Title: Wild Rose Bloom'n

Yay, you've come back once more! So happy to have you guys reading!

PS: Is it Tuckborough of Tookborough?? I've seen it as both, but hey-I'm using the first one! ;) Oh, and yes, Hai-I play the fiddle and viola, so I know a lot about stringed instruments! :) PSS: Just a quick reminder: About two years has passed and here are about the hobbit's ages: Pippin- 10, Merry- 18, Samwise- 20, Frodo- 32.

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The Shire, Tuckborough 3000, the Third Age

Before the sunlight blessed the Shire's lush land, Pippin was walking towards the base of a large oak tree. He set the fiddle case down and unbuttoned the straps of the cover on the gentle grass. He slowly pulled out the gleaming fiddle and wiped the surface of it with the end of his shirt. He didn't have a proper dusting cloth but he wanted the fiddle to look perfect everytime before he played. He set one side of the scroll against his knee while he turned the pegs to tune the strings. He learned how to tune finally from his father so he could practice without waiting for his father to come home and tune it for him. After he tightened and rosined the bow, he set the bow on the strings and began to play.

~*~

Three quarters of an hour later, Pippin looked up from the fiddle and saw his da's wagon plodding down the path to Whitwell. Pippin put his fiddle back in the case and walked down to his Da with the fiddle in hand.

"Practicing early today, Pippin? What song were you playing? It's one I've never heard," Paladin said and Pippin hopped in next to him in the wagon.

"It wasn't much of a song. I was just trying to imitate the morning birds," He said and the horse climbed down the hill.

"Your becoming a fine player, Pippin," Paladin said and he put his arm around him, "I still have some time to spare before I need to head to Whitwell for work. Do you want me to take you anywhere in particular?"

Pippin looked North and nodded, "Could you take me to Hobbiton? Or at least the borders of The Water or Bywater would be nice," Pippin said and Paladin gave the reins a snap and Butterstone clopped towards a path going Northward.

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Butterstone stopped after two or three leagues and in eye's view was Hobbiton with The Water flowing through it. Paladin helped Pippin out and handed him the black case with the fiddle safe inside. "Don't stay too late now, you hear?? Or you will be hearing it from your Ma," Paladin said sternly and he smiled. Then as Paladin went off for Whitwell, Pippin sauntered towards Bag End under The Hill. He needed to pay his cousin Frodo a visit.

He passed Bagshot Row, and walked all the way up until he saw Bag End. From his memory of his last visit, it was one of the grandest hobbit-holes Pippin had even seen. The inside was gorgeous with the crafted furniture and walls, and with too many rooms for the two Baggins to live in. It felt like home, with its warm fireplace always glowing and the cool tiled floors under your feet. The outside of Bag End was vivid with the many colors of the gardens bordering the hole, and under the clear, smooth windows. Under one of the windows by the green, round door was Samwise Gamgee on his knees, tending the precious flowers.

"Good morning, Sam Gamgee. Is Frodo in?" Pippin asked and he walked inside the terrace of Bag End.

"Yes, he is, Master Pippin, but he needs his rest and I'm not about to wake him up ere the sixth hour has arrived," Samwise said and he brushed the dirt off his brown hands.

Pippin set his fiddle down and sat on the ground facing Samwise. Samwise replanted an old, withered flower with a new bud and planted the young seedling. He looked up, realizing Pippin was watching him and grinned slightly, "I haven't seen you in an age. What brings you to Hobbiton?" Asked he.

"To come see Frodo before he is an old hobbit," Pippin said and laughed.

Sam nodded, "Aye, he will be coming-of-age soon enough. Thirty-three years...and Mr. Bilbo will be turning eleventy-one!" Sam said and saw the case by Pippin's thigh, "Don't mind me asking, but what is that you've got there?"

Pippin looked down, "Oh, this? It's my Da's fiddle and I have been at it for nearly two years," Pippin explained and placed a hand on the case.

"Well then, let's hear a tune!" Samwise said and Pippin hesitantly opened the case. He had never performed for anybody on purpose, except for his Da. He took the sleek fiddle out and Sam gasped at its splendor. Never had he seen such a beautiful instrument and soon he learned that it sounded even more divine than it looked.

"I-I think you'll like this one...," Pippin mumbled and even as nervous as he was, he started to play quietly, remembering Frodo was inside asleep. Sam stopped his gardening and listened to the song coming from the fiddle. It sounds like a song these flowers would sing if they could, Sam thought, overwhelmed by the sweet tune ringing throughout Hobbiton. It reminded him of something hidden and pure that he couldn't quite put his finger on. Pippin stopped when the last note was played and slowly looked up at Samwise, hoping he did good enough for him.

Sam didn't know what to say. He knew Pippin was capable of being a rascal with Merry and always ending up in the middle of mischief, but he had not seen this side of Pippin much. He was content, thoughtful, and seemed wiser than his years when he placed the fiddle on his shoulder. Sam said, "Two years you have been playing now?" Pippin nodded, then Sam said, "It sounds like ten years...I hope you're not a fool, and realize how really gifted you are, Master Pippin. You have just graced Hobbiton with the most stunning song the Shire has heard in a while." He praised and Pippin blushed, never thinking he was that good. He thought fiddle players with his much experience was also this good, or even better, but he didn't know before that he had a gift for the fiddle. "Does it have a name?" Sam asked.

"Oh, uh, no---it doesn't," Pippin stuttered as he realized this for the first time.

"Why not? Every song has a name, does it not?" Sam said and remembered his gardening and hurriedly stood up to go gather a can of river water, with Pippin skipping to his side to help.

As they walked to get the water, they noticed great clouds, hovering low in the sky. The sky wasn't as sunny and bright and it was a light grey colour. Pippin answered, "Well, yes, I suppose they do. It's just I don't know they name for the song because I haven't thought of one. I made the song up a few months ago," Pippin said and Sam turned to him, "You made that song up?! My, my, I wish I was talented at something," Sam sulked and he thought of it quite embarrassing to have a hobbit half his age so skillful.

They gathered two full cans from a nearby well and walked back on the dirt path back to The Hill, "But you are! I haven't seen such a gardener in the Shire! I could never tend things so precious as flowers and such," Pippin said and Sam blushed.

"So about that song, it must have a name. A fancy name with elegant words, just like the other respectful songs," Sam suggested and Pippin listened, "Mind me, I'm not all that good with my letters yet, but I remember some fancy words from Mr. Bilbo and Frodo's stories and poems." Sam recalled and walked in deep thought, swinging the watering cans at his side. The song was still fresh in his memory and he remembered how it sounded like the flower's whispering songs, "How about: 'Lo! Doth Thou See the Wild Rose Bloom'n?'?"

Pippin clapped his hands, "That's perfect! That will be its name!" Sam blushed once more again. Pippin giggled at his face, but Samwise stopped and Pippin realized his cheeks turning redder than before. Pippin looked up and saw Tolman Cotton, with Jolly and Rosie Cotton by his side.

"Samwise Gamgee, Hamfast's son! Good morning to you!" Tolman shouted and skipped over to him, his brother and sister following.

Pippin noticed Sam having trouble holding up the watering cans now and he smiled feebly, "Good morning to you, Tolman, Jolly...Rosie," Sam choked out and set the cans down, "This is Paladin Took's only son, Peregrin." Pippin nodded his head and mouthed a shy 'hello'.

"Paladin's son, eh? I think I've heard of you once before---stealing carrots and such from Farmer Maggot with that Brandybuck boy?" Tolman said and Pippin nodded again, more confidant. News got around quicker than Pippin thought in the Shire, "This is Wilcome, but we's calls him Jolly. And this is my little sister, Rose. We were just taking a long way down to the Bywater Pool for a swim. You should come down more often like you used to, Samwise," Tolman said.

Sam smiled and Pippin glanced over at him. His hands were clammy and his feet kept shifting uncomfortably. The only thing that seemed steady on Sam, Pippin noticed, were his eyes. They very seldom left Rosie's, but only when she wasn't looking at him. Every other time she looked back at him, he'd look at his feet or back at Tolman, who was still talking. Pippin could see why Sam had trouble speaking to her; Rosie was a lovely hobbit with fair skin and lightened hair. There was loveliness to her and her eyes were deep and sparkling.

"...We best be on our way, before any later. It looks as though it might rain! It was nice seeing you again, Sam, and it was nice meeting you Peregrin!" Tolman said and Jolly nodded his head in agreement, eager to leave and get to the Bywater Pool.

"Goodbye!" Sam said as the Cottons passed them and Sam picked up the watering cans again.

"Goodbye, Sam," Rosie said and she smiled gently.

"G-Goodbye, Rosie," Said he and Sam tried to smile back, his cheeks burning, and he bowed his head. In the attempt, the water in the can sloshed up and soaked the knees of his pants. He watched her skip away with her brothers and he rushed down the path, embarrassed of his clumsiness and disability to talk near her. He was far behind in his gardening and the only other thing he needed was a lecture from the Gaffer about keeping on task.

Pippin leapt to his side, "There is a reason you decided to name my song the way you did, isn't there?" Pippin asked and Sam sighed in frustration, trying to ignore him, "What do you mean?"

They got to Bag End and Sam rested one of the cans on the soil and watered with the other. Pippin continued, "What I mean is, you like her don't you?" He asked curiously.

Sam turned so sharply, water splashed on his pants again, "Pippin, hold your tongue!! Don't be speaking of terms that you don't know anything about! You're too young to understand love," Sam said and Pippin giggled, "So, it's 'love' then?" Sam bit his lip for slipping that much information to him and turned his face away so he wouldn't see his cheeks still pink.

Pippin decided to break the silent tension between them and he took his fiddle out again. He knew that playing 'The Rose' song (or that's what Pippin referred to it) would make Sam feel uneasy so he decided on a happier tune. His bow moved fast on the strings, but his slim fingers were even faster. Sam listened and occasionally looked up to see him playing, making the empty feeling in his stomach go away. Pippin struck the strings in a shuffle motion and his fingers flawlessly moved up and down the strings, without missing a beat. He ended with a break he improvised on the spot and ended with a note that echoed through the hills. Sam stopped to clap and whistle, amazed that anyone could play so fast.

Pippin grinned widely, glad that Sam never got tired of his fiddle playing. The green door of the Baggins's residence opened and at the doorway was Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, clapping as well. Pippin leaped up, after setting his fiddle aside and hugged them both.

"Now, now, what are we standing at the doorway for? Come inside, Peregrin, and you too, Samwise. You deserve a break for your well-done job." Bilbo said excitedly. He motioned them in and Sam gathered up his tools and made sure he wouldn't track any mud on their clean floors. Pippin came in but Bilbo said, "Pippin, you might as well get your fiddle inside. I know we'd all like to hear a few more songs from you, and on the other hand it looks like the weather is changing. You wouldn't want your fiddle to get wet now, would you?" Bilbo asked in a friendly tone and Pippin couldn't believe he left his fiddle out there. He collected his fiddle and hurried inside their warm hobbit-hole.

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I think this is my favorite chapter so far!! But then again, I only have three! Thanks a lot for reading and come back later for chapter 4, which I hoping, will come up soon! (Whoo hoo! Frodo and Bilbo!)