Five things that never happened to Lily Proudfoot

Two

The Great Smials are crowded as always around Yule, but the rooms are filled with an odd silence, very unusual for this time of the year. Diamond, the young wife of the Thain, has been lying in labor for hours now and there is a hushed whispering among the goodwives that something must be terribly amiss.

Lily Baggins leaves her husband in the company of his cousins and a bottle of deep red Elvish wine (infused for the Thain to keep him from bursting into the bedroom after every single moan and scream). She enters the chamber, closes the door behind her and meets the gaze of Daisy Took, the old midwife.

“I don’t think that you’ll be of any help,” Daisy says, eyeing the Mistress of Bag End from head to toe.

“Amaranth Brockhouse would tell you differently.” Lily retorts with a small smile.

“Ammie?” Daisy Took gives a snorting laughter. “So you are her Lily? Now, that’s a surprise, it really is!” The tone of her voice warms notably. “Well, under this circumstances… the child comes with its feet first, and it is stuck. Any ideas?”

“One or two,” Lily says, rolling up the sleeves of her fine velvet dress. “Do you have an apron for me?”

***

Two hours later, Peregrin’s and Diamond’s son gives a hearty scream… a fine, beautiful Yule child, greeted by a cheering family and the stunned, tearful amazement of his parents. Far past midnight, Lily Baggins lies on the huge bed in their guest room. She smiles as long, strong fingers knead the rigid muscles in her bare back and falls asleep, surrounded by the scent of lavender oil and the sound of Frodo Baggins’ voice, singing a love song against her skin.