Faramir bumped into these halflings, – these 'hobbits', as they called themselves-, a couple of times now, and every time he had grown more and more fond of them. Strange, he thought of them, and very small – at he same height as a ten year old human child. But even so, they were as brave as even a grown man from Gondor could be.

Faramir had learned a few interesting facts from Mithrandir about the little people, but it wasn't enough to put an end to his curiosity. After all, two of them had saved the world from a great peril and entire darkness. Another one had not only helped in killing the witch king, but also saved lady Eowyn, Faramir's future wife. And the fourth one, the youngest of them, had managed to slay a troll, and not to mention saving Faramir's own life.

It was two days now, since the recovering of Frodo and Sam. They were mostly to be seen in their own room with the two other hobbits. Now and then they were visited by the rest of the Fellowship, and songs and laughter was to be heard from outside the room.

Faramir hesitated a little outside the door. It was halfway open and Faramir pushed it a little to peep inside. The four hobbits were sitting around a table, talking and, of course, eating.

- "Well, there's not much you can do now, Frodo," Faramir heard Pippin laugh. – "With only nine fingers, I mean."

Faramir raised his eyebrows, shocked to hear that the young hobbit could even joke about that sort of thing to the newly, recovered Frodo. The other hobbits, however, didn't seem to be startled at all.

- "I can still wrestle you to the ground, young lad," Frodo responded with a smile.

- "And beside that, Pip," Merry added. – "Frodo has Sam to watch over him, and you don't want to mess with him."

- "But then again, Merry, I've got you to watch over me," the youngster responded. – "Which means you have to fight Sam for me."

- "He's got a point there, Mr, Merry," Sam smiled.

- "Oh, damn!" Merry sighted. – "Well, Sam, what do you say? You and me, on the floor, now!"

Just then Faramir entered. The four hobbits stared at him in surprise, before they jumped up from their seats and bowed.

- "Lord, Faramir!" Frodo gasped. - "What... What an honour!"

- "Please, sit down, all of you," Faramir said. – "And it's me who should be honoured, not you." And with that he bowed.

- "Captain.. I mean lord Faramir," Sam said, blushing. – "Please, why don't you join us? We were just having a little feast. We should be very happy if you would sit down and have a bit. It would be a pleasure."

- "Oh my," Pippin rolled his eyes. – "Can't we just quit all this honour and pleasure nonsense, and sit down and eat."

- "Pippin!" Merry exclaimed and looked harsh at Pippin.

- "It's all right," Faramir laughed. - "No, it's not," Merry apologised. – "Please excuse my cousin. He is still so young, and doesn't always know what he is saying. Forgive him, I think he hit his head a little to hard in the battle."

- "Merry!" Pippin poked Merry hard in the shoulder.

- "Now, now, boys," Frodo hissed, interrupting what could have been the beginning of a fight. – "Behave yourselves, we have a guest!"

Finally they were all seated around the table. Faramir sat in the middle of Sam and Pippin. The table were, of course, to small for a grown man, but still he found a position which was very suitable for him.

- "If I were you, lord Faramir," Pippin began, but then he quickly added, - not wanting to get into any trouble for saying something wrong. – "Which I am not, of course." He glanced over at the three hobbits, looking a bit uncomfortable, but then he continued. – "Err, I guess you haven't tried a blueberry pie made by a hobbit before?" Faramir shook his head.

- "Well, then, if I were you I would try one." Pippin took a slice of the pie, and gave it to Faramir. – "It's the best pie ever. Made by Sam, you should know."

- "Really?" Faramir took a bite, and as Pippin said, it tasted very good. Not to anyone's surprise though.

- "Mr. Pippin is exaggerating," Sam blushed.

- "No, he is not," Frodo laughed. – "But be careful though. It's a known fact that blueberry stains are the worst sort to clean."

- "Yes, you should have seen Pip after his first meeting with a blueberry pie," Merry told Faramir. – "He had blue stains all over him, and he looked so cute."

- "He looked hilarious," Frodo corrected him. They both started to laugh. Pippin on the other hand didn't seem that annoyed at all of being laughed at.

- "Oh, just you laugh," he said calmly, reaching for another slice of the pie. – "But as I recall Bilbo telling me, you had a terrible time getting the stains cleaned of me."

- "You're not all cousin, are you?" Faramir asked suddenly. He knew that Merry and Pippin were, but then again Mithrandir had mention something about Frodo and Pippin also being cousins.

- "No," Merry answered. – "Pippin, Frodo and I are, but Sam..."

- "Is Frodo's gardener," Faramir finished with a smile. – "I remember. But there was something else I was wondering about..." Just then Gandalf entered the room.

- "I wouldn't go there if I were you, Faramir," he said. – "If there's one thing hobbits are good at, it is talking about their families, not to mention talking about both food and pipeweed. Merry here, especially, can talk four hours if he first get started."

- "Gandalf, you're insulting me," Merry pouted.

- "Still, he is right," Pippin laughed.

- "Well, yes.. But still.."

- "So, what brings you here, Gandalf?" Frodo asked. – "Did you come to join us as well?"

- "Actually, I came here to tell Faramir that lady Eowyn is waiting for him. You will find her in her own room."

- "Thank you, Mithrandir," Faramir smiled. Then he looked at the hobbits. – "Well, I'm sorry to tell you I have to go. But it was a pleasure meeting you all again."

- "Our pleasure," Pippin corrected.

- "yes, and come back soon," Merry added. – "And please take Eowyn with you then. It would be nice to see her again. You will say hello from me?"

- "Of course," Faramir smiled, and then he left the room.

Outside he stopped for a while, peeping yet again inside the room. The four hobbits were now in a new discussion with the old wizard. Faramir though he could hear Merry mention something about how well educated hobbits were. And then Pippin added that the wizard being too old to understand the function of hobbits nowadays. Faramir shook his head and smiled. He figured that he had to come back soon to find out how the discussion went. And maybe find out more about the 'functions' of hobbits. With that in mind, he went to meet the lady.