A/N: this is my first LOTR fanfic. I was kind of wary to start it, because I'm not so sure how it will turn out (I am writing this before the story is finished, so... lol). It's mostly just a bunch of fluffy stuff... Pippin is my favorite character in both the book and the movie, and I wanted to write a story about him. And I've discovered there's not many fics out there (that I've come across anyway) that are about Pippin and his eventual wife, Diamond (according to the timeline in Appendix B.. hehe). This is a story about how they met, and about... well, read the story. You'll see :)

Read the notes at the end... at the time I'm writing this (which is when I was towards the end of chapter 3, for the record) I had nearly a page of explanation and clarifications.. they aren't necessary to read, but if I didn't add them in I'd feel like I left important things out. I'm trying to stay as true to canon as I possibly can (only filling in blanks... nothing will end up much differently than how Tolkien intended ::smiles::), but I did hit a few rough spots, especially with geography (I didn't have a good map until I'd started chapter three, and I had a panic attack or two worrying about it.. lol).

One last thing (and this is brief, woohoo!).. the story begins in S.R. 1417, just one year before FOTR. Merry is 35, Lily is 34, Pervinca is 32, Pippin is 27, Diamond is 22. Yay.

Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.R.R. Tolkien. Except for Lily, I made her up. But the rest of them... I'm just borrowing them, I swear. And I'm not making any money. Oh well.

Dedication: To Amy, because without her I'd have no one to cry to when I screw up the continuity/geography/whatever, and because she helped to introduce me to the wonderful world of Lord of the Rings ^_^ And for helping me look up things when I needed it, and for writing me into her fanfic, and for listening to my endless whining and obsessing.. {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Amy-mommy}}}}}}}}}}}}}} You rock. A whole lot. ::giggles:: I kept this lovely dedication thingy a secret until the story was completed, too, heeee.






Forgotten Roads
by Ani Ledger




[Chapter One]

Finally. The day I'd been waiting for had arrived: the day when I finally was allowed to leave home to visit my cousin Lily in Buckland. And without my parents, too. It was very exciting. I was twenty-two years old, and it was about time they let me go somewhere on my own. Sure, I was an and tweenager--not quite a child, not quite old enough to do whatever I please--but I was never like most tweens. I think I was a pretty responsible, well behaved hobbit.

When I was getting along with my parents, anyway.

I packed my bags the night before I left. I was staying with Lily for eight days, and I couldn't wait. Lily's my favorite cousin, and although she's thirty-four, twelve years my senior, I always loved spending time with her. Buckland isn't too far from Long Cleeve, about sixty miles, but it is the furthest away from home that I'd ever been. I'd visited there with my parents before, but only when I was very young.

Lily arrived just after elevenses, with someone I'd never seen before. He was fairly young, with blonde curls and a mischievous grin. I guessed that he was probably one of Lily's friends.

I ran out to Lily and hugged her. It's wonderful to see you again, cousin! she cried, smiling. How you've grown! I haven't seen you in so long!

It's wonderful to see you, too, Lily, I replied, smiling back.

Lily's companion, the one with the blonde hair and mischievous grin, walked over to where we were standing in front of our small house. Diamond, this is my friend Meriadoc Brandybuck, she said, introducing him.

he said, extending his hand.

Nice to meet you, I replied.

Merry looked at Lily. She's about Pippin's age, isn't she? he asked.

How old is Pippin? Lily asked. Diamond is twenty-two... probably not too far off. She smiled.

Pip is eight years younger than me... so he's twenty-seven, Merry thought aloud. He'll probably be around this week, you'll meet him.

Who is Pippin? I asked, curious.

My younger cousin. He stays with me a lot. Looks up to me, I guess, Merry said proudly. Kind of my partner-in-crime, he joked.

I liked Merry. He seemed very friendly. I think Lily likes him, too. Why, I think she's making eyes at him! I thought. I had to try hard to suppress my smile.

Soon I loaded my bags on Lily and Merry's cart and we set out for Buckland. I couldn't wait to get there. It would be a great week.

--

I sat up on a hill near the banks of the Brandywine River. I watched Merry and Lily leave to get Lily's cousin just after second breakfast, and now it was past elevenses and luncheon, and they still hadn't returned. Aside from being bored out of my mind, I was getting hungry again. It had to be time for afternoon tea soon. I hoped it was anyway.

With a sigh, I stood up and started back toward town. My sister, Pervinca, came with me to Bucklebury this time. I visited all the time to see my best friend Merry, and when Pervinca heard Lily's cousin was coming to visit, she insisted on coming along. Vinca was nice, most of the time, but she was my older sister (one of them, anyway) and acted very older-sister-ish most of the time. Always treated me like a child, which I was most definitely not. I was twenty-seven years old. Soon I'd be thirty-three. So what if I got in trouble all the time? Didn't mean I always would. Things could change in the next seven years; I could easily my troublemaker phase, as Vinca and my other sisters and parents wished I'd do now--they said it all the time. Or, who knows, I could just stay the same. Merry was thirty-four, and just because he was of age now didn't stop him from making mischief right alongside me. We'd been partners-in-crime most of our lives, and just because we were growing up didn't change that. Besides, usually things were his idea in the first place--I just always got blamed because I'm just a tween.

I changed my mind once I get into town. Why bother going back to Merry's and hanging out with Vinca until tea time? I could go out to Farmer Maggot's fields now, and satisfy my hunger sooner. No one would miss me.

--

We arrived at the Brandywine River several hours later. I'd dozed off for a while, and woke up to Lily laughing at something Merry had said. Shortly after I awoke, before we got to the river, we passed a farm, with tall rows of corn and other crops growing in the summer sun. I heard a rustling in the corn, and saw the top of a curly brown head running through the roads.

Oi! Pippin! Merry called, waving. The hobbit in the field turned and waved as we continued on our way. That's Pippin. Borrowing crops from Farmer Maggot. It's--

Stealing crops, you mean, Lily said, hiding a smile.

It's not stealing. The vegetables will grow back. You can't steal something that will only eventually replace itself, Merry retorted.

It is most certainly stealing, Meriadoc, Lily scolded, the corners of her mouth starting to curve upward as she looked up at him. I noticed for the first time how close she was sitting to him. Yes, Lily definitely fancies this Meriadoc Brandybuck. I smiled inwardly. I'd have to remember to ask her about him later.

We rode into town, and up to Merry's house. Lily's was just down the hill, and we left his cart at his and took my bags down to Lily's. Another hobbit came out of Merry's, as he opened the round door, and ran over to Lily.

Lily called. I didn't know you were coming to visit also!

I came with Pippin. I heard your cousin was coming to visit... my goodness, is this Diamond? she cried, her shrill voice filled with excitement. Why, I'm sure she doesn't even remember me. It's been a long time since she came to visit. I'm Pervinca Took, I haven't seen you since you were about five years old.

I nodded. I didn't remember her.

My brother Peregrin is around here somewhere, she continued. He disappeared after elevenses, when Merry and Lily left, but... He's about your age, I think. A few years older.

We saw him up at Farmer Maggot's, Merry says, coming down the hill.

Oh, goodness. I told him to stay out of there... one of these days he's going to get caught. Especially if he's going alone, Merry, at least when you go with him he won't get lost.

Pippin, get lost? Merry laughed. Pip knows those corn fields almost better than I do. He's here all the time, and we're there a lot of the time that he's visiting. Don't worry, Vinca, he'll be fine.

I stood mutely, not really knowing what to do or say. Lily suddenly turned to me, smiling widely. Diamond, you remember when we passed Farmer Maggot's farm, don't you? she asks.

Yes, of course, I replied.

Well, I'm sure Pervinca would appreciate it if you'd go and fetch Peregrin while we prepare afternoon tea?

I thought for a moment. If Pervinca was worried about Pippin getting lost or caught, who was to say that I wouldn't?

Do you want me to go with you? Merry asked me, seeing the doubt on my face.

No, no... I'll go. It'll be nice to go for a walk after sitting in that cart for so long... I won't get lost.

Of course you won't, silly, Lily said.

Merry pointed down the road. Follow the road down until you reach Bucklebury Ferry, where we crossed the river on the way here. Take the ferry across and then follow the road until you reach the farm. If you stand up on the hill above the farm, you can usually see if anyone's down there. And you saw Pippin earlier on our way in, so you shouldn't have much trouble finding him. He's not the quietest hobbit there ever was.

I smiled. I'll be back in a little while, then. I started on down the road.

---

I walked quietly through the rows of corn, so as not to draw much attention to myself. I'd become pretty good at this. I knew Farmer Maggot's fields like the back of my hand, and I rarely got caught. When I did, I usually could talk my way out of trouble, as long as I didn't have any mushrooms with me. I didn't consider it stealing, either. It would all grow back eventually, as Merry always said. Usually, Merry and I went to vegetables together, but he was off with Lily, being all important. I believed he fancied that girl. He was a bit older than she, but they were almost always together--when Merry wasn't off getting in trouble with me. Merry's absence wouldn't be such a problem, but one hobbit can only carry so many carrots, cabbages, and...

I whispered, as I dropped to my knees to claim my prize. Suddenly, I heard dogs barking and a rustling in the corn, getting closer and closer. My eyes widened. I'd been caught.