A/N: I profusely apologize for leaving everyone hanging for so long--I've not done it before, and I will try to never do it again! Thanks to everyone for your wonderful responses and much needed input: Pearl Took, French Pony, Brachan90--I hope I haven't missed anyone. FP: Thanks for the 'kisser' input! I knew it was there and intended to take it out...but forgot. I have updated. Pearl: Thanks for yours as well--about the difference between hay/feed and straw...thanks! I have updated that one as well. It's been fun, but on to other stories...enjoy.

SEVEN - She's a Lady

All the way home Pippin stood up in the back of the wagon, holding onto the back of the riding bench telling his father all about the games and who won which event. "One day we'll place first in the Egg Toss, Papa, and then I'll be happy!"

"I'll be happy the day Pervinca starts to behave like a proper lady," Said Pim. She was returning from the fields along with her father.

Pervinca became angered with her sister's comment. "I am a proper lady!" Though when she said it, she still had a bit of dirt smeared on her face and grass stains on her pinafore.

"No you're not," Pippin turned about addressing his sister. "Ladies are neat and dainty! You're a...a...a girl who likes to play with the lads!" He thought he was being helpful.

Pervinca narrowed her eyes at her brother, "I am too a lady!"

Pimpernel turned and looked at Pippin, "She was a perfect little lady until you and Merry spoiled her!" She shook her head, "Teaching her how to climb trees--and using a slingshot!"

"I am still a lady!" Shouted Pervinca. Now she was so angry that hot tears were streaking down her face.

Such is life with children, thought Paladin, though it rankled him when they fussed--all at once. "All right, children, that's enough." Then Paladin heard the sniffling in the back, "That is definitely enough."

The rest of the short ride was quiet. After they got home and washed up, Pervinca refused to pass any platters at the supper table to Pim or Pippin--creating quite a ruckus, and as a result was sent to her room for the remainder of the evening. Pippin wasn't fazed; all the more food for him.

EIGHT - Promise Me

After the supper table was cleaned up Pippin ran back out to the barn and climbed up to the loft. He tested his bruised side by tugging on the hay rope. He wouldn't be doing any summersaults, but his side was well enough to simply swing out and drop onto his backside. He did this twice before he realized it wasn't the same. He sighed as he sat all alone on top of the bales. Perhaps he would go down by the stream and throw rocks. No...his mother wouldn't allow him to go by himself. He got up and climbed the ladder again, but instead of swinging out on the hay rope, he sat down on the ledge and dangled his feet. Why was Pervinca so upset with him? What did he do that made her so angry? No answers came to him. He looked again at the bales below. It was she who was angry with him, so he would have fun without her. He got up and took the rope in his hand. He launched out and let go, landing soft on his bum--and sat where he landed. As he thought more on it, he realized nothing would be fun tonight without his sister, but she now was being punished. He made his way back to the smial.

Pippin walked quietly into the study. His mother sat on the sofa threading a needle while his father sat on the opposite side reading a letter. His mother was a better target for his plan.

"Momma, may I have a piece of blackberry pie?"

Eglantine looked up from her sewing, "Peregrin Took, you just had supper--and two pieces of pie. Surely you can't be hungry already."

Well...he was a little hungry; as long as he was even a little hungry he wouldn't be lying to his mother. "My corners are still needing filled," he answered.

"Very well, lad, go and wait for me in the kitchen," She said. She set aside the dress she was mending and got up. Her husband looked up from his reading, grinning as he shook his head. They both knew what their son was up to; the same thing either one of them would be up to if it wasn't for Pippin's own thoughtfulness.

In the kitchen, Eglantine cut two slices of pie and put them on separate plates. She next pulled out a tray from the lower cupboard and began preparing yet another plate, filling it with leftover meats, gravy, and potatoes, topping it off with a chunk of buttered bread. She poured milk into two mugs and then set them on the tray along with the pies and plate.

Pippin feigned innocence, "Momma, what are you doing?"

"I'm making a supper tray for your sister," Eglantine gave her son a sideways glance, smiling at him. "She's upset right now, but hunger will overtake her before long." She slipped an extra fork on the tray before handing it to Pippin. "Be careful, or you'll spill the milk."

Eglantine followed the boy close behind as he slowly carried the tray to Pervinca's room. She knocked on the door and turned the handle to open it. Inside the bedroom, a young girl lay quietly on her bed. She sat up and wiped her eyes when she saw her mother and Pippin with a tray of food. Eglantine helped Pippin place the tray onto the little table with two chairs and then admonished the children, "Behave, now--both of you."

Even after their mother had left them, and the door was shut, Pervinca remained on her bed staring at the tray and her brother. Pippin took his pie and milk off the tray and began eating--never one to waste food. "I brought you a tray--come and eat."

Slowly, Pervinca slid off her bed, made her way to the table and sat down. She was very downhearted as she spoke softly, "I'm sorry I was rude to you at supper, Pippin."

Pippin scooped up a forkful of blackberry pie and shoved into his mouth and shrugged his shoulders. He used his fingers to wipe away the excess filling from around his mouth, and licked his sticky fingers in the process before answering her, "Why were you so angry with me?"

Pervinca sighed as she paused in her thinking--and swallowing her meat. "I was angry after Pim scolded me for not being a lady, and then you--you said I wasn't a lady, too--and that hurt me, Pippin." She leaned in for more emphasis, "But I am, Pippin--I am a lady; I just don't look like one yet. Momma said I'm in my 'tween stage." She looked baffled, "But I can't be--I'm only thirteen."

Pippin took a draught of milk to wash down his pie. He, too, paused in his eating. "I'm sorry I made you feel bad," he said, "but I thought I was helping you. You're not a lady, Pervinca--I mean...not like one of those ladies who fancies herself in front of a looking-glass all day. You're different--you're fun. You like to throw rocks and play in the games and swing from the hay rope." Pippin suddenly realized he would soon lose his only constant playmate...to growing up. He stirred the berries around in the crust with his fork, "Don't grow up and become a lady...not yet anyway."

"I have to, Pip. I can't help it," she said sadly. "I like to swing on the hay rope, but...I also like to go to tea parties. I like being a girl. Someday you'll be all grown up and won't swing on the hay rope anymore--you'll be out calling on the lasses."

Pippin wasn't so sure about that. After a silent moment he spoke, "Remember the day I told you I dropped my egg?" Pervinca nodded. Pippin went on, "Well...I didn't drop it. I overheard one lad dare another to kiss you in front of everyone so I threw it at him. No lad was going to humiliate my sister." He finished off his last bite of pie.

Pervinca smirked; she wouldn't exactly have put it in such harsh terms... "I promise I won't grow up too fast, Pip, and I promise not to spend all day looking at myself in a looking-glass."

Now Pippin smiled, "All right--but I will let you may spend just enough time in front of the glass to wash your face and comb your hair. Goodness," he rolled his eyes dramatically, "I wouldn't want to be seen with a scruffy-looking girl. The cows might run out to the pasture on their own!"

Pervinca laughed, "Make me a promise, Pip."

"What sort of promise?"

"That we'll always be friends."

She was his sister; he felt they would always indeed be friends...but he knew if he didn't promise, she would be sad. Girls were strange like that. With all the seriousness a nine year old could muster, he answered, "I promise." Then an impish grin came to his face; he could never stay serious for very long. "Now you promise me something."

"What?"

"That you'll give me half of your pie."

"Pippin--how many pieces will that make you? Wait! I'll promise you half of my pie if you promise to do my half of the chores tomorrow."

"Certainly," Pippin responded, "if you promise to let me be first on the hay rope all summer long!"

"Most definitely, Pippin," said Pervinca, "if you promise to accompany me to all my tea parties until my first beau comes calling."

Pippin shuddered at the mere thought of a bunch of girls at a tea party--this one would cost her! "Fine, if you promise to do my half of the chores--for the rest of my life!"

"All right...." On and on the laughter and false promises went until it was bath time.

NINE - Day is Done

Pippin stepped out of the wash tub and onto the cold floor, dripping water from head to toe. The water had grown lukewarm and with no more room in the tub for more hot water. He threw a large towel around himself to ward off the chill. He pulled the privacy curtain aside and then made his way over to the small fire to get warm.

Eglantine was on the other side of the washroom preparing hot water for her own bath and heard the curtain open up. "Did you wash your hair--and behind your ears?"

"Y-yes, ma'am," Pippin shivered.

"No wonder you're cold!" She reached for another towel and began to towel dry his dripping hair. She asked, "Pippin, may I see your bruise?" He pulled away just enough towel for his mother to view the recent injury. He wore it like a trophy ever since Hal called him a tough laddie. "My poor boy," she cooed. Taking another dry bath towel she draped it over his shoulders, "Go to your room and get dressed before you become sick. I'll look in on you later."

"G'night, Momma," he kissed her and scurried on to his bedroom.

He ran into his room and closed the door behind him and saw there was a small fire burning in his own hearth, but went straight to his wardrobe and took out his nightshirt. He let the towels drop to the floor as he pulled it over his head and shoved his arms into the long sleeves. He found his night-coat lying on his bed and put it on over his nightshirt. Almost immediately he felt warmth begin to flow into his limbs.

He went to his desk and slid open a drawer, taking out two small porcelain ponies and an apple. He always made sure he had a small supply of apples on hand inside his desk. The ponies were a gift from Bilbo to Paladin from a birthday long ago. Pippin discovered them the day before in his father's study while he and Pervinca played hide and seek as it rained outside. They looked so beautiful and so life-like that Pippin stole them away for a closer look in his own room. He munched on his apple as he stepped over the wet towels, taking them over to the small rug in front of his fireplace and sat down. He held one in his hand as he envisioned himself and Bilbo riding double on one of the ponies; galloping through Lake-town as the battle heated up. The flames glowed warm on Pippin's face as his imagination ran wild. The sound of the hooves pounded in his head as--

"Pippin?"

Pippin froze. "Hullo, Papa." His guilt-ridden face looked up at his father. "I...I was just borrowing them."

While his son had an apple in one hand and a pony in the other, Paladin bent down and picked up the second pony, placing it on top Pippin's desk. "I noticed they were missing yesterday," he said as he helped the boy to his feet and guided him towards the bed. "Were you not supposed to do something before you took them? You ought to know; we've discussed it many times before."

"I'm sorry, Papa."

"You're sorry because you got caught."

"I'll put them back as soon as I wake up in the morning."

"No, you won't; you have chores to do as soon as you wake up." Paladin pulled the bed linen down and lifted his son onto the bed. "You may borrow them for now, but when you're finished, please put them back where you found them. You must respect the things of others, Pippin--all right? Not because they're mine or Pearl's, but because they don't belong to you."

"Yes, Papa."

Paladin brought the covers over his son and tucked them in under the mattress. Taking the pony and apple out of Pippin's hands he placed them on the table next to the bed.

"Papa...why does Pervinca act strange?"

"Pervinca acting strange?" Paladin smirked, "Funny, she just asked me the same thing about you."

Pippin laughed at his father's jest, "No she didn't!"

Paladin sighed, "She's a girl--all girls begin acting strangely at her age."

"Will I start to act strange when I'm thirteen?"

"No, son, all lads think sensibly; either they like something, or they don't. Very simple--unlike girls who are undecided if they're in good humor or a foul mood. One day they wear their hair long, the next day it's shorn to their shoulders, and then they cry about it because it won't grow back right away. Understand?" Pippin shook his head. "Neither do I, and I've been through this thrice before with Pearl, Pim, and your mother."

"Momma acted strange?"

Paladin sat down on the bed and smiled. He had to think back a long ways into his teens for his answer, as he and his Tina were childhood sweethearts and most certainly was the love of his life. "Yes, but," he said with a gleam in his eye, "she's been a peculiar lass all her life. You must remember--she's a Banks." He winked. "We'll keep that one to ourselves, shall we?" He stood up and smoothed out the blankets again. He bent low over his son and kissed his forehead, "Goodnight, Pippin--I love you."

Pippin wrapped his arms around father's neck and returned the kiss, "Love you, too, Papa."

Pippin watched as his father turned down the lamp and shut the door when he left. He rolled over onto his good side and let his dreams take him away into a blissful slumber.

No sooner had he done this when he felt a nudge accompanied by a girl's whisper, "Pippin....time to wake up..."

~The End~