SR 1370
Primula 50, Esmeralda 34, Frodo 2, Saradoc 30

'He hopes to marry me,' Esmeralda says, little Frodo on her lap. Primula looks up, and Esmeralda looks at her, and Primula's expression is blank enough that Esmeralda can't help but laugh. 'It isn't a terrible thing, though perhaps I've made it out as such. And Saradoc is dear, though he's also rather young... I don't know, cousin, I just don't know.'

Primula sits, and fills their teacups, and Frodo starts pulling on Esmeralda's hair. She tells him not to, but he seems so intent on one of her dark blue ribbons, she can't help but pull it out and give it over, even though it immediately goes into his gummy mouth.

Primula sips her tea, then says, 'Drogo was a good deal older than I, though perhaps it's not the same – and I can't say I worried myself overmuch with thoughts of marriage, Esmie, when I was your age!' She looks at Frodo, and won't Esmeralda's ribbon be a mess now that he's gummed it so thoroughly. 'It was unexpected, his asking me: I didn't think he'd known my name. You and Saradoc are rather more close, I should say... my nephew isn't one for letting lose ideas, though, once he's taken it to head and heart.' She laughs a little, sips her tea. 'You will wed him, then.'

'Now, I hadn't said that!'

'Oh, but I know Saradoc.' Primula laughs, then smiles at her son. 'What do you think, Frodo?'

'Bah!' Frodo shouts, gleeful, and flings Esmeralda's sodden ribbon. While Esmeralda doesn't see where it lands, she does hear it land, and with a wet splat. Primula laughs a little more, puts her cup down and takes her son, and bounces him a moment before settling back down to sit.

'Frodo's given his blessing,' Primula says, grinning – not a blank expression, now, not at all, but rather more wicked is the shape of this grin. Esmeralda is glad to see it, for in seeing it she sees that Primula is different, but not changed: that being a mother, and a wife, has not taken away. Primula wouldn't be Primula, after all, it not for that wicked streak.

She does not think that Frodo's blessing will come to anything, though, and so she picks up her tea, sweetened just as she likes. 'Well, we shall see,' she says, and she grins back at Primula, as wickedly as she can.

SR 1376
Paladin 43, Merimac 34, Eglantine 33, Pearl 1, Miranda 40

'Hello, cousin Ella,' Merimac says cheerfully, kissing her on the cheek. Eglantine rolls her eyes skyward, swings Pearl into Merimac's arm, and he kisses his little cousin on the top of her curly head. 'I had hoped to steal your husband for the day. Do you think I might?'

Eglantine looks at him, sharply, then nods and laughs, before shaking her head. She takes Pearl back, and Pearl has left sticky jam prints all over Merimac's coat. He looks down, and then up, grinning. 'You know, I likely deserve that – and more than I can say.'

'I'll not argue with that,' Eglantine laughs. 'You'll find him at the stables.'

Merimac thanks her, and Pearl, too, sticky jam prints and all, and then he goes back outside. When he'd stabled his pony, he hadn't seen Paladin – but then, he hadn't been looking then, now had he?

As it is, he isn't in the stables, but in the trees beyond. Merimac looks up, shields his eyes against the summer glare, and laughs. 'Have you made a nest?'

'Yes,' Paladin's voice drifts down. 'Come up here, Merimac. It's good to see you. Though, I can't say I see you very well.'

Merimac climbs up with what Paladin would call a tween's ease. Paladin is sitting high up, straddling one branch with his legs, and Merimac sits as close as he's able, grinning all the while. Paladin smiles at him, then shakes his head. 'Just last month, I find my sister plans to marry – and a Brandybuck, at that. And now, no doubt, you've come to share your own happy news.'

'Ah, you read me like a book, Paladin Took,' Merimac says, still grinning. 'Miranda Proudfoot – you remember her, don't you? We danced Lithe, and I suppose it ended up going on rather further than we'd expected – she's older, you know, but I seem to like that rather well, older hobbits.' Then he smiles, and settles back. 'We'll marry in spring.'

'In the spring? Well, it can't be that she's caught already! So you love her. Good – I'm happy for you both.' Then Paladin says, 'Father plans on removing to Great Smials, no doubt to be coddled and adored.' He laughs, and shakes his head. 'I can't say I blame him, not really.'

'And Whitwell will be yours,' Merimac says, then whistles. 'Paladin Took, all grown up. I hadn't thought to see the day!'