A Pearl Beyond Price 3: a distasteful task
Whitwell 1402
It was a sunny day and the younger Took siblings were enjoying the outdoors. Pimpernel was reading under a tree, Pervinca was idly picking the petals off a daisy, and Pippin was looking for interesting rocks and bugs. This was a happy circumstance because the sound of raised voices was coming from the little smial in Whitwell.
"Pearl," Paladin huffed with exasperation, "You are going and that is an end to it."
Pearl's eyes were narrowed and her lips were thin and tight as she replied, "I have plenty of work to do here, father, as I always have. If you think that Pimpernel is capable of cooking and cleaning you are sadly mistaken. What about Pippin?" Pearl paused before she continued. She knew what she was about to say would hurt her father but this was purely a case of self- defense. "I am, after all, the closet thing he has to a mother because mother died when he was still so little."
Reminded of the untimely loss of his wife and what would have been a fourth daughter, Paladin gave a sigh like a wounded beast and energy seemed to drain out of him. He was, however, determined. He held his position but his tone was more conciliatory.
He looked his oldest child in the eye and said, "Pearl, I know you have worked very hard. How you have taken care of the younger children and kept order here would make your mother very proud but this is a duty we must not shirk."
Pearl snapped, "Why is that? Why must I coddle the old harridan when I am needed here?"
In measured, patient tones Paladin said, "She may be a harridan, but Lalia is Thain and our kin. She is too old to move about well anymore and needs assistance."
"You mean that she is too fat and that does not explain why I have to provide that assistance or who will take care of Whitwell and the children," retorted Pearl.
Paladin let out another sigh and said, "Pippin is almost twelve and I intend to send him to Brandy Hall to stay will Merry while you are gone. He will enjoy that. As for why you, lass, it is simple. No one person should be expected to endure her for very long. It is only for two weeks and will put us in her good graces. Pimpernel and Pervinca are too young to subject to her so that leaves you."
Pearl's voice was hard and cold when she said, "Very well. I can not refuse to obey as I am under your roof. If you want to subject yourself to Pimpernel's cooking, I will not keep you from it."
Paladin reached out to his daughter and softly said her name but she brushed his hand away and walked to her room with a stiff, straight back without saying another word. She did not exactly slam her bedroom door but closed it forcefully enough that Paladin could hear it from the other side of the smial.
When she reached her room, Pearl did not cry but proceeded to pack her clothes methodically. She was afraid of Lalia. No resident in Tookborough who had the sense given to a chicken was afraid of her. The female Thain had ruled over the Tooks with a despotic flair for over two decades. She was the size of three normal hobbit women and never failed to exact vengeance on anyone who crossed her. It seemed terribly unfair to Pearl that her sweet mother had been dead these many years while Lalia continued to wax in size and unpleasantness. It would not do to show fear. She was a descendant of the Old Took. Lalia was only a part of the family by marriage. She would bid her siblings goodbye and take up her new duties stoically. How bad could two weeks, even with Lalia, be?
It was a sunny day and the younger Took siblings were enjoying the outdoors. Pimpernel was reading under a tree, Pervinca was idly picking the petals off a daisy, and Pippin was looking for interesting rocks and bugs. This was a happy circumstance because the sound of raised voices was coming from the little smial in Whitwell.
"Pearl," Paladin huffed with exasperation, "You are going and that is an end to it."
Pearl's eyes were narrowed and her lips were thin and tight as she replied, "I have plenty of work to do here, father, as I always have. If you think that Pimpernel is capable of cooking and cleaning you are sadly mistaken. What about Pippin?" Pearl paused before she continued. She knew what she was about to say would hurt her father but this was purely a case of self- defense. "I am, after all, the closet thing he has to a mother because mother died when he was still so little."
Reminded of the untimely loss of his wife and what would have been a fourth daughter, Paladin gave a sigh like a wounded beast and energy seemed to drain out of him. He was, however, determined. He held his position but his tone was more conciliatory.
He looked his oldest child in the eye and said, "Pearl, I know you have worked very hard. How you have taken care of the younger children and kept order here would make your mother very proud but this is a duty we must not shirk."
Pearl snapped, "Why is that? Why must I coddle the old harridan when I am needed here?"
In measured, patient tones Paladin said, "She may be a harridan, but Lalia is Thain and our kin. She is too old to move about well anymore and needs assistance."
"You mean that she is too fat and that does not explain why I have to provide that assistance or who will take care of Whitwell and the children," retorted Pearl.
Paladin let out another sigh and said, "Pippin is almost twelve and I intend to send him to Brandy Hall to stay will Merry while you are gone. He will enjoy that. As for why you, lass, it is simple. No one person should be expected to endure her for very long. It is only for two weeks and will put us in her good graces. Pimpernel and Pervinca are too young to subject to her so that leaves you."
Pearl's voice was hard and cold when she said, "Very well. I can not refuse to obey as I am under your roof. If you want to subject yourself to Pimpernel's cooking, I will not keep you from it."
Paladin reached out to his daughter and softly said her name but she brushed his hand away and walked to her room with a stiff, straight back without saying another word. She did not exactly slam her bedroom door but closed it forcefully enough that Paladin could hear it from the other side of the smial.
When she reached her room, Pearl did not cry but proceeded to pack her clothes methodically. She was afraid of Lalia. No resident in Tookborough who had the sense given to a chicken was afraid of her. The female Thain had ruled over the Tooks with a despotic flair for over two decades. She was the size of three normal hobbit women and never failed to exact vengeance on anyone who crossed her. It seemed terribly unfair to Pearl that her sweet mother had been dead these many years while Lalia continued to wax in size and unpleasantness. It would not do to show fear. She was a descendant of the Old Took. Lalia was only a part of the family by marriage. She would bid her siblings goodbye and take up her new duties stoically. How bad could two weeks, even with Lalia, be?