Chapter 41. Restoration

The Thain returned to Buckland in July, and again in August. On the latter visit, he brought Faramir along. Regretfully, Diamond stayed in Tuckborough at her husband's and the healers' insistence, her feet firmly planted on a stool whilst everyone in the Smials waited on her slightest wish.

Pippin found Berilac that August day sitting in a chair beneath a shady tree, sipping a cool drink as he watched young Brandybucks cavorting in the shallows of the River.

'Good to see you out and about,' he said, settling next to the steward and laying his Stick down upon the ground. Berilac wondered if he'd had a sudden relapse, but wasn't going to be the first to bring it up. It wasn't long before a deferential servant brought the Thain his own refreshing drink.

'Well, I'm out, anyhow,' Berilac answered. 'Not quite about.'

Pippin nodded. 'I remember when I broke my own leg,' he said reflectively. 'Bad break, had to learn to walk all over again. Faramir was just a toddler at the time; he was walking better than his old Da for quite awhile. Seemed to think it a fine jest.'

They sipped in silence. Berilac sat up a little straighter when a tiny hobbit got too far out of his depth, relaxing when a larger cousin hauled the little one back into the shallow water and administered a scolding.

'What were you going to do, then?' Pippin asked, amused. 'Crawl over there to save him?'

'No,' Berilac answered. 'I was going to tip you out of your chair and send you along.'

'Good thinking.'

Berilac said suddenly. 'Is that Faramir? You brought the family?'

'Not the whole family, just the lad. Diamond's back at home being spoiled rotten, don't know how I'll be able to live with her when I get back.'

Berilac smiled. The Thain did quite a bit of his own spoiling.

'We're heading up to Lake Evendim for a few weeks at the behest of the King,' the Thain said. 'Brandy Hall seemed a good stopping place to spend the night before meeting the King's escort on the morrow.'

'Ah,' Berilac said. He was quiet awhile, then sighed. 'Learn to walk all over again...'

'O yes,' the Thain said, 'I nearly forgot.' He picked up the Stick, extending it to the steward. 'Thought you might like this to go on with. You'll probably have to start out with two sticks, of course, but I think Merry's about done carving the other, and you'll be ready to try them soon enough.'

'I don't know what to say,' Berilac began.

Pippin laughed. 'That's usually a good clue that there's nothing needed.' He rose, clapped Berilac on the back, said, 'Good to see you on the mend.'

***

At early breakfast, Estella admired the Thain's guardsman's uniform. 'My, but you look handsome, cousin,' she said, then pouted, walking her fingers along her husband's arm. 'I cannot think the last time my beloved wore his mail.'

Merry laughed down at her. 'That is because it is too tight, my dear, from the way you have stuffed food into me all these years.'

She looked up at him consideringly. 'I may have to change my ways,' she mused.

Pippin chuckled. 'Just get out from behind that desk a bit more,' he said.

Estella nodded firmly. 'That's what the healers have been telling him.'

The Thain sat a bit straighter, like a hound coming to the point. 'Healers?' he said quietly.

Merry was annoyed. 'I'm fine,' he answered. 'My wife has too much time on her hands; she looks for ways to plague me.'

Pippin nodded to himself. He knew Merry's "fine" very well, it was similar to his own.

Estella was not to be put off, she had Pippin here to reinforce her and she was going to take every advantage she could. 'Your father's heart nearly gave out on him when he was only a bit older than you are now,' she said. 'You do not take enough care of yourself; someone has to!' Her voice became coaxing. 'I wish you would change your mind and take a holiday, go to the Lake with Pippin.'

Merry lay a quelling hand on hers. 'With Berilac out injured, there's too much work for me to take any time off right now.' He smiled. 'We'll have a holiday when my steward is back on his feet, or after the harvest, whichever comes first.'

Estella subsided, but the anxiety did not leave her eyes, Pippin noticed. He harrumphed, sticking out his chest and blinking near-sightedly. All eyes turned to him. 'I prescribe Healer Took's Rules for Living,' he said pompously. He held up his hand, forefinger and thumb forming a letter "L". 'Long walks, Less worry, Love your wife, Laugh often. Quite simple, really. Lengthen your Life and make it more enjoyable in the bargain.'

'Thank you, Healer Took,' Merry said dryly.

Pippin held out his hand. 'That will be one silver penny,' he said ponderously, 'or two chickens.'

Merry dug into a pocket and brought out a silver penny, handing it to the Thain. 'I ought to give you the two chickens,' he laughed. 'Like to see what you'd do with them!'

Pippin patted his surcoat, frowning. 'Hmmm, that's the problem with wearing mail; no pockets.' He tossed the coin to Faramir. 'Here, keep this in a safe place, there's plenty more where that came from.' He smiled at Merry as the latter choked on his tea. 'Another serving of that excellent sausage, please?'

'That's your fifth,' Merry muttered.

Pippin smiled. 'I'm making up for lost time,' he said. 'I cannot get over food that tastes like food again.'

'That mail won't fit for long at the rate you're going,' Merimas laughed.

Pippin kept smiling. 'O, I have a long way to go, yet,' he said quietly.

Merry sobered slightly, thinking how close they'd come to losing him, covered his feelings by quipping, 'No, he burns it all off. I don't think you've stopped moving since the cure.'

Pippin twinkled at Faramir. 'I've missed a lot,' he said, then repeated softly, 'Got a lot of lost time to make up.'