[Nurumaiel]

Nurumaiel's post

Angelica held Prisca tightly in her arms and Madoc held Fosco. "Where's Dad?" Madoc groaned. "Fosco is getting heavier."

"Don't let him go," Angelica warned. "If you do, I'll make you clean up whatever mess he makes. Hold him. I'm going to find your father." She heard the screeches and giggles of children coming from a few feet away, and suddenly Fosco came whizzing by, screaming loudly.

"Sorry, Mum," said Madoc. "I couldn't hold him any longer."

"Well, go find him, lad," said Angelica, sitting down on the grass and leaning back. "Go find him."

"Yes, Mum." Madoc hurried off towards the crowd of hobbits.

Angelica leaned back, still holding Prisca, and stared up at the sky, which was darkening to evening. "When is the last time I went to so many parties at once?" she asked herself quietly, closing her eyes. She wasn't expecting an answer, but one came.

"When all the young hobbit lads in the Shire were courting you," a voice above her said.

Angelica opened her eyes and stared upwards to see Peony Muddyfoot grinning down at her. Sitting up, Angelica scowled at her. "I told you to come here early so we could talk with Pio," she said. "No doubt the party will end soon."

"There's still time," said Peony. "And if there isn't, we can always meet again some other time. I mainly wanted to see you again, Angelica." She smiled down at Prisca. "And your little ones," she added, picking the young hobbit girl up.

"Well, let's see if we can find Pio. I'm anxious to have her meet you."

"You seem worried about this little 'job.'"

"If I seem worried, Peony, it's because of one thing: I am worried. I'll be glad to have you by my side when the day comes."

And the two went off to find Pio.

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Pio's post

'Miz Pio! Miz Pio! Throw it back, please.’ Little Goldi clapped her hands and pointed to the little striped ball that had rolled to the edge of Pio’s chair.

‘Oof! Easier said than done!’ Pio bent down carefully trying to keep in balance and retrieved the escapee. ‘Here it comes! Get ready.’ She rolled the ball quickly toward the toddler and her playmate, Prisca. Goldi scooped up the ball in her chubby little hands and went running off, Prisca laughing after her.

Rising back up, Pio noted Angelica making her way toward her, with someone in tow. ‘Who is that?’ she whispered to Amaranthas, nodding her head toward the two approaching ladies. ‘That other woman with Angelica.’ Amaranthas leaned near. ‘That’s your other midwive, I do believe.’

Fosco had run up to his mother and engaged her in the settling of some dispute, and so the advance of the two women toward Pio had halted for the moment.

‘Tell me a little about her.’ Pio watched the other woman with Angelica crouch down to speak with the angry three year old. She was calm, and let him speak his piece; then, spoke softly with him, until his anger was defused. Pio watched as he nodded his head, then walked off looking somewhat satisfied.

The woman, she learned, was Peony Mudfoot, thirty-eight years old, and the youngest sister to Merimac. ‘Never been married and said she never means to,’ added Amaranthas, ‘Though it is my opinion that if the right man asked her she would.’

When Merimac had moved from Michel Delving to Hobbiton with Angelica, Peony had also moved. She lived in her own hole there, and had a family who boarded with her – Bingo and Belladonna Tussock, originally from Longbottom. These boarders had been a source of some contention between Angelica and Peony, as Angelica refused to leave her children with her sister-in-law, believing that the Tussock children had taught Fosco some rather bad habits.

Peony had been the midwife for Angelica when she had Madoc and for Melilot Tunnelly, and done an excellent job at getting those two through their birthings. The old Hobbit went on to tell how Peony was an admirable Hobbit lass in her opinion. Calm and confident, was how she described her. Outspoken at times, but very kind. ‘Got a good head on her shoulders, that one does,’ said Amaranthas in approval. ‘She’ll make a good balance to Angelica.’

Pio raised her eyebrows at this statement. ‘Oh, mind you now,’ Amaranthas went on, ‘Angelica is very good at midwiving. She’s just wound a little tight at times, and comes off as the nervous type. All I’m saying is that Peony will keep her a little more focused and calm.’

‘Ah!’ Pio turned her head from Amaranthas, and smiled as the two ladies approached. ‘Nice to see that you and your family could come, Angelica.’ She smiled warmly at Peony. ‘And who is this charming lady that I have yet to meet. Please introduce us.’

---------------

Pio was thoroughly charmed by Peony. After the initial fascination had worn off for her that she was to be midwife to an Elf, the Hobbit’s level headedness shone through. She took it for granted that Pio, being a first time mother and none too knowledgeable concerning birthing and all that it entailed, would have many questions, and she opened the doorway in a matter of fact way for the Elf to ask. Pio found herself easily drawn out by her. Her confidence in Peony grew by leaps and bounds as she asked questions or discussed reasons for doing things one way rather than another. By the end of their conversation, Pio was feeling quite confident that Peony was indeed an excellent choice for the job.

Mithadan had wandered over, the games done with the children. Pio watched Peony’s eyes grow wide at the sight of the man, seating himself by the Elf and holding her hand in his. She could almost read the Hobbit’s opinion of Men written on her face. ‘ . . . a bother, and unimportant . . .’

Pio held back a laugh and introduced Mithadan to the unimpressed Hobbit. Peony nodded at him, and he, in turn, was as gracious and charming as he could be. He engaged her in conversation, and Peony found her opinion of him going up somewhat.


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Nurumaiel's post

"Raaar!" Fosco shouted, charging at his father. "I am going to beat you trolls! I am a super tough hobbit!"

"Who are you?" Elanor asked.

Fosco stared in horror, and then ran to his father. "Daddy, who am I?" he asked.

"Well… how about Frodo?" Merimac suggested.

"I am Frodo!" Fosco roared.

"No, I'm Frodo!" Frodo-lad protested.

Fosco plopped down and began to think. Then he stood up, a huge grin on his face. Glaring at the trolls once more, he shouted, "I am my Daddy! He's the toughest Daddy of all! Raaar!" Running up to Mithadan, he scowled furiously and said in a deep voice, "You won't hurt my family, you big ugly troll! I am too tough for that!"

Madoc was shaking with laughter and brushing tears from his eyes. His brother sometimes!

The troll game ended with the grand victory of the stalwart band of little hobbits. The sky had grown dark, and then story-telling began. Fosco told the story of how he, Merimac Muddyfoot, had defeated all the trolls and saved the Shire. As he demonstrated on his father how he killed the trolls, a firefly passed right in front of his face.

"Oh ho!" he cried, standing up and watching the firefly disappear in the distance. "Dragons, eh? Well, I shall stop them from burning the Shire!" And with that he toddled after them, still screaming their doom.

---------------

Bill Ferny crouched low underneath the window at Bag End, a cruel expression on his face. He had just come from the Pony at Bree, where he had heard from some Hobbits a rumor saying Frodo Baggins was back in the Shire.

A hobbit stepped into the room. Bill strained his eyes, and then his face seem to twist up. There was no mistaking it: There stood Frodo Baggins, once more in the Shire.

"It was a mistake for you to come back, Baggins," Bill hissed. "You will regret it."

And then Bilbo came into the room. Bill could catch some words of a conversation. Bilbo moved towards the window. Cursing under his breath, Bill darted away, hiding behind a bush in the garden. Looking back at the window, he saw Bilbo staring out, a suspicious look on his face. Then the old hobbit turned away from the window. Bill jumped the low fence and ran down the road, his mind already working as to how he could get his revenge.

As he passed one hole, he heard the sound of merry-making and the delighted laughter of children. He slowed down to a walk, and his eyes narrowed as he saw a little boy come running towards the road, screaming at a firefly.

"Young hobbit!" Bill said, taking the cruel expression off his face. "Come here for a moment."

Fosco stopped chasing the firefly and stared at the man. "What do you want?" he asked. "Are you here for the party, too?"

"No," said Bill, smiling at him. "But I wish I were. Sounds like lots of fun. To tell the truth, I was invited, but I was too busy to come."

"You were at the Bag End party?"

"The… Oh, yes, I was. I got invited to two parties, and I decided I should go see my old friend - " Bill grinned cruelly " - Frodo Baggins. But I'm hear to ask if there were any more friends of good old Frodo here?"

"Yes," said Fosco. "My mummy is a friend of Frodo. She's related to him, actually. I think she's like his cousin or something. And then there are all Sam's kids here. Sam is a friend of Frodo. Did you see Sam at the Bag End party?"

"Oh, yes, yes, I did. Are there any other friends of Frodo here?"

"Why don't you go find out?" Fosco asked, suddenly suspicious.

"I would, lad, but I'm in a great hurry, and I've no time to go running there and ask every person I see if they're a friend of Frodo."

"Oh. That makes sense, I guess… Well, I think that Pio-Elf that Mummy always talks to is a friend of Frodo. Guess what? She's having twins soon. I have a twin, you know. Her name is Prisca, but she's terrible. I hope that Pio-Elf gets twins that are both like me."

Bill grinned wickedly. "Thank you, lad. That's all I wanted to know."

"You look like a troll, too!" said Fosco, suddenly excited. He ran towards Bill and gave him a good kick. "I am my Daddy the Mighty and I defeat all the trolls!"

"Fosco? Fosco Muddyfoot, are you there?" a voice called. "Don't go near the road."

Bill ran down the road, limping slightly from the kick. A plan had formed in his mind. I'll have my revenge, Frodo Baggins… and on you too, Fosco Muddyfoot.

[ March 24, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ]