At ninety-nine they began to call him
‘well preserved’; but ‘unchanged’ would have been nearer the
mark.
The Fellowship of the Ring, ‘A Long-Expected Party’
Pippin opened his eyes and wondered where he was. It took a moment to remember that he was visiting Frodo and Merry, and he wriggled with happiness at how much fun he was having. At his small movements, Scamp climbed up over him from where she had been lying at the foot of the bed, and began to lick his face.
“H’lo,” Pippin whispered. He hated to leave the warm bed, snuggled next to a still-sleeping Merry, but something smelled very breakfast-like, and he was curious to know what was going on in the rest of the house. He slid carefully out of his nest of blankets, and Scamp took his place, disappearing under the covers. Merry murmured something when the cold, wet nose burrowed under his hand, but didn’t wake. Pippin quickly dressed, and peeked out into the hallway.
“Good morning, little one.” Halbarad smiled to see the tiny lad race into the parlor, eager to begin the new day.
Pippin plopped down next to the Ranger, who still lay swathed in blankets on the floor.
“Mewwy’s still sleeping,” Pippin announced.
“Everyone else is up and about,” Halbarad told him. He tucked a bit of his blanket over the boy, and Pippin giggled and rolled up in it. “The rain has stopped, and Thalguron went for a short walk. Aragorn is in the---”
“Who?” Pippin scrunched up his nose in confusion.
Halbarad suddenly realized that this lad might not have been told his Captain’s name. “I am sorry, Pippin; I meant ‘Estel’.”
“Oh. I smell bweakfast.”
Halbarad smiled. “Estel is in the kitchen... and Frodo and Bilbo are out on the lawn.”
Pippin started to get up, but Halbarad shook his head. “I believe they wish some privacy for a quiet talk, Pippin. Let us not disturb them.”
“Pwivacy.” Pippin frowned at the new word, then got distracted by the sight of Halbarad’s crutches lying nearby. “Can I dwaw now?”
“Dwaw?” Halbarad was about to ask for a translation when Pippin squirmed out of the blankets and pulled over the un-decorated crutch. “Ah, you wish to draw your picture now? Like Merry did?”
Pippin shook his head. “Mewwy likes twees, but I want to dwaw ducks. And fwogs.”
~*~
Frodo brushed Thalguron’s horse a few more times while Bilbo stood by, wondering what had upset his boy so. Frodo had asked if they could talk about something important, but had hardly spoken since they came outside.
“Frodo---”
“I nearly ruined everything!” Frodo suddenly burst out. He looked close to tears.
“My dear boy, what do you mean?”
Frodo just sighed, and looked so miserable that Bilbo tried to distract him.
“You’re much more comfortable around these enormous beasts than you were,” Bilbo said gently, giving Daeron a pat. “Remember your first introduction to Arthad?”
Frodo smiled a little. “You mean Ollie, don’t you?”
“You’ve come a long way, my boy,” Bilbo said. “Can you talk about what’s bothering you?”
Frodo turned to face his uncle and took a deep breath. “I wanted to borrow your ring so no one would see me run back to the Forest,” he said, hanging his head. “Everyone would have found out, Bilbo! How can you ever trust me again?”
“Frodo,” Bilbo said softly, “you weren’t yourself that night, and you know it. You had a very powerful substance in your blood, which you could not fight. Halbarad could not fight it. You’re not to blame for what you almost did... the point is, you didn’t do anything wrong.”
Frodo nodded, but still looked unhappy.
“Is there something else?” Bilbo encouraged.
“Bilbo...” Frodo gripped the brush tightly. “Why don’t you ever look any older?”
“I don’t know,” Bilbo said thoughtfully. “Perhaps it’s Took blood... Gerontius lived to be 131, you know.”
“Yes, but...” Frodo frowned. “You don’t look any older. Elves get older, and they don’t look it, either. How can a hobbit do that? What if you get older and older, then suddenly one day...”
Ah, Bilbo thought, here we are at last. And what do I tell him?
“I understand,” Bilbo said softly. He looked into the boy’s troubled blue eyes. “You fear that someday I will die of old age, and you won’t have had any warning.”
“Yes,” Frodo said, a tear runnning down his cheek. “Please don’t ever do that, Bilbo.”
“Frodo lad,” Bilbo said, wrapping his arms around the boy, “nothing is certain in this life. But please believe me – when my time comes to leave you, if there is any way for me to let you know beforehand, I will do so. I’m afraid that’s the best promise I can make.”
“I know,” Frodo whispered. He tried to smile at his uncle. “And perhaps you’ll live as long as an Elf... or beat Gerontius by many years.”
“Perhaps!” Bilbo laughed. “And perhaps you will, as well.” He wiped the tears from Frodo’s face. “Frodo lad, I may not have all the answers, but I hope you will never stop asking me questions.”
“No fear of that happening!” Frodo’s smile lit up his face. “I asked Estel so many questions yesterday, I’m amazed he didn’t run off and join the Bounders.”
“That’s my boy.” Bilbo laughed and gave the boy another hug, then took a deep breath of the fresh, rain-washed air.
“Now then, shall we see if your cousins are awake yet, and whether those greedy Rangers have left us any breakfast?”
“Estel is cooking, you know,” Frodo said as they walked back to the house.
“No need to look so frightened,” Bilbo laughed. “He’s come a long way, as well.”
~*~
“That’s very nice, Pippin,” Thalguron said encouragingly.
“Aren’t those wonderful ducks?” Halbarad asked, saving his brother from trying to identify the rather vague shapes which meandered up one side of the crutch and down the other.
“They certainly are,” Frodo declared, spearing another sausage. “Estel, I do believe you’ve turned into a first-rate cook.”
“High praise from a hobbit!” Aragorn laughed. He set aside his empty plate and looked over at Pippin. “It’s time to go, Pippin.”
“Don’t want to,” Pippin said, trying to hide behind Halbarad.
“I know you do not wish to leave, Pippin,” Halbarad said gently, settling the youngster into his lap. “I, too, must go home soon, and allow my ankle time to heal. I do not wish to leave my fellows, or my duties... but often we must do something we do not wish to do, because it is best.” He smiled down at the lad. “Do you understand?”
“I s’pose.” Pippin sighed. “Are you going home to your mummy, too?”
Thalguron grinned at his brother. “Yes, I’ll take him home tomorrow.”
“Do you miss her?”
“We both do,” Halbarad said seriously. “Do you miss yours?”
Pippin nodded. “But I like being with Mewwy and Fwodo, too.”
Halbarad gave the lad a hug. “You will see them again soon. Goodbye, little one. I am happy to have met you.”
“Me too.” Pippin touched one of the crutches with his toe. “Do you weally like my ducks?”
“I weally... I mean, I really do.”
Aragorn and Thalguron exchanged amazed glances; they had no idea Halbarad was so good with children.
Everyone went outside to see Pippin off. While Halbarad practiced walking about the yard with his new crutches, Aragorn tied Pippin’s bag of clothes and toys to Arthad’s saddle and waited patiently for the lad to say his goodbyes.
“Thalgwon is going to teach Mewwy twacking,” Pippin pouted. “I want to stay.”
“Tracking, eh?” Frodo asked. “Do you know what that is, Pip?”
Pippin shook his head. It didn’t matter; whatever it was, he didn’t want to miss it.
“Pip,” Merry said, catching up his young cousin in a hug, “whatever Thalguron teaches me, I’ll teach you, next time I see you.”
“Pwomise?”
“I promise.”
“I made you something, Pippin,” Thalguron said, crouching down to hand the boy one of the items he had carved the night before. Pippin squealed with delight at the tiny wooden duck.
“I am pleased you like it,” the Ranger chuckled. “And for your cousins...” He grinned at Frodo and Merry. “I will have their gifts ready before we leave tomorrow.”
“Come, my friend,” Aragorn said, mounting Arthad. Thalguron lifted the lad up to him. “You can help me ride, like you did yesterday.”
“I did help you!” Pippin beamed, looking quite proud.
“Estel,” Bilbo said, “tell Merry’s parents that Frodo and I will bring him home tomorrow, after you and your Men have gone.”
“Bye!” Pippin yelled as Aragorn nudged Arthad into a gentle walk.
“That youngster enjoys every experience as if he will not see another sunrise,” Thalguron marveled.
“We would all do well to do the same,” Bilbo replied, and everyone nodded in agreement.