Title: Merry's Grief
Genre: Angst
Charaters: Merry, Eowyn, Legolas, Pippin.
Summary: An account of how Merry found his way to Pippin after the lats battle at the black gate. NOTE: This is take from the book version not the film where Merry is at the last battle.
Disclaimer: I do not own LOTR or the Characters within it.
Merry took a shuddering breath to try and ease his sobs, he looked across the darkened room to the two small frail figures in the beds nearby. Merry could not bear to look at his friends, Gandalf had brought Frodo and Sam back earlier that day, he would never forget the moment he had turned around to find Gandalf stern face in his telling him of the news. It had all been too much for the young hobbit and he had taken off, only to find himself back in his bed. It seemed a soldier had picked him up, he had fallen asleep in one of the alleys nearby, overcome by exhaustion and grief.
It was now deep into the night and Merry could not bring himself to sleep, there had been little news of how the battle at the black gates had gone. He had bothered Gandalf several times for answers and not once had he been given a straight one.
The hobbit slowly lowered himself from his bed and headed to the door, he could not stand it any longer, he had to do something, there was not point in lying awake half the night. As he made his way along the corridor he shuddered in the cold.
"Merry" A female voice made the young hobbit jump out of his skin, "what are you doing abroad so late?" Merry looked around to find Eowyn's smiling face looking at his.
"I could not sleep" he cried trying his best to keep himself composed and calm.
"Well that makes two of us then" she smiled briefly, "Come sit with me for a while" He nodded and followed her into the small houses of healing gardens, they made themselves comfortable on a bench nearby.
"Here" Eowyn handed Merry a blanket and he wrapped himself up in it, shielding his small and still weak body from the nights bitter chill.
"Why can you not sleep?" Eowyn asked softly.
"Probably the same as you my Lady" Merry lied through his teeth but Eowyn was not that easy to con.
"There is something troubling you lad" she indefinitely, "Come, you can tell me"
There was a short silence, then Merry broke off into sobs.
"I can't stand it" he cried, "Frodo and Sam, there..." he broke off in snivels and hiccups. "And Pippin..." his body gave a couple of involuntary spasms and Eowyn pulled him into her body.
"What have I let him get himself into this time, there has been no news, for all I know he could be..." Merry let out a wail and collapsed into Eowyn's arms, exhausted and frustrated. She stoked his tangled curls as his cries faded and he drifted quickly off into a sleep.
It was late morning before one of the healers woke the pair up.
"My Lady" two hands gently shook the shield maiden by the shoulders, "It is time to wake" Eowyn's eyes opened slowly as she let the bright sunlight in, she looked down to see Merry still curled up on her lap sleeping soundly, it would be cruel to wake him, she thought.
"Your brother has returned" Eowyn quickly became fully awake.
"Eomer!" she cried, Merry jolted awake at her loud exclamation and he groaned and turned over.
"Yes" he healer said solemnly, "too few have returned" she bowed her head, "Rohan and Gondor have paid dearly for freedom of middle earth"
"Merry?" Eowyn nudged the hobbit gently, "Merry, it is time to wake." The hobbit opened his bleary eyes slowly and blinked up at her.
"What?" he yawned.
"My brother has returned from the gate" Eowyn tried to push the hobbit upright with her stronger arm, "I dearly wish to see him"
"The black gate" Merry's heart jolted with the sudden thought of his cousin, "Maybe Pippin has returned"
"Maybe" Eowyn smiled, "Come on," she said, "Lets go and see"
Her and Merry made their way slowly back to the houses of healing, Merry insisted on seeing Frodo and Sam. After feeling content that Gandalf was watching over them he followed Eowyn to find Eomer. It was a long walk until they finally reached a small group of soldiers, a mixture of Gondorian and Rohirrum. To Merry's grief it seemed that not one wasn't carrying some sort of injury. Eowyn quickly left his side and embraced her brother.
"What news do you have from the battle?" she asked urgently.
"There is little to tell" Eomer bowed his head, "we have lost many, these are the walking wounded" Merry looked around at the group of men, maybe 50 or so in size.
"The more mortally injured are resting at the fields of Cormallen, I am to send carts there tomorrow to take supplies and bring back some of the disabled" Merry listened intently to the conversation, finding it harder and harder to concentrate as it droned on. His heart sunk as he heard the account of the treacherous battle, the onslaught of Orc's, the trolls, the eagles, the nazgul. The hobbit shuddered at the last thought of the foul black riders, his thoughts turning straight back to his cousin.
"Oh Pippin" He pushed his back against the nearby wall and sunk to the floor with a judder, "I'm so sorry." His eyes welled with unfallen tears and he pressed his hands up against them and pulled his knees into his body.
A hand on Merry's shoulder then made him jump back to the living. He looked up, trying to blink the tears from his eyes but finding it little use. He rubbed them and they focused, finding a familiar face before his.
"Legolas?" the halfling whimpered weakly, "where is he?" his voice broke.
"Merry" the elf began to speak quietly.
"Where is he!" Merry suddenly demanded an answer.
"Your cousin is at the field of Cormallen" The hobbit froze with fear, his heart was in his mouth. He hoped for a second that the elf was going to tell him that his cousin had stayed to help the ill, but he knew he was only kidding himself.
"He was injured Merry" the words penetrated Merry's chest like a stab in the heart, he caught his breath.
"How?" the hobbit let out a shuddering word.
"He slew a troll and was caught under its falling corps." Merry let out a wail, he felt sick all of a sudden. A troll? The only memory he had of a troll was the one in Moria, it must have been 10 times the size of himself and Pippin. The thought made him want to be sick, he felt his body wrench with fear.
"I have come to fetch you" Legolas smiled briefly. "I have ridden Shadowfax here, Come on?" Legolas stood up offering a hand to Merry, he halfling swayed as he stood, "We should pack some supplies, and you may need to bring Pippin some fresh clothing" Merry nodded and headed back to the houses of healing in search of his belongings and clothes.
It was not long before the two where on the road, Merry had quickly packed a bag, he had located Pippin's clothes and packed them in his rucksack. Legolas had insisted upon the hobbit having a little to eat before the journey. It would take at least a day and a half before they would reach the fields of Cormallen and he did not want the halfling to go hungry and he feared he would get little food in him before they reached their destination.
After a long days ride they camped in North Ithilien for the night, Merry although tired found little sleep. His thoughts were too concerned for his cousin. Legolas offered him food but the hobbit declined. After a long few hours Legolas decided there was little point in watching Merry's wakefulness, and that they would continue into the night, that way they would reach Cormallen by mid morning. To Legolas's relief the hobbit managed to drift off into and uneasy sleep on the way and woke as the sun began to rise over the mountains of Mordor.
"Where are we?" Merry's voice croaked.
"Not far now Meriadoc" Legolas spurred Shadowfax on, "Just an hour or two." To Merry the next hour or two felt like days, he sat up peering into the distance for signs of a camp. Finally the sight of smoke met his eyes, then small tents and finally people began to be seen. Legolas slowed Shadowfax into a trot and came to the edge of camp dismounting and lifting Merry down.
The hobbit froze on the spot as he was placed on the grass, he looked around him, all he could see was an array of soldiers, some wounded, others helping the wounded, many wining in pain, others clutching blooded limbs, fires were scattered around, keeping the sick warm.
"Come on" Legolas beckoned the hobbit to follow him and they walked through the centre of the camp, closely followed by Shadowfax. Merry followed slowly and silently, now he was here, he didn't know weather he wanted to see his cousin. He could feel his heart thudding in his chest, his stomach was in knots, he was feeling sick again.
They came to an abrupt holt finding the familiar figure of Aragorn before them. The man bent down to Merry's level taking the hobbits hands within his own.
"I have done all I can for him" he said slowly, "you must understand, he is gravely wounded, he has many broken bones, he has yet to wake from his deep unconsciousness, only he can do the rest now" Merry's eyes filled with unfallen tears.
"I understand" he cried, barely finding his voice. Aragorn stood keeping hold of one hand he lead the halfling to a nearby tent and stood by the tent flap.
"I will give you some time" he said and bowed leaving.
Merry stood by the tent flap for a moment, he didn't want to face up to this, he could loose his cousin, the thought made his tiny body shudder. He pulled the tent flap back and stepped inside. The tent was quiet small, a lantern stood at the far end and a bowl of steaming water, the smell of Athalas filled the air, Merry remembered it from Frodo's wounding. Too many memories, thought Merry. An array of cloaks and blankets scattered the floor and within them lay Pippin, a small and tiny figure to the mountain of cloth.
Merry quickly went to him, falling to his knees by his cousin's side he bent over him, tears already flooding from his sore eyes. Pippin's face was pale and unmoving, a deep gash lay across his forehead, one that made Merry's one in the imprisonment of the Uruk-Hai look insignificant. An a collection of blues and purples stained the younger hobbit's face. Merry carefully pealed back the blankets to find his cousin topless, his chest was bandaged heavily and his right arm, several large gashes and scrapes lay across his abdomen and arms, there seemed no part of the small hobbit's body that was not bruised or wounded.
Merry pulled the covers back over his cousin.
"I'm sorry Pip" he cried, brushing Pippin's curls from his face to reveal more bruising, "I'm so sorry!" Merry's voice shuddered and stuttered as he tried to speak through wracking sobs. He bent over him and kissed his pale, cold forehead.
"I'm here now Pip, don't leave me now!"