Great Smials, 1442 SR, 21 FA

Peregrin Took looked over the documents that lay in front of him and sighed. It was Spring Harvest time again, and lately the Tuckborough crops were so plentiful that more and more people had to be brought in from other parts of the Shire to help. He would have to write to Merry and ask if he can spare some lads.
The house was quiet – Faramir, Pippin's tweenage son, had gone to stay with his cousins, the Brandybucks, for a short while. Pippin smiled, remembering that he had done the same thing when he was Farry's age. He thought of all the things that he and Merry had gotten up to when they were young – stealing food from Farmer Maggot, of course, who had the best mushrooms in all the Shire, Pippin thought. He and Merry would sit in trees and in fields talking about all manner of things – goings on where they lived, lasses they liked, strange relatives (which were prevalent on both sides of the family). Pippin wasn't much older than Faramir when he went on the biggest adventure of all. He thought of his son experiencing all that he had seen and he shuddered. He was glad that nothing like that would ever happen to Faramir. Pippin hadn't seen his beloved cousin Merry for a while, both of them being too busy with work. Pippin was Thain, the highest position in the Shire, although it was largely just a title nowadays. Pippin still had to look after the affairs of the Tookland, though, which was a huge job. He thought that Sam Gardner had got off rather lightly with being Mayor. Pippin smiled. He couldn't up and go to Gondor whenever he liked!
Pippin still kept in regular contact with King Elessar and Lord Faramir, Lord Faramir more. He and his family were extremely interested in hobbit lore and history, particularly in Bilbo's red book, written in by Bilbo, Frodo and now Sam. With Sam's permission, the Took archivists had made a copy with a few additions and alterations and had sent the copy with Sam to Gondor. Why the King wanted it, Pippin did not know, but he was proud nonetheless. Although he rarely talked about it, he missed Bilbo and Frodo immensely.
He sat at his desk, so lost in his thoughts he didn't hear his wife coming up behind him until she placed his tea on the table. He jumped, startled.
'Pippin?' Diamond bent down, concerned.
'It's all right, love. I just didn't notice you, is all.'
'You're working too hard, that's what it is. You've not moved from that desk all day.' Diamond studied her husband's face. Although he was still very young for a hobbit, there were lines and wrinkles around his eyes that weren't there before. She smiled.
'Come on, Pip, I'm sure those papers can wait for a few minutes. Get up, stretch your legs. You need a rest.'
Pippin yawned, having stayed up late the night before, and nodded. 'I suppose you're right, I do need a rest.' He looked up at his wife, still as beautiful as ever, with her long brown curls and big bright eyes to match. Even though Faramir was the living image of Pippin, from his copper curls to his green eyes, there was still a spark within that he had to have gotten from his mother. She was quite adventurous, Pippin still remembering a disastrous picnic from their courting days.
Pippin had thought it was an excellent idea to take a barge out on the Brandywine, not remembering, of course, the slight rapids further south. As she hauled herself back up onto the riverbank, the barge floating away downstream, Diamond looked at herself and him, both muddy and dripping wet. From her face Pippin feared she might cry, but instead she let out the most incredible laugh he had ever heard. He smiled at the memory. It was at that moment that he knew he wanted to marry her.
Diamond noticed the smile on his face. 'What mischief are you thinking about this time, love?'
'Just you and me, that time we went out on the river.'
Diamond laughed. There it was again. 'That was a complete mess!'
Pippin put his arms around her and kissed her forehead. 'It wasn't all bad, though. We're still here together, and we have Farry, and that's all that counts.'
Diamond smiled and leaned her head on Pippin's shoulder. 'Little ruffian. I dread to think of what he's up to with his cousins.'
'I'm sure Merry's keeping an eye on him.' Pippin smiled, his memories taking him to a place far away, a long time ago. 'He was always rather good at that.'