Great Smials, Yule 1, 1423*

“Fancy meeting you here!” said the young hobbit, hobbling under the covered entrance to the home he had known since childhood.

“Fancy, what?” Pippin shot back in an amused tone, his breath turning to frosty puffs in the cold, outside air.  “The Thain’s heir is standing at the main doorway to the Great Smials greeting important Yule guests, Degger.  Where else would I be?”

“Pilfering Yule biscuits from the larder comes quickly t’ mind,” Degger replied with a grin. 

“That was yesterday,” said Pippin, nonchalantly.

“That was this morning!”  Both hobbits shared a laugh.

Pippin waggled his eyebrows at his cousin. “She’s here, Degger!” he said in a sing-song voice.

Degger carefully restrained his excitement, calmly unbuttoning his coat, loosening his scarf, taking off his hat and gloves before he entered the smials.  Hobbling was hard work, and he was already overheated from the exertion of walking from the stables.  But none of that mattered; his beloved had finally arrived for Yule.  “Did she look well for all the travel?” he asked, no longer able to hide his smile of genuine love.

“She did.  She travelled in the company of Pervinca’s family, and wore a smile on her face that rivalled yours just now,” Pippin answered, beaming.  He stopped abruptly when Degger suddenly froze, a look of terror on his countenance. 

“Hold these, please,” said Degger, hastily shoving the contents of his hands into his younger cousin’s arms. He leant on his cane while checking every pocket.

Pippin watched silently as Degger patted down his coat, obviously in a search.  “Forget something?” he asked at length.

“Aye!” came Degger’s breathless reply, still patting his coat.  The expression on his face conveyed utter disbelief.  “Oh, please...no!”

“Oh, no, what?”  If he only knew what it was his cousin sought, perhaps he could help in some way.

“I must have left it at my office!”

“Left what at your office?”

“My gift!”

“Don’t trouble yourself tonight over a Yule gift, my dear Degger,” said Pippin, relieved it wasn’t something valuable. “It will still be there tomorrow.”

“You don’t understand,” said Degger, taking back his hat and gloves.  “I must go back!”

“Are you mad?” Pippin admonished.  “It’s already begun to snow – it will soon be treacherous to travel.”

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Degger answered, “It’s my betrothal gift.”

“Oh,” was all Pippin could muster in response.  After a moment he tried to comfort his friend, “Why can’t you propose after Yule, before she departs for home?”

“Now you’re the mad one,” answered Degger as he retightened his scarf, buttoned up his coat, and slipped on his gloves.  “How could I be so stupid t’ forget something so important?  It was the reason why I set out t’ the office in the first place.”

“What pushed the gift out of your mind, I wonder,” said Pippin.  It was true; Degger rarely forgot anything when it came to his family. 

“I was in haste t’ make yet another copy o’ Draco Bracegirdle’s marriage certificate,” replied Degger.  “He saw me through the window and thought I was open for business.”  Letting out a disappointed sigh, he added, “I suppose forgetting the gift was inevitable when I decided t’ keep it there until the last possible moment.”

Pippin winked at his friend, “I don’t think Draco truly wants to get married.  That’s the third time he’s asked for a copy.”

“Well, he’d better decide soon; he’s got a fortnight before his fate is sealed,” said Degger, looking up at the gloomy, grey sky.  “And I’ve not a moment t’ lose.”

“Degger,” Pippin charged his departing cousin. “It’s snowing, and it will be dark soon – if you must go, go carefully.”   Pippin had seen a snowstorm or two in his travels, and thus worried for his friend.

Back at the stables, Degger had his pony saddled then rode straight for Tuckborough.  Riding the few miles to town wouldn’t take long...as long as the weather held up.  The falling snow had eased, yet Degger pled in his heart for safe travel.

*Thank you to Garnet Took for catching my year error!