With the departure of elves accompanied by Bilbo and Frodo from the Grey Havens started the Fourth Age - Age of Men. The Middle-Earth was slowly recovering from the darkness which covered it during the war with Sauron. The peaceful way of life was being restored and both Men and Hobbits started to think more of their everyday duties: taking care of their families, managing their lands and, naturally, providing those very lands with heirs. It would seem that reaching such trivial goals would have been easy for the veterans of the War of the Ring... But the world doesn't necessarily become a less difficult place to live in, even without any direct danger covering in the shadows.
Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took were friends for so long that they could hardly remember the times of being separate. Well, at lest Pippin couldn't. Merry had some vague memories of the day when he had been introduced to his cousin, "the little one". Experience gained during the war only drew them closer though affecting them in the different ways. The younger Hobbit was as cheerful as before and enjoying every moment of life even harder as if trying to compensate for all the horrors he went through. Merry, on the contrary, has become more serious, more grown-up and occasionally jokingly explained his friend's good humor as a result of spending way too much time during the war having fun with kids on the walls of Minas Tirith. Pippin usually replied that he wouldn't even bother reminding with whom Merry himself had spend that time.
Both have already made a habit of unexpected visits they could pay each other at any time. Whether it was some serious matter or just one of them searching for company. That day wasn't any different and Merry's door swung open revealing Pippin's gleeful face.
"Merry, do you have something strong to drink?!" Pippin's excitement was palpable. The fact that Merry was just going to have a second breakfast didn't seem too important in comparison with that.
"What have you gotten into, again?" The excitement is all very well but the older Hobbit would much rather prefer to finish the current matter at hands... But, the duty of friendship should be put above everything including food, so he decided to deal with his young friend first. "Are we celebrating?"
"Kind of. I've asked Diamond out on a date! And she even said yes" That "even" sounded as if normally the girls didn't show the tendency to accept such invitations.
Merry made an effort to put a face to that name. Diamond, Diamond... Oh, right.
"Diamond of Long Cleeve? The one you've tried to hit on at the Rosie's and Sam's wedding?"
"What do you mean by tried. I didn't try, I was quite straightforwardly hitting on her" Peregrin appeared to be slightly offended. "I've even caught the bouquet for her"
"Pip, that was like two years ago. Did you really need that much time to gather enough courage for asking her out?"
Pippin frowned a little. Though frowning for long wasn't in his nature.
"Oh, so what? Maybe I wasn't quite ready for a steady relationship. I'm too young for that. You are the one who should be thinking very seriously about these matters, my old friend. Your time is way overdue. Look at Sam, he's just two years older than you and they are already expecting a second child. You are behind the schedule"
He always had that magnificent ability to turn any conversation in a way that suited him.
"It's not me being behind the schedule, it's Sam moving forward in uncanny speed" Elder hobbit tried to defend himself. "Beware, if you push me too hard I may listen to your advice and try to steal the Diamond from you"
Pippin didn't even try to look bothered with such threats.
"Yeah, right, as if you could. Anyway, so what's about celebrating and strong drinks?"
Not every house was as full of joy at those times. The war has already ended but some consequences of it were just taking their toll. Samwise Gamgee was leaning above the Red Book, carefully rereading something. Soon he realised that the words written by such familiar hand started to blur. He raised his eyes to the ceiling trying to fight back the tears. Nearly a year has passed since the day that the man who wrote those words left Sam. And he still couldn't find strength enough to cope. For the last few years Frodo needed to be taken care off, constantly forgetting to eat and going to sleep only after being reminded... But Sam took pleasure in those everyday chores.
"I'm sure he is happy there, sweetheart"
Caring, gentle and already very pregnant Rosie Gamgee lightly held the shoulders of her daydreaming husband. As if realising that her Mum needs some help, little Elanor climbed on the father's knees. He absent-mindedly stroke her hair and made an effort to smile to his wife.
"I know. At least happier that he would have been here. But it doesn't make it much easier for me, Rosie... And I'm so sorry for that"
"You miss him? He was a good master and a good Hobbit. He even left the Bag End to you and this book that you're constantly appending though I know how much he valued it. But you have to let him go, Sam. He won't come back but we are still here"
Sam held his daughter that was still sitting in his lap, stood up and turned to face his wife.
"Yes, you are. And if only I could tell you how happy it makes me. Just give me some more time and I will get over my troubles... I know that I will. I love you all so much. You, my lovely Rosie, and Elanor, and even that yet unborn baby I love more than my own life"
Rosie proudly placed her hands on the round belly and gently stroke it. Than she gave her husband a cheeky glance and said:
"I think it's a boy. He's kicking so wildly, Elie has never been like it. And I already have an idea for the name, I hope it will please you.
While in the Shire the life was solely concentrated around family matters in the Edoras, the capital of Rohan, important negotiations took place.
"Eomer, could you please make your head work for at least half a second. You don't developing those mines under the Helm's Deep anyway. While my people would be more than glad to work there"
Gimli's face colour was already close to purple, so passionate were his attempts to persuade the King of Rohan. Eomer, seemingly unimpressed with his efforts, was pondering the reply. The Queen of Rohan, the fair Lothiriel, was sitting by husbands right hand and couldn't help but stare at the dwarf. Not that she hadn't seen dwarves before, she just had never seen so impudent one. Well, she had met this exact dwarf before, in Gondor, during the coronation of the King Elessar, but she hadn't have an opportunity to see this side of his personality. And to be completely honest, she had too much in mind at the time to pay enough attention to the dwarf. She needed both to pay homage to the new King and to congratulate her cousin Faramir on his engagement. And the fact that the older brother of his fiancée was giving her some weird looks didn't help. It was only later that she realised that those looks weren't weird at all. It was just the King's of Rohan strange way of showing affection. Well, he wasn't yet the King then, but those are details. Though, she would have given him her heart regardless of the titles. And he wouldn't have taken no for an answer anyway... Her thoughts were interrupted by Eomer's answer:
"Gimli, there is one thing I fail to understand. You, dwarves, are all for getting under ground as often as possible. But what has the elf to do with it?
Legolas, who decently kept his silence all that time, smiled a bit.
"Oh, I'm just enjoying the sights. We made a deal with the dwarf: he shows me the beauties of the Glittering Caves and in return he will accompany me to the Fangorn Forest, I want to examine it more carefully"
The name itself made Eomer shudder.
"You both have very unusual notion of beauty. But why would he need these caves if he is not planning to stay there for long?"
Gimli puffed indignantly:
"I won't stay long for now but I'm not planning to spend the rest of my life in that damn forest. At least I hope so... And while I am studying the life of squirrels in their natural habitat with my elf-friend, my kin will start developing the mines. Just imagine what they will do with it by the time I get back! And we are not as tight and greedy as everybody like to think, we will give you a share, the lands are yours after all. And if any of Rohirrim gets tired of breeding horses - we will be more than glad to give them a job, your people were always known as hard workers"
"It is indeed true, what I've heard of you - you can persuade even elves. I permit the dwarves to work in the Glittering Caves, they should be put to a good use. And I don't need any share but it would be mutually profitable if your folk would trade with mine. And if an enemy comes, I will expect the dwarves to fight by our side. Do we have a deal?"
The dwarf beamed with pleasure.
"Of course we do. But you are very simple folk, the Men... Who else would have so easily refused to take a share?"