Pippin Musing 6: Apples falling close to trees The Shire High Summer 1442 (Shire reckoning)

Pippin lay on the grass listening to the hum of the honeybees and looked at his twelve-year-old son reading in the sun by Diamond's rose garden. He marveled, not for the first time, at what an amazing person Faramir was the best of both his parents and worthy of his name. The child was actually a lot like his cousin Frodo and looking at his son brought back fond memories.

Like Frodo, Faramir was graceful and fine-featured. Faramir eyes were also startling but they were Diamond's rich golden-brown, not Frodo's summer-sky blue, and the boy's curly hair was only a shade darker than his eyes. Little hobbit-maids would be coming after that one soon enough. Pippin chuckled to himself and thought that the girls would have to knock the lad's book out of his hand's first.

Pippin had not been a quiet, scholarly sort of child but Diamond had. Although he was an only child, Faramir was kind to the smaller children he encountered and would sometimes read to them. It made Pippin proud to see his son doing this and he remembered Frodo reading to him and telling him stories. Pippin grinned and thought that Faramir would abandon his books for a swordplay lesson, particularly if "Uncle Merry" were involved. Estella and Diamond would drink tea and watch the three of them, laughing at their antics when the lessons devolved into horseplay.

Pippin could also see himself in Faramir. The lad was scholarly but not grave and shared a wry sense of humor with his parents. The shape of his son's chin and nose also reminded Pippin of himself. The boy may have been more rambunctious if he had a like-minded partner in crime and had not had an attentive mother like Diamond. Pippin wondered if he himself would have gotten in quite as much trouble if he hadn't lost his mother at such a young age and had Merry there to play with. Oh well, he smiled ruefully. It had been fun at the time. If Merry and Estella had a son, fatherhood might be a little more difficult than it was but it would have been nice to see the children playing together. Faramir did have the Gamgee children to play with and they were a well-behaved lot. He turned his head when he heard Diamond's voice and saw that she had a large yellow rose tucked behind one ear.

"It is such a nice day, I thought we would have tea outside," she said.

He replied, "Excellent suggestion, sweetheart. Faramir and I will help you."

Faramir, hearing them, said, "Did you make blackberry pie, Mother?"

Diamond smiled and told him she had but that would be saved for "Uncle" Merry and "Aunt" Estella who were coming for dinner that night. They would have bread, cheese, and fresh plums for their tea. The small hobbit family linked arms, went to gather the tea things, and lay on the picnic blanket drinking in the sunshine.