Part 3:  The Shire

Autumn had splashed its coppers and golds upon the trees at Great Smials, the last lazy blooms nodding in the cooling breeze, petals trailing off one by one.  Clear laughter rang out into the air, coming from the sheltered garden outside the Thain’s study, and Pippin glanced away from the papers on the desk before him.  Children dashed by the window, a riot of bright color and motion chasing each other, like leaves on the wind.  He rose, abandoning his work, to pass through the small door into the orange sunlight, eyes drawn back to the scampering lads and lasses careening among the low hedges.

“Oh, Da!  Look, I found a wish!” piped up a little voice directly behind him.

Emerging from the shady tunnel formed by the line of shrubs that hugged the wall of the smial, the russet-curled lass brandished a fat dandelion fluff.  She bounded up to hug his leg, accidentally knocking off a few seeds, but her bright eyes were fixed on his face.

“Will you blow the wish with me, Da?” she asked, and he bent to one knee, putting his face against her chubby cheek.  He felt her shut her eyes tight and waited, his arm around her little form.  She drew a deep breath, blowing out with childish glee and laughing as the airborne seeds floated up into the wind, scattering far into the high blue sky.

“How long will the wish take to come true, Da?” she asked, breathlessly.

“Depends on what you wished for.”

“I want a new sister.”

“What?”

“I want mummy’s next baby to be a sister…  Boys are too silly.  Why didn’t you wish, Da?  Did you forget?”

“I don’t need to wish for anything, Amber.  I have all I’ve ever wanted, right here.”

The End