Ch 21. The Steward and the Mayor

The Thain's family and distinguished guests watched the races from the special box at the edge of the racecourse, eating and laughing, drinking and cheering their favourites. It seemed like old times, but sharp Mayor Samwise noted the constraint between Master and Thain for all their jokes and easy talk.

Just before elevenses the Steward of Tookland excused himself. 'Matters of business,' he said apologetically. 'There's always something to be done, even on a feast day.'

At nooning, servants brought the Thain and Mistress's ponies right up to the box. Pippin laughed and excused himself to his guests. 'I suppose that's my cue that I've neglected my own business long enough.'

Diamond rose hastily. 'The babes!' she said. 'It's time for them to eat. I was going to walk back to the Smials, but now I'll just keep my husband company.'

Pippin smiled up at her. 'I won't complain,' he said, then looking around at the rest of the guests, he said, 'Stay, enjoy yourselves. We'll see you at the banquet this evening.' He rose, carefully balancing on the Stick, and gave an arm to Diamond. It was but a step or two to the ponies, and Samwise was close enough to see the sweat beading Pippin's face after he hauled himself unaided into the saddle. The Thain smiled and raised his hand, and he and Diamond went back to the Smials at a decorous walk.

Samwise excused himself after they'd finished the generous noonday meal served in the box. 'Just need to stretch my legs a bit,' he said to Rose. 'You stay and enjoy yourself.'

He meandered about, looking at some of the ponies waiting to race, smiling at the varied sights and sounds of the festival. He acknowledged the bows and nods with all the dignity due his office. When he felt that no one was taking an interest in him anymore, he turned his steps back towards the Smials.

He met Reginard on guard outside the Thain's study.

'Is he in?' he asked. 'I'd like to see him.'

'I'm sorry,' the steward says. 'He's immersed in matters of business. Not to be disturbed.'

'Is he all right?' Sam asked.

'Of course he's all right,' Reginard said a little too quickly. 'He's fine, he doesn't need the Mayor of the Shire dancing attendance upon him.'

Sam eyed the steward calmly. 'What's wrong?'

'Nothing's wrong,' the steward huffed, but Sam noted that he was careful to keep his voice low.

'O yes,' Samwise said. 'I've been through trouble enough to see it when it stands before me.'

'What, did you save his life or something? You're watching over him?' Reginard demanded.

'As he's saved mine, a time or two,' Sam said, but his smile did not reach his eyes.

'He doesn't need you to take care of him,' the steward said coldly. 'You stick to being Mayor of the Shire and keep your nose out of Tookland's business.'

'I've been his friend nearly as long as you've been his cousin,' the Mayor said quietly.

Reginard gave him a quizzical look. 'You were a gardener for a long time before you became Mayor,' he said. 'Friend?'

Sam smiled. Having done his bit to maintain the class distinction between his sort and the gentry, he understood the other's difficulty, didn't blame him in the least. Now that he was counted "gentry" himself, due to his position as Mayor, he received grudging acceptance, respect, even, but he knew his lowly beginnings would never quite be forgotten.

'Pippin--when he was Mr Pippin--never was one to let his estate come between himself and friendship,' Sam said.

Reginard chuckled and shook his head. 'No,' he answered. 'I never quite understood that... we always had it drilled into our heads that we had a place to keep, and keep it we must.'

'Well, Pippin was always the contrary one,' Sam commented. 'Now let me see him.'

'No,' Reginard said.

Sam's penetrating gaze met his. 'What are you hiding?' he asked. 'Is he a prisoner? Are you keeping him locked up when you don't put him on parade?'

Shock was quickly followed by anger, only to be replaced by sorrow in the steward's face. 'Aye,' he said heavily. 'He's a prisoner all right. But not of the Tooks.' He sighed. 'You cannot see him now because he's resting. Maybe even asleep. I hope so.'

'He's not well,' the Mayor stated rather than guessed.

'If the Tooks knew how unwell he is, I'd've been stuck with the Thainship this day,' Reginard said flatly.

The Mayor nodded. 'That's what I suspected.'

Reginard sucked in his breath. 'It's that obvious?' he said uneasily.

Sam shook his head. 'Probably not,' he said reassuringly. 'But I'm an old friend. I saw him when he was still recovering from being flattened under a troll.'

'I'd heard you were doing a bit of recovering yourself, then.'

Sam smiled. 'I've eyes, haven't I? When I wasn't watching out for Mr Frodo, we hobbits all were watching out for Pippin; he was still only a tween at the time, remember.'

Reginard slowly shook his head. 'I keep forgetting that. When he rode up dressed as a knight of Gondor, roused Tookland to throw out the ruffians... he didn't look at all like a tween.' He dropped his eyes. 'I held onto that for a long time after his father drove him away. I knew, just knew that someday, somehow, he'd be Thain, and I knew I'd give anything to serve under him.'

He met Sam's eyes again and sighed. 'And here he is, Thain, and he's been a good one, slowly bringing change to Tookland, chipping away at the chains old Paladin forged, and he nearly gets himself killed--twice in two years. The Tooks are spooked, they look for a strong leader.'

'How'd the old Thain manage, then?'

'What he lacked in physical strength, he made up in force of will.'

'Pippin's stubborn enough,' Sam said.

'O aye, he wouldn't be alive now if not for that. And he'll get better...' Regi's voice trailed off. 'He's got to get better. We need him.'