The Grand Snowball War
By Nevaeh Elenath
Featuring:
Frodo's Team: Merry's Team: Frodo Baggins Merry Brandybuck Tobias Brandybuck Pippin Took Halfred Gamgee Samwise Gamgee Reginard Took Hamson Gamgee Everard Took Tom Cotton Lanthir Elenath Alimic Took Nevaeh Elenath Rosie Cotton
Chapter one
The Choosing.
"I choose . . . Pippin Took," Merry said grinning at me.
"Fine, I'll choose . . . Reginard Took," I said.
"Okay, I'll choose, Samwise!" Merry said triumphantly.
"Putting my own friend against me!" I snapped dramatically.
"Of course! 'Tis a Bucklander's way to put friend against friend!" Merry said folding his arms across his chest.
"If that is your game then I choose . . . Tobias Brandybuck!" I yelled.
"What?! He is my cousin!" Merry yelled.
"Well then obviously he's my cousin as well!" I pointed out sarcastically.
"Oh, well . . . I choose Hamson!!!!" Merry said boastfully.
"What?! He could beat us all single-handedly!" I said, as Hamson laughed.
"Exactly! He'll prove us a fine victory!" Merry sneered playfully.
"You Buckland rat! I choose Halfred! Ha now you can't put the whole Gamgee family against me!" I leered.
"I'll choose . . . Rosie Cotton!" He replied grinning.
"A girl?! I didn't think you'd sink so low Captain Merry!" I said dramatically.
"Well for your information Captain Baggins! I'm a good thrower!" Rosie snapped teasingly.
"Hmm, I'll choose Lanthir Elenath!" I said smiling.
"You IMP! He has grand elvish powers! He'll beat us all!" Merry yelled as Lanthir gave him a playful punch on the shoulder.
"A good match for powerful Hamson Gamgee!" I shot back.
"I'm hurt! I'll choose . . . Tom Cotton!" Merry yelled.
"Everard Took! Come on!" I said.
"Ah, Alimic Took you're on the best team!" Merry said.
"Oh no! You've left me with nothing but a girl! The horrors of it all!" I said faking despair, "Fine!!! come on Nevaeh Elenath!" She punched me on the shoulder as she came up to me, "You rapscallion!" she hissed jestingly
I looked at my team, I was proud of them, each one had their own qualities; Tobias Brandybuck was a small rather scrawny lad around my age, with light brown hair and livid green eyes, he was excellent at dodging snowballs and making them, even if he couldn't throw very well. Halfred Gamgee was a stockier hobbit-lad, one year my junior, with hazel eyes and brownish-blond hair, he was a superb thrower but a little weak with 'sword' skills, which we often used in snowball fights. Reginard Took was one of my closer cousins, also one year my junior, he was a rather slender brown-haired grey-eyed Took, but was very fast, and an excellent 'sword' fighter. Then came Everard Took, he was Reginard's younger brother, and looked a lot like him, although he did have blue eyes, he was a much better thrower than his brother, but his sword skills were not the best at all. Then of course there was Lanthir Elenath, Merry was right, there was something almost elf-like about him. His quick precision timing, his smooth, agile fighting style, and his piercing blue eyes, in contrast to his raven black hair, he also seemed to have a sense of knowing when and where an attack was coming before it actually came. He was my elder by only three years but his swordsmanship excelled mine greatly. Nevaeh Elenath, born exactly a month after me was also very elf-like in her swordsmanship, smoothly going from one attack position from another, so rapidly sometimes you might miss it. Her looks made you think she was not so good at fighting, with the same raven black hair as her brother, only it was pierced by golden streaks of color, and her vivid green eyes, with a slender form.
"Come men, and er woman!" I said pacing my 'ranks', "I'm about to set your duties, Tobias, you're our armory supplier, make sure we have plenty of snowballs, and 'swords'"
"Yes sir! I shall do my best!" he said immediately kneeling behind our fort to make the snowballs.
"Halfred, you shall be our, er, medic, and attack coordinator," I said trying not to smile.
"Yes sir! I shall tend to the wounded and plan our every attack!" He said saluting me playfully.
"Reginard, you are our attack captain, you shall lead us to victory!" I said dramatically.
"I shall sir! Or die trying!" He said a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth.
"Everard! I want you to help your brother, because I'm running out of ideas of what you can be," I said winking at him.
"YES SIR!" he yelled grinning.
"Wipe that smile off your face maggot!" I teased.
"And you two," I said pausing in front of Nevaeh and Lanthir, "you will be our main soldiers, are you willing to fight to the death?"
"Yes sir!" they said in unison.
"But you! What did you call me earlier?" I asked Nevaeh.
"I called you a rapscallion, sir," she said putting extra sarcasm on the 'sir'.
"What exactly does that mean?" I barked, in feigned anger.
"It's just the same thing as an imp," she replied acidly.
"I'll have none of your cheek miss," I said trying to hide my grin, "To war!!" As those words escaped my lips, everyone began throwing snowballs at each other, yelling and screaming threats, such as "rapscallions will die by the sheer fright of us" (that one was Nevaeh) or "death to the half- breed Brandybuck's team" soon no one had anymore snowballs so we broke out our sticks and went into hand to hand combat.
I was fighting, at first, with Pippin, but wiped him out easily. Then I was fighting Merry, it was Captain against Captain.
"You'll pay for killing my Lt.!" he snapped. "Will I?" I asked, "or will you pay for killing my medic?" "You imp! I did not kill your medic!" Merry said. "Oh, you didn't, well, You'll pay for trying to kill me!" I said. "Not if I can help it!" yelled Sam thrusting his 'sword' between my arm and my torso. "Sam! I thought you were my friend!" I yelled as I 'died' dramatically. "You killed the Captain!" said Lanthir, "you will pay!!!" He immediately attack both Sam and Merry. I watched him fight it was quite good in contrast to Sam and Merry's less elegant style. "YOU foul, YOU evil, little scamps!" he yelled, lurching his 'sword' into Merry who 'died' almost instantly. "Now it's your turn you double-dealer!" Lanthir yelled pretending to stab Sam in the heart. Sam fell, and looked at him, "you will pay! HAMSON!!!" he yelled.
Lanthir spun around as stocky Hamson charged on him. He quickly parried the blow and sent one of his own, which was blocked as well. I turned my attention Tobias who was fighting with Alimic Took, they were a perfect match, each one very slender, their swordsmanship a bit choppy, not the best, but they did well together. Then I saw just in time to see Reginard and Everard get cut down by Tom Cotton. "My men our dead or dying!" I said to Merry who had fallen just parallel to me. "Ha! That means my team is best!" he retorted.
"Will you two shut up! You're dead!" came Nevaeh's voice. I looked over at her, she was in combat with Rosie Cotton, who was, surprisingly, good. "Nevaeh Look out!" yelled Lanthir as he parried a blow. Tom Cotton was advancing on her. She quickly 'killed' him with one simple 'cut' across his torso, then went back to Rosie. Lanthir turned on Hamson who swung down with his 'sword' but Lanthir swiftly jumped behind him and 'stabbed' him in the back. "Ha! I've 'killed' your mightiest warrior!" he yelled triumphantly. "Nooooooo!" yelled Merry. "Shut up!" I said kicking him.
Lanthir moved swiftly to Alimic Took and 'killed' him as well. Then Tobias and Lanthir moved to where Rosie and Nevaeh were fighting, and they all formed a circle around her, "Give up! You're the last of your team alive!" Tobias said smiling. "Never! I will defend my team until I 'die'!" she yelled dramatically. "I can arrange that," Nevaeh said flipping Rosie sword out her hands. "Now will you surrender?" Lanthir asked. Rosie looked up at him, "NO!" she screamed. "Have it your way then," Lanthir said nodding to the other two. In perfect timing they all 'stabbed' her and she 'died' quite dramatically.
"Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah for Captain Frodo's army!" Nevaeh yelled walking over to me, "Now I shall bring our Captain back to life, ah Elbereth, Gilthoniel, edro lîn hin," . At that moment I stood up, "you have honored my team well, you shall all get medals of honored, I believe the 'Elf Warrior' medal will do very well," I said smiling, "of course that's after we celebrate our victory!"
* * * "Cheers to Frodo's team!" Lanthir said raising his glass of apple cider, as we all sat in Bag End warming up by the fire. "Cheers!" echoed every one else. I smiled happy of my victory, and the warm fire and warm apple cider. "Goodness, all of you must of froze to death out there," Bilbo said smiling. "Pretty close," answered Pippin. "Which one of you was the first to die?" Bilbo asked. Halfed obediently raised his hand, "I got caught in an ambush,"
"Frodo can I talk to you?" whispered a voice by my ear, I turned there stood Nevaeh red-cheeked and wrapped up in a blanket. "Yes," I said, curious. We walked unnoticed into the kitchen. "Here I want you to have this book," She said, handing me a blue leather-bound book that said The Journey of the Elenath Star. In silver printing. "Lanthir and I wrote it ourselves, consider it a late birthday present," She said. "Wow thanks, I don't know what to say," I said. "You can say that I'm a rapscallion if you've ever seen one," She answered. "I've been brought up not to insult girls," I said cooly. "Then what was that on the battlefield?" she asked teasingly. "Oh well you don't really count you rapscallion," I chuckled. "Ooh! You half-breed Brandybuck!" she said hitting me on the shoulder. "Ow! That hurt!" I said smiling. "It should," she said as she went back into the sitting room. Smiling I followed her, hearing her whisper "rapscallion" over shoulder.
The End
Featuring:
Frodo's Team: Merry's Team: Frodo Baggins Merry Brandybuck Tobias Brandybuck Pippin Took Halfred Gamgee Samwise Gamgee Reginard Took Hamson Gamgee Everard Took Tom Cotton Lanthir Elenath Alimic Took Nevaeh Elenath Rosie Cotton
Chapter one
The Choosing.
"I choose . . . Pippin Took," Merry said grinning at me.
"Fine, I'll choose . . . Reginard Took," I said.
"Okay, I'll choose, Samwise!" Merry said triumphantly.
"Putting my own friend against me!" I snapped dramatically.
"Of course! 'Tis a Bucklander's way to put friend against friend!" Merry said folding his arms across his chest.
"If that is your game then I choose . . . Tobias Brandybuck!" I yelled.
"What?! He is my cousin!" Merry yelled.
"Well then obviously he's my cousin as well!" I pointed out sarcastically.
"Oh, well . . . I choose Hamson!!!!" Merry said boastfully.
"What?! He could beat us all single-handedly!" I said, as Hamson laughed.
"Exactly! He'll prove us a fine victory!" Merry sneered playfully.
"You Buckland rat! I choose Halfred! Ha now you can't put the whole Gamgee family against me!" I leered.
"I'll choose . . . Rosie Cotton!" He replied grinning.
"A girl?! I didn't think you'd sink so low Captain Merry!" I said dramatically.
"Well for your information Captain Baggins! I'm a good thrower!" Rosie snapped teasingly.
"Hmm, I'll choose Lanthir Elenath!" I said smiling.
"You IMP! He has grand elvish powers! He'll beat us all!" Merry yelled as Lanthir gave him a playful punch on the shoulder.
"A good match for powerful Hamson Gamgee!" I shot back.
"I'm hurt! I'll choose . . . Tom Cotton!" Merry yelled.
"Everard Took! Come on!" I said.
"Ah, Alimic Took you're on the best team!" Merry said.
"Oh no! You've left me with nothing but a girl! The horrors of it all!" I said faking despair, "Fine!!! come on Nevaeh Elenath!" She punched me on the shoulder as she came up to me, "You rapscallion!" she hissed jestingly
I looked at my team, I was proud of them, each one had their own qualities; Tobias Brandybuck was a small rather scrawny lad around my age, with light brown hair and livid green eyes, he was excellent at dodging snowballs and making them, even if he couldn't throw very well. Halfred Gamgee was a stockier hobbit-lad, one year my junior, with hazel eyes and brownish-blond hair, he was a superb thrower but a little weak with 'sword' skills, which we often used in snowball fights. Reginard Took was one of my closer cousins, also one year my junior, he was a rather slender brown-haired grey-eyed Took, but was very fast, and an excellent 'sword' fighter. Then came Everard Took, he was Reginard's younger brother, and looked a lot like him, although he did have blue eyes, he was a much better thrower than his brother, but his sword skills were not the best at all. Then of course there was Lanthir Elenath, Merry was right, there was something almost elf-like about him. His quick precision timing, his smooth, agile fighting style, and his piercing blue eyes, in contrast to his raven black hair, he also seemed to have a sense of knowing when and where an attack was coming before it actually came. He was my elder by only three years but his swordsmanship excelled mine greatly. Nevaeh Elenath, born exactly a month after me was also very elf-like in her swordsmanship, smoothly going from one attack position from another, so rapidly sometimes you might miss it. Her looks made you think she was not so good at fighting, with the same raven black hair as her brother, only it was pierced by golden streaks of color, and her vivid green eyes, with a slender form.
"Come men, and er woman!" I said pacing my 'ranks', "I'm about to set your duties, Tobias, you're our armory supplier, make sure we have plenty of snowballs, and 'swords'"
"Yes sir! I shall do my best!" he said immediately kneeling behind our fort to make the snowballs.
"Halfred, you shall be our, er, medic, and attack coordinator," I said trying not to smile.
"Yes sir! I shall tend to the wounded and plan our every attack!" He said saluting me playfully.
"Reginard, you are our attack captain, you shall lead us to victory!" I said dramatically.
"I shall sir! Or die trying!" He said a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth.
"Everard! I want you to help your brother, because I'm running out of ideas of what you can be," I said winking at him.
"YES SIR!" he yelled grinning.
"Wipe that smile off your face maggot!" I teased.
"And you two," I said pausing in front of Nevaeh and Lanthir, "you will be our main soldiers, are you willing to fight to the death?"
"Yes sir!" they said in unison.
"But you! What did you call me earlier?" I asked Nevaeh.
"I called you a rapscallion, sir," she said putting extra sarcasm on the 'sir'.
"What exactly does that mean?" I barked, in feigned anger.
"It's just the same thing as an imp," she replied acidly.
"I'll have none of your cheek miss," I said trying to hide my grin, "To war!!" As those words escaped my lips, everyone began throwing snowballs at each other, yelling and screaming threats, such as "rapscallions will die by the sheer fright of us" (that one was Nevaeh) or "death to the half- breed Brandybuck's team" soon no one had anymore snowballs so we broke out our sticks and went into hand to hand combat.
I was fighting, at first, with Pippin, but wiped him out easily. Then I was fighting Merry, it was Captain against Captain.
"You'll pay for killing my Lt.!" he snapped. "Will I?" I asked, "or will you pay for killing my medic?" "You imp! I did not kill your medic!" Merry said. "Oh, you didn't, well, You'll pay for trying to kill me!" I said. "Not if I can help it!" yelled Sam thrusting his 'sword' between my arm and my torso. "Sam! I thought you were my friend!" I yelled as I 'died' dramatically. "You killed the Captain!" said Lanthir, "you will pay!!!" He immediately attack both Sam and Merry. I watched him fight it was quite good in contrast to Sam and Merry's less elegant style. "YOU foul, YOU evil, little scamps!" he yelled, lurching his 'sword' into Merry who 'died' almost instantly. "Now it's your turn you double-dealer!" Lanthir yelled pretending to stab Sam in the heart. Sam fell, and looked at him, "you will pay! HAMSON!!!" he yelled.
Lanthir spun around as stocky Hamson charged on him. He quickly parried the blow and sent one of his own, which was blocked as well. I turned my attention Tobias who was fighting with Alimic Took, they were a perfect match, each one very slender, their swordsmanship a bit choppy, not the best, but they did well together. Then I saw just in time to see Reginard and Everard get cut down by Tom Cotton. "My men our dead or dying!" I said to Merry who had fallen just parallel to me. "Ha! That means my team is best!" he retorted.
"Will you two shut up! You're dead!" came Nevaeh's voice. I looked over at her, she was in combat with Rosie Cotton, who was, surprisingly, good. "Nevaeh Look out!" yelled Lanthir as he parried a blow. Tom Cotton was advancing on her. She quickly 'killed' him with one simple 'cut' across his torso, then went back to Rosie. Lanthir turned on Hamson who swung down with his 'sword' but Lanthir swiftly jumped behind him and 'stabbed' him in the back. "Ha! I've 'killed' your mightiest warrior!" he yelled triumphantly. "Nooooooo!" yelled Merry. "Shut up!" I said kicking him.
Lanthir moved swiftly to Alimic Took and 'killed' him as well. Then Tobias and Lanthir moved to where Rosie and Nevaeh were fighting, and they all formed a circle around her, "Give up! You're the last of your team alive!" Tobias said smiling. "Never! I will defend my team until I 'die'!" she yelled dramatically. "I can arrange that," Nevaeh said flipping Rosie sword out her hands. "Now will you surrender?" Lanthir asked. Rosie looked up at him, "NO!" she screamed. "Have it your way then," Lanthir said nodding to the other two. In perfect timing they all 'stabbed' her and she 'died' quite dramatically.
"Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah for Captain Frodo's army!" Nevaeh yelled walking over to me, "Now I shall bring our Captain back to life, ah Elbereth, Gilthoniel, edro lîn hin," . At that moment I stood up, "you have honored my team well, you shall all get medals of honored, I believe the 'Elf Warrior' medal will do very well," I said smiling, "of course that's after we celebrate our victory!"
* * * "Cheers to Frodo's team!" Lanthir said raising his glass of apple cider, as we all sat in Bag End warming up by the fire. "Cheers!" echoed every one else. I smiled happy of my victory, and the warm fire and warm apple cider. "Goodness, all of you must of froze to death out there," Bilbo said smiling. "Pretty close," answered Pippin. "Which one of you was the first to die?" Bilbo asked. Halfed obediently raised his hand, "I got caught in an ambush,"
"Frodo can I talk to you?" whispered a voice by my ear, I turned there stood Nevaeh red-cheeked and wrapped up in a blanket. "Yes," I said, curious. We walked unnoticed into the kitchen. "Here I want you to have this book," She said, handing me a blue leather-bound book that said The Journey of the Elenath Star. In silver printing. "Lanthir and I wrote it ourselves, consider it a late birthday present," She said. "Wow thanks, I don't know what to say," I said. "You can say that I'm a rapscallion if you've ever seen one," She answered. "I've been brought up not to insult girls," I said cooly. "Then what was that on the battlefield?" she asked teasingly. "Oh well you don't really count you rapscallion," I chuckled. "Ooh! You half-breed Brandybuck!" she said hitting me on the shoulder. "Ow! That hurt!" I said smiling. "It should," she said as she went back into the sitting room. Smiling I followed her, hearing her whisper "rapscallion" over shoulder.
The End