Sunday, 23 June 2013

Beyond the Banks Of Bywater Chapter VII

Around 11:15 Dimple wandered back inside with an empty pail that she had used to carry the unwanted leftovers out to their already fat pigs. Dimple set bucket by the door and went to the kitchen to see how was doing with washing the forks and the spoons from breakfast, he was apparently done, well for the most part he still had one spoon in the soapy water that he was playing with. It must have been a very talented spoon, or perhaps it was just baby Mo who was talented. The spoon was doing all sorts of brilliant tricks in the big washbasin. Moro had it doing spins, flips, and even amazing dives from the stack of already washed dishes. Dimple smiled the collapsed in a chair to rest her feet, just then a knock came from the door, then the hinges creaked. Dimple froze. She saw in her mind that big awful lizard sneaking its way into their house. She heard a “thump, thump” of feet on the wood floor and sighed with relief. May Millstone walked into the kitchen most cheerily, cheeks rosy for some unknown reason. (Dimple supposed her mother’s merriment was caused probably something funny she had heard or maybe she had a swallow of good ale.)  May smiled at her seven-year-old playing in the sink and then turned to Dimple flopped in the chair. “Did he wash those dishes?” May asked teasingly “and I suppose he cooked breakfast too!” Dimple laughed at her mother’s want-to-be-jokes and smiled “no mother I cooked breakfast with his help.” Dimple tried to avoid a yawn that was trying to escape “and --*yawn* we both cleaned up too.” May Pulled Moro off the chair that he was standing on by the sink and spun him around very playfully, “Well done Dimple I am pleased by you and your brother’s good behaviour while I was gone.” May set the little giggling Moro down and then continued. “You Miss. Dimple have the rest of the day free from your chores! You are free to do whatever you please so long as you are a very good lass, got it?” Dimple’s eyes got wide and she smiled really big, dimples showing. “Mother! Are you serious? No chores? Whatever I want to do?” May thought for a moment then nodded “yes Dimple free of household responsibility. Just be good!”  Dimple jumped up and did an almost jig. Then hugged her mother tight and darted to her room to get her shawl. Today was a day to spend with her best friends, Rosa and Valliserrire.
*
The lively red head ran up the road as quick as she could towards Hobbiton where her best friend of all time lived, Rosa Fairbairn. For those of you who have never had the pleasure of running merrily from Bywater to Hobbiton I have the greatest pity. It a long walk there, but on mornings such as these a run up to Hobbiton is the best way to cheer one up and make ones blood start moving. Dimple just loved that run, the air had a wonderful spring breeze in it and the road was not dusty at all. Altogether, it was a glorious morning for a happy Halfling. Dimple ran as quickly as she could, a day like this one should never be wasted walking alone. Dimple had passed the Bywater Pool in no time and was going as fast as she could to get to the fork in the road. But something stopped her. It was the big lizard again, only this time its size seemed to be much larger and its scales even whiter. The “lizard” was sitting under a tree a little way off the road on a rather tallish rise. Dimple froze it was looking her way, her eyes darted left and right, trying to find something to hide under or behind, aha! There it was a little bramble of blackberry vines sat off to her left rather close to the road. She ran for it and hid behind it away from the white face that peered at her from the hill. The petrified Dimple hardly even noticed the scratches she was getting from hugging a little too close to the bristly bush. ”Miss. Millstone your games weary me.” Dimple rolled her eyes and let her shoulders droop, today was not a day for correction! She was not going to have her day ruined by a stuck up, big bottom, scaly and nasty, lizard. Dimple stood up and darted back towards the road, but accidently stepped on a thorn, flinched in pain, and limped to the road where she could sit and pull it out. Starfell during This was still under the squatty little tree, on a hill off closer to Hobbiton, he laughed at Dimple’s little misfortune. She is such a silly lass, not a worry in the world. I hate to ruin it for her. Dimple got up and stood right In the middle of the road arms akimbo, facing the small white dragon on the hill. “Well Mr Lizard, Starfails thingy. What do you want with me again?” the ‘big lizard’ gave and exasperated sigh and stared at the bold and annoying young Millstone. Miss. Millstone have you forgotten all ready? Dimple answered quite loudly “no! it is just that you have yet to tell me what you are up to!” Miss. Millstone! You would not listen to me last night. Dimple just shrugged and said again, to Starfell in an irritated tone “You would not tell me!”
Imagine coming up the road and seeing a very smart looking redheaded hobbit standing right in your path yelling at no one visible with her hands on her hips. Then imagine you just so happen to know of that girl. This was the young Brandy buck’s situation ad he came up the road on a little black pony his uncle gave him, Gregory Brandybuck was his name.
Dimple stopped talking to Starfell when she heard the “clip clop” of hooves behind her. Oh lackaday! She thought most upset to herself. I do hope that is not farmer—.She had not time enough to finish her thought. Because a very handsome young Halfling just rode up beside her on a black short pony.
“Ello lass!” He said very politely. Dimple smiled a cheery un-certain smile. “Hello.” She said quietly. Dimple was not used to talking to handsome young hobbits, so she found herself blushing almost immediately. This did not slow the cheery bright spirited Brandybuck any though. He slid off his pony right beside Dimple and did a clumsy but adorable bow. “And who do I have the pleasure of addressin?” he asked his dark brown curls swaying in the warm breeze. Dimple found herself quite speechless for the first time in her life. She curtsied though and said most quietly “I am Dimple Millstone sir.” Gregory smirked, a lovely smirk and laughed while he spoke to Dimple. “first missy! I am not a sir yet. *laughing* and secondly.” He had to pause because he was laughing too hard to speak. Dimple frowned, “Secondly!” he began again. “I should have guessed who you were Miss. Millstone!” Dimple frown turned into a look of surprised curiosity. “Why should you have known?” The handsome hobbit laughed again, only harder this time. Dimple waited, and waited and waited, until finally the laughter abated and he spoke while gasping for air with tears of mirth coming down his cheeks. “Why! Quite easy! Your neighbour, you know, the mean farmer looking person with the apple orchards. He was complainin about a red-eaded pest comin and stealin his apples blossoms! He said, once he got his hands on the lass who did it, there’d be no escapin!” Dimple looked guiltily down at her hand where she held a little handful of apple blossoms for Rosa. She stuffed them behind her back quickly and turned to the lad. “Oh did he now?” She asked in as innocent a tone as she could muster. Gregory Smirked larger “Why yes he did! And then he grabbed his pitchfork and started head up the path this a-way.” Dimple’s eyes grew large, “then what are we waiting for!” she exclaimed hysterically “He’ll kill me I’m sure!” Gregory mounted his little pony and helped Dimple to climb on behind him. “Ivy’ll get us out of this problem won’t ye girl!” the pony just stood there until Gregory clicked his tongue and off they went, probably slower than they would have had Dimple just ran. But this allowed for some good conversation time. Dimple started it. “So what’s your name si—“
The lad laughed,” stop that missy! I am not an old person! No fair callin me sir, gots it? And my names Gregory, Gregory Brandybuck!”
Dimple found herself all the sudden overly pleased, A Brandybuck? Oh now I can certainly have fun today! The question she asked next was rather silly but when making a new acquaintance one often asks it. “Where are you from Gregory?”
The cheerful lad laughed and pointed over his shoulder with his thumb. “Buckland, o’ course missy, Brandyhall to be exact!”
Dimple Smiled at her silly question, “Oh really I never would have guessed!” This sent the very amusable boy into another fit of hilarity. Dimple was glad she had met a new friend although he seemed to have a seriously bad case of the giggles.

*
During their ride to Hobbiton Dimple and Gregory had plenty of time to become well acquainted with one another, Gregory was thirty-five and he lived with his Aunt and Uncle in Buckland in the lovely Brandyhall. He was a very good Brandybuck not terribly prone to trouble. His Aunt considered him a very capable, brilliant, gentle-hobbit. In addition to that, his Uncle thought him the handsomest Brandybuck of all the present young Brandybucks. Gregory himself did not think that he was any different from any other Brandybuck. (This is more than likely true,) Dimple looked the fetching Bucklander over. He was very dashing and very compassionate. She found that she rather liked him. That is not at all uncommon for Dimple mind you; she is a terrible young rogue she enjoys pointing out to her friend Rosa all the delightful and spirited young lads trying to make the pretty Halfling blush. Dimple noted Gregory as another one she would have to point out to her dear friend. Gregory found Dimple very entertaining, her trouble making schemes he found were brilliant although they often failed and he found her quite hilarious for most other conversations. All around, they were both very silly and enjoyed being so. They finally came up on a fork in the road were their paths parted. For Gregory was headed to Little Delving to visit a very good friend, and Dimple was just going to Rosa’s home, which was located on Bagshot Row, rather close indeed to Bagend itself. Gregory stopped his lovely pony Ivy and climbed down to help Dimple Dismount. They said their farewells and Dimple went skipping along the road to the little hole of the small family of the Fairbairns. Dimple arrived at the round door and knocked cheerful little rhythm on their round pink-ish red door. She waited, and waited, and continued to wait for about a minute. This made Dimple worry, was something wrong? Just then as if on cue the door opened. There stood the lovely blond Fairbairn, Rosa. She looked a little frazzled and out of breath. Dimple smiled, “hello missy!” she said giggling Rosa smiled back “Oh Dimple! It has been nearly a week since I have seen you! Do come in, and don’t mind my cousin…” Dimple looked questioningly at her friend then saw the little lass standing behind her. She was not much smaller than Rosa was and she looked so much sassier than her sweet cousin Rosa did. The little lass did a little curtsy and then darted off calling behind her. “Now Rosa what did your mother say about letting strange people in?” Rosa huffed, “Not strange people!” she called back, “strangers! And Dimple’s not a stranger.” The little hobbit stood with her hands on her hips at the end of the foyer “well! She’s stranger than the last person you let in!” Rosa turned bright red but bit her tongue at the little rascal’s remark. Dimple giggled again, “So this is the little girl you told me about? Little miss. Orangeblossom I believe was her name.” Rosa turned back towards Dimple trying her hardest to smile but to no avail. “Yes that’s Orangeblossom. You know, she would not bother half me as much if she were not so full of those unpleasant remarks! She is a spider I say!” Dimple hugged Rosa and then laughed. “You should really have a little brother.” Rosa broke away from the friendly little hug and stood with her eyes wide staring at Dimple “Oh no! Not a little brother, if they are anything like that, they must be terrible!” Dimple laugh heartily “oh they are not all so bad, as long as they help you with the dishes.” Rosa threw a hand on her forehead, “Oh Dimple! My cousin is the least of my worries! Mum and dad went off to Nobottle for a good two weeks! Not only that, Mum has left me the longest list ever of things to do in the house while they are gone! It seems though that I may never get to it for I have to cook, clean, and watch the little fiend at the same time!” Dimple felt some serious Sympathy for her poor friend, watching that little scoundrel would be enough to keep anyone busy. Dimple suddenly had a brilliant plan. She addressed the forlorn Rosa in a very matter of fact way. “So is Orangeblossom the problem? I can deal with her! What do you say we---“

*

Orangeblossom Fairbairn found herself stuck with a redheaded girl roaming around Hobbiton looking for someone who would watch her. They had yet to find anyone to do it. “Let my hand go Miss. Millstone! It hurts!” Dimple just glared at the youngster, “I am hardly holding it! If you did not squirm so it would not hurt at all!” Orangeblossom stuck out a very pouty lip and whimpered. Dimple stopped. “Blossom, I need you to be good just for a few more minutes! I am trying to see if we can find you a playmate for the afternoon!” ‘Blossom’ smiled mischievously “Well Miss. Millstone, I know someone who I could play with!” Dimple smiled and answered happily “Oh you do? Who are talking about?” Orangeblossom answered very shrilly and in her best manners. “Why, Mr Durrey!” Dimple frowned. Then sighed, “Are you absolutely out of your mind? Mr Durrey Took? Impossible! He is a terrible young man!” Blossom pointed to a lad covered in mud trying to convince another chap to be on his mud fighting team. “Please! Miss. Dimple I will be a good girl, I promise! Dimple shrugged. “Oh alright, just try not to get too muddy.” Orangeblossom the naughty little girl darted off merrily to see about helping Durrey and the other three boys make a barricade of mud and grass so they could have a whole mud war. Dimple was disgusted at Durrey he was a full-grown hobbit! Yet he still had mud fights with the little boys! Dimple knew she would never do that sort of thing when she was grown. The Halfling turned around and traipsed quickly back to Rosa’s house. Where she knew what awaited a list a mile long and a friend in need of help.

No comments:

Post a Comment