“So you are a… thain? Is that the word you use?”

“It is but I’m not. At least, not yet,” Peregrin Took said with a smile. “And many don’t think I’ll ever become one.”

“And why is that?”

“Too flighty, I suppose.”

Boromir laughed long and hard, then quickly apologized as Pippin’s face grew red.

“So you are a… steward? Is that the word you use?”

“I deserved that, Master Thain.”

“No, you didn’t. I should watch my mouth. It gets me into quite a bit of trouble, you know.”

Boromir grinned again. They had not been traveling together very long, but long enough for the Steward’s son to know that Pippin rarely watched his mouth.

Pippin saw the grin and began to laugh. “None of that from you,” he cried. “I get enough from family and,” he pointed markedly, “Gandalf.” He burst into another bout of laughter.

“So we are alike?”

“I think so,” Pippin frowned. “I find it strange, don’t you, Boromir, that we are both not quite leaders of our people? I mean, you are not yet Steward and I am not yet Thain, but we are meant to be, someday.”

“More than meant, Master Thain,” Boromir continued the thought, “We are fated.”

“Yes, that’s a good word for it. Sometimes Master Steward,” and Pip’s grin continued the joke, “I don’t want to be. Do you ever not want to be Steward?”

Boromir watched the Halfling who lit his pipe and drew on it as worry furrowed the small brow. “Is being a thain in the Shire difficult?”

“Sometimes,” Pippin sighed. “I see my father getting older before my eyes. I think it can be a great burden.”

Tears sprang to Boromir’s eyes, but did not fall. “Aye. I see the same in my father. Mayhap,” he turned and placed a hand upon the Halfling’s shoulder, “if we speak together of it, it will lessen the sorrow?”

“Sorrow?” Pip asked, wide-eyed.

“Aye. Is it not a sorrow to watch your father suffer?”

“Oh!” Pip exclaimed. “I don’t think he suffers. He gets tired of the squabbling and such, but he laughs a lot.”

Perplexed, Boromir waited, but the Halfling spoke not. “Then why do you not want to become thain?”

“Because I like to travel, I’ve discovered. And I like to do what I want when I want. And I like to meet new people. And I like to…”

Boromir looked askance. Had not he been warned about getting this particular Halfling started on any conversation? He gripped the shoulder again. “But you can still do all these things as thain?”

“Of course I can,” Pippin laughed, “but I’d be constantly reminded, mostly by Merry, that I had duties to do. That’s what I don’t like – the duties.”

“What are they, Master Thain?”

“Well, they used to be about building fences, maybe a bridge now and again, or settling a land dispute. Or,” he smiled wickedly, “judging jams at the fair. Dangerous work, that.”  His face fell. “Since things have been going badly as of late what with all the strangers and unusual things happening, and if we aren’t successful on this Quest, then I suppose they will be duties of battle. I’ve… I’ve never been in a battle. Well, there was the thing with those wraiths, but mostly I was scared.”

“That happens to any sane person when o’ertaken by battle,” Boromir said mildly. “If you had not been afraid, especially with that adversary, I would wonder at your sense.”

“Don’t you already?”

Boromir studied the Halfling for a moment. “I do not. I consider you brave. To have left your world to step out into another for the love of a friend, that is most brave. Is not that what you did?”

“Well, it wasn’t all that difficult. We’d been watching Frodo, you know.” The irrepressible Hobbit laughed. “Sam was the first one to notice things were getting peculiar. So he told Merry and me to kind of watch over Frodo. Which we did. Saw some strange things.” He shut his mouth quickly.

“Master Thain,” Boromir said kindly. “I will not ask you to divulge any secrets or oaths you might have taken. Guard your mouth,” and he smiled at the thought, “and speak only what you wish. I will not cajole you further.”

“Thank you,” Pippin said and smiled at the Gondorian. “Well, the long and the short of it is – we decided that Frodo was planning on leaving the Shire and we decided he wouldn’t leave it alone, if you know what I mean.”

Boromir nodded, laughing to himself as he realized that, once again, the Halfling was off on another merry tale and had left behind the discussion they had started. He listened for some time, then, supper was called and the Halfling, hardly stopping to say good-bye, left him.

~*~

They had not had the opportunity to talk further that night; Boromir had first watch and Pippin had third. Surprisingly, Boromir felt cheated. He had wanted to spend more time with the next thain. Morning proved even more frustrating. He was sent to guard the back of their line and Pip was somewhere in the middle with the other Halflings. Boromir contented himself with watching the four.

They were playing some kind of a game he assumed, for one moment they would be whispering and the next they would be running around each other, and Legolas, much to the Elf’s discomfiture. After Pip started shrieking in glee, Gandalf hushed them all. Boromir felt saddened. Their play had lifted his spirits immeasurably.

He smiled suddenly when he noted Pippin looking back at him, a half smile on the Halfling’s face. He waved and Pip walked back towards him. “I believe, Master Thain,” Boromir said quietly, “that your place is in front with the other Hobbits?”

“I’m not in Gandalf’s best graces at the moment,” the thain smiled sadly. “So I think he and I will both be safer if I stay away from him.”

“He is not a very wise wizard,” Boromir said calmly.

“He is too! He’s the best there ever was. He makes the best fireworks, and the best smoke rings, dragons, wagons and such. Besides which,” the Halfling, Boromir noted, was becoming incensed, “He’s my friend.”

Pippin started to walk away, but Boromir quickly apologized. “My father does not particularly like Mith… Gandalf. So, I find it best not to let myself befriend him.”

“Oh!” Pippin’s eyes were wide. “I know what you mean. Ted Sandyman is my friend, but my Da has fits when I play with him. But he lives in a mill and it is such fun to explore and smell the woodchips and jump into the river from the millwheel.”

Again, Pippin didn’t stop talking for nigh unto an hour. Boromir listened greedily while listening to the story of the play of these two friends.

Pippin stopped to catch a breath and blushed furiously. “I’ve not stopped talking for almost the whole morning, never even given you a chance to say anything. You are most polite, Master Steward, and I have the worst manners imaginable.”

“Nay!” Boromir laughed. “I thoroughly enjoyed all you spoke of. I… I wish I had such a friend, such time for play.”

“You don’t? I mean, you didn’t when you were my age?”

Boromir cocked his head to the side and asked, “How old, exactly, are you, Master Thain?”

“I’m not even to my majority. I’m still a tween. Twenty-eight, to be specific.”

“At twenty-eight I was already Captain-general of all of Gondor’s armies.”

“And that made you sad?” Pip asked in consternation.

“Nay,” Boromir’s brow furrowed as he tried to put his thoughts together. “I was made an esquire at the age of twelve and first lieutenant at the age of fourteen. Not much time before that to play.”

“Oh!” Again Pip’s eyes became large and round. “I was just learning to swim when I was twelve. Merry taught me.” He smiled.

“I taught my brother. Merry is not your brother, is he?”

“Oh no! He’s my first cousin, on my father’s side. But we’ve been close since the day I was born. Though he lives across the river. Hence, my need to learn to swim. He’s very smart and I can count on him to do anything. So can Frodo. He even moved Frodo out of Bag End before… I’m sorry. I’m talking about myself again and not letting you say anything. Forgive me. I have three sisters, but no brothers. I wish I did. You said you have a brother?”

“I do,” and now Boromir’s face broke into a great grin, only touched by some sadness in his eyes. “Faramir is his name. He is five years my younger. And I love him dearly. I suppose as much as you love Merry.”

“Then you must love him a lot, for I love Merry totally. I can trust him. With my life.” Pip stopped and bit his lip.

“Do not be concerned with your nature, Master Thain. I love to hear your tales.”

“But it is not polite,” Pippin said with some acerbity. “My Da would have my hide if he heard me.”

“Then I will take a moment to share a little about my brother with you, to save your hide.” And his smile widened. “As I said, his name is Faramir and he is younger.”

The sun was now overhead and Boromir looked up in surprise as Gandalf called for a break. He had been speaking for over an hour himself. He looked at the Halfling next to him. The eyes that looked back at him were full of wonder, not of boredom as he had expected. “Now it is my turn to ask forgiveness, Master Thain. I have bent your ear for far too long.”

“No, Master Steward,” Pippin smiled. “I love to hear your tales. But I really must go and help prepare the meal. Forgive me for leaving you.”

Boromir bowed graciously. “Of course. Someone must prepare the meal.” He had to bite his lip to keep from laughing outright. The Halfling was so serious, but Boromir knew it was not so much preparation of the meal that had the Halfling almost beside himself in haste, but the eating of the meal that drove the thain.

Pippin waved to him and ran forward towards the fire Gimli was just building.

Boromir wiped a hand across his eyes and swallowed with difficulty. It had felt good to speak of his brother.