Author's Note: I try to keep all my chapters around the same length, which proved to be a problem this time around since I needed more time to develop the storylines. So if some things seem to be happening a little fast then that's the reason. Though shortness of pages aside, I have to admit that I'm fond of this chapter. I hope you will be too!
Disclaimer: Ah you know the drill…
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"What a lovely spring" Pippin said and took a deep breath to fill his lungs with spring air. "I don't think we've had a warmer May for a decade! And look at the nature around us! The trees are green, the birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming!"
"And you have apparently swallowed a bluebird" Merry said. "It's just springtime Pippin; you've seen it seventy times before."
"Sixty-nine" Pippin corrected. "And out of those, no more than ten have been this lovely!"
"That's still almost one in seven" Merry said. "Kind of as if every Tuesday would be exceptionally lovely."
"Trust you to turn a conversation about springtime in its loveliest to a talk about Tuesdays" Pippin sighed.
"I'm just bored I guess" Merry said. "Nothing exciting has happened at all this year. So far it's just been everyday life all the time… Not that I don't appreciate a nice and calm time, but I want at least something exciting or out of the ordinary to happen every year."
"Brandybucks…" Pippin grinned.
"Don't you start sounding like those ridiculous HAMs! You know what I mean, don't you? Something special happening! Just something that distinguishes the year from all the rest! But so far this year, nothing!"
"Perhaps 1459 will be the year you distinguish as the year when nothing happened" Pippin suggested.
"Maybe" Merry sighed. "Oh well, the year is not over yet. We still have a long summer and a wonderful autumn ahead of us. Perhaps something exciting will happen then."
"Still, you've got to love springtime" Pippin grinned. "Everybody's so changed during spring, so happy and filled with life! And love is always in the air! I don't think I've gone a single springtime since I became aware of lasses, without having a crush on someone."
"Who will the lucky lass be this year?" Merry teased.
"Who knows?" Pippin said with a wink. "But I bet she'll be a real diamond!"
"This is a good time of year to take your wife out for long walks and reminisce" Merry admitted. "To talk about the days when you had just fallen in love, your first spring as a married couple, when the children were little… I once took Estella out on a boat on the Brandywine when we were betrothed, thinking it would be a romantic gesture. She thought it was awful and was afraid she would fall in and drown! After that I was a bit more careful with what I brought her along for."
"Diamond and I never did anything like that" Pippin said. "Most of our meetings before we were married followed the same pattern. We did the same things almost every time. But I enjoyed that, I liked having a firm spot in my life, something that was constantly the same. Then of course we were married and we saw each other all the time, things were different then. But it was great to have her around all the time, that was the best part of being newlyweds. She was always there, I never had to ride off at night and leave her behind."
"Personally I thought going to bed was one of the most fun parts of being newlyweds" Merry said with a grin.
"Meriadoc!" Pippin said and smacked his friend on the arm. "I'm trying to have a decent conversation here with you and that's what I get?"
"But I also liked waking up!" Merry said. "Waking up and having her there next to me… Of course it took a few weeks for her to get used to seeing me every morning. She had some very firm morning routines which did not include having a husband snoring next to you."
"You snore? Since when?"
"To think we have both been married for over thirty years!" Merry said. "For Diamond that's got to be nearly half her life! I always look back fondly on those first few years when it was just the four of us… Not that I don't look back fondly on when the children arrived as well, but those years between marriage and childbirth were really special. Do you remember how we would sit out on the front door steps and watch the sun set on fall nights? The girls sitting on the ground in front of us, leaned back into our arms? We were a family even then, before the babies came along."
"We had great fun back then" Pippin nodded. "We've had a lot of good times, my dear Merry. And lots are still ahead of us!"
"They had better be" Merry smiled. "Those summer nights we would spend out in the orchard together, all four of us… Life seemed like it could never get any better, and it could never change. It was as if we were all invincible!"
They looked at each other and smiled. Those years when they had been young, in love and full of dreams were still vivid in their memories. Oh to be that young again.
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"We haven't been to enough parties together in the past couple of years" Sam said and handed Pippin a glass of wine. "It's great to have our families dance and sign and dine together again. This year we're doing something big for September 22nd, believe you me!"
Pippin nodded. It had been a few years now since the Tooks, the Gamgees and the Brandybucks had visited the same party, or even spent September 22nd together. Just like Sam Pippin had missed it. Parties were never more fun than when he had his two best friends with him, and their wives and children all together.
The party was full of Hobbits from all around the Shire. Pippin gathered there were at least 70 Hobbits of all ages present for this fest, and everybody seemed to be having a good time. Merry was off right now making sure the Gamgees, Tooks and Brandybucks could share one large dining table for when dinner was to be eaten, it would be a shame to be spread out around the area to eat when they were all together for once.
"Look at the young ones…" Sam said. "Do you remember when we were like that?"
Pippin laughed.
"Oh you as well, dear Samwise? Merry and I were so nostalgic a few weeks ago, remembering our youth and the good times we shared. I'm glad to see our children making the most of their irresponsible tweens. Seeing Frodo and his Rosa together astonishes me, you have married children Sam! Too bad Elanor couldn't be here."
"Yes, she's the only one missing" Sam said. "And Hamfast… He would have been 27 this year." Sam's eyes suddenly looked sad. "Ruby would be 21 now, and Tom 17…"
"Oh Sam, don't think of that right now" Pippin said. "Think of the nine ones who are out there having fun!"
"You're right!" Sam said and cast aside his dark thoughts.
"Naturally" Pippin said and finished his glass of wine.
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"Dear Daisy, when are you going to realize that you are not the most coveted of the Gamgees?" Goldilocks said to her sister as they sat down to eat.
"Goldie darling, your blonde hair can never win over my dazzling smile" Daisy replied.
"Not this again" their brother Merry sighed as he sat down opposite them. "Why can't you two just accept that you're both huge flirts? Why do you need the competition?"
"We can't be equally good at winning the lads over" Daisy said. "One of us has to be better than the other!"
Merry shook his head at his two sisters. They both loved playing with fire, flirting with a lad and charming him, getting him to want to be around them. They rarely took it any further than that, no more than a few kisses during the ten years they had been active flirts. For some reason they both wished to be the best at winning lads over; Merry could not quite understand the thrill. He turned to his more sensible company on his left, Éowyn, and discussed the training of her pony Blizzard. His two sisters bickered on across the table.
"Please!" he complained when their voices began to bother his conversation. "Won't you give it a rest? If you're so set on knowing for sure then why don't you actually put it to the test?"
"You're right!" Daisy said. "Excellent idea, brother!"
Merry shook his head at them and returned to Éowyn. Goldilocks looked at her sister with an interested grin.
"A real test, you say? Well why not! Do you have any suggestions?"
"Oh it's simple really" Daisy said. "We find us each a lad and the first one to get him to want to kiss her is the winner! And I know just the pair for the job!"
"Who?"
"Them" Daisy said and nodded over at Faramir and Cordy who were helping themselves to the buffet. "They're safe flirts, for they know that it's only a good-natured flirt and nothing more. Yet they're a bit of a challenge, because they don't see us as objects of flirtation. The first one to get the Brandybuck or the Took to want to pucker up is the most enchanting out of the two of us."
"It's a deal" Goldilocks said. "Do you want the Took or the Brandybuck?"
"The Brandybuck is too young for you" Daisy said, getting an offended snort from her sister. "I am simply saying that the oldest one of us should be going after the oldest one of them, and the youngest with the youngest."
"Fine" Goldilocks said and dug in to her meal. "As soon as dinner is over I am going to win Faramir over."
"I'll have Comradoc in my hands before that" Daisy said and laughed.
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Once they were done eating, Faramir and Cordy headed out to the dance area. They both loved to dance, and were quite good at it too. All the Took, Brandybuck and Gamgee children were out dancing, save for Merry and Éowyn who were still discussing ponies by the table.
In the middle of the turns and twirls of the dance Faramir suddenly found himself with Goldilocks Gamgee in his arms. He had never danced with her before to his recollection, but he wouldn't mind giving it a try. He liked seeing her golden hair fly like a mane around her when she spun around in the dance and her eyes were smiling at him in a way he had never seen any lass do before.
He glanced over at Cordy, who had Daisy Gamgee in his arms, apparently laughing at something she had said and captured by her smile. To get Faramir's attention back Goldilocks let go of him and did a ballerina-like dance around him, making sure her hair flowed around her and her eyes met his. Faramir nearly stopped in his tracks and couldn't keep back a laugh as she apparently danced just for him. He had never known she was so fun to dance with. He grabbed her hands and as the music changed to one of his favorite dances he proved to her what a good dancer he was. She happily let him lead her and didn't neglect to give him looks which made any lad wonder what mysteries she carried inside of her.
The tune turned into a slower dance, just as Faramir was about to pull her closer for a more bodily connected dance she curtsied to him and thanked him for the dance. He looked after her as she walked away, turning once to smile at him. Before he could even begin to wonder or think he was interrupted by Aramac.
"Come along Faramir, we need something to drink!" his cousin said.
"Aramac have you ever danced with Goldilocks Gamgee?" Faramir asked as they headed over to get some ale.
"Sure" Aramac said. "She's a fine dancer… Not the best out of the Gamgee girls, but she's good nonetheless."
"I couldn't help but…" Faramir began, then stopped himself from finishing the sentence.
Aramac knew that look on Faramir's face.
"You do know that her flirtatious ways are just her ways?" he said. "Don't be fooled by them, she doesn't mean to wake your interest. She's just the same as you, only she doesn't kiss everything that comes in her way. I'm telling you Faramir; don't try to steal any kisses from her. Your father will be furious with you if you toy with Sam's daughter's heart."
Faramir nodded. He knew his second-cousin was right, but he couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to kiss Goldilocks Gamgee in a dark corner of the party. She was the first lass who had ever begun flirting with him; usually he was the one to take the initiative. But on the other hand, maybe all she had done was dance. She was full of joy and life; he might have mistaken her excitement for flirting.
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Goldilocks smiled to herself. That had been easier than expected! A little toss of the hair and a smile at the right moment. Now she let him wonder about her sudden interest in dancing with him, while the band played a few slower songs. As soon as a livelier dance was played she looked for Faramir and found him dancing with a few of his friends. Most of the dances were the type where you could switch your partner every few turns if you felt like it, which gave Goldilocks the perfect opportunity. She waited for the next spin in the dance and threw herself out in the turns. She made sure she wound up in Faramir's arms again, this time seemingly completely by accident, and she gave him a smile and a laugh that told him she found the coincidence amusing.
Faramir didn't know what to think. She seemed clearly out to charm him, then when he was convinced that she was she did something which made him think he was completely wrong. She seemed to be reeling him in one second and letting him loose the next. But he couldn't disregard that even though she had had dozen chances to twirl off into someone else's arms she had continued dancing with him. And he had had a dozen chances to catch another lass in the dance and get a new dance partner. But it was fun to dance with her. He enjoyed her innocent charms and flirts. He knew his father would be mad at him but he couldn't help but toy with the idea of seeing how far he could go with her. After all, he and Goldilocks both knew that there could never be anything romantic between them. So what harm could a few kisses do? He made up his mind to try to steer her aside once the night got darker.
This time when a slower dance was played, Goldilocks let him puller her closer for a dance. After all, there was nothing strange about that. Just a quick look around the area told them that Aramac was dancing with Primrose, Lúthien was dancing with Bilbo and Éowyn with young Merry. A dance was just a dance. But judging by how Goldilocks had smiled at him before, Faramir wondered if perhaps they couldn't get a bit closer than just dancing.
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Goldilocks made her way towards the tents in the outskirts of the party area, needing to go to the bathroom. She couldn't keep a content smile off her face. She had Faramir on the hook, she was sure of it. It was only a matter of time now before he would bring her to a more secluded area and try to kiss her. She knew she wouldn't let him, and she wasn't worried about hurting his pride in the process. Faramir Took would only think he had misinterpreted her merry coquette behavior for serious flirting, and leave it at that. Good old Faramir, it was interesting to see him in action. She knew he was quite the flirt himself, although his flirts usually ended up in secret kisses behind tents or trees, while Goldilocks had only kissed two lads in her entire 28 year-old life. She wondered what kind of lasses he found who were so willing to be kissed, probably lasses who thought he was serious about them. She discarded them as foolish no-goods.
She walked around the corner of a tent and stopped dead in her tracks when she found her sister and Cordy Brandybuck, not just flirting but actually kissing. It took her a second to regain her ability to speak, not only had her sister won their competition but she had actually taken it a step further! Goldilocks was shocked!
"Daisy!" she exclaimed.
Daisy and Cordy broke their kiss instantly, both looking as shocked as Goldilocks. Cordy blushed and looked away, covering his mouth with his hand and mumbling some greeting to Goldilocks. Daisy on the other hand gained control of herself almost right away.
"Goldilocks, you startled us!" she said.
"Daisy Gamgee I cannot believe you!" Goldilocks cried.
"Don't look at me like that" Daisy said, sure of herself although sounding a bit embarrassed. "There's no harm in it! What are a few kisses? And it's just Cordy, it's safe! I know he's not going to think I'm seriously interested, he knows I'm not going to think he's seriously interested… After all, what harm is there really to kissing? It's nice, and it doesn't hurt anybody, least of all us. A few kisses tonight, and tomorrow morning everything will be the way it's always been."
"There will be no more of it!" Goldilocks said, furious with her sister. "Daisy you had better come with me, and pray Father doesn't find out!"
"You're not telling him, are you?" Daisy said.
"Goldilocks it's all very innocent, I promise" Cordy said. "Neither one of us was using the other and we're not in love! It was just kissing!"
Goldilocks gave him a look. Poor fellow had no idea that using him was exactly what Daisy had been doing. She grabbed Daisy by the hand and made sure she got back to the others right away. Cordy waited for a while after they had left before he returned. It was a pity they had been interrupted, he had had fun with Daisy. But perhaps Goldilocks was right, he knew his father would be angry with him if he thought he had treated Daisy badly or inappropriately.
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After leaving her sister with Frodo and Rosa Goldilocks felt in no mood to go dancing again. But she had noticed the victorious smirk on Daisy's face and she knew she had to find Faramir. If her sister could get Cordy Brandybuck to kiss her then Goldilocks was not going to accept not getting as much as an attempted kiss from Faramir Took.
She found Faramir once again out dancing, this time dancing a slow dance with a Brandybuck lass Goldilocks didn't know too well. She waited impatiently for the dance to end and another to begin, and when it did she quickly made her way over and subtly let Faramir know she was interested in a dance. He looked from his original dance partner to her a few times, then thanked the Brandybuck lass for the dance and took Goldilocks in his arms instead. Goldilocks decided that it was no time to take her time. She did her best to work all of her charms as they danced, Faramir didn't know what to believe. But when the dance was over he nodded towards the outskirts and started walking in that direction, with Goldilocks following a few paces behind.
Once they were alone he put his arms around her waist and pulled her close. She felt gigglish, gigglish and determined. He could hear her giggles and see the determination in her eyes, now feeling more confused than ever.
"I never knew you were a good dancer" he said.
"I love to dance" she replied with a flirtatious smile.
"I also never knew you were so charming" he said, which was partly a lie since he was well aware of her flirtatious ways.
"Am I?" she said and looked up at him through her eyelashes.
Faramir laughed. They both knew that her flirting ways were obvious and well known. She must have some agenda trying to flirt with him like this. He wondered what it would feel like to kiss those giggling lips. Determined to find out he pulled her closer, but just as their lips were about to meet she pulled away from him with a smile.
"Ah!" she said with her index finger jokingly raised. "My kisses do not come that easily, Mr. Took!"
And with that she threw him a casual smile and danced her way back to the party, pleased with the outcome. Faramir remained where he was standing, unable to understand what had just happened. No lass had ever been like that before; no one had shown interest in him and later refused to let him kiss her. Goldilocks Gamgee didn't come easily he could tell. He went back to the party and spent the rest of the evening wondering about the golden haired lass.
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A few days later Éowyn and Merry Gamgee rode out from Bag End together. They had spent hours at the party talking about their shared love for ponies and made plans to go out riding together. Éowyn was hoping Merry might be able to give her some helpful tips with Blizzard and Merry was excited to have someone to go out riding with.
They rode down the path to Buckland together, sharing experiences and advice with one another about training ponies. Éowyn had more experience in training them, but Merry was much more skilled in caring for them. After a while they began to talk about other things as well, and it felt like only a short while had passed by when they reached the spot where they had decided to have their picnic.
Merry took care of the ponies and made sure they had access to water while Éowyn prepared for their meal. She glanced over at Merry while she unpacked the picnic basket and felt a blush appear on her cheeks. This was not just about their shared interest in ponies, she knew that much. Something had clicked between them at the party but she wasn't sure what it was. She had been thinking about him a lot since that night and she wondered if he thought about her too. He came over to her with a shy smile and sat down. Their eyes met, and she wondered if they hadn't looked at each other for a little longer than required. She shook her head and discarded the thought. What had gotten into her?
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Midsummer's Eve came, and it was one of the loveliest in many years. A party was held on the meadows of Tuckburough, starting at noon and set to continue until well after midnight. The Tooks, Brandybucks and Gamgees were all there and everybody seemed to be having a great time. Faramir and the Brandybuck brothers had gone to many parties in Hobbiton lately, but it was the first time since May that the three families were all there together.
"You have to admit that even though it's been an eventless year, it's a lovely midsummer" Pippin said to Merry and put his arms around Diamond from behind.
"I won't deny that" Merry said and put his arms around his own wife. "But still I wish something would happen."
"I am perfectly happy with what you call eventless" Estella said and continued chopping carrots. "Everything is nice and calm, just the way it should be."
She turned her head and gave her husband a kiss. Pippin was doing his best to annoy Diamond by blowing into her ear, hoping that she would give him some eatable treat to make him go away. Diamond was ignoring him however, well used to his tricks by now. Merry kissed his wife on the forehead and looked around.
"I guess this has its charm as well…" he said.
"I don't see how you can call this eventless" Estella said and chopped another carrot. "We are busy almost every day!"
"Yes but with ordinary things" Merry said.
"Yes, because we are Hobbits" Estella said. "And we do what Hobbits do because that's the way a Hobbit lives."
"But I swear this Hobbit won't live much longer if he doesn't stop blowing into my ear!" Diamond said and gave Pippin a murderous look. "How am I supposed to get any work done with you around?"
"I'll go away if you give me something to nibble on!"
"Nibble this" she said and gave him a playful elbow in the stomach.
"I know when I'm not wanted" Pippin sighed. "Come on Merry; let's go find some more sensible company."
"Okay" Merry agreed and chewed on a carrot Estella gave him.
Before Pippin could loudly mouth his complain that Merry got something to snack on but not him, Diamond suggested to him that he should go find his son. The sun was setting now and Faramir hadn't been in sight for a while. Diamond wanted him to come help her out with the food, since he was a tad bit more disciplined than his father and actually knew what he was doing preparing food. Pippin sighed and obediently headed off to find Faramir.
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Faramir was not far away, but the noises from the party could no longer be heard behind him. He had made his way down to the river, where he could see Goldilocks picking flowers. He stopped for a moment and looked at her. She was quite the sight, having a nice summer dress on and her long golden hair flowing down her back. She had a garland of summer flowers, and her hair shone like a light around her. She had not yet noticed him coming and was completely focused on the flowers she was picking for the children who wanted to make garlands of their own.
Every time he looked at her Faramir was confused. They had seen each other a few times since May, and each time she had had that smile on her face and that invite in her eyes which only went as far as a dance or two, never anything more than that. It was driving Faramir crazy, he couldn't put her out of his mind, the one lass who had not given in to his charms and allowed him to kiss her. He knew that Goldilocks Gamgee was not a lass he could flirt with, kiss and then leave behind, but for some reason he couldn't help wondering what it would be like.
She looked up and saw him approaching and her face lit up in that teasing smile. Even though he had seen a lot of lasses who were prettier than her she was a true sight this evening and he wondered if he had made a mistake in coming down here to see her in private.
"Hullo Faramir" she said. "Do you want to help out?"
"Picking flowers is not really my kind of chore" he said and stopped just a few feet away from her.
"Oh I think you would do just fine" Goldilocks said. "If you help me with this I'll save a dance for you tonight."
"Please… Don't tease me Goldilocks."
"Tease you?" she said with candid surprise.
"I know you don't mean anything by it…" he said. "But I feel I must tell you where I stand, in order to avoid any confusion. For the ways you flirt with me are truly confusing and to be honest it's been driving me insane. I know it's just harmless flirting for you, I'm a safe person to practice your charms at since nothing can ever arise between you and me, but I've found I don't like it and I think it should stop."
"Faramir I never meant to make you feel bad" Goldilocks said honestly. "It's just the dance I do."
"I know!" he said. "I know that you don't mean anything by it… But all I've been able to think about since May is what it would be like to hold you in my arms and kiss you. I tried that night, you rightly drew away and I haven't tried since. But since that night I haven't been able to get you out of my head." He took a few steps closer to her as he spoke. "Goldilocks normally I would appreciate a situation like this, take it as a challenge, be ready for whatever adventure there might be in store if I let it happen. But not with you. You and I both know that there can never be anything between us, you are a Gamgee and I am a Took. And furthermore we have been brought up as cousins, it's not something we can pursuit. I don't want to wake up one morning and realize that I have fallen in love with a Gamgee. I want to fall in love with someone I can be with, someone I can have a future with. It's not your fault, you didn't mean for this, but I'm telling you that you have to stop! Don't flirt with me anymore!"
He had come to realize that the very thing his father had been warning him to do to others had been done to him. What had only been intended as friendly flirting had woken emotions in him which he feared would turn into a crush, a crush which would never lead anywhere. For the first time he understood why his father wanted him to be cautious, and he cringed at the thought that he had inadvertently led other lasses along.
Goldilocks was now right in front of him, looking at him with serious eyes for the first time since May. His words took her by surprise; she felt a mixture of misjudgment and triumph. If she was understanding him correctly he was beginning to develop feelings for her, she had managed to turn the head of Faramir Took, known to everyone as the lad who couldn't give his heart to any lass for real. But mostly she felt sad about it, she knew he was right about them not being able to be together and she didn't want him to feel hurt or betrayed by her.
"Dear Faramir…" she said. "This was not my intent. I just liked our little game of strengths. I thought you would be one to understand the innocence of a flirtatious smile or word."
"I understand more than I would like to" Faramir said. "I'm not saying I'm in love with you. I'm saying that I feel some sort of desire for you, and that is a horrible thing! You may not be fit for me to give my heart to but I greatly respect you and your whole family. I could never take advantage of Samwise's daughter; I would never forgive myself if I did! You deserve better, someone who cares for you. All I can think of his what your lips would taste like, the sweetness of your tongue, the feel of running my hands through your hair… But it could never go any further than that; never develop beyond a few kisses. And that's not acceptable; I cannot kiss you and discard you like you were worth nothing!"
Goldilocks was not sure what to believe. The look in his eyes was new to her; she had never seen it in him or any other lad. He thought he had the power but she knew that it was in her hands. He would never get to kiss her unless she wanted him to, if anything she would be the one taking advantage of him.
Unable to resist the temptation she let the flowers in her arms fall to the ground and her arms slip around his waist. A split second later his arms were around hers. They were looking into each other's eyes and Goldilocks knew she had to test him. Their faces moved closer, slowly, very slowly, and he leaned his forehead against hers while still somehow looking into each other's eyes. There was something about the whole moment which was far more intimate than the kisses she had shared with two lads in her past. But just as their lips were about to brush against each other he pulled back and backed away from her.
"Didn't you hear me?" he gasped. "You might think it's just a game, and just a kiss… But it's not! For if I kiss you once I will kiss you twice, and thrice, and again, but it will never go further than that! I will marry someone from my own social status, as will you, and I am not interested in having any form of romance with someone I can never let it grow with! We cannot see each other anymore Goldilocks, at least not for a little while! I have to get this out of my system, forget the thought of your lips. No matter what you think a kiss cannot be innocent between us, for I have thought about it for too long and it's beginning to turn into something else! Something that's not what you deserve. So please…"
He turned and walked back to the party. Goldilocks remained where he had left her until the height of the sun told her that it would be dark before long. She picked up the flowers and slowly begun to walk back. She was confused like never before, she could not quite come to grips with what had happened out on the meadow. Faramir Took had confessed to her that all he could think about was getting to kiss her, and when she had let him he backed away before their lips met. It stung her pride that she had allowed him to kiss her, knowing that he much wanted to, but he had had the willpower to step back. Now the tables were turning, for some reason she was now unable to think about anything else than what kissing him would be like. It had never crossed her mind that he might have somehow thought she was actually playing hard to get, something she knew he was completely unused to, and that it would have held an attraction for him. Now she was facing a whole new challenge. Someone who wanted to kiss her but had the willpower not to. She knew she had to face this challenge head on or she would not be able to put her mind at ease. Somehow she had to get this lad to give in and kiss her. Just like Faramir she was drawn to the challenge of someone being hard to get and she would not accept anything else than victory.
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"I love Midsummer…" Cordy said and gazed up at the sky. "It's midnight, but it's not all that dark… The sun sets late. I love it."
"Any reason to have a party…" Faramir said with a shrug to the shoulder.
"Cordy" Merry said and came up to the lads together with Pippin. "What's this I hear about you and Daisy Gamgee at the May party?"
Cordy looked surprised. How on earth had his father found out?
"Me and Daisy?"
"I am not going to meddle in your love life, but when it comes to Sam's daughters I want you to keep your distance and not do anything you're not supposed to!"
"It was just a kiss" Cordy said. "We both knew it. It was just a bit of fun, and we figured who better to share a few kisses with than someone you knew you were on the same page with? You know I wouldn't do anything to her against her wishes, and there's been no problem."
Merry gave him a squeeze on the shoulder which Cordy accepted as an okay, and he and Pippin walked off. Cordy turned to Faramir the second their fathers were out of hear sight.
"Can you believe it?" he said. "How on earth did he find out? I didn't tell anyone, Daisy didn't tell anyone and I don't think Goldilocks told anyone either! We were the only ones who knew! How do parents manage to find out everything?"
Faramir didn't answer. He grabbed Cordy's tankard and downed the ale in it in one sweep. Cordy stared at him.
"Easy! What's gotten into you?"
When he didn't get an answer he got up to get a refill on that ale. Probably best to get a half-pint for Faramir too. If Faramir fancied a proper hangover he could get himself one on his own ale, Cordy preferred having his to himself.
Faramir watched him go and sighed. He hadn't known Cordy had kissed Daisy Gamgee. But like Cordy said, apparently nothing could be kept from their fathers.
XX
XX
Merry Gamgee couldn't believe his good fortune, or perhaps his great misfortune. He didn't even know how this had happened! Not in a million years would he have expected this. He had not even allowed himself to toy with the idea of something like this because he knew it was too impossible. Yet here he was.
It just didn't seem possible that Éowyn Brandybuck, the fairest lass in the Shire, would actually have any interest in him! He was just an ordinary Hobbit, most of his brothers were more handsome than he was and he was getting chubby already, even though he was only 32. He had absolutely nothing to offer her, not that it would matter anyway because they would never be able to be together. Yet she was there, right in front of him. He had never snuck away with a lass before, it was a new experience for him, and now he was here with Éowyn!
Éowyn could not quite believe it either. Ever since that May night she had discovered new sides to him and found that she really liked him. They had been out riding quite often since then and by and by she had come to realize that she cared a lot for him. She had never felt this way about anyone before and she didn't know how to avoid acting on it. Not when he felt the same way about her, and she could tell that he did. They had both known it tonight, and they needed to talk about it. But what to say? And what to do? Éowyn decided that he should be the one to speak first, and she patiently waited for him to say something.
"Éowyn this is madness" he finally said. "You and me, we come from completely different homes… I'm not good enough for you!"
"Merry I know what you're going to say" she said. "I know because I've thought the same things a dozen times. But I never expected to feel this way about someone; I never knew what it was that people felt for one another when they were together!"
"Miss Éowyn, what we feel is not important" Merry said. "What's important is to not allow ourselves to let our emotions take control over us! You stay on your side of the Brandywine, I stay on mine… no more going out on rides and no more talking to each other in private!"
"I don't want that" Éowyn said. "We cannot go about ignoring each other! It would never work, our families get together! I can't help it, I feel good when I'm with you! When I'm not, you are all I think about!"
"You're all I think about too!" Merry said. "But you're out of reach, you're off my limits! You're not supposed to care about the likes of me; you're supposed to be out there in the arms of some handsome Took or Boffin! Someone worthy of you!"
"Merry…" Éowyn said and walked really close to him. "All my life I thought I would never feel this way… It's still an early emotion but once it arose it seemed like there was no stopping it! I have to get to see you!"
"You are out of your mind, we can't! We might not be able to avoid each other at social gatherings, but no more riding out together!"
"Don't say that… I understand that I can't be beside you at parties, or touch you or kiss you, but that doesn't mean we cannot see each other! Let me be near you, talk with you… Just let me feel these feelings even if I cannot act upon them."
Merry pulled her close for a hug, which turned into a kiss. When they broke the kiss they looked into each other's eyes for a moment and Éowyn waited for Merry to pull back and tell her it was impossible, but he didn't.
"Maybe we just need to get it out of our systems" he said. "Neither of us have had a serious romance with anyone before, we probably just need to see what it can be like! We both have these feelings inside of us which we've never gotten to feel and so we feel them for each other out of some misguided emotion. A summer flirt, to get it out of our system! And when the winter comes we say goodbye and know that we might have had a nice summer but now it's over."
"A summer flirt…" Éowyn said. "I like the sound of that."
XX
XX
Goldilocks noticed in the corner of her eye how her brother Merry came back from behind one of the tents. She evilly wondered what he had been up to, for he couldn't possibly have been with a lass. Her brother was hopeless when it came to lasses, out of all her siblings Goldilocks gathered he would be the least likely to get married. She nearly choked on her lemonade when she saw Éowyn Brandybuck coming from behind that same tent a few minutes later. She looked over at her brother and saw him give Éowyn a longing gaze. Goldilocks couldn't believe it!
"Goldilocks!" her sister Primrose cried and pulled her to her feet.
"Primrose, what are you doing?" Goldilocks asked, annoyed with her sister for interrupting her in this new discovery.
"You have been sitting here all night" Primrose said. "It's time you got up and danced! Come on!"
Goldilocks found herself dragged to the dance area by her younger sister, who never seemed to miss a single dance at any party. If Primrose wanted to dance that was fine by Goldilocks, but she didn't want to join her right now. But her sister quickly shoved her into the arms of a Baggins lad and then disappeared into the crowd.
Goldilocks put a smile on her face and danced a few dances with a few different lads. Then she saw Primrose in the corner of her eye, dancing with Faramir Took. Goldilocks felt a sting of anger at the sight. He could not dance with her, but with one of her sisters? Why did Primrose have to be such a fool for dancing?
At the end of the dance Goldilocks saw Faramir stagger a bit, and heard her sister laugh and give him a helping hand.
"Whoa, Faramir!" Primrose said. "I think you need to sit down for a while. No more ale for you tonight, you hear? Let me get you some water."
Goldilocks left her dance partner without a word and hurried over just as Faramir was trying to tell Primrose that he was not quite as drunk as she thought he was. Goldilocks had never seen him quite this intoxicated before, but a quick glance at Cordy who seemed to be thinking his cousin was entertaining told her it was not the first time it had happened.
"Primrose what are you doing?" she asked her sister.
"This looks a bit funny, I guess" Primrose said with a laugh. "Here Goldilocks, you give me a hand supporting this fellow. I'm going to go get him some water."
Her sister leaned Faramir over on Goldilocks and disappeared into the crowds. Goldilocks looked at Faramir in surprise and decided he needed to sit down. She begun to lead him over to a nearby table where Théodoc and Aramac were seated, hoping they could take a bit better care of their intoxicated cousin. But getting Faramir to walk straight was harder than expected and somehow they ended up passing the table without the Brandybucks noticing them.
Faramir looked up at her and she couldn't quite tell what the look in his eyes meant. Then suddenly she found himself with his arms around her and his lips pressed against hers. The kiss only lasted a second, then he pulled away from her and went over to Théo and Aramac. Goldilocks reached up her hands to her lips and wished she could remember what the brief kiss had felt like but for some reason she couldn't. She saw her sister bring Faramir some water and heard her laugh as he drank it all. Goldilocks saw him sit down at the table and strike up a conversation with his friends. She couldn't quite figure out what it was she felt for Faramir Took.
XX
XX
The next time they saw each other Faramir came to offer her an apology. Goldilocks shrugged him off with a wave of the hand, saying he had nothing to apologize for. Yet she wished he would continue to do so. They were walking together down a secluded road new Bag End and she knew that when he was done apologizing he would turn back and ride to the Great Smials. And she would not get to see him again for a long time.
"I think it's best we not see each other for a while" he said, just as she had predicted.
"I disagree" she said, not knowing why. "I love a challenge, Faramir Took, and I am now finding myself in the same position you were in just recently. Ever since Midsummer I haven't been able to put you, or your kiss, from my mind. It was barely even a kiss, it was just a tease, and I want more. I want to know what it really feels like to kiss you."
"Then we must stay away from each other!" Faramir said, sounding scared. "It was one thing when I was the only one dreaming of a kiss, but now I've dragged you down to my level! This is awful! You have to forgive me!"
"Faramir… You are the one who needs to forgive me. This whole thing is my fault."
"No, absolutely not."
"Really, it is. I made a bet with my sister over which one of us could charm a lad into wanting to kiss her first. I feel so ashamed of it now, but we thought it was just innocent fun. She was supposed to charm Cordy Brandybuck and I you. We thought it was harmless since nothing could ever happen between us and a Brandybuck or a Took. Turns out we were wrong."
"It is my fault" Faramir said. "I should have let you be after that night but I didn't…"
"So should we just call it even and stop passing out blame?"
"We should say goodbye, that's what we should do" Faramir said and stopped walking. "Goldilocks I'm sorry for all of this… This is one challenge you're going to have to pass up on; you are playing with fire with this game of trying to resist a kiss. I fear we might get burned, both of us."
He began to walk back to Bag End, making his way back to the Smials, leaving her behind. Goldilocks couldn't stand to see him go.
"Faramir!"
He stopped and turned to look at her.
"I can end my challenge with myself right here" she said and strode up to him.
They kissed, for real this time, and held each other tight. Goldilocks wished they would kiss forever, then perhaps he wouldn't leave her standing here alone.
"It's not just about a kiss, Faramir" she said when their lips parted.
"Yes it is" he said and kissed her again.
"You're so handsome… I can't stop thinking about you…" she said when the next kiss ended.
"Yes you can" he said. "It's just a kiss…"
But when they kissed for a third time neither could deny that it was something more than just a kiss.
XX
XX
Late one July night Merry was asked by his mother to help Goldilocks out in dusting the guest rooms. Someone had to move the heavier furniture and Rosie thought Merry could do it since he had nothing better on his hands. Finding herself alone with Merry for the first time since Midsummer, Goldilocks decided to let him know she knew his secret.
"It seems we are in the same boat this summer, you and I" she said to him.
"Huh?" Merry said.
"I know your secret. I know who the lass is you're always thinking about."
"Don't be silly" Merry said with a blush.
"Éowyn Brandybuck is not someone you can--"
"Quiet!" he angrily said. "What is it that you think you know?"
"I saw you together."
Merry looked so genuinely unhappy upon hearing that that Goldilocks couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Apparently her brother hadn't expected anyone to find out.
"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. But I have a secret too and I think we can help each other out."
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm in love."
"Good for you" Merry said, not really caring. "You'd better get a move on with that dusting or mother's going to worry what's taking you so long!"
"I'm in love with Faramir Took."
Merry stared at her with eyes as big as plates.
"No Goldilocks…"
"I can't help it, anymore than you can!"
"Goldilocks you have to get that foolishness out of your head" Merry said. "What did you ever think, getting involved with him?"
"It was that bet Daisy and I made! She won that night but as it seems I won in the long run. And don't you look at me like that, it was your idea!"
"I told you to go flirt, not to go steady!"
"Listen to me…" Goldilocks said. "You and I both know that a secret like this can't be kept forever."
"Éowyn and I only have this summer" Merry said. "Then we're going to say goodbye and leave it at that."
"Do you think you can even make it an entire summer?" Goldilocks asked. "I found you out quite soon, didn't I? How are you going to find excuses, or time, to be together? That riding excuse won't work forever."
"I don't know" Merry said. "But I won't talk about it with you."
"We can help each other" Goldilocks said. "I've been thinking about it. I have an idea."
"I'm not listening" Merry said. "Wake up from your dreams, little sister. You will only get your heart broken."
"And you won't?"
"I know what I'm doing" Merry claimed.
Goldilocks shook her head, thinking that her brother must have gone crazy. He had no experience with romance at all, he was not the least bit subtle and the way he looked at Éowyn would give his secret away before long. She had to get through to him.
XX
XX
"I still don't know if this is a good idea…" Merry said nervously and rocked from one foot to the other.
"It is" Goldilocks insisted. "Faramir and Éowyn will be here in a few minutes, get a grip! We'll talk to them and find a way to help each other out with this. I'm going to go get Faramir, I told him to meet me by the south end of the cornfield, you stay here and wait for Éowyn."
Merry watched his sister disappear through the corn. She seemed to think it was exciting to have a secret meeting in Farmer Maggot's cornfield. Merry found the whole thing unsettling. What if someone found them out? Goldilocks was not worried however, since four young Hobbit friends would not be a suspicious thing. They wouldn't be the first Hobbits to try and steal a corncob or two, if anyone walked in on them all they had to do was pretend that was the reason they had come.
When his sister returned ten minutes later Éowyn had arrived. She had laughed a bit at his secret meeting point, but now that she was here Merry didn't worry so much anymore. Just to get to hold her hands in his own was reward enough for the possible danger the meeting held. Éowyn had let go of his hands however when she heard voices drawing near, and asked Merry whether or not they should leave.
Before he had gotten a chance to answer her, Goldilocks had appeared, laughing together with Faramir who was happily allowing her to lead him through the corn. When Goldilocks stopped and he noticed their company he stopped and his jaw dropped, but Goldilocks had a firm grip of his hand and wasn't letting go.
"Faramir!" Éowyn exclaimed. "Goldilocks! What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing" Faramir said. "Is this some sort of Gamgee meeting point?"
"Éowyn I know about your… summer fling… with my brother" Goldilocks said frankly.
"Éowyn!" Faramir exclaimed, surprised by the news.
"And I know about your little romance with my sister" Merry said to Faramir.
"What's the meaning of all this?" Éowyn said and looked from one Hobbit to the other.
"Listen, a long story short…" Goldilocks said. "The two of you want to be together, so do Faramir and I. Instead of sneaking around each other, as well as everyone else, I was hoping we could help each other out."
"How?" Faramir asked and put his arms protectively around her waist, eyeing Merry and Éowyn as if they were spies.
"It's hard to come up with an excuse to leave to meet each other" Goldilocks said. "It won't be long before someone starts to get suspicious as to what we're really up to. You know what it's like at Bag End, with twelve Hobbits living there it's hard to keep anything a secret! And your fathers seem to find out about everything that goes on around here! How long would any of us be able to keep this secret on our own, a week? A month? And then what?"
"What are you suggesting?" Éowyn asked.
"That we help each other out, cover each other's tracks if you will. Merry and I can leave Bag End together, nobody will be suspicious."
"And if anybody asks questions about the two of you," Merry said and nodded at his sister and Faramir, "I can say Goldilocks was with me."
"That sounds horribly dishonest" Faramir said with a frown.
"It's a good lie" Merry said, starting to believe in the idea. "Nobody gets hurt from it. We all know that the situation can't last forever anyway, why not help each other to make the most of this summer? It's all we have!"
"You're forgetting one thing" Éowyn said. "While you might be able to go off together a lot and nobody questions it, it's not as easy for Faramir and me."
"You go out riding all the time, Éowyn" Merry pointed out.
"Yes, but only for an hour at a time! I rarely go out for longer periods of time than that. And Faramir has chores at the Great Smials which he can't leave without a good reason. As much as I like the thought of being able to see you more often I don't see how it can work."
"Isn't it ironic?" Faramir said. "That it would be you and I caught in this odd situation, Éowyn? Ever since we were little we've been expecting our fathers to arrange marriage between us. And now we've both gotten smittened with someone we can't be with."
"There you have it!" Merry said. "Right there! You're expected to be married someday, why don't you just ride out together when you're coming to meet us? If they suspect there's something romantic between you they won't be upset, and when summer comes to an end you can simply say you were infatuated but now you're not anymore!"
"All this dishonesty…" Faramir said with a sigh.
"I think it might work" Éowyn said. "I want to see Merry, and if people suspect I'm seeing you instead then I don't care much. As long as the four of us know the truth. What is one summer going to do?"
XX
XX
Faramir sighed heavily and pulled Goldilocks closer. She was seated in his laps, crying over the fact that it was early October and time to say goodbye. Winter was coming with snow this year, as if to remind the four youngsters that the deal had been until summer was over. Summer was definitely over now. It had been the best summer of their lives, they had had their secret meetings three days out of the week and everything had run very smoothly. Nobody had questioned Merry and Goldilocks leaving Bag End together, and nobody had asked any questions about Faramir and Éowyn spending so much time out riding. Comradoc had complained that his friend never had any time for him anymore, but Faramir had shrugged him off with a reminder that he still had four days left every week when he didn't go riding. Their parents were more than pleased with the arrangement of Faramir and Éowyn spending so much time together, it almost gave Faramir a sting of bad conscience, but now the summer was over and so was the charade.
Any minute now Merry and Éowyn would return to their meeting spot near the road between Hobbiton and the Great Smials, and the Gamgees would return to Bag End for good. It was hard saying goodbye; Faramir wished he never had to let Goldilocks go. He had had the most fun with her, even though they hadn't done much more than take long walks and sit together by the Brandywine river. He almost felt like joining her in crying, but he wanted to comfort her, not make her even sadder.
"I wish summer never had to end" she said.
"So do I" he said and kissed her forehead. "But we knew this day would come. Winter will be long this year, I can tell by the snow that fell last week. We'll have months to forget the way we feel now."
"I don't want to forget" she said.
"You know we must."
"Faramir…" she said and looked at him. "When this long winter is over, and it's spring once more… If I still feel the way I do about you now, will you promise me--"
"Hush" he said. "You won't. And neither will I. You're my first real love, but our time together is up. Next year we'll be just good friends, with some wonderful memories together."
She nodded, even though she couldn't imagine ever feeling any other way about him. She had toyed with the thought of cutting off a curl of her golden hair to give to him, but in the end she had known he wouldn't accept it. Faramir was far more practical than her; he was determined to make up for the emotional missteps of this summer. And he was right, she knew that he was. There was no future for them, and whatever pain she felt now it would be nothing compared to nurturing their feelings only to see him married to someone else.
"Don't cry anymore now, Goldilocks…" he said to her and gently dried her tears with his fingers. "Kiss me one last time, kiss me until your brother comes, and then promise me that you won't forget about this summer."
She kissed him with the bittersweet touch that came with knowing that every kiss could be their last. When she finally heard her brother come she whispered the promise he had asked for in his ear and rose to her feet. She could see the sad look on Merry's face and the more controlled look in Éowyn's. She and Faramir had both had a more realistic view of the summer, knowing all along that it would come to an end, while the Gamgees hadn't thought much about it at all. Winter had seemed so distant during all those summer days. But a light snow had begun to fall now.
Merry gave Éowyn one last kiss, then he helped Goldilocks up on her pony and mounted his own. Faramir put his arm around Éowyn's waist and she leaned her head against his shoulder as they nodded their silent goodbyes. Nobody said anything, there were no words to say. As they rode off to Bag End Goldilocks cast one look behind her shoulder and hoped she would not forget Faramir's face over winter. Strangely enough she always had trouble recalling what his face looked like.
"Well then that's that" Faramir said to Éowyn when the Gamgees were no longer in sight. "Come, let's go get our own ponies and return home."
"Oh Faramir…" Éowyn sighed as they walked off to the glade where their ponies were tied up. "Are we crazy?"
"Everybody does irresponsible things in our age" he responded and squeezed her soothingly with the arm he held around her waist. "But we landed on our feet in the end. Saying goodbye to her was painful, but inevitable. We all knew that going in."
"It's so strange… Have I learned to love at last, Faramir?"
"No" he said. "All you've done is learned to open up your heart. You will know that you're in love when it happens for real."
"I'm glad I have you to talk to" Éowyn said. "Let's make a promise… If either one of us wants to reminisce about how lovely summer was and how these feelings won't go away, the other one will put a brisk end to it."
"Sounds like the perfect promise" Faramir said. "A year from today we'll both have new beaus. This will all be just a sweet memory."
He kissed the top of her head and she smiled slightly. At least they had gotten a few months.
XX
XX
"Why are you smiling like a cat that got all the milk, Father?" Aramac asked his father, who had just put his pen down with a huge grin.
"Because, dear son, I am now finished with my book!" Merry said proudly.
Éowyn and Aramac looked up from their card game. Merry had been working on that book for a long time now; the fact that it was finished seemed like good news. A smile appeared on Éowyn's face. This winter she needed all the good news she could get. Merry Gamgee was still on her mind, she couldn't understand how Faramir could seem to not think about Goldilocks at all. Not even when they were alone together did he admit that he thought about Goldilocks.
"Is that a smile on my daughter's lips?" Merry asked and laughed. "Good to see you smile, apple cheeks! You've been cheap in handing out smiles this winter!"
Éowyn ignored his comment and returned her focus to the card game. Everyone had noticed that she wasn't her usual jolly self this winter, on the days when she would usually meet with Merry she often got sad. Her parents had assumed something had gone wrong between her and Faramir, even though no romance had been made official and the two youngsters said nothing about it.
The door opened and Pippin came through it, shaking snow out of his curly hair and shivering from the cold outside. Éowyn wondered if Faramir was with him, she had not seen him in a month now and she was beginning to think that taking a ride with him would be what she needed to cure herself of the gloomy thoughts.
"Pip!" Merry said. "Come on in, I have some good news!"
"Sounds good!" Pippin said and waved hello to Aramac and Éowyn. "What is it?"
"My book is finally finished!" Merry declared proudly.
"Really? That's wonderful!"
"Come Éowyn, let's go make us some hot cider, and some for them to celebrate" Aramac said to his sister and gathered the scattered cards.
"Some cider would be nice" Éowyn said. "I know where Mother keeps the cinnamon."
"I like a lot of cinnamon!" Pippin called to them as they left the room. Then he sat down on Merry's desk. "So your book is finished? Let me see!"
Merry handed him the book he had been working on for so long and Pippin eyed through it. He hadn't gotten much chance to look at it before, he had often offered to help his cousin with it but Merry wanted to complete it on his own.
"Old Names and Places in the Shire" Pippin read from the cover. "This is good! You should do one about Gondor next."
"Not in this lifetime" Merry said. "Besides, why waste time writing a book that nobody will be reading once we're dead?"
"Good point" Pippin laughed. "Well isn't this exciting? Now you finally have that special happening of the year!"
"Yes, it will surely be something to remember 1459 by" Merry said. "Even though had I waited three more days it would have been something to remember 1460 by."
"Better late than never" Pippin said. "At least it happened!"
"It did" Merry nodded. "To think that it would take so long though for something to happen… Can you imagine that aside from this, nothing interesting or out of the ordinary happened at all this year?"
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I hope I'll be able to have the next chapter up soon! It's basically finished but needs some rewriting. Let me know what you think of this part!