2.) Settling In - written by Kel, Corli, and Jenny
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The students settle in, and freshman Eowyn is befriended by Merry.
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Eowyn looked at the room number Eomer had hastily scrawled on the piece of paper, then up at the door. A small plaque read, 'STUDENT NEWSPAPER - THE PALANTIR.'
I guess this is the place, she thought. The hallway was completely empty and silent, but light shone through the crack under the door. She knocked hesitantly.
"Door's open, come on in!" a male voice sang out.
Eowyn stepped inside, and was greeted by the characteristic sights of a small, but busy, student newspaper. Or it would be busy, if anyone else were there. The lights were on, computers hummed, and a radio
played softly, but no one appeared to be in.
"Hello?" Eowyn called out.
"I'll be with you in just a moment." A curly blond head appeared briefly above the top of a computer monitor, then disappeared behind it again.
She heard a few decisive taps on the keyboard, the printer on the table next to her whirred to life, and at last the mysterious speaker emerged.
A Holbytla...a halfling! she marveled. She had, of course, heard of the halflings, but had never seen one in person prior to her arrival at the university.
"Hullo! What can I do for you?" he asked cheerfully.
Eowyn realized, to her shame, that her mouth was hanging open. "Um...uh...yes, my name is Eowyn. I'm a freshman, and I want to write for the paper. Is there...um...someone in particular I...uh...need to talk to?"
"Oh yes, that would be Professor Radagast, the faculty advisor. He's not here right now, but I expect he'll be around tomorrow morning. Do you want me to leave a message for him?"
The halfling grinned, and Eowyn realized she was staring. "Um...yes, that would be fine, Mr...Mr..."
"Meriadoc Brandybuck, at your service, Lady Eowyn." He reached up to hand her a sheet of paper and pencil. "Here, write down your contact information, and I'll put it in the prof's inbox."
She scribbled the necessary information, and handed the paper back to him.
"Wow, Edoras Hall, huh?" His eyes were wide. "I hear that most of the polo team lives there. Do you ride?"
"Pardon me?"
"Do you ride? You know, like horses?" He pantomimed holding reins with both hands.
"Well, yes. I'm from Rohan."
"Rohan!" he beamed. "OF COURSE you ride horses, then! Brilliant. I always wanted to visit Rohan someday."
Eowyn realized that if she didn't change the subject quickly, she would be talking about horses with this halfling for hours.
"Um...Me...Mer..."
The halfling chuckled. "Meriadoc. But my friends call me Merry. And so, I hope, will you."
Is he FLIRTING with me? The thought nearly made Eowyn giggle aloud.
"Merry. So, are you on newspaper staff?"
"Sure am! This is my second year. So, do you think you're serious about wanting to write for The Palantir? Between you and me, we could REALLY use some quality writers."
"Yeah, I was thinking about it. I was editor of the school paper at my high school, and I really loved it." Eowyn smiled at the memory.
"Is that so? Well, you probably could teach ME a thing or two, then!" Merry laughed.
I think he IS flirting with me!
Merry glanced up at the wall clock. "I didn't realize how late it was! Eowyn, I'm supposed to meet some friends over at the Golden Perk in..." He glanced at the clock again and frowned. "...now. Do you want to come with? If we're going to be on newspaper staff together, we should at least get to know each other better!"
He is DEFINITELY flirting with me.
"Come on," Merry insisted with a grin, "my treat."
Having just spent the last of her extra cash on textbooks, Eowyn certainly couldn't turn down that offer.
...
Legolas slowed as he reached the music building and then, in one deft motion, stepped off his skateboard and stomped on its back, flipping it up into his waiting hand. With his other hand he tried the door - most of the other classroom buildings were locked until classes began, but Tom seemed to understand the anal nature of most music students and usually had the building open early. This seemed to be the case, for the large glass door opened and Legolas stepped inside.
The elf smiled, taking in the familiar sights and smells. It feels like I never left, he thought to himself, glad to be back here in this musical sanctuary.
Especially now when he remembered what was currently going on back in his dorm room. Gimli had decided that the carburetor was not the problem with his Hog, so now the entire engine had taken up residence with them. Legolas had grown tired of following Gimli around, wiping the grease off of everything he touched, and had decided he needed to get away for awhile.
"I need to go find out when choir rehearsals start," he'd announced as he left, but it was clearly just an excuse to get away since rehearsals always began the first day of class.
But now that he was here, Legolas WAS curious about choir, so he leapt up the stairs three at a time to where the choir bulletin board was. There were numerous announcements about the choirs tacked up on the board, mostly aimed at the freshmen who would soon be auditioning. University Choir. Chamber Choir. Swing Choir. Legolas sighed as he looked at the sign-up sheets - Tom kept trying to get him to join Swing Choir, explaining that they needed elves to balance out the choreography, but Legolas just couldn't get excited about swinging hobbit lasses around whilst singing "doowop" choruses.
"Legolas? Is that you?"
The elf turned to see the choir's accompanist standing behind him, a pile of music in her arms.
"Goldberry - nice to see you. Is Tom around?"
"Somewhere," she said elusively. She gestured towards the board with her head, asking, "Thought any more about joining swing choir?"
Legolas smiled and shook his head. "I think I'll stick with Chamber and U.C. for the moment."
Goldberry nodded. "If you change your mind, let us know - we can always use a good strong second tenor."
Legolas smiled in thanks as Goldberry unlocked the choir room door and disappeared inside.
After checking over the board once more, he ran down the two flights of stairs to the music lounge, wondering if there were any other students about. The lounge itself was empty, the old couches and pillowed chairs lying empty, waiting for the new school year to begin.
But a noise caught Legolas's attention, and he followed it through the narrow labyrinth of practice rooms, trying to find its origin.
What he eventually found surprised him. For here, standing alone in a small acoustic-tiled room, his back to the door, stood a small hobbit with a fiddle, playing music that could summon the gods. The melody was both lyrical and haunting, joyous and sad, tender and strong. Legolas leaned against the open doorway and closed his eyes, simply letting the beautiful music envelop him.
Eventually the piece ended, and Legolas opened his eyes. "Don't," he mumbled incoherently, the music still ringing in his ears.
Pippin jumped, startled, and quickly turned around. "Oh, Legolas - I didn't see you there. I didn't disturb you, did I? I didn't think anyone else was around so I didn't bother shutting the door, but I can, if you'd like."
"Don't close it on my account. Your playing was beautiful. Is it elvish?"
Pippin smiled proudly and shook his head, his curls bobbing with the motion. "100% hobbit. I wrote it this summer for...a friend."
Legolas noticed the pause but pretended not to. "It's beautiful. You should play it for Tom - maybe he'll put it on a recital."
"You think?"
The elf nodded at the hobbit's enthusiasm. "So did you have a good summer?"
"The best," he said, and Legolas noticed a glint in Pippin's eyes. "But how about you? Did you do much singing?"
"No - I was too busy. I worked for the Rangers again, back home in Mirkwood. I'm not sure we'll EVER get things back to the way they were before the spiders, but we're making some headway. I think that..."
"Pippin!" a muffled voice interrupted. "Are you down here?"
Legolas saw the smile on Pippin's face as he hollered back, "Yes, Merry - I'll be right there." Pippin frantically shoved his violin back into its case as he said, "I'll catch you later, Legolas."
"Yes, in choir," the elf said as the hobbit ran past him out the door, hollering, "I'm here, Merry," as he disappeared around the corner.
Legolas smiled at the departing hobbit. That must be his "friend", he thought. I might've known - after all, he is a first tenor.
And Legolas, who was proud to call himself a second tenor, turned off the light in the empty practice room and shut the door behind them.
...
"So what's good here?" Eowyn asked innocently.
Merry laughed. Clearly the freshman had never met a hobbit before, or else she never would've asked such a question. She'll know better next time, Merry thought as Pippin launched into a soliloquy on the various coffee drinks and assorted menu items.
Merry checked his watch - they were really late. He hoped Frodo hadn't been waiting too long.
"...and the Double Uni has two shots of espresso but it's not as foamy as..."
Merry stepped out of line for a moment, wanting to let Frodo know they'd finally arrived. Merry found him in the other room, sitting by himself at their usual table in the back corner, scribbling fiercely into his journal.
"Frodo!" Merry called out to get his friend's attention and then waved when Frodo looked up. "We're here."
Frodo acknowledged him briefly before returning to his writings. Merry wondered if he was working on a new piece for The Ring. Frodo was devoted to the campus literary magazine - a little TOO devoted, Merry felt. Last year, every time the deadline would come around, The Ring would take hold of Frodo. He wouldn't eat. He'd barely sleep. In fact, at one point last year, Merry and Pippin had literally had to force-feed mushrooms to Frodo - MUSHROOMS! The power that The Ring had over him clearly wasn't natural.
And it looked like it already had its grip on Frodo for the semester. We'll just have to see about that, Merry thought, as if silently challenging The Ring to a fight for Frodo's soul.
Merry then returned to the line, noticing that it had now tripled in length, crowded with returning students eager to get their first brew of the semester. But the line didn't seem to be moving at all, and he soon realized what the hold-up was.
"...and they have a great kumera pie with marshmallows that's simply..."
"Pippin!" Merry scolded, walking up to him. "You're holding up the line. Just let the poor girl order already." When Eowyn smiled at Merry in appreciation, he gave her a knowing wink, causing her to blush.
As Eowyn turned back to the counter to order her coffee, Pippin turned to Merry, explaining, "But she asked, Merry."
Merry laughed and shook his head.
"Welcome to the Golden Perk," the waiter recited as Merry and Pippin stepped forward to take Eowyn's place at the counter. "What can I get you?"
Merry turned and began, "I'd like a...Sam! What're you doing here?"
"I think he's working, Merry," Pippin explained.
"I can see that, Pip," Merry said. "But since when do you work here, Sam?"
Sam shrugged. "Yesterday, I think." Sam had dark circles under his eyes as if he hadn't slept all summer, and Merry wondered how far that was from the actual truth. Poor Sam. Merry sent a silent prayer out to his own parents, thanking them for having enough money to send him to university without working twelve jobs.
"Well, it's good to see you," Merry said, suddenly feeling the impatience of the line behind them. "We'll have to catch up with you later."
Sam nodded and quickly took their orders.
"Come on, Eowyn," Merry said, leading the girl into the other room. "I want you to meet our good friend. Frodo - this is Eowyn. She's going to be on the paper with me."
Pippin began to slide into the booth next to Frodo, but Merry grabbed his shoulder and gestured to the other bench, where the two of them could sit together. They had agreed to keep PDA's down to a minimum, but Merry felt the sudden need to be near Pippin - their quick "hello" kiss in the music building just hadn't been enough for him.
However, he wondered if it had been enough for Eowyn. After all, she seemed like a smart girl and would no doubt be quick to catch on. But he didn't care - if she was going to be writing on the paper with him, she was bound to find out about him and Pippin sooner or later.
Frodo smiled and shook Eowyn's hand as she sat down next to him. "If you enjoy fiction writing as well, I edit the campus literary magazine."
"That sounds nice," Eowyn said politely. "But I think I'll stick with journalism for now." She turned and smiled at Merry, who was now sitting directly across from her, and Merry nodded back his approval.
Smart girl, he thought. Stick with reporting, and leave the touchy-feely stuff for the philosophy majors.
"Ah, it looks like the refreshments have arrived!" Pippin enthused.
Samwise Gamgee arrived at the booth, carrying a tray laden with oversized mugs and plates of pastries. "Here you go, lads and uh...lass," he said cheerfully, as he placed each of the plates on the table. "Enjoy!"
That cannot possibly ALL be for us! Eowyn thought in disbelief.
"Thank you, Sam," Frodo remarked with a sincere smile, as Sam hurried away, empty tray under his arm.
Eowyn was amazed at the enthusiasm the halflings displayed in eating. As soon as Sam left, Merry made quick work of distributing the plates to the proper recipients. Pippin set aside his music ledger, and reached across the table for the honey. Even Frodo's journal was quickly hidden away, as he bit into a large raspberry-filled pastry. How can such small beings eat so much food? she marveled, as the empty plates began to pile up.
"Is something wrong, Eowyn? You haven't touched your cake." Merry was looking at her, a curious expression on his face.
Eowyn looked around the table and noticed that all three halflings were looking at her with the same quizzical expression. Oh no. I hope I wasn't staring.
"Uh...no...no! It's just...um...I'm still taking everything in," she mumbled. She took a sip of her cappuccino, grateful for the huge mug that hid the blush creeping across her face.
She heard Pippin's chirping laughter. "I'll bet you've never met a hobbit before today, have you?"
Eowyn set her mug down on the table and shook her head, feeling ashamed for having committed what she was SURE must have been a huge breach of etiquette.
"Don't worry about it," Merry chuckled. "ALL the Big Folk freshmen stare. Even the Elves do. Don't feel bad. We're used to it. Besides," he grinned mischievously, "We return the favor when we gaze longingly at your unfinished plates of food!"
The three hobbits laughed uproariously at that, and the other patrons in the coffeehouse fixed withering glares on their booth. Eowyn had to admit that she really enjoyed their good humor. It was such a refreshing change from the dour, humorless boys she knew from home. She found herself laughing along with
the hobbits.
Sam appeared at their table suddenly. "Begging your pardon, sirs, miss, but can I ask you to keep it down? I sure don't want to ruin your fun, but we've had a few complaints." He smiled apologetically.
"Of course, Sam," Merry intoned with mock-solemnity. "We promise not to have any more fun."
"None whatsoever!" Pippin joined in. "Oh, Sam, while you're here, could I get some more tea?"
Sam heaved an exasperated sigh and trudged off, muttering, "Trust a Took and a Brandybuck..."
"Is he a friend of yours?" Eowyn asked, watching the hobbit wander back to work.
"Not so much a friend as a gardener," Merry teased.
Eowyn smiled uncomfortably, not really understanding, but Frodo quickly explained: "Back in high school he used to mow our lawn in exchange for tutoring."
"Frodo still tutors him," Pippin explained. He then leaned across the table and whispered to her, "He's on the rugby team."
Eowyn laughed - apparently some things were the same between the races.
"How about you, Eowyn?" Frodo asked. "Do you play any sports?"
The expression on Eowyn's face drastically changed. "I wanted to," she said, clearly perturbed, "but apparently they don't have a fencing team for girls at M.E.U."
Merry smiled, and Frodo noticed the glint in his eye that always shown when he was about to stumble upon a scoop. "That would make a perfect story for The Palantir. 'Freshman Girl Foils Chauvinism'. It would make GREAT copy. We could even do it as an entire series, following your trials and tribulations as you..."
Frodo interrupted the eager hobbit. "Let's not scare her off before classes even begin. Maybe she doesn't WANT to go out for the boys' team."
"Oh, but I do," Eowyn said excitedly. "More than anything. I love to fence. That feeling of strength when it's just you and your opponent on the mat, knowing that there's only a single parry between you and losing."
Frodo noticed the intense look in her eyes and wondered if the other hobbits found it as unnerving.
Apparently they didn't.
"We could hire her as a bodyguard, Merry," Pippin said cheerfully, "when we have to walk across campus late at night."
Merry nodded, smiling. "It's going to make such a brilliant story. I can't wait to read it."
Frodo thought he saw Eowyn blush under Merry's gaze, and she quickly picked up her mug for a quick sip. As she set the mug back down, she asked, "So what about you three? Do you do sports?"
The three hobbits laughed as if she'd just asked if they were planning to skip dessert.
"Frodo on a team," Pippin laughed, "that's a good one."
Frodo was somewhat offended by that. "I don't see YOU rushing off to join the polo team," he countered.
"Actually, -I- was thinking of it," Merry said, and it took Frodo a moment to realize he was serious.
Pippin was surprised, too. "Polo? But they play with HORSES, Merry, not ponies."
Merry grinned knowingly at Eowyn. "Well, maybe it's about time they changed that."
"But you could get HURT, Merry," Pippin said with real concern in his voice as he put his hand tenderly on Merry's.
Frodo noticed the look they shared and, for the first time, realized that this "dating" thing between the two hobbits was not just another brand of mischief they'd cooked up over the summer but was actually something real, a true bond built on a firm foundation of caring and affection. Frodo smiled. This is exactly the kind of relationship that I want to write about in The Ring. People relying on each other as comrades AND lovers, a fellowship of passion and devotion.
Frodo was about to get out his journal and start jotting down ideas when a beeping noise emerged from under the table. Eowyn turned red with embarrassment as she quickly grabbed her pager and turned it off.
"Sorry, it's my brother," she said, quickly reading the digital message silently to herself. "I have to go. My brother and I are apparently going to have dinner with my uncle tonight." Eowyn stood up in a hurry, almost knocking over her mug, which Merry swiftly caught. "It was so nice meeting you all. And, Merry, I...I guess I'll see you at the paper tomorrow."
"Absolutely," Merry said gaily. "We'll pitch our story idea about the fencing team to Professor Radagast - I'm sure he'll be all over it!"
Eowyn nodded, said a hasty goodbye to the others, and hurried off.
"Thank goodness," Merry said, slipping his arm around Pippin and drawing him close. "I thought she'd NEVER leave." And, hidden behind the high back of the booth, Merry kissed Pippin.
Frodo looked away, embarrassed at once again being the third wheel, and noticed a figure sitting in the other corner, staring intently at him.
"Hey," Frodo whispered, leaning across the table towards the kissing duo, "who's that scruffy young man?"
"WHAT scruffy young man?" Pippin asked loudly, prompting loud "ssshh"s from his companions.
Frodo casually nodded his head towards the other corner, where the young man was surrounded by a haze of cigarette smoke. "THAT scruffy young man."
"Oh, THAT one," Merry said. "Yeah, he's been staring at you since we got here."
Frodo couldn't tell if Merry was teasing or not. "Seriously?"
Merry nodded. "I think he's on the fencing team - I remember him from last year. He's called Strider or something - quite good with a blade, if I remember."
Frodo stole another glance - yep, he was still looking. "But why is he staring at ME?"
Pippin smiled. "Maybe he LIKES you, Frodo," he teased.
But Merry shook his head. "He's dating a sorority girl - one of those TriChis. I doubt he'd be interested in our hobbit boy here."
But Frodo still felt uncomfortable under the intensity of his stare. "What should I do?"
"Sorry, sorry," Sam said, stumbling towards the table with his tray full of dirty dishes to be bussed. "I totally forgot about your tea. I'll be right back with it."
"And bring us some mushrooms," Pippin hollered after Sam as he retreated to the kitchen.
"Don't look now," Merry whispered across the table to Frodo, "but here he comes."
But Frodo, of course, DID look, and Merry was right - the scruffy young man was approaching their table.
...
Aragorn strode up to the hobbits' table eyeing Frodo sharply. "Are you Frodo Baggins?" he asked in a low voice.
"Baggins?" Pippin interjected, looking completely baffled. "Did he say, Baggins? I think you must be mistaken. This is Mr. Underhill, of the Shire Underhills – Oww!" Pippin yelped suddenly as Frodo kicked him under the table.
"Yes, I'm Frodo," Frodo replied looking up at the man. "Please pardon my friend, he's a great teaser," Frodo added with a quelling frown at Pippin.
Ignoring Merry and Pippin, Aragorn stepped up closer to Frodo. Taking the cigarette out of his mouth he stubbed it out carefully in one of the many empty dishes on the table, then looked directly into Frodo's face. "I have a submission to make to the Ring," Aragorn said in a low voice as he held out the crumpled and dirty piece of paper towards Frodo.
Just then Sam appeared at the table with a tray and stepped adroitly between Aragorn and Frodo, eyeing Aragorn suspiciously. "Well, here's the tea and mushrooms. Sorry about the wait," Sam said to the hobbits, unloading the tray. They he turned towards Aragorn, and glanced disdainfully at the crumpled paper in the man's hand. "I hope that you aren't planning to cause any trouble here, sir. The Perk has a very strict policy on acceptable behavior." Sam said in a slightly patronizing tone, as if this scruffy stranger might be unfamiliar with any sort of civilized behavior.
"I was hoping to have a quiet word with Mr. Baggins." Aragorn replied, looking somewhat amused by Sam.
"What about?" Sam asked, refusing to move out of the man's way.
"A matter of some importance – to us both," Aragorn answered directing the comment over Sam's head at Frodo.
Frodo nodded once at the man and reached around Sam for the piece of paper, ignoring Sam's stubborn frown.
The hobbit table was uncharacteristically quiet while Frodo read what was written on the piece of paper. Pippin opened his mouth once but was immediately silenced by the dark look that Merry shot his way. Finally Frodo finished his reading and looked up at the man thoughtfully.
"This is…well…really good," Frodo said. "I would guess that you've been writing for a long time. Why haven't you submitted anything to The Ring before?"
"I have. Or don't you remember the rejection letters that you've sent me?" Aragorn gave Frodo a grim smile.
"But I haven't – oh…" Frodo trailed off in his denial mid sentence. He looked over at his friends who were all watching him with concerned expressions on their faces. Looking rather uncomfortable, Frodo glanced back up towards Aragorn. "Last year when I first became editor for The Ring, Professor Greyhame was concerned about it being too much responsibility for a freshman, so he assigned me some 'assistant editors'. One of the graduate students, Barliman Butterbur, handled new submissions. Although Butterbur was supposed to consult with me…he evidently didn't." Frodo ended awkwardly, wondering how the man would take this news.
Aragorn gave a small laugh, shaking his head, "Old Butterbur! Well that explains it."
"It does?" Merry and Pippin asked at the same time, both wondering if this strange man was perhaps slightly mental.
"Butterbur's always had it out for me," Aragorn stated flatly. "He thinks I'm some kind of rogue."
"And you're not?" Pippin inquired curiously before Merry could hush him up.
Aragorn's lips turned up into a slight smile at the question. "No. I'm just an aspiring writer."
"Well, consider yourself a soon to be published writer," Frodo spoke up. He glanced over at the clock on the wall. "Unfortunately I have to get going now, but come by The Ring office as soon as you get a chance."
Aragorn nodded in the affirmative then turned around and headed back to his table.
...