Note to Readers:

Thanks for the comments!

Xena, it seems as if it did not take much for Everard to cheer up, but... have you ever slaved for years in a job you hated? ...with no hope for a change? (The Thain thought he'd be a good farmer, I guess, but his heart was in digging, not plowing... big difference) And as for Ferdi, yes, he was very angry, but remember, he's sloughed off bitterness all these years after seeing how it affected others. I hope you noticed that he's not exactly *friendly* towards Pippin, and he doesn't trust him yet, but at least he has the maturity and balance to serve Pippin for Eglantine and Regi's sake.

Pansy, my idea of a vacation would be to have someone else handle all the mundane details of life and just let me *write*, say, for a few days on end.

Dana, lovely reviews. Loved the quotes. Pip appreciated the good word you put in for him, I'm sure.

As I mentioned, I have written well ahead in both "Flames" and "Merlin" so that you ought to be able to enjoy daily updates, as long as everything goes well. Please keep reviewing, it keeps my spirits up (nearly killed off a major OC last week in a fit of depression, how horrid!) and makes the Muse more tractable.

I have added a new chapter to "Merlin" as well, in case you are following that story.

***

39. Fathers

'What're you doing?' a small voice said, inserting itself into Ferdibrand's thoughts.

'Fletching,' he answered, fingers never pausing from their task.

'How d'you do that?' the voice persisted, and he looked up to see the son of the Thain, face alight with interest.

'Wait until I finish this one and I'll show you,' he said, and of a wonder, the lad stood quietly and waited.

Ferdi took the next shaft and walked through the entire process, explaining each step as he applied the feathers to the arrow and secured them there. While he worked, he explained the different ways to shape the feathers, depending on if it were a hunting shaft, or one prepared for target practice or tournament shooting.

Young Faramir wanted to know everything, even down to details like what went into the glue Ferdi used, why he also secured the glued feathers with windings, what kind of bird feathers were used, and myriad other questions about pyles and bows and shooting.

'May I try?' he asked, when Ferdi finished, and the head of the Thain's escort gazed at the young one in astonishment.

'How old are you?' Ferdi said.

'Four, but I'll be five at harvest time,' Faramir said. Ferdi was surprised. The lad spoke as if he were more than twice that age, but then, Pip didn't tolerate baby talk. Ferdi'd heard him holding serious discussions with his tiny son much as if the lad were Reginard, or another adult.

Ferdi shook his head. 'Fletching is not work for a tot,' he said. To his surprise, the youngster did not wheedle, simply watched him fletch the next few arrows.

'Will you teach me when I'm older?' Faramir asked.

Ferdi nodded. 'If you are still interested,' he said absently.

'Soon?' Faramir pressed.

'When you're old enough to use a knife,' Ferdi answered. 'Soon enough.'

Faramir nodded, and sighed.

'What was that for?' Ferdi asked.

'Soon...' the lad answered. 'It means so many things.' He watched Ferdi quietly awhile longer, then said, 'But what exactly does it mean, anyhow?' When Ferdi didn't answer, he added, 'The Brandybucks say my da will die soon, you know.'

Ferdi's fingers stopped their work, reflecting his shock. The lad went on. 'I do wish I knew what they meant by "soon".' He met Ferdi's eyes with a wistful expression. 'Sometimes I think it means "never", or "not for a long time", like when I ask my mum how long until Father Yule will come, and she says, "Soon". But then other times...' he looked down, and Ferdi followed his gaze. The small fingers clasped themselves tightly together, then with an effort, unclasped again, and the lad rose, standing straight and tall as he could, for one of his few years.

'I thank you for the lesson in fletching,' he said with all the dignity a nearly-five-year-old could muster, and with a nod, he turned away.

***

The next day, Ferdi busied himself writing reports on the fields they'd checked the previous morning, listening with half an ear to the business passing between the Thain and his steward Reginard. Diamond entered carrying a tray, followed by Sandy, the Thain's hobbitservant, bearing another.

Pippin looked up in dismay. 'Surely that is not all for me,' he said.

His wife smiled back at him. 'I should make you eat it all,' she answered lightly. 'Seems to me as if you've lost ground rather than gaining it, working so hard. The Tooks are going to think you're insulting them, you know, implying that their cooks are not as good as the Brandybucks'.'

'We cannot have that,' the Thain answered, but he shuddered to see the quantity of food.

She relented then, and added, 'I thought I'd bring enough for Regi and Ferdi as well, what with you working them as hard as yourself. They'll be wasting away to nothing if you're not careful.' She put the tray down and kissed her husband firmly. 'Now you eat all that up,' she said. 'I'll be back for the tray in a bit, or Sandy will.'

The hobbitservant had put his tray down on Regi's desk and now neatly served first the steward, then the head of escort. 'Will there be anything else, Sir?' he asked.

'No, that will be all for now, Sandy, thank you,' Pippin said, and the other nodded and glided from the room.

Pippin managed half a sandwich, then pushed the rest away to sip at his tea. 'Reg,' he said, and the steward laughed.

'Time for Ferdi and me to do our duty, it seems,' he said.

'Have at it,' Pippin answered. 'Please.' Ferdi arose, took his plate, divided the contents between himself and Reginard.

'You really ought to eat more, you know,' he said to Pippin, to be rewarded by a pained look from the Thain.

'Don't you start,' Pippin warned. 'I get enough from Diamond.' Ferdi snorted and returned to his own seat, to finish his, and Pippin's, elevenses.

After Ferdi and Regi had polished off the food, the Thain pushed himself back from his desk. 'Regi, I know we don't usually work past teatime, but I wanted to ride out, survey the fields for myself this afternoon. I don't like to depend completely on the reports of others, you know.'

'I know,' his steward answered. 'Which way are we going?'

'We checked the western fields last week, all the way to the Waymoot road. I'd like to go east this day. If we leave early enough, we can have supper at the Crowing Cockerel and either spend the night or ride back in the cool of the night.'

'Good beer at the Cockerel,' Regi said casually, and Ferdi nodded agreement.

Pippin grinned. 'I suppose we ought to check out the beer, make sure it is up to standard,' he said.

The steward nodded gravely. 'Of course.' He looked to Ferdibrand. 'Ferdi, would you notify the escort and have the ponies readied?'

'Have a meal packed,' the Thain added, 'or Diamond will have my hide.' Ferdi hid a grin as he went to comply.

He found Hilly and Tolly playing at kings in their customary waiting place. 'Wakey, wakey,' he said. 'It is time to take the Thain's pony for an outing, so that he does not kick out his stall.'

'Where are we going this time?' Hilly asked.

'East,' Ferdi answered. 'We'll check the fields all the way to where the woods start, and then I think we might check the woods all the way to the Cockerel.'

'The Cockerel?' Tolly said, brightening a bit.

'Best beer on the Stock Road,' Ferdi said obliquely. 'Go saddle the ponies, I'm to round up a meal.'

'Diamond does pack fine fare,' Hilly said, patting his stomach with a grin. The hobbits surrounding Pippin certainly fared well, thanks to his wife's obsession with stuffing her husband with food at every opportunity.

When Ferdi had seen to all the details, he returned to the study to report the escort was ready and waiting before the Smials. Regi quickly cleared the papers from the desk, putting them neatly away, for Pippin frowned on clutter, and insisted on leaving the desks clear at the end of the day. No chance of a cat straying into the room at night and knocking something important off the desk and under a piece of furniture, as had happened under the old Thain.

'Ferdi,' Pippin said, 'I want you to stay here.'

'What?' Ferdi said, taken aback.

'Honestly, I do not need an escort of four to ride along with me. I haven't lost myself on the way to the Cockerel yet, and I do not intend to do so this day,' Pippin answered.

'Then leave Hilly, or Tolly, or both,' Ferdi protested. 'I'm supposed to be head of the escort.'

'I do not like to take you from your father,' Pippin replied. 'When was the last time you missed a day?' Ferdi was silent. Years, it had been. 'Your duty to your father comes before any duties I might impose,' the Thain added. 'We'll be fine, and I have a few other tasks for you here at the Smials whilst we're gone. I expect a full report in the morning.'

'In the morning?' Ferdi said, astounded.

'We won't be staying over. We'll have supper at the Cockerel and ride back under the stars.'

'It would be better to rest the night and ride back in the morning,' Regi countered.

'Don't coddle me, Regi,' Pippin said sharply, then closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose as his cousins stared at him in astonishment. Taking hold of himself again, he said mildly, 'We will ride out as far as the Cockerel, take late supper there, and ride back again. If you are too tired for the ride back, you can stay over and return in the morning.'

'Yes, Sir,' Regi replied, making a show of tidying his desk.

'Very well,' Pippin said, then turned to Ferdi. 'Here's a list; I expect you ought to get through it by tea time.'

'All right, cousin,' Ferdibrand said.

'Give my regards to your father,' Pippin said.

'I will,' Ferdi answered.

***

That evening, as he told his father of the happenings of the day, old Ferdinand stopped him. 'Pip snapped at Regi, eh?' he asked.

'Yes,' Ferdi said. 'Not at all like him, to snap that way.'

'You said he had a bit of a cough this morning,' his father mused. 'Perhaps you ought to mention this to Diamond. Sounds as if he's not feeling all that well.' The old hobbit sighed. 'Know what that's like,' he muttered to himself.

Ferdi lifted the last of the stew to his father's mouth, then applied the serviette. 'Would you like more?' he asked.

'No...' Ferdinand said. 'No, Son, that was a good meal. Very satisfying.' He sighed. 'D'you suppose you could fill a pipe for me, lad? I have a hankering after a bit of a smoke, to follow that meal.'

'Of course, Father,' Ferdi answered. He took his father's pipe from the mantel, filled it, tamped it down. Taking a slim stick from the bundle of kindling, he forced himself to hold the end in the fire on the hearth until it caught, then lifted it to the pipe and got it going. He was satisfied to see only a small tremour in the fingers that held the flaming stick, and when he transferred the pipe to his father's mouth, old Ferdinand looked satisfied as well.

'Nicely done,' he said. He smoked the pipe in silence, nodding to Ferdi to take it away when he was finished. They sat in silence awhile longer, the occasional desultory comment dropping like pebbles into a quiet pond, little ripples of sunshine in the darkened room. At one point, Ferdi's father commented, 'I'm glad the Thain gave you some tasks to do hereabouts this day, even if you have to miss the best beer on the Stock Road.'

At length, old Ferdinand sighed. 'A cup of tea will do me,' he said, 'and then I think I will sleep. I'm tired this night, Son, but it has been a fine day. A fine day indeed.' He smiled. 'Ah, Ferdi, to see you now... head of the Thain's escort. Who'd have thought it, a bare year ago? And another tournament coming up... Are you going to win it?'

Ferdi chuckled. 'I had thought of losing it, a-purpose, so as not to have to head the Thain's escort, but things seem to be working out...'

'You, lose a-purpose? I didn't think you had it in you,' old Ferdinand said disapprovingly, then looking at his son from under his eyebrows he laughed. 'Ah, I see,' he said. 'Another of your jests. One of these days that leg is going to come off in your hand, you keep pulling at it that way.' He smiled at his son. 'Now how about that cup of tea?'

'Right!' Ferdi smiled back, and turned to the hearth to refill his father's cup. He heard his father sigh behind him. 'What's that?' he asked, but there was no answer.

He turned back to find his father's chin resting on his breast, eyes closed. 'Da?' he asked. He touched the shoulder gently. 'Da?' he said again.

Two of the old aunties came when they heard the teacup shatter on the hearth, to find Ferdi embracing old Ferdinand, weeping silently.