Brightest Star Ch. 4 The Hobbit That Hated Food


All he saw was a big fluffy apple pie float across the azure sky, followed by a loaf of steamy bread and a mug of ale soon after, all marching past his eyes in an overwhelming parade of victuals. He was more than relieved to see the bowls of soup and plates of meats move out of his range of vision, and he made sure not to move an inch, hoping to keep them in obscurity.

Pippin laid like that on the Tookland commons for a long time, not even lending notice to the cows that would occasionally plod past him in their own feast of sorts. The second he reminded himself of what the bovines were doing, he shut his eyes and tried to drive the thought out of his mind. Opening them up again, another heavenly sighting glazed over his view of the sky, and the muscles in his smile were the only ones that had moved in his entire body.

What have we got here? asked the vision haloed in autumn red.

Pippin smiled even more at the sound of her voice. I must be hallucinating, he said, sighing pleasantly, I'm seeing angels now.

The cows must be eating something rather strange to be making leavings like this, Azaelia added, toeing Pippin's shoulder. She put her hands on her hips and stared down at him with wonderment. What's been eating you?

Please, noooo, he groaned, his face contorting in disgust, actually steering clear of any talk about eating, so he changed the subject. I talked to Daisy.

Azaelia's face lit up at that, and she kneeled down next to his prone body and picked up his hand. So what happened? she asked with excitement, shaking his hand a little too much for his comfort.

Ohhhh well... She beat me, Pippin claimed, rolling his head sideways on the grass to see Azaelia better.

She beat you?! she yelped incredulously, a look of loathing in her eyes, How badly? Are you okay? What did she do to you?

Pippin was taken back by her sudden repugnant tone. Azaelia was definitely not one of those lasses you could mess with. She threw food at me, he admitted gingerly, Lots and lots... of food.

Oh, that's terrible! How could she do that to you? Azaelia said, stroking Pippin's limp arm. Are you alright?

Yeah I guess I'll be fit again soon enough, Pippin said, nodding, Don't you worry, my love.

With her worries finally alleviated, Azaelia allowed herself to fall into an overly-dramatic girlish swoon. My brave Hobbit hero! she excalimed, holding her arms out, her eyes closed and her lips puckered, awaiting Pippin to sit up and kiss her.

Um, dearest, you better come down here and do that, Pippin said, wincing at the thought of moving yet.

She opened her eyes and gave him an odd look, but leaned down and hugged his neck and laid a dozen little pecks on his cheeks before placing a warm and eternally soft kiss on his lips. She cradled his head and watched him smile with the most romantic look in his eyes. Her soft fingers played with his brown curls that shone gold in the sunlight, her gaze drank up every minute detail of his face... until a loud grumbling noise broke their silence.

Pippin cringed a little at his stomach's protests as Azaelia quickly glanced around them in search of the source of the sound, but her sharp mind deduced a possible explanation, and her questioning glare quickly landed back on Pippin.

What exactly... did you do with all that food Daisy at you? Azaelia asked.

Opening his jaw to answer, a modest burp floated out of his throat. Pippin, unusually apt to retain his gentleman's composure, said Excuse me, and covered his mouth.

Oh Pip, she sighed, shaking her head with a smile, Silly little Peregrin Took. At least I know how to beat' you down, now... for future reference. With that, she laid down on the grass beside him and held his hand to her heart. Her fingers played over the side of his face, caressing his cheeks as her nose nuzzled his. She laughed at his blushing grin and asked, So what did Daisy whip up for you? Anything I should make someday?

Perhaps, yes. Under one condition, he whispered, touching her neck lovingly, wishing he could move so he could kiss her there.

she breathed.

Pippin kissed her nose. Don't sneak any lembas in it.