All Tuckborough will Kneel
by pippinmerry
Chapter Twenty-Six
Ferdi yawned for the fifth time that day causing Pippin to finally through his quill down in frustration.
“Ferdi, you need some rest. You’ve been running around caring for your
family and you’ve forgotten yourself. Don’t make me order you to bed.”
“Can’t have that, now can we?” Ferdi said as he rubbed his eyes. Dina
had come down with a hasty illness, follow closely by Addy, Connie, and
little Natadine. They were all slowly recovering, but Ferdi still had
to run between them and his work with the Thain.
“You could have your father come stay here. He could help you look after them.”
Ferdi shook his head. “No. He’s sick himself and they’re almost over
it, except for little Nattie. I’m surprised no one else has caught
this.”
“It is a wonder, but I’m grateful for it,” Regi said. “Don’t like to think of this place full of sick hobbit children.”
When Ferdi yawned again, Pippin ordered him to bed. After his cousin
reluctantly departed, Pippin turned to Regi. “He’ll run himself into
the ground if he’s not careful. Stubborn.”
“Well, he is a Took,” Regi said with a chuckle. “Still planning your trip to Gondor?”
“Yes, yes I am. Farry and I will more than likely be leaving shortly
after Merry’s birthday.” Pippin leaned back in chair. “Think you can
handle things without me?”
Regi snorted. “Of course.”
Later at dinner, Pippin noticed Dina was there with all three children,
looking tired but otherwise heathy. Ferdi was noticeably absent.
“So your husband listened to me and is in bed?” Pippin asked as he began to load his plate.
Dina gave him a puzzle a look. “I haven’t seen him since he left to work for you this morning.”
“Really,” Pippin said as he exchanged a glance with Regi.
“Is Uncle Ferdi alright?” Faramir asked.
“Of course he is, lad,” Pippin said as he ruffled the nine-year-old
hair. “He’s just missing is all. Probably got lost and is sleeping in
the closet.”
Pippin asked Regi to walk with him out in Tuckborough after dinner. “I
have a feeling he gave up the slip and headed on down to his father’s,”
Pippin whispered as the two slipped quietly from the Smial.
It was late January and the air was particularly cold. They approached
Ferdinand’s Smial. It was brighter than it had been all those years
before. Ferdinand was seen outside of his hole more often than every
before. Most of the time he was in the company of his grandson and
granddaughters.
Regi knocked on the door. There was no immediate answer, but Ferdi had said he father was sick so Regi knocked again.
When there was once again no answer, Pippin reached out and opened the
door. The two entered the Smial and went to look for their missing
cousin.
Ferdi was sitting by the fire in the living room. He looked up as his
two cousins entered the room. “Hello,” he whispered before turning back
to the fire.
“Ferdi? Are you alright?” Pippin asked as he and Regi moved to Ferdi’s side.
“No. He...he died. About an hour ago,” Ferdi said as he lifted the glass in his hand to his lips.
Pippin exchanged a look with Regi. “I’m sorry, Ferdi. I know you have gotten closer recently.”
Ferdi sighed. “I never did get to tell him I forgave him for
everything.” He shrugged. “Probably because I’m not still sure I do.”
Pippin took Ferdi’s glass and gave it to Regi who quickly refilled it.
When Pippin handed the glass back to his cousin, he noticed for the
first time, Ferdi’s hand was shaking. “Ferdi?”
Ferdi’s hand shook enough that he dropped his glass. It shattered on
the floor, breaking the bit of silence that had fallen over the room.
Ferdi raised his trembling hand to his forehead and sighed.
Pippin placed a hand on Ferdi’s shoulder before standing up and joining
Regi. “He’s about ready to lose it, Reg.” He looked back at his
distressed cousin. “Everything’s catching up to him. If we’re not
careful...” He shook his head. “Can you handle things on your own,
Regi. If I take Ferdi to Gondor with me, can you manage?”
Regi raised an eyebrow. “Well, yes, I can handle things, Pippin, but he
won’t go. Not with Dina just recovering and the children.”
“I’ll order him if I have to. It’s not as though Dina will be alone.
She’ll have you, Selina, Everard, Willow.” Pippin placed a hand on
Regi’s shoulder. “He needs this, Regi. Before he hurts himself or
someone. I’ve this coming for a time now. He’s been working far too
hard, worrying about far too much except for himself.” He looked over
at Ferdi who didn’t appear to notice most of his body was shaking
slightly. “He’ll go. If have to tie him to the pony.”
Pippin went swiftly to Ferdi’s side and pulled his cousin to his feet.
“Best we get back home. Send someone back to handle his father,” he
called to Regi as he led Ferdi back home.
None of the healers could find anything wrong with Ferdi that would
cause the tremors that racked his body. He couldn’t eat or drink with
dropping something. Whenever anything broke, the distressed hobbit
would glare at the floor and sigh.
Pippin shook his head as he wrote his letter to Merry. “He’s coming,” he muttered more to himself then to Regi.
Merry response shocked them all. He said he would be waiting by the
shore of the Brandywine to greet Pippin, Faramir, and Ferdi, and he
would be joining them.
Pippin showed the letter to Regi. “Looks as though we’re leaving the Shire in the hands of Sam, yourself, and Beri.”
Regi sighed and placed the letter on the table before leaning forward. “I don’t know, Pippin.”
“You and Beri do get along alright, don’t you?” Pippin asked as he
looked as his Steward with concern. He was hoping Regi wouldn’t
crumble. The last thing the Shire needed was the Thain and both his
Stewards riding off to Gondor.
“We do. I’m just concerned for poor Faramir. You and Merry and your crazy ways. You’ll leave him with Ferdi. Poor lad.”
Pippin sighed and clapped Regi on the back. “You two will be fine. I’m
sure the Shire will be better off in your hands than mine and Merry’s.
We may give our titles over to you two.”
Regi shook his head. “Don’t even joke about that. I’m still adjusting
to husband and father. Don’t want to think about being Thain.”
The Thain’s Smial was a flurry of activity over the next few days.
Pippin had a lot of work to get done before their departure, between
sending letters off to Gondor and Rohan, telling of their impending
arrival.
Ferdi hadn’t broken from he’s self-imposed silence. He spoke only to
his children, which wasn’t very often. Dina packed his belongings for
him. She hadn’t been too pleased with the Thain’s order at first, but
she knew it would better for her husband in the long run.
Regi stood outside the Smial, watching as Ferdi was helped onto his pony.
Pippin lifted Faramir onto his before turning to his Steward. “Well, Regi, you’re Thain for a while.”
Regi smiled slightly as he looked at Pippn’s clothing. He was dressed
for travel, no longer wearing the long, flowing robes of the Thain. “If
you think I’m wearing your robes, you’re sadly mistaken.”
Pippin chuckled. “You’d best not wear them. And don’t get too comfortable as Thain. I will be coming back.”
Regi nodded as Everard came to his side. “I have Ardy here to help me.”
“You’d best not used to having help, Regi. But if he does a well enough job, we can keep him around, I suppose.”
Everard smiled as he shook his head. “I see how you work them. My wife
would never speak to you again if you took me on. Although most of
Tuckborough already calls me your third Steward.”
Pippin pulled himself up onto his pony. “Nothing bad in that, Ardy.
Well, we’d best be off now. Can’t leave the Master waiting. You know
how Brandybucks are.”
Regi and Everard waved as the small band of Tooks headed off towards Buckland.
Teddy and Hilly appeared at his side. “Da,” Hilly said. “What’s Gondor?”
“Well, my lad, it’s full of the big folk.” Regi put his arm around Hilly as they went back inside.
“Big folk? I thought we weren’t supposed to talk to them,” Teddy pipped in as he ran to keep up.
“Well, these big folk are different. Close friends of your Uncle Pippin
and of Master Merry.” Regi smiled. “Not all big folk are bad, Teds.
These ones are special though.”
