Chapter Seven
Nina awoke the next morning, tired but happy. She was lying in a huge, soft bed and next to her, Frodo slept soundly. Nina's breath caught. Of course she remembered last night's events that took place; though at the time she was very nervous about it all. She had never expressed love in that way before. She lay back down in the pillow and closed her eyes. It had been so.wonderful. Frodo stirred in his sleep and Nina turned to face him, kissing his cheek softly. His eyes opened to reveal those beautiful blue eyes Nina loved so much. "Good morning darling gentlehobbit" she smiled, brushing his dark curls off his handsome face. Frodo smiled to her and ran his fingertip down her cheek ever so softly. "Good morning" he smiled and Nina pressed her forehead to his. "Why did the sun have to come up?" she sighed. "I did not want that night to end" She laid her head on his chest, easing into his warm embrace. She looked around the room, noticing their clothes scattered all over the floor. Oh, how Holly would tease! Well, of course Holly would be happy for her friend, but at the same time make some joke out of it - or jokingly embarrass the couple. Nina was not looking forward to seeing Holly that morning! And of course, Holly knew what had happened - for she had carelessly walked in on them and had mentally noted to herself to knock on doors before entering. She had been embarrassed after getting that eye full but, being Holly; she would get over it and take joy on joking about the situation. "Frodo?" "Hmm.?" his eyes were closed. "We should get up" "No, not yet" he whispered pleadingly to her, kissing her forehead as she nuzzled her lips into his neck. "But what about my parents? They would be so worried" Frodo didn't answer, just tightened his grip on her. "Frodo?" Nina asked again, waiting for some response. "Hmm.?" "Answer me" "Please don't go yet" he repeated, his eyes remaining closed. Truth, he didn't want her to go at all. He would have spent the rest of eternity lying in that bed with her just so she would stay. Maybe he just didn't like the thought of her going home and Friado Broadbeam would be all over her, discussing wedding plans and intending on kissing her every five minutes. "Hmm.okay then," Nina sighed, resting her head on his chest again. The couple lay there, not daring to say a word incase it would spoil the moment.
//
"You leave them alone Peregrin Took" Holly warned as Pippin tip toed to the bedroom door to create some sort of trouble. Pippin sniggered but moved away all the same. "Ah, come on lass!" he laughed. "We all need a little joke after all the bad news that's gone on about Nina" "Maybe," Holly answered. "But can't you just leave them for a while?!" "Pip's right, Holl" Merry said as he puffed on his pipe. Holly folded her arms and looked to her elder brother. "I mean." Merry grinned as Holly gave him the stare. "I mean in a WAY Pip is right. We need to act all happy and joke around to forget these difficult times. It may even help them both. But at the same time not to act TOO happy incase they both totally forget and get themselves caught. Also, no joking YET!" Holly nodded and sat beside Pippin. "You're right Merry. You know, I never thought of that before" "Never thought of what before?" Pippin frowned. "About acting all happy to try and make them forget - well I had OBVIOUSLY thought of that.but I mean the other part. If we act TOO happy, they may forget altogether and get caught. And I do not know what Meruda Roper, Friabo and Friado Broadbeam shall do if they found out." "Hmm.in all honesty, I'd rather Nina and Frodo weren't together" Pippin announced and Merry and Holly looked up to the Took for an explanation. "Well," Pippin began, "Nina's engaged which means there shall be a wedding.they are both going to be heartbroken" "And the day will come" Merry sighed, agreeing with his friend. "Then what are we to do?" Holly looked down. "End it" Merry looked at her and Pippin sadly. "To save them both before it gets too out of hand"
//
"Wish you wouldn't go and leave me with those jokers" Frodo sighed as Nina jumped out of the bedroom window and landed on the soft grass below. Nina smiled gently. "Don't worry Frodo; I'm sure you can handle them!" "Not Merry and Pippin!" he called with a laugh. "Those two shall never get off my back!" Nina sighed and shook her head at him, placing a kiss on his lips before stepping back. "Well, I'm sure they'll get over it!" "Not in this lifetime" Frodo groaned. "I'm never leaving this bedroom again!" "That is not such a bad idea" she winked softly with a smile and Frodo returned the smile. "Come back soon.and if Friado does anything." "I'll come back Frodo as long as you forget that wretched Broadbeam." she kissed him again.
//
Holly walked over to the home of the Ropers with a sigh. She hated to have to do this.she wondered how things were going with Merry and Pippin who had agreed that they would talk to Frodo about it, and Holly talk to Nina. "Ah! Holly!" a welcomer at the front door greeted her, one she was not so happy to see. "Friado." she forced a weak smile. "Is Nina home?" "Aye, she is but she has told us she wants to be alone in her room. I doubt if she will see anybody today" "Oh, but she'd see me, I'm sure" Holly smiled. "Well.I'll go and see, shall I?" Friado walked to Nina's bedroom door, Holy at his heels. He tapped on the door lightly. "Nina, honey? Holly is here, do you wish to see her or -" "Holly!" Nina opened the door, interrupting Friado's remark. "Come in!" Holly stepped in as Nina shut the door in Friado's face. "Nina, I have something I must tell you" "And I to tell you! Though, you've probably guessed!" she giggled behind her hand as she lay down on the bed, almost in a dream. "Oh Holly, it was.wonderful. That's how I imagined my first time and.what's more it's with Frodo.he told me he loved me, more than anything. Despite everything around me that is going on, I'm so happy" "You.you are?" "Of course Silly! You know how long I've loved Frodo!" "Well, yes." "And it was you who told me to reach for the moon after all. But it's backfired" "It has?!" "The moon is reaching for me instead." she sighed happily, laying her head softly against the pillow. "Nina, just hear me out." "Oh and the moon was full last night, shining down on us through the window.everything was perfect, I could not have been given a more perfect night. And it's mainly all down to you dear friend" "It was?!" "You allowed me and Frodo to spend some time alone last night. We were going to sit by the fire together but then we started kissing and well.things took off from there. And I know it was soon but it felt right, for both of us. Oh Holly I owe you more than my life after all you've done for us!" "Nina, please." "And I hope someday I can return the favour. I know your Mama has her heart set on you marrying one of the Chubb lads and I know that is not what you want. And I'm prepared to get you through it, like you have done for me" "Nina." "Yes?" Nina looked to her and Holly knew she couldn't do it. It was the first time ever that Holly had seen her so happy.she just couldn't do it. "Nothing." "Oh, okay then" Nina shrugged with a smile. "But what was it that was so important that you needed to speak to me about?" "Just." Holly paused. "Forget it Nina, I just needed to know how everything went last night." "You know, you're the best friend in the world Holly" as Nina hugged her, Holly felt like she was betraying Frodo, Nina.and herself. No matter how much she cursed herself inside, she just couldn't break Nina's happiness like that - this was what Nina deserved, someone like Frodo. Holly knew what was right in her heart, but she was unable to fight it.she couldn't do it.
Nina awoke the next morning, tired but happy. She was lying in a huge, soft bed and next to her, Frodo slept soundly. Nina's breath caught. Of course she remembered last night's events that took place; though at the time she was very nervous about it all. She had never expressed love in that way before. She lay back down in the pillow and closed her eyes. It had been so.wonderful. Frodo stirred in his sleep and Nina turned to face him, kissing his cheek softly. His eyes opened to reveal those beautiful blue eyes Nina loved so much. "Good morning darling gentlehobbit" she smiled, brushing his dark curls off his handsome face. Frodo smiled to her and ran his fingertip down her cheek ever so softly. "Good morning" he smiled and Nina pressed her forehead to his. "Why did the sun have to come up?" she sighed. "I did not want that night to end" She laid her head on his chest, easing into his warm embrace. She looked around the room, noticing their clothes scattered all over the floor. Oh, how Holly would tease! Well, of course Holly would be happy for her friend, but at the same time make some joke out of it - or jokingly embarrass the couple. Nina was not looking forward to seeing Holly that morning! And of course, Holly knew what had happened - for she had carelessly walked in on them and had mentally noted to herself to knock on doors before entering. She had been embarrassed after getting that eye full but, being Holly; she would get over it and take joy on joking about the situation. "Frodo?" "Hmm.?" his eyes were closed. "We should get up" "No, not yet" he whispered pleadingly to her, kissing her forehead as she nuzzled her lips into his neck. "But what about my parents? They would be so worried" Frodo didn't answer, just tightened his grip on her. "Frodo?" Nina asked again, waiting for some response. "Hmm.?" "Answer me" "Please don't go yet" he repeated, his eyes remaining closed. Truth, he didn't want her to go at all. He would have spent the rest of eternity lying in that bed with her just so she would stay. Maybe he just didn't like the thought of her going home and Friado Broadbeam would be all over her, discussing wedding plans and intending on kissing her every five minutes. "Hmm.okay then," Nina sighed, resting her head on his chest again. The couple lay there, not daring to say a word incase it would spoil the moment.
//
"You leave them alone Peregrin Took" Holly warned as Pippin tip toed to the bedroom door to create some sort of trouble. Pippin sniggered but moved away all the same. "Ah, come on lass!" he laughed. "We all need a little joke after all the bad news that's gone on about Nina" "Maybe," Holly answered. "But can't you just leave them for a while?!" "Pip's right, Holl" Merry said as he puffed on his pipe. Holly folded her arms and looked to her elder brother. "I mean." Merry grinned as Holly gave him the stare. "I mean in a WAY Pip is right. We need to act all happy and joke around to forget these difficult times. It may even help them both. But at the same time not to act TOO happy incase they both totally forget and get themselves caught. Also, no joking YET!" Holly nodded and sat beside Pippin. "You're right Merry. You know, I never thought of that before" "Never thought of what before?" Pippin frowned. "About acting all happy to try and make them forget - well I had OBVIOUSLY thought of that.but I mean the other part. If we act TOO happy, they may forget altogether and get caught. And I do not know what Meruda Roper, Friabo and Friado Broadbeam shall do if they found out." "Hmm.in all honesty, I'd rather Nina and Frodo weren't together" Pippin announced and Merry and Holly looked up to the Took for an explanation. "Well," Pippin began, "Nina's engaged which means there shall be a wedding.they are both going to be heartbroken" "And the day will come" Merry sighed, agreeing with his friend. "Then what are we to do?" Holly looked down. "End it" Merry looked at her and Pippin sadly. "To save them both before it gets too out of hand"
//
"Wish you wouldn't go and leave me with those jokers" Frodo sighed as Nina jumped out of the bedroom window and landed on the soft grass below. Nina smiled gently. "Don't worry Frodo; I'm sure you can handle them!" "Not Merry and Pippin!" he called with a laugh. "Those two shall never get off my back!" Nina sighed and shook her head at him, placing a kiss on his lips before stepping back. "Well, I'm sure they'll get over it!" "Not in this lifetime" Frodo groaned. "I'm never leaving this bedroom again!" "That is not such a bad idea" she winked softly with a smile and Frodo returned the smile. "Come back soon.and if Friado does anything." "I'll come back Frodo as long as you forget that wretched Broadbeam." she kissed him again.
//
Holly walked over to the home of the Ropers with a sigh. She hated to have to do this.she wondered how things were going with Merry and Pippin who had agreed that they would talk to Frodo about it, and Holly talk to Nina. "Ah! Holly!" a welcomer at the front door greeted her, one she was not so happy to see. "Friado." she forced a weak smile. "Is Nina home?" "Aye, she is but she has told us she wants to be alone in her room. I doubt if she will see anybody today" "Oh, but she'd see me, I'm sure" Holly smiled. "Well.I'll go and see, shall I?" Friado walked to Nina's bedroom door, Holy at his heels. He tapped on the door lightly. "Nina, honey? Holly is here, do you wish to see her or -" "Holly!" Nina opened the door, interrupting Friado's remark. "Come in!" Holly stepped in as Nina shut the door in Friado's face. "Nina, I have something I must tell you" "And I to tell you! Though, you've probably guessed!" she giggled behind her hand as she lay down on the bed, almost in a dream. "Oh Holly, it was.wonderful. That's how I imagined my first time and.what's more it's with Frodo.he told me he loved me, more than anything. Despite everything around me that is going on, I'm so happy" "You.you are?" "Of course Silly! You know how long I've loved Frodo!" "Well, yes." "And it was you who told me to reach for the moon after all. But it's backfired" "It has?!" "The moon is reaching for me instead." she sighed happily, laying her head softly against the pillow. "Nina, just hear me out." "Oh and the moon was full last night, shining down on us through the window.everything was perfect, I could not have been given a more perfect night. And it's mainly all down to you dear friend" "It was?!" "You allowed me and Frodo to spend some time alone last night. We were going to sit by the fire together but then we started kissing and well.things took off from there. And I know it was soon but it felt right, for both of us. Oh Holly I owe you more than my life after all you've done for us!" "Nina, please." "And I hope someday I can return the favour. I know your Mama has her heart set on you marrying one of the Chubb lads and I know that is not what you want. And I'm prepared to get you through it, like you have done for me" "Nina." "Yes?" Nina looked to her and Holly knew she couldn't do it. It was the first time ever that Holly had seen her so happy.she just couldn't do it. "Nothing." "Oh, okay then" Nina shrugged with a smile. "But what was it that was so important that you needed to speak to me about?" "Just." Holly paused. "Forget it Nina, I just needed to know how everything went last night." "You know, you're the best friend in the world Holly" as Nina hugged her, Holly felt like she was betraying Frodo, Nina.and herself. No matter how much she cursed herself inside, she just couldn't break Nina's happiness like that - this was what Nina deserved, someone like Frodo. Holly knew what was right in her heart, but she was unable to fight it.she couldn't do it.