Chapter Ten
A very large dining table was required for the entirety of the company, and a very large dining table was exactly what the palace at Minas Tirith had. At the table sat the hobbits, Pippin, Merry, Diamond, Estella, Sam, Rosie, Goldilocks, and Elanor. There also were the humans, Faramir, Eowyn, and Aragorn, the elves, Legolas and Arwen, and the lone dwarf Gimli.
There was talk of day's renown, days of the fellowship. There were not sad tales for this occasion; these were the happier times. Like the time Pippin and Merry tackled Boromir when he was teaching how to use their swords. Or perhaps even the time when Merry and Pippin were together at Minas Tirith and dancing on the table, singing drinking songs. These were the good times, and were first in mind.
But the time came when serious talk must be brought up.
"So, Pippin, Merry, when do you gain your titles?" asked Aragorn.
Pippin gulped. "Well, you see...we already have them."
"But that - "
"Yes. My father was taken ill and died before we left."
There was a chill silence in the room.
"I'm sorry, Pippin. I did not know," Aragorn apologized.
"It's all right. I know he wants us to be happy, and I knew we could if we visited you."
"My condolences to you two...but I am glad you came."
"As are we," Merry spoke up. "For we have some guests, as you can see."
Pip smiled haughtily and stood up. "My friends," he said with pride. "This is my hobbit, Diamond of Long Cleeve. We're engaged."
Everyone clapped. Aragorn stood up and walked over to her. He knelt. "You have picked a fine hobbit, m'lady."
"You do not bow to me, King Elessar," said Diamond. "I am but his fiancée."
"Pippin has all the rank in the world to us in Gondor, and if you are to be married to him, then you receive it as well," he said, standing. "The same for you, lady," Aragorn commented, facing Estella. "Are you to marry Merry?"
Estella giggled. "Marry Merry...why I certainly hope to someday. But for now, we are not engaged, yet," she said, putting a peculiar emphasis on the last word.
Aragorn smiled knowingly. "Dear Sam, is this your wife?" he asked, bowing to Rosie. "And these your children?"
"Aye," Sam said proudly. "This is Rosie Gamgee, and Goldilocks and Elanor."
Aragorn nodded. "You three have come far since I saw you last. I ask you to come farther."
There was a curious tone in his voice, and Pip looked to Legolas and Gimli. Both of them also appeared to be confused.
"For I will need you all to inform me of the activities of your homeland.I know this is the Age of Men," said Aragorn. "But I will make sure until the end, I give proper recognition to the other races. It is said that hobbits will someday evolve into men - and look! Merry and Pippin are sheer examples of this happening. Have you ever seen a four-foot tall hobbit? Hobbits in Bilbo's day were lucky to reach 3'6. And it is said that eventually all elves will leave, but indeed they have not all left yet. It is said that dwarves will lock themselves in their mountains and never return for human eye, and shall eventually dwindle out of existence, but these things will most likely not happen in my time as King. It will take a long time, and I will continue correspondence with my fellow races until this point."
All could well understand his point, except Faramir. "My lord, I live here, with Eowyn, surely you know what happens here..."
"That I do," said Aragorn. "That's why you will live here with Eowyn, and send the confirmation letters back to our faithful counsellors, informing them of what happens here, and confirming that their letter was received."
Faramir smiled. "Aye."
Pippin was starting to feel slightly putout that everyone was stealing their hobbit accents.
"But I just want to know, do you all accept this? Is it too much of a burden?"
"Aragorn," Pip said seriously. "How hard is it to write a letter?"
"Good point, but you have titles now, trust me, the time will become harder and harder to find," he said knowingly.
"Well maybe so, but they are hobbit titles, Aragorn," said Merry. "Hobbits don't do much, even with titles or jobs."
"Perhaps you have a point," Aragorn conceded. "You do know more about hobbits than I."
"Is that all the serious business we had to attend to?" asked Gimli.
"Yes."
"Well in that case, it's time to have some fun!"
A very large dining table was required for the entirety of the company, and a very large dining table was exactly what the palace at Minas Tirith had. At the table sat the hobbits, Pippin, Merry, Diamond, Estella, Sam, Rosie, Goldilocks, and Elanor. There also were the humans, Faramir, Eowyn, and Aragorn, the elves, Legolas and Arwen, and the lone dwarf Gimli.
There was talk of day's renown, days of the fellowship. There were not sad tales for this occasion; these were the happier times. Like the time Pippin and Merry tackled Boromir when he was teaching how to use their swords. Or perhaps even the time when Merry and Pippin were together at Minas Tirith and dancing on the table, singing drinking songs. These were the good times, and were first in mind.
But the time came when serious talk must be brought up.
"So, Pippin, Merry, when do you gain your titles?" asked Aragorn.
Pippin gulped. "Well, you see...we already have them."
"But that - "
"Yes. My father was taken ill and died before we left."
There was a chill silence in the room.
"I'm sorry, Pippin. I did not know," Aragorn apologized.
"It's all right. I know he wants us to be happy, and I knew we could if we visited you."
"My condolences to you two...but I am glad you came."
"As are we," Merry spoke up. "For we have some guests, as you can see."
Pip smiled haughtily and stood up. "My friends," he said with pride. "This is my hobbit, Diamond of Long Cleeve. We're engaged."
Everyone clapped. Aragorn stood up and walked over to her. He knelt. "You have picked a fine hobbit, m'lady."
"You do not bow to me, King Elessar," said Diamond. "I am but his fiancée."
"Pippin has all the rank in the world to us in Gondor, and if you are to be married to him, then you receive it as well," he said, standing. "The same for you, lady," Aragorn commented, facing Estella. "Are you to marry Merry?"
Estella giggled. "Marry Merry...why I certainly hope to someday. But for now, we are not engaged, yet," she said, putting a peculiar emphasis on the last word.
Aragorn smiled knowingly. "Dear Sam, is this your wife?" he asked, bowing to Rosie. "And these your children?"
"Aye," Sam said proudly. "This is Rosie Gamgee, and Goldilocks and Elanor."
Aragorn nodded. "You three have come far since I saw you last. I ask you to come farther."
There was a curious tone in his voice, and Pip looked to Legolas and Gimli. Both of them also appeared to be confused.
"For I will need you all to inform me of the activities of your homeland.I know this is the Age of Men," said Aragorn. "But I will make sure until the end, I give proper recognition to the other races. It is said that hobbits will someday evolve into men - and look! Merry and Pippin are sheer examples of this happening. Have you ever seen a four-foot tall hobbit? Hobbits in Bilbo's day were lucky to reach 3'6. And it is said that eventually all elves will leave, but indeed they have not all left yet. It is said that dwarves will lock themselves in their mountains and never return for human eye, and shall eventually dwindle out of existence, but these things will most likely not happen in my time as King. It will take a long time, and I will continue correspondence with my fellow races until this point."
All could well understand his point, except Faramir. "My lord, I live here, with Eowyn, surely you know what happens here..."
"That I do," said Aragorn. "That's why you will live here with Eowyn, and send the confirmation letters back to our faithful counsellors, informing them of what happens here, and confirming that their letter was received."
Faramir smiled. "Aye."
Pippin was starting to feel slightly putout that everyone was stealing their hobbit accents.
"But I just want to know, do you all accept this? Is it too much of a burden?"
"Aragorn," Pip said seriously. "How hard is it to write a letter?"
"Good point, but you have titles now, trust me, the time will become harder and harder to find," he said knowingly.
"Well maybe so, but they are hobbit titles, Aragorn," said Merry. "Hobbits don't do much, even with titles or jobs."
"Perhaps you have a point," Aragorn conceded. "You do know more about hobbits than I."
"Is that all the serious business we had to attend to?" asked Gimli.
"Yes."
"Well in that case, it's time to have some fun!"