Chapter Twenty-Nine
They set off again early the next morning, heading towards the village of Bree. Lömadia had slept through nearly the whole of the journey that Pippin thought at one point she had died!
As they approached the gate of Bree, Frodo, Pippin and Merry half expected the gatekeeper they had met the last time. But however, when they knocked on the door, they found it was a younger man, without the mean looks.
"What business brings you to Bree?" he asked, opening the door.
"We wish to stay at the inn," Frodo said clearly. The gatekeeper, half recognising the Ringbearer let them through and took the ponies.
"If you're seeking a room at the Prancing Pony, I'll take your ponies to the barn opposite"
"Wonder if that Bill Ferny is still here," Merry whispered to Pippin. The youngest Took just gave a shrug of the shoulders.
"I doubt it," he answered.
Frodo gave the ponies to the gatekeeper, then taking Nina's hand; they walked towards the Prancing Pony.
"Bree seems so much nicer this time," Merry pointed out.
"That's because you don't have black riders chasing you this time!" Holly pointed out, half joking. Frodo rolled his eyes as they approached the Prancing Pony sign.
"We'll rest here tonight," Frodo announced, stopping outside the door.
"But Frodo, it's only near dinner time, we can keep going can't we?" Portia asked.
"No, I want to stay here," Nina said. "We can eat properly here and sleep in a proper bed tonight at least"
"Ah, yes, the Prancing Pony has the best pints of Ale around!" Merry laughed.
They walked into the inn, shutting the door behind them. It looked the same as it once did - the customers were all drinking, laughing and having a good time. Frodo recognised Nob, Barliman Butterbur's helper. Nob was handing out drinks, here and there . . . trying desperately to keep up with the orders. The noise quietened down as all eyes went to Frodo. Hundreds of pair of eyes laid on him, recognising him immediately.
Butterbur stepped forward. "Mr Underhill!" he called cheerily. "So happy to have you back! We heard you'd gone off with them elves and Gandalf on a silver elven ship"
"I-I did," Frodo said, a little overwhelmed to be speaking to such an old and loyal friend. "I came back,"
"And very happy I am that ya did Mr Underhill! What can I get you folks?!"
"A few Pints Mr Butterbur, Sir!" Merry called out, wanting so much to taste another pint. The customers began going back to their old talking and joking as they drank.
Butterbur took them to a table, and as they sat down, he noticed Lömadia in Nina's arms, who, now was awake and looking around curiously.
"Why, what a beauty she is!" Butterbur said in delight. "Is she yours Mr Underhill?"
Frodo nodded proudly.
"She has your eyes . . . and my, she looks liker you tons! I take it you must be the mother!" he said to Nina.
"Yes, I am," Nina smiled to the bartender.
"You and Mr Underhill married"
"We're on our way to," Frodo answered. "To Rivendell . . . so could we please have a room to spend the night this evening?"
"Of course, of course, have got some cosy hobbit rooms available, as you must most likely remember. I'll get you the best hobbit room in the inn! Now, let me get those pints for you little masters!" Butterbur headed back to the bar to get the orders.
Frodo smiled, taking Lömadia off Nina. He drew her close to his chest, resting his chin on the crown of her head. Lömadia's tiny fingers held onto his shirt and Frodo smiled down at her.
"Isn't she the most beautiful baby in Middle-earth?" he said, kissing his daughter's forehead once again. "I should think seven more should do the trick"
Nina nearly choked on her own breath and Holly burst out in laughter.
"Frodo!" Nina called. "Is that really necessary?!"
"Why? Don't you want more children?"
"Yes," Nina admitted. "But seven more?!"
"Eight children over all, a nice treat. I've always wanted a big family," Frodo smiled. "I heard Sam and Rose discussing ten children!"
"Here we are!" Butterbur handed out the drinks. Merry and Pippin gladly sunk into their pints and Holly commented that they would be too drunk to travel by morning. "Now then Mr Underhill, your girl is looking a mite bit tired"
Frodo looked down at Lömadia, who had fallen fast asleep against his chest. "Yes," he smiled. "Do you have a cradle of some sort so I can put her down to rest?"
"There's a cradle in your room upstairs that Nob is just getting' ready. You could take your girl up there and Nob would happily look after her for you while you eat"
Frodo smiled as a gesture of thanks. Nina stood up and kissed her daughters cheek as Frodo carried her upstairs, following Butterbur.
"Frodo's such a fantastic father" Portia commented, watching Frodo kiss his daughter as he gently carried her up the stairs.
"Yes," Nina sighed. "He's brilliant with Lömadia"
"And the other's that will follow," Holly winked. "You are going to have his *seven* children aren't you Nina?" she let out a chuckle.
Nina nodded. "Of course!" she smiled. "I'll have double that if Frodo wants that!"
"It's your stomach dear," Holly let out a huff. "Where are you two going?" she asked as Merry and Pippin jumped.
"To get another pint of course" Pippin said as if Holly should have known straight away.
Holly tutted. "You've had a whole half already!"
Frodo came back down the stairs empty handed later on, followed by Butterbur.
"She's fast off," he said to Nina, sitting back down next to his fiancé. Nina smiled, holding his hand tightly, giving it a quick squeeze.
Butterbur brought them all plates of delicious food and Pippin and Merry wolfed it all down at once.
//
After a good night of celebration and a warm shelter, they retreated to their beds.
Frodo and Nina kissed their daughter who slept in the cradle beside their bed.
"Thank you for the prettiest daughter," Frodo said as Nina slipped into bed beside him.
Nina smiled. "There's more where that came from Mister Baggins" she kissed his lips forcefully, and he could only helplessly respond. Nina tasted his lips admiringly, feeling her heart pound as he wrapped his arms around her waist and forced himself on top of her.
"Nina . . ." he sighed, sliding his lips from hers, across her cheek and onto her ear. He knew it was her weak spot and she ran her nails through his curls softly. His lips ran down her neck and jaw line, then finally to her collarbone. Nina sighed happily, placing a kiss on his neck. Their passions were high and she smiled knowing it would lead to a night of pure pleasure and bliss.
They set off again early the next morning, heading towards the village of Bree. Lömadia had slept through nearly the whole of the journey that Pippin thought at one point she had died!
As they approached the gate of Bree, Frodo, Pippin and Merry half expected the gatekeeper they had met the last time. But however, when they knocked on the door, they found it was a younger man, without the mean looks.
"What business brings you to Bree?" he asked, opening the door.
"We wish to stay at the inn," Frodo said clearly. The gatekeeper, half recognising the Ringbearer let them through and took the ponies.
"If you're seeking a room at the Prancing Pony, I'll take your ponies to the barn opposite"
"Wonder if that Bill Ferny is still here," Merry whispered to Pippin. The youngest Took just gave a shrug of the shoulders.
"I doubt it," he answered.
Frodo gave the ponies to the gatekeeper, then taking Nina's hand; they walked towards the Prancing Pony.
"Bree seems so much nicer this time," Merry pointed out.
"That's because you don't have black riders chasing you this time!" Holly pointed out, half joking. Frodo rolled his eyes as they approached the Prancing Pony sign.
"We'll rest here tonight," Frodo announced, stopping outside the door.
"But Frodo, it's only near dinner time, we can keep going can't we?" Portia asked.
"No, I want to stay here," Nina said. "We can eat properly here and sleep in a proper bed tonight at least"
"Ah, yes, the Prancing Pony has the best pints of Ale around!" Merry laughed.
They walked into the inn, shutting the door behind them. It looked the same as it once did - the customers were all drinking, laughing and having a good time. Frodo recognised Nob, Barliman Butterbur's helper. Nob was handing out drinks, here and there . . . trying desperately to keep up with the orders. The noise quietened down as all eyes went to Frodo. Hundreds of pair of eyes laid on him, recognising him immediately.
Butterbur stepped forward. "Mr Underhill!" he called cheerily. "So happy to have you back! We heard you'd gone off with them elves and Gandalf on a silver elven ship"
"I-I did," Frodo said, a little overwhelmed to be speaking to such an old and loyal friend. "I came back,"
"And very happy I am that ya did Mr Underhill! What can I get you folks?!"
"A few Pints Mr Butterbur, Sir!" Merry called out, wanting so much to taste another pint. The customers began going back to their old talking and joking as they drank.
Butterbur took them to a table, and as they sat down, he noticed Lömadia in Nina's arms, who, now was awake and looking around curiously.
"Why, what a beauty she is!" Butterbur said in delight. "Is she yours Mr Underhill?"
Frodo nodded proudly.
"She has your eyes . . . and my, she looks liker you tons! I take it you must be the mother!" he said to Nina.
"Yes, I am," Nina smiled to the bartender.
"You and Mr Underhill married"
"We're on our way to," Frodo answered. "To Rivendell . . . so could we please have a room to spend the night this evening?"
"Of course, of course, have got some cosy hobbit rooms available, as you must most likely remember. I'll get you the best hobbit room in the inn! Now, let me get those pints for you little masters!" Butterbur headed back to the bar to get the orders.
Frodo smiled, taking Lömadia off Nina. He drew her close to his chest, resting his chin on the crown of her head. Lömadia's tiny fingers held onto his shirt and Frodo smiled down at her.
"Isn't she the most beautiful baby in Middle-earth?" he said, kissing his daughter's forehead once again. "I should think seven more should do the trick"
Nina nearly choked on her own breath and Holly burst out in laughter.
"Frodo!" Nina called. "Is that really necessary?!"
"Why? Don't you want more children?"
"Yes," Nina admitted. "But seven more?!"
"Eight children over all, a nice treat. I've always wanted a big family," Frodo smiled. "I heard Sam and Rose discussing ten children!"
"Here we are!" Butterbur handed out the drinks. Merry and Pippin gladly sunk into their pints and Holly commented that they would be too drunk to travel by morning. "Now then Mr Underhill, your girl is looking a mite bit tired"
Frodo looked down at Lömadia, who had fallen fast asleep against his chest. "Yes," he smiled. "Do you have a cradle of some sort so I can put her down to rest?"
"There's a cradle in your room upstairs that Nob is just getting' ready. You could take your girl up there and Nob would happily look after her for you while you eat"
Frodo smiled as a gesture of thanks. Nina stood up and kissed her daughters cheek as Frodo carried her upstairs, following Butterbur.
"Frodo's such a fantastic father" Portia commented, watching Frodo kiss his daughter as he gently carried her up the stairs.
"Yes," Nina sighed. "He's brilliant with Lömadia"
"And the other's that will follow," Holly winked. "You are going to have his *seven* children aren't you Nina?" she let out a chuckle.
Nina nodded. "Of course!" she smiled. "I'll have double that if Frodo wants that!"
"It's your stomach dear," Holly let out a huff. "Where are you two going?" she asked as Merry and Pippin jumped.
"To get another pint of course" Pippin said as if Holly should have known straight away.
Holly tutted. "You've had a whole half already!"
Frodo came back down the stairs empty handed later on, followed by Butterbur.
"She's fast off," he said to Nina, sitting back down next to his fiancé. Nina smiled, holding his hand tightly, giving it a quick squeeze.
Butterbur brought them all plates of delicious food and Pippin and Merry wolfed it all down at once.
//
After a good night of celebration and a warm shelter, they retreated to their beds.
Frodo and Nina kissed their daughter who slept in the cradle beside their bed.
"Thank you for the prettiest daughter," Frodo said as Nina slipped into bed beside him.
Nina smiled. "There's more where that came from Mister Baggins" she kissed his lips forcefully, and he could only helplessly respond. Nina tasted his lips admiringly, feeling her heart pound as he wrapped his arms around her waist and forced himself on top of her.
"Nina . . ." he sighed, sliding his lips from hers, across her cheek and onto her ear. He knew it was her weak spot and she ran her nails through his curls softly. His lips ran down her neck and jaw line, then finally to her collarbone. Nina sighed happily, placing a kiss on his neck. Their passions were high and she smiled knowing it would lead to a night of pure pleasure and bliss.