Merullyra Flintwater - A Pippin Took love story

New friends, New life - chapter 4

When they reached Hobbiton, the sun was just above the valley, the sky starting to swirl into a pink and orange mix. Pippin lead Ra down to the middle of Hobbiton. The lamps made the streets glow orange and the flames of open fireplaces danced in the small windows. They stopped outside a larger building, a sign hung on rope above a door. ‘The green Dragon’ Ra read aloud as pippin opened the door. It was quite busy with people she’d never seen before but Ra felt quite at home. The smell of good beer and barley filled her nostrils; people danced on the tables, sang and cheered. Some were already drunk and stumbled past them as Pippin lead her to a table where there were three other hobbits sat, each with a mug of ale. ‘hey guys this is Mali... Moll... Mackie? But she likes to be called Ra. Anyway she’s new in Hobbiton’ the three guys smiled up at her. One had long blonde hair, another had long wavy black hair and the last one had blonde ruffled hair. ‘hi I’m Sam Gamgee’ the last one smiled warmly, he wore a light green shirt with brown dungarees. ‘This is Frodo Baggins’ he pointed to the dark haired one who wore a baggy white shirt and black braces with brass buttons. ‘And that’s Merry Brandybuck’ Sam introduced, gesturing towards the blonde hobbit who wore a bright yellow waistcoat over a tatty shirt. 'see Ra, that's merry!' pippin chuckled as Ra blushed. Merry pulled a confused face and just shrugged it off. ‘Where you from...erm’ he looked for an answer and Ra laughed. ‘my names Mallyra’ she scowled at pippin who grinned cheekily back at her, ‘and I’m from Michel-Delving’ the three guys looked at her with open mouths. The dark haired Frodo spoke up to her ‘that’s a four day trek from here! How did you walk from there on your own?’ Ra began to explain everything about her family’s move and her old village. Towards the end of her story, the one called merry piped up ‘hey pippin you got any good songs for your new girl?’ he joked. Pippin looked at him in scorn but began to smile at the thought of singing. ‘yeah I have actually!’ he laughed. Ra looked quite surprised ‘you sing, oh go on!’ she pleaded. Pippin pulled up two stools and coughed before he began.

‘Hey, ho, to the bottle I go, to heal my heart and drown my woe! Rain may fall and wind may blow, but there be still many miles to go’

pippin began to bob around as he sang and Sam, Frodo and Merry all began to clap in a rhythm. Ra started to laugh and joined in with a huge grin on her face.

‘sweet is the sound of the pouring rain, and stream that fall from hill to plain, better than rain or a rippling brook, is a mug of beer inside this took!’

They all cheered as Pippin bowed smiling from ear to ear. Ra began laughing again so hard she started to cough. ‘you ok?’ merry asked patting her on the back. ‘yeah I’m fine, I just can’t stop laughing at pippin!’ she giggled as pippin sat down next to her. She smiled widely at him and he blushed. ‘you’re really good at singing pippin! I didn’t know you had it in you’ he blushed harder and replied ‘well everybody’s good at something, we hobbits may be small... but we have big personalities!’ the others nodded in agreement and raised a toast, their mugs making a recognisable clinking noise as they laughed. An hour later they were still there laughing at pippin and Ra’s adventure. Pippin had his hand on Ra’s shoulder as they began to cheer and giggle. Ra laughed so hard she fell off her stool and landed on the floor. The guys were in fits of laughter as she got up, even laughing at herself. But, as she was getting up, she slipped. Her hand slipped from pippins shoulder and she fell forward onto him. They both froze and it fell silent around the table because pippin and Ra’s noses were less than an inch away from each other. After a moment of awkwardness they both laughed and carried on as normal although Merry kept teasing them about it. They carried on laughing until Ra realised it was dark outside. ‘Pippin, It’s really late I’ve gotta go. My family will be worried to death about me.’ She panicked and jumped out of her seat. Pippin stood up and calmed her down. ‘don’t worry Ra I’ll walk you home if you want, after all it’s dark.’ He said bravely looking proud of himself. ‘oh how chivalrous of you pip’ merry joked with him before Ra waved them all goodnight and she and pippin walked out of the green dragon pub.

It was cold outside but the sky was lined with diamond stars flickering gently like little flames in the dark. Ra and pippin walked quite slowly even though the breeze bit at them. They walked up over the hill where they first met under the tree and Ra stopped at the top and looked up into the sky. Pippin had carried on walking but stopped once he realised she wasn’t behind him. He walked up to her and asked ‘you ok?’ she turned towards him ‘yeah it just reminds me of Michel-Delving, the same sky...’ pippin pulled a face at her, ‘it’s the same sky all over the shire Ra.’ She made a sarcastic face at him. ‘I know that, I was just saying’ they stood in silence for a moment then they both burst out laughing. ‘fancy a song?’ pippin said as they sat on the edge of the hill, Ra had forgotten about the need to get home. ‘yeah sure! You seem to cheer me up with your singing’ she smiled as pippin looked up into the night sky. He fell backwards and crossed his arms behind his head whilst he lay in the grass, he took a deep breath.

“Home is behind, the world ahead. And there are many paths to tread.” Ra sighed and shut her eyes.

“Through shadow. To the edge of night. Until the stars are all alight”

“Mist and shadow. Cloud and shade.”

“All shall fade... All.. shall... fade.”

Pippin opened his eyes and smiled. He looked across at Ra who had tears in her eyes. ‘you ok ra?’ he asked concerned. She wiped them away and half smiled at him. ‘yeah I’m fine I’m just thinking about something. That was a beautiful song by the way.’ she said as she stood up, shortly followed by pippin. She turned to him, sighed, then asked him, ‘Pippin.. can I do something?’ she looked up innocently at him ‘sure’ he smiled. She placed her hand on his face and leant forward. She stopped when their noses were touching. ‘what’s this?’ pip asked laughing but ra put her finger to his lips. ‘don’t talk.. I know it’s hard of you pip’ she giggled before pressing her lips against his. She kissed him gently of the lips then backed away slowly. ‘sorry’ she apologised looking up at pip who was slightly shocked. ‘no no it’s okay.. actually I wouldn’t mind if you did it again’ he whispered. With a smile on her face she reached out for his scarf, he looked confused until she pulled at it and pulled him towards her, she then threw her arms around his neck and kissed him again, this time he kissed her back. Then, Without warning she pulled away and looked up at him. Pippin jumped with the suddenness of it. This time she looked rather embarrassed and didn’t speak. Pippin looked down at her confused, ‘everything ok?’ he put his hand on her shoulder. After a few seconds of silence, she began to walk away and left a confused pippin, alone on the hill. 

 To be CONTINUED.