Category: The Lord of the Rings
Title: The Shire's Blossom
Author: Shooting Starlight
Genre: Romance/Drama
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Some mild sexual references, some angst
Summary: The tale of Drogo Baggins and Primula Brandybuck. Friendship becomes love. Love becomes happiness. Sometimes, happiness must end in tragedy.
Disclaimer: I hold no rights to the names, dates, places etc. found in J.R.R. Tolkien's works. Anything unrecognised is under ownership of myself and Crystal Charmer.
Chapter 1 – A Wedding
Thrimidge, the year 1338 S.R.
It was a day to be remembered, that was for sure. And it was one that many had been waiting to remember for a long time now. Everywhere was bustling with the preparation and enthusiasm of a bountiful joy, as the sun steadily rose over the hills.
A buzz of excitement drifted through the air on the day of young Rorimac Brandybuck's wedding. The Shire folk all knew that the young heir was highly expected of, and they were not wrong when his father, the Master of Buckland himself, had arranged a lavish feast for all the guests. And my, were there plenty of them.
Everyone from the Thain and his family to the Brockhouses of Deephallow were invited, including the bride's small patch of relations. It was to be a grand day; with the birds singing and the maypole hung high with streamers.
"Dear Menegilda, I cannot believe you will be wed to my brother in just a few hours," laughed Amaranth Brandybuck, tending to the hems of the young lass's dress.
Menegilda Goold tossed back a mane of amber hair as she straightened up in front of the mirror, giving an uneasy smile at herself. She was at her coming of age, ready to turn thirty-four at the end of the year. Being a sensible and proper girl, she knew how to keep things under management and control. There was a stern prettiness in her face that told this.
Looking at her reflection she sighed. "Neither can I. It all still seems so far away, though. Tell me, Amaranth, is the sun still shining? If it rains today, so much time and effort will be ruined. Everyone is saying that - " Here she trailed off, a palm touching the side of her face as she turned away from the wall, chuckling.
"There really is no need for such fuss," she said.
"Nonsense! Rory is the Master's heir! I thought you would be expecting it."
"I certainly would not be a few years ago," said Menegilda, wisdom in her voice. "At least we have not rushed into things. Time has gone very steadily, and very well. Besides, as long as we have happiness, and trust, we will manage enough." She turned to face Amaranth, a contented smile on her face. "I suppose it's almost time," she said, throwing her arms out a little to her sides.
Amaranth stood up and took the girl's hands in hers. "You are without a doubt, a most beautiful bride. Try not to be too nervous today."
Nervous? Menegilda thought. Was she? Marriage was a time of devotion and love, so she had no need to be. After all, her family was not the largest in the Shire, consisting of only herself and her parents in one home and her relations in the north. Moving into Brandy Hall with her husband seemed like a big change, with its many rooms and large gatherings. It was bound to be different, but then many things were.
Basking in the quietness of the room, she went to finish arranging her bouquet, an elated grin on her face. Brandy Hall may not have the equal peace of her own house, but at that moment she really couldn't care.
-xXx-
"Boys, boys! Out of the kitchen!"
Laughing, the two rascals quickly stumbled out of the door and away from the ushering hands of Mirabella Brandybuck, as she busily prepared the food for the wedding that day. There was so much to do, especially with the number of guests that were expected to show up, and she didn't want interruptions.
She hummed to herself as she finished glazing her apple pie. The window was open to help it cool down, which was probably the cause of all the little hooligans being attracted to the smell.
Her shifty eye caught a shadow in the doorway trying to escape. "Dinodas! Lad, come here and let your ma take a look at you!" she called, putting down her varnishing brush on the table.
A smile came to her face as he entered, dressed in his finest suit and looking admiringly around at the spread. Mirabella wiped her fingers on her apron and placed her hands on his shoulders.
"Well, my, my. How handsome you are!" she exclaimed.
Dinodas grinned, adjusting his tie. "Oh, come now, Ma. I'm not the one getting married today. T'will be a few years ahead until then."
Mirabella gave him a warm smile, taking her time to neaten up the messy strands of his dark golden hair while he, politely let her. Seven children there were, belonging to the Master and Mistress of Buckland and all of them with the same wild, flyaway hair. Perhaps it was for their nature, as Brandybucks were known for their sense of adventure and spontaneous ideas.
"Come to think of it, where is your brother?" Mirabella questioned, turning back to the pantry with another shake of her head. "Surely he should be ready by now!"
"Ah, not caught a case of the nerves, I suppose? Not our Rory!" said Dinodas, straightening the edges of his waistcoat with a hearty chuckle. His fingers scurried towards a pile of raspberries but they were quickly slapped away.
"Now, now, I would prefer you didn't!" his mother snapped, her reactions kicking in. "This is a big day...for all of us. I don't want you giving him any discouragement, do you hear? Neither you, or your brothers and sisters. Do you know where they have all gotten to?" she added.
Dinodas returned to the hallway. "As far as I know, Amaranth is still helping over at the Goold's smial," he said. "Dodinas and Rory...must be still upstairs. Saradas is ready, I saw him outside...and Asphodel is - "
"Here!" a voice sang. "Here I am!"
A pretty young lass of twenty-five hurried down the stairs, smiling in her mother's direction and wearing her best dress of periwinkle blue. Her hair was put back in a way that made her curls spill out across her shoulders, heightening her nose and the firmness of her features.
"Oh, Asphodel! Just look at you in that dress!" said Mirabella. "A beautiful little lamb, to be sure!"
The girl laughed, smoothing down her skirts. Her laugh was chirpy and bright, pleasant to hear, and always turning heads. "Thank you, Ma," she said.
Asphodel had been expecting this wedding for a long time now, seeing the attraction between Rory and Menegilda before either had even noticed. Being rather a hopeless romantic at times, she had taken it upon herself to try and break the walls around them. She wasn't sure if this wedding was the eventual result of her actions, though it felt good to think so.
"A lamb should be no trouble for dear Asphodel," Dinodas brought up, turning back into the kitchen and throwing his sister a wicked smile. "Her bleating is already to perfection."
She responded with a playful glare, hands on her hips in defiance. "Oh, how you have a way with words," she mocked, dodging into the room as a few children charged down the hallway, screaming and cheering.
"My! You can almost smell the excitement!" she exclaimed, staring after them.
"Either that, or Ma's fabled apple pie," Dodinas grinned, loosening his tie a little and raking one hand through his curls.
Mirabella chuckled at his remark, polishing her fingers on her apron. "Just watch yourself today, Dinodas Brandybuck. Although your wedding may be far off, your manners hopefully haven't. Goodness – I still have so much to do – oh!" Her head turned towards them, remembering. "You haven't happened to come across your sister by any chance?"
"Primula?" Asphodel questioned, trying in vain to pin back a ribbon on her dress. "Why no, Ma, but then that's hardly surprising."
Primula was the youngest of the Master's children. Although she carried respectable manners and a sensible behaviour for a lass just before her tweens, there was a wild thing inside her, craving freedom and excitement. She was one of the most spirited souls among Brandy Hall, and was never afraid to express her opinions.
Dinodas nodded in agreement. "You know how she is, sometimes. Choosing to stay out of the way when people rush about so. Perhaps she's made her escape to the outdoors," he added. "Or the wedding field itself, waiting for us all to get a move on and make haste with this ceremony."
"Oh, will you go and find out for me?" Mirabella inquired, watching her son nod his head and make his way towards the front door. "There's a good lad."
The click of the latch was quickly drowned by the uproar coming from up the stairs. It sounded like nothing more than a childish argument, and the voice of authority was soon heard too. Mirabella sighed heavily and turned back to the window, washing her hands. Her preparations were almost done.
"That child," she laughed under her breath. "She can never seem to sit still, can she?"
"No need to fret, Ma," replied her daughter. "It's the excitement. It seems to be getting to us all."
A smile broke on Mirabella's lips. The noise of more footsteps on the stairs distracted her then, causing her to turn her head and take in the sights of her eldest son, his usual grin lighting the room as he entered the hallway. He straightened himself up tall, modestly of course.
"Well," he joked, folding out his cuffs, "How do I look this morning?"
Asphodel let out one of her lively giggles at this. Mirabella moved away from the sink.
I cannot believe it, she thought in amazement. He seems so different...so much older. He truly is his father's son. She made her way over to him, her arms held out. So grown-up...
"Oh, Rory..." she breathed. "Look at you..."
He chuckled, in humble response. "I'll do," he said, shooting a sideways glance at his younger sister, who clapped her hands in glee at the sight of his best waistcoat. "At least, I hope." I hope... Those words had never left his thoughts all morning. I hope I'm ready for this...I hope everything goes well. I hope...I hope...
Rory wasn't sure if he believed in hope. But he believed in today. The sun still shone.
Mirabella raised one of her hands to his cheek, stroking the skin comfortingly. There was a secret light hidden in those brown eyes of his. One that sparkled, and blinked like a hidden star behind a fog. There was warmth on his palms that made his mother laugh. He is worried.
"You'll do fine," she said, reassuringly. "You're ready."
-xXx-
And so the sun did shine, as Dinodas happily found out. He shielded his eyes from the weather and searched the green hilltops as he stepped out of his door for any sign of his sister. Those that still had business to do, whether it was involved with the wedding or not, made time to welcome him and comment on his smart suit. Many wished him well weather for the day and congratulated his brother's good fortune.
Food was certainly essential. It was not uncommon for the guests to provide their own cooking for the many mouths to feed at a ceremony or gathering, and receive warm gratitude from the grateful invites. In fact, many hobbits had become quite famous for their recipes.
"Mornin', Master Brandybuck!" a voice called out from the road.
Dinodas could not quite recall the face, as it was a visitor being invited down for the wedding that he had rarely been in contact with. Upon hearing his name, he spun around on the gravel path and waved. "Good morning!"
"Fine day for a wedding, wouldn't you say?"
"I would indeed! My brother chooses his dates well. I swear that often he has impulses about looking forward into these sorts of things. Either that, or he is quite the victim for coincidences." He rubbed his hands together thoughtfully, before running one back through his hair again. A slight breeze had picked up now, refreshing against the hot sun.
"Have you seen my sister, perchance? Primula?"
He could not remember how far he travelled asking this question. Anyone who just so happened to pass him was delivered with it, all providing the same answer. No one had seen her – it was as though she had vanished into thin air somehow. Dinodas had even walked the length of the celebration field, in the hopes to see her waiting there.
She had gotten dressed already. His father had informed that her clothes she had laid out for herself the previous night were missing. She was running around somewhere now, in her best frock...goodness knows where. Dinodas was even beginning to become rather frustrated by the countless "no"s and "sorry"s that he got for answers.
I know Ma said she likes to stay out of the way, but not entirely!
He saw someone up ahead, carrying a large flower arrangement for the wedding. He recognised her as Cylla Took; her mother had been a Brandybuck and was a large acquaintance to the Master and his family. He quickly caught up with her, noticing that she was not with anybody. He hated interrupting conversations.
"Good morning, Cylla," he greeted, smiling as she turned towards him. "I'm so sorry to bother you with your business, but have you spotted my young sister on your travels?"
All of this running around was causing him to become quite hot indeed – a little uncomfortable for him when dressed in a clean, handsome suit. He hoped he would be cooler when the ceremony actually took place.
Cylla was just a few months off her fortieth year, her voice jolly and kind. Her eyes shone with that Tookish gleam, and she said, "Young Primula, Master Brandybuck?" She held the gathering of flowers in one hand and balanced the other on her hip. "Why, not run off from you, has she?"
"I'm afraid so," Dinodas admitted. "She's needed for this wedding. She always seems to go and disappear at the last minute. This is her brother's special day, too!"
She laughed her warm, cheery laugh then. "Quite the little tearaway, if I do say so myself. She'll grow out of it soon enough – and not to worry..." She pointed yonder to the north of the field, where a cluster of trees gathered towards a closed off orchard. "I saw her head off in that direction not twenty minutes ago."
Dinodas thanked her and set out for the trees, not knowing whether to feel angry or relieved. He was even unsure how he was going to address his sister when he saw her – but overall this was not a surprise to him. Everyone in their family (and more besides) knew of her unprompted ways.
A little figure sat in the nearest tree before him, crouching on a steady branch. Her hand was poised and it gripped firmly around another above her. She smiled and waved brightly as Dinodas strolled up to her.
"Primula! Have you been here all this time?" he demanded, flabbergasted with disbelief. He stared at her, wanting to rub at his eyes. "What are you doing up in that tree! Don't you realise you're wearing your best clothes?"
"I'm not sitting on them," she replied back obstinately, lifting back her dress to display it perfectly clean and unharmed. She appeared rather like a sweet dessert, in her colours of peaches and cream, and soft ribbons. Her feet were poised so carefully on the branch as she had been admiring the view, too. It was unlike most hobbits to go climbing trees...some could be accounted for their clumsiness.
Primula fastened her other hand now around the branch. She leant forward, the dappled sun through the leaves catching those rosy cheeks of hers. "Did they send you to come looking for me, again? Were they worrying?"
Dinodas nodded now, a ripe look in his blue eyes. "They had great reason to. We all wondered what had become of you. You just go and come whenever you please...there's no use in telling where you will be and when." He spoke this last part as he took a short step towards the tree, leaning his hand against it as he overlooked the landscape. He could see the magnificent maypole dotted below the clouds.
"Well, they needn't have bothered," she said, with something like declaration in her voice. "They ought to have trusted – why would I miss out on a day so...so important as this! This - " she gestured out with her hand to span the many tables of food and flowers, and the majestic streamers that hung across wooden stakes in the ground.
"- well, this is all for Rory," she finished, with a faint smile. "All of it."
"It's all come so quickly," her brother agreed, for the first time expressing his inner feelings towards the matter. Talking with Primula always helped him feel comfortable, for she was true to her secrets and never laughed at his opinions. "I can still remember him showing us lads the best way to split logs in two – when he was naught but a few years younger than you, sister. He took pride in those little things."
Primula nodded carefully, a faint smile on her lips. Rory took a great pride in everything, she thought to herself. Especially Menegilda. He cherishes her. He deserves all of this.
The gentle breeze picked up again, rich and blissful on the outskirts of the orchard. The aroma of ripe apples drifted their way, reminding them of the bountiful spring. Primula loved the smell of the season – when the pink blossoms fell from the trees and floated like gentle pink feathers to the ground.
"What a grand time to be wed," Dinodas added, taking in the delights. His sister never answered, but inside she silently agreed.
A grand time...of course it is. Beautiful too.
A pleasant grin came over her face then, and she turned to stare into the round eyes of her brother. Her soft, brown curls bounced behind her head.
"Are you still angry at me?" she teased.
Dinodas had completely forgotten all about his annoyance with her. He tried not to be sucked into those bright, innocent blue eyes of hers.
"No, I suppose I was never really angry," he admitted with a smirk and a shrug of the shoulders. "Worried, but not angry. You have hardly done anything to be angry about, have you?" He bent to pick up a shiny pebble, glinting in the grass at his feet, but Primula's ripe, seasoned laugh startled him.
"I knew it," she accused playfully, lowering herself carefully to the ground, and making sure that her skirts did not catch roughly on any sharp branches. She gave Dinodas a light, mischievous shove on the arm, causing her to finally gain his attention. "I knew you were! I can read you like a book, you know."
She crossed her arms, mocking him. He stood by her side, frowning a little and asking himself again and again what was the importance of sisters in the first place. All they did was set out to ridicule their siblings in meaningless pranks, well – when they were Primula's age they did. After they picked up a sewing needle he doubted they ever went back.
"Oh, can you now?"
"Yes, but it's not that interesting. Full of drivel and utter nonsense."
"Oh, you - "
A sweet light fell across her eyes and she took off towards the wedding field, lifting her skirts from the damp grass and letting her voice call down the hill as she went.
"Come on! Come on!"
Dinodas sighed and followed, watching her race down in delight to join in the sounds of laughter, and applause, her ribbons trailing in the wind. It was times like these, that he saw his family as quite relaxed and ordinary hobbits.
It was strange then, how peculiar they were rumoured to be, those Brandybucks.
Months in the Shire Calendar
Afteryule: January
Solmath: February
Rethe: March
Astron: April
Thrimidge: May
Forelithe: June
Afterlithe: July
Wedmath: August
Halimath: September
Winterfilth: October
Blotmath: November
Foreyule: December