Chapter Thirty Five
***Five Years Later***
And so, five years past . . . Nina and Frodo had remained in Rivendell, along with Merry, Pippin, Holly, Portia, Nissa, Friagrin and Sogrin. Sam and Rose had returned to the Shire some months after the wedding, visiting Rivendell once and a while to see old friends.
And a great deal of events had taken place in Rivendell . . . Legolas had wed Ril-Gania some months after Nina and Frodo's wedding, and more importantly considered to Nina, Holly and Pippin had married! Merry had begun to laugh about it and make jokes . . . until he realised the serious nature of the situation. Two years after, Holly had given birth to their first son, Faramir.
And the children did not stop there . . . Nina had promised Frodo a large family . . . and a large family she was going to give him! She watched out of the window of their home in Rivendell. Lömadia, now a five year old hobbit chased her Papa around some trees. Nina chuckled as Frodo slowed his pace to he might give Lömadia a chance to catch up. Her tiny feet sped as she giggled and called out to him. Behind Lömadia, Nina smiled as she saw her three-year-old twins she had given birth to a couple of years after the wedding. Frodo and Daisy were very much identical twins and Nina was thankful they were of opposite genders . . . otherwise she herself would have not been able to tell the difference!
She turned her attentions away from the window and stared down at her two- year-old daughter, Krystal. She tugged on Nina's skirt and Nina smiled and picked her up.
"You're too young to play those chasing games sweet-pea! If Papa has any strength left when you're older . . . you can play" she nuzzled into Krystal's long honey coloured hair, much like her own. And last was one- year-old Samwise who had curled up into a little ball in his cot . . . sucking hid tiny thumb. Nina looked down to her swollen stomach with a smile where child number six was growing.
She was happy. Completely . . . Faramir would often join in and play . . . he being three-years-old himself, and Holly and Nina would giggle in happiness as their husbands played with the children contentedly.
Nina smiled, watching Lömadia wrestle Frodo to the ground, young Frodo and Daisy close following. It was, however, very much confusing, having two Frodo's in the household. But Nina was very keen to call her first son Frodo, if only there was some way to stop the confusment. When she wanted her husband, she would call him by name . . . she had got into the habit of shouting out 'Little Frodo' whenever she wanted her son!
Frodo soon bounded into the house, the twins in his arms and Lomadia closely followed giggling.
"Lömadia!" Nina called, putting Krystal on the floor and staring at the dress and her face which was now filthy.
"I'm sorry Mama" Lomadia scuffled her tiny toes along the floor. "I was playing with Papa and I fell and . . ."
"You take after your beautiful mother all the way," Frodo smiled, kissing Nina on the cheek.
"Your charms shall not get you out of this!" Nina warned, pecking his lips. She picked up Lomadia and sat her on the kitchen surface and dampened a sponge and began wiping off the stray mud patches on her face and hands. Krystal, meanwhile had toddled over to Frodo, pulling on his shirt and looking up at him with wide blue eyes. Frodo seemed hesitant to do anything, seen as though he was already carrying the twins. He gently set them on the floor and held up Krystal.
"My beautiful flower" he smiled, kissing her cheek lightly as she snuggled against his chest. "And she's growing ever so big!"
"You said that about all of our children Frodo!" Nina giggled, tilting Lömadia's chin back so she could reach the mud on her tiny neck.
"I know, I know. But it still amazes me how big they grow in such a short time!"
Nina was glad that all of their children had inherited Frodo's beautiful blue eyes and his Elfish appearance. They had also inherited Nina's golden curls, except for young Frodo and Daisy, who had inherited Frodo's dark curls.
After cleaning off the rest of her eldest daughter, Nina set her back on the floor and Lomadia ran over to Frodo.
"Papa?! Can we play again?!" she asked with excitement in her voice. The twins rushed over, just as keen.
"No, Petal," Frodo smiled, kneeling down in front of her. "Mama has just got you all cleaned up . . . you don't want to get dirty again do you?"
"No . . . I want to play with you" Lomadia pouted and Frodo gathered her up so he carried both her and Krystal.
"Come on monster!" he laughed, noticing Lömadia's dress. "Let's get you changed"
"But I want to play!" she moaned.
"Lomadia, darling, you don't want to tire your Papa out do you?!" Nina chuckled, picking up a sleeping Samwise and following Frodo to the nursery. All the children slept in the nursery, and Nina placed Samwise carefully down in his cot and kissing his young baby face.
Krystal was placed on the floor and she ran over to her bed and grasped hold of her stuffed bear, hugging him close to herself as she sucked her thumb.
"I think someone else needs a nap" Nina commented, looking at how tired her darling Krystal looked. Krystal yawned as Nina gathered her up and changed her for bed. One her youngest son and daughter were sleeping, she and Frodo took Lömadia and slipped out of the room.
"Hullo?" the sound of Merry's voice, made Lömadia squirm in Frodo's arms, he put her down as she raced to the front door. "Uncle Pippin, Uncle Merry!" she called as they both hugged her.
"Hello, pest!" Merry chuckled
"Where's Faramir, Uncle Pippin?!" Lömadia jumped up and down excitedly as little Frodo and Daisy rushed into the room, eager.
Pippin let out a chuckle and a sigh. "He's taking a nap with his mama" Pippin answered, making his way into the kitchen and greeting Frodo and Nina.
"A fine afternoon!" Merry announced, gazing out of the window.
"Shh . . ." Frodo quietened him. "Krystal and Samwise are sleeping"
Merry and Pippin never ceased to be amazed at how good a father Frodo was. Maybe too good . . . he never stopped playing with them, or spending time with them. The two hobbits once remembered a time when Frodo was innocent in the ways of love and romance. Now he was a happily married hobbit with five children and another on the way . . . it was a happy relief to know.
"Would you like some tea?" Nina asked, boiling up the pot. "Or you can stay for supper"
"Stay for supper! Stay for supper!" Daisy said aloud. Merry picked her up.
"Hmm . . . Miss Daisy Baggins, I do believe you are becoming a pest like Lömadia!"
"I'm a pest, and then you're cracked!" Lömadia came out and Nina scolded her for talking in such a way. Frodo rolled his eyes and picked his daughter up.
"There, there, sweetheart" he smiled, kissing her cheek. "That they are cracked . . . you can be sure of that!"
"Frodo!" Nina couldn't help but smirk. "How are we ever going to teach our children discipline if you insist on hugging and kissing them after they have done wrong?!"
"Pest" he whispered to Lömadia, making her giggle.
"It'll be a miracle if we ever get Lömadia, Frodo and Daisy asleep tonight after all those games you've been playing!"
"Oh, in the doghouse cousin" Merry smirked to him. Frodo put Lömadia down.
"How are you ever going to cope with another child?!" Pippin squeaked, looking at Nina's swollen stomach. Frodo walked over, placed a hand over it and kissed his wife sweetly.
"We'll cope just fine!" he smiled.
"Don't you think of having any more children Pip?" Nina asked, snuggling into Frodo's embrace.
"Well . . ." Pippin stuffed a handful of bread into his mouth. "Wef mightf dof!"
Merry laughed and slapped Pippin on the back.
"How about you cousin?" Frodo looked to Merry who glanced up. "Surely Portia and you would make a lovely couple!"
Merry pinkened. "True we get along just fine as friends . . . she's not quite the scoundrel Pip and I made her out to be all those years ago when she threatened to tell on you and Frodo . . ."
Frodo and Nina exchanged glances with pleased smiles. "Oh bother you two!" Merry called in frustration.
Nina shook her head lightly, making drinks for her friends. She often wondered why Pippin and Merry never returned to the Shire . . . or why even her brothers and sisters didn't. She thought about her Papa and Mama a lot, and what they would be going through, losing all their children. Lömadia would often ask her about the Shire, and Nina felt a wave of guilt depriving her children of other hobbit children to play with. Sure, they had Faramir . . . but they needed more playmates. Playmates of their own race. They needed to know the ways and cultures of hobbits; all her children had in their minds was to live like graceful Elves. Yes, she decided, she was depriving them of a true hobbit lifestyle; and it would not be long before Elrond and the other Elves finally left for the Undying Lands . . .
"Tell me about Gondor Uncle Merry" Lömadia crawled onto his lap and Merry chuckled.
"Maybe some other time, sweetheart . . . Uncle Merry is busy. Perhaps you should ask Papa"
"But Papa wasn't a solider like you and Uncle Pippin"
"Come, Lömadia, sweetheart, leave him alone" Frodo said. "He can tell you another time. I'm sure Uncle Merry came on other reasons"
"That we have!" Merry beamed. "We've been thinking Frodo, Pip, Holly and I . . . as happy as we are in Rivendell it could not compare to the lifestyle we had back home. We miss our families and old friends. Hell, we even miss the Green Dragon Inn and the market place! We are truly happy in Rivendell, but we've decided to return to the Shire. Lord Elrond announced he would be leaving Middle-earth soon, and we feel that it is about time we left"
Frodo nodded his head slightly. "Yes, I suppose so," the hobbit agreed.
"The Shire?! We're going to the Shire?!" Lömadia beamed.
"Well . . ." Pippin paused, looking up to Frodo. "Frodo, we intend to pack up and leave in two days. Portia, Nissa, Friagrin and Sogrin have agreed to join us. We've spoken to Lord Elrond and he's providing a pony and a large carriage that would fit us all in. There is more than enough room for you, Nina and the children . . . if you want to join us"
Nina sat beside Frodo who sighed. "But what about Nina? Surely she can't travel while she's pregnant?"
"Sure she can" Pippin smiled. "She'll be in the back of the carriage for the trip - its fine"
"Besides, I think we've deprived our children too long from being away from younger hobbits their own age" Nina smiled, telling Frodo in more than one way that she was ready to go back.
"Ok, then!" Frodo smiled happily. "Back to Shire it is!"
Lömadia cheered and hugged her parents happily.
***Five Years Later***
And so, five years past . . . Nina and Frodo had remained in Rivendell, along with Merry, Pippin, Holly, Portia, Nissa, Friagrin and Sogrin. Sam and Rose had returned to the Shire some months after the wedding, visiting Rivendell once and a while to see old friends.
And a great deal of events had taken place in Rivendell . . . Legolas had wed Ril-Gania some months after Nina and Frodo's wedding, and more importantly considered to Nina, Holly and Pippin had married! Merry had begun to laugh about it and make jokes . . . until he realised the serious nature of the situation. Two years after, Holly had given birth to their first son, Faramir.
And the children did not stop there . . . Nina had promised Frodo a large family . . . and a large family she was going to give him! She watched out of the window of their home in Rivendell. Lömadia, now a five year old hobbit chased her Papa around some trees. Nina chuckled as Frodo slowed his pace to he might give Lömadia a chance to catch up. Her tiny feet sped as she giggled and called out to him. Behind Lömadia, Nina smiled as she saw her three-year-old twins she had given birth to a couple of years after the wedding. Frodo and Daisy were very much identical twins and Nina was thankful they were of opposite genders . . . otherwise she herself would have not been able to tell the difference!
She turned her attentions away from the window and stared down at her two- year-old daughter, Krystal. She tugged on Nina's skirt and Nina smiled and picked her up.
"You're too young to play those chasing games sweet-pea! If Papa has any strength left when you're older . . . you can play" she nuzzled into Krystal's long honey coloured hair, much like her own. And last was one- year-old Samwise who had curled up into a little ball in his cot . . . sucking hid tiny thumb. Nina looked down to her swollen stomach with a smile where child number six was growing.
She was happy. Completely . . . Faramir would often join in and play . . . he being three-years-old himself, and Holly and Nina would giggle in happiness as their husbands played with the children contentedly.
Nina smiled, watching Lömadia wrestle Frodo to the ground, young Frodo and Daisy close following. It was, however, very much confusing, having two Frodo's in the household. But Nina was very keen to call her first son Frodo, if only there was some way to stop the confusment. When she wanted her husband, she would call him by name . . . she had got into the habit of shouting out 'Little Frodo' whenever she wanted her son!
Frodo soon bounded into the house, the twins in his arms and Lomadia closely followed giggling.
"Lömadia!" Nina called, putting Krystal on the floor and staring at the dress and her face which was now filthy.
"I'm sorry Mama" Lomadia scuffled her tiny toes along the floor. "I was playing with Papa and I fell and . . ."
"You take after your beautiful mother all the way," Frodo smiled, kissing Nina on the cheek.
"Your charms shall not get you out of this!" Nina warned, pecking his lips. She picked up Lomadia and sat her on the kitchen surface and dampened a sponge and began wiping off the stray mud patches on her face and hands. Krystal, meanwhile had toddled over to Frodo, pulling on his shirt and looking up at him with wide blue eyes. Frodo seemed hesitant to do anything, seen as though he was already carrying the twins. He gently set them on the floor and held up Krystal.
"My beautiful flower" he smiled, kissing her cheek lightly as she snuggled against his chest. "And she's growing ever so big!"
"You said that about all of our children Frodo!" Nina giggled, tilting Lömadia's chin back so she could reach the mud on her tiny neck.
"I know, I know. But it still amazes me how big they grow in such a short time!"
Nina was glad that all of their children had inherited Frodo's beautiful blue eyes and his Elfish appearance. They had also inherited Nina's golden curls, except for young Frodo and Daisy, who had inherited Frodo's dark curls.
After cleaning off the rest of her eldest daughter, Nina set her back on the floor and Lomadia ran over to Frodo.
"Papa?! Can we play again?!" she asked with excitement in her voice. The twins rushed over, just as keen.
"No, Petal," Frodo smiled, kneeling down in front of her. "Mama has just got you all cleaned up . . . you don't want to get dirty again do you?"
"No . . . I want to play with you" Lomadia pouted and Frodo gathered her up so he carried both her and Krystal.
"Come on monster!" he laughed, noticing Lömadia's dress. "Let's get you changed"
"But I want to play!" she moaned.
"Lomadia, darling, you don't want to tire your Papa out do you?!" Nina chuckled, picking up a sleeping Samwise and following Frodo to the nursery. All the children slept in the nursery, and Nina placed Samwise carefully down in his cot and kissing his young baby face.
Krystal was placed on the floor and she ran over to her bed and grasped hold of her stuffed bear, hugging him close to herself as she sucked her thumb.
"I think someone else needs a nap" Nina commented, looking at how tired her darling Krystal looked. Krystal yawned as Nina gathered her up and changed her for bed. One her youngest son and daughter were sleeping, she and Frodo took Lömadia and slipped out of the room.
"Hullo?" the sound of Merry's voice, made Lömadia squirm in Frodo's arms, he put her down as she raced to the front door. "Uncle Pippin, Uncle Merry!" she called as they both hugged her.
"Hello, pest!" Merry chuckled
"Where's Faramir, Uncle Pippin?!" Lömadia jumped up and down excitedly as little Frodo and Daisy rushed into the room, eager.
Pippin let out a chuckle and a sigh. "He's taking a nap with his mama" Pippin answered, making his way into the kitchen and greeting Frodo and Nina.
"A fine afternoon!" Merry announced, gazing out of the window.
"Shh . . ." Frodo quietened him. "Krystal and Samwise are sleeping"
Merry and Pippin never ceased to be amazed at how good a father Frodo was. Maybe too good . . . he never stopped playing with them, or spending time with them. The two hobbits once remembered a time when Frodo was innocent in the ways of love and romance. Now he was a happily married hobbit with five children and another on the way . . . it was a happy relief to know.
"Would you like some tea?" Nina asked, boiling up the pot. "Or you can stay for supper"
"Stay for supper! Stay for supper!" Daisy said aloud. Merry picked her up.
"Hmm . . . Miss Daisy Baggins, I do believe you are becoming a pest like Lömadia!"
"I'm a pest, and then you're cracked!" Lömadia came out and Nina scolded her for talking in such a way. Frodo rolled his eyes and picked his daughter up.
"There, there, sweetheart" he smiled, kissing her cheek. "That they are cracked . . . you can be sure of that!"
"Frodo!" Nina couldn't help but smirk. "How are we ever going to teach our children discipline if you insist on hugging and kissing them after they have done wrong?!"
"Pest" he whispered to Lömadia, making her giggle.
"It'll be a miracle if we ever get Lömadia, Frodo and Daisy asleep tonight after all those games you've been playing!"
"Oh, in the doghouse cousin" Merry smirked to him. Frodo put Lömadia down.
"How are you ever going to cope with another child?!" Pippin squeaked, looking at Nina's swollen stomach. Frodo walked over, placed a hand over it and kissed his wife sweetly.
"We'll cope just fine!" he smiled.
"Don't you think of having any more children Pip?" Nina asked, snuggling into Frodo's embrace.
"Well . . ." Pippin stuffed a handful of bread into his mouth. "Wef mightf dof!"
Merry laughed and slapped Pippin on the back.
"How about you cousin?" Frodo looked to Merry who glanced up. "Surely Portia and you would make a lovely couple!"
Merry pinkened. "True we get along just fine as friends . . . she's not quite the scoundrel Pip and I made her out to be all those years ago when she threatened to tell on you and Frodo . . ."
Frodo and Nina exchanged glances with pleased smiles. "Oh bother you two!" Merry called in frustration.
Nina shook her head lightly, making drinks for her friends. She often wondered why Pippin and Merry never returned to the Shire . . . or why even her brothers and sisters didn't. She thought about her Papa and Mama a lot, and what they would be going through, losing all their children. Lömadia would often ask her about the Shire, and Nina felt a wave of guilt depriving her children of other hobbit children to play with. Sure, they had Faramir . . . but they needed more playmates. Playmates of their own race. They needed to know the ways and cultures of hobbits; all her children had in their minds was to live like graceful Elves. Yes, she decided, she was depriving them of a true hobbit lifestyle; and it would not be long before Elrond and the other Elves finally left for the Undying Lands . . .
"Tell me about Gondor Uncle Merry" Lömadia crawled onto his lap and Merry chuckled.
"Maybe some other time, sweetheart . . . Uncle Merry is busy. Perhaps you should ask Papa"
"But Papa wasn't a solider like you and Uncle Pippin"
"Come, Lömadia, sweetheart, leave him alone" Frodo said. "He can tell you another time. I'm sure Uncle Merry came on other reasons"
"That we have!" Merry beamed. "We've been thinking Frodo, Pip, Holly and I . . . as happy as we are in Rivendell it could not compare to the lifestyle we had back home. We miss our families and old friends. Hell, we even miss the Green Dragon Inn and the market place! We are truly happy in Rivendell, but we've decided to return to the Shire. Lord Elrond announced he would be leaving Middle-earth soon, and we feel that it is about time we left"
Frodo nodded his head slightly. "Yes, I suppose so," the hobbit agreed.
"The Shire?! We're going to the Shire?!" Lömadia beamed.
"Well . . ." Pippin paused, looking up to Frodo. "Frodo, we intend to pack up and leave in two days. Portia, Nissa, Friagrin and Sogrin have agreed to join us. We've spoken to Lord Elrond and he's providing a pony and a large carriage that would fit us all in. There is more than enough room for you, Nina and the children . . . if you want to join us"
Nina sat beside Frodo who sighed. "But what about Nina? Surely she can't travel while she's pregnant?"
"Sure she can" Pippin smiled. "She'll be in the back of the carriage for the trip - its fine"
"Besides, I think we've deprived our children too long from being away from younger hobbits their own age" Nina smiled, telling Frodo in more than one way that she was ready to go back.
"Ok, then!" Frodo smiled happily. "Back to Shire it is!"
Lömadia cheered and hugged her parents happily.