The Brandywine Swimming Society - Chapter I.
This is the second of the two Hobbit fics I've just begun. The other is called The Bounders and has mostly original characters. This one is mostly cannon characters. Both are slashy and AU. I'm hoping (a large task for me) to have 3 chapters done by Yule as the 3rd chapters are Yule chapters.
The Brandywine Swimming Society
est. 1411
Chapter I.
A Very Important Initiation
Merry paced nervously back and forth just inside the entrance to the cave as he waited for the others to arrive. That afternoon their club was having, in his mind, its most important initiation to date: the initiation of Peregrin Took. When the matter was brought up at their last meeting, several hobbits had objected, saying that Pippin was still too young, but Merry had pointed out that Pippin was now twenty one, a tween, and not much younger than his sister, Pervinca, or the Cotton brothers.
While there was no doubt that Pippin was more adventurous than any of their number, Merry was still very worried for his dear friend. He knew that Pippin, like most hobbits, was more than a little frightened of the water. And since, as a rule, they allowed their applicants to believe that the initiation involved some sort of difficult swimming test of courage, it was likely that Pippin would be terribly nervous.
Hilman Maggot, the younger of the two Maggot brothers, poked his head into the cave entrance, bringing Merry back to the task at hand. Hilman announced that the others were on their way shortly, with his brother, Mallo, leading the blindfolded Pippin. Hilman grinned as he added, “’Tis the first time I seen little Pip looking that close to nervous.” Merry forced a polite smile in answer, but inside his stomach was churning over its elevenses.
They had found the cave early that spring, hidden amongst the water oaks and reeds on the Marish-side banks of the Brandywine, about a half mile south of the ferry lane. They had been using the cave for their initiations ever since. It was now late October, and Merry knew the imagined coldness of the river’s waters would only be adding to Pippin’s apprehension. As a rule, they didn’t let on to outsiders what the club was all about, so it was all very mysterious to applicants who heard rumor of its existence (which of course they invariable did). Merry had wanted to be the one to lead his friend to the cave, but his duties as club president made that impossible. So, instead, he lit the torches around the cave’s walls. Then he got out the book and other items he would need and set them on the little desk they had smuggled over from Brandy Hall. He also uncorked several bottles of Old Winyards and set them to breathe.
Merry had founded the club in March of that year on a whim. It had been very cold during the winter and spring was very late. He was weary of being cooped up in the Hall, and thought it would be a nice lark to have some sort of social group to combat the boredom of winter. He didn’t have any sort of plan for the club, and was definitely not prepared for how popular it would prove to be. At first it was only Everard Took and Melilot Brandybuck, along with Fatty and Folco, and Fatty’s sister Estella - sort of a gentle-hobbits tea club. But they all soon found that arrangement dull and limiting, and decided to let the Maggot brothers and their sister, Lily, into the group. The Cottons, Gamgees and the elder Took sisters soon followed.
For a while, the club continued to have no real purpose. It was Hilman Maggot who had come up with that, along with the delightfully mysterious and misleading name: The Brandywine Swimming Society. Of course, there wasn’t necessarily any swimming involved. No, the club had quickly come to have far more serious intentions. Hilman, and indeed Merry himself, had noted much of the sinister goings on at the borders of the Shire over the past two years. Several of the big folk had been rumored sneaking about in the fields around Sarn Ford, and one reported as far up as Longbottom. This past winter, Nibs Cotton had seen wolves as far south as Overhill. And, what was even more alarming, was their elder’s apparent lack of concern. Even Merry’s father, Saradoc, just shook his head and said, “It’s just rumor and a few cold winters, Merry lad, nothing more to it than that.” So they had decided to dedicate their club to investigating these reports and doing whatever they could to keep the Shire secure. After all, most of them were almost of age. Merry was 29 himself. Perhaps, he thought, it was coming to be their turn to look after things.
The rustling of the bushes that hid the entrance to the cave announced the arrival of the Took sisters, the Cottons, the Gamgees, along with Fatty and Folco. Pippin being led by Mallo would not be far behind. It was nearly time. Merry seated himself on a crate behind the desk, with Tolman Cotton and Hilman Maggot to his left and right as sergeants at arms. The remaining hobbits stood against the walls, making a little ring around the cave room. Merry opened the leather-bound notebook that held the rites of initiation. He placed a small and plain silver knife next to it on the desk. In a few moments, the bushes rustled again, and Mallo Maggot led a slightly unbalanced Pippin into the cave. Mallo brought Pippin to stand before the desk, then remained by Pippin’s side with his hand on the young hobbit’s shoulder. Pippin was shivering slightly, and Merry felt an almost uncontrollable desire to call out to his friend and tell him he was there and not to be afraid. But he mastered his desire and remained silent for a few moments longer. Then he cleared his throat quietly and began to read from the notebook in a somewhat regal manner. “Do you, Peregrin Took, son of Paladin, swear not to reveal any of the names of the members or secrets of this society?” Merry waited for a response, but Pippin only shivered again. “Pippin,” he said in a gentler voice, “You’re meant to answer.”
There was a slight titter from a few of the members. Pippin blurted out suddenly, “Oh, yes, certainly I promise.”
Merry continued reading, “Do you swear to aid any member of the society to the best of your ability if they are ever in need.”
“Come now, you know I’d do that, Merry,” said Pippin.
There was a much less concealed tittering at this. Merry said, as sternly as he could muster, “You have to answer, Pippin.”
“Haven’t I?”
“Oh, I suppose you have,” said Merry, before he continued reading. “Very well. I must now warn you, Pippin, you have come to the point of no turning back. You are now standing on a ledge above the Brandywine (this effect was made very believable by the echoes of the river’s running water outside that the cave somehow magnified). Do you still wish to continue?”
“I do,” said Pippin.
“On what honor will you swear to remain faithful to the society?”
Pippin thought for a brief moment, before he said, ”I swear on the life of my dearest friend.”
Merry’s heart leaped into his throat at this. He was only just able to control his emotions. With his hands trembling slightly, he took up the little silver knife and strode over to Pippin. Using the knife, he cut the blindfold away from his friend’s eyes, then stepped back. Pippin stood blinking and rubbing his eyes to help them get used to the dim lighting. As he turned slowly around the room to look at them all, he was becoming more and more astonished. “Vinca, you’re here, and Pearl. And Samwise Gamgee and his sister, Daisy, isn’t it? Am I the last Hobbit invited!” After a pause, he added, “Say, where’s cousin Frodo? I would have thought he’d be here for certain.”
Certainly it was odd that Frodo had not been invited, being greatly respected by most of the members, especially the Tooks. But there seemed to be an unspoken agreement not to include him. Merry rationalized it by saying to himself, Frodo’s a bit too old for this nonsense. Deep down, though, he feared that Frodo was too deeply wrapped up in the source of the Shire’s troubles, likely something to do with Bilbo’s great adventure. The wizard Gandalf’s visits only confirmed that fear in his mind. And part of their club’s purpose, he thought, was to keep watch on Frodo and come to his aid if need be. This was initially why they had enlisted Samwise Gamgee, as he could most easily keep vigil at Bag End. Sam had proved to be remarkably shrewd, and seemed only too glad to keep both eyes and ears open at the Hill. Although Gandalf had been conspicuously absent the past two years, Sam reported that he had been visiting Frodo often before that time and that, as he put it, “They ain’t exactly been talking about fireworks and smoke rings.”
“Never you mind about that now, Pip,” Merry said. “Today is your day, and it’s time to toast our newest member.” Daisy Gamgee produced a basket filled with shortbread biscuits and cheese and newly harvested grapes. Merry poured the wine. When each of them had a glass, he raised his and said, “Three cheers for Peregrin, hip, hip, hurrah!” All present echoed, “Hip, hip, hurrah!” Then everyone drained their glasses, including Pippin.
By habit they all then sat down in a ring about the center of the cave. More wine was poured by the Took sisters. Everyone began munching on the snacks, as Merry said, “Is there any new business before we adjourn to a certain Golden Perch up Stock way for Pippin’s celebration feast? I don’t mind admitting I’m exhausted and famished.”
“Actually, I have something,” said Mallo. “I was down to Longbottom this week to sell our late cabbages. Well, I stopped in at the Smoldering Pipe of course. Now who do you suppose I met up with there but Gildioc Broadbuck. I just call him Gil of course. He’s my second cousin you know. Well, it seems that young Gil heard it from farmer Hockley, who saw it with his own eyes.”
Merry interrupted, “Isn’t Hockley the one with that new miniature variety of the leaf.”
“Aye, the very same,” agreed Mallo. “Some say the flavor is that much more intense. Anyway, apparently Farmer Hockley had a visit from one of the big men from Bree-way, wanting to buy up his whole harvest, for a very low price, too, Gil said. Hockley told him it weren’t even dry yet. Then the man said something about it being a shame if something were to happen to the storage barn, and the whole crop being burnt up or lost. Well, you know Hockley is a stout fellow and he told the stranger he best be off or he’d set the dogs on him. But Gil thinks Hockley’s more than a little afraid the stranger might make good on his threats.”
Pippin suddenly said, “What business to the Big Folk have with our pipe weed. Why don’t the Bounders do something about this?”
“That’s just the trouble, Pip. This sort of thing is happening more and more at the edges of Buckland and the Southfarthing, and the Bounders might mean well, but they aren’t exactly prepared for this sort of thing.” Merry paused, eyeing Pippin carefully for a moment, before saying, “That’s the true purpose of our little club: to investigate and try and sort out these matters.”
Pippin stared at his friend with a look almost of awe, “Why that’s fantastic, Merry,” he said. I had no idea it was anything more than tea and biscuits!”
Pippin’s sister, Pearl, giggled at that and said, “There’s plenty of tea as well, but we mean business, too, Pip. Are you sure you’re up to it?”
“Of course I am, Pearl,” he said indignantly. “It’s about time something was done about this sort of thing, too, from the sound of it. And I know that farmer Hockley. He bought his land from father if you remember. And it’s not all that far from the Green Hill Country either. Near Whitwell as I recall.”
Merry nodded, cleared his throat, then said, “Right, I will investigate this myself. Hilman can you come with me?”
Hilman put his hand to his forehead, and said, “Ah, Merry. We’ll be having to finish up with the harvest. I’m very sorry.”
“Of course,” said Merry. “I understand completely. And I imagine the Cotton’s and Gamgees would be in the same fix, and Samwise, I’m sure, will be itching to get back to the Hill.”
Sam seemed almost to blush at this, to Pippin’s surprise, and he only nodded mutely. Merry sat back in thought, obviously expecting that response from Sam. But then Pippin didn’t know Sam very well, clearly not as well as Merry did.
“I’ll go,” said Pippin suddenly.
“This sounds a bit too dangerous for a first trip,” Merry replied.
“All the more reason,” said Pippin. “I certainly don’t want to think of you going off on your own, tangling with some sort of ruffians from Bree!”
Merry felt the heat rising to his face, and it seemed as if all the eyes of the hobbits were watching him. “All right, he said. You know that country well, Pippin. I think it should be safe enough. We’ll leave tomorrow then. Now let us adjourn to the Golden Perch! I, for one, am famished.”
“Here here!,” said Pippin. Then he added, rather sheepishly, “So there really isn’t any swimming then?
As a Yuletide mathom, I'm offering an ebook version of my Lord of the Rings Cookbook to all Hobbit Fic writers. Just message me with an email address and it shall be yours.
The Brandywine Swimming Society
est. 1411
Chapter I.
A Very Important Initiation
Merry paced nervously back and forth just inside the entrance to the cave as he waited for the others to arrive. That afternoon their club was having, in his mind, its most important initiation to date: the initiation of Peregrin Took. When the matter was brought up at their last meeting, several hobbits had objected, saying that Pippin was still too young, but Merry had pointed out that Pippin was now twenty one, a tween, and not much younger than his sister, Pervinca, or the Cotton brothers.
While there was no doubt that Pippin was more adventurous than any of their number, Merry was still very worried for his dear friend. He knew that Pippin, like most hobbits, was more than a little frightened of the water. And since, as a rule, they allowed their applicants to believe that the initiation involved some sort of difficult swimming test of courage, it was likely that Pippin would be terribly nervous.
Hilman Maggot, the younger of the two Maggot brothers, poked his head into the cave entrance, bringing Merry back to the task at hand. Hilman announced that the others were on their way shortly, with his brother, Mallo, leading the blindfolded Pippin. Hilman grinned as he added, “’Tis the first time I seen little Pip looking that close to nervous.” Merry forced a polite smile in answer, but inside his stomach was churning over its elevenses.
They had found the cave early that spring, hidden amongst the water oaks and reeds on the Marish-side banks of the Brandywine, about a half mile south of the ferry lane. They had been using the cave for their initiations ever since. It was now late October, and Merry knew the imagined coldness of the river’s waters would only be adding to Pippin’s apprehension. As a rule, they didn’t let on to outsiders what the club was all about, so it was all very mysterious to applicants who heard rumor of its existence (which of course they invariable did). Merry had wanted to be the one to lead his friend to the cave, but his duties as club president made that impossible. So, instead, he lit the torches around the cave’s walls. Then he got out the book and other items he would need and set them on the little desk they had smuggled over from Brandy Hall. He also uncorked several bottles of Old Winyards and set them to breathe.
Merry had founded the club in March of that year on a whim. It had been very cold during the winter and spring was very late. He was weary of being cooped up in the Hall, and thought it would be a nice lark to have some sort of social group to combat the boredom of winter. He didn’t have any sort of plan for the club, and was definitely not prepared for how popular it would prove to be. At first it was only Everard Took and Melilot Brandybuck, along with Fatty and Folco, and Fatty’s sister Estella - sort of a gentle-hobbits tea club. But they all soon found that arrangement dull and limiting, and decided to let the Maggot brothers and their sister, Lily, into the group. The Cottons, Gamgees and the elder Took sisters soon followed.
For a while, the club continued to have no real purpose. It was Hilman Maggot who had come up with that, along with the delightfully mysterious and misleading name: The Brandywine Swimming Society. Of course, there wasn’t necessarily any swimming involved. No, the club had quickly come to have far more serious intentions. Hilman, and indeed Merry himself, had noted much of the sinister goings on at the borders of the Shire over the past two years. Several of the big folk had been rumored sneaking about in the fields around Sarn Ford, and one reported as far up as Longbottom. This past winter, Nibs Cotton had seen wolves as far south as Overhill. And, what was even more alarming, was their elder’s apparent lack of concern. Even Merry’s father, Saradoc, just shook his head and said, “It’s just rumor and a few cold winters, Merry lad, nothing more to it than that.” So they had decided to dedicate their club to investigating these reports and doing whatever they could to keep the Shire secure. After all, most of them were almost of age. Merry was 29 himself. Perhaps, he thought, it was coming to be their turn to look after things.
The rustling of the bushes that hid the entrance to the cave announced the arrival of the Took sisters, the Cottons, the Gamgees, along with Fatty and Folco. Pippin being led by Mallo would not be far behind. It was nearly time. Merry seated himself on a crate behind the desk, with Tolman Cotton and Hilman Maggot to his left and right as sergeants at arms. The remaining hobbits stood against the walls, making a little ring around the cave room. Merry opened the leather-bound notebook that held the rites of initiation. He placed a small and plain silver knife next to it on the desk. In a few moments, the bushes rustled again, and Mallo Maggot led a slightly unbalanced Pippin into the cave. Mallo brought Pippin to stand before the desk, then remained by Pippin’s side with his hand on the young hobbit’s shoulder. Pippin was shivering slightly, and Merry felt an almost uncontrollable desire to call out to his friend and tell him he was there and not to be afraid. But he mastered his desire and remained silent for a few moments longer. Then he cleared his throat quietly and began to read from the notebook in a somewhat regal manner. “Do you, Peregrin Took, son of Paladin, swear not to reveal any of the names of the members or secrets of this society?” Merry waited for a response, but Pippin only shivered again. “Pippin,” he said in a gentler voice, “You’re meant to answer.”
There was a slight titter from a few of the members. Pippin blurted out suddenly, “Oh, yes, certainly I promise.”
Merry continued reading, “Do you swear to aid any member of the society to the best of your ability if they are ever in need.”
“Come now, you know I’d do that, Merry,” said Pippin.
There was a much less concealed tittering at this. Merry said, as sternly as he could muster, “You have to answer, Pippin.”
“Haven’t I?”
“Oh, I suppose you have,” said Merry, before he continued reading. “Very well. I must now warn you, Pippin, you have come to the point of no turning back. You are now standing on a ledge above the Brandywine (this effect was made very believable by the echoes of the river’s running water outside that the cave somehow magnified). Do you still wish to continue?”
“I do,” said Pippin.
“On what honor will you swear to remain faithful to the society?”
Pippin thought for a brief moment, before he said, ”I swear on the life of my dearest friend.”
Merry’s heart leaped into his throat at this. He was only just able to control his emotions. With his hands trembling slightly, he took up the little silver knife and strode over to Pippin. Using the knife, he cut the blindfold away from his friend’s eyes, then stepped back. Pippin stood blinking and rubbing his eyes to help them get used to the dim lighting. As he turned slowly around the room to look at them all, he was becoming more and more astonished. “Vinca, you’re here, and Pearl. And Samwise Gamgee and his sister, Daisy, isn’t it? Am I the last Hobbit invited!” After a pause, he added, “Say, where’s cousin Frodo? I would have thought he’d be here for certain.”
Certainly it was odd that Frodo had not been invited, being greatly respected by most of the members, especially the Tooks. But there seemed to be an unspoken agreement not to include him. Merry rationalized it by saying to himself, Frodo’s a bit too old for this nonsense. Deep down, though, he feared that Frodo was too deeply wrapped up in the source of the Shire’s troubles, likely something to do with Bilbo’s great adventure. The wizard Gandalf’s visits only confirmed that fear in his mind. And part of their club’s purpose, he thought, was to keep watch on Frodo and come to his aid if need be. This was initially why they had enlisted Samwise Gamgee, as he could most easily keep vigil at Bag End. Sam had proved to be remarkably shrewd, and seemed only too glad to keep both eyes and ears open at the Hill. Although Gandalf had been conspicuously absent the past two years, Sam reported that he had been visiting Frodo often before that time and that, as he put it, “They ain’t exactly been talking about fireworks and smoke rings.”
“Never you mind about that now, Pip,” Merry said. “Today is your day, and it’s time to toast our newest member.” Daisy Gamgee produced a basket filled with shortbread biscuits and cheese and newly harvested grapes. Merry poured the wine. When each of them had a glass, he raised his and said, “Three cheers for Peregrin, hip, hip, hurrah!” All present echoed, “Hip, hip, hurrah!” Then everyone drained their glasses, including Pippin.
By habit they all then sat down in a ring about the center of the cave. More wine was poured by the Took sisters. Everyone began munching on the snacks, as Merry said, “Is there any new business before we adjourn to a certain Golden Perch up Stock way for Pippin’s celebration feast? I don’t mind admitting I’m exhausted and famished.”
“Actually, I have something,” said Mallo. “I was down to Longbottom this week to sell our late cabbages. Well, I stopped in at the Smoldering Pipe of course. Now who do you suppose I met up with there but Gildioc Broadbuck. I just call him Gil of course. He’s my second cousin you know. Well, it seems that young Gil heard it from farmer Hockley, who saw it with his own eyes.”
Merry interrupted, “Isn’t Hockley the one with that new miniature variety of the leaf.”
“Aye, the very same,” agreed Mallo. “Some say the flavor is that much more intense. Anyway, apparently Farmer Hockley had a visit from one of the big men from Bree-way, wanting to buy up his whole harvest, for a very low price, too, Gil said. Hockley told him it weren’t even dry yet. Then the man said something about it being a shame if something were to happen to the storage barn, and the whole crop being burnt up or lost. Well, you know Hockley is a stout fellow and he told the stranger he best be off or he’d set the dogs on him. But Gil thinks Hockley’s more than a little afraid the stranger might make good on his threats.”
Pippin suddenly said, “What business to the Big Folk have with our pipe weed. Why don’t the Bounders do something about this?”
“That’s just the trouble, Pip. This sort of thing is happening more and more at the edges of Buckland and the Southfarthing, and the Bounders might mean well, but they aren’t exactly prepared for this sort of thing.” Merry paused, eyeing Pippin carefully for a moment, before saying, “That’s the true purpose of our little club: to investigate and try and sort out these matters.”
Pippin stared at his friend with a look almost of awe, “Why that’s fantastic, Merry,” he said. I had no idea it was anything more than tea and biscuits!”
Pippin’s sister, Pearl, giggled at that and said, “There’s plenty of tea as well, but we mean business, too, Pip. Are you sure you’re up to it?”
“Of course I am, Pearl,” he said indignantly. “It’s about time something was done about this sort of thing, too, from the sound of it. And I know that farmer Hockley. He bought his land from father if you remember. And it’s not all that far from the Green Hill Country either. Near Whitwell as I recall.”
Merry nodded, cleared his throat, then said, “Right, I will investigate this myself. Hilman can you come with me?”
Hilman put his hand to his forehead, and said, “Ah, Merry. We’ll be having to finish up with the harvest. I’m very sorry.”
“Of course,” said Merry. “I understand completely. And I imagine the Cotton’s and Gamgees would be in the same fix, and Samwise, I’m sure, will be itching to get back to the Hill.”
Sam seemed almost to blush at this, to Pippin’s surprise, and he only nodded mutely. Merry sat back in thought, obviously expecting that response from Sam. But then Pippin didn’t know Sam very well, clearly not as well as Merry did.
“I’ll go,” said Pippin suddenly.
“This sounds a bit too dangerous for a first trip,” Merry replied.
“All the more reason,” said Pippin. “I certainly don’t want to think of you going off on your own, tangling with some sort of ruffians from Bree!”
Merry felt the heat rising to his face, and it seemed as if all the eyes of the hobbits were watching him. “All right, he said. You know that country well, Pippin. I think it should be safe enough. We’ll leave tomorrow then. Now let us adjourn to the Golden Perch! I, for one, am famished.”
“Here here!,” said Pippin. Then he added, rather sheepishly, “So there really isn’t any swimming then?
As a Yuletide mathom, I'm offering an ebook version of my Lord of the Rings Cookbook to all Hobbit Fic writers. Just message me with an email address and it shall be yours.