Red String

Saints and Pilgrims

 The carriage bumped up and down as it pulled out from the large road in front of the Mayor's home. Frodo closed the small curtains on the carriage window, leaning back in his seat. Across from him, both Merry and Pippin were slowly falling asleep, both having worn themselves out with all the singing and dancing…maybe the ale was also a cause. He looked down at his right shoulder, finding Miranda's head resting against it peacefully as she slept.

 The night had been an interesting montage of dancing, emotions, and desires. If it was not for the party and ale, most of the hobbits would have thought the two to be in some steamy affair and become the talk of the town. He sighed, placing his cheek against her auburn hair, closing his eyes. The carriage bumped up as it ran over a rock, and Miranda let out a groan of discomfort before resting back in his arms. Frodo opened his eyes and looked out the window.

 The party had been well spent. It accommodated much of the Mayor's party room, and most of the yard outside. Their carriage had stopped and the footman had opened the door. Frodo stepped out first, and held his hand out. Miranda took his hand, her skirt in her other, and climbed down the short steps. She felt like the princesses in the old stories. She smiled at Frodo, who gave a weak one back. He offered her his arm, and she wrapped hers around his. The cousins jumped out of the carriage, smiling as their cousin walked Miranda to the Mayor's home, and they entered the realm of parties.

 Frodo was nearly run over by all those who came over to great him. He smiled weakly at them all, saying his hellos as well. Miranda caught the eyes of the younger tweens from in the back of the room were glaring at her, most likely jealous that she had come with Frodo. She shook her head at them and glanced up at Frodo who still stood beside her, and hadn't removed his arm from hers.

 "Excuse me, Excuse me!" Merry called, pushing is way to the two. The hobbits around them looked at him funny. "You do you expect for my cousin to have any fun with all you hovering around? He has a lovely lady with him that he brought to the party, if you keep fussing then what fun are they supposed to have?" a few hobbits glanced at them shadily before nodding and went on their way. The tweens mumbled and headed back off to the party. Merry smirked at the two and went off to find Pippin.

 "We should thank him later." Miranda said, looking up at Frodo.

 He nodded and led her to the circle of hobbits in the back where the Mayor was. The Mayor, Will Whitfoot, smiled and waved them over. Frodo and Miranda squeezed into the circle as the hobbits made room. They were the ones of the higher ranking status on the social chain. Miranda frowned a bit, and had never gotten along with these people before. But they now looked at her with a different view. Frodo was a well respected hobbit, she wondered if that was why.

 "Ah, Mr. Baggins, you came!" Will say happily, patting him on the shoulder Frodo gave a weak smile and nodded. "And you've brought a lovely young lass with you tonight as well." He placed his hand out for Miranda to shake, which she did. Will clasped his hands around hers and gave it a formal shook. "Welcome, Ms…"

 "Miranda Chubb." Miranda smiled. A few of the elderly rich folk around them gave a slight gape in their mouth in shock, and Will nodded, as if her name or social status meant nothing. Miranda smiled again and glanced up at Frodo. "Mr. Baggins was kind enough to invite me to the party tonight as his guest."

 "And very lucky you are." One of the elder men said. Miranda looked over at him. "Mr. Baggins is a much respected hobbit, unlike his Uncle…what did you say, lad? He had gone off to live with Elves?" he chuckled and Frodo frowned in disapproval. Miranda gave a slight glare.

 "But then, very lucky are you, Mr. Baggins." said the elderly woman beside the man. "She is a lovely companion."

 Frodo smiled and looked down at her. "Yes, she is." Miranda glanced up at him. "If you'll excuse us." He led her away from the group who quickly went back to talking about whatever it was they were speaking about. Frodo led her to a seating area, and sat her down, then sat next to her. He leaned back in the wooden chair and looked bored already. "I never did like parties."

 "Seems like quiet a few don't like me." Miranda muttered, sending a glance over at the tweens who glared at her. Frodo lifted his eyebrow but she smiled in return. He shook his head and sighed, folding his hands in his lap. Miranda patted his arm and sighed, seeing Merry and Pippin off in the field playing along with the band. "Your cousins know how to play musical instruments?"

 "Only because their mothers made them learn them when they were young." Frodo answered. He looked over to the dancers, watching as they danced outside. It was rather chilly, but when a numbered body of people did the activity together, then it was warm in the atmosphere. The dancers stopped as did the music. Pippin placed his small little drum down and ran over to the two, crashing into hobbits on his way. "Pippin!"

 "I would be honored if my dear cousin and childhood friend shared the next dance!" Pippin said happily. Miranda raised her eyebrow. "The next song is one that Merry and I have been working along with back at Brandyhall for the Spring Festival. We are going to practice it tonight with the others here, so why don't you honor us with dancing?"

 "I'm not a dancer, Pippin." Frodo said quietly and low toned as if he were annoyed.

 "Ah, but with Mira's lovely light feet, I am sure you cannot be that horrible!" Pippin encouraged. He grabbed Frodo's arm and pulled him up, slapping him on the back and returned quickly to his position. Frodo sighed and held his hand out to Miranda. She placed her hand in his and he helped her to her feet. The two crossed into the snowy field.

 Snow was everywhere besides where they had made a clearing for the dancers. Miranda shivered for a moment, hugging her coat around her tighter. Frodo squeezed her hand. The two came over to the large circle that had formed. Miranda remembered the dancing lessons that she was taught by Merry's mother.

 Mrs. Esmeralda Took Brandybuck had offered to teach some of the girls in Buckland how to dance for the Spring Festival when Miranda was younger. It was a fun time; all the girls of the same ages were there and chattered happily about how wonderful they would dance when they were older. Merry and Pippin hadn't been fond of all the attention that they were getting and ransacked one of their lessons. Miranda had been furious and chased the two down. She smiled; it was wonderful to be innocent.

 The music started up slowly. The dancing hobbits formed a large circle. The ladies had their partner to their right, and the gentlemen had their partners to their left. Miranda slowly remembered this dance out of the many she had learned. She curtsied to Frodo, her partner who bowed to her for eight counts. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Miranda then curtsied to the gentleman beside her for the same amount of time. The gentleman beside her returned the curtsy with a bow. The music started to go faster, and they all clasped hands, and walked into the circle three feet, then back.

 With their hands still clasped, they shuffled four counts to the right, and then four to the left. The unclasped their hands and the partners placed their right palms together and circled for eight more counts. Miranda tried to avoid Frodo's eyes, knowing that if she looked at them she'd fall into a heap on the ground. They stopped and raised their left hands, placed them palm to palm, and circled again. Frodo caught Pippin and Merry cheering them on from inside, and shook his head.

 The gentlehobbits then came forward into an inner circle for four counts, clapped, then returned to their partners and clapped again. The ladies then came up and did the same. The men came forward two steps and clapped, and on their way back to their spot, the ladies came forward and clapped. As they went back the gentlehobbits came up and clapped. This alternating dance had gone on for a little more than four counts before the partners curtsied and bowed to each other, then the ones to their side. They started the dance over again, bowing to one another as new partners came in if wanted.

  Pippin nodded in satisfaction as Frodo and Miranda continued to dance. He smiled at Merry. "Well, not only do they work together wonderfully, but they both can dance."

 "Oh she's the one that's able to make him dance so well." Merry teased. He nodded to Pippin and excused himself, heading over to the small concession stand. He took a drink and raised his glass in thanks. He turned and stood by a wall, watching the party goers. He noticed the small group of tweens in the corner. They conversed then spread out, one of the lovelier ones headed over to Frodo and Miranda after the dance. Merry glared.

 Frodo led Miranda to a chair and sat her down. She was giggling, happy and smiled up at him. He gave a small smile back…he wasn't too happy being her, she noticed. She looked over as she saw one of the tweens coming over. She recognized her as Pearl from Buckland…the one who worked in the pub.

 "Good evening, Mr. Baggins, and Ms. Chubb." She said politely. Miranda glared. Pearl looked up at Frodo who returned it with a glance. "May you accompany me for the next dance, Mr. Baggins?" Frodo glanced at Miranda who shook her head and folded her arms. Frodo nodded, taking her hand, and leading her to the dance floor. Miranda scowled, she didn't like Pearl.

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A/n: Sorry for the lateness. This took a while due to the whole dance. The dance is the Saints and Pilgrims dance from Romeo and Juliet that I learned in English last year….and I had to find the piece of paper x_x. Oh well, ^^ I love that dance!