Chapter Seven
It was widely known that Melilot Brandybuck was prone to blush for the most minimal reasons. The nickname invented by her brother Merimas,
'applecheeks', was soon taken into common use. She herself considered it an endearment and accepted it with one of her gentle smiles every
time she heard it used - after all, it should be remembered that for hobbits nothing is more beautiful in a girl's face than bright eyes and
round cheeks.
But now, when even Pervinca might've had the grace to blush a little, Melilot found that instead all blood fled her face. She had just
happened to walk in the kitchen and found Pippin and Merry in the middle of what seemed to her to be far too intimate for anyone else's eyes,
and also plainly inappropriate in all aspects. Staring at her two cousins, she bit her lip and drew in a sharp breath. There was apple
marmalade on both their faces, and Pippin's hands rested on Merry's upper arms. Both were staring back at her, a look of bewilderment on
their faces.
"Excuse me!" Melilot nearly squeaked and was gone before Merry or Pippin had the chance to open their mouths. She ran through the shelves
and out of the door, still holding one hand over her mouth as if to keep things inside instead of screaming them out.
She met Pervinca in the corridor, and without a word, took a firm hold of her arm, swinged her around and started to lead her away from the
kitchen door.
Pervinca put another blueberry in her mouth - the basket already seemed a bit too large for the amount of berries that still remained - and
knit her brows.
"Lottie!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing? I've got the berries right here!"
Melilot just shook her head, which confused Pervinca even more, and stubbornly dragged her along with her.
"Lottie," Pervinca tried again, in a bit angry tone, "What is going on? Is something wrong? You look like you've seen one of the meanest
ghosts in the Old Forest!"
Melilot stopped for a minute to draw in a deep breath. Now that they were already in a different corridor from the one that led to the
kitchen, she felt she might consider speaking her mind.
"Well, Vinca, either I'm gravely mistaken or we're not the only ones keeping secrets."
For a while, it was quiet in the corridor as Pervinca took in her words, pondering over them carefully before finally asking in a soft voice,
"You saw something you weren't supposed to see, didn't you?"
Melilot observed her toes, certain that the dark brown curls sticking out from between them would straighten with shock. She wished she could
feel the familiar rush of blood to her face, but felt oddly light-hearted instead. This confused her up to no end - after all, shouldn't it
bother her that her cousins were kissing in the kitchen, shouldn't it send her sensible hobbit mind to race? Melilot had always been the more
grounded one, the caretaker of the wild bunch of tricksters and the sound of reason when reason was (on a rare but important occasion)
needed. However, it now seemed Pervinca - the flighty, air-headed cousin, her honey-haired Vinca-lass - was more in control of the situation.
"Are you quite certain of what you saw?" Pervinca peered at her, tapping her nose with one finger (as she did when she thought hard) and
looking amusingly like a Shirriff investigating a tough case.
"Why, yes," Melilot nodded, looking uncomfortably over her shoulder towards the kitchen door that could no longer be seen from where they
stood. She didn't know which thought bothered her more: that the two cousins still hadn't come out, or that they eventually would.
Pervinca still didn't look convinced. "Which was what, particularly?"
And now the blood finally rushed to Melilot's face as she replied, "We-well, um, kissing, to be precise."
"Real Kissing kissing?" Pervinca continued to inquire. "Not the Whoops-The-Kitchen-Floor-Is-Slippery-And-I-Fell-Against-You kind?"
"Well, Vinca, if your brother fell, he must've fallen from the skies, because he had his arms around cousin Merry's neck," Melilot blurted
out in a bit exasparated tone, then felt a bit embarrassed and turned a new shade of red.
"Around Merry Brandybuck's neck?" Pervinca's eyes had never been so big.
"Yes," Melilot sighed, and if it would have been her habit to do so, she would've rolled her eyes.
"My brother Peregrin Took's very own pair of arms?"
"Yes!"
"That's - um." Pervinca thought for a second more, then looked up at Melilot with a grin that would've made a Cheshire cat envious. "Say, why
are you so shocked? I find all this quite amusing. This is my little brother we're talking about! You could find him kissing the Bracegirdles
if they ever let him within a foot's range."
Melilot hazarded another gaze towards the kitchen. "But what shall we do, Vinca? Act like nothing happened?"
Pervinca took a firm hold of her hand. "Don't be silly. They are your guests for tonight. What are we to do, ignore them? Come on, Lottie,
let's go get them. It's late, it's chilly, and we're all in need of a nice cup of hot tea with honey."
Melilot smiled, unable to beat the excellent hobbit logic behind Pervinca's words.
"Not to mention a late night sup."
Pervinca laughed. "Exactly."
*I shall have to take caution*, Melilot thought to herself as they silently as mice returned back to the kitchen door, *not to underestimate
Vinca's wisdom, since it obviously is vast, especially when all else fails.*
Pervinca gave Melilot a quick, confirming look, and then flung the kitchen door open, announcing, "Oi, Pippin, you slack of a little brother!
And cousin Merry, what is taking so long? My stomach is not going to wait another minute!"
Melilot followed right behind her as Pervinca searched out her brother and cousin. They nearly ran into Merry and a huge tray, and all three
let out a surprised shout. Luckily nothing dropped from the tray to the floor.
"We're coming, hold your horses, you feisty little Took," Merry huffed and promptly shoved the tray in Melilot's steadier hands.
"Little! Did you hear that, Lottie?" Pervinca pointed a finger at her cousin, fuming with fury. "And that's the second time for today, Master
Oh-So-Very-Nearly-33 Brandybuck! Little, indeed! Shall I take you out for another snow war, to show you who---"
"Vinca!" Melilot interrupted her, hardly able to keep from laughing. She was swiftly rearranging the cups placed on the tray, several of
which had been knocked over by the almost-crash a second ago.
"I am most certainly not little," Pervinca continued, shaking her finger at Merry's face, "not in comparison to anyone currently standing in
this very room---"
And again she was interrupted, this time by Pippin, who appeared behind Merry with another tray - this one with pancakes and loaves of bread
piled on it.
"Except me!" he pointed out to Pervinca.
"And me," Merry smiled, folding his arms on his chest.
"And I'll soon outgrow you, too," Pippin said, rising on his toes and indeed managing to be taller than Merry for a moment. "Anyway, Master
Oh-So-Very-Nearly-33, you've got a speck of marmalade on your face."
"Then it's your fault," Merry retorted over his shoulder, then suddenly turned dead serious and threw a hesitant glance at Melilot and
Pervinca's direction.
But Melilot was already on her way out of the kitchen with the tray, and Pervinca followed her, demanding, "But Lottie, it's not true, is
it?"
Merry let out a sigh of relief. He fished his napkin from his pocket and wiped the marmalade off his face, then glanced over his shoulder
when he felt Pippin place his hand on it.
"See?" the young Took said, somewhat cheekily, "not quite the end of the world, was it?"
"Oh, shut up and clean your face," Merry snickered, tossing him the napkin. "Brat of a Took, you always have to get your way, don't you."
Pippin balanced the tray on one hand, and walked past Merry. "Why, I'm a *Took*, and Tooks are renowned for *always* having their way. Did
you not know that, Master Not-Quite-33 Brandybuck?" He turned around to point the napkin at Merry questioningly.
Merry grabbed his napkin back, and rather roughly wiped the remains of apple marmalade off Pippin's face with it. "Keep calling me that, and
I shall have to think of some way to close that overconfident mouth of yours."
"I'm looking forward to it," Pippin shot back, grinning, his eyes sparkling in a most irresistible manner - one of the secrets behind the
Tookish charm, one might say.
Merry certainly was tempted to accept the challenge, but he was interrupted by the sharp voice of Pervinca, who was peeking at them from
behind the shelf.
"Uh-uh! None of that! Move those silly feet of yours!" she ordered, her tone and face amused. "How are we ever going to get food in our
stomachs if you can't even get out of the kitchen, you rascals?"
Both Merry and Pippin opened their mouths to protest, found that there was actually nothing to protest, and looked at each other in
confusion. Both felt their cheeks burning, and somehow, the carefree manner in which Pervinca had taken the new spin in their relationship
just made it feel more awkward. After all, how could they possibly be comfortable with something they weren't even sure that was there yet?
Merry, especially, was flabbergasted. He felt he should take control of the situation - or, at least, himself - but was distracted every time
Pippin chanced to flash him one of his grins. The young Took seemed to think this was all a fun new game, another secret he could share with
his favourite partner in crime. His feelings on the matter were more curiousity than anything else, Merry observed, uncertain of whether it
was a good thing or not. Judging by the nasty feel at his heart of hearts, it was not.
Pervinca's laughter ringed in the empty kitchen long after the two hobbit boys had left it, both of them wondering where was the place for
laughter in this new situation they had stumbled in.
It was widely known that Melilot Brandybuck was prone to blush for the most minimal reasons. The nickname invented by her brother Merimas,
'applecheeks', was soon taken into common use. She herself considered it an endearment and accepted it with one of her gentle smiles every
time she heard it used - after all, it should be remembered that for hobbits nothing is more beautiful in a girl's face than bright eyes and
round cheeks.
But now, when even Pervinca might've had the grace to blush a little, Melilot found that instead all blood fled her face. She had just
happened to walk in the kitchen and found Pippin and Merry in the middle of what seemed to her to be far too intimate for anyone else's eyes,
and also plainly inappropriate in all aspects. Staring at her two cousins, she bit her lip and drew in a sharp breath. There was apple
marmalade on both their faces, and Pippin's hands rested on Merry's upper arms. Both were staring back at her, a look of bewilderment on
their faces.
"Excuse me!" Melilot nearly squeaked and was gone before Merry or Pippin had the chance to open their mouths. She ran through the shelves
and out of the door, still holding one hand over her mouth as if to keep things inside instead of screaming them out.
She met Pervinca in the corridor, and without a word, took a firm hold of her arm, swinged her around and started to lead her away from the
kitchen door.
Pervinca put another blueberry in her mouth - the basket already seemed a bit too large for the amount of berries that still remained - and
knit her brows.
"Lottie!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing? I've got the berries right here!"
Melilot just shook her head, which confused Pervinca even more, and stubbornly dragged her along with her.
"Lottie," Pervinca tried again, in a bit angry tone, "What is going on? Is something wrong? You look like you've seen one of the meanest
ghosts in the Old Forest!"
Melilot stopped for a minute to draw in a deep breath. Now that they were already in a different corridor from the one that led to the
kitchen, she felt she might consider speaking her mind.
"Well, Vinca, either I'm gravely mistaken or we're not the only ones keeping secrets."
For a while, it was quiet in the corridor as Pervinca took in her words, pondering over them carefully before finally asking in a soft voice,
"You saw something you weren't supposed to see, didn't you?"
Melilot observed her toes, certain that the dark brown curls sticking out from between them would straighten with shock. She wished she could
feel the familiar rush of blood to her face, but felt oddly light-hearted instead. This confused her up to no end - after all, shouldn't it
bother her that her cousins were kissing in the kitchen, shouldn't it send her sensible hobbit mind to race? Melilot had always been the more
grounded one, the caretaker of the wild bunch of tricksters and the sound of reason when reason was (on a rare but important occasion)
needed. However, it now seemed Pervinca - the flighty, air-headed cousin, her honey-haired Vinca-lass - was more in control of the situation.
"Are you quite certain of what you saw?" Pervinca peered at her, tapping her nose with one finger (as she did when she thought hard) and
looking amusingly like a Shirriff investigating a tough case.
"Why, yes," Melilot nodded, looking uncomfortably over her shoulder towards the kitchen door that could no longer be seen from where they
stood. She didn't know which thought bothered her more: that the two cousins still hadn't come out, or that they eventually would.
Pervinca still didn't look convinced. "Which was what, particularly?"
And now the blood finally rushed to Melilot's face as she replied, "We-well, um, kissing, to be precise."
"Real Kissing kissing?" Pervinca continued to inquire. "Not the Whoops-The-Kitchen-Floor-Is-Slippery-And-I-Fell-Against-You kind?"
"Well, Vinca, if your brother fell, he must've fallen from the skies, because he had his arms around cousin Merry's neck," Melilot blurted
out in a bit exasparated tone, then felt a bit embarrassed and turned a new shade of red.
"Around Merry Brandybuck's neck?" Pervinca's eyes had never been so big.
"Yes," Melilot sighed, and if it would have been her habit to do so, she would've rolled her eyes.
"My brother Peregrin Took's very own pair of arms?"
"Yes!"
"That's - um." Pervinca thought for a second more, then looked up at Melilot with a grin that would've made a Cheshire cat envious. "Say, why
are you so shocked? I find all this quite amusing. This is my little brother we're talking about! You could find him kissing the Bracegirdles
if they ever let him within a foot's range."
Melilot hazarded another gaze towards the kitchen. "But what shall we do, Vinca? Act like nothing happened?"
Pervinca took a firm hold of her hand. "Don't be silly. They are your guests for tonight. What are we to do, ignore them? Come on, Lottie,
let's go get them. It's late, it's chilly, and we're all in need of a nice cup of hot tea with honey."
Melilot smiled, unable to beat the excellent hobbit logic behind Pervinca's words.
"Not to mention a late night sup."
Pervinca laughed. "Exactly."
*I shall have to take caution*, Melilot thought to herself as they silently as mice returned back to the kitchen door, *not to underestimate
Vinca's wisdom, since it obviously is vast, especially when all else fails.*
Pervinca gave Melilot a quick, confirming look, and then flung the kitchen door open, announcing, "Oi, Pippin, you slack of a little brother!
And cousin Merry, what is taking so long? My stomach is not going to wait another minute!"
Melilot followed right behind her as Pervinca searched out her brother and cousin. They nearly ran into Merry and a huge tray, and all three
let out a surprised shout. Luckily nothing dropped from the tray to the floor.
"We're coming, hold your horses, you feisty little Took," Merry huffed and promptly shoved the tray in Melilot's steadier hands.
"Little! Did you hear that, Lottie?" Pervinca pointed a finger at her cousin, fuming with fury. "And that's the second time for today, Master
Oh-So-Very-Nearly-33 Brandybuck! Little, indeed! Shall I take you out for another snow war, to show you who---"
"Vinca!" Melilot interrupted her, hardly able to keep from laughing. She was swiftly rearranging the cups placed on the tray, several of
which had been knocked over by the almost-crash a second ago.
"I am most certainly not little," Pervinca continued, shaking her finger at Merry's face, "not in comparison to anyone currently standing in
this very room---"
And again she was interrupted, this time by Pippin, who appeared behind Merry with another tray - this one with pancakes and loaves of bread
piled on it.
"Except me!" he pointed out to Pervinca.
"And me," Merry smiled, folding his arms on his chest.
"And I'll soon outgrow you, too," Pippin said, rising on his toes and indeed managing to be taller than Merry for a moment. "Anyway, Master
Oh-So-Very-Nearly-33, you've got a speck of marmalade on your face."
"Then it's your fault," Merry retorted over his shoulder, then suddenly turned dead serious and threw a hesitant glance at Melilot and
Pervinca's direction.
But Melilot was already on her way out of the kitchen with the tray, and Pervinca followed her, demanding, "But Lottie, it's not true, is
it?"
Merry let out a sigh of relief. He fished his napkin from his pocket and wiped the marmalade off his face, then glanced over his shoulder
when he felt Pippin place his hand on it.
"See?" the young Took said, somewhat cheekily, "not quite the end of the world, was it?"
"Oh, shut up and clean your face," Merry snickered, tossing him the napkin. "Brat of a Took, you always have to get your way, don't you."
Pippin balanced the tray on one hand, and walked past Merry. "Why, I'm a *Took*, and Tooks are renowned for *always* having their way. Did
you not know that, Master Not-Quite-33 Brandybuck?" He turned around to point the napkin at Merry questioningly.
Merry grabbed his napkin back, and rather roughly wiped the remains of apple marmalade off Pippin's face with it. "Keep calling me that, and
I shall have to think of some way to close that overconfident mouth of yours."
"I'm looking forward to it," Pippin shot back, grinning, his eyes sparkling in a most irresistible manner - one of the secrets behind the
Tookish charm, one might say.
Merry certainly was tempted to accept the challenge, but he was interrupted by the sharp voice of Pervinca, who was peeking at them from
behind the shelf.
"Uh-uh! None of that! Move those silly feet of yours!" she ordered, her tone and face amused. "How are we ever going to get food in our
stomachs if you can't even get out of the kitchen, you rascals?"
Both Merry and Pippin opened their mouths to protest, found that there was actually nothing to protest, and looked at each other in
confusion. Both felt their cheeks burning, and somehow, the carefree manner in which Pervinca had taken the new spin in their relationship
just made it feel more awkward. After all, how could they possibly be comfortable with something they weren't even sure that was there yet?
Merry, especially, was flabbergasted. He felt he should take control of the situation - or, at least, himself - but was distracted every time
Pippin chanced to flash him one of his grins. The young Took seemed to think this was all a fun new game, another secret he could share with
his favourite partner in crime. His feelings on the matter were more curiousity than anything else, Merry observed, uncertain of whether it
was a good thing or not. Judging by the nasty feel at his heart of hearts, it was not.
Pervinca's laughter ringed in the empty kitchen long after the two hobbit boys had left it, both of them wondering where was the place for
laughter in this new situation they had stumbled in.