[Manardariel]

Upon your request, m´dear Lyra...

*~Edited First Post for Tim Brandybuck

“Oh my gosh, there he is!” Tim Bracegirdle lazily turned his head towards the voices and winked, smiling pleasantly. He was sitting on a little stone wall just out side the Took residence in Great Smials. Behind him, he well knew, two or three lasses of barely fifteen were spying on him. The usual. Tim squinted at the sun and, calculating it was about time for lunch, strolled inside the house. The girls followed him, much like a very gigglelish shadow, but Tim didn´t mind. On the contrary, he loved it. In the large hall, he turned around as was about to say something, something cool, when-

“Tim, there you are! Have you heard?” Melody. Of course. Tim gave a his sister a half-annoyed look as she pulled him away from hall and fanclub into a little side-off room.

“What??” He asked, curiously. “Any distant relatives? Bad news?!”

“No, no, no. There´s a shortage of leaf, and Paladin wants to send a group of youngsters off to get some. People like Doderic, and Ilberic-”

“-and me,” He finished the sentence for her. She nodded, anxiously. “You seriously think, I am going to go to through half the Shire, get myself roasted by one of those ruffians, stabbed by a shiriff and drowned in a river to bring old Paladin his leaf?” He peered at her, impatiently. Adventures, that weren´t his kind of thing. No parties on the way, and it became so boring after a while. He liked it here- lot´s of food, good ale, pretty girls...

“Tim, please! They need you! You´re such a good bowsman, and someone needs to convince the farmer to give you the leaf. You´re made for something like that, you like the outdoors, walking- and if you succeed, we´ll all have our leaf back. Please, Timmy! Please! Your brother´s can´t go, they have to stay with the farm, but please, do this! Please!” She fixed him with a pleading look, her eyes tight on his. After a pause, she lowered her voice, then added: “ Paladin´s awaiting young adventures in the study. Miss Grubb would be so impressed....”

Melody winked and left the room.

He stood there, staring. He didn´t have to go. Nobody forced him. He could go into the hall, talk a word or two with those girls, make them blush... He could make himself a nice time here, find a fishy excuse to silence his sister....he could.

You just want to save your own little bum

The voice came from the back of his head, small, defiant- disgusted. He´d never would hsve thought it was there, but it was. And Tim new, it would stay there and make his life living hell if he didn´t do anything about it.

Tim pulled up his shoulders and walked into the study.

“Hello, Tim!” Paladin smiled at him, his face round and kind much like a ripe apple.

“Good day, Sir.” Tim shoved his weigt from one foot to the other. He could do this. It wasn´t hard. He just had to say something. Appear smart and winning, so Paladin would accept him on the quest. But did he want to be accepted?

“Tim? Can I help you?” Paladin asked. Come on! Tim thought. This isn´t that hard! His mind was made up: he would go. Now all he had to do was convince Paladin of his perfect skills for this.

“Sir, it´s been a pleasure for me to stay at your house for all this time. I- I´ve been wondering if there was a way for me to return that kindness to you. And... there appears to be one indeed!” Tim smiled, and dropped his head slightly, enough to appear bold, but not enough to look silly or down-putting. “Sir, it would be a great pleasure for me to organize leaf for you.” He continued, his eyes fixing Paladin with a winning smile. “I´m a rather good bowsman, if I may say so- and as I said it would be a great pleasure for me. Would you- would you consider me? I´d be honored, Sir. It would be something I could still tell my grandchildren about.” My grandchildren! Like I even want children in the first place!

But Paladin seemed charmed. He got up and put his hand on Tim´s, his eyes shining with affection. “Thank you, Tim. I´d be happy to have you. I will not forget it.”

Tim smiled and left the study. In the hall, he turned to the livingroom where, sure enough, he found cousin Doderic. “Hey, Dode! I´m going on adventure!” His voice was casual, and only Doderic could tell it was raised above normal standards. Laura had just passed by.