Disclaimer: None of the original characters belong to me. They were created by J.R.R. Tolkien, and brought to life by New Line Productions, Inc., and probably a bunch of other people also.
Author's note: I have friends who will attest to the fact that this is much more entertaining when I do the voices. *grin* And thank you so much for the review, PeachPawz!! You made my day!!
Chapter 2
Captains Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took were bored. There was no other way to put it. Life in the Shire was well and good when that was all you knew of, but they, however, discovered that after walking through distant lands for days on end, and fighting in the heat of battle against an enemy darker than black itself, and singing with the Elves, and drinking with the Ents…the minor gossip and easy laziness of their old home was unbearable.
They missed Strider and Arwen, Legolas and Gimili; they felt left out and cut off from the rest of the world.
With a mutual agreement, they packed their bags and made to leave. This, of course, was seen in the eyes of their fellow hobbits as a reason to party. (Merry and Pippin were certainly not flattered) Moreover, they announced the feast, "To be hosted by the most honorable captains Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took!" The two immediately canceled all plans and left with no more commotion. The unhappy hobbits dubbed them "spoilsports" and left it at that. All documents and thoughts of 'honorable captains' were abandoned and thereafter thought of with a grudge.
But Merry and Pippin were on their way. As far as they knew, this was a far less urgent mission before them this day than when they had followed the same path years before, so they took advantage of the sentimental values—in other words, took the liberty of stopping at Farmer Maggot's for mushrooms and stew. Farmer Maggot welcomed them happily in his old age, but this time (thankfully) had no report of mysterious riders in black.
"We're grateful to you, sir. For dinner, I mean," said Pippin when his plate was empty and his stomach full.
"Yes," Merry agreed, "And more than you know it. They were so upset in Hobbitton that we left in such haste—let's just say that the food in our packs is draining fast, and, well, you know our ever desire for mushrooms."
"Say nothing of it, lads. It does me good to meet old friends again."
Merry and Pippin stayed with the kindly farmer for many days, and kept busy by telling the enthralled man and wife of their distant travels. When all was near said, and in their tale they were nearly back to the Shire, they were sitting in the old kitchen by the light of a dying fire and the full moon, which shone brightly through a window. Suddenly, the moonlight ceased and Pippin stopped mid-sentence, and all looked up in alarm. There was a face staring in the window, large, and round, and framed with golden hair. Then there let a yell and the face fell out of sight.
They quickly ran outside and met a sobbing, sopping Sam. Barrels had been piled below the lofty window; barrels that were now rolling and splashing in the pouring rain. Their previous contents were squashed and splattered all over Sam's front and back, staining his garments red.
"Sam!" Merry and Pippin cried in unison.
"My tomatoes!" Farmer Maggot yelped.
"What are you doing here?" Merry asked.
"What are you doing on my tomatoes?" Farmer Maggot cried.
"The door was locked, sir, if you understand me… and nobody came when I beat on it. And I certainly didn't mean to fall, sir. And certainly not on your tomatoes!" Sam stuttered.
Mrs. Maggot shot a warning glance at her husband from where she stood in the doorway. "That's quite all right, lad. And for heaven's sake, come and dry yourself by the fire."
"Don't mind if I do, Ma'am." Sam entered the house and sat himself by the fireplace. Farmer Maggot had quite forgotten his exasperation and was now adding logs to the embers in the fireplace.
The pouring rain had since soaked Merry, Pippin, and the farmer through as well, and when the group traipsed in, Merry guiltily noticed Mrs. Maggot inconspicuously eying the many puddles that lay about the floor.
"Sam," Pippin interrupted his friend's babbling about the horrid weather and lofty windows, "May I ask, and don't be offended; believe me, it's perfectly splendid to see you, but—dear Sam, what are you doing here?"
Sam smiled, "Oh, I take no offense, it's an entirely expected question. But I wonder—how is it that you thought I could live a regular, inactive hobbit life though you could not? When word got out that you were gone, well, I kissed Rosie good-bye and wet off myself! Not that she was at all pleased, mind you. But it wouldn't do for her to come with me, and she isn't terribly angry…." Sam seemed to be attempting to convince himself even more so than his friends, but he wasn't doing a very good job at all. "Then again, I am leaving her with a big responsibility…but I'll be back soon. She said that she understood—but really, how could she? And the baby loves me so much…. Now that it comes to it, I'm not rightly sure of just why I came, just knew that I had to, if you follow me." Sam looked perplexed and distraught.
"An unworldly urge; a compulsion, like you were needed?" Merry asked solemnly.
Sam nodded, astounded at Merry's exact statement of his own feelings.
Merry was thinking deeply. "I felt it too."
Pippin agreed, "Why, yes! It's quite like being hungry, only you thought you were full!" He said seriously.
Farmer Maggot and his wife laughed uneasily for a brief moment, but truly were utterly mystified by the occurring conversation.
The hobbits' faces remained straight and their thoughts silent. All were deep in thought. "Hungry when you thought you were full." Sam pondered, "You don't suppose that all was not set entirely right? Could Frodo be in trouble?"
Merry looked up. "That's just what I was thinking! But kind of help are we? We don't have the foggiest idea where he is!"
Presently, Pippin piped up. "Strider may know. Surely if we are needed, he is too. Certainly of our company, we would help least of all."
Sam had puffed out his chest and began telling Pippin to speak for himself, but Merry was nodding. "Strange as the events of this night have been, I agree. Maybe it's another urge, maybe you're totally nuts—Pip, don't glare; I said I agree with you—anyhow, it's time we paid a visit to Strider anyhow. We'll leave first thing in the morning. But as for now, I'm going to bed. Good night!"
No one had an argument, so to bed they went.
In the morning, Merry and Sam awoke before dawn—the farmer and his wife were still, oddly enough, fast asleep in their beds. So, too, was Pippin. Finding that they couldn't arouse him, Merry and Sam proceeded to pack their bags.
The last item they turned their attention to was food. Seeing as the Maggots showing no sign of waking anytime soon, they faced a problem.
"We can't just go in and take their food, that's stealing!" Sam cried.
Merry gave him a reproachful look and reasoned, "Well, we've done it before! As youngsters, granted… but surely they'd give us some anyway."
"I suppose that's true," said Sam hesitantly.
"We'll just give ourselves as much as they'd have given us. We're doing them a favor, not waking them up. You'll see; they'll understand." Said Merry, filling all three of their packs and loading full his arms. Then he indicated to Sam to take an armful of mushrooms and carrots. "They'll thank us!"
"Why, if they take all this, they'll starve!" Sam cried, indignant.
Merry gave him yet another reproachful glance and continued by filling his sleeves and many pockets. "Really, Sam, they're farmers! We'll leave a thank-you note."
As Merry made for the kitchen door, Sam called, "Thank-you note, mind you!"
So Merry sighed, annoyed, and hastily scribbled:
To Dear Farmer Maggot and his lovely wife,
Thank you kindly for your hospitality. We hope we've not caused you too much trouble. We've taken the liberty of helping ourselves to some goods for our trip. Please don't mind.
Signed,
Merry and Sam
Merry dropped the note and pen in plain view on the dining table and the two of them went silently to wake Pippin.
When Pippin was awake enough to notice all of the food, the group was already well on their way. "Generous folk when it comes to food, aren't they?" He said, "Well, then again, I do suppose they are farmers."
Merry and Sam laughed at the phrase, and Pippin laughed because he supposed something must be funny. Then they sat down to breakfast.
Farmer Maggot and Mrs. Maggot awoke to an empty house. The first thing they noticed was Merry's barely legible note. However, they enjoyed the first line so well that they quite ignored the rest, until it came to the signatures.
"What about old Pippin?"
"Humph. Ungrateful young chap."
They shook their heads in disgust of the inconsiderate younger generation and swept the note to the floor. Mrs. Maggot continued by sweeping it into the dustbin and they went out to start the day's work.
It was not until the next day that they remembered the flattering opening sentence, dug it out, tore off the top, and framed it.