SR 1421

The house had been Minto's in name alone, if only because no one else would claim it: but their father's (and their attorney's) had had papers drawn up, the formal sort, that would make it his in more than just name. Ilberic and Minto suffered through tea together, in a stuffy room at Brandy Hall, their parents talking over their heads, as if they weren't there. It wasn't just that that loomed over them – but the papers, and their ages, and them both still being years off of being of age. If their fathers somehow found themselves in disagreement (possible, though not very likely), then the house would not actually be theirs.

They had been together a while now, after all – seemed like forever, but in a bad sort of way. Ilberic could not fathom waking with any other hobbit at his side, or with no hobbit there at all. He had not ever worried, not really, that their parents might think it best that they not hang on one another, attached as they were.

So they came to tea at Brandy Hall, in a small, cramped room, made stuffier for the number of hobbits that sat in its confines.

'It seems sound,' said Peony – for she believed that Ilberic and Minto needed one another, for Celandine and Moro were just as, or perhaps more, taken with each other, for all she thought it might be some time now before anything came of it. But she looked at her son, and at Hilda's son, and knew that they loved each other, if only because she saw it in their eyes. Milo agreed with her, if only because they had not suffered a disagreeable marriage. Minto sat, gripping Ilberic's hand with both his own, and he looked at his mother gratefully: and she found herself thinking, why, it had been a rather long time since her youngest had looked at her like that, and she found herself considering it a fault of her own, but not his. So she smiled back at him, and took Milo's hand, and pressed it.

Hilda and Seredic sat across from them, and considered it all: they spoke together, in low tones, Seredic reaching to take Hilda's hand. Then Seredic spoke up, and Hilda met Peony's eyes, and Peony smiled at the hobbitess who she had, at one time considered her best friend, and even more.

Fortindoc Brandybuck was a stuffed shirt out of Bucklebury, who was an attorney because his father had been one, and his grandfather before that. He'd studied with Fastolph Grubb at one time, in his youth, when his father had sent him away to study, thinking it best he learn away from his family's influence. Fortindoc, you see, had rather been one for making mischief in his youth, and you'd not think him bound on training as an attorney. So his father sent him off to Andolph Grubb in Waymeet, and Fortindoc trained there for seven full years. He did, of course, see his family through it all, but he had his studies, and Andolph was a strict master. Fortindoc was best friends with Fastolph, Andolph's son, through it all, but it was a friendship that had faded, then broken, once Fortindoc left Waymeet, and went back to home.

A hobbit could not, of course, marry, or hold property, or do any other number of respectable things, until they were of age: not without consideration, and the proper documents. This was the first Fortindoc had seen Fastolph in more than two dozen years, and it rather made his heart feel strange.

Seredic's attorney was looking over the documents with Milo's attorney, and then they found themselves at the end. The witnesses would be waiting, but they had been kept on hand, and they were easily summoned. Seredic looked at his wife, who was now looking at their son, where Minto clung to him as though holding on for life itself. He had too much experience with Burrowses, and he knew the lad of good blood, and his Ilberic did seem to love him, and Seredic knew that was what mattered most. Wasn't it right they think first on their children's best interests, anyhow? Seredic knew it had to be the right thing, if only because Hilda thought it was, too, and it did so go along with the changing times.

Now it was time for the signing. Seredic went first, then Milo, and then their sons: the witnesses followed, and once the Master signed and gave his seal, well, it was done and done, as they'd say.

They were as good as married, now, Ilberic and Minto, though it would never be considered in such terms. He wondered when, if ever, that they would see it, and in such clear terms.

It was a grey day, just like another day more than a month before, and Ilberic and Minto took tea and luncheon with their parents and their siblings, and then left Brandy Hall, went on to River-side. They walked on, side by side, for a while, and then they went hand in hand, and quickened their pace. Ilberic hoped Frodo was happy, wherever he now was, and he hoped that Merry and Pippin could one day find some peace again, with Frodo being gone. He found that he had rather a surplus of peace now, and even happy thoughts. Not that they had been lacking, before, but it took certain things to really put it all in place.

It started raining, and when it did, they went down the road, laughing like fools. They made it to the house and, of course, the rain had stopped. But Minto pulled Ilberic to him, wrapped his arms about him, and set his head on Ilberic's shoulder. Ilberic wound his arms about Minto, held him there.

But that moment passed, and he loosened Minto from his hold. 'Come now,' he said, reaching for the key in his pocket. 'It seems we're finally home.'