Attack of the Plot Bunnies Chapter One

Author note: as of 22 May 2004 I have rearranged and added to this compilation of stories, drabbles, and ficlets. They are now in chronological order (well mostly). Sorry if it's confusing, but it helps me.

Timeline: A Stoor village, circa 2463 Chapter: Prologue mostly

Credit where Credit is due: previousl appeared on my LJ and as AotPB chapter 4 on ff.n

Disclaimer: It all belongs to Tolkien (except for the bits that belong to Peter Jackson and the rest of the people who made the movies.) I'm just playing with the toys.

Author: rabidsamfan

Title: The Decree

"No more birthday presents?" Henniden whispered in sheer disbelief, as the Grandmother read out her decision. "Not ever?"

"Shh," Reggar hushed him hastily. "She's still talking."

"But it's my birthday next week!" Henniden felt tears starting up. He'd been waiting and waiting and waiting. Almost twelve months. And now there wouldn't be any presents. It was all Smeagol's fault. He'd always been greedy and spoiled and now he'd spoiled things for everyone in the village. Especially poor Deagol. He sniffled, reminded of that sharper grief, and Reggar put a brotherly elbow into his ribs.

"Ooof!"

"Listen!"

"…the greed in our hearts. Therefore from hence our special days will be the days in which we show our generosity to others, instead of expecting or requiring it from them. Celebrate your natal days by giving; not asking, nor getting. Celebrate the friends and family members who best show their hearts by what they give, and teach your children to do the same. And thus we shall never see a tragedy like this again in our lives, or our children's lives, or our children's children's…"

"Worse and worse," Henniden moaned. "I'm not going to get presents and now I've got to give presents." There were twenty people invited to his party, young and old, and somehow he didn't think that they would be best pleased by a redistribution of his collection of fishhooks. "All that waiting for nothing."

Mistress Addercop pinched his elbow. "Greedy brat. We'll be exiling you next!"

Reggar was glaring too, so Henniden kept his head down, wishing that he weren't the only one in the village who looked unhappy. When the Grandmother finally stopped talking, he mooched down to the riverbank.

"Hey, Henny," cried Millgrom, pausing on his way by to gloat. "What are you going to give me on your birthday?"

Henniden scowled. "It'll be a fishhook or nothing," he muttered. "Just because your birthday was last month." Half a dozen of their friends jostled by, gathering Millgrom up and yattering about going off to look for duck eggs, but Henniden shrugged off their invitations. He crouched near the claypit, squelching mud between his toes and trying to keep the tears from coming. "Darn that Smeagol anyway."

Much to his surprise, Reggar sat down beside him and put an arm over his shoulders. "Making marbles to give away for your birthday? Want some help?"

Henniden shrugged and stuck out his lower lip. He didn't want to talk about it. But Reggar didn't go away. "It's not so bad," he said, in the tone of voice that meant "I'm five years older than you and I know everything."

"It's awful," Henniden said. He sighed. The Grandmother was right about hearts being greedy, but it was only once a year.

"No, really. Think about it," Reggar insisted. "What's the worst part about birthdays?"

Henniden looked at him disbelievingly. "There isn't any worst part."

"Of course there is, you've been moaning about it for weeks!" He laughed and tweaked Henniden's nose gently. "The waiting, silly!"

"So?" Henniden couldn't argue. Waiting was awful. But he didn't see how waiting and then having to give people things was better.

"So," said Reggar, "You're going to be at Rubilor's birthday party the day after tomorrow, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"And she's going to have to give you a present now, right?"

Henniden squinched his face up thoughtfully. "Yes," he said slowly.

"So, which is better? Twenty presents once a year and wait twelve months for another one, or one present twenty times a year and not waiting so long?"

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