"Ai! Merry, you rouge!" Rashelle Newlove cried and smacked the Brandybuck's hand as he tried to steal a fingerful of cake batter. The hobbit drew his hand back with a sly grin as Rashelle turned around to scorn him. "Meriodoc Brandybuck, you know that's for Master Frodo's cake and I won't have your sticky fingers dirtying it up!" Merry only smirked as his partner in crime, Pippin, took a handful of the buttery batter and then ducked behind the table while the hobbit-lass was busy scolding his cousin.
"I am so sorry, my love," Merry crooned, but Rashelle merely turned her back on him and began to mix the batter. All the while, Pippin licked his fingers greedily underneath the table. Merry acted crushed by Rashelle's cold shoulder and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Oh, don't ignore, Shelly, I'm sorry. Forgive me!" Rashelle didn't answer, continuing to beat the batter, but Merry spied her mischievous smile. The hobbit grinned as well and dipped his head to gently kiss her neck. Then slowly, he trailed the kiss back up to her chin and then her cheek. Rashelle sighed and leaned into the kisses as they reached her temple, where Merry stopped to suckle on a few loose strand of her dark hair that peeked out from behind her 'kerchief.
Finally she opened her eyes and met his pleading hazel ones and her heart caved in.
"Very well, you rascal, but only a taste and then you need to go outside and help Samwise with the decorations. He's been working all morning on them," She said and dipped her finger in the batter and offered it to Merry over her shoulder.
The Brandybuck accepted the gooey finger eagerly, slowly suckling it until every morsel of the buttery concoction was devoured.
"Thanks, love," He murmured and gave her a peck on the lips. Rashelle smiled and wiped her hand clean as Samwise came through the backdoor. He was covered in grime and sweat from the day's hard work and frowned when he spied Merry and Pippin.
"There you are!" He huffed, "Are you two going to help me with these decorations or do I have to put them all up myself?" Rashelle's eyes widened.
"Two?" She demanded and quickly rounded the table. Pippin heard the note in her voice and scrambled to his feet, but Rashelle was onto him. "What were you doing down there, Pip?" She asked sternly.
"Nothing, just resting," He said as she inspected him over. He had no evidence where he had licked his hand clean, but Rashelle spotted a yellowish blob on his shirt.
"Peregrin Took, you batter nipper!" She blurted and with a smile the Took dove for the backdoor, nearly running over Sam, and Merry on his heels. "And don't come back in till you've done some work!" She yelled, a smile on her own lips as she threw a soiled washcloth at the swinging door. Then looking very frazzled Rashelle threw a smile over at Samwise.
"Hello, Miss Rashelle," He chuckled and walked over to her. They embraced and Sam kissed her softly. Rashelle sighed and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders and kissed him back. Then they broke and she smiled at him.
"You look exhausted, Sam, why don't you let Merry and Pip work for a while and rest. Can I get you a drink?"
"Mmm, that sounds splendid, Miss Rashelle," He sighed and sat himself down heavily onto a chair at the table as the hobbit-lass disappeared down the hall to one of the pantries.
Sam smiled at the delightful disarray of measuring cups and spoons, cracked eggshells, and clouds of flour that littered the table as he struck a match to light his pipe.
Rashelle Newlove. That's what Frodo had named her. No one knew her real name. She had been slave all her life. Captured in an orc raid she lived with them until she was in her tweens, then she was 'saved' by a group of rogues. Nearly five years ago, Frodo had been traveling in the north with Gandalf, when they were caught in a bad storm. The rogues offered them shelter when Frodo had spied sickly looking hobbit-lass. Her feet were bald were the rogues made her shave and they like their women thin and kept her so. The man noticed Frodo's interest and offered to sell her to him. She had lost all heart in her life and was becoming suicidal; she was a danger to herself and the men. Frodo accepted and brought the nameless girl home to Hobbiton. He gave her the name Rashelle Newlove.
At Bag End she found lovers in Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin and all four vowed never to let harm come to her again.
Rashelle came back into the kitchen and Sam watched her through the smoky haze of his pipe as she poured him a glass of cold ale.
She was a head shorter than Sam and nearly a head and half shorter than Pippin. Her face was round and she donned a slight dimple in her chin when she smiled. Her eyes were round and bright, and the color of raspberries, while her hair was a mass of dark glossy curls that hung to her shoulders.
She was pleasantly round and soft and her hands and feet were small and petite. Her feet which should have been covered in the same hair on her head was drenched in silverish-white curls, resulting from the constant shaving while in the rouge camp. Gandalf told her she was lucky the hair grew back at all.
"Here you are, Sam," She said, setting the mug down on the table. As she did Sam reached up and touched the soft curve of her face.
"Has anyone told today, how beautiful you look in that gown, Miss Rashelle?" He asked softly. She blushed and shook her head no. Sam leaned up and shared another kiss. The smell of sun, sweat, and earth filled and excited Rashelle's senses and she delved deeper into the kiss. Sam slowly guided her to his lap, where they continued to kiss hungrily. Then Sam felt her tiny hands, find the buttons to his shirt and he parted the kiss.
"Forgive me, Miss Rashelle, but if we start now, your batter will spoil and I'll never finish the decorations for the party," He warned huskily into her opened mouth. She blushed and broke away, rising from his lap.
"Sorry, Sam," She whispered and hurriedly went back to making the cake.