her eyes roved the crowd. There was sweet old Uncle Dinodas. Maybe she could prevail on him to partner her during “Exchanges”. Then if she worked it right, someone might cut him out, and leave her to dance with someone more interesting.

As the musicians began to play Circle of Joy, another circle dance, but one done by a set of four couples, Pippin found his toe tapping twitchily. This was his favorite dance, but there was quite a bit of skipping about in it, and Cousin Dody had told him ‘no’ in no uncertain terms. He felt a bit wistful. For a second he caught Merry’s eye, and both of them felt a sharp and sudden pang of sorrow, for this had also always been Frodo’s favorite dance. But Estella caught Merry’s hands as they twirled in place, and the moment passed.

There was a brief breathing spell when the dance ended, and then the musicians began the opening notes to “Exchanges”. Couples quickly formed and lined up on the floor, lads in one line, lasses in the other, side by side, his hand over her palm. A stately bow to one another, and the dance began. The first few measures went by without incident, and then in the fourth measure, Eglantine cut in on Cousin Hilda, and spirited off with Cousin Seredic. Pippin watched his father and Diamond anxiously; sure enough, Moro cut the Thain out. Anyone was fair game in “Exchanges”. But Merry and Estella had been standing the dance out just in case this happened, and Estella deftly cut Diamond free. Diamond stood back and awaited her chance, and cut in on one of the younger lasses who was dancing with an elderly hobbit. By chance, it was Celandine, who grinned, and used the opportunity to cut Estella out and end up with Moro.

Paladin waited for two measures, and then stepped in to take old Dinodas’s place with Diamond, so that as the dance ended with an elegant bow, she was dancing with her original partner.

She smiled up at him. “Thank you, Thain Paladin, that was very skillfully done!”

He looked down at her with a laugh. “I still have a few trick left, lass. And I did promise Merry I’d keep the other lads away while Pippin is playing.”

Celandine risked a glance in her mother’s direction. Hilda was distracted in conversation with Moro’s mother, Peony Burrows. She batted her eyes at Moro. “Would you like to go get a bit of fresh air?” With a stealthy skill that would have done a Ranger proud, she spirited the lad out of the Hall.

Pippin noticed, but merely rolled his eyes. He glanced over at Ilberic, but his cousin was too preoccupied with his instrument to notice what his sister had done. “Watch yourself, Moro,” he muttered under his breath.

Esmeralda looked at Pippin. “It’s the Tangle Dance next, and then a short break before we do ’Candles’. Will you come back to play after you dance, Pippin?”

“Maybe not, if you don’t mind terribly, Aunt Esme.”

“Well, we’ll miss your fiddle, but we can get along without it, lad. You’ve been very patient up here watching your lass.” She put her own fiddle up to her chin, and that was the signal to begin the opening notes of the Tangle Dance.

Hobbits young and old came bustling up to join in, and soon nearly everyone was holding fast to two hands, except Merry, who as Son of the Hall, had the honor of leading the tangle. He was very good at it, and there was much hilarity as the tangle grew more and more complicated. By the time the dance ended, they were all so entangled they could no longer even take the steps of the dance, and broke apart at the last notes with breathless laughter .

While the dancers were still extricating themselves, Pippin put his fiddle down carefully, and made his way to the second dining room, where he filled a cup with punch. He returned to present it to Esmeralda with a little kiss on her cheek.

“Thank you, nephew. You are such a thoughtful lad. Now, go find your lass.”

But he didn’t have to search. Merry, Estella and Diamond were right there. He was not best pleased to note a bit of a shadow in Merry’s eyes. Still missing Frodo. Well, he did too, come to that. But as he watched the bustle in the room, he realized that Frodo was wise in not being there. He would have felt overwhelmed by the crowd.

“Well, Pip, your dance is next up, so Mum tells me,” Merry said. “Do you want to help me pass out the candles?”

“Candles” took its name from the fact that in years past, the dancers carried a lit candle taper in one hand; nowadays it was not so often done, but when Esmeralda learned that her favorite nephew had chosen that as his one dance of the evening, she had decided to lay in a supply, to make it even more special.

As those who were dancing took their candles, Saradoc passed among them with a similar taper already lit, and soon all were a-flame. He gave the signal to the servants, who dimmed the lamps, and dancers sorted themselves into sets of two couples.

Of course, Merry and Estella and Pippin and Diamond made one set.

The lights were lowered, giving the dancers a mystical glow from the candlelight on their faces. The first haunting notes of the music began, and Merry bowed slowly, as he rose, Estella dropped an elegant curtsy. The notes sounded again, and Pippin bowed, pleased at feeling no more than a very slight twinge in his leg. Finally, Diamond made a graceful and profound curtsy, rising up in time to the long plaintive note.

As the first measure of the dance began, Merry and Estella moved to the center, dipping slightly as they met, holding their candles in one hand, and touching palms with the other. A half-beat behind them, as they moved backwards to their original places, Pippin and Diamond did the same. Then Merry and Estella moved to the center again, but passed one another at the right shoulder, and continued for three steps. As they turned to face one another, Pippin and Diamond repeated their move; then as they backed away, Merry and Estella passed one another again, this time at their left shoulders, and as they slowly turned around they extended their right hands to the center, holding the candles. After a quarter turn, Pippin’s and Diamond’s candles also met theirs in the center, and soon they had all turned back to their original positions, and the movements began once more.

It was a quiet, slow and graceful dance, with the moves as intricate as a clockwork. In fact, it reminded Pippin of the lovely clockwork music box he’d had as a gift from old Bilbo. But the thought of Bilbo made him think suddenly of Frodo, and he very nearly missed a beat. He stepped quickly to regain the proper spot, and Diamond smiled at him. The sight of her dimples quickly banished the sad thoughts.

The dance ended with an elegant bow, and as the couples rose, the lamps were raised and the candles extinguished. Pippin grinned at Diamond, and said “Well, I didn’t disgrace myself. And my leg did not give out on me. I should say that was success. Would you like something to drink?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Pippin turned to Merry and Estella, who were holding hands. “How about you? Some punch?”

Merry shook his head. “I think Estella and I are going to take the air.”

Pippin smiled. “You do that. I think that sounds like a splendid idea--after we have some punch.” And he led Diamond away in the direction of the second dining room.

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Merry and Estella fetched their cloaks, and headed out of the smial. As they went, they were passed by Merry’s Aunt Hilda, wearing a grim expression. Uh-oh, he thought. Celandine’s slipped her leash. Probably with poor Moro. He caught Estella’s eye, and she giggled. She had come to know Celandine’s ways pretty well when she had stayed at Brandy Hall during the Troubles.

They passed outside into the chill of the Yule night, and holding hands, wandered in the direction of the River. They did not at first speak, but just enjoyed being together and not under scrutiny. The wind picked up a bit, and they stopped beneath a large oak, with a bole wide enough to break the wind. As they leaned against it, Merry drew his Elven cloak out enough to bring it around Estella, and draw her close.

They leaned together, and looked up through the canopy of tree to the stars sparkling in the clear winter sky. Merry pointed. “There. That’s Eärendil. Did you know that star is actually Lord Elrond’s father?”

Estella looked at him incredulously. “Do you really expect me to believe that? I know you told me about Eärendil and Elwing, but surely that’s just a pretty story!”

“That was my reaction when Frodo told me. I never believed it, either, until it was confirmed for me from Lord Elrond’s own lips. And if you’d ever met him, you’d know that he’d never jest about such a thing.”

She looked at the stars with renewed interest. Amazing.

Merry squeezed her shoulders a bit. “Have you enjoyed your Brandy Hall Yule?”

“I have. And you?”

His eyes briefly clouded. “Only one thing would have made it better.”

She knew he was talking about Frodo. But she didn’t say anything. She really didn’t know what to say to his obvious sorrow at Frodo’s absence.

“Estella, I was thinking--why don’t we have our wedding next Yule? We will have been betrothed for a decent interval by then. I don’t want to wait all the way until spring. And by then, surely Frodo will feel up to coming to Brandy Hall. He can’t say no if he’s standing for me at my wedding.”

Estella gave a little shiver, this time not at all caused by the cold. “Merry, it’s not very good luck to talk of the wedding before we’re officially betrothed.”

He looked down at her, distress in his grey eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you, I was just thinking aloud.”

She shook her head. “I’m being silly! Of course a Yule wedding sounds lovely!”

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Pippin fetched his cloak and Diamond’s from the cloakroom, and they passed through into the garden. As they headed up the path, they saw Hilda coming, her forefinger and thumb gripped firmly on a scowling Celandine’s ear. Celandine’s hair was mussed, her lips were swollen, and there was a little mark like a small bruise at the base of her throat. Moro followed several steps behind, looking not a little mussed himself, a shame-faced expression on his countenance. He saw Pippin and Diamond looking, and blushing, turned his face away.

Pippin grinned and Diamond giggled.

Pippin looked down at Diamond, and for a brief moment thought wildly of mussing *her* up so. He flushed, and reached up to touch the Lórien brooch at his throat. Don’t be a cad, he thought. You are a Knight of Gondor. Six years loomed before him like a long dark tunnel, but he thought of his King. Aragorn and Arwen had waited a lot longer than six years. He could, too, if he had to. And that had to be said.

“Six years is not so long, you know.” He hoped he didn’t sound as pitiful to her as he sounded to himself.

Perhaps not, because she said “It seems like an awfully long time to me.”

“We have a lot to do before that.”

She stopped, and took both his hands in hers, and looked seriously into his eyes. “I *am* going to be a healer!”

He felt a bit startled at the seeming change of subject, but he answered “Of course you are! I wouldn’t have it any other way!”

“Truly?” she asked. “It’s not easy to be married and be a healer, you know. Mistress Lavender has suffered this year, being apart from her husband. And even when we were at her home, she spent much of her time being called out for patients, or teaching me. Poor Polo does not get nearly as much of his wife’s attention as most husbands do.”

“I don’t think I could ask you to give that up, Diamond. It’s part of who you are. And I fear that you will find that I’ve got a lot of demands on my time as well. I have sorely neglected my duty to the King since I broke my leg. Now that it’s healed, I’ll be heading to Bree the first week of each month to meet the King’s Messenger once more. And our fathers gave Merry and me the responsibility of training the Shire Muster, so that we will not be such easy prey for ruffians again, if there is ever a next time. And one day--one day--” this was still something Pippin wished to avoid thinking of, but since he had been on the Quest he understood his duty better “--I will be Thain, with all the work which that involves.”

She smiled. “When you put it that way, I see that perhaps six years will not be too long after all--between my studies and your duties, the time will fly.”

Pippin gave a low chuckle. “I don’t know. When you are not around, I really miss you.”

She grinned. “I did rather get that idea.” She gazed up into his green eyes, which were unreadable and glittering.

He looked down at her for a moment, and then put a finger under her chin, and made a question of his look.

She gave the tiniest of nods, and slowly, with much reverence, their lips met gently in the tenderest of kisses.

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