Faramir Took was a fairly well to-do hobbit. He was young, only in his midtweens, and adventurous as ever a Took was. Like his father, he was somewhat taller than most hobbits, and very popular with his friends. He was a bit of a trickster, always ready to laugh deeply, and he did not know how to be sorrowful.

It was at a barn dance one night, that he first saw her. Goldilocks Gamgee, a fair enough lass, with blond, curly hair, and quick hands and feet. Her eyes were brown, and she had a sprinkle of freckles across her nose, and her laugh was like little bells, and she danced, not gracefully, but cheerfully, quickly, laughing and shaking her curls. She moved with a spring, and was friendly to all. She was no fairer than any other hobbit lass, but it was not beauty that caught Faramir’s eye. He did not know what it was. She laughed at his jokes, and cooked extremely well (a valuable tool in getting married, at least for hobbits) and he saw no reason to be shy around her, but he was.

Goldilocks, too, was affected strangely by Faramir. He was taller than most, and had playful eyes, but that alone should not have been what caused her to blush and turn away whenever he looked at her. That night, somehow she found herself partnered with him, and was quite flustered. Surely he felt nothing for her. Why, there were many fairer lasses, like Lily Bracegirdle. She had dark eyes, and black hair, and she was so tall and graceful. Goldilocks was rather short and not slender at all, and not in the least graceful, she bounced around like a grasshopper, her sisters had said. Goldilocks, out of all her sisters, was the homeliest.

Faramir sneaked many looks at Goldilocks. To him she seemed the fairest of all that night. Her lively dances, her lack of the infernal squeamishness most lasses seemed to have, and her laughter…most found it rather loud and ungraceful, but it was honest laughter. She could race a pony, even though not skilled at it, but she did not complain of the jouncing and falling. She could throw a ball, in fact, she enjoyed it, instead of squealing each time it flew by. But him? Ha! There were tons of lads out there, handsome and sophisticated, or rough and untamed. Wasn’t that what girls liked? He was just a joker, not ill mannered, but not kissing lasses’ hands and bowing to them. He was not romantic in the least, and a moonlit night conveyed nothing to his mind save that of, “Get home or you’ll catch it!” And rough? Clumsy maybe, but not wild. He had not been a real loner ever, nor had he had many fist fights, he tended to try and keep peace. This made him a favorite with the older people, but lasses are strange creatures.

A fast dance was playing, and Goldilocks skipped around and bounced energetically. She was having a good time, keeping pace with the music, making jokes and laughing at other people’s.

Goldilocks glanced at Faramir. He was good-natured, not a dandy with his hair combed and shining, nor a ruffian, disgusting and ill bred. She couldn’t see what others saw in boys like those. Faramir was nice, yet not so much as to be romantic, quoting poetry about stars and eyes and hair and moons, and nonsense. Yet he was not the other road either, making crude comments and being so quarrelsome, and talking like they had never set foot inside a decent house. He was just honest, and well bred. Surely other lasses were fainting over him.

The party ended, and Faramir caught a quick glance of Goldilocks, scurrying to help with the dishes. He heard a rather loud crash, and a very distraught Elanor hurried in the kitchen.

“Oh Goldilocks! Would you stop bouncing like a grasshopper for one moment and take some care?” he heard her say. He stopped to hear the rest.

“Elanor, if people would stop a moment and take their silver off their plate, the piles would not be so ornery, and I could bounce all I want.”

“Well, until mortal nature changes, you will have to be more careful. Grab the broom and clean it quickly.” Said Elanor, before hearing another loud bang and hurrying off to where another incident had just happened.

Faramir saw, as someone bustled out, a rather forlorn Goldilocks sweeping up the mess. Elanor wandered by quickly, as another loud crash had taken place (it seemed young Theoden Brandybuck was trying to help). Goldilocks finished, and hurried out, whistling a tune. A large dog rounded the corner, and crashed into her, knocking her off her feet and into the dirt. Faramir rushed up to see if she was okay but stopped short. She sprang up, dusting her skirt off.

“Gelham, you’re going to have to be a bit more gentle if you expect more dainties, ” she laughed, pulling a bone out of her pocket. “Here you are, and don’t eat it all at once.” She laughed, as the dog did exactly what she told it not to, and then she saw Faramir.

“Oh hello!” she said, hoping she didn’t sound as silly as she felt.

“Gelham? Whose dog is he?” he asked, trying not to sound stiff or too familiar.

“Mine, I guess. He showed up about a month ago, and no body’s come looking. I’m the only one in the family that really likes animals. All the others are either afraid of them, or enraptured with plants and the like.”

“I don’t see the fun in either of those. Give me a friendly animal any day.”

“I agree. I think it’s because they are so truthful. One side. People have so many, but animals only have one, and they show it. People sometimes hide their deep feelings.” She blushed, thinking she must sound like a ninnyhammer.

“I know I do, though I’m not sure why.” He said, feeling hot in the face. His nose was probably red right now, just as it always was when it got cold.

Goldilocks glanced up, and regretted it. He was looking straight at her, and it made her feel uncomfortable and shy. Her hair was not combed, the snarls hurt so, and this was one of her shabbiest dresses.

Faramir blushed slightly, as she caught his stare. “Do you need a walk home?” he asked.

“No.” said Goldilocks, wishing she did. “My sisters and brothers are here.”

“Well…do you want a walk home?” he said, regretting it the instant it left his throat. He must sound so foolish.

“Um, sure.” Said Goldilocks, blushing heavily beneath her freckles. “Just let me tell Elanor.”