Disclaimer- Guess what? I still don't own LOTR! (I do claim this story and any characters in it that Tolkien didn't mention.)

A/N- Agghh. School was invented by Sauron. Or maybe Morgoth. Anyway, here's the next chapter. Oh, and expect weekly updates from now on. Sorry. :)

Much thanks to Lisa, because the idea for the rumor was hers.

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Chapter 5- The Rumor of Brandy Hall

Many years ago, so far back in time it seemed almost myth in the memories of the hobbits, Gorhendad Oldbuck had crossed the Brandywine, settled Buckland, and changed his name to Brandybuck. Since then, the Brandybuck's large family had lived in the smial Gorhendad had excavated: Brandy Hall.

The Hall was unimpressive at first sight, merely seeming to be a rather flat-topped large hill. In actuality, the hill was almost entirely hollow, leaving plenty of room for the intricate network of passages that made up the smial.

Theo raced towards his home, pausing every now and again for Dandelion and Poppy to catch up. Scamp, whom Theo had stopped carrying, dashed among all three hobbits, barking excitedly. Dandelion and Poppy were still laughing about Theo's story, and even the youngest hobbit had to chuckle some. It was in this loud manner that they reached the door to Brandy Hall, which was flung open but blocked by a hobbit woman, her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed.

Dandelion smiled and greeted her relative. "Hello, Aunt June!"

The woman's look softened. "Oh, Dandelion, it's only you. No offense meant, of course, I was just wondering what in the Shire Theo could be doing to stir up so much noise." June Brandybuck was a Proudfoot by birth (in fact, she was Sando's aunt as well), and as such had not been born into as loud a family as the Brandybucks. She encouraged her household to tone down the cacophony as much as possible, but since most of them didn't understand the word cacophony, there had been little change since her marriage to Eomer Brandybuck.

Theo's face was the picture of innocence. "Mum, Dandelion and Poppy haven't missed tea, have they?"

Regarding her offspring with suspicion, she answered, "No, they haven't, but you will, you rogue, until a month is over. Don't think I've forgotten your punishment as quick as that!"

Theo sagged. "Oh."

Shaking her head and biting her lip to prevent a smile, June turned back to her guests and gave Dandelion and then Poppy a gentle hug. "It's good to see you again, Dandy. And Poppy Cotton, I haven't seen you since you were Theo's age! My, but how you two have grown. Would you care to join us for tea?"

Dandelion nodded vigorously. "Oh, yes, please, Aunt June!"

June turned around so the younger hobbits wouldn't see the grin on her face at that comment. "Well, then, follow me!"

She showed them through the labyrinthine passages to the dining room, one of the largest rooms in the Hall. It was now about half filled with eating hobbits, since many of them had finished their tea and gone to busy themselves elsewhere. As the four entered, followed by Scamp wagging his tail, heads turned in their direction and there were many shouts of greeting. Dandelion and Poppy nodded and waved to them as they made their way to the head table.

Eomer Brandybuck rose from his chair to meet his guests. Tall, loud, and friendly to nearly everyone he met, he was a popular and well-respected hobbit and the Master of Buckland. "Well, well, Dandelion Took! And Poppy Cotton! We weren't expecting you for another day yet!"

June raised an eyebrow at her husband. "Eomer, we're not in Gondor. There's no need to shout."

Eomer laughed heartily. "Of course not, m'dear!" Suddenly seeming to notice his son beside the travelers, he added, "Now, Theo, what was your part in all this? You're supposed to be outside for your punishment, remember?"

Theo looked down at his furry feet. "Yes, Father, I just wanted to, er, show Dandelion and Poppy round the Hall once they were done with their tea?"

"Are you asking me or telling me, lad?"

"Both?" Theo offered.

Eomer laughed again. "All right, you can sit in with us until they're done. But if I catch you sneaking so much as a drop, you'll go two months without!"

"Yes, Father," Theo answered happily.

He led the two girls to a small table near a window, through which they could see the Hedge that marked the border. Dandelion and Poppy sat, but Theo rushed off to get some food for them. As he left, Dandelion shook her head. "We'll be lucky if we get half of what he gets, Poppy."

"You think he'd disobey his father that quickly?"

"Disobey? No. Bend the rules so that he finds a way he won't get in trouble? Yes. Uncle Eomer thinks he's funny when he does it and he won't punish Theo, but if Aunt June finds out he will get punished."

Poppy giggled, then pointed outside. "What's that, Dandy?"

The golden-haired hobbit looked to where she was pointing. "Oh, that's the Hedge. It blocks the way to the Old Forest." She leaned in as if she were about to divulge a great secret. "Y'know, the trees are alive in there."

"Really? Isn't that the place where the Travelers met Tom Bombadil?"

"Yes, it is."

"Have you ever been in there?"

"Once," said Dandelion proudly, "but you have to go around noon, when the trees are sleepy and won't try to attack you or something."

Their conversation was interrupted by Theo coming back with a tray. On it, he had piled biscuits, crackers, and two pots of tea.

"Theo!" exclaimed Dandelion. "We're hungry, but this is enough food for a dozen hobbits! Tea is supposed to be a light meal. Why in Middle-earth did you bring so much food?"

"You mean you can't eat it all?" Theo asked in surprise, but he grinned as he said it. "Oh, well, I suppose you'll have leftovers, then, won't you?"

Dandelion took some biscuits and poured herself a cup of tea, then looked at her cousin in reproach. "Theo, were you even listening to your father?"

"Of course I was. 'But if I catch you sneaking so much as a drop, you'll go two months without! Hahahaha!'" Theo imitated his father's speech and laugh so well that the two girls could not help but laugh with him.

"And what do you say about your plan to eat our leftovers now?"

"Two things: one, I won't be 'sneaking,' I'll be eating them in plain view of whomever happens to look over at us. Two, I won't have a drop to drink, just meager crumbs to eat!"

Poppy looked at Dandelion over their steaming cups. "Something tells me we're going to be the ones blamed for his escapades."

Theo changed the subject in the slim chance that they would forget his idea. "So, what's been going on in the Tookland? Your father's letter said you had gotten into a squabble with someone, Dandy."

"It was nothing important," Dandelion muttered, looking fixedly at her cup. Poppy snorted.

"Oh, no, nothing important at all. Dandelion let that Fred Sandyman get under her skin, so she gave him a nice black eye for his troubles. Then the Thain finds out and the next thing I know, we're banished from the Great Smials!"

Theo applauded. "Good for you, Dandelion! Someone needs to knock that blockhead down a peg or three."

"Thanks, Theo," said Dandelion, winking at him.

Poppy rolled her eyes. "Honestly, it's no wonder you two are such good friends. You both like to get in trouble so much--"

"We don't like to get in trouble," Dandelion began.

"Trouble likes to get us!" Theo finished.

There was a short silence while the girls sipped their tea and Theo pretended he wasn't trying to take one of the biscuits. Dandelion relieved him of it and asked, "What's been going on in Buckland? Any interesting news to tell the hobbits in Tuckborough?"

Theo's eyes lit up. "Oh, yes! I can't believe I didn't tell you already." His voice lowered to a whisper and he looked around to make sure no one was watching. Dandelion and Poppy exchanged glances; why was he acting so strange? "There's been a rumor that there have been elves in the Shire!"

"Elves?" repeated the girls.

Theo nodded. "Yes. Farmer Maggot told my father that he saw a tall person that wasn't a hobbit on the edge of the Old Forest, and Sunny Burrows claims she saw one dancing outside at night! And there have been some others, too."

"Have you seen any, Theo?" asked Dandelion eagerly.

"No. No one at Brandy Hall has seen one, and most people just think they're not telling the truth. I believe them, though." Theo saw the look the girls gave each other. "Why do you two keep looking at each other like you know something I don't?"

Dandelion said excitedly, "When we were on our way here, just last night, I woke up to get a drink of water. We were camping beside the Brandywine, and I looked at the other side of the river and there was an elf there!"

Theo looked astounded, even despite his statement that he thought the talk of elves was true. "Wh-what?"

"Aye, I saw it with my own two eyes. I thought it was a dream, but I'd bet it wasn't!"

Theo didn't know what to say to that, but luckily for him, there was no need. A hobbit around the girls' age walked over to their table. "Dandelion Took. Is that you? The last time I saw you, we were shouting at each other and arguing loud enough for the whole Shire to hear!"

Dandelion furrowed her brow in confusion. She felt sure she had never seen this boy before, but he looked somewhat familiar: deep brown curls, laughing hazel eyes, a small scar on his cheek from where they had gotten into a fight..."Tru?!"

He laughed. "Yep, it's me. I'm not surprised you didn't recognize me at first. I didn't realize who you were until I heard Mrs. June talking about you." He pulled up a chair to the table, turned it around and sat in it backwards. Dandelion was still looking at him like he was a ghost. "What's the matter? You aren't still mad at me for teasing you, are you?"

Dandelion shook her head and smiled back. "No, it's just- you look so different from the annoying boy who used to bother me at the Great Smials."

"Well, you look a lot different from the little girl who used to knock out my teeth. And you must be Poppy," Tru added, turning to her. "I'm Truman Boffin, but you can call me Tru."

"Oh, the infamous Tru. Dandelion was telling me about you."

"Good things, I hope."

Poppy laughed. "Unfortunately, no. More along the lines of 'Tru was the most aggravating nuisance in all of Middle-earth! He'd better have grown up or I won't stay a day at Brandy Hall, and I don't care what Father says!'"

Dandelion blushed. "I can see my worries were misplaced, though, since you seem to have acquired better manners in twenty years, Tru."

Tru chuckled. "So have you, but I hear you still know your way around a fist fight, if what people are saying is true."

"What are they saying?"

"That Fred Sandyman was pestering the school and you knocked him out with a single punch."

Dandelion groaned and leaned her head on her hand as Poppy said, "Not quite. Sandyman was disturbing the school and spreading lies to the children, so Dandy just gave him one hit. Then the Thain came and told him off."

"She gave him a black eye, though!" Theo piped up.

"I'm sure he deserved it," said Tru, shaking his head and pouring himself a cup of tea. "Those Sandymans are the worst type of hobbit."

"I'm not sure he is a hobbit." Dandelion looked up, a mischievous twinkle in her green eyes. "A half-orc, maybe. Or part troll."

They laughed. "They certainly look the part," Poppy added.

"See, Dandelion? What you did was for the greater good of all the free peoples of Middle-earth!" announced Theo importantly. "You should be awarded a medal!"

"Hear, hear!" cried Poppy and Tru.

"A badge of honor!"

"Too right!"

"A commendation from King Elessar himself!"

Poppy and Tru clinked their cups together as they cheered.

"You three are incorrigible!" Dandelion giggled as hobbits looked over at their table to see what all the shouting was about. All four of the hobbits were laughing now. Out of the corner of her eye, Dandelion caught sight of Tru. He's not as bad as I remembered, she thought. Not bad at all.

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What did you think? Please let me know in a review! Thanks!

acorngirl- Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you liked it. P.S.- Please get the new chapter of "Hostile Takeover" up soon! No, not just because you're going to mention my story, but because it's really great! Anyone who hasn't read it- should.

cheerleader15- (blushes) You think my story is 'one in a million'? You're too kind!