Disclaimer: These hobbits are not mine; they belong to JRR Tolkien.
A/N: Remember the first warm days in late spring when it was absolutely beautiful outside? Everything green, the air warm and fragrant, and the clear sky a deep blue... Remember how painful it was to sit and focus in class? To not call in sick at work? This story is dedicated to those who have felt that tug. Enjoy...
IRREPRESSIBLE PIPPIN
The Great Escape
It began as one of those spring days where you just can't focus on anything. The spring rains had stopped, the buds on the ends of tree branches burst with small green leaves and the grass was once again green. The sky was virtually cloudless; a few small puffs slowly floating across the blue heavens of the Shire. It was one of those days where being indoors is the last place anyone would want to be.
Pippin sat his study desk unable to do just that: concentrate. He turned around in his chair and looked back at his private Tutor, Master Breddo Goldwine, sitting quietly upon the sofa near the door as if he were guarding it. Almost immediately, Master Breddo caught Pippin's gaze. He did not lift his head from the book he was reading--just his eyes; his brow wrinkled as his gaze looked over the top of book. "Questions, Master Peregrin?"
Pippin sighed. "No, sir." He turned back around and propped his left arm onto the desk and let his head settle into his hand. He fidgeted with the lead stick in his fingers. The silence and the tick-tock of the grandfather clock in the corner of the room was driving him loony. Every arithmetic problem had been solved, every history book assigned to him today had been read and written about. Each time he handed in his completed work to his Tutor, more assignments would be piled onto him. He purposely drove himself to finish all his studies far ahead of schedule today thinking Master Breddo would release him early. So far his work ethic hadn't paid off.
An idea came to mind; Pippin unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled up his sleeves. Then he busied himself with writing out a few more calculations on the worksheet that Breddo handed him a few minutes ago. Little by little he lowered his head towards his paper. Surreptitiously he laid down his lead stick and then pinched his cheeks a few times. He picked up the lead stick and again began writing. After a moment he dramatically laid down the stick and stood up, addressing his elder.
"Master Breddo, may I open a window, please?" He tugged on his shirt collar for emphasis, "it's quite stuffy in here."
Pippin saw Breddo catch his eyes from the sofa. Surely he must see the red cheeks, but Breddo held his gaze. Inwardly, Pippin became nervous, but was careful to make sure it didn't show. He knows I'm up to something, he thought.
After a long moment, Breddo finally consented. "Very well, Master Peregrin. Be quick about it, and return to your seat." He emphasized the last part.
"Yes, sir." Pippin made his way over to the window nearer to the far wall; it was the farthest from Breddo. Silently Pippin wondered if the old hobbit ever took a day off. The huge, red satin drapes were already drawn to either side; Pippin pulled the sheer curtains aside and unlocked the window latch. It had been months since it was last open, so Pippin paused before he gave it a bit of force. When he paused, he noticed a pony-drawn wagon in the far corner of the meadow. He also noticed that a small crowd of tweens gathered inside the wagon and around it. He knew them to be two of his sisters and a group of cousins; he watched as they all waved towards the window.
After the first few warm days had arrived in the Shire, they all had made plans to go to Bywater and spend the day wading in the pool. There was only one problem with that plan: Pippin was receiving very costly extended lessons from the great Master Breddo. A highly sought out private Tutor for those who could afford him.
Lawks! How am I going to run all that way and not get caught? Pippin put his attention back to the window and pulled up on the window sash with all his strength. He closed his eyes and smiled as the warm fresh breeze blew against his face and tussled his hair. He heard birds chirping among the gardens below as he filled his lungs with the soothing fragrance of roses and honeysuckle. He opened his eyes and looked down. His eyes went wide at the drop; it was a grassy incline, but very steep. He decided he would only use that route in desperation. At length, one of the tweens broke away from the group and was running towards the open window. He waved his hands at the runner--giving the sign to stay back.
"Master Peregrin!"
Pippin abruptly turned to face his Tutor. Thinking his hand-waving attracted the old hobbit's attention, Pippin began flapping his arms up and down to imitate the cooling of himself. "Sir, I was just breathing in the fresh air. It felt good to stand in front of the open window."
For the first time in the last hour, Master Breddo got up from his place on the sofa, laying aside the book he was reading. He walked over to where Pippin stood and said, "If you stand in front of the open window, as heated up as you claim to be, you will catch your death!" Breddo placed his hands on top of the sash and slammed the window down. Pippin startled at the thud. As Breddo returned to the sofa Pippin stole a glance back down at the garden to see that the runner had hidden himself behind a shrub. He breathed a sigh of relief. That was too close!
As he made to draw the sheers closed, Pippin gazed again down towards the shrub his friend had hidden himself behind. He was gone. This puzzled the teen, but he trusted his friends as how to best proceed from here. He returned to the seat at his desk, sitting miserably as he once again lifted the lead stick; making a pretense of working out his calculations. Several long minutes passed by when a knock was heard on the door.
Master Breddo did a downward twirl with his forefinger, indicating for Pippin to turn back around in his chair. "I shall answer the door, lad." When Breddo opened the door, a young servant lad in his tweens handed the Tutor a note, but said nothing. Breddo unfolded the paper and read it's contents; his lips moving silently as he formed the words. Presently, Breddo looked over at Pippin, "Your father requests my presence in his office. I shall return directly--and stay in your seat!"
Pippin twisted back around in frustration and sighed. He folded his arms in front of him on the desk. He would do no more assignments; he'd had his fill of Master Breddo for today. He was beginning to entertain the idea of escaping on his own while his Tutor was gone when he heard a "Pssst!" He turned in his seat to make sure Breddo wasn't anywhere to be seen. It was the servant lad peeking his head inside the room. "Pssst!!" Pippin rose from his desk and went to the door.
"Master Peregrin...I was told to tell ye that I was bribed to deliver that note." The servant furtively smiled as he pulled from his pocket two silver pennies. "And to tell ye that Master Merry's waitin' at the shrub."
Pippin smiled back at the servant, "Thank you, Degger! I won't forget this!" Pippin wasted no time in finding the nearest exit out of the Smials.
***
"Come in." Paladin answered to the knock on his door. He looked up from the documents he was reading as the highly paid Tutor approached his desk. "Ah! Master Goldwine," Paladin stood up to shake his hand. "this is a pleasant surprise! How is Pippin faring with his studies?"
Breddo cleared his throat, making no reciprocating gesture, "Sir, you summoned me."
Paladin's brow wrinkled as he searched through his mind--how could he forget sending the Master a note? Because he didn't. He took back the hand he offered and sat back down at his desk.
"Master Goldwine--may I call you Breddo?"
"Master Breddo will do."
Paladin scratched his head, grinning at the stuffiness of his guest. Well, Master Breddo", giving the same inflection the old hobbit did, "I don't recall summoning you at all. Do you know what it is I called you for?"
Breddo felt his time was being wasted on this rustic upstart. He thrust out the note and let it sail onto Paladin's desk. "I take it this is your note." Replied Breddo in a snide tone.
Paladin was not amused. His cousin the Thain, Ferumbras III, recommended this Tutor for Pippin's studies, now that the lad was destined for Thain. He took the note that Breddo so rudely tossed and read it. "Well, Master Breddo," Paladin replied, chuckling, "this isn't my script." He tossed the note back onto the desk, and leaned back in his leather chair.
"Whose is it?" Breddo demanded.
Paladin shrugged. "It's not mine, and it's not my son's." He knew the script to be that of his nephew, Merry, but wasn't about to divulge that information to the arrogant hobbit. He knew his nephew, daughters, and their cousins all had plans for the day, but little did he realize those plans included his young son. Well, he should have known better, anyway. Paladin gazed towards the open window of his office, feeling a warm, summer-like breeze touch his skin. He looked outside the window at the sunshine and blue sky; yearning to be a boy again--shirking off the heavy cloak of responsibilities and jumping into the pool at Bywater with his friends.
Breddo followed his gaze, and then saw two figures running full speed towards a waiting wagon; one figure was considerably smaller than the other. He stepped closer to the open window with his mouth gaping wide open. Never before had he met a child so impudent. "Master Peregrin!" He yelled out of the window, spittle flying in his fury, "Return to your studies this instant!" It seemed the lads picked up speed as they ran after the slowly moving vehicle; both being brought up into the wagon by their waiting friends, beginning with the smaller one.
Paladin stood up from his chair; smiling as he watched the boys going off to spend the day in the sunshine. Childhood comes only once, he thought. "Master Breddo," He began, but was cut off by the old hobbit.
Breddo huffed condescendingly, "Mister Paladin, do you not understand that you hired me to teach your son higher learning?"
The smile faded from Paladin's lips. "Master Breddo, I understand more than you think I do. Yes--I hired you to be my son's Tutor--not his Warden." Paladin put his hands in his pockets, grinning as he nodded towards the window, "And I suppose this will be the last time you underestimate my son's intelligence as well." Paladin found the whole situation rather humorous; he sat down again in his chair, smirking at the now humbled Tutor. "You've just been outwitted by two young lads--one of them only turned thirteen a few days ago!"
Master Breddo wasn't smiling.
Paladin stopped needling the elder hobbit and grew serious. "Come now, Master Breddo, he's just a boy; the son of a farmer. He isn't used to being cooped up all day indoors." Paladin held out his hand, indicating for Breddo to sit down. "Did he finish all of his assignments?"
"Well ahead of time."
Paladin nodded. "I used to let him go outside and play if he worked hard and finished all of what I assigned him for the day. I believe he thought you would do the same."
Breddo only gazed at Paladin, unnerving him a bit. He felt as if he was under the scrutiny of his own father as when he was a young lad. But it was only a for a brief moment. He took in a deep breath, smelling the fresh air. "You may keep our originally bargained salary, Master Breddo, however, I want Pippin's study hours changed. He is to be released at noon until the harvest, at which time he may resume studies until tea."
"But, sir, how do you expect him to be ready for his responsibilities as Thain?"
"Pippin is a very clever boy; he will be ready when that day comes--and that won't happen for a long time. I have full confidence in your ability to see that he is ready. But for now, he is a boy--let him be a boy for as long as he's able to." Then Paladin rose from his seat, indicating the meeting was over. "Good day, Master Breddo. I'll see you early in the morning."