The Pub Series

Title: The Pub Series ~ Story 1 Politics
Author: Rachel Stonebreaker
Email: redirect@beckyswebdesign.com
Rating: G
Characters: Frodo, Pippin, Sam, Fatty, Lotho, and Merry.
Date: 9 May 2002
Summary: see previous chapters
Disclaimer: see previous chapters
Story Notes: see previous chapters
Review notes: Thanks Marion, you write humorous reviews!

Story 1 ~ Politics
Chapter 6 ~ Bees Hum and so does a Pippin

Frodo had throw Pippin off the scent; or so he had thought. Frodo smiled inwardly at his craftiness. Ah, age triumphs over youth again!

"You're going on middle age in a few years Frodo Baggins and I'm fairly sure you're not into the lads or I think I would have heard rumors and all. And then there was that bit what I overheard Gardenia Bowles telling my sister Pearl about a certain moonlight walk she and you took, oh, when was it, about 10 years ago. My, but you were friskier in your youth! I reckon you were downright lucky you weren't forced into marriage after THAT!"

Now it was Frodo who blushed. He'd thought that night a secret from everyone but he should have known that in Hobbiton, no one could keep secrets. He just shook his head and let his face cool.

"OI! I *knew* it! So, tell me, tell me, tell me" Pippin was practically bouncing into Frodo's lap, "what gives!? Why don't you just pick one and settle?"

"Oh, Pip! I wish it were that easy!" sighed Frodo. He had said this next speech so many times he was beginning to feel he should write it down and post it with the bans on the Mayor's office door. "The lasses I take a fancy too don't really like the idea that I can't seem to be satisfied with sitting in my parlor for the rest of my life. You know me! If I'm not locked away studying, I'm off hiking or wandering. That's no life for a lass and they all know it by now. I may still get the glances but I fear I've been labeled with Uncle Bilbo's mark. I'm *mad* don't you know?" Frodo raised his eyebrows and crooked a sad little smile at the youngster.

All three hobbits all looked down at their ales. After a moment Pippin raised his up. The others raised theirs in response to the anticipated toast. "May we all find happiness in the arms of the lass we are meant to love for the rest of our days".

"Aye" replied Sam with a small smile.

"Indeed" Frodo answered, and then after a bit, "That would be nice". He smiled wryly, back to his old self with a bright smile and a gleam in his eye.

But the conversation still stalled. Pippin leaned back again as the fiddler who had been rosining his bow started up a quick little jig. He was back to thinking. Frodo didn't seem any older than Merry's 36 years or Sam's 38. But he was so serious about being thought an odd one. Maybe it was the Brandybuck in him or the Baggin

Folks that might be called jealous sometimes referred to Frodo as "That Brandybuck" as if it were an insult! Actually it was an insult when they changed it to "That Jumped Up Brandybuck". Jealous that rich old *mad* Bilbo had taken him in and made him heir to Bag End. Resentful of his good looks. Envious of his unflappable attitude. OI! And the epitome of envy took that moment to walk through the pub's open door in the form of Lotho Baggins. Frodo's third cousin, closest of the Baggins to Frodo in age (Daisy didn't count even though she was Frodo's first cousin, she was 8 years younger and really sweet.. besides she'd married a Boffin and moved away). Lotho was always going on how Old Bilbo should have taken HIM as his heir as Lotho was a closer relation to Bilbo than the Jumped Up Brandybuck.

Pippin thanked his lucky stars that Lotho Baggins wasn't HIS cousin. That, that, .. that lout was NO fun and that was certainly the truth! And he sure caused Frodo and Uncle Bilbo no end of grief. Well, to be sure, it wasn't all Lotho's fault, being raised by that screech owl of a mother. Pippin began to loose that hazy feeling thinking on nasty thoughts, so he drank down half his ale with a toss of his mug. He felt himself slipping and caught himself just as Frodo reached over to keep him from falling off the bench. Sam snorted and gave Frodo a look akin to "I told you so". Frodo just wedged his shoulder up against Pippin's and rolled his eyes.

Sam had engaged Frodo in the original conversation, or argument, or discussion, it was hard for Pip to tell.
He wasn't out yet, he was trying to stay conscience to give Merry a bad time for being late. Fatty had said he'd be lucky if he made it tonight, but Merry had said he'd meet them there before too late. It was a long way from Buckland and if he didn't finish his task early enough yesterday, he'd probably just spend the night out on the road somewhere. He perked up a bit and tried to follow Sam's tack and kept quite. By getting drunk early it meant that he didn't have to participate in the far too serious discussion of politics, which was the topic tonight. Pippin used the excuse that he was waiting for Merry and Fatty to arrive before he joined in so as not to have to repeat himself. When in reality, politics, learning about new proposals for flood control, and generally being a respectable citizen bored Pip to no end. He trusted his elder cousins to tell him what to do in important matters. OI! That was it! *Flood Control* That's the plan. How much duller could it get. He started humming along with the lad who was playing for his supper up near the bar proper.

It was very common to have someone providing entertainment on any given night. Folks were glad to pitch in a coin or two when a musician or a singer (or both, if the crowd was large enough to warrant) would start to play. Most museos would play for the price of ale or dinner. Others would play for the love of it. Some were good, some were awful, most were tolerated. If they were bad, everyone just talked over them. If they were good, some would join in and sing along. THOSE were the fun nights in Pippin's opinion. He loved to sing and he knew almost every ballad, jig and classic lay that were popular. He wasn't into dancing. Not like Frodo, but he just loved to sing. And he had a nice voice. Sometimes Sam would pitch in and they could fake it at harmonizing (neither was trained but both were good). Sam had to have been drinking quite a lot before he sang in public. Not so with Pippin. He'd sing if anyone asked and sometimes even when they told him to shut up.

He was singing quietly to himself in company to the fiddler. Ah, now this was a good thing. a gitern player joined in. And the new player could sing. Pip was a tenor. The gitern player was a baritone. Pip rather fancied himself quite good and smiled, content as he alternated between humming and singing softly. Frodo noticed the huge grin creeping over his young cousin's face. He couldn't help but smile himself while countering Sam's most current comment as the youngest cousin began to sing in earnest.

~ End Chapter


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Lyrics on:
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