(For the first time, I am going to be posting "When the King Comes Back (the Great Smials)" and "When the King Comes Back (Brandy Hall)" simultaneously and chronologically, more or less. The first chapter of both stories share some of the same dialogue, but from two different POVs. Since the stories are not the same length, this one having nine chapters and the other sixteen, they may not be exactly chronological, but I'll do my best. I will also be interspersing some little one-shots that may fit into the same time slot.)

"When the King Comes Back (the Great Smials)" was my very first fanfic, posted for the first time on March 20, 2004 at the Stories of Arda archive.

This story was inspired by Lulleny's story "The Prodigal Took". I appreciated her encouragement, and her permission to use her OC, and for her beta. I owe a great debt of gratitude to her and her wonderful story, for it was my introduction to the wonderful world of writing fanfiction.

Chapter 9

The following Highday dawned clear, bright and cold. Pippin found himself nervously waiting in front of the Great Smials with his father, Merry, Saradoc and Frodo, watching a great crowd of Tuckborough hobbitry assemble on the sward across the road.

A lot had happened over the past week. A search party sent to the spot where Pippin had been ambushed found the body of one ruffian, but no sign of the other. A few days later, Pippin himself had led an expedition into the Southfarthing to deal with a band of five holed up in one of Lotho's old leaf sheds.

Messages had been exchanged with Hobbiton and Buckland, and last night Saradoc had arrived, accompanied by Merry, Frodo and Esmeralda.

Paladin's attempt to apologize to his brother-in-law was cut short when Saradoc stepped up and caught him in a hug. "Say no more about it, brother. It's all in the past and that was a bad time for us all. All our boys are back now and just look at them!" Saradoc's grin and gesture included all three of the returned travelers, and Frodo blushed. He had only just discovered that he, too, had been missed while he was gone.

Now that the crowd was assembled, the five hobbits stepped up to the small platform that the Thain had had made for the purpose: the Thain of the Tooks, the Master of Buckland, and the Deputy Mayor of the Shire, flanked on either side by a magnificent Knight of Rohan and a splendid Knight of Gondor. Paladin stood forward.

"My dear hobbits, I have summoned you all here today to hear an important message, one that will change the Shire forever!" He gestured at Pippin.

In a ringing voice, that seemed bold and confident (probably only Merry knew just how nervous he really was) Pippin read aloud the message from the King. He got through it quite well, blushing only twice: at "Sir Peregrin son of Paladin" and at the end, when the crowd erupted into loud cheers.

In two weeks, they would repeat this scene: in Buckland and in Hobbiton; in the meantime, Frodo had re-instated the Postal Service, and was having copies made of the message, to be distributed throughout the Shire. Soon all would know that the King had, indeed, "come back".

The five headed into the Smials. Paladin, Saradoc and Frodo went to Paladin's study to work on the reply to Aragorn.

Merry and Pippin retreated to Pippin's room for a smoke and a visit. Merry laughed when he entered the room. "Well, that's one solution!"

Pippin had removed the headboard and footboard to his bed. He grinned as they sprawled upon it. "It does help. But Father's having a new one built for me."

"Me, too. But this seems like a good idea in the meantime."

"Frodo's seeming much more like his old self," said Pippin.

"Well, he does seem to be a little bit better right now," Merry replied cautiously. He was much less optimistic about Frodo's full recovery than Sam or Pippin. Even on his best days his cousin's blue eyes held a hunted look.

Pippin took a puff on his pipe. "So I hear you are a wealthy hobbit."

"S'true, s'true," murmured Merry smugly. "Of course I seem to remember Aragorn making a rather generous gift to you."

"One hundred fifty silver pennies, and another fifty from Faramir. But that was just for my knighting."

Merry grinned wickedly. "Pip, he did not release you from his service; can you possibly imagine Aragorn being less generous than Eomer?"

With a whoop, Pippin accidentally inhaled. Merry pounded him good naturedly on the back as he coughed. "Good grief! Wait'll Father finds out! You really do think?"

Merry laughed. "Yes, Pip, unlike you, I really do think."

Pippin rolled his eyes, and they smoked in silence for a few moments.

"Merry?"

"Yes, Pip."

"Do you want to come with me when I take the message to Bree?"

"Cousin, I thought you'd never ask!"