Story Summary: Young Pippin Took is led into mischief by his distantly related cousin of the same age, Sancho Proudfoot. When some of their mischief culminates in a huge disaster, the Took's learn the dark secret the Proudfoot family has been keeping for generations.

Author's Note: This story contains old-fashioned style corporal punishment and some scenes are graphically depicted. It is also a story about child abuse, and about friendship, jealousy and lies. Despite the dark theme, I hope it manages to come across by its end as both enlightening and showing character growth. Future chapters have been rewritten to some degree and those who followed the earlier versions will find the original tale within, along with some additions. Feedback is much appreciated, but not essential. However, it is always great to hear from readers. FB is also a great motivator, as any of you who write already know! If you don't care for the subject matter of my story, kindly pass it by. Thanks. . .

Chapter Summary: Pippin has second thoughts about sneaking out the window to join Sancho while he is grounded.

"Who Needs Enemies…"

Chapter One

Och, what have I got myself into now?

Pippin shuffled across the quiet meadow toward home, reluctant to hurry any faster. Amazing how fast things can happen. And how quickly I'm able to get myself into hot water…over and over again. Just why did I listen to Sancho again? Pippin allowed a little moan to escape his lips. Aye, and hot water 'twill be indeed and a good deal of it once Da gets hold of the story. He shook his head in quiet dismay and tried to focus on just getting back to the farm. It was bad enough he was going to get caught out for sure, but doubly so because he wasn't even supposed to be out of his room, much less out wandering the fields!

The thought made him shiver and he increased his pace to a trot while thinking it now made little difference how soon he arrived. The unexpected delay in his plans had surely given his folks enough time to figure out he'd gone missing. He shivered again with the thought of the look on his mother's face when she found he wasn't where he was supposed to be. It was not an expression he ever enjoyed seeing, and that look never bode well for his backside, either.

Reaching the barn at last he took a quick glance around before hoisting himself up high onto the fence that surrounded the yard. The youngster's head shot up in alarm and he froze as someone cleared his throat. The voice was unmistakable. Pippin looked down in a panic and glimpsed his father standing just inside the open barn door.

"Use the gate, boy," Paladin said.

Pippin blanched at the stern voice and hurried to obey. No sense in antagonizing him any further. Obviously he was already quite furious. He knows, Pippin breathed. Oh, sweet Eru's ghost! He already knows! He slid back down the fence and circled around it to enter properly through the wide gate, inching his way closer but coming to a halt just out of arm's reach. He couldn't keep from trembling as his cautious eyes rose to meet a smouldering gaze. Words were unnecessary to convey the level of his father's outrage, for his sharp frown told its own story. Pippin swallowed hard and struggled to find his voice. Oh, if looks could kill I'd surely be sprawling on the ground already! What happened?

"Da, I know what you're going to say and-" Pippin began in a wavering voice, hating the sound of it in his own ears.

"Oh, do you now?"

"Yes, and I-"

"My boy, I think you'd be much better off if you just stop right there before you make things any worse by trying to lie your way out of trouble."

"I wasn'a going to lie Da! I just wanted to tell my side of the story because it looks to me like someone's already told you his!"

Paladin looked his son up and down for one long agonizing moment. Finally he nodded. "All right, my boy. Tell me. And why dinna you start with the reason you're out here and about in the first place, when the last I knew you were restricted to your room for the day." Paladin scowled. "And while you're busy talking I want you to start walking." He pointed inside the barn.

Pippin returned the scowl. "Well, it's quite apparent you dinna want to listen to what I have to say then!" He stamped in the direction of his father's pointing finger.

Paladin drew a deep breath and let it out slowly, attempting to calm now, Pad. Ah, sweet Middle-earth, give me strength! He's beginning to remind me way too much of myself at that couldn't resist an inward grin and a rueful shake of his head as he reached for his belt and followed. The metallic clink of the buckle caught Pippin's attention fast, just as he'd known it would. His son's head shot up in alarm and he whirled to face him.

"Da! I thought you were going to listen to what I have to say?"

"Aye," Paladin nodded gravely as he freed his belt from the loops. "I am. And afterwards I'm going to tan your backside but good for disobeying me, which will have absolutely nothing to do with whatever it is you're about to tell me. And then I'll give you another licking for the mischief you've got yourself into." Paladin folded the belt over and waited expectantly.

"I, I, uh. . .I. . .it wasn'a my fault Da! It wasn'a! Honestly!"

"Honestly? How can you even use that word, lad? You tried to deceive me, and you disobeyed me. And now you want to stand there and tell me it wasn'a your fault? Do you really think I'm that daft, Peregrin?" Paladin stared at him in amazement.

Pippin lowered his eyes to the ground, feeling his face grow warm with shame. His da was right but he was loath to admit it. Anyway, it wouldn't matter what he said now. He was in for a sound strapping either way. He felt his chin being raised and was forced to look at his father.

"Mr Burrows paid me a call awhile ago. He said he saw you and Sancho leaving his barn with a piglet under each arm today." Paladin's voice became harsher as he released him. "He said he called out to you, but you both ran."

Pippin swallowed hard, his dry throat very nearly causing him to choke.

"Is that true?"

The youngster nodded, lowering his eyes to the barn floor and using his toe to stir the hay at his feet.

"And just what did you do with these piglets?"

Pippin winced. The quietly controlled anger spoke to him louder than if his father had shouted. The words weren't coming either, and he stopped playing with the straw and began shifting uneasily from foot to foot. He couldn't think of any reply that would please his da, and the harder he thought, the more he fidgeted. Meanwhile, his father was growing impatient. Pippin could feel his eyes boring into him while he waited for a response.

"ANSWER ME!"

Pippin jumped at the sudden bellowed command and his head sank lower. "We. . .we let them go Da," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Where did you let them go?"

"Umm, in the field. By. . .by the pond."

"And tell me, lad. Just what was it that motivated you to do such a thing?"

"Uhh." Pippin could only stare helplessly at his feet.

"Well? I thought you wanted to tell me your side of things? I'm waiting Peregrin. I'm wanting to hear your explanation for letting a farmer's newborn piglets out in the field away from his barn and away from their mother."

Pippin squirmed. Hearing it put that way made their little prank seem all the more childish and he berated himself again for going along with Sancho. Finally he looked up. "I'm sorry Da," he whispered.

"Aye, I'll wager you are! At the very least you're sorry you got caught out, aren't you now?"

Pippin nodded his head, feeling the tears already trailing down his cheeks.

Paladin sat on a bale of hay and laid the belt aside. He sighed and drew his son to him, lifting his chin again in order to gaze into the eyes so like his own. "Now tell me something. Honestly. Was that little bit of foolishness with your cousin really worth the punishment you're facing now?"

Pippin shook his head slowly.

"Let's see. You started out this morning by talking back to your mother to the extent you were given the day in your room as a penalty. You barely avoided a tanning that time, but your mum wanted me to give you another chance. So, you flaunt that second chance in our faces by sneaking out the window to go meet up with Sancho, of all lads, and get into even greater mischief!" Paladin tapped the top of his son's head. "Is there anything in there, boy?"

Pippin scowled in spite of himself.

"You need to start doing your own bit of thinking young hobbit, not following along with whatever foolhardiness your cousin does. He has a habit of helping you get in way over your head, and now you're the one about to suffer the consequences. I dinna know whether Sancho will get his comeuppance, but I'm surely going to be paying Olo a visit after we're through here."

Paladin sighed again and plucked the strap off the hay bale. "All right then." He patted his knee and doubled the leather again leaving just a short length free. "Come, hurry it up now, and let's be getting this done and over with."

Pippin lowered his braces reluctantly. Paladin wasted no time in reaching for his arm and pulling him down across his lap. Pippin whimpered in anticipation and cried out as the belt stung his bottom for the first time.

Paladin swept the belt down with another hard crack that left a fiery stripe in its wake. Pippin flinched, his cry louder this time and squirmed, throwing his hand back. Paladin caught hold of the flailing hand tucking it snug against his son's back and continued the punishment until he was satisfied he'd made a thorough impression before scooping him up and steadying him on his feet. He placed a hand on each shoulder and looked him sternly in his streaming eyes. "I hadn'a better be hearing of such a thing happening again. And when I send you to your room I'd best be finding you there later. Is that clear?"

Pippin bobbed his head vigorously, happy to agree with anything his father said at this point.

"All right then. Pull up your britches and get back to your room. We'll be having more of a talk later tonight, you and me, just to set the record straight. I've got some things to say and you'll be listening to them I'll wager, and listening well."

Pippin hurried to do as he was told while his father scolded, just wanting to get away and release the rest of his tears. He limped from the barn, one hand reaching back to rub his sore backside. He didn't even care that several of the farmhands had witnessed his misery, nor did he bother to look up to see if they were amused. Picking up his speed as best as he could he hurried to the farmhouse. Once inside he made his way down the long corridor to his room and slammed the door harder than he had intended. He stood stock still for just a moment holding his breath, but all was quiet. Pippin released the air from his lungs with a whoosh, thankful his father had not followed him inside and witnessed his insolent behavior. He would have added more insult to injury for sure if he had.

BR

Eglantine bent over the cook stove melting butter and startled at the sudden loud noise, almost dropping the pan. She shook her head at her eldest daughter and frowned.

"Pippin."

"Aye," Pearl agreed, and continued kneading the bread dough.

"I hope that slamming door didn'a cause the rest of the bread to fall. Oh my, will you check on it dear? I'm going to have a peek in on him before we do any more of this." Eglantine wiped her hands on her big apron. "I knew your da wasn'a going to take kindly to finding out he'd disappeared from his room."

"By the sound of that door I'd say Pip didn'a find Da very happy either."

"No. Pad's been just waiting to collar him so I expect Pippin got a wee bit of a nasty surprise when he turned up. I'm certain my boy is busy regretting his ill considered actions."

"I imagine he is." Pearl couldn't help chuckling as her mother hurried from the kitchen.

Pippin's head shot up at the sudden brisk knock. Had Da followed him after all? He relaxed just a little when his mother's soft voice drifted through the door.

"Pippin?"

Eglantine sighed when there was no answer and pushed the door open a crack, then eyed her pouting child. Pippin peered at her from across the room, his arms folded across one another as he slouched against the chest of drawers. The back of his heel drummed out sharp staccato taps on the wood. Frowning, she pushed the door open all the way and faced him, hands on hips. He returned her frown with a mighty one of his own.

"Well now, and if you aren't for all intents and purposes the very picture of defiance, young hobbit! And just what seems to be the problem, hmm?" Eglantine's sharp gaze remained fixed upon him until Pippin dropped his chin in defeat. "Peregrin? You need to answer when you're being spoken to, m'lad. You know that." Pippin stilled his foot but remained stubbornly silent.

Eglantine's frown deepened and she spoke sharply to him. "Dinna be pouting and frowning and skulking about like that whilst I'm speaking to you, young sir! And stand up straight!"

"Yes, ma'am." Pippin put his foot on the floor and unfolded his arms, pushing himself off the chest. He bit his tongue resisting the urge to give voice to the remark that automatically came to mind.

The quiet reply was obviously reluctant but a start at least. May just as well let the lad stew in his own smiled to herself before continuing. "Well, and I asked you what the matter was?"

"I should think you'd have figured that out already."

"I'll be giving you just one more opportunity to answer me in the correct tone lad, and without the cheek, else you'll be finding yourself across my able knee in less than the wee shake of a lamb's tail! And from the looks of what I'm seeing I'll wager that's the last place you want to end up at the moment, hmm?" Eglantine paused. "Now, what's it to be?"

Good old Mum, always with the offer of a second chance. Well, I best not count on a third sighed. "Da strapped me."

"Ah, and that didn'a surprise you now, did it?"

Sheesh! No, Mum, no surprise a'tall! Why does she always insist on asking the obvious?

Eglantine sat on the bed. "I simply couldn'a believe you were not in this room when I called you to lunch, Pippin. I've known you to be hard headed my boy, but just what good did you think was going to come of sneaking out the window? Or did you not think? Surely that must be it. Because any young hobbit with a lick o' sense, especially the son of Paladin Took, knows what he'd be letting himself in for by doing that, eh?"

Pippin nodded miserably and realised tears were falling from his swollen eyes once more. He scrubbed at them with the heel of his hand, annoyed.

"I'll take that as a yes then, to both questions. And just where were you all these hours?"

Pippin chewed nervously on his lower lip. His mother's method of interrogation never failed to get the truth from him, and quickly. Her manner of speaking always made him feel the need to apologize for his actions. Especially when he already knew he'd been foolish. "With Sancho," he whispered and winced at his mother's sharp intake of breath.

"Sancho Proudfoot? You defied your father and me to go out and make mischief with Sancho?" Eglantine sprang off the bed and paced about the room, her voice rising. "Are you daft, boy? Hasn'a he got you into enough trouble already? Must you go out seeking still more?"

"I didn'a plan on getting into trouble," Pippin mumbled, his tone a little more cross than he'd intended. His mother whirled on him.

"Peregrin Took! I willn'a tolerate one more cheeky answer from you today lad, mark my word!"

"I'm sorry Mum." Pippin watched warily as his mother began pacing again.

"Well, and 'twas enough you were restricted to your room for your earlier naughtiness. But going out of the window and running off with Sancho, why, that's just begging for it, that is! And you got exactly what you were asking for then, aye? Well, and why not just go up to your da and ask him for a thrashing instead of going to all that trouble? Save yourself some time and effort that way!" Eglantine stopped in front of him and threw her hands up into the air, exasperated.

Pippin watched in dismay as his mother's face flushed in her pique of anger and she resumed her pacing. Really, I expected her to be upset with me but not like this! He rolled his eyes skyward while her back was turned and unconsciously allowed his foot to start tapping on the chest again as he slumped against it once more. Honestly, if she could only hear mother spun around in front of him, interrupting his thoughts.

"And don't you dare be rolling those pretty eyes at me, young sir. This is the thanks I get for talking your father out of giving you a licking this morning? And you promised me you wouldn'a be doing any mischief or back talk again any time soon? Why, I call that an all out falsehood. And so, what do you have to say for yourself, hmm?"

"I. . . umm. . .well. . ."

"Yes, you simply dinna have a proper answer for me, do you m'lad?"

Pippin shook his head, staring at his feet.

Eglantine sighed and sat on the bed, pulling him into her lap. "Pippin, you simply must learn to think before you do things. You seem to be going off in all directions, and that's something that'll get you into trouble more often than not. I've told you over and over again, stop and think. Now, can you do that next time you're tempted into something you know is misbehavior?"

"Yes ma'am."

"And most especially if it involves young Sancho Proudfoot enticing you into making mischief with him, aye?"

Pippin looked at his mother, brow furrowing. "But-!"

"No, no 'but' about it. You know perfectly well what I'm talking about, Pippin."

"All right, Mum. I'll try."

"Well, you'd best be doing a great deal more than just trying, young hobbit." The lecture over, Eglantine scooped her repentant son off her lap and gave him a firm hug.

BR

"You did WHAT?" Merry shook his head in disbelief and leaned back against the old oak tree. "Pippin, you really are daft!" He tossed a pebble at the pond extra forcefully, his disgust at Pippin's actions all too apparent.

Pippin moaned and threw an arm over his face.

Merry sat up straight and glared at his young cousin. "Pip, you haven't done anything that foolish since you climbed up onto the barn roof and thought you could fly!"

Pippin allowed himself to chuckle at the memory despite his mood. "Aww, I was only just a wee lad of five, Merry." He sighed and rolled over onto his stomach in the green grass, plucking at some of the tufts as he scrunched up his face at the memory. "But I guess you're right. Mum and Da were almost as upset with me then as they are now. Anyway, I certainly got it good and proper this time. I dinna think I'll be able to sit for a week." He reached back and rubbed his seat.

"And now you can't go anywhere. So much for us getting to visit Hobbiton and see Frodo and Bilbo. You know how much I was looking forward to it." Merry gave his cousin's shoulder a rough nudge.

"I'm sorry Merry! I didn'a mean to get in trouble again. I'm sorry I spoiled our visit. You can go without me."

Merry looked at the sorrowful eyes and his own expression softened. "You know I won't do that, Pip." He sighed. "Well, at least Uncle Paladin didn't say I had to go home."

Pippin grinned up at his cousin. "That's good at least. I really am sorry."

Merry chuckled. "I imagine you are. You really should be thinking things through before you do something dim-witted. Just what is the attraction with Sancho anyway? I think he's nothing but a little scoundrel who's always going out of his way to get you into trouble. And you-" Merry poked him again, "fall for it every time."

Pippin scowled and tugged harder at the grass. "I do not," he mumbled.

"Yes, you do. You know you do. That's what I don't understand. So why don't you stop going about with him, Pip? Come and do things with some of the other lads. We have fun, don't we?"

"Well, sure we do Merry, Pippin said, hesitation in his voice.

"Then what is it?"

Pippin sighed. "I have fun with Sancho. He's always daring to try all sorts of things-"

"Yes, the sort of things that get you into lots of hot water. And sometimes even dangerous things."

"Not all the time. Sometimes we do things that I think of first."

"And that's supposed to be a better idea? Either way, you're always the one ending up over your father's knee."

"Sancho says that's because I'm too good at getting caught. He says I have to learn how to be more sneaky, like him."

"Oh certainly, that's what you need to do, be sneakier. Then maybe you two can get into some real mischief, as if you haven't already."

"You dinna have to be so sarcastic."

"You need to learn that Sancho is not a good friend to anyone but himself."

"You're wrong Merry."

"Oh no, I'm not! And you're going to find out the hard way, just you wait."

"I dinna want to talk about it any more."

"Fine."

"Want to go fishing?"

"Sure Pip. Let's go fishing."

Merry rose and followed his young cousin back to the barn. He watched Pippin limp along ahead of him and shook his head in dismay. How was he going to get him to listen to what he was saying before Sancho talked him into something that was not only foolish, but perhaps dangerous too? It was pretty obvious Uncle Paladin had already given him some serious attention and still the youngster didn't want to listen. Maybe he and Frodo should have a little chat with Sancho? The more Merry thought about it the better he liked the idea. Yes, a little talk with Sancho sounded like an excellent idea.