[*Varda*]

Poppy sighed, then laughed. Having never been asked to talk about her life before, she was at a loss as to where to start.

“Well…” she said, pausing. “I suppose it all began one fine day, 33 years ago, when little Poppy Took was born, to be the bane of her parents lives! I was always tearing off to the distant places of the Shire, I would follow my brothers wherever they went. I had no sisters, so the boys were really my friends…”

“I would disappear for days on end, sometimes. I always knew my heart didn’t completely belong in the Shire…don’t get me wrong, I love the Shire, and all (well, almost all) the people in it, but there was always that longing for adventure in me. I just couldn’t stay still!” Menelduliniel nodded, thoughtfully.

“So, that was really how I spent my childhood. If we had days to spend, sitting here discussing my childhood, I could tell you so many tales, stealing mushrooms, for which my brothers and I had a particular fondness, the games we used to play…I even thought I saw Elves in the woods once, which was a huge excitement at the time…but we don’t have days to sit here and talk.” Poppy sighed, briefly.

“When I was coming out of my ‘tweens’, as we call it, everyone expected me to grow up, become more ‘lady-like.’ There was no thought that scared me more, than settling down to get married, running a home, looking after a bunch of screaming kids. I could never have made them behave; I’d be encouraging them to be bad! So, here I am now. I continued to travel, and by chance ended up in the Inn at Sarn Ford, where I met you fine people!” Here, Poppy smiled.

“So, that’s my life, the shortened version at any rate. But you still remain a mystery to me, so I’m afraid its your turn to tell me all about yourself!” Poppy laughed as Menelduliniel frowned. “It’s your own fault for taking up with an inquisitive hobbit like myself!”

[ November 27, 2002: Message edited by: *Varda* ]