Pearl Beyond Price 8: lock and key
Pippin had a look in his eyes that Pearl recognized and did not like at all. It was a look that usually preceded Pippin getting into trouble of some kind or even, in rare instances, being injured. Pearl sighed; she knew that she was considered overly cautious by her siblings. She supposed it was because she was the oldest and had preformed a mother's duties for nine years. After all, what mother would urge her children to risks and adventures? No Hobbit-matron would, of that Pearl was certain. Not even a Took.
"Do not even consider it Pip," she said, in a gently warning tone, "I am responsible for you and Father will never forgive me if anything happens to you or if you manage to cause more discord here than I have already done."
"But, Pearl," Pippin wheedled, "What could possible happen to us in the Great Smials? Oh, we just have to see what lock this key fits!"
"Peregrin Took," Pearl said sternly, "your curiosity is sure to be the death of you. I am positive it will be the death of me!"
Yet, as Pearl said these words, she felt a great desire to known what that key could possibly belong to. It was so tiny. It certainly did not fit a door. In fact, as she looked at it, she could not remember seeing anything remotely like it in the entire Shire.
Her voice softened and she said, "I did not mean to snap at you. It has been difficult here and today has been so...," Pearl paused as she searched for the right word, "long and very trying."
Pippin looked chagrined and examined his toes. "I am sorry, Pearl," he said, "I should be letting you sleep. You are very pale and I do not want you to faint again. I just can not help it, though! Surely you want to find out about this key."
Pearl laughed, decided to relent a little, and replied, "Of course I do, Pip. I am a Took, after all. We do not have to go rushing after it tonight, though. We will see if we find out anything in the morning. I will ask Frodo. He has been in the library and learned a great deal from old Bilbo. He might be able to help us solve this mystery. Now, let us go to sleep."
She hugged Pippin, ruffled his hair, and sang a lullaby that had been his favorite when he was very small. Pippin settled on his cot and Pearl went to bed. The events of the day and the deprivations she suffered under Lalia's command had taken their toll on her. She tried to put on a brave front for Pippin but she did feel as if she would collapse She fell into the deep, dreamless sleep of exhaustion.
When she awoke the next morning, the rain was still coming down in torrents. Pippin was sitting in a chair looking out the window at the rain. He really was making an incredible effort to be still so she could sleep and she loved him for it.
He saw she was up and, with some concern, asked, "Are you feeling better, Pearl."
She yawned and said, "A little, Pip. I am very hungry, though."
As if summoned by her words, there was a knock at the door. Pippin opened it to admit Frodo, bearing a tray heaped with breakfast food. There was toast, eggs, bacon, and the first of the berries with cream. Best of all, there was a pot of steaming tea.
She smiled with delight and said, "Frodo! You are the dearest hobbit in the entire Shire!"
A disgruntled noise came from Pippin and he protested, "Hey!"
She laughed, ruffled her little brother's hair, and said, "With the possible exception of my little Pip here."
Frodo lips quirked in an amused smile and said, "I thought that some breakfast would be welcome. That hardly makes me a hero." In a softer, worried voice he said, "I hope I did not bring it too late. I know you needed to sleep."
"No," said Pearl, "I do not think so. What time is it?"
"Well," he replied, "we could call this elevenses instead of breakfast and not be too far off the mark."
Pearl gasped with dismay. She had wasted half the day. She had not slept that late since her mother died except for the winter when Pippin got a lung sickness and passed it on to her. The state of the Whitwell smial when she got well again was not to be thought of. Like any good hobbit-woman, Pearl desired an orderly home.
Seeing her dismay, Frodo said, "Do not worry. No one will be traveling in this. Esmeralda and Merry are still here and have been up for some time."
"Oh, dear," said Pearl, "poor Ferumbras. I feel badly for him. No one should have their grief intruded upon like this and there is grief mixed in with his relief, make no mistake."
"Yes," said Frodo soberly, "there is. However, he has insisted that we stay and it really would not be good for the ponies to bring them out in such weather. Why you are so worried about oversleeping, Pearl? You are not expected to do anything today. I daresay that, without Pip there to create havoc, Whitwell will do just fine without you for another day."
"It is not that," she said, "Pippin found something. Now," she gave Frodo a looked full of meaning and continued, "I have a secret for you to keep as I will keep yours." She went to her bag and pulled out the necklace and the key. "I do not know what this means," she said, "but it is best to err on the side of caution and keep it concealed. At any rate, it would be unseemly for me to wear the necklace yet or even have it known that I possess it. Do you have any ideas about the key?"
Frodo held the key between his thumb and forefinger and examined it. "I think," he said, "that this is the work of Elves. It is far too small and delicate to be Hobbit-made. I think it would be a key for a small curio box. Bilbo had such a box from Lord Elrond and kept some of his mother's jewels in it. It would not surprise me if the Took family had more than one. After all, the Old Took did have three daughters and all of them had dealings with elves at one time or another."
Pippin had a look in his eyes that Pearl recognized and did not like at all. It was a look that usually preceded Pippin getting into trouble of some kind or even, in rare instances, being injured. Pearl sighed; she knew that she was considered overly cautious by her siblings. She supposed it was because she was the oldest and had preformed a mother's duties for nine years. After all, what mother would urge her children to risks and adventures? No Hobbit-matron would, of that Pearl was certain. Not even a Took.
"Do not even consider it Pip," she said, in a gently warning tone, "I am responsible for you and Father will never forgive me if anything happens to you or if you manage to cause more discord here than I have already done."
"But, Pearl," Pippin wheedled, "What could possible happen to us in the Great Smials? Oh, we just have to see what lock this key fits!"
"Peregrin Took," Pearl said sternly, "your curiosity is sure to be the death of you. I am positive it will be the death of me!"
Yet, as Pearl said these words, she felt a great desire to known what that key could possibly belong to. It was so tiny. It certainly did not fit a door. In fact, as she looked at it, she could not remember seeing anything remotely like it in the entire Shire.
Her voice softened and she said, "I did not mean to snap at you. It has been difficult here and today has been so...," Pearl paused as she searched for the right word, "long and very trying."
Pippin looked chagrined and examined his toes. "I am sorry, Pearl," he said, "I should be letting you sleep. You are very pale and I do not want you to faint again. I just can not help it, though! Surely you want to find out about this key."
Pearl laughed, decided to relent a little, and replied, "Of course I do, Pip. I am a Took, after all. We do not have to go rushing after it tonight, though. We will see if we find out anything in the morning. I will ask Frodo. He has been in the library and learned a great deal from old Bilbo. He might be able to help us solve this mystery. Now, let us go to sleep."
She hugged Pippin, ruffled his hair, and sang a lullaby that had been his favorite when he was very small. Pippin settled on his cot and Pearl went to bed. The events of the day and the deprivations she suffered under Lalia's command had taken their toll on her. She tried to put on a brave front for Pippin but she did feel as if she would collapse She fell into the deep, dreamless sleep of exhaustion.
When she awoke the next morning, the rain was still coming down in torrents. Pippin was sitting in a chair looking out the window at the rain. He really was making an incredible effort to be still so she could sleep and she loved him for it.
He saw she was up and, with some concern, asked, "Are you feeling better, Pearl."
She yawned and said, "A little, Pip. I am very hungry, though."
As if summoned by her words, there was a knock at the door. Pippin opened it to admit Frodo, bearing a tray heaped with breakfast food. There was toast, eggs, bacon, and the first of the berries with cream. Best of all, there was a pot of steaming tea.
She smiled with delight and said, "Frodo! You are the dearest hobbit in the entire Shire!"
A disgruntled noise came from Pippin and he protested, "Hey!"
She laughed, ruffled her little brother's hair, and said, "With the possible exception of my little Pip here."
Frodo lips quirked in an amused smile and said, "I thought that some breakfast would be welcome. That hardly makes me a hero." In a softer, worried voice he said, "I hope I did not bring it too late. I know you needed to sleep."
"No," said Pearl, "I do not think so. What time is it?"
"Well," he replied, "we could call this elevenses instead of breakfast and not be too far off the mark."
Pearl gasped with dismay. She had wasted half the day. She had not slept that late since her mother died except for the winter when Pippin got a lung sickness and passed it on to her. The state of the Whitwell smial when she got well again was not to be thought of. Like any good hobbit-woman, Pearl desired an orderly home.
Seeing her dismay, Frodo said, "Do not worry. No one will be traveling in this. Esmeralda and Merry are still here and have been up for some time."
"Oh, dear," said Pearl, "poor Ferumbras. I feel badly for him. No one should have their grief intruded upon like this and there is grief mixed in with his relief, make no mistake."
"Yes," said Frodo soberly, "there is. However, he has insisted that we stay and it really would not be good for the ponies to bring them out in such weather. Why you are so worried about oversleeping, Pearl? You are not expected to do anything today. I daresay that, without Pip there to create havoc, Whitwell will do just fine without you for another day."
"It is not that," she said, "Pippin found something. Now," she gave Frodo a looked full of meaning and continued, "I have a secret for you to keep as I will keep yours." She went to her bag and pulled out the necklace and the key. "I do not know what this means," she said, "but it is best to err on the side of caution and keep it concealed. At any rate, it would be unseemly for me to wear the necklace yet or even have it known that I possess it. Do you have any ideas about the key?"
Frodo held the key between his thumb and forefinger and examined it. "I think," he said, "that this is the work of Elves. It is far too small and delicate to be Hobbit-made. I think it would be a key for a small curio box. Bilbo had such a box from Lord Elrond and kept some of his mother's jewels in it. It would not surprise me if the Took family had more than one. After all, the Old Took did have three daughters and all of them had dealings with elves at one time or another."