A soft warm pink glow filtered through the thick pillows of clouds with the sun cresting in the eastern sky. A gentle breeze drifted through the rolling lush green hills and sent the grass in a fury of waves as water on the ocean. While the birds fluttered from tree limb to branches twittering a joyful morning song. Baby birds opened their mouths wide while the mother filled each empty stomach and flew off to find another worm in the moist soil from the thick dew that hung on the grass before them. All living creatures began to wake that inhabited the lands surrounding Brandy Hall. From rabbit to squirrel, all were busy collecting their morning breakfast.
Workers and servants began to gather at the tables in the courtyard while Hatty filled platefuls of food in an endless line of hobbits. There were snickering and pointing from the servants as they got word around about her special day. Congratulations and best wishes soon followed when each hobbit received their morning plate of fresh baked biscuits soaked in Hatty's best gravy. There were sides of pork sausages fried to a crispy brown texture and the smell of its seasonings greeted each nose.
Hatty hid her smiles and only gave a grateful nod to each best wish as each hobbit passed her or she would make a stubborn comment of slaving over a hot stove when she could be resting in a warm bed or having her breakfast served to her. The hobbits only teased her all the more and told her that she would never allow anyone near her cook stove to favor her on her special day. They knew her all too well.
Then as the workers finished their first breakfast, they brought their plates over to the wash tub and grabbed their hammers and bag of nails to put the finishing touched on the new stables and extra room for Tom.
Servants turned to their duties going to the kitchen and Great Hall to prepare for the Bucklander's first morning breakfast. Tables and chair were set up with fine linen and dishware. While others took their brooms and mops to begin cleaning Brandy Hall.
All the guests were still in their beds, all but one. Pippin rushed to dress and pillaged through his pockets and coffer to find enough money to purchase something very special. He had thought about it since last night after first hearing about Hatty's birthday and knew that he had this one chance to make amends to the old cook. However, with all the troubles that soon followed afterwards, he put it off until this morning.
He stumbled through his bedroom trying his best not to wake his sleeping wife and to find descent attire to make an impression on the hobbitess to convince her to sell him a special item for Hatty's birthday present. Thinking about this, he smiled and chuckled to himself as he imagined how surprised she would be.
Quietly he walked out of his bedroom and tiptoed to Faramir's bedroom door. Opening it, he peeked in to see his sleeping son sprawled out across the entire small little bed. He had one foot dangling off from the side of the bed and the other one tucked somewhere under the folds of his comforter that was knotted and twisted all about him. The pillow was hanging inches from falling off the bed and his thick brown curls rested against the soft linen. He could hear the quiet whisper of snoring that was almost music to his ears. Casting a fatherly, proud smile upon his lips, Pippin closed the door and headed out of his apartment and down the long corridor to find Old Prudy's room.
Pippin knocked quietly at first in the hopes that the old girl was up early and would see him. To his luck the door opened, but to his shock that greeted him was a haggard puffy faced hobbit with a greasy substance smeared all over her face and her hair was knotted into cloth rollers and tied all about her hair. She worn the thick wrapped robe that was tied to her waist and the collar was pulled tightly around her neck. Squinting her old wrinkly eyes at Pippin, she scowled seeing him at her door.
"What you be wanting this early in the morning, Master Peregrin Took?" she demanded in a high squeaky tone of voice.
"Begging your pardon, Mrs. Broadbelt, I'm sorry for calling on you at this unseemly, early hour, but I've come to see if I could purchase your tea set," he asked her as politely as he could and trying not to stare openly at her strange appearance.
"It's too early to be trading and selling at this time of morning!" she scolded. "Have ya got no sense of time, my boy! Come back after second breakfast when the tables are set up proper!"
"Again, I apologize for approaching you so early. But is it most important that I buy that tea set now. I'll be willing to pay extra for it seeing this is not the proper time."
Her eyes lit up thinking about gaining extra coins for her teapot. "How much extra are you talking about, Mr. Took?" she asked him.
"Oh, I can see my way of doubling the asking price, if you will oblige me." Pippin could see that his bid interested the elderly hobbitess as she carefully considered it.
She opened the door wider and allowed Pippin in. Following her to her table, she pulled out the box that housed her special teapot with matching sugar bowl and cream pot. Outside of a small chip on the rim of the sugar bowl, it was in perfect condition. There were four matching teacups sitting in a box next to the teapot and he remembered the shock on Hatty's face when her teacups fell from the table and broke upon the floor about his feet. The sunken expression lifted as the image in his mind was replaced seeing how pleased Hatty will be with this present. Pippin smiled while he looked it over and admired the intricate flowers painted all around it, by a master craftsman. It had a curved spout and a small delicate handle with spirals winding at the end of it. It was the loveliest tea set that he had ever seen and would be a perfect gift for Hatty.
"How much are you asking for it?"
"One hundred pence and not a coin under it!" she told him.
Pippin raised his brow at her price thinking this was higher than he wanted to go. "One hundred pence! If I doubled it as agreed upon, that would make it two hundred pence!"
He almost reeled thinking how the was going to lighten his pockets. "Oh, my word!" he said thinking about this.
"Well you heard my price and seen the teapot. I'll be holding to your promise of double price, seeing how early it is in the morning and its not even time for first breakfast. I'd say it's worth it!" She rubbed her gnarled fingers together while she waited for him to make up his mind.
Pippin licked his lips and wrinkled his brow thinking about it. "How about one hundred and fifty pence?" he asked her.
"You were the one who said double the price, not I?" she reminded him.
"Well its highway robbery at that price!" he commented and knew that he needed to haggle with old Prudy to make it worth the asking price. Seeing the teacups that sat in the box next to the teapot, he made a counter offer. 'I can see my way to paying the two hundred pence if you put the teacups in with the teapot!"
Prudy being a sound business hobbitess with a good sense about her carefully considered the offer. Thinking about how many times she had tried to sell her teacups without finding a single buyer outside of Old Hatty who had talked her into selling her just one of those cups. The original set had six teacups, but after one of them broke, she decided to sell her prized set and the fifth cup was an odd number to sell. After long negotiation with the old cook, she practically gave it way just to get her away from her table.
"I can see it if'n you add another ten pence to our bargain," she said tapping her finger into the palm of her other hand.
"Another ten pence for a old set of teacups with two missing is hardly worthy of another coin!" Pippin stated firmly. "A two hundred pence for the entire set would still be more than it is worth and you know it as well as I!"
"All right, then!" said Old Prudy. "I'll put the teacups into the bargain at two hundred pence!"
Pippin took out his pocket book and pulled his coins out to count them. "You have yourself a deal. I'll take it since I have little choice in the matter, as it were!"
Now it was Pippin who was scowling thinking about how much this was costing him. He counted out his coins but soon realized that he was somewhat short. A deep redness filled his cheeks as he fumbled searching his pockets for more coins. Not finding any thing, old Prudy took the lid of the box and was about to seal it and put it away.
"I don't take credit from visitors to Brandy Hall, only residence. Its two hundred pence or nothing!" She continued to put it away.
"Wait!" said Pippin holding up his hand. "I'll tell you what, my dear cousin, Merry owes me more than what this teapot costs. How about you collect it from him. I know he will be more than happy to give you the rest of the coins that he owes me. You can even add an additional ten pence for your trouble!"
Old Prudy recounted all of Pippin's coins and he only had one hundred and fifty pence. Wanting to sell her teapot, especially at double the price, she did not want to lose this sale. Knowing the Master of Buckland was good for the coins and would pay her; she quickly accepted the Took's offer.
Pippin thanked her for her kindness more times than was necessary as she seen him to her front door and walked him out. Watching his retreating form as he disappeared around the corner of the corridor. She broke out in a huge smile and rubbed her two hands greedily together in excitement and returned back into her apartment to recount the coins.
XXX
The fire in the stove blazed and hissed as it was stoked again to get the irons on top, red hot. The heat that ensued increased the temperature in the kitchen as the sweat poured down old Hatty's brow.
Placing her thickly padded oven mitts on her hands, she carefully opened the iron oven door and placed her tray full of cornbread batter to bake for first morning breakfast. She could hear her pot of water beginning to boil and her kettle beginning to whistle. The small of her back ached and pinched while her ankles felt swollen from standing in one place for too long. She had gotten up early to ready her basket of treats to hand out today for her birthday. She had spent a week of preparing them and packaging them while the kitchen was closed down for the night in secret so no one would know and surprise them with her gifts.
Looking around the room to make sure that she was alone, she opened the bottom cupboard and pulled out her baskets of treats and put them on the countertop. Each bag had a stack for freshly baked cookies, her best candy curls and chocolate treats. She knew that this would put a smile on everyone's lips. Each bag had its own label and tied with a bright red ribbon. There was a basket full of treat bags for the servant lasses that worked with her in the kitchen and another basket for the stable lads. The largest basket was for the residence who lived at Brandy Hall and another basket for the Brandybucks. Stepping back to admire them, she was pleased how well they turned out and were worth all the time and effort she put into them in making them for everyone. Hatty wondered when they were going to spring her birthday party on her because she had over heard the servants whispering. She would have hardly believed it since the Master of Buckland was laid up healing with his wounds while Esmeralda was at his side. She new the mistress of Brandy Hall would not have the time to plan a birthday under these conditions and thought they would have been put off until old Master Saradoc had recovered. So to her astonishment the party was being planned and readied for sometime today. She wished she could have overheard the time that the lasses were speaking about in her kitchen the other morning, but they never mentioned it. This made Hatty so happy since she thought her bags of treat would spoil by the time the master had healed and was ready to have her birthday party.
A slow smile began to appear upon her lips thinking about it, but soon disappeared with the aching bones and joints from being on her feet since just before sunrise. She turned back to her stove and the hot kettle of water that had boiled. Longing to have a few minutes to sit herself down and rest with a cup of herbal tea, she took her favorite teacup in her hand she saw the large chip and crack, from the Took's mishap from the other day. Shaking her head in despair at the sorry looking cup and then remembered the struggling and haggling it took to purchase this from old Prudy Broadbelt. "The old pee hen!" commented Hatty to herself. She turned back to her stove to pour the boiling water into the broken cup.
Hatty had always admired the tea set that Prudy owned, because there was nothing like it in the entire Shire. Ever since she was a young lass working in the kitchen, she had washed, cleaned and polished this for Prudy and her family. This tea set brought many memories of how she would pretend she was a mistress serving an elegant tea party. When she finally put it up for sale, Hatty wanted to purchase it. However, Prudy being persnickety did not want her tea set going to a servant and did her best to out wit Hatty to raise the price to an outrageous sum. But for this one teacup she managed to buy from the elderly hobbitess and now it was ruined. Shrugging her shoulders, she filled the boiling water into the broken cup only half way to where the crack was and settled herself in her chair at the table. Taking her teabag, she began to strain the tea from it into her broken cup.
No sooner did she raise the cup to her lips to take her first sip, when she heard singing coming from the corridor. Louder and louder the voiced filtered into the kitchen and she turned sharply when the door opened and lines of hobbits began to come in. Estella and Merry led the group in and around the table as they all filed in.
While the back door opened and stable hands and workers began to come in and joined them in singing with them. Soon the kitchen was completely full leaving only elbowroom between everyone. The sound of their voices singing all together rang out loud and echoed all through Brandy Hall.
"Hatty, Hatty tis her day,
a birthday song and cake we made;
to wish her happiness, if we may.
Raise your glasses and sing her praise,
It's Hatty's birthday here today!"
The hobbits all clapped their hands and cheered.
Esmeralda was shocked and dumbfounded upon hearing the singing coming from the hallway. Rushing away from her husband's bedside, she had totally forgotten about Hatty's birthday that she had planned but had not gotten around to seeing to the details and arrangements. Being the mistress of Brandy Hall it was her duty to do all the planning. Feeling very badly for letting everyone down, she made her way from her room and saw a line of hobbits entering the Great Hall where most of the parties took place. She stood frozen in shock seeing the beautiful table clothes and flower arrangements in elegant array of bright colors. The best dinnerware was set out and each placement had a hand written card. Esmeralda picked up one of the card to study the handwriting to see who had done this. She had instantly recognized the pretty script of her daughter-in-law and smiled thinking how well she had done in making the arrangements.
The servant lasses carried in a huge birthday cake and set it upon the center table. It was Tulsi who ordered them where to place it and saw to the details of the cake.
Esmeralda walked down the lengths of the tables and admired all her daughter-in-laws designs and hard work she put into making this a special day for old Hatty.
Soon the double doors opened widely and the hobbits began to file in. Hatty was the first to enter with Merry and Estella following. Seeing her birthday cake sitting in the center table she walked over to it with amazement and surprise. It was the biggest and tallest birthday cake that she had ever seen. Candy roses lined each layer and were set into the thick white frosting on the three layers of the cake. Candles were everywhere that marked the passing of each birthday. She thought there was too many and knew she would have a tough time blowing them all out. Tears filled her eyes seeing the magnificence of this cake and she was humbled about being so thought of in such a special way. Hobs, her husband stood next to her and put his arms around her and gave her a birthday kiss. This sent the hobbits cheering again and their voices echoed out loudly.
Tulsi stood next to the cake with a proud smile upon her lips. She hugged the persnickety old cook and wished her all the best for her birthday. "If you, lass, can make such a magnificent cake like this, then I'll be given you more room at my stove!"
"Oh, Hatty!" squealed Tulsi with excitement. "Thank you! I'll promise I'll follow your rules to the letter!"
"You see that you do, Lass!" said Hatty as she sniffed and dabbed her tears from her eyes. She reached her arms around her and gave her a hug to thank her.
Hatty was escorted to the head table where the Brandybucks usually sat and gave her the center seat. Joining the Brandybucks at their table were the Tooks, and Pippin confidently sat next to his father and his wife on the other side of Hatty. Diamond pulled out the chair next to Hatty and sat her small son. Faramir beamed a huge smile sitting next to the hobbit of honor because with this privilege came the second piece of birthday cake after Hatty was served the first. His small feet wiggled under the chair in anticipation for the party to get started.
Behind him, was a large table that had begun to fill full of presents and Hatty's basket of gift bags sat in the center. Estella took a moment to instruct the servant how they should be placed. There were simple wrappings from the workers to the servants and were mixed in with the finery of gifts of the residence. Estella did not want them to be separated to show everyone there was a difference between the classes of hobbits in Brandy Hall. This pleases Esmeralda.
If there was ever any doubt or misgivings to the future mistress of Brandy Hall, they were immediately dispelled. Esmeralda smiled when she sat down next to her son and took his hand to give it a tight squeeze of affection. When Estella took the chair on the other side from her husband, Esmeralda congratulated her on taking charge of the party and her clever designs and decorations.
In fact, to the elderly mistress, everything was perfect. Saradoc was right about their new daughter-in-law, she was going to make Brandy Hall a fine mistress. Tears of pride filled her eyes as she watched her.
All through the first morning breakfasts, servants carried trays of food and served the guests and Old Hatty and Hobs sat as honored guests being catered to and waited upon. Hatty enjoyed herself immensely.
When first breakfast ended, Hatty rose from her seat to gather the baskets to be given out to each person who attended the party. Faramir squealed with laughter and excitement when he rushed to see what was in his bag. He stuck his hand inside of it and quickly before his mother could stop him, he placed a curled candy stick into his mouth filling his cheeks full.
Pippin was next to stand and walk over to the gift table where Hatty stood and took his wrapped gift that was the largest at the table and handed it to her.
"Hatty, I know I've caused you some grief during our stay at Brandy Hall. I wanted to wish you a Happy Birthday and give this gift to you!"
Hatty's eyes were of saucers as she accepted the gift the Took handed her. It humbled her from the size of it. He fingers shook when she loosened the soft ribbons tied to hold the cloth wrapping. When she had lifted the lid of the box and removed the straw that protected the teapot, it took her breath away seeing Old Prudy's tea set. Thick tears filled her eyes and slowly dropped down her chubby cheeks as she ran her fingers across the delicate pottery. If ever there was a gift to be treasured by the old cook, it was this that she held in her hands. Memories of her past was so tied into this small pot that brought back all her childhood imaginations and pretending of owning something so fine as this. She looked at the Took who stood in front of her and she knew that he would never know just how much this gift had meant to her. She held it closely to her chest and reached up to hug Pippin with tears of thanks.
Pippin did not know what to think of the cook that was so overwhelmed by his gift nor her tears that poured from her eyes. "Hatty, if you please, there is more in the box than just the teapot. I hope you will accept this from my clumsiness of foot and you can finally forgive me!"
Hatty pulled away from the Took and with a joyful smile upon her lips, she commented. "Oh yes, my dear lad. Yes, of course, I forgive you!"
Diamond smiled back at her husband giving him a, 'I told you so', look.
While Prudy gasped and scowled seeing the old cook had finally won her tea set and thought how shrewdly she did it.
When the many candles on the cake were blown out with the help of her husband Hobs, everyone sang another song and waited for the cake to be served. Hatty insisted that Pippin have the biggest piece of cake and sat down with him and his family to eat it.
All through the morning the hobbits celebrated laughing and toasting. Little by little the guests left the Great Hall to begin their day and a servant came over to tell Pippin his coach was ready. Giving him permission to load their luggage, Merry and Estella escorted the Tooks outside. Emeralda said her good-byes to her brother and his family. Paladin hugged her one more time, before his helped his wife up into the coach. Faramir hugged Estella and cried upon her shoulder when they said their good-byes to each other. She promised to visit him soon. Helping him into the coach and to his mother's side, Faramir stuck his head out of the coach to wait for his father to enter. Waving and hugging each other, Pippin said his good-byes and climbed upon the coach. The Brandybucks stood together and watched the coach roll out to the end of the road.
From a distance, Merry saw Shimmering, Sheerimac and Snowmane being lead into the finished stables and Berilac waved them over. When they had reached them Sheerimac nuzzled up to his master and he stroked his long white mane. Merimac helped his son open the new stable doors while Merry and Estella brought the ponies in and helped settle them into their new home.
It was not long until they all turned around to see Tom, Sheffield and Tulsi walking into the stables. She walked in between the two brothers to help them. Tom's shoulder was bandaged and supported with sling. He had bruises on his face and a swollen black eye. He looked ever bit the warrior home from a battle. Even with his wounds and scares, his deed would never be forgotten about, not at Brandy Hall. Tom was still the gentle hobbit that everyone had known and loved, but now he was respected and thought about as magnificent for his deed of saving young Faramir and putting an end to the worst villain that Buckland had ever known. Whenever Merry would need him, he knew he could always count on Tom and his brother Sheffield.
"Well Tom, are you ready to see your new home?" Merry asked him. Tulsi put her arm around Tom's waist and her other around Sheffield, as the Master of Buckland opened the door to Tom's new furnished home.
There was a large hearth made of stone and plenty of dried wooden logs cut in the bin next to it. A soft comfy sofa sat a few feet from it with a woven braided rug. There were plants on small tables where new lanterns sat and a host of freshly made candles and a small kitchen with open cupboards fully supplied and a cook stove that stood in the corner. In back of the kitchen was another room with a framed bed and thick quilts upon the soft mattress.
"There's no curtains yet nor pillows, but I'm betting it won't be long until those comforts will be added by a certain special someone," Merry commented with a smile and a wink towards Tom.
Tom was overwhelmed by the rooms and furnishing of his own little place. It was more than what he had wished for and hoped. His quiet expression and big rounded eyes took in every detail of his room and then rested upon his master. His gratefulness was clearly written upon Tom's gentle face as they both stared at each other in silence. Merry could see the tears beginning to fill his kindly eyes as Tulsi reached over to him and hugged him. Sheffield also put his arms around the two and kissed his brother's brow.
Estella pulled at her husband's arm to cue him that they should leave them alone and turned him around to the door to exit it.
"You've gotten yerself a fine home, my brother," said Sheffield as he stepped away to admire it one last time before he too thought about leaving the two lovebirds alone.
"I won't be living here alone, Sheffield," commented Tom. "I've asked Master Merry for another room to be built next to mine. We've been separated for far too long and when its finished, I'll be a wantin' you to move in here with me. Together you and I could tend Master Merry's ponies and we could have a wonderful life here if you'd agree to it."
Sheffield stared at his brother with a wide grin and knew he had found his new life where he would live and finally be happy. He nodded to his brother and Tom reached his one good arm around his brother's shoulder to give him a hug. The two did not need to speak to tell each other the happiness that they both held in their hearts nor the life that they would share together as a family finally reunited. Sheffield pulled back and commented, "Until then, Tom. I'll be sleeping in the straw in the stables to keep a close eye upon the ponies and getting to know them a little more." He strolled over to the front door and opened it. Going into the stable he saw the ponies and went over to visit with Berilac and Merimac.
When the door shut, Tom turned to Tulsi and held her in his arms. "There is only one more thing that I need and that is you, Tulsi. To be my wife and share my life here in our little home. You would make me the happiest that I've ever been, if you would just say, yes and agree to marry me."
Her happiness lit her face instantly as she pressed her lips against his and gave him a delightful kiss and than held him warmly in her arms. "Oh, yes!" she said. "Yes, Tom, I will marry you!"
The End
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ShireElf; Sorry, I completely forgot about putting my Author notes on the last chapter. I did not realize it until I read it a few days ago to begin writing this chapter. (face is red again!) I too love little Faramir and really enjoyed writing about him......
I was trying to find a cliff in Brandy Hall, but there was just nothing I could push him off of.
I just wanted to thank you so much for reading and reviewing this story. I greatly appreciate it! I had so much fun writing this, but now I am really sad that it is over with. But then perhaps I can finally get the second chapter in my Terry Brooks story of the Sword of Shannara, "Silver and Cold"
BedTimeMonster: I felt it fitting that Tom should be the one to see to Faradom's death, since he was the one who lost the most because of all that he had done to him. In knowing the gentleness of his hobbit and being the less likely to beat him I wanted Tom to save the day.....(smiles).
Anyway, it's finally over with and I wanted to thank you for reading and reviewing this story! You are awesome! Until my next LOTR story, my friend.....Thanks again.