Chapter 22
An Empty Plate
The cups of oil that hung and burnt on the wall to give the hallway light in the lateness of the evening while the two hobbits who walked hand in hand making their way towards the kitchen. They met no one in the corridor and they were sure that almost everyone was in their beds sleeping.
A rattle from a pan was heard just inside the door and Pippin pulled away from his wife as he hesitated to go in. Diamond gave her husband's hand a squeeze to encourage him that everything was going to be all right.
Trusting in his wife, Pippin closed his eyes and walked in the door of the kitchen with her. At his first glance, he only saw Tulsi at the cook-stove stoking the flames inside with old dried out logs. There was a large bowl with a wooden spoon in of some sort of a batter and a rounded baking pan next to it on the countertop. She appeared to them to be in the best of moods, as she seemed lost in her work and humming a birthday song to herself.
Diamond cleared her throat to gain her attention and giggled when Tulsi turned from the stove and greeted them with a brilliant smile. "For the lateness of the hour, you're sure in jovial spirits," she commented as she approached her.
"One should always be when you be makin' a birthday cake," she said with a wink at the couple before her.
Pippin's eyebrows raised to their highest peek and his mouth watered thinking about how delicious a birthday cake would taste with rich, creamy frosting on it. His stomach again pitched and growled. "Who's birthday are you baking the cake for?" he asked.
Tulsi smiled again just thinking about the hobbit she intended to surprise with the cake. She giggled again with delight, "Why it's old Hatty's birthday tomorrow and after she has scolded us good and proper as she always does first thing a'fore she gives out her orders o' the day ta her staff, I intend ta surprise her with it!"
Tulsi closed the iron door on the cook stove and took the wooden spoon to give the batter another couple of strokes. Speaking over her shoulder while she worked to fill the batter in the round baking pan, she continued to tell them all her plans to surprise her. "I've turned the cream in a makin' a fresh batch ta pour over the last of the strawberries from the garden. They're chillin' in the pantry in a bucket of cold water."
Pippin's eye darted over to the pantry and his eyebrows knitted together thinking about how wonderful they would taste and his tongue dart out to moisten his lips.
Again the servant lass added while she worked, "The lads has cured a new thick, juice, pink-ham from the smokehouse and it's a hangin' in the back. It's the biggest ham I've set eyes upon!"
Pippin gave a sniff and he could swear that he smelt the wondrous scent of a freshly cured ham coming all the way from the back room. Thick tears began to form in his eyes and his stomach felt as if it twisted being rung out like a wet cloth. Holding his stomach he looked at his wife and waited for her to ask the servant for something to eat.
Diamond clasped her hands together thinking how wonderful the party was going to be for first breakfast. "Will you have sweet potatoes baked in a thick, sugary-glaze sauce and topping with a thick slice of fresh creamy butter that slowly melts down the sides of the peeks of potatoes!" She licked her lips thinking how wonderful they were going to taste.
His lip quivers uncontrollably and his eyebrows fell sorrowfully as he stared that the two lasses. While they talking to each other, they had forgotten all about him and his mission to save himself from starving to death. His stomach waged like an empty sack and he began to whimper thinking about all that wonderful food.
Diamond glanced at her husband and his pitiful look upon his face and then suddenly remember why they were there. Turning sharply back towards Tulsi, she asked her, "Do you have something you could spare tonight, Tulsi? Pippin had missed evening meal and he'll not sleep a wink until he has something to eat."
Tulsi smiled and gave Pippin a wink. "I must confess after seeing that large ham, I couldn't resist a taste and cut a good chuck o' it. If'n a lass be up late a cookin' fer her friend, she ought ta have a full stomach while do so, as I always say!"
Pippin rubbed his hands together as his anticipation grew in waves of excitement thinking about the cured ham.
She opened the large, iron, drop-door on the oven and placed the round cake pan into it. Closing the door again, she turned back to her guests. "I also trimmed the sweet potatoes just to taste 'em mind ya, makin' sure that they be good enough fer old Hatty's birthday ta make it special. But they be only slightly warm by now."
"Oh, I wouldn't mind a bit, Tulsi if they were rock hard cold!" he said just thinking about eating a plateful of ham and sweet potatoes. To his delight, she pulled out a large platter of a thick cut of ham and another larger bowl of sweet potatoes. The juices of the tender pink ham surrounded it in the platter and its warm herbal seasoning drifted luxuriously up to met his nose. The sweat potatoes still warmed in its bowl had a layer of melted butter floating on the surface of the savory glaze.
Pippin's eyes sparkled and his smile lit his faces as if a wondrous gift was being presented just for him.
The doors of the kitchen opened and they turned around sharply to see who had entered. Standing just inside the room stood Sheffield and Tom and they both smiled seeing the platter of ham and the large bowl of sweet potatoes. They too licked their lips as they joined the small group in front of them.
It was Tulsi's face now that lit with a smile seeing Tom as he approached her. "Well I can see fer myself, that we'll be sharing our little mid-night meal with more guests. Have yerselves a seat and I'll be servin' ya right proper like!"
Pippin raced over to the first chair at the kitchen table so he would be the first to be served, while Diamond sat on the other side of him and Tom and Sheffield took the other seats next to them.
Pippin watched the good-sized ham being cut into smaller portion as it was divided up among the five. Again the door swung open and Merry and Estella strolled in with a armful of journals and ink well and quill in their hands. Seeing the group sitting at the table they walked over to join them. "We could use an mid-night snack while we work on our journals," commented Merry with a delightful smile upon his lips and pulling a chair out for his newly wed wife to sit.
Tulsi took out two more plates and cut the ham into smaller portion while Pippin's hopes dashed with each stroke of the knife. He looked at the door and cursed anyone else if they tried to enter.
But that curse could hardly be finished in his mind when the door opened again and his father entered being escorted by his mother. Pippin eyes snapped over at Tulsi and saw her pulling another two more plates out and gain trimmed the ham even thinner. Pippin put each of his hands under his chin and a pout came over his bottom lip. Now he just wanted Tulsi to hurray before any other hobbits decided to walk through the door and he'd have to give up even more of his ham.
Eglantine walked over to Tulsi and offered her service to help the lass dish-up the sweet potatoes and help carry the plates to the guests. Pippin watched as his mother only placed one helping of sweet potatoes on each plate. The size looked small and dainty and barely filled the plate. His eyes blinked back the tears when she placed the first plate in front of her son and smiled sweetly at him. Taking his fork in his hand, he scooped up the entire serving of sweet potatoes and plopped it into his mouth as the sweet savory taste hit his tongue and delighted his taste-buds. His eyes rolled over as he chewed ever so slowly enjoying himself immensely. When he finally swallowed, he looked across the table at his wife's plate and noticed she only picked at her food while she visited with others around her. Pippin cut his ham with his knife, but kept his eyes upon her plate and the tiny bits of sweet potatoes she nibbled upon. Stuffing his mouth with thick cut of his ham, he noticed he only had another good size mouthful left on his plate. He rushed chewing it quickly as a plan entered his mind in getting the rest of his wife's sweet potatoes from her. He barely tasted his ham when he swallowed and grasped the last bite and dashed that into his mouth. Standing up, he scooted his chair around the end of the table so he sat next to his wife's plate and helped himself to her sweet potatoes sharing it with her. She smiled at her husband and allowed him to continue to finish off her sweet potatoes. When Tulsi brought over mugs of goat milk, Pippin grabbed the first one she placed on the table and downed that in a big gulp and looked at Diamond's ham on her plate. He smiled coyly up at her. She nodded with a giggle knowing how hungry her husband was and she handed him her knife and watched him devour it. Tom stood and offered his chair to Tulsi and went to grab another chair sitting where Pippin once sat and next to his sweetheart.
Standing up from her seat, Diamond excused herself. "If you will excuse me, I must get back to my room and check up on Faramir."
They all nodded and said their good nights to her and watched her momentarily as she took her plate to the wash tub to deposit it. Pippin took his fork and thought about his mother and knew she would not mind giving him a taste of her sweet potatoes. After all mothers liked to feed their sons.
Taking the seat next to his mother, Pippin smiled when he sat down next to her with his fork in his hand. "Pippin are you feeling well, my son. You've been starving yourself again and look weak from hunger." She placed her plate in front of him and smiled as he greedily accepted it and began to eat every bite.
Eglantine stood and asked Diamond of she would wait for her, because she too wanted to check up on her little grandson. The two hobbits left the room as they walked side-by-side with each other.
The talk at the table turned back to Paladin who gruffly complained to Merry of being under constant guard.
"I'm sorry about that, Uncle Paladin," commented Merry. "But your safety at Brandy Hall is my responsibility and my Da would do no less in making sure nothing should happen to you!"
"I can see to my own safety, Merry!" he scowled sourly. "That rascal lurking about could never get one over on me, as I see it. What's your plans for flushing this weasel out!"
Pippin scooted himself over to the next chair by his father and as he talked to Merry, he helped himself to his father's food and smiled at the feeling of his stomach beginning to fill.
"After first morning breakfast, the lads here are going down in the tunnel again and continue our search." Merry added.
"Well, you can count me in on that search. I'll not be locked in my room when I can use a bow as well as any here!" Paladin insisted.
Merry knew his uncle well and if Paladin put his foot down, then there was no changing the old hobbit's mind. "We sure could use help, Uncle. We'll met you after first breakfast."
Paladin nodded and returned to his plate. Seeing it empty, he glanced over at his son and scowled at him. Pippin shrugged his shoulder pathetically and gave him a half of a smile. Paladin stood and excused himself. "Well since I have finished my mid-night snack, as it were, I'll be off to bed."
Merry nodded and returned to wife who was adding up the column of figures sitting next to him. Looking over her shoulder, he watched her carefully and marveled at her abilities in doing this tedious task. Returning to his plate with his fork, he noticed his plate was completely empty and Pippin sitting next him with a satisfied grin upon his face.
"Pippin!" snapped Merry at his cousin. "How could you have eating every single bit not leaving me anything for myself!"
"I'm sorry, Merry," he commented. "I couldn't help it!"
"You never can help it! You eat too much, Pip! That's your problem you know."
Merry saw that Estella had finished her meal and the last of the figures in the journal. He smiled at her as he took her hand helping her up. Gathering the books spread out on the table he said his good night to everyone and walked out with his arm around his wife.
Pippin looked at Tulsi who was ogling Tom and ignoring the food on her plate and slid over to sit next to her. Listening to there conversation, he took his fork and helped himself to her cold sweet potatoes unnoticed by the others.
"I can not remember my own real family, Tom. I guess being torn from them at such a tender age has blocked my mind from the fear of the Tweksbury's and being stolen. I'm not even sure how old I was when it all happened, or even the day o' me own birthday. There was never no celebratin' a' thing growin' up with the likes o' 'em. All that Faradom has spoken o' is that I've a brother livin' here at Brandy Hall and I intend ta find 'im!" said Sheffield. The sorrow on his face touched Tom's heart and he began to wonder if his little brother, Laban could possibly be Sheffield.
Tulsi took Tom's hand and squeezed it tightly and he smiled as he gazed into her face that beamed with excitement. "That's it, Tom! I knew there was somethin' familiar about the looks o' Sheffield here! It's his eyes, Tom. When he smiles, he's eyes reflect the same look o' you! Sheffield has to be your long lost brother! I'm sure o' it as I'm sittin' here!"
Tom looked at Sheffield and studied him closely and in his mind he brought to focus the image of his small little brother that he remember in his past. He could see the shape of his eyes and the small little impish grin upon his tender young face.
When Tulsi words hit Sheffield's ears, he smiled in the hopes that he had found his real brother. That smile mirrored the image of the little lad in Tom's mind and he jumped to his feet in shock. "Laban! It is you! You are my brother I lost so long ago!" Tears poured from his eyes as he circled the table and grabbed Sheffield in his arms and held him tightly.
Sheffield stood in shock and slowly brought his shaking arms around the lad that held him. Then as if the block that had clouded his mind all the years growing up as a Tweksbury dissolved and a single memory came fully into view of Tom's young smiling face and happier times of them fishing together by the nearby pond by their home. He could see his mother's face and he could almost hear her voice calling to them to come to her, "Laban and Tom! It's time fer yer supper!" the sweet voiced echoed in his mind from the past memory.
Sheffield grasped his brother's shoulders and burst into tears holding him as if he never wanted to let him go.
Tulsi covered her eyes and sobbed in joy for them in finally finding each other. She ran to them and threw her arms around them laughing and hugging them.
Pippin wiped away a tear from his eyes as he finished off the last of their plates of food and his poor stomach bulged in pain. Standing up and rubbing his full stomach, he headed out of the kitchen to find his own bed as his eyelids drooped in exhaustion.
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A/N: I had a blast writing this chapter to tie up some of the loose ends… hoped you liked it! I am slowly but surely getting close to the end of this little story. I hoped my long winded details to this story has not scared the reviewers away…..Yikes and double yikes!
ShireElf : Don't whack yourself against no stonewall! Stands ShireElf up and dust you off and gives you a giant chocolate chip cookie with fudge frosting on top. Yummy!
Next chapter will be all about little Faramir. I must confess, I too have an obsession for the little guy! Sweet little Faramir……hugs him and kisses him! (gives his a chocolate cookie as well!)
Loveofthering is rubbing her hands together preparing for the end of Faradom……evil laughter follows….Mawha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hehehehe, will I ever surprise you with the ending, ShireElf! Thank you, thank you for always being there for me with your reviews to my stories! I greatly appreciate it my Sword of Shannara friend!
An Empty Plate
The cups of oil that hung and burnt on the wall to give the hallway light in the lateness of the evening while the two hobbits who walked hand in hand making their way towards the kitchen. They met no one in the corridor and they were sure that almost everyone was in their beds sleeping.
A rattle from a pan was heard just inside the door and Pippin pulled away from his wife as he hesitated to go in. Diamond gave her husband's hand a squeeze to encourage him that everything was going to be all right.
Trusting in his wife, Pippin closed his eyes and walked in the door of the kitchen with her. At his first glance, he only saw Tulsi at the cook-stove stoking the flames inside with old dried out logs. There was a large bowl with a wooden spoon in of some sort of a batter and a rounded baking pan next to it on the countertop. She appeared to them to be in the best of moods, as she seemed lost in her work and humming a birthday song to herself.
Diamond cleared her throat to gain her attention and giggled when Tulsi turned from the stove and greeted them with a brilliant smile. "For the lateness of the hour, you're sure in jovial spirits," she commented as she approached her.
"One should always be when you be makin' a birthday cake," she said with a wink at the couple before her.
Pippin's eyebrows raised to their highest peek and his mouth watered thinking about how delicious a birthday cake would taste with rich, creamy frosting on it. His stomach again pitched and growled. "Who's birthday are you baking the cake for?" he asked.
Tulsi smiled again just thinking about the hobbit she intended to surprise with the cake. She giggled again with delight, "Why it's old Hatty's birthday tomorrow and after she has scolded us good and proper as she always does first thing a'fore she gives out her orders o' the day ta her staff, I intend ta surprise her with it!"
Tulsi closed the iron door on the cook stove and took the wooden spoon to give the batter another couple of strokes. Speaking over her shoulder while she worked to fill the batter in the round baking pan, she continued to tell them all her plans to surprise her. "I've turned the cream in a makin' a fresh batch ta pour over the last of the strawberries from the garden. They're chillin' in the pantry in a bucket of cold water."
Pippin's eye darted over to the pantry and his eyebrows knitted together thinking about how wonderful they would taste and his tongue dart out to moisten his lips.
Again the servant lass added while she worked, "The lads has cured a new thick, juice, pink-ham from the smokehouse and it's a hangin' in the back. It's the biggest ham I've set eyes upon!"
Pippin gave a sniff and he could swear that he smelt the wondrous scent of a freshly cured ham coming all the way from the back room. Thick tears began to form in his eyes and his stomach felt as if it twisted being rung out like a wet cloth. Holding his stomach he looked at his wife and waited for her to ask the servant for something to eat.
Diamond clasped her hands together thinking how wonderful the party was going to be for first breakfast. "Will you have sweet potatoes baked in a thick, sugary-glaze sauce and topping with a thick slice of fresh creamy butter that slowly melts down the sides of the peeks of potatoes!" She licked her lips thinking how wonderful they were going to taste.
His lip quivers uncontrollably and his eyebrows fell sorrowfully as he stared that the two lasses. While they talking to each other, they had forgotten all about him and his mission to save himself from starving to death. His stomach waged like an empty sack and he began to whimper thinking about all that wonderful food.
Diamond glanced at her husband and his pitiful look upon his face and then suddenly remember why they were there. Turning sharply back towards Tulsi, she asked her, "Do you have something you could spare tonight, Tulsi? Pippin had missed evening meal and he'll not sleep a wink until he has something to eat."
Tulsi smiled and gave Pippin a wink. "I must confess after seeing that large ham, I couldn't resist a taste and cut a good chuck o' it. If'n a lass be up late a cookin' fer her friend, she ought ta have a full stomach while do so, as I always say!"
Pippin rubbed his hands together as his anticipation grew in waves of excitement thinking about the cured ham.
She opened the large, iron, drop-door on the oven and placed the round cake pan into it. Closing the door again, she turned back to her guests. "I also trimmed the sweet potatoes just to taste 'em mind ya, makin' sure that they be good enough fer old Hatty's birthday ta make it special. But they be only slightly warm by now."
"Oh, I wouldn't mind a bit, Tulsi if they were rock hard cold!" he said just thinking about eating a plateful of ham and sweet potatoes. To his delight, she pulled out a large platter of a thick cut of ham and another larger bowl of sweet potatoes. The juices of the tender pink ham surrounded it in the platter and its warm herbal seasoning drifted luxuriously up to met his nose. The sweat potatoes still warmed in its bowl had a layer of melted butter floating on the surface of the savory glaze.
Pippin's eyes sparkled and his smile lit his faces as if a wondrous gift was being presented just for him.
The doors of the kitchen opened and they turned around sharply to see who had entered. Standing just inside the room stood Sheffield and Tom and they both smiled seeing the platter of ham and the large bowl of sweet potatoes. They too licked their lips as they joined the small group in front of them.
It was Tulsi's face now that lit with a smile seeing Tom as he approached her. "Well I can see fer myself, that we'll be sharing our little mid-night meal with more guests. Have yerselves a seat and I'll be servin' ya right proper like!"
Pippin raced over to the first chair at the kitchen table so he would be the first to be served, while Diamond sat on the other side of him and Tom and Sheffield took the other seats next to them.
Pippin watched the good-sized ham being cut into smaller portion as it was divided up among the five. Again the door swung open and Merry and Estella strolled in with a armful of journals and ink well and quill in their hands. Seeing the group sitting at the table they walked over to join them. "We could use an mid-night snack while we work on our journals," commented Merry with a delightful smile upon his lips and pulling a chair out for his newly wed wife to sit.
Tulsi took out two more plates and cut the ham into smaller portion while Pippin's hopes dashed with each stroke of the knife. He looked at the door and cursed anyone else if they tried to enter.
But that curse could hardly be finished in his mind when the door opened again and his father entered being escorted by his mother. Pippin eyes snapped over at Tulsi and saw her pulling another two more plates out and gain trimmed the ham even thinner. Pippin put each of his hands under his chin and a pout came over his bottom lip. Now he just wanted Tulsi to hurray before any other hobbits decided to walk through the door and he'd have to give up even more of his ham.
Eglantine walked over to Tulsi and offered her service to help the lass dish-up the sweet potatoes and help carry the plates to the guests. Pippin watched as his mother only placed one helping of sweet potatoes on each plate. The size looked small and dainty and barely filled the plate. His eyes blinked back the tears when she placed the first plate in front of her son and smiled sweetly at him. Taking his fork in his hand, he scooped up the entire serving of sweet potatoes and plopped it into his mouth as the sweet savory taste hit his tongue and delighted his taste-buds. His eyes rolled over as he chewed ever so slowly enjoying himself immensely. When he finally swallowed, he looked across the table at his wife's plate and noticed she only picked at her food while she visited with others around her. Pippin cut his ham with his knife, but kept his eyes upon her plate and the tiny bits of sweet potatoes she nibbled upon. Stuffing his mouth with thick cut of his ham, he noticed he only had another good size mouthful left on his plate. He rushed chewing it quickly as a plan entered his mind in getting the rest of his wife's sweet potatoes from her. He barely tasted his ham when he swallowed and grasped the last bite and dashed that into his mouth. Standing up, he scooted his chair around the end of the table so he sat next to his wife's plate and helped himself to her sweet potatoes sharing it with her. She smiled at her husband and allowed him to continue to finish off her sweet potatoes. When Tulsi brought over mugs of goat milk, Pippin grabbed the first one she placed on the table and downed that in a big gulp and looked at Diamond's ham on her plate. He smiled coyly up at her. She nodded with a giggle knowing how hungry her husband was and she handed him her knife and watched him devour it. Tom stood and offered his chair to Tulsi and went to grab another chair sitting where Pippin once sat and next to his sweetheart.
Standing up from her seat, Diamond excused herself. "If you will excuse me, I must get back to my room and check up on Faramir."
They all nodded and said their good nights to her and watched her momentarily as she took her plate to the wash tub to deposit it. Pippin took his fork and thought about his mother and knew she would not mind giving him a taste of her sweet potatoes. After all mothers liked to feed their sons.
Taking the seat next to his mother, Pippin smiled when he sat down next to her with his fork in his hand. "Pippin are you feeling well, my son. You've been starving yourself again and look weak from hunger." She placed her plate in front of him and smiled as he greedily accepted it and began to eat every bite.
Eglantine stood and asked Diamond of she would wait for her, because she too wanted to check up on her little grandson. The two hobbits left the room as they walked side-by-side with each other.
The talk at the table turned back to Paladin who gruffly complained to Merry of being under constant guard.
"I'm sorry about that, Uncle Paladin," commented Merry. "But your safety at Brandy Hall is my responsibility and my Da would do no less in making sure nothing should happen to you!"
"I can see to my own safety, Merry!" he scowled sourly. "That rascal lurking about could never get one over on me, as I see it. What's your plans for flushing this weasel out!"
Pippin scooted himself over to the next chair by his father and as he talked to Merry, he helped himself to his father's food and smiled at the feeling of his stomach beginning to fill.
"After first morning breakfast, the lads here are going down in the tunnel again and continue our search." Merry added.
"Well, you can count me in on that search. I'll not be locked in my room when I can use a bow as well as any here!" Paladin insisted.
Merry knew his uncle well and if Paladin put his foot down, then there was no changing the old hobbit's mind. "We sure could use help, Uncle. We'll met you after first breakfast."
Paladin nodded and returned to his plate. Seeing it empty, he glanced over at his son and scowled at him. Pippin shrugged his shoulder pathetically and gave him a half of a smile. Paladin stood and excused himself. "Well since I have finished my mid-night snack, as it were, I'll be off to bed."
Merry nodded and returned to wife who was adding up the column of figures sitting next to him. Looking over her shoulder, he watched her carefully and marveled at her abilities in doing this tedious task. Returning to his plate with his fork, he noticed his plate was completely empty and Pippin sitting next him with a satisfied grin upon his face.
"Pippin!" snapped Merry at his cousin. "How could you have eating every single bit not leaving me anything for myself!"
"I'm sorry, Merry," he commented. "I couldn't help it!"
"You never can help it! You eat too much, Pip! That's your problem you know."
Merry saw that Estella had finished her meal and the last of the figures in the journal. He smiled at her as he took her hand helping her up. Gathering the books spread out on the table he said his good night to everyone and walked out with his arm around his wife.
Pippin looked at Tulsi who was ogling Tom and ignoring the food on her plate and slid over to sit next to her. Listening to there conversation, he took his fork and helped himself to her cold sweet potatoes unnoticed by the others.
"I can not remember my own real family, Tom. I guess being torn from them at such a tender age has blocked my mind from the fear of the Tweksbury's and being stolen. I'm not even sure how old I was when it all happened, or even the day o' me own birthday. There was never no celebratin' a' thing growin' up with the likes o' 'em. All that Faradom has spoken o' is that I've a brother livin' here at Brandy Hall and I intend ta find 'im!" said Sheffield. The sorrow on his face touched Tom's heart and he began to wonder if his little brother, Laban could possibly be Sheffield.
Tulsi took Tom's hand and squeezed it tightly and he smiled as he gazed into her face that beamed with excitement. "That's it, Tom! I knew there was somethin' familiar about the looks o' Sheffield here! It's his eyes, Tom. When he smiles, he's eyes reflect the same look o' you! Sheffield has to be your long lost brother! I'm sure o' it as I'm sittin' here!"
Tom looked at Sheffield and studied him closely and in his mind he brought to focus the image of his small little brother that he remember in his past. He could see the shape of his eyes and the small little impish grin upon his tender young face.
When Tulsi words hit Sheffield's ears, he smiled in the hopes that he had found his real brother. That smile mirrored the image of the little lad in Tom's mind and he jumped to his feet in shock. "Laban! It is you! You are my brother I lost so long ago!" Tears poured from his eyes as he circled the table and grabbed Sheffield in his arms and held him tightly.
Sheffield stood in shock and slowly brought his shaking arms around the lad that held him. Then as if the block that had clouded his mind all the years growing up as a Tweksbury dissolved and a single memory came fully into view of Tom's young smiling face and happier times of them fishing together by the nearby pond by their home. He could see his mother's face and he could almost hear her voice calling to them to come to her, "Laban and Tom! It's time fer yer supper!" the sweet voiced echoed in his mind from the past memory.
Sheffield grasped his brother's shoulders and burst into tears holding him as if he never wanted to let him go.
Tulsi covered her eyes and sobbed in joy for them in finally finding each other. She ran to them and threw her arms around them laughing and hugging them.
Pippin wiped away a tear from his eyes as he finished off the last of their plates of food and his poor stomach bulged in pain. Standing up and rubbing his full stomach, he headed out of the kitchen to find his own bed as his eyelids drooped in exhaustion.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
A/N: I had a blast writing this chapter to tie up some of the loose ends… hoped you liked it! I am slowly but surely getting close to the end of this little story. I hoped my long winded details to this story has not scared the reviewers away…..Yikes and double yikes!
ShireElf : Don't whack yourself against no stonewall! Stands ShireElf up and dust you off and gives you a giant chocolate chip cookie with fudge frosting on top. Yummy!
Next chapter will be all about little Faramir. I must confess, I too have an obsession for the little guy! Sweet little Faramir……hugs him and kisses him! (gives his a chocolate cookie as well!)
Loveofthering is rubbing her hands together preparing for the end of Faradom……evil laughter follows….Mawha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hehehehe, will I ever surprise you with the ending, ShireElf! Thank you, thank you for always being there for me with your reviews to my stories! I greatly appreciate it my Sword of Shannara friend!