Chapter 1: Concerning a Hobbit

The din in the Green Dragon was, as usual, loud, cheery, and full of life and laughter. One table was celebrating a win for Farmer Maggot's 'Early Vegetable prize' potatoes, and they had a particularly rowdy group of males, singing and dancing on the table.

Ale was spilled out of tankards and all Agatha Goodbody could do was shake her head and sigh.

"Guess I'll be cleaning that up later," she wiped another plate dry and placed it on top of the almost too-high pile.

"Not a chance. You know farmer Maggot always makes sure the lads clean up their mess before they leave," Rosie told her in her no-nonsense tone, contradicting her sweet and kind smile, "and if they pout about it, don't worry, I'll get my Sam to sort them out."

"He does have a way with his words now…whatever happened to him on that journey has done him the world of good," she blew one of her long brown curls out of her face and vowed to tie it back…next time, "maybe all the young males should go off on adventures for a year or so to straighten themselves out?"

"Grand idea. And if it doesn't work, at least they'll be out of our hair for a year."

Both girls laughed with one another and continued to chat, side by side as the revelers at the Inn began to filter in more and more that evening.

The Green Dragon had always been one of the best Inns to visit in the Shire, some even coming all the way from Brandywine Bridge east side to drink and chat.

Agatha looked at the different faces. Young and old. Everyone she knew and everyone familiar to her. But there was one she sought out specifically and when she found a familiar head of dirty golden locks, she felt her cheeks flush with excitement.

"Oh, not again!" Rosie thankfully lowered her voice and gave her friend an encouraging nudge, "Go over there and say hello to him already. He won't bite!"

"Oh, Rosie," she shook her head and looked down at the wet cup in her hand, wiping it briskly with her cloth as she tried to calm herself, "I just…I'm not feeling up to talking tonight."

"You never are and you never WILL be, so just-"

"I can't," Agatha's big hazel eyes looked beseechingly at her friend, "I know you're just trying to help, but I really don't want to go over there."

"Oh, fine," her arm came around Agatha's shoulders and gently pulled her close, "I won't force you. But if you keep looking longingly at him and not doing anything about your little 'fascination', I might just get Sam to get you two alone in a room together and lock the door until you talk to him."

"I might end up clawing myself out of a window if that ever happens."

Rosie went back to serving when some more orders came through and Agatha went back to what she usually did every night that Meriadoc Brandybuck came in: she snuck little glances at him. Ever since the first moment they had met, she had found herself utterly fascinated with him. She had always been told never to judge a book by its cover, but he was handsome and had an air of mischief about him whenever he smiled. She was enthralled and that was even before she had been introduced to him.

A brief 'Hello' a few years ago and he'd almost immediately been pulled away by his cousins and friends and after that, she'd not had the courage to say anything else to him. Even if he and others with him bid her a friendly 'good morning' she would just smile and hurry along, her cane cracking against the path.

So, when she got the job in the Green Dragon helping Rosie out, it was a blessing. Almost every night for two years, she'd watch the small group he was with come in, sing songs, drink, and generally, be merry.

It was never enough, but it would have to do. And then, one night, Frodo Baggins and his three friends…just vanished. Sam, Merry, and Pippin. Rumors had begun to circulate, and they ranged from the silly to the ludicrous. Some of the sillier girls had even started the wild gossip that they'd all run off to be together!

No one was really sure and then, just as suddenly, almost a year later, they popped back up. In the finest robes, the shire had ever seen, on the prettiest ponies that had ever graced the lands. All had varying degrees of injuries, some fine, silvery lines of scars that had healed. But they all had the same happy, yet wearisome look in their eyes. Happy to be home, but what sights had they seen to make them this way? None could pry much information from them, some laughing it off, but only TRULY close friends had been told what had happened to them. And when Sam and Rosie had gotten married, Rosie told Agatha in the strictest confidence and even then, Agatha couldn't believe what she had been told. A magic ring, powerful wizards, battles far across the land between men, orcs, and elves. And amongst the death and destruction of lands and people she never knew existed…there were the hobbits. Saving everyone from certain doom.

And Merry had been there. Instrumental in helping bring down one of the most powerful forces on Middle Earth.

And now he sat, across the bar from her, laughing and drinking with his friends.

If anything, she was MORE fascinated by him.

And despite hearing that small voice in the back of her head (that sounded very much like her mother) telling her it was rude to stare, she couldn't help but watch him.

But unlike all those other nights of her looking and sighing, tonight was about to change. Whenever he looked her way, she would hastily turn or look down at the dishes and keep herself busy. She would give it a minute or two before she would look again, and he'd be back to doing whatever it was he had been.

But when he turned and looked at her, almost sensing her stare again, when she looked away, she felt a little peculiar. He'd caught her eye before and always appeared to be staring straight through her. This time, it was as though he had actually noticed her.

And when she felt it was safe to look again, her eyes were met by the same pair of blues she had only gazed into once before. And for a few seconds, when he realised that she had been looking at him, he cracked a smile, and she suddenly felt all jittery.

Hastily, she turned away and tried to cool her rapidly heating face and quell the butterflies swarming in her stomach.

'Oh gosh, he saw me! Deep breaths don't panic! It was just a look; everybody looks now and again! Oh, calm yourself, Agatha!'

"Excuse me?"

Automatically, she turned herself about, expecting another one of the farmer lads to be wanting a refill, but instead, she was met with Merry. Much closer and still smiling.

"Can I get another ale?" He asked, innocently enough, but there was something about the look in his eye that told her he knew what she had been doing.

She opened and closed her mouth twice before keeping it shut and nodding nervously.

Luckily, her brain still seemed to be working and despite shaky hands, managed to take his tankard from him and fill it up with more ale.

"You're Agatha, aren't you?" He asked her whilst she was concentrating on filling his drink to the top.

She nodded again and tried to wet her mouth, wondering if she'd ever be able to talk again.

"Right," he paused as she pushed his now full drink back towards him before asking her, "are you feeling alright?"

She gulped nervously, picked up her discarded dish cloth, and looked at her from beneath her lashes, her head low.

"I'm fine, thank you."

"Sorry if I sound like I'm prying, it's just," he leaned over and lowered his voice, "you're usually over here with Sam's Rose and always talking and laughing and you look a little bit…well, not like your normal self."

Agatha was a little stunned at the revelation that he had noticed her.

"Oh…well, I was feeling a little under the weather, but nothing serious," she thought quickly and offered him a polite smile.

"Oh, good, I'm glad," he looked relieved and sat back on the stool by the bar, "I thought something might have happened."

"No, nothing."

"Oh."

They were smiling politely at one another, nodding their head in understanding when the awkwardness set in. The silence stretched and made her want to cringe at her behavior.

"Was there anything else you wanted?"

He took a quick swig of his beer before nodding and giving her a hopeful look.

"Actually, could you spare five minutes? I'd like to talk with you."

"Oh."

'Oh.'

Agatha wasn't sure what she had done, but she always had a sinking feeling when someone asked to talk with her. The last time, it was a teacher who told her that she was rubbish at maths, and she'd have to go home and tell her parents and she honestly felt like crying that day.

"Well, I-uh…I-"

"She'd be happy to," Rosie interjected and 'helpfully' pulled the cloth from Agatha's hands, "in fact, she's supposed to go on her break so why don't you take this time now to go and talk to Merry, Aggie?"

If looks could kill, Agatha was sure the look she gave Rosie would have made her friend freeze on the spot and burst into a billion pieces. As it was, Rosie only smiled but her eyes sparkled with delightful mischief.

"Well, follow me," Merry hopped off the stool and took his tankard, "we can sit out of the way."

"Great," she said weakly, but lowered her voice so only her friend could hear, "oh, I hate you SO much."

"Now you do, but you'll thank me on your wedding day," Rosie gently grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her about, "hop along."

Agatha tried not to scowl, grabbing her cane from where it was leaning behind the bar, and made her way over to Merry. The pain wasn't playing up as much that day and she was thankful for that. She was almost walking normally again when she got to the table in the corner.

Most of the tables in the green dragon were long and solid oak, enough to support a party of six or even eight if you squeezed right up next to someone on the benches. But there were two tables tucked away in the corner, that were solitary and ideal for those who wanted a quiet drink alone or even couples who wanted a romantic dinner out together. Of course, after a certain time, it was just sandwiches and pies, but Agatha never minded what she ate there since it was cooked very well by Rosie herself.

The funny thing about the table Merry had chosen though, was that it was 'her' table. She hadn't directly called out ownership of it, but when it was her break or her day off, she would sit there and quietly have something to drink and eat whilst reading a book.

Just before she sat down, Merry quickly put down his drink and held out his hand.

"Wait a moment!"

She froze, wondering what it was he was up to when he moved by and around her. But she saw he was merely being polite and pulling out her chair for her.

"Thank you," she sat down, and he helped push it in for her.

"My ma'am always said 'Watch your manners when in public'," he went back to his side and sat down.

"I remember your Mum, she'd always tuck everyone else's shirts in if she didn't like the look of them," Agatha had a pleasant memory of Esmerelda Took, gently tucking her curls behind her ears, "she was kind."

"Aye', she was."

The silence between them began to stretch again and Agatha decided to ask him straight out what the matter was.

"Have I-"

"Did you-"

"Oh, sorry, you-"

"No, no, you go first," Merry held up his hands and chuckled, "I just wanted to know if you wanted a sip of my ale."

"Oh, no thank you," she shook her head and steeled her nerves, "I just wanted to know if something was wrong?"

"No, no, nothing is wrong. Why, do you think there is?" He looked worriedly at her, but she just arched her brow.

"No," she drew out her no for a bit, choosing her words carefully, "you said that you wanted to talk to me. I assumed that something was wrong…that maybe I'd done something wrong? Somehow?"

"What?!" He blustered and waved his hand at her, "No, no, you've done nothing wrong! Nothing at all."

"Oh."

He smiled at her and took a sip of his beer, apparently, happy for his explanation to end there.

"So…what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Well," now it was his turn to look a little nervous, "nothing really. Just…a conversation in general."

"What just…chatting?"

"Yeah," he fumbled awkwardly with the handle of his tankard, "I actually said 'with' when I asked. I didn't have a specific topic in mind."

"Oh…alright," she placed her hands on the table in front of her, laying one on top of the other as curiosity got the better of her, "can I ask, why did you pick this table?"

"Well, you're always here. Reading a book by yourself and I thought you'd be most comfortable. Didn't want to bother you and drag you to the noisy one," he gestured with his head and the way his hair danced around his face made her want to reach out and flick one of the curls back.

She shook herself mentally and tried not to think about THOSE types of thoughts whilst he was so close.

"Thank you. I do appreciate it," she said truthfully, though felt a little nervous, "so…what did you want to talk about?"

He moved his lips as though to speak, but kept them pursed when it became obvious, he wasn't sure where to begin.

"Well…did you like the weather today?"

She couldn't stop the emotions that flickered across her face and cringed.

"I mean…yes?"

"God, sorry," he bowed his head and laughed painfully, "I'm not good at this, give me a minute."

She watched him take a few deep breaths before he straightened back up and held out his hand.

"I believe we haven't been properly introduced. Meriadoc Brandybuck, at your service."

She shyly reached over and took his hand, relishing in the gentle squeeze he gave her before they moved up and down together.

"Agatha Goodbody. But my friends call me Aggie," she withdrew her hand when he let go, immediately missing his warmth.

"Well then, Aggie," he raised his tankard, "you may call me Merry. And I apologise if I seem a little out of sorts, but I'm not used to such fair companionship when I'm drinking."

She let out a small snort before she could stop herself and quickly covered her mouth, turning it into a cough.

"Thank you, again."

"So, quick question, Aggie," he lowered his drink after taking another swig and bravely asked, "if a certain male was to ask you to a picnic at some point and you very graciously accepted his proposal, what would be the ideal spread you would hope to find packed?"

She blinked at him a few times and tried to gauge his expression. He didn't LOOK like he was teasing her, but she was wary. Males in the past had tricked her and she had promised she'd never fall for it again. But…this was Merry. He may have been known to pull all sorts of jokes with his Cousin Pippin, but would he really go so far? He seemed…so genuine. But she was still cautious.

"I'm afraid I don't really have the time for picnics or stuff like that," she looked down at the wood around her fingers, trying to appear aloof, "I'm a very busy girl."

"Ah, I see…well then, the question still stands but only hypothetically," he seemed to be putting on a casual front also, and since she'd now made the point, she wasn't so easy to take out, so she decided to indulge him.

"Well…some Strawberry tarts would be lovely. They're my favourite. And…jam sandwiches."

"Also, strawberry?"

"Of course," she bit her lip and shut her eyes, imagining the perfect day, "and it wouldn't be too hot yet, so a nice glass of wine."

"Let me guess, strawberry?"

She opened her eyes and smirked.

"Gooseberry."

His top lip twitched ever so slightly, and she had a feeling he was trying not to laugh.

"Am I?"

She chuckled and shook her head.

"Not at all. You're Merry."

"All the time."

Another silence descended over them, but it was less awkward this time. Somehow, it felt more comfortable. But a sudden crash and roar of laughter and applause from everyone around made her look to see that one of the lads had dropped a tray of drinks and Rosie was hurrying out behind the bar with a broom to sweep up the pieces.

"I should go help," she went to get up but stilled when Merry reached across and softly laid his hand on top of hers.

"If…If you do find yourself not busy, I'd like to take you out on that picnic," his big eyes were sincere when he spoke her name with a kindness in his voice she'd never heard before, "Aggie Goodbody."

She wished she could ignore the clatter and mess that had happened. She wanted to stay seated opposite him and ask him to keep his hand where it was. And she REALLY wanted to tell him that she'd love a picnic with him.

But the voice of 'no nonsense' reason chimed in the back of her mind.

"I'll think about it. Thank you…Merry."

With her cane back in her grip, she got up and quickly hobbled away and over to where the mess was.

Whilst she and Rosie worked together to sweep and mop up the mess, the other patrons around helpfully scooped up bits of broken pottery and lifted chairs and even tables to move out of the way for them.

All the while, Meriadoc couldn't take his eyes off Aggie. He swigged his ale and smiled, knowing that he'd get her on that picnic. Now, he just had to quickly buy strawberry and gooseberry seeds and plant them in time to harvest!

Xx xX x X

Author notes: Hi everyone! So, after LOTS of consideration and some financial hardship here and there, I've decided that I'd like to open myself up to writing commissions. I'm still writing a few rules and regulations that I WILL be putting up on my twitter when ready, but for anyone who is interested, my twitter handle is AbiNotNormal and I'll also be doing some writing streams so people can see progress.