Thank You: Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read and post a review: French Pony, HobbitLoverLady, Pearl Took, and Natta. I truly thank you, French Pony, for your support and fantastic critique of chapter ten! Thank you for the great feedback and suggestions! (Hopefully I did it right!) You all are a great bunch--thanks!

Chapter Eleven - Treasure It Forever

Two Weeks and One Day Later...

Pim sat on the back of the wagon counting and weighing baskets of corn, tomatoes, carrots and anything else her father grew in his fields. She beckoned for the next worker to step up to the scale. "Come along now, Pippin! I don't have all day!" She smirked behind the parchment she was writing on.

"It seems that I do!" Pippin's remark garnered laughs from his sister and cousin standing behind him.

"Actually, two of you have the rest of summer!" Pim smiled triumphantly, earning scowls from her cousin and siblings. "I'm sorry, Merry, your fun only lasts for another two weeks." Merry grinned sarcastically, looked away from his cousin sitting on the wagon and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Pim looked coldly at her brother, "Take all the stems off the tomatoes, Pippin; it looks as though you've tried to bring the entire vine to market!"

"You're joking, right?" Pippin looked at his sister; the one to whom his father entrusted the administration of his farm.

"No, I am not."

Pippin's partners-in-crime were indignant. "Pippin!" Merry and Pervinca plopped down to the ground to await Pippin to finish picking off the long vine stems. Both were hot, grimy, and sweaty...as was Pippin. The teen sank to his knees and started plucking the stems off of the tomatoes.

Pim waited for Pippin work several tomatoes. "All right, Pip, I am half-joking!" Pippin halted for her next words. "Take your basket to the side and pick off what you can, and when I am finished with Pervinca, I will take your basket. But really, Pippin, you must leave as much of the vine on the plant as is possible so we can have more tomatoes for you to pick towards the end of summer!"

Now it was Pippin's turn to be derisive. He sighed heavily as he pulled his basket off to the side, dramatically throwing the stems to the ground as he picked them off.

Merry was next to step up and weigh his basket of corn. He watched as Pim scribbled on her parchment paper. "I suppose I should have shucked the corn before bringing it up here?"

Pim gazed over her paper at her cousin. "Don't mock me, Merry! Allow me a little fun, will you? It's not often I'm actually given permission to boss my brother and sister around!"

"Not having permission has never stopped you before!" Chimed in Pervinca.

Pim eyed her young sister, "For that, little sister..." Pim couldn't keep from laughing, "you may all sit in the shade for a little while! You've all done well for your first day on the job--except for Pippin--nearly digging up the entire tomato plants!"

All three youths stared at their taskmaster. "I'm not joking this time!" She laughed, "On my honor! You may all take a rest for a while--try that tall oak over there. The water cart should be here any minute."

Merry, Pippin, and Pervinca ambled slowly towards the tall oak tree, following other field workers that went ahead of them. Pippin let himself drop backwards as he sat down in the comforting shade. "I've learned my lesson, how bout you?" He stared at Merry.

Pervinca spoke before Merry could answer. "You two will never learn your lesson!"

"How do you know?" Merry grinned, he followed Pippin and dropped back onto the cool, shaded ground.

"What's that?" Pervinca saw a small object fall from Merry's pocket.

Merry crinkled his brow, "What's what?"

"That!" She pointed towards the object on the ground next to his pocket. "It's beautiful!"

Merry looked to where she was pointing, and then saw it. He picked it up to show it to his friends, "I don't know. I'm still trying to figure it out for myself." He held it aloft. It was a crystal, multi-sided shaped ball that fit in the palm of Merry's hand.

"What's in it?" Asked Pippin.

Merry held it out toward the sunlight, and then in the darker parts of the shade. Here is where it seemed to have a light all it's own.

Pervinca gaped at it. "That's so pretty! Where did you find it?"

"I didn't" Said Merry, "I think Frodo dropped it in my pocket when we said goodbye."

"Where do you think he found it?" Pervinca's curiosity was piqued; she loved pretty "rocks" such as these. If any more were to be found, she wanted to know what her prospects were to find one.

Merry shrugged, "I don't think Frodo found it, either." He gave Pippin a side-glance. "I, um...I think it was given to him."

"Given to him? By whom?"

"Pervinca!" Pippin chided his sister, "You're being nosey again! It's none of our business."

Pervinca sighed; she felt she would never see another like it. "I'm sorry, Merry. I only wanted to know."

Merry thought about it as he weighed the little ball in his hand. It was indeed a pretty thing, but where would he be able to keep such a lovely gift so safe?

"Here." Merry took Pervinca's hand, upturned it, and dropped the little crystalline ball into her palm.

Her eyes went wide. She looked up at Merry, "Y-you're giving this to me?"

"Merry!" Pippin's jaw dropped.

"Yes." He said. "My birthday is next month and I've decided to give you an early gift."

Pervinca, mouth gaping open, clutched the little ball and embraced her cousin. "Thank you!! Thank you, Merry!" She opened her palm to survey the wonderful, clear object. So lovely it looked. "I shall treasure it forever!" She kissed his cheek.

Merry knew Pervinca meant it when she said a gift would be treasured; he realized then that it would be kept safe forever. In later months and years, he and Pippin would often talk about Frodo and his strange trip...and his strange gift. Perhaps he did visit Elves....

~~~ THE END ~~~