At the Green Dragon

Against the deep blue of the half-mooned sky, the Green Dragon's roof was square and stout, the building looking as if it had grown from the hillock it was built into like a rocky outcrop from ancient stone. From its round little windows burned the golden light of lamps and candles, and the strongest flickers licked out from the main entry, where inside there was the Grand Hearth. The Grand Hearth was reserved for the most respected of hobbit folk, and recently the likes of Pippin Took and Merry Brandybuck had been making themselves feel welcome there, much to the chagrin of both Frodo and Sam. They thought it a little audacious, considering they were all still rather young, and mostly older hobbits were given places of respect by this fire. Thankfully, the two younger hobbit's loitering of the Pride of Place was not a constant, particularly if Diamond of Long Cleeve and Estella Bolger were anywhere in the establishment. And they often were.

Tonight Sam and Frodo were alone as they walked up to the Green Dragon, as Rosie was still at home setting things right before she joined them. It was much like the days before the War of the Ring, and it filled them both with a familiar warmth that soothed them deeply.

"Looks like a busy night at the tavern, Mr. Frodo."

"Indeed, Sam," said Frodo, making his way up the path that led to the Green Dragon.

"I heard you had Miss Perry over again today."

Frodo sighed, closing his eyes a moment. "Yes, Sam. We happened to meet in the meadow near New Row."

"So Pippin was tellin' me, Sir." Sam nodded, and then tapped his lip. "Forgive me for sayin' so, Mr. Frodo, but perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad thing for you, befriending Miss Perry."

Frodo stopped, turning to Sam and frowning. "I don't know if I can take much more of this match-making Sam. I really thought all of you knew that I'm a bachelor because I choose to be, not because I cannot find a wife."

Sam covered his mouth for a moment, sensing his Master's annoyance and shook his head. "Oh no, no no, Master Frodo. I was just suggesting that perhaps letting her help you out around Bag Hall might serve you well."

"But Sam, I have you for that, don't I?" Frodo said, looking rather puzzled.

The shorter hobbit sighed, forehead wrinkling in a frown, his brows tilting up and guilt playing on his features.

"That's the thing, Mr. Frodo. I've felt torn in two like this before, and I know it can't be helped, but I swore before to always take care of you, and I'm going to make sure that there's always someone to tend on you, even if it tain't me, Sir." Samwise sighed, fiddling his fingers.

"Are you going to move out of Bag Hall, Sam?" Frodo asked, eyes wide and sad.

"Oh, no Sir, no, I wasn't planning to." Sam blushed brightly. "It's just Rosie… she's - well, she's with child, Mr. Frodo."

Frodo felt the world spin a little, and he found himself jumping, wrapping his arms around his best friend in absolute glee.

"Sam!" he cried, "Oh Samwise Gamgee! Why didn't you just say so?!"

Sam only blushed at that, smiling bashfully. "Oh Mr. Frodo, I want to be able to help you, you see, but with this little one coming I'm going to be spending a lot of time lookin' after it with Rosie, and with all the other work I've been doing fixing up the Shire…" He shrugged. "I jus' feel that you need more than I can give you."

Frodo sighed, folding his arms. "I guess I am extra trouble for you…"

"Not at all," said Sam. "I just want as what's best for you."

"I will have to discuss this with Miss Perry," said Frodo, the thought of having her help him out as she did that day perhaps a little appealing, "But it has been said that there is the matter of her … erm… " Frodo blushed fully now, hiding his face behind his hand a little. "Feelings…"

"Oh," Sam blushed back at him and nodded. "Well, Mr. Frodo, I'm not likely the right one to discuss this particular topic with, beggin' your pardon, seeing as I've been married for some time now, and Rosie had more to do with the decision than I did, bless her boldness."

"Yes," said Frodo, not really listening, but thinking of poor Perry in his service whilst harbouring romantic feelings for him. He hadn't thought on it too much, indeed whenever he saw her he seemed to forget things like that and only felt to entertain her and treat her like any gentlehobbit should. Indeed she was a comely lass, as pretty as any in the Shire proclaimed, despite their recent fascinations with the golden haired lasses as was the fashion of the time. The very thought of her wasting her youth and loveliness on him seemed wrong, not that he was going to tell Sam that. He patted Sam on the shoulder fondly.

"Don't you worry about it, Sam," said Frodo. "I'll figure something out. Why don't you go inside and meet up with Pippin and Merry?"

"What are you going to do?"

Frodo gave a tired smile. "Think, my Dear Sam."

"Right," said Sam. "Don't you think on it too long, or you shall disappear into yourself."

Frodo's smile grew easier and he gave Sam a push. "Go on."

Sam walked on up the steps to the door of the Inn, and Frodo turned, moving off the path and into the wild gardens that grew about the Green Dragon. Close to the path was a log perched on some specially hewn rocks to serve as a bench, and he sat on it carefully, pulling out his pipe and some weed to pack it with. A sigh was deep in his chest, and the more he thought on his situation, the more he realised how unfair it would be to take on Perry. No, he wouldn't do that, for the sweet girl deserved more than that. On coming to that decision he sat on the log for some time, for some reason feeling a sadness and a feeling of trouble had come upon him. He liked to have his thoughts all perfectly understood, and he greatly disliked having any part of his mind a mystery to himself. He wrestled with his thoughts, trying to make them clear, trying to see the situation that had become him as plainly as he thought it should have been.

No matter what thoughts he settled upon, his heart would burn sickly, and he felt ill in a way he'd never felt before. It wasn't an illness of the body, but the sort of sickness that made one wistful and melancholy. As he pondered, the high voice of hobbit-ladies began to grow close upon the path. He glanced over to the steps below, and there in the dim moonlight was the sweet brown-haired lass that Frodo knew as Diamond. He didn't really notice her too much next to her smaller companion. The familiar raven hair and deep brown eyes amongst the dusky skin had distracted him.

He'd never seen her dressed as this before, and of course he never would have, for he had only seen her during the day. She was dressed in her night-time finery, wearing a deep blue skirt like the night sky, and a firm black corset over a crisp white blouse that was worn about the shoulders. Her neckline was low, cleavage proud and her dark hair tumbling over her skin to bid her some modesty. As the girls trotted up the path, he completely missed that they had seen him on the bench beside it, and it wasn't till Perry repeated herself that he blinked and regained his wits.

"I said, are you all right Mr. Baggins?"

"Uh…" He swallowed. "Of course, Miss Perry."

She smiled, elegant little hands pressing down her skirt nervously. "Are you coming inside then?"

A crease of a frown settled between Frodo's brows. "I said to Sam that I would be in later…"

"Oh!" Diamond sighed. "Come now, Mr. Frodo. You can't be out here all on your own on such a lively evening! Up with you! Come on!" Diamond boldly stepped to him, pulling at his arms and tutting. Despite Frodo's little whimpers of complaint, she looked to him sternly. "We can't have the Deputy out here on his lonesome!"

So that settled that. Perry and Diamond escorted Frodo into the Green Dragon, and the chorus of cheer they received was heard all around the Hill and Bywater as they entered the establishment. It was a source of much amusement and impress, the Deputy being brought in by two of the most eligible lasses in the Shire. Pippin nearly fell off his stool by the bar as he saw his cousin with Diamond on his arm. He scrabbled to his seat once more, pulling Frodo aside as he came close.

"Now listen, cousin, let's be fair! You already have Perry Proudfoot desirin' your heart, give a poor fella a chance with Diamond at least!"

Frodo looked about himself helplessly and Diamond leaned in to Pippin from the other side of him, speaking flirtatiously.

"Why, are ye jealous?"

Pippin blushed wildly, turning away. "Not jealous as such…"

It was all very frustrating for poor Frodo. Usually he wasn't caught in the romantic crossfire of the young hobbits of the Shire, but tonight they had him firmly stuck in the middle, making jokes and suggestions that he thoroughly wanted no part of. It was bad enough that the whole of the Shire would have some idea that he was a ladies man, but now it was seemingly thought that Perry Proudfoot was practically engaged to him. He glanced to Perry as the night wore on, and she didn't very much seem to find it all that amusing either. She would always turn crimson and look away, or frown pitifully into her mug of beer.

Slowly the night passed to the later hours, always famous for the songs that would be sung at this time. People were ready to sing, and their blood was on fire with ale and brandy. Voices roared together in chorus, the words telling stories of their proud past, their melodies speaking of a love of the land that few outside of the Shire knew or understood. Frodo became lost in the humble beauty of his people, of their innocence and passion. It never failed to move him after all that he had seen beyond the Shire.

"Perry!" cried out a rumbling male voice. "Sing us one of yer songs, Perry!"

Frodo looked to Perry, who smiled bashfully at the crowd around her and covered her mouth with quivering hands. The crowd wouldn't let up, and a few of the hobbits lifted her up onto a table with a great roar of support. He forgot that Perry had a propensity to sing little songs on such nights at the Green Dragon. She didn't have a particularly good voice; it was steady in key and often shaky from nerves, but it served her well. It had been described as sweet and homely, and a lot of things about Perry could be described as such. The real talent that lay within Perry was her knack at creating songs from her mind, lyrics of which were thought of as clever and sometimes moving. Upon the table she began to clap, hopping from foot to foot, blue skirt swinging delightfully.

"Beware folk big, upon the brig,
down by the Baranduin!
For soldiers there, so proud and fair,
Will likely throw you in!"

Perry threw her arms about as if ridding the room of a foe, and sent a foot kicking afterwards for effect. This sent the room into a roar of applause.

"They may seem small, but they walk tall!
In them great Kings did trust!
For where they ride, the huge beasts died,
With a quick, neat parry and thrust!"

Perry now pretended to sword-fight some invisible monster.

"When they returned, the Shire was burned,
They stopped the Men in their tracks.
With leader bold, they regained their hold,
And had those men by their backs!"

When she sung of the leader she met Frodo's eyes and sent him a wink.

"Let's bless the Thain, his speech so plain,
His son so strong and true!
And Brandybuck, well half his luck!
Was in the tussle too!

But never forget, through all that was set,
The Baggins stood by all.
The heart of our fight, in Bywater's sight,
Lives well in good Bag Hall."

The loud roaring and clapping that had dominated the room began to still during the last verse, and by its finish everyone gazed at Perry bewilderedly. Why was she singing about Frodo Baggins like this? They were expecting the song to be singing the great glory of Pippin and Merry, and suddenly the Deputy was brought into it for some strange reason. The silence was daunting, and Perry looked to Frodo, shrugging lightly. He looked about himself, his cheeks growing red. Suddenly, wild ecstatic clapping and cheering broke out from the bar, and everyone turned to see Pippin and Merry as the source.

"Oh, well sung, Perry!" cried Merry.

"Up the Baggins!" cried Pippin.

Slowly, and very reluctantly, the room clapped for Perry, nodding slowly and doing so only to placate their favoured heroes. Frodo saw nobody really wanted to help Perry down from her place, or wanted to hear any more of her songs, so he walked over, offering her his hands and arms to help her down. She placed her hands on his shoulders, and he lowered her down from her perch, giving her a weary yet affectionate look.

"You are asking for a shunning," said Frodo, shaking his head at her.

Perry shrugged, blushing a little. She was suddenly set upon by Diamond and Estella, the two hobbit-lasses dragging her off to the bar and twittering in her ear excitedly. Frodo smiled, winding his way over to Pippin and Merry, noticing the puzzled looks that were sent his way from the rest of the older hobbits about him. He sent a thankful look to his cousins as he reached the bar, shaking his head.

"Thank you for that," he said, "I would have hated to see Perry get any worse a reception for her song than she got."

"I thought it was a good song," said Pippin, very seriously. "Especially that bit about blessing the Thain."

"I liked the line about Brandybuck myself," said Merry.

Frodo shook his head, having a sip of ale and sighing. The night went on much like this, and as it came time for everyone to leave, he found that his friends and cousins and strangely disappeared, and Perry was alone by the door looking rather confused. He came over to her.

"Hello, Perry. Where did Diamond and Estella disappear off to?"

She shrugged. "They said something about doing the washing and ran off with Pippin and Merry."

Frodo sighed, nodding to himself. "Yes, that would be about right. Come on then, I'll take you home."

"Oh, no, you don't have to-"

"It would be my pleasure, Perry," he insisted.

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