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Later that day, the hobbits and Gandalf were sitting on soft cushiony couches and chairs in the hobbits' sitting room enjoying the food that the elves brought for them as well as each other's company. On the oval shaped table which was made out of marble with a silver finish were all kinds of fruits such as apples, oranges, and strawberries; vanilla, chocolate nut, and other kinds of cakes; scones, teas, and fruit juice. The walls were painted warm pink complete with pictures of fish swimming in water, night skies filled with stars, quiet beaches, etc, to help provide a relaxing atmosphere. There was also soft matching carpeting that was so deep that even the hobbits' feet sank in it.
Pippin plunged his fork into his cake and tasted the sweet vanilla frosting while letting the spongy like texture of the vanilla cake sort of melt in his mouth before he swallowed it."We left the shire for ever after our wives died to travel to Gondor and visit Aragorn and his family before we sailed, but before we left, I established Faramir to be the next Thain…"
"And I made sure that my oldest son, Saradoc, was made master of Brandy Hall," Merry interrupted before he sipped his juice.
Pippin took another bite out of his apple. "…Our families had a Welcoming New Thain and New Master ceremonies, as well as goodbye parties for us, not because they were glad to see us go."
"…Although some were," Merry interrupted again.
"But because they appreciate what we have done for them in the shire and many of them were going to miss us," Pippin continued. "Losing our wives was hard for us, and we missed them so much that I wished that they would have joined us here. Illuvitar offered them to live in Valinor with us, but they declined because they missed their families."
"Don't they miss you too?" Frodo asked before he took a bite out of his scone tasting the cherry filling. He asked that question because he did not understand Pippin's explanation of why they chose to be with other family members instead of their husbands and wanted him to clarify it.
"They missed us a lot, but they haven't seen some of their family members for many years; Diamond especially missed her sister, Daisy, who died when they were only children," said Pippin before he sipped his tea.
The faces of Frodo's parents appeared in his mind. "I understand what it is like to miss family members; I miss my parents."
"I miss my parents too, and my dwarf friends," said Bilbo before he plopped some grapes into his mouth and allowed the sweet juice to move around in his mouth before he swallowed them.
"Aragorn was a good king, and Arwen was a good queen; they ruled Gondor well," said Merry. "We kept each other company, and we told each other stories about the shire, and other places. Illuvitar blessed them with five children; one boy, and four girls…"
"And we had lots of fun playing games with them, like hide and go seek, and catch," Pippin interrupted Merry before he ate some more vanilla cake.
"Aragorn and Arwen also played games with their children as if they were children themselves…" Merry interrupted Pippin.
"You mean children at heart," said Frodo. He sipped some tea.
"We also had a lot of fun playing with our children and grandchildren," said Rosie while she reached for an orange, and cut it in half before she brought it to her mouth and savored the sweet taste.
"If Diamond and Estella had chosen to sail here, they would have arrived before you did because you did not go straight to the grey havens after they died," Gandalf said; stating the obvious." He sipped some more tea.
"I'm glad we arrived together," Sam said to Rosie while he put his arm around her, and she leaned into it.
"I wish I could see Strider again," said Frodo. "I miss him."
"So do I," said Sam.
"I remember when you used to show us fireworks in the shire, Gandalf; they were spectacular," said Pippin. He took a pear off the tray and began to eat it.
"I also remembered the times when you and Merry or some other mischievous hobbits stole my fireworks and lit them up yourselves, as well as the punishments I have given you."
"I remembered how singed they looked when they lit the fireworks," said Frodo.
"I'm going to display my fireworks tomorrow night, for everybody to enjoy," Gandalf said.
"I can't wait until I see them again," Pippin said with excitement in his voice.
"I'm sure you would", Gandalf said while he was thinking about the mischief he and Merry might make and what kind of punishment he had in store for them.
"Sam my love, why don't we take a walk; I want to explore the island more and visit the gardens; it is such a lovely day," said Rosie.
Sam's eyes lit up "That's a great idea, Rosie, love; I look forward to exploring the island with you, and visiting the gardens will be such a treat; I can't imagine how exquisite the gardens are here since they are tended by elves."
"The elf gardeners will be very pleased if you helped tend their gardens because I've seen you take care of Frodo and Bilbo's garden at Bag End, and I have never seen a finer garden anywhere in the shire."
Sam blushed with slight embarrassment because he could hardly believe that he was worth being complimented by a Maia.
"And we can spend time outside the elven home too," Merry said to Frodo and Pippin while he looked at them.
"What are we going to do?" Pippin asked Merry.
"I don't know," said Merry. "I haven't made any plans yet."
"Why don't we explore the beaches, and the forest; maybe we can discover some new things," said Frodo.
"It looks like you are going on another fun adventure," Bilbo said to Frodo.
"It will be a lot more fun than carrying the ring to Mount Doom," Frodo agreed. "Are you going to join us?"
"Actually I'm going back to my room to take a nap," Bilbo said while yawning.
"And I'm going to go keep Elrond and his family company for a while," said Gandalf.
"Where are you and Elrond going to be at?" Pippin asked.
"We will probably be spending time in Elrond's sitting room, the library, or perhaps outside in the forest," Gandalf answered.
The hobbits and Gandalf were gathering the dishes and placing them on the trays to carry them back to one of the kitchens. Gandalf put a few plates and tea cups on one of the trays while Frodo collected the silverware and placed them on the same tray. Merry and Rose began to add the dishes on another tray while Sam collected the rest of the plates and cups and placed them on the third tray. Pippin grabbed a few glasses and placed them on the same tray that Sam placed the plates and cups on, and Bilbo placed picked up and placed all of the saucers and placed them on the same tray that Gandalf put the plates and cups in. Then they stood up and picked up the trays and began to follow each other into one of the kitchens. Merry and Pippin were carrying the first tray with Merry in the front and Pippin in the back. Sam, Frodo, and Rosie carried the second tray, and Gandalf and Bilbo carried the third tray behind everybody else.
"Be careful; don't drop anything," Frodo said to Merry and Pippin who was a bit worried because they were clumsy at times.
"We won't," they said to him with a bit of annoyance in their voices.
"Excuse me," Rosie said while she let go of the tray and walked to the door and opened it carefully. She took hold of the tray again, and everybody walked outside the room.
They walked straight down the hall and came upon the first kitchen. Rosie let go of the tray again and opened the door. When she peeked in she saw the there were many elves getting dinner ready. Some of them were rolling dough with a pin while a few others were stirring pots and there were several other elves walking around carrying different food items like carrots and broccoli to different plates and pots while a few were peeling onions.
"I think we should find another kitchen," said Gandalf. It is too crowded and busy in this one."
"They have another kitchen?" Sam wondered.
"There are several kitchens in this house," Frodo answered him.
"Where is the next one?" Pippin asked.
"We have to keep walking down the hall until we come to the end of it and make a left; it is towards the end of that hall," Bilbo answered.
The hobbits walked slowly and carefully with the trays down the hall until they got to the end and then they turned left and walked down another hall. Pippin and Merry wavered a few times, and at one point even almost dropped the tray while the others gasped in shock with wide eyes. Frodo, Sam, and Rosie also staggered slightly. The only ones who were carrying the trays without even staggering were Gandalf and Bilbo. As soon as they came to the last door, Rosie opened the door and everybody went inside the kitchen which was smaller and quieter than the other one.
There were a few elves making cookies by using cooking cutters to cut the dough into shapes of trees, flowers, and animals.
When the elves saw Gandalf and the hobbits two of them walked over to them to grab the trays from them, but Gandalf said to them, "we will do these dishes ourselves."
"Are you sure?" Galion the butler asked. "We will be glad to take this burden from you."
"Quite sure; you have enough to do," Gandalf said to them while he looked at a few bowls of cake mix and an empty bowl with a jar of flower, oil, and table salt placed near it.
When they got to the sink, they placed the dishes into it. Gandalf filled a large pot with water and placed it on the coal stove, and lit the coals underneath. They waited a few minutes until the water boiled. When he was finished he poured hot water into the sink. (Sam had already put a stopper into the drain.) Then Frodo pumped some cold water into the sink while Bilbo poured some dish soap into it. Frodo, Sam and Bilbo grabbed the rags that were on top of the counter and began to wash them. When they were finished washing each plate or cup, they gave them to Rosie and Pippin to dry them. Gandalf and Bilbo were putting all the washed cups, plates, and other dishes into drawers and cabinets until they were finished. Then they walked out of the kitchen and separated into groups to do other things.
To Be Continued