* * *
"Can we get these, Aunty Esme?" Pippin asked. He stood on tip-toes, looking at the large row of vegetables and fruits. His eyes had come across the biggest mushrooms he'd ever seen, and he was intent on them.
"Let me see, one of these would suffice for one person, so I'd better get ten." Esmerelda called over the table's owner and told him her order. Pippin turned and scanned the crowd. He caught sight of a familiar face almost at once.
"Sam!" Pippin called happily. Sam Gamgee was the youngest son of Bilbo's gardener, and he helped out his father at Bag End, often running errands. Pippin had known Sam ever since Sam had found him wandering around Hobbiton one day. Pippin's parents had fussed at him, and Pippin had come to the conclusion that they hated him, so he'd tried to run away. It is safe to say he didn't get very far. Luckily, Sam found him, and returned him to Tuckburough, where Pippin and his parents were reunited. Pippin had never forgotten that.
"Hullo, Master Pippin!" Sam called, approaching him with a smile. "Are you lost again? You never come here without Master Merry or your parents."
"No, Sam, I'm here with my Aunty Esme. We're shopping. Merry's at Brandy Hall, his Da wanted to speak with him about something."
At mention of her name, Esmerelda turned around to see who her nephew was talking to. She smiled when she saw Sam.
"Why, hello, Sam. It's a pleasure to see you."
Sam blushed a deep red. He always got a strange nervousness when speaking with hobbits who were both older than he was, and of higher rank. Yet he was always polite. "Th-th-thank you Lady Esmerelda."
"Oh, please, dear, call me Esme. Everyone else does."
"Oh, nome, I couldn't. Please, it's alright."
"Very well. Would you mind keeping my little nephew company while I shop?"
"Oh, yes, it'd be my pleasure."
"Thank you, Sam, you're a good lad."
Sam went a deep scarlet, but took Pippin's hand and lead him off to a small patch of grass by the lake that ran beside the town square. Sam's younger sister, Marigold sat in the grass waiting for her brother.
"Did you get them, Sammie?"
"I did, and I wish you wouldn't call me that."
"I'm sorry, Sam. Who's this little one?"
"He's Mr. Frodo's cousin, young Peregrin, you remember him, don't you? From that party at Bag End."
"Oh! Wee Pippin? Look how big you've gotten? Don't you remember me? I'm Ari. You were too shy to play with the older children, so I came and talked to you, and we had such a good time."
"I remember! You tossed me in the air, and..." Here Pippin trailed off.
"Yes, your father was upset because he said no servant should be tossing his son. I'm sorry if I got you into trouble."
"It's alright. He gave me what I deserved when I got home." Pippin lowered his head.
"What's happened to your arm?" Marigold asked.
"I fell."
"Was that the same time you hurt your eye?"
"My eye?"
"Yes, your eye. It's blacked. Did you get hit?"
"No."
"Well, what happened?"
"I--nothing."
"Well something must have happened. You can't just get a black eye. How did it happen?"
"Do you want to have supper with us now?" Sam said, changing the conversation. He noticed how Pippin was growing increasingly uncomfortable. "Your aunt will be busy for a while, so I expect you'll be hungry?"
"No, thank you, Sam. Auntie Esme's making a big supper tonite, I don't want to miss it."
"Stay and have supper with your friends, Peregrin, your aunt won't mind."
Pippin froze, his eyes wide. His mouth opened slightly and he trembled. Sam and Marigold shot straight up out of respect. Sam bowed and Marigold curtseyed. Pippin didn't move. He stared straight ahead. His father put a hand on his shoulder, and Pippin let out an ear-piercing scream. It was so loud, the birds in the trees around the lake flew high into the air. Almost every hobbit at the market turned around to see what was going on. Paladin clapped his hand over Pippin's mouth. Pippin let out a muffled yell, and jerked his face away, biting his father's hand. Paladin let out an angry yell, and grabbed Pippin's unhurt arm.
"Come, we're going home."
"NOOOOOOOO! I don't want to go with you! NOO! Let me go!"
"Come along Peregrin--" Paladin jerked his son to his feet. "We're going home now."
"NOOOO!" Pippin tried to push his father's arm away, but Paladin had a firm grasp on his son.
"Stop it, Peregrin. You'll make a scene."
"He's already made one, Paladin."
Paladin let go of his son, who had, at the very moment, jerked away from his father. Pippin stumbled, and Sam caught him before he fell down the hill. Esmerelda stood facing her older brother, hands on her hips.
"Why aren't you home? You aren't supposed to be anywhere around your children. Get out of here."
"Ah, little sister, can't I visit my own little son? My little heir." Paladin turned toward Pippin, and a look of pure hatred flashed in his eyes at Pippin, and then to Sam as well. He then turned back to his sister.
"Pippin is a fragile child. You know I'd never hurt my son. He plays very roughly. You know how hilly it is at Tuckborough. There are many trees, and that swing your son put up in our tree, my son fell. That's how he broke his rib. His arm as well."
"Paladin, why do you lie? You almost killed your son. You keep away from him. Don't let me tell you again, or you'll be hearing from my husband."
"You don't scare me, Esme. I know how to take care of my children, and what you say doesn't make a damn bit of difference to me." Paladin turned to go, then turned and faced his son.
"I'll be back
for you."
* * *
"Madame Brandybuck, do you want me to go back to Buckland with you? I wouldn't want Mr. Paladin to come and get you while your going."
"Thank you, Sam, but your father, wouldn't he worry?"
"Oh, nome, he wouldn't at all. Marigold can tell him where I went. He wouldn't mind so much."
"Alright, Sam, you come along with us. We'll send a carriage back with you and next time we come to Hobbiton, we'll get it. Have Frodo put it in the stables."
"Yes, ma'am. Are you ready to leave, ma'am?"
"Yes, I think we are. I don't think Pippin wants to stay here anymore."
They were standing by the stables, waiting for the carriage to be hooked up to the horse. An invitation from Bilbo for tea was accepted, and it took much persuation from Esmerelda to allow them to leave. Bilbo had even invited Sam and Marigold as well.
At her brother's
words, Marigold had run off back to Hobbiton with a message to their parents
that Sam was going to Brandy Hall as a sort of escort. Pippin was being
held by his aunt, and was sobbing on her shoulder. When the carriage pulled
up, Sam, carrying the bags of food, nodded for Esmerelda to climb in first.
She did, and sat Pippin on her lap, who was still crying. Sam climbed in
and sat on the other side. The cabbie, as you could say, urged the horse
to a trot, and they headed off towards Buckland.
* * *
Halfway there, Pippin fell asleep on his aunt's shoulder. The darkness crept into the sky as they came to the mile mark from the Brandywine River. Sam, who had never been quite this far from Hobbiton before, was surprised by the beauty of the woods. He heard a rustling in the leaves and thought of the squirrels that frequently nested in holes and nests in the gardens at Bag End. When the carriage rolled around to the Brandywine Bridge, they had to get out and walk the remaining half mile to Brandy Hall. The bridge was not wide enough to let the carriage through. It was late, so Esmerelda had convinced Sam to stay the night. As they walked across the bridge, Pippin had woken up and decided he wanted to walk. He took Sam's hand, and they ran ahead. Esmerelda stayed behind to speak with the cabbie's family.
"Come on Sam! Come and see, you've never been to Buckland, look! See the river, Merry and I were playing here just a couple days ago. And I have to show you my dove, I found it, its wing is hurt, but you can go swimming with us tomorrow!"
"Begging your pardon, Master Pippin, but I can't swim."
"Well, Merry can teach you!"
"I'd rather--"
(1)
"What's wrong,
Sam?"
"I can hear something following us. It doesn't sound like your aunt."
Pippin stopped talking and they waited. Pippin tapped his foot impatiently.
"I can't hear anything, Sam."
"I hear something rustling along. When we stop, I don't hear it. Strange, it is."
"I can't hear anything!"
Sam lowered his voice. "Walk a little ahead, but we don't move much, and that pest will come up again."
Pippin and Sam and Pippin walked slowly, and Pippin strained to hear. Suddenly his eyes widened.
"I hear it now."
"Come, walk faster, Master Pippin."
Sam and Pippin ran, and the two young lads were across the bridge and only 1/4 of a mile from Brandy Hall. They could see the lights lighting up the rooms. But almost suddenly, someone sprang out and grabbed them. The figure grabbed Sam by the hair and pulled him backwards. Pippin was knocked on the ground and rolled a couple feet out of the way. Sam, using all this strength, shoved the figure off of him, but the figure aimed a kick at him. Sam yelled out for Pippin to run.(1)
"Master Pippin! Go, run to get your uncle, hurry!"
"Pippin, who had been knocked down by the figure, ran towards the house, but the figure had abandoned Sam grabbed Pippin by the ankle. Pippin fell, and the figure turned him around and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck. Pippin screamed loudly again, even as in the darkness the hands groped to find his mouth and cover it. Pippin bit down on the fingers hard and kept screaming. A curse was heard in the dark. Pippin knew that voice...
From inside Brandy Hall, the scream was heard. Paladin heard the yells from far away, and he shoved his face to Pippin's.
"The next time, you won't be so lucky. Next time, no one will hear you scream. No one will come to help you."
He dropped Pippin on the ground, turned on his heels and ran.
Sam and Pippin were laying on the ground, hoping to catch their breath. Almost at the same time that Esmerelda arrived, Merry and his father arrived.
"What happened?" Saradoc exclaimed.
"Sam? What're you doing here?" Merry asked. He stooped down and picked up Pippin, who promptly buried his face on his cousin's shoulder and cried.
"It was Mr. Paladin, sir, if you don't mind me saying. He jumped out of the woods, and grabbed my hair and kicked me. He didn't get to Master Pippin. I was trying to keep him away, if you follow me. Lucky Master Pippin screamed, and you all came running, and that's it."
"Well, Sam, I dare say you saved Pippin's life. Are you staying the night?"
"Oh, I suppose, yes sir."
"Well Merry, you take Sam and Pippin to your room. Your mother and I need to talk."
"Yes, Papa. Come on, Sam. I can show you my room. You've never been here before, have you?"
Esmerelda looked at her husband, and then followed the boys towards the house.
* * *