The light rain pattered gently on the windowpanes, a heavy gust of wind now
and then causing them to rattle in their frames. The static stillness
inside the cool building was a contrast Pippin felt intensely, and one,
which he wished would go, to lessen his troubled mind. He padded silently
over the smooth paving slabs until at last he reached a great oaken door.
Being too small, and somewhat too arthritic, to reach up and knock on the
elaborately decorated brass knob, he tapped lightly near a small crack with
his pipe. Inside he heard booted footsteps, and a long shadow engulfed him
momentarily. Once his eyes adjusted to the gloom he saw the drawn, kindly
face of one of the many nurses in the Houses of Healing, and saw clearly in
her eyes a distinct look of worry.
"Master Peregrin, I... I thought it was best to call you, I do apologise at this hour, but it would seem ... I – I think it won't be long now."
Pippin stiffly bowed, fighting hard to keep his composure, and uttered in equally hushed tones in reply,
"I thank you for calling me, at whatever hour I would wish to be here" In reply the nurse curtsied, and her mouth opened to say something, but behind her a wheezy voice called out
"I may be half blind but my hearing is still as good as ever, stop your whispering and speak properly"
Pippin, despite the heavy weight on his heart, smiled gently to himself, and crossed over to the bed where his dear friend lay, oblivious to the quiet snap of the door and smothered sob made by the nurse. Several light scented candles were littered around the small room, casting grand shadows around the large bed, in which a small, pale figure lie. His grey curly hair lay in wisps over his forehead, and his skin was now tight over his skull, revealing yeas of wear and troubles. Yet his eyes, although half seeing were bright and cheery, with an air of expectancy inside them. Pippin sat on the chair that had been left by the side of the bed and glanced; almost half scared, at his friend.
"Oh my dear Merry, what has become of us, hmm?"
Slowly he reached forwards and brushed away the hair that was now threatening to fall into Merry's eyes. A small smile passed his lips,
"We have become the stuff you hear in legends my good friend, a story told in the summer by the great Mallorn tree in the Shire, with all the hobbit lads and lasses, and I warrant a good few grown-ups with a full pouch of pipe-weed"
His chuckles turned into a fit of hacking rasps and splutters, and a flash of pain danced upon his face. Pippin by now was perched on the edge of the bed, and held Merry's hand gently in both hands.
"Are you scared?"
"I don't... not any more, I fee like a weary traveller who can sight a friendly looking inn, with a stream of smoke rising out of the chimney, and the door held wide open by my beloved Estella with a pint of ale in her hands... I feel tired Pip, more tired than I've ever felt, but it's not just my body, my mind is aching, and I feel like sleeping... but such a sleep ever the Old Gaffer could not compare to!"
Again Merry flinched with pain, and gently squeezed Pippin's hand. Pippin could feel with every breath a weakening, and was not aware of the glistening tears that slid down his face. One languidly splashed onto Merry's hand, and soon his whole body was trembling with suppressed grief. Merry' grip loosened and he reached up slowly, brushing Pippin' lips and finally tracing the tears as they fell. Pippin cupped Merry's hands and kissed them lightly, and lying down next to his companion he kissed him softly on the forehead.
"Oh Merry, I'm so scared, I shall miss you terribly, and I love you so..."
A calm smile flickered on Merry's face, and faintly he replied
"Remember what you told me? About what Gandalf said and the Grey Havens? On the shore I shall meet you there, be strong Pip, we can never be parted for long..."
Silence flooded the room, and had it no been for the shallow breaths of Merry, Pippin would have sworn his own life had come o an end. Slowly Merry's breathing grew shallower, and Pippin grasped his hand more firmly. In the gloom he could see Merry' lips moving, and he moved closer to hear him whisper,
"I love you"
And he grew still.
Pippin curled up next to his old friend, and his heart beat grew slower, emotion racking his frame, he closed his eyes in the dark feeling utterly alone.
~
When dawn broke through the hazy morning, the King Elessar entered the small room, and saw two small hobbits lying with their hands loosely clasped together, laying side by side and motionless. And so were ended the days of the last two hobbits of the Fellowship.
"Master Peregrin, I... I thought it was best to call you, I do apologise at this hour, but it would seem ... I – I think it won't be long now."
Pippin stiffly bowed, fighting hard to keep his composure, and uttered in equally hushed tones in reply,
"I thank you for calling me, at whatever hour I would wish to be here" In reply the nurse curtsied, and her mouth opened to say something, but behind her a wheezy voice called out
"I may be half blind but my hearing is still as good as ever, stop your whispering and speak properly"
Pippin, despite the heavy weight on his heart, smiled gently to himself, and crossed over to the bed where his dear friend lay, oblivious to the quiet snap of the door and smothered sob made by the nurse. Several light scented candles were littered around the small room, casting grand shadows around the large bed, in which a small, pale figure lie. His grey curly hair lay in wisps over his forehead, and his skin was now tight over his skull, revealing yeas of wear and troubles. Yet his eyes, although half seeing were bright and cheery, with an air of expectancy inside them. Pippin sat on the chair that had been left by the side of the bed and glanced; almost half scared, at his friend.
"Oh my dear Merry, what has become of us, hmm?"
Slowly he reached forwards and brushed away the hair that was now threatening to fall into Merry's eyes. A small smile passed his lips,
"We have become the stuff you hear in legends my good friend, a story told in the summer by the great Mallorn tree in the Shire, with all the hobbit lads and lasses, and I warrant a good few grown-ups with a full pouch of pipe-weed"
His chuckles turned into a fit of hacking rasps and splutters, and a flash of pain danced upon his face. Pippin by now was perched on the edge of the bed, and held Merry's hand gently in both hands.
"Are you scared?"
"I don't... not any more, I fee like a weary traveller who can sight a friendly looking inn, with a stream of smoke rising out of the chimney, and the door held wide open by my beloved Estella with a pint of ale in her hands... I feel tired Pip, more tired than I've ever felt, but it's not just my body, my mind is aching, and I feel like sleeping... but such a sleep ever the Old Gaffer could not compare to!"
Again Merry flinched with pain, and gently squeezed Pippin's hand. Pippin could feel with every breath a weakening, and was not aware of the glistening tears that slid down his face. One languidly splashed onto Merry's hand, and soon his whole body was trembling with suppressed grief. Merry' grip loosened and he reached up slowly, brushing Pippin' lips and finally tracing the tears as they fell. Pippin cupped Merry's hands and kissed them lightly, and lying down next to his companion he kissed him softly on the forehead.
"Oh Merry, I'm so scared, I shall miss you terribly, and I love you so..."
A calm smile flickered on Merry's face, and faintly he replied
"Remember what you told me? About what Gandalf said and the Grey Havens? On the shore I shall meet you there, be strong Pip, we can never be parted for long..."
Silence flooded the room, and had it no been for the shallow breaths of Merry, Pippin would have sworn his own life had come o an end. Slowly Merry's breathing grew shallower, and Pippin grasped his hand more firmly. In the gloom he could see Merry' lips moving, and he moved closer to hear him whisper,
"I love you"
And he grew still.
Pippin curled up next to his old friend, and his heart beat grew slower, emotion racking his frame, he closed his eyes in the dark feeling utterly alone.
~
When dawn broke through the hazy morning, the King Elessar entered the small room, and saw two small hobbits lying with their hands loosely clasped together, laying side by side and motionless. And so were ended the days of the last two hobbits of the Fellowship.