[mark12_30]

"Does it measure up?"

Merry spun at the soft, familiar voice, and looked hurriedly around the room. There, standing just outside the hallway door-- "Frodo!"

Merry bolted forward, setting his mug down on a table as he passed it, and laughing, reached through the doorway and siezed Frodo by the shoulders, and dragged him forward into the room. "It's true! After all these years! Frodo!" Frodo found himself emgulfed in Merry's powerful arms, and then held again at arms' length by the shoulders. "You're looking well. Quite good. Oh, it's good to see you."

Frodo looked into the sparkling brown eyes and laughing replied, "It's good to see you too, Merry. You're as tall as ever!" And I feel ilke a little rag-doll in your grip, he thought.

"A what? Rag-doll?" Merry replied, and Frodo started; he hadn't meant to let Merry hear that; he had carelessly pressed the thought into Merry's mind. Frodo brushed it aside. "Nothing. You put your half-pint down before you answered me about it," Frodo laughed. "Does it measure up?"

Merry put one arm around Frodo's shoulders, and reached for the mug with the other hand. "Well, you tell me, " he said. Frodo sputtered and swallowed hastily as the mug met his face. Merry laughed, and showed no signs of letting Frodo come up for air; laughing, Frodo had to back up underneath Merry's arm to avoid spilling the last quarter of the mug onto his shirt. "Half a moment! " Frodo spluttered laughing, "I've only just arrived, and you'l have me soused in a half hour at that rate!"

"Well, then, sing! And I'll give you a rest from drinking, " Merry roared, pounding Frodo's back. Frodo's eyes bugged. In the corner Frodo could hear Amaranthus wheezing with laughter, and as Merry caught Frodo in yet another bear-hug, Bilbo's voice rang out behind him.

"Beer's wasted on the lad these days, you might as well give all his beer to me, " admonished Bilbo, coming through the doorway.

Frodo denied this loudly, and was pleased to notice that while Merry was no less enthusiastic about greeting Bilbo, he was far more gentle with him than he had been with Frodo. He refrained from pouring the remainder of his mug down Bilbo's throat, anyway. Bilbo nudged Merry's mug. "Empty? What kind of a host are you?"

"I'm not the host! But all right, you old rascal, I'll bring you a mug! He hasn't changed, " Merry guffawed, and Frodo and Bilbo joined him in a loud, long laugh.

Bilbo beckoned to the innkeeper. "Prim, good evening, you charming young sprite! A mug, Prim, a mug! " he said, nodding enthusiastically. and waving.

"I'm getting you one!" Merry said, turning indignantly, "since you unreasonably demanded I play host!"

"You're not going to leave me with one empty fist?" Bilbo accused him. "Frodo, lad, help me over to see Amaranthus. Miz Amaranthus, now that is a fine, fine dress. Hello, Estella! Good evening, Piosenniel!"

Frodo looked back at Merry, who was charging towards Bilbo with four mugs, two per fist. He handed one to Frodo, and one to Miz Amaranthus, and thrust the other two at Bilbo. "If it's full fists you want, then full fists you'll have, " Merry roared. "Prim! Two glasses of wine for Pio and Estella, and another mug for me!"

Within moments, a loud song had started, with Bilbo and Merry leading the charge, and Amaranthus keeping time with her walking stick (Prim tried not to worry about her denting the floor) while Frodo sang along and Piosenniel and Estella danced a casual jig.

[ February 25, 2003: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]