Soft clapping filled the room as Bilbo finished his latest song and the old hobbit bowed lowed. Everyone filled was at peace with full bellies and joyful hearts. Foxburr sat between Frodo and Sam as Rashelle slept peacefully in her master's lap, his hands petting her glossy curls.
"And now we must have a story from our guests," Bilbo said gesturing to where the halflings sat.
"You don't want any stories from us," Frodo laughed but elvish pleading was a thing you can't ignore and Foxburr tugged on Frodo's sleeve.
"May I, Master?" She asked with sparkling eyes and Frodo nodded. The elves grew hushed as the halfblood stood in front of the fireplace.
Then without warning came the voice of an angel from the tween's throat. She sang of a child of the daughter who was born of the sun and moon and how she wondered in the twilight looking for the man who could make her whole.
When she finished, there was a stunned silence and Elrond, who sat in the back of the room, stood and applauded. Immediately, everyone in the room save Frodo who still had a sleeping Rashelle in his lap.
Blushing as red as her hair, Foxburr ducked to her master's side, where Frodo placed an arm around her.
"I never knew you could sing so beautifully," He murmured and she met his eyes.
"There are lots of things you don't know about me, Master," She said softly and for a spilt moment Frodo drifted to her, like he might kiss her, but the spell was broken when Rashelle suddenly woke up with a start. Seeing she was in safe company though, she quickly returned to sleep.
Foxburr seeing she had lost her opportunity laid her head on Sam's shoulder and let a few secret tears slid down her cheek.
This was the way the weeks passed until one night Pippin approached Frodo.
"Cousin, can I speak with you?" the young Took asked as Frodo sat on a bench in the night air. Merry and Rashelle were off out of earshot at crystalline pond and Foxburr had dragged Sam of somewhere. Frodo smiled and made room for Pippin on the bench. Pippin sat down and looked at Frodo in the eye. "I need to speak to you about Shelly," Frodo's smile disappeared.
"What is it? Is there something wrong?"
Pippin took a deep breath and let it all spill out.
"Yes, I love her, I've been biding my time, because I believe out of the four of us you can give her everything she wants. I can't wait any longer Frodo. Merry can twiddle his thumbs and wait because he find any hobbit-lass he wants and no matter what happens between you and Rashelle, Sam will have you, but I don't. If you don't ask her to marry you, Frodo, I'm going to,"
Frodo shook his head, "Don't beat around the bush do you, Peregrin?" He ran his hand through his dark curls and met his cousin's eyes.
"I'm sorry to put this on you, Frodo, I can give you till we return to the Shire, but I can't wait any longer than that,"
"I understand, Pippin, you have the same right to seek her as much as anyone, but tell me, suppose you do marry her. What will you do?"
Pippin shrugged, "I was thinking of moving into the Shire, away from the Bucklands (a/n Is that where Pippin lives? I don't have any of the books to double check) and get a small hole for us to live in and of course plenty of rooms so you and Sam and Merry can visit. You know I'd change nothing between all of us,"
Frodo laughed and gripped Pippin's shoulder, "Sounds beautiful, but rooms for guests or for little ones?" His younger cousin blushed, his usual smile lighting his face from ear to ear.
The Baggins got to feet and stretched, "Well, I had best do one last thing before asking Rashelle then," He looked around and then looked at Pippin.
"Do you know where Sam is?"
"No, maybe Shelly knows, she can always find my socks when I need them," Pippin smirked and Frodo laughed.
"Finder of lost socks and gardeners, a fine quality in a wife," and shaking his head walked over to where Merry had discarded his clothes to skinny dip in the pond while Rashelle was content to sit on the bank and watch him.
"Rashelle, have you- UGH!!!" Frodo let out a shout as Merry splashed him with the surprising chill water. Merry laughed holding his sides as Frodo dripped from head to his wooly toes.
"Meriadoc!" Rashelle shrieked and removed her shawl to wrap around Frodo's shoulders.
"I'm sorry, Frodo, it was too perfect," Merry laughed and Frodo opened his mouth to disagree when he suddenly was shoved into the pond.
When Frodo surfaced and shook his hair from his eyes he saw it had been Pippin who had pushed him.
"Now that was perfect!" Pippin chortled then with a holler he grabbed Rashelle's wrist and jumped into the pool. Rashelle let out a squeak as she was jerked off her silver toes and landed in the pond with a splash.
When she broke the surface and gasped for air Frodo was busy dunking his younger cousin and Merry made his way over to Rashelle. She shivered.
"This water's freezing!"
"It feels better if you move around," Merry smiled, "Why not shed that heavy dress and swim with me?"
She shook her head, "I'm getting out," She turned and froze when she felt a warm body press against her back. "Merry, I said – "she frowned, anger quelling in her voice and turned to scorn the Brandybuck when she met Frodo's blue eyes. He had shed his sopping suit and now pressed against her.
"What did you tell, Merry?" He purred and leaned forward, suckling the moisture from her neck. Rashelle felt torn. She was afraid, afraid that these hands might hurt her, but how could she refuse her master? His hands were at breasts, slowly unlacing her dress.
Fear built up inside her as the Baggins's kisses trailed from her shoulder to her open dress front. She felt sick in her stomach and her head spun as the feeling of fear and guilt swirled and then exploded when she felt a warm touch on the exposed flesh of her bosom.
"Don't touch me!" She shrieked and brought her hands up quickly. Frodo couldn't move in time and one her hands clipped him in the chin. Frodo, Merry, and Pippin quickly backed away as Rashelle quickly clambered out and rushed into the last house.
Suddenly Sam and Foxburr came into view and the gardener looked at the three hobbits in the pond.
"Where's Miss Rashelle, what happened? Mr. Frodo, you're bleeding!"
Frodo wiped his mouth and saw the red blood that dripped from his chin.
"I bit my tongue when she hit me,"
"She hit you!?" Foxburr blurted, anger flashing in eyes. Frodo climbed out of the pond and dressed in his wet clothes.
"It was an accident, I'm gonna talk to her," and he began forward when Sam grabbed his shoulder.
"Master, I know that anything that happens to Miss Rashelle you can take care of, but I think we should all go. This I believe is bigger than what we think," Frodo nodded and when they were ready they began their search for Rashelle.
(A/N I know that hobbits don't swim well. Trust me, the pond was shallow :P)