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A Shire Sketchbook  by Baggins Babe

Yule, 1430

It was Mettarė morning in the Southern lands. In the Citadel in Minas Anor the building echoed to the delighted shrieks of children as they opened presents. The Master of Protocol smiled as he went about his duties, arranging the Great Hall for the audience. It was good to hear children's voices in the Citadel; they signified that all was well in Gondor. The King's children and those of Prince Faramir spent much time together and all seemed to get along splendidly. He and the Lord Chamberlain stood back and surveyed the scene - room for guests to circulate, long tables for the food, where people would serve themselves, a corner for the children to play if the wished, and a Yule log ready to burn. The log came from the Shire, a gift from the Pheriannath whom the King loved. Master Samwise himself had prepared this and several others for the King's and Steward's private apartments. The logs were bound with many sweet-smelling herbs which released their vapours as they burned. This was a tradition in the Northern Lands and the King liked to combine all the customs of the Two Kingdoms.

       Aragorn and Faramir looked at their gifts from Rose. They looked very similar - both were wrapped in deep red paper and a small card on each said, With much love and good wishes for a Merry Yule, from Rose.

       "It's a book," Faramir said, uncovering a large book covered in deep blue suede with a beautiful silver tree on the cover.

       "It's a cookery book!" Aragorn cried triumphantly. His own was in black suede with a silver tree and seven stars topped with a crown. "A Shire cookbook, just as we begged for when we stayed at Bag End!" He began flipping pages and exclaiming delightedly. "Beef and kidney pudding! Raspberry trifle! Chocolate fudge cake!..........."

       "Coffee and walnut cake...........Mrs Cotton's beef and onion pasties.............hand-raised pork pie......chocolate sponge...............liver and bacon casserole.............garlic mushrooms............" Faramir was mumbling deliriously. "Oooooh! Mrs Bracegirdle's steak and mushroom pie!"

       "I wouldn't know where to start, it all sounds so delicious," said Eowyn, peering over her husband's shoulder. "Pincup Pond Pudding! What on earth does that mean? 'North Farthing Hotpot' - that sounds interesting....."

       Legolas and Gimli - staying at the Citadel for the festival - both rose from their corner, where they had been playing with the children, and hurried over. Legolas could read upside down, which irritated Gimli enormously as he felt sure he was missing something.

       Arwen had joined Aragorn on the rug and recognised some of the recipes. "Bubble and squeak - Bilbo made that for us in Rivendell. Did you have that when you were there?"

       "On the night we arrived at Bag End, and it was superb - Rose just made more! Hobbits never seem to be put out by extra guests, do they?" Aragorn scanned the little note inside, and read the inscription on the flyleaf.

       To His Majesty King Elessar Telcontar, Rose Gamgee sends her compliments and respectfully presents a collection of receipts from her own collection and those of many families within the Shire. All the Shire-folk wished to be included and were happy to donate their traditional family receipts for this Shire cookbook. May you enjoy them all, though not all at once!     Fifteenth day of Blotmath, 1430 SR.

       He turned his attention to the note. "Rose says that she and Frodo have managed two copies so far but they will be sending others to my cousins and to Beregond, as well as to Rivendell, Ithilien and the Glittering Caves." He grinned as Gimli gave a grunt of satisfaction. "No-one will be left out, it seems."

       "I'm surprised they've had time to produce two copies with everything else that they've had to deal with this year," said Faramir, tearing his attention away from the mouth-watering delights within the pages.

       "Frodo is, as Mithrandir told me so often, a remarkable hobbit. How he found the time to copy out and bind two of these is beyond me. What with the attack by Sandyman, then the aftermath of that incident, the hearing and comforting the Sandyman family, Frodo's birthday and a new kitten to play with. Such time-wasters, nothing is ever completed with kittens about!" He lifted one of his own cats and cradled the creature in his arms.

       "Ada, Merry and Pippin keep pouncing on the paper!" Gilraen called. "They are so naughty!"

       "Pippeen!" cried little Melian, stretching out her hands to the large silver cat. He rubbed against her fingers, causing her to giggle and coo at him.

       "You know," Aragorn murmured to Faramir, "The kitchen staff have all been given the day off tomorrow, to visit their own families."

       "Really? Then the kitchens will be free............."

       "Exactly! We can try some of these tempting recipes and surprise everyone with dinner." Aragorn grinned. "An excellent idea I think."

       He had misjudged Elven hearing. Behind him Arwen leaned close to Eowyn. "I wonder how much mess those two can make in an afternoon?"

      Although questioned about the reason for their laughter, the ladies remained diplomatically silent.





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