Chapter Thirty Nine
"Holly? Meriadoc?" Esmeralda Brandybuck and Eglantine Took rushed into Brandyhall, nearly knocking poor Nissa over on their way. Paladin and Saradoc followed behind their wives, not as eager to fuss over the return of their children.
"Mama?" Holly raised her eyebrow slightly, wondering how her parents had found out of their return so soon. Esmeralda hugged her daughter tightly.
"Oh when the Bolgers announced you had returned, I told the Took's and we came straight away!"
"We were just on our way to see you Mama" Holly said, partly lying. All they had planned for the reminder of that day was to sit around the fire, smoking Old Toby's.
"And you Peregrin! Were have you been these last five years! Poor old Diamond has been waiting around for your return! We sent search parties looking for you all! When the Mayor announced that Master Baggins and Miss Roper had run off to get married, we figured you had gone too" Eglantine called.
"Well . . . yes, Mama, we did" Pippin gulped after his mother mentioned Diamond.
"Silly, foolish . . . why did you not come home sooner?!" Esmeralda sighed. "No matter, you are here now. Come on along Meriadoc, Holly . . . the Bolgers and the Chubb's would be very interested to know of your arrival"
"But the Bolgers already know"
"Estella does not"
Merry winced. They had only just arrived home and already his mother was trying to get him to marry Estella. In truth, he could not deny he had feelings for her; she was a very pretty, well brought up girl . . . but things were not so simple for his younger sister who dug her heels onto the floor and tried to release herself from her mother's grasp.
"Mama, really!" Holly called, snatching back her arm. "We have only just returned! I do not want to marry a Chubb lad!"
"Nor do I want to marry Diamond" Pippin stood up tall, facing Paladin and Eglantine. Eglantine nearly exploded.
"Oh yes you are Peregrin Took! As the only son of the Thain, it is your duty to -"
"Mama, it is not my duty to do anything! I shall marry whom I wish!"
"Peregrin!"
"Mama? Can we go see Lömadia?" Faramir chose to come out of his room at that moment and both Holly and Pippin winced. Merry stepped forward.
"Can we please discuss this in a mature way?" the elder Brandybuck pleaded. "You may all want to take a seat"
They all did, frowns upon their faces. Eglantine most of all, much to Pippin's horror. Holly remained standing, scooping up Faramir in her arms. "You all have a grandson" she declared. "Pippin and I . . . well, we married four years ago in Rivendell where we were staying; there really is nothing more to be said about the matter except that, unless you want to know the happy details. Mama, if you are going to bellow and scream at me than go ahead . . . just do not bother coming here again"
Saradoc stood up and hugged his daughter. "There now lass, no one is going to bellow and scream at you . . . maybe ask for an explanation though"
"I'm sorry Papa . . . we should have returned sooner. We were all so happy in Rivendell . . . away from the gossip and the trouble that Frodo and Nina would receive - they have five children now, another on the way . . . you know what Meruda Roper is like. He's the male equivalent of Mama!" Holly clamped a hand over her mouth as she said that, causing everyone to hold in laughter as Esmeralda Brandybuck placed her hands on her hips in frustration.
"And he's a cute one," Paladin smiled, taking Faramir from Holly's arms. "Got a bit of both of you in him!"
Pippin, Merry and Holly relaxed . . . perhaps this was going to be fine after all.
~********~
However, not everyone was as relaxed as the Tooks and Brandybuck's. Sam opened the door to Meruda and Lilla Roper.
"Ah, Mr and Mrs Roper, how do you do?"
Lilla smiled as they both walked in, Lilla's heart stopping as she got a closer glimpse of her long lost daughter.
"We shall leave you be, but we want no trouble" Sam warned, looking at Meruda. "I have a daughter of me own and I don't want her hearing your harsh words!"
"Yes, I'm sorry Mr Gamgee for all that's happened within the last years, truly" Lilla said.
"Aye, I know, but it ain't me you should be speaking to" Sam quietly closed the door behind him, leaving silence in the room. Nina could not even look up to her parents.
Daisy, Frodo and Krystal looked up at the strangers curiously, but as soon as they saw Meruda's not-so-friendly face, they turned and ran up to Frodo who still sat beside Lömadia on the chair.
Lilla could stand it no more . . . having laid eyes on Lömadia; she saw it as a perfect opportunity to at least say something.
"Oh my, Lömadia has grown" she commented, smiling slightly, walking towards where Lömadia was lying.
Lömadia frowned as Lilla stepped closer and kneeled down beside her. "My, you are a beautiful girl" she commented.
"Thank you" the young hobbit lass stammered, looking to Frodo.
"Injured?" Meruda raised his eyebrows, as if trying to make some bad point as he looked at the red, swollen ankle.
"Purely accidental" Nina spoke up, determined not to let her father spoil anything. So the last five years had not changed his idle ways . . .
"How did it happen?" Meruda looked harshly to Frodo.
"W-well . . ." Lömadia stammered. "It was my fault . . . I took Frodo and Daisy to the forest, I know I was not supposed too but I wanted an adventure and a pig with big horns on its face came and tried to eat me and I hurt myself"
"Oh, very responsible, I am sure" Meruda sighed in mock sarcasm. "How can you possibly have another child when you cannot even care for your eldest properly?!"
"That is enough!" Frodo bellowed standing up, automatically pulling Nina close to him. The other children stayed close to their parents. "You've said what you came to say and if you do not want to make peace with Nina then I suggest you leave!"
Meruda stepped back. "So be it," the Roper said, arrogance getting the better of him. He had wanted to make peace with his family . . . but it seemed that arrogance was stronger than he was. Lilla stood up again.
"Well I am not leaving" she said. "I made a very big mistake all those years ago and I lost all my children as a result of it. I believe that I should put right the wrongs I have made and I am not leaving without being introduced to my granddaughters"
Meruda left without another word and Lilla shook her head. "I am sorry" she murmured. "I really did believe that your father had come to his senses. But as of now, I have come to mine. I am so sorry for the way I had acted . . . thinking only of reputations and family history's . . . I had forgotten what really matters in the way of marriage. Can you both forgive me?"
Tears sprung up in Nina's eyes and she ran to her mother, hugging her tightly. "Oh Mama" she sniffed. "I have missed you"
"And I have missed you too, darling" Lilla was almost crying herself. Frodo smiled, glad that finally his wife's worries were driven away forever, well, part of them. No matter, he would make Meruda see sense to make his Nina happy.
"Here, here" Nina composed herself, wiping her tears. "You have not met your grandchildren Mama" Nina made her mother sit down on the other end of the couch where Lömadia lay. "You know Lömadia, of course. She's just like my gentlehobbit . . . they all are really!" Lilla laughed breathlessly, seeing five pairs of blue eyes. "Here is Daisy and Frodo" Nina brought the twins over so they stood in front of their grandma.
"Twins" Lilla smiled. "They have your smile . . . and your dimples! I see they have inherited their father's eyes and hair"
"And the nose" Nina commented happily. This was the moment she had been waiting for . . . for her mother to sit whilst she introduced the children - her mother commenting on their features what they had inherited from the parents. If only her Papa could be there.
"This is Krystal," Frodo smiled, bringing the young lass up on his knee and rocking her gently. "A quiet one she is, but I'm sure we'll get her rambling away in no time!"
Lilla tickled under the child's chin gently, making Krystal smile shyly and lean back against her father. Nina, meanwhile stood up and cradled Samwise in her arms, then handed him over to her mother.
"Samwise" she introduced, Lilla was overwhelmed to he carrying a baby after such a long time. Samwise looked up curiously, his blue eyes twinkling as he did so.
"My goodness Nina you have the most beautiful children" Lilla smiled. "How long until your next is born?"
"A few weeks at the least" Frodo smiled.
"I hope it is another girl" Lömadia said from the couch.
"Another one?!" Nina gasped. "Darling, I think it is time for another boy! Poor Frodo and Samwise are the only ones!"
"Yeah . . . sister's are pests" little Frodo exclaimed, resulting in a scowl from Daisy.
Lilla laughed, then sobered up and looked at Frodo and Nina seriously. "Do you both have a place to stay?"
"Yes, Mama, Frodo arranged a nice little hole just around the corner. I haven't seen it yet, but we were on our way before you arrived"
"Shall we?" Lilla offered.
Nina smiled and nodded, hugging her mother again. Frodo smiled and picked up Lömadia.
"It's okay Papa, I can walk!" Lömadia grumbled with a smile as she put her arms around her father's neck.
"I am not taking any risks Little One" he chuckled at her enthusiasm; she was so like his Nina! He carried her out to the cart, waving at Sam and Rose who were stood at the window. Lilla helped Nina into the cart and the children followed. Lömadia had finally persuaded Frodo to let her sit on the front of the cart with him. Nina laughed as Frodo handed Lömadia the reins and she drove the cart, looking happy with herself.
~********~
The home itself was beautiful and cosy. The children wandered around curiously. Lömadia proved herself right as she hobbled into the hole, limping. The excitement made her not seem to notice.
"Do you like it?" Frodo whispered against Nina's ear.
"I love it!" she sighed, kissing him soundly. "What do you think Mama?"
"It's very -"
"Grandma! Can you play hide and seek?" Lömadia hobbled back into the kitchen, tugging on Lilla's skirt.
"I have little experience with it Little One" Lilla smiled.
"Papa can play it, though he can't hide very well. I always find him!"
Daisy, Frodo and Krystal ran in, hearing the word 'Hide and Seek' and looked eagerly at Frodo. Of course Frodo always let the children win; any loving father always did that. Though by Frodo's expression, Lilla could tell that Lömadia took great joy in boasting that she had found her Papa on numerous of occasions!
"No! No!" he groaned. "Let me rest!"
"Poor dear" Nina cooed. "I told you that spoiling them like that was going to get you into trouble" she smiled.
"Come on Papa!" Daisy skipped over to him. "Please?"
"No, I do think that we should wait until Lömadia's foot has healed"
"But I'm fine Papa!" Lömadia squeaked impatiently. "Please can we play?"
Big blue eyes stared up at him and Frodo gave in once again.
"Just for a while, you all look tired and I do not want Lömadia aggravating her foot any more"
The children ignored him and screamed in delight as they hurtled out of the front door and onto the green grass. "Come on Papa!" they called and Frodo rolled his eyes and ran out.
"He's like a little lad himself" Lilla commented with a chuckle.
"He's everything I wanted" Nina sighed. "He has made me so happy than I could ever have imagined"
"I see that now" Lilla scolded herself.
"Please, Mama, let us put the past behind us?" Nina narrowed her eyes. "They were bad memories for all of us, but I'm happy now and that's all I want. I have my Frodo and even if Papa never wants to speak to me again that's fine because I'm happy"
Lilla smiled. "You are really in love aren't you darling? Oh, no matter what you say, I shall always regret what I did. You have found the perfect gentlehobbit in the Shire. If only your father could see that"
They said nothing, but watched as the children tackled Frodo to the ground and leaped on him mercilessly. Frodo cried out, begging them to let him go but they laughed and giggled none the less. Lilla gushed as Lömadia threw her arms around Frodo's neck, giving him a kiss and a big hug. Daisy, Frodo and Krystal all sat on top of their father then hugged him too.
How could Lilla Roper have ever doubted Frodo Baggins? He was a good husband to Nina and a good father to all of his children who loved him so much. It was clear by the way they had acted. Lilla looked to her daughter, who watched them with a smile whilst her hand rested on her swollen stomach. Meruda Roper had to see sense, one way or another.
"Holly? Meriadoc?" Esmeralda Brandybuck and Eglantine Took rushed into Brandyhall, nearly knocking poor Nissa over on their way. Paladin and Saradoc followed behind their wives, not as eager to fuss over the return of their children.
"Mama?" Holly raised her eyebrow slightly, wondering how her parents had found out of their return so soon. Esmeralda hugged her daughter tightly.
"Oh when the Bolgers announced you had returned, I told the Took's and we came straight away!"
"We were just on our way to see you Mama" Holly said, partly lying. All they had planned for the reminder of that day was to sit around the fire, smoking Old Toby's.
"And you Peregrin! Were have you been these last five years! Poor old Diamond has been waiting around for your return! We sent search parties looking for you all! When the Mayor announced that Master Baggins and Miss Roper had run off to get married, we figured you had gone too" Eglantine called.
"Well . . . yes, Mama, we did" Pippin gulped after his mother mentioned Diamond.
"Silly, foolish . . . why did you not come home sooner?!" Esmeralda sighed. "No matter, you are here now. Come on along Meriadoc, Holly . . . the Bolgers and the Chubb's would be very interested to know of your arrival"
"But the Bolgers already know"
"Estella does not"
Merry winced. They had only just arrived home and already his mother was trying to get him to marry Estella. In truth, he could not deny he had feelings for her; she was a very pretty, well brought up girl . . . but things were not so simple for his younger sister who dug her heels onto the floor and tried to release herself from her mother's grasp.
"Mama, really!" Holly called, snatching back her arm. "We have only just returned! I do not want to marry a Chubb lad!"
"Nor do I want to marry Diamond" Pippin stood up tall, facing Paladin and Eglantine. Eglantine nearly exploded.
"Oh yes you are Peregrin Took! As the only son of the Thain, it is your duty to -"
"Mama, it is not my duty to do anything! I shall marry whom I wish!"
"Peregrin!"
"Mama? Can we go see Lömadia?" Faramir chose to come out of his room at that moment and both Holly and Pippin winced. Merry stepped forward.
"Can we please discuss this in a mature way?" the elder Brandybuck pleaded. "You may all want to take a seat"
They all did, frowns upon their faces. Eglantine most of all, much to Pippin's horror. Holly remained standing, scooping up Faramir in her arms. "You all have a grandson" she declared. "Pippin and I . . . well, we married four years ago in Rivendell where we were staying; there really is nothing more to be said about the matter except that, unless you want to know the happy details. Mama, if you are going to bellow and scream at me than go ahead . . . just do not bother coming here again"
Saradoc stood up and hugged his daughter. "There now lass, no one is going to bellow and scream at you . . . maybe ask for an explanation though"
"I'm sorry Papa . . . we should have returned sooner. We were all so happy in Rivendell . . . away from the gossip and the trouble that Frodo and Nina would receive - they have five children now, another on the way . . . you know what Meruda Roper is like. He's the male equivalent of Mama!" Holly clamped a hand over her mouth as she said that, causing everyone to hold in laughter as Esmeralda Brandybuck placed her hands on her hips in frustration.
"And he's a cute one," Paladin smiled, taking Faramir from Holly's arms. "Got a bit of both of you in him!"
Pippin, Merry and Holly relaxed . . . perhaps this was going to be fine after all.
~********~
However, not everyone was as relaxed as the Tooks and Brandybuck's. Sam opened the door to Meruda and Lilla Roper.
"Ah, Mr and Mrs Roper, how do you do?"
Lilla smiled as they both walked in, Lilla's heart stopping as she got a closer glimpse of her long lost daughter.
"We shall leave you be, but we want no trouble" Sam warned, looking at Meruda. "I have a daughter of me own and I don't want her hearing your harsh words!"
"Yes, I'm sorry Mr Gamgee for all that's happened within the last years, truly" Lilla said.
"Aye, I know, but it ain't me you should be speaking to" Sam quietly closed the door behind him, leaving silence in the room. Nina could not even look up to her parents.
Daisy, Frodo and Krystal looked up at the strangers curiously, but as soon as they saw Meruda's not-so-friendly face, they turned and ran up to Frodo who still sat beside Lömadia on the chair.
Lilla could stand it no more . . . having laid eyes on Lömadia; she saw it as a perfect opportunity to at least say something.
"Oh my, Lömadia has grown" she commented, smiling slightly, walking towards where Lömadia was lying.
Lömadia frowned as Lilla stepped closer and kneeled down beside her. "My, you are a beautiful girl" she commented.
"Thank you" the young hobbit lass stammered, looking to Frodo.
"Injured?" Meruda raised his eyebrows, as if trying to make some bad point as he looked at the red, swollen ankle.
"Purely accidental" Nina spoke up, determined not to let her father spoil anything. So the last five years had not changed his idle ways . . .
"How did it happen?" Meruda looked harshly to Frodo.
"W-well . . ." Lömadia stammered. "It was my fault . . . I took Frodo and Daisy to the forest, I know I was not supposed too but I wanted an adventure and a pig with big horns on its face came and tried to eat me and I hurt myself"
"Oh, very responsible, I am sure" Meruda sighed in mock sarcasm. "How can you possibly have another child when you cannot even care for your eldest properly?!"
"That is enough!" Frodo bellowed standing up, automatically pulling Nina close to him. The other children stayed close to their parents. "You've said what you came to say and if you do not want to make peace with Nina then I suggest you leave!"
Meruda stepped back. "So be it," the Roper said, arrogance getting the better of him. He had wanted to make peace with his family . . . but it seemed that arrogance was stronger than he was. Lilla stood up again.
"Well I am not leaving" she said. "I made a very big mistake all those years ago and I lost all my children as a result of it. I believe that I should put right the wrongs I have made and I am not leaving without being introduced to my granddaughters"
Meruda left without another word and Lilla shook her head. "I am sorry" she murmured. "I really did believe that your father had come to his senses. But as of now, I have come to mine. I am so sorry for the way I had acted . . . thinking only of reputations and family history's . . . I had forgotten what really matters in the way of marriage. Can you both forgive me?"
Tears sprung up in Nina's eyes and she ran to her mother, hugging her tightly. "Oh Mama" she sniffed. "I have missed you"
"And I have missed you too, darling" Lilla was almost crying herself. Frodo smiled, glad that finally his wife's worries were driven away forever, well, part of them. No matter, he would make Meruda see sense to make his Nina happy.
"Here, here" Nina composed herself, wiping her tears. "You have not met your grandchildren Mama" Nina made her mother sit down on the other end of the couch where Lömadia lay. "You know Lömadia, of course. She's just like my gentlehobbit . . . they all are really!" Lilla laughed breathlessly, seeing five pairs of blue eyes. "Here is Daisy and Frodo" Nina brought the twins over so they stood in front of their grandma.
"Twins" Lilla smiled. "They have your smile . . . and your dimples! I see they have inherited their father's eyes and hair"
"And the nose" Nina commented happily. This was the moment she had been waiting for . . . for her mother to sit whilst she introduced the children - her mother commenting on their features what they had inherited from the parents. If only her Papa could be there.
"This is Krystal," Frodo smiled, bringing the young lass up on his knee and rocking her gently. "A quiet one she is, but I'm sure we'll get her rambling away in no time!"
Lilla tickled under the child's chin gently, making Krystal smile shyly and lean back against her father. Nina, meanwhile stood up and cradled Samwise in her arms, then handed him over to her mother.
"Samwise" she introduced, Lilla was overwhelmed to he carrying a baby after such a long time. Samwise looked up curiously, his blue eyes twinkling as he did so.
"My goodness Nina you have the most beautiful children" Lilla smiled. "How long until your next is born?"
"A few weeks at the least" Frodo smiled.
"I hope it is another girl" Lömadia said from the couch.
"Another one?!" Nina gasped. "Darling, I think it is time for another boy! Poor Frodo and Samwise are the only ones!"
"Yeah . . . sister's are pests" little Frodo exclaimed, resulting in a scowl from Daisy.
Lilla laughed, then sobered up and looked at Frodo and Nina seriously. "Do you both have a place to stay?"
"Yes, Mama, Frodo arranged a nice little hole just around the corner. I haven't seen it yet, but we were on our way before you arrived"
"Shall we?" Lilla offered.
Nina smiled and nodded, hugging her mother again. Frodo smiled and picked up Lömadia.
"It's okay Papa, I can walk!" Lömadia grumbled with a smile as she put her arms around her father's neck.
"I am not taking any risks Little One" he chuckled at her enthusiasm; she was so like his Nina! He carried her out to the cart, waving at Sam and Rose who were stood at the window. Lilla helped Nina into the cart and the children followed. Lömadia had finally persuaded Frodo to let her sit on the front of the cart with him. Nina laughed as Frodo handed Lömadia the reins and she drove the cart, looking happy with herself.
~********~
The home itself was beautiful and cosy. The children wandered around curiously. Lömadia proved herself right as she hobbled into the hole, limping. The excitement made her not seem to notice.
"Do you like it?" Frodo whispered against Nina's ear.
"I love it!" she sighed, kissing him soundly. "What do you think Mama?"
"It's very -"
"Grandma! Can you play hide and seek?" Lömadia hobbled back into the kitchen, tugging on Lilla's skirt.
"I have little experience with it Little One" Lilla smiled.
"Papa can play it, though he can't hide very well. I always find him!"
Daisy, Frodo and Krystal ran in, hearing the word 'Hide and Seek' and looked eagerly at Frodo. Of course Frodo always let the children win; any loving father always did that. Though by Frodo's expression, Lilla could tell that Lömadia took great joy in boasting that she had found her Papa on numerous of occasions!
"No! No!" he groaned. "Let me rest!"
"Poor dear" Nina cooed. "I told you that spoiling them like that was going to get you into trouble" she smiled.
"Come on Papa!" Daisy skipped over to him. "Please?"
"No, I do think that we should wait until Lömadia's foot has healed"
"But I'm fine Papa!" Lömadia squeaked impatiently. "Please can we play?"
Big blue eyes stared up at him and Frodo gave in once again.
"Just for a while, you all look tired and I do not want Lömadia aggravating her foot any more"
The children ignored him and screamed in delight as they hurtled out of the front door and onto the green grass. "Come on Papa!" they called and Frodo rolled his eyes and ran out.
"He's like a little lad himself" Lilla commented with a chuckle.
"He's everything I wanted" Nina sighed. "He has made me so happy than I could ever have imagined"
"I see that now" Lilla scolded herself.
"Please, Mama, let us put the past behind us?" Nina narrowed her eyes. "They were bad memories for all of us, but I'm happy now and that's all I want. I have my Frodo and even if Papa never wants to speak to me again that's fine because I'm happy"
Lilla smiled. "You are really in love aren't you darling? Oh, no matter what you say, I shall always regret what I did. You have found the perfect gentlehobbit in the Shire. If only your father could see that"
They said nothing, but watched as the children tackled Frodo to the ground and leaped on him mercilessly. Frodo cried out, begging them to let him go but they laughed and giggled none the less. Lilla gushed as Lömadia threw her arms around Frodo's neck, giving him a kiss and a big hug. Daisy, Frodo and Krystal all sat on top of their father then hugged him too.
How could Lilla Roper have ever doubted Frodo Baggins? He was a good husband to Nina and a good father to all of his children who loved him so much. It was clear by the way they had acted. Lilla looked to her daughter, who watched them with a smile whilst her hand rested on her swollen stomach. Meruda Roper had to see sense, one way or another.