A GAME WELL PLAYED
After the nearly attempted death threat on the elf, Rose had uncerimoniously kicked the men folk out of the house. They were now gathered down in the party field watching several games being played by the hobbits.
Frodo, Sam, Gimli, and Legolas were sitting at one of the many tables along the field watching the games. Merry and Pippin had started to feel better and joined in one of the games. The hobbits were split into two teams. Two posts stood on either side of the field. The first team had to get the ball through the other team's post to score a point. The players were not allowed to touch the ball with their hands. To win the team had to score nine points. Frodo and Sam explained various other rules and the positioning of the players as they watched.
"We play a similar game in my home lands." Legolas replied watching couriously. "Only we play with four players not six."
The game ended and Merry and Pippin returned to their friends. "Crill's team is playing to win today," he announced draining his cup of water.
Frodo's smiled turning morning glory eyes to his cousin. "He's probably still mad at you for besting him last year at the races."
"I can't help we raise good ponies." Pippin grinned.
"Hoy!"
The hobbits, Gimli, and Legolas looked over at the shout. A rather large beefy hobbit with red hair was waving at them.
"That's Redkin." Frodo stated to the others.
"He's a champ at this game. He and his team are undefeated," Sam returned.
"Hoy," Redkin hailed again. "Let us have a game then. Youse fellows, the elf, and the dwarf, against me and my boys."
Frodo frowned. "I don't think so."
"Why not?" Redkin goaded. "Afraid we'll beat the Fellowship?"
"Not to your sorry lot," Sam said indignantly.
"Well then, on the field with you."
Frodo looked at the others and raised an eyebrow. "Well?"
Gimli stood up stretching. "A little physical exertion will be welcomed." His eyes glittered as he turned back to the hobbits. "Let's show them what it takes to be a member of the Fellowship."
A predatory smile was shared by the members of the Fellowship as they looked at each other. As one they made their way onto the field.
Frodo quickly introduced the others to Redkin. Redkin returned the gesture. "The tall fellow is Madoc, Dobbin, William, Sacar, and the round one is Fortin." Redkin held a coin out. "Call it Master Elf."
"Tails."
Redkin tossed the coin. "Heads. Your at the lower end of the field."
Frodo and the others made their way down the field. Pippin sized everybody up. "Legolas, Frodo, and Merry take the front. Gimli, Sam, and I will take the rear guard. Merry keep center, Frodo stay on Merry's right. Gimli your on my right, I'm center, and Sam left flank."
Frodo leaned close to Legolas whispering, "Pippin is good at this game. He's gotten very good at stratagies. He has spent way to much time with Aragorn and Faramir."
Legolas laughed softly.
"Listen Redkin's team plays rough and they play to win," Pippin continued ignoring them. "They play fair though, watch yourselves."
Babin, who was playing referee, came to the center of the field and called the teams to position. Babin set the heavy ball on the ground. "On my mark.....Go!"
Merry and Redkin rushed at the ball at the same time. Merry got the ball away kicking it over to Frodo. Frodo raced down the field with it Legolas and Merry close behind. He dodged around Dobbin before kicking it over to Legolas. The elf spun away from Madoc before passing it back to Merry. Merry skidded kicking the ball past Sacar and between the posts.
The Fellowship shared a grin before taking their first positions again.
Redkin managed to kick the ball backwards this time to William. William slid it over to Fortin, who raced it down the field. Their was a scuffle between him and Pippin before the ball slipped out. Redkin recovered it nicely before going to the posts and scoring.
The next round Frodo got knocked to the ground by Dobbin as they scuffled for the ball as Redkin slipped past Gimli scoring again. Sam seeing Frodo rub his weak shoulder glared at Dobbin angrily. "Are you alright Mr. Frodo?"
Frodo nodded. "I'm fine Sam."
The next round had Sacar down the field in front of the Fellowship's goal. Sacar made to knock the dwarf down only to find himself looking up dazzidly at the dwarf. Hitting the dwarf was like hitting a brick wall. Gimli took the ball down the field tossing it off to Frodo. Frodo bypassed Redkin kicking it into the goal.
Merry scored the next two goals then Redkin scored another for their team. The game was getting hot and heavy when Redkin's team scored three more points, while the Fellowship scored two tying the game at six points each.
Pippin called a time out gathering everybody down the field. The Fellowship was nursing bumps and bruises but Pippin, with no small satisfaction, noticed so was Redkin's team. "Merry I want you to get the ball send it to Sam. Legolas get down the field and wait. We'll get the ball to you. Sam don't worry about the goal Gimli and I will take care of it. We only have three more points, let's go."
The round went as Pippin had planned. Redkin's team had not expected Sam to leave the goal behind. Legolas had taken the ball and scored easily. Redkin's team retaliated in the next round and they were back to being tied.
Pippin blew out a breath noisely. Merry looked over at him a tired grin on his face. "We won't be able to pull that one off again."
"No, Redkin would expect that."
Pippin's eyes narrowed in thought. "Gimli you and I are going to switch Legolas and Merry places. I'll get the ball you; bowl anyone over who gets in the way. Frodo try to keep William off of me for a moment."
Redkin looked surprised as Pippin met him at the center. "Are you ready to take a beating yet?"
Pippin gave him a grin, "not by you."
Pippin claimed the ball before it even hit the ground. He kicked the ball between Redkin's legs and raced around to reclaim it on the other side. Pip raced down the field with Gimli bowling over anyone who got in his way. Pippin faked left and when Sacar moved, kicked the ball through the posts.
"Frodo take center." Pippin called to his cousin as they moved back up the field.
"Center?" Frodo eyed his cousin warily. Pippin pulled Frodo close whispering in his ear. Frodo's eyes widened in surprise, but he nodded.
They lined up to play. As Babin let go of the ball, Frodo raced past Redkin. Redkin turned in shock wondering how the other had claimed the ball so quickly.
The trick worked and Pippin moved in to claim the ball. Pippin kicked the ball over to Legolas who kicked it over to Gimli. Gimli knocking Dobbin down and kicked the ball over to Merry. Merry kicked for the goal but Sacar blocked the blow sending it back out. Frodo managed to free the ball from Redkin and sent it over to Sam. Sam circled close to the goal before kicking it in.
The ninth point.
They had won.
"Hooray for the Fellowship!"
Cheers came from around the field and for the first time they noticed quite a large crowd had gathered.
Pippin stiffened beside his friends his eyes going wide.
"That was a well played game."
The familiar voice made everyone turn.
"Aragorn!"
"Strider!"
TBC
After the nearly attempted death threat on the elf, Rose had uncerimoniously kicked the men folk out of the house. They were now gathered down in the party field watching several games being played by the hobbits.
Frodo, Sam, Gimli, and Legolas were sitting at one of the many tables along the field watching the games. Merry and Pippin had started to feel better and joined in one of the games. The hobbits were split into two teams. Two posts stood on either side of the field. The first team had to get the ball through the other team's post to score a point. The players were not allowed to touch the ball with their hands. To win the team had to score nine points. Frodo and Sam explained various other rules and the positioning of the players as they watched.
"We play a similar game in my home lands." Legolas replied watching couriously. "Only we play with four players not six."
The game ended and Merry and Pippin returned to their friends. "Crill's team is playing to win today," he announced draining his cup of water.
Frodo's smiled turning morning glory eyes to his cousin. "He's probably still mad at you for besting him last year at the races."
"I can't help we raise good ponies." Pippin grinned.
"Hoy!"
The hobbits, Gimli, and Legolas looked over at the shout. A rather large beefy hobbit with red hair was waving at them.
"That's Redkin." Frodo stated to the others.
"He's a champ at this game. He and his team are undefeated," Sam returned.
"Hoy," Redkin hailed again. "Let us have a game then. Youse fellows, the elf, and the dwarf, against me and my boys."
Frodo frowned. "I don't think so."
"Why not?" Redkin goaded. "Afraid we'll beat the Fellowship?"
"Not to your sorry lot," Sam said indignantly.
"Well then, on the field with you."
Frodo looked at the others and raised an eyebrow. "Well?"
Gimli stood up stretching. "A little physical exertion will be welcomed." His eyes glittered as he turned back to the hobbits. "Let's show them what it takes to be a member of the Fellowship."
A predatory smile was shared by the members of the Fellowship as they looked at each other. As one they made their way onto the field.
Frodo quickly introduced the others to Redkin. Redkin returned the gesture. "The tall fellow is Madoc, Dobbin, William, Sacar, and the round one is Fortin." Redkin held a coin out. "Call it Master Elf."
"Tails."
Redkin tossed the coin. "Heads. Your at the lower end of the field."
Frodo and the others made their way down the field. Pippin sized everybody up. "Legolas, Frodo, and Merry take the front. Gimli, Sam, and I will take the rear guard. Merry keep center, Frodo stay on Merry's right. Gimli your on my right, I'm center, and Sam left flank."
Frodo leaned close to Legolas whispering, "Pippin is good at this game. He's gotten very good at stratagies. He has spent way to much time with Aragorn and Faramir."
Legolas laughed softly.
"Listen Redkin's team plays rough and they play to win," Pippin continued ignoring them. "They play fair though, watch yourselves."
Babin, who was playing referee, came to the center of the field and called the teams to position. Babin set the heavy ball on the ground. "On my mark.....Go!"
Merry and Redkin rushed at the ball at the same time. Merry got the ball away kicking it over to Frodo. Frodo raced down the field with it Legolas and Merry close behind. He dodged around Dobbin before kicking it over to Legolas. The elf spun away from Madoc before passing it back to Merry. Merry skidded kicking the ball past Sacar and between the posts.
The Fellowship shared a grin before taking their first positions again.
Redkin managed to kick the ball backwards this time to William. William slid it over to Fortin, who raced it down the field. Their was a scuffle between him and Pippin before the ball slipped out. Redkin recovered it nicely before going to the posts and scoring.
The next round Frodo got knocked to the ground by Dobbin as they scuffled for the ball as Redkin slipped past Gimli scoring again. Sam seeing Frodo rub his weak shoulder glared at Dobbin angrily. "Are you alright Mr. Frodo?"
Frodo nodded. "I'm fine Sam."
The next round had Sacar down the field in front of the Fellowship's goal. Sacar made to knock the dwarf down only to find himself looking up dazzidly at the dwarf. Hitting the dwarf was like hitting a brick wall. Gimli took the ball down the field tossing it off to Frodo. Frodo bypassed Redkin kicking it into the goal.
Merry scored the next two goals then Redkin scored another for their team. The game was getting hot and heavy when Redkin's team scored three more points, while the Fellowship scored two tying the game at six points each.
Pippin called a time out gathering everybody down the field. The Fellowship was nursing bumps and bruises but Pippin, with no small satisfaction, noticed so was Redkin's team. "Merry I want you to get the ball send it to Sam. Legolas get down the field and wait. We'll get the ball to you. Sam don't worry about the goal Gimli and I will take care of it. We only have three more points, let's go."
The round went as Pippin had planned. Redkin's team had not expected Sam to leave the goal behind. Legolas had taken the ball and scored easily. Redkin's team retaliated in the next round and they were back to being tied.
Pippin blew out a breath noisely. Merry looked over at him a tired grin on his face. "We won't be able to pull that one off again."
"No, Redkin would expect that."
Pippin's eyes narrowed in thought. "Gimli you and I are going to switch Legolas and Merry places. I'll get the ball you; bowl anyone over who gets in the way. Frodo try to keep William off of me for a moment."
Redkin looked surprised as Pippin met him at the center. "Are you ready to take a beating yet?"
Pippin gave him a grin, "not by you."
Pippin claimed the ball before it even hit the ground. He kicked the ball between Redkin's legs and raced around to reclaim it on the other side. Pip raced down the field with Gimli bowling over anyone who got in his way. Pippin faked left and when Sacar moved, kicked the ball through the posts.
"Frodo take center." Pippin called to his cousin as they moved back up the field.
"Center?" Frodo eyed his cousin warily. Pippin pulled Frodo close whispering in his ear. Frodo's eyes widened in surprise, but he nodded.
They lined up to play. As Babin let go of the ball, Frodo raced past Redkin. Redkin turned in shock wondering how the other had claimed the ball so quickly.
The trick worked and Pippin moved in to claim the ball. Pippin kicked the ball over to Legolas who kicked it over to Gimli. Gimli knocking Dobbin down and kicked the ball over to Merry. Merry kicked for the goal but Sacar blocked the blow sending it back out. Frodo managed to free the ball from Redkin and sent it over to Sam. Sam circled close to the goal before kicking it in.
The ninth point.
They had won.
"Hooray for the Fellowship!"
Cheers came from around the field and for the first time they noticed quite a large crowd had gathered.
Pippin stiffened beside his friends his eyes going wide.
"That was a well played game."
The familiar voice made everyone turn.
"Aragorn!"
"Strider!"
TBC