"Poppy!" The young hobbit stopped running and turned around. Another hobbit trudged up the hill, breathing heavily. Smiling to herself, Poppy leaned against the small wooden fence.
"Poppy," said the hobbit coming up to her, taking deep breaths.
"Yes Sam?" she asked sighing. He took a moment before replying, but then said, "You shouldn't have done that."
"Oh come now Sam, we can all safely agree that Dimple had it coming. I just made it known," Poppy replied chuckling. But she glanced over the ridge and saw the angered hobbit dashing down the street towards the hill. Without giving it a second thought, she grabbed Sam's hand and pulled him over the fence. Clamping a hand over his mouth, she sat still as a stone while Dimple Boffin charged past her hiding place. Once Dimple was at a safe distance, Poppy leaned over, plucked a mushroom out of the ground, and chunked it at the back of Dimple's head. Thwomp. Dimple whirled around and glared at Poppy, who was already sprinting back down the hill. Sam was still standing behind the fence, but when Dimple made a few menacing steps towards him, he jumped the fence and ran after Poppy.
Laughing, Poppy watched as Dimple snarled and stalked off over the other side. Celebrating her victory, Poppy turned her face towards the sun and let the warm breeze caress her for a moment. Ah, the Shire, my home for forever more, Poppy thought, gazing out on the rolling green hills and swaying trees. Looking down onto the peaceful village of Hobbiton, she watched the hobbits, young and old alike continue their daily routines. Brushing her curly, auburn hair out of her face, Poppy smiled as she heard familiar footsteps behind her.
"What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into today my dear sister?"
"Nothing out of the ordinary Frodo," she replied, turning to face her dark-haired brother. Smiling, he offered her his arm, and she gladly took it. They strolled down the street and up another hill, to his home at Bag End. Sam was back at his job, tending Frodo's garden, muttering silent curses about Poppy and her tricks. Leaving her brother, Poppy skipped up to the garden gate.
"Hello SamWise!" she said happily. But Sam looked up and said, "What will happen when you get caught Poppy? You get me worried sick!"
"I love you too," she laughed. He paused, then continued weeding, shaking his head.
"You don't believe me?" she challenged, opening the gate. Frodo chuckled and watched the two curiously.
Sam didn't reply, but he was blushing badly. Poppy looked furious as she approached Sam, and he flinched as she got nearer, but the minute she was close, she sat down next to him and played with his hair.
"You have really curly hair Sam," she said, winding a ringlet around her finger. At this, Frodo burst out laughing.
"What?" asked Poppy looking up at her brother.
"Nothing," answered Frodo shaking his head and swallowing a few more snickers, "I just expected more." Rolling her eyes, Poppy turned her attention back to Sam. She dropped her hands, and helped him weed.
"You don't have to help," Sam said, putting her hands back in her lap. Sam held her hands for a second later, and glanced up at Poppy who was smiling. Frodo left, sensing the awkwardness of the moment.
"You're hands are warm," Poppy stated absent-mindedly. Sam let go and pulled up a few more weeds.
"It's just from the dirt," he muttered. Poppy smiled again, and
watched as the sun dipped behind the hills. She took his elbow and said, "Come on, Merry and Pippin will be waiting for us at the Green Dragon." He hesitated for a minute, and the stood up with her.
The bar was lively that night, Merry and Pippin, cousins of Frodo and Poppy, had already roused the hobbits, and it was loud and confusing. But Poppy wasn't intimidated, and as soon as she walked in, she heard a chorus of, "Poppy! Good to see ya!" Smiling, and patting Sam on the shoulder, she joined in the throng. After a few beers, she stood up on the table. She bowed at the applause, and shouted to Merry, "Play me a tune." He raced over to the piano, and struck up a familiar song.
You can drink your fancy ales!
You can drink them by the flagon!
But the only brew for the brave and true,
Comes from the Green Dragon!
Laughing, she kicked up her heels and pranced around the table. Pippin scrambled onto the table, and they did a pathetic version of the polka. Someone shouted out, "What did you do to Dimple today?" Instantly serious, she jumped off the table, and took up a chair between Frodo and Merry.
"Well," she started. Everyone clambered to get a seat next to her, but she stuck out her foot.
"This spot is for Sam," she said winking at him. He sat down on the floor in front of her and she begun her tale.
"So, everyone knows that Dimple hates it when her clothes get wet. So my revenge was easy, as she walked by she got a bucket full of water on her head. And after changing, she pursued me all over this fair land." Sam snorted. She kicked him and continued, "She was armed with a dagger, and we had a skirmish. I came so close to losing my life, but I slipped underneath her and ran off." She leaned back and folded her hands behind her back as a signal for the end of the story. At first, the room was silent, but the hobbits burst out in applause. The sound was deafening.
"I can't believe that they believed you," Sam whispered. Leaning over to Sam's ear, Poppy answered, "Drunk hobbits will believe anything."
Poppy, Sam and Frodo retired early. Bilbo was standing by their gate, observing the quiet night. The four of them chatted for a moment, before Sam decided the Gaffer was probably waiting for him. Poppy automatically agreed to walk with him. Bilbo and Frodo silently watched to two stroll off.
"Sam is in way over his head," remarked Bilbo.
"What do you mean?" asked Frodo curiously.
"Courting Poppy will be very difficult," Bilbo answered. Frodo chuckled and said, "No, I don't think so Bilbo. Unless it has escaped your notice, Poppy is already smitten."
"She reminds me of a bird, toying with men's emotions. Free as the wind. But whenever Sam is around, she's grounded."
"She didn't look so grounded to me tonight."
"Frodo, my dear boy, don't you remember when you were still growing? You did so many stupid things all in an attempt to get attention."
"Poppy's always been like that."
"Yes, and for Sam's sake let's hope she settles down enough to become a house wife." With that, Bilbo left Frodo and went to bed. Frodo lingered for a moment longer, and then went inside.
Early the next morning, Poppy burst into the hobbit hole.
"I'm home!" she announced loudly. Frodo and Bilbo were already awake and sipping tea quietly.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but last I remember Sam's house was just down the road. It shouldn't have taken you that long to walk there and back," Bilbo said firmly from the kitchen. Poppy swept into the kitchen and sat by her uncle.
"Oh no Bilbo, it only took me a minute to say goodnight to Sam. But on the way back I walked past my oak tree, and the temptation was hard to resist," she explained.
"You fell asleep in a tree?" Frodo asked incredulously.
"Just as easily as you sleep in a bed." At that moment, there was a soft knock at the door.
"Sam's here!" Poppy exclaimed. Frodo growled and said, "I told him not to work today!"
"Poor boy is working his heart out," Bilbo said shaking his head.
"Oh well, he can have breakfast with us," Poppy said running to the door. Poppy escorted Sam into the kitchen, and made him sit down.
"No, it's alright, I'm not hungry. You don't have to do this," Sam was stuttering.
"Sam, you're always hungry," Frodo said.
"Hullo? Anyone here?" Poppy glanced up and saw Merry's round face in the window.
"We have company!" she said excitedly. She pushed Sam down again as she went to answer the door. Merry and Pippin were waiting on the front stoop.
"We heard that you were serving breakfast," Pippin said sticking his head around the door.
"What's this? Sam got here before us?" Merry exclaimed joining Pippin in the hallway. Bilbo waved his hand and said, "We have enough for all, come in, come in." Merry and Pip didn't hesitate. Grabbing seats by Sam and Frodo, they joked and gossiped making as much noise as possible. Smiling, Poppy said, "I'm going to the garden. Don't say anything about Dimple without me." Sam was overwhelmed, and followed her out the door.
"I hope you don't mind all this commotion," said Poppy apologetically. Sam looked at her for a moment and said, "You should be the one minding it, and it's your house after all."
"Oh I don't mind at all, it's fun. Like having a family."
"I'm sorry," Sam said, taking one of her hands. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment, before Poppy noticed the silent house. Tense, she glanced up at the window and glared at the four hobbit faces. They disappeared, and Poppy picked a few vegetables. Before they went back inside, she turned and hugged Sam.
"Thank-you," she whispered in his ear.
Joining the smiling hobbits, Poppy distributed the vegetables. Merry, Pippin and Frodo were smiling their faces off, but wouldn't say anything. They kept giving each other knowing looks. The breakfast was silent, save the clinking of glass and forks on the plates. Finally, Pippin burst out laughing, which started Merry and then Frodo. Poppy grew red in the face, and her eyes narrowed. Suddenly, a fox jumped up onto the table and slid over to Poppy.
"Sabby!" she exclaimed, picking up the feisty vixen.
"Get that confounded rodent out of here!" Frodo bellowed. Smiling, Poppy stuck out her tongue and left the room. A minute or two later, Frodo felt something fuzzy rubbing his leg. He kicked it, but it bit back. Yelping, Frodo shot from his chair, the fox still attached to his leg.
"Go Sabby!" Poppy shouted, coming out of her hiding place. The other hobbits sat and watched Frodo dance around the room. Merry jumped up, and followed suite. By this time, Sabby had let go of Frodo and retreated to Poppy, who picked her up lovingly. Bilbo, Sam and Pippin were rolling on the floor with laughter, watching Merry and Frodo skip around the kitchen.
"I'm going to get that confounded fox!" Frodo said, weak from laughter.
"Oh no you won't!" Poppy said, dashing out of the house and down the street. Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin all went after her. It was a mad chase all through the streets of Hobbiton. Poppy ran in wide circles around her house, each lap getting smaller and smaller until she could duck trough the door and be safe. When Frodo realized what she was doing, he stopped and planned.
"Merry, come with me. Sam and Pippin, keep chasing her," he said, gasping for breath. So as Pippin and Sam continued to follow her, while Merry and Frodo snuck around to cut her off. But by this time, they had lost sight of her. Sam and Pippin continued to run though because they knew her route. They started to climb the last hill, but instead of seeing Poppy, they saw Merry and Frodo.
"Did you catch her?" Pippin asked, jogging up to Frodo.
"No, you?"
"No…"
"Where is she?"
Poppy was in fact, sitting in the tree above their heads. She was snickering with laughter. Sabby was gone; she had let her go before the chase really started. It was comical to her to watch the nimrods below her. They started to leave, but Poppy plucked an apple, and aimed it right at Frodo's hindquarters. Thunk.
"Owww!"
Poppy leaped out of the tree, and landed with a soft thud. The chase started hot again. With the others on her tail, Poppy exploded, and she thought she was flying. But she screeched to a halt when she saw an odd figure driving a cart. It took her a moment to realize who it was, but she gave a whoop and chased after the cart.
"Gandalf!" she shouted. She jumped onto the back and clambered onto the front.
"Poppy Burrows, I might have known," Gandalf said seriously. Poppy stood up beside him and mocked his deep and solemn voice, "Gandalf, I might have known." Before Gandalf could reply she saw Frodo and Merry running towards her.
"Hey! Gandalf is back!" she exclaimed, wailing her arms and pointing at the wizard beside her. Frodo and Merry gave out a whoop and ran towards the cart as fast as their short legs would carry them. Gandalf sighed and stopped the cart so they could get on. They all scrambled to get a seat next to the wizard, but Poppy plopped herself down and stuck her tounge out at the rest of them.