While they Walked
Chapter 2: Of Arguments and the Shire
Legolas and Gimli were arguing, again. They were getting on most of the fellowship's nerves, excluding the hobbits. Their arguing usually would irk the hobbits as well, but this time the 'discussion' was so ridiculous, the hobbits could barely keep a straight face and so were walking behind the pair.
"If I had wanted you to answer the question then I would have addressed it to you, elf."
"Pardon? Were you talking to me? Only I didn't hear my name so surely you weren't addressing me."
"That's not what I mean and you know it." Growled Gimli. "I had asked Aragorn the question, not you or anyone else, I wanted only Aragorn to answer it."
"I didn't hear my name again."
"Yes, but I hadn't addressed it to anyone else so it was a general comment anyone could respond to, I wouldn't mind it."
"I suppose you're going to call it manners?"
"That's what it's generally known as, yes."
"Why, I'm surprised you dwarves could come up with things such as manners. You've always got your head stuck in the ground searching for some gold when you've already got enough to last until the end of time!"
"Well at least we've got our heads somewhere near the ground, not stuck up in the clouds-"
"With the birds, thinking you're higher than everyone else." Chorused the hobbits. Gimli and Legolas turned around and stared at the four hobbits, now doubled over with laughter, even Sam who wasn't laughing with quite so much abandon as the other three was finding it hard to walk.
Finally Pippin was able to gasp out: "You sound just like Bilbo and Lobelia!"
"They were always arguing just like that!"
"Lobelia?" Asked Boromir, eager for some more information on this land his country had protected for so long. "Was she Bilbo's sweetheart?" The hobbits looked at one another and immediately burst out laughing again.
"We're sorry Boromir, you couldn't possibly know but there is no way you could possibly be further from the truth."
"Lobelia was Bilbo's most hated relation, and the feeling is most certainly mutual."
"Especially after those spoons he gave to her when he left."
"Just as well he did leave really or he might not be with us still to tell the tale." The story was passing between the hobbits in such quick succession it was hard to tell which was talking at any time, even their accents seemed to merge together when taking on the age old tradition of gossiping.
"Still, Lobelia should be happy now I've left Bag End to her."
"All my stars! The garden! She can't possibly be giving it the attention it deserves!"
"Think of it Sam!" teased Merry, "There may be weeds!" Sam gave Merry such a look that Merry felt he should apologise and he did so.
"So you've sold you home?" said Boromir.
"Yes, Frodo's leaving Hobbiton had to look natural, it was a great conspiracy."
"A conspiracy within a conspiracy."
"How many conspiracies were there?"
"Oh who knows? None of us have been bothered to count."
"That many?"
"No, we're all just very lazy."
"Except possibly Sam."
"And Frodo may be considered among the active due to all his walking."
"But you're all walking as much as Frodo ever did now, I'm sure."
"Well, yes, but we have to. There's a difference, Merry and I had to learn our letters and did so with great pains."
"One with more pains than the other."
"Yes, thank you Frodo, but Sam actually asked to learn them. Why I'll never fathom, but that's the way it is."
"Learning your letters is a great privilege! How-"
"Sorry Sam, but may I ask, why do Merry and Pippin both need to be educated and not you?"
"I am but a gardener, I have no real need for writing any letters or any of that while Mr. Pippin is a Took and Mr. Merry is a Brandybuck." Of course, Boromir hadn't a clue of the important families of the Shire, so his look was quite blank.
"Let me explain, Pippin is one day to be the Thain, you could call him the king of the Shire, I suppose."
"Oh please don't, Thain is bad enough, imagine the responsibilities of the king!"
"Fine, he's the king but the politics are decided by the mayor. Merry here, will one day be master of Buckland though. A land often mistaken as part of the Shire."
"And that job includes all the politics." Merry looked none too thrilled. Pippin laughed at his friend's future bad luck and was wrestled to the ground by Merry.
"Not a fair fight! I didn't have any warning!"
"Yes, but you could get me on the ground if I gave you warning."
"I'm sure you'll survive Merry." Merry smiled up at Boromir and let Pippin continue walking.
"You are good a wrestling then Master Pippin? Merry's taller than you if I'm not mistaken." Said Gimli.
"Trust a dwarf to be interested in a 'sport' like wrestling."
"Excuse us," said Merry and Pippin, "Wrestling is a fine sport. And yes I am rather good even if I do say so myself."
"He's small but quick."
"Not that small either, not when he's sitting on you."
"That's not very sporting."
"That's only when I want something, and I'm nearly as tall as you Merry, you've no right to call me small, only Frodo still can really." Pippin paused as he took in the people surrounding him, "And possibly Gandalf, Strider, Legolas, Gimli and Boromir too."
"Sam, I do-"Frodo was stopped from saying what ever he was going to say by an arm across his chest belonging to Merry, who was squinting at some trees not far off. Everyone looked in the same direction and all at once the hobbits cried "Apples!" and bounded off to get themselves a snack or three.
The three beings left behind after the conversation looked at each other, elf, dwarf and man joined briefly in pure bewilderment, until they decided to keep walking and let the others deal with the rampant hobbits.
Still, at least Boromir had learnt a little more about the four of them.
Chapter 2: Of Arguments and the Shire
Legolas and Gimli were arguing, again. They were getting on most of the fellowship's nerves, excluding the hobbits. Their arguing usually would irk the hobbits as well, but this time the 'discussion' was so ridiculous, the hobbits could barely keep a straight face and so were walking behind the pair.
"If I had wanted you to answer the question then I would have addressed it to you, elf."
"Pardon? Were you talking to me? Only I didn't hear my name so surely you weren't addressing me."
"That's not what I mean and you know it." Growled Gimli. "I had asked Aragorn the question, not you or anyone else, I wanted only Aragorn to answer it."
"I didn't hear my name again."
"Yes, but I hadn't addressed it to anyone else so it was a general comment anyone could respond to, I wouldn't mind it."
"I suppose you're going to call it manners?"
"That's what it's generally known as, yes."
"Why, I'm surprised you dwarves could come up with things such as manners. You've always got your head stuck in the ground searching for some gold when you've already got enough to last until the end of time!"
"Well at least we've got our heads somewhere near the ground, not stuck up in the clouds-"
"With the birds, thinking you're higher than everyone else." Chorused the hobbits. Gimli and Legolas turned around and stared at the four hobbits, now doubled over with laughter, even Sam who wasn't laughing with quite so much abandon as the other three was finding it hard to walk.
Finally Pippin was able to gasp out: "You sound just like Bilbo and Lobelia!"
"They were always arguing just like that!"
"Lobelia?" Asked Boromir, eager for some more information on this land his country had protected for so long. "Was she Bilbo's sweetheart?" The hobbits looked at one another and immediately burst out laughing again.
"We're sorry Boromir, you couldn't possibly know but there is no way you could possibly be further from the truth."
"Lobelia was Bilbo's most hated relation, and the feeling is most certainly mutual."
"Especially after those spoons he gave to her when he left."
"Just as well he did leave really or he might not be with us still to tell the tale." The story was passing between the hobbits in such quick succession it was hard to tell which was talking at any time, even their accents seemed to merge together when taking on the age old tradition of gossiping.
"Still, Lobelia should be happy now I've left Bag End to her."
"All my stars! The garden! She can't possibly be giving it the attention it deserves!"
"Think of it Sam!" teased Merry, "There may be weeds!" Sam gave Merry such a look that Merry felt he should apologise and he did so.
"So you've sold you home?" said Boromir.
"Yes, Frodo's leaving Hobbiton had to look natural, it was a great conspiracy."
"A conspiracy within a conspiracy."
"How many conspiracies were there?"
"Oh who knows? None of us have been bothered to count."
"That many?"
"No, we're all just very lazy."
"Except possibly Sam."
"And Frodo may be considered among the active due to all his walking."
"But you're all walking as much as Frodo ever did now, I'm sure."
"Well, yes, but we have to. There's a difference, Merry and I had to learn our letters and did so with great pains."
"One with more pains than the other."
"Yes, thank you Frodo, but Sam actually asked to learn them. Why I'll never fathom, but that's the way it is."
"Learning your letters is a great privilege! How-"
"Sorry Sam, but may I ask, why do Merry and Pippin both need to be educated and not you?"
"I am but a gardener, I have no real need for writing any letters or any of that while Mr. Pippin is a Took and Mr. Merry is a Brandybuck." Of course, Boromir hadn't a clue of the important families of the Shire, so his look was quite blank.
"Let me explain, Pippin is one day to be the Thain, you could call him the king of the Shire, I suppose."
"Oh please don't, Thain is bad enough, imagine the responsibilities of the king!"
"Fine, he's the king but the politics are decided by the mayor. Merry here, will one day be master of Buckland though. A land often mistaken as part of the Shire."
"And that job includes all the politics." Merry looked none too thrilled. Pippin laughed at his friend's future bad luck and was wrestled to the ground by Merry.
"Not a fair fight! I didn't have any warning!"
"Yes, but you could get me on the ground if I gave you warning."
"I'm sure you'll survive Merry." Merry smiled up at Boromir and let Pippin continue walking.
"You are good a wrestling then Master Pippin? Merry's taller than you if I'm not mistaken." Said Gimli.
"Trust a dwarf to be interested in a 'sport' like wrestling."
"Excuse us," said Merry and Pippin, "Wrestling is a fine sport. And yes I am rather good even if I do say so myself."
"He's small but quick."
"Not that small either, not when he's sitting on you."
"That's not very sporting."
"That's only when I want something, and I'm nearly as tall as you Merry, you've no right to call me small, only Frodo still can really." Pippin paused as he took in the people surrounding him, "And possibly Gandalf, Strider, Legolas, Gimli and Boromir too."
"Sam, I do-"Frodo was stopped from saying what ever he was going to say by an arm across his chest belonging to Merry, who was squinting at some trees not far off. Everyone looked in the same direction and all at once the hobbits cried "Apples!" and bounded off to get themselves a snack or three.
The three beings left behind after the conversation looked at each other, elf, dwarf and man joined briefly in pure bewilderment, until they decided to keep walking and let the others deal with the rampant hobbits.
Still, at least Boromir had learnt a little more about the four of them.