Eowyn heard Gilly tapping her feet with worry and impatience.
Merry continued to moan.
"Don't give up now, Merry! Don't die on me!" Eowyn whispered, frustrated.
"Gilly, my medicine will only last a while. Do you know the way to Gondor from here?" Eowyn asked the hobbit. Gilly nodded, but looked concerned at the thought of leaving her friend behind.
"Go to Aragorn and Arwen. She will know what to do. Tell them that Merry is hurt and I am trying my best to help him, but I need elvish care from Arwen. Hurry!" She handed Gilly the cape that the hobbit had dropped, and watched the hobbit patter out of the room.
'Oh, I hope she arrives there soon,' Eowyn prayed.
Gilly watched Eowyn with a clinical gaze. Her arms were crossed and her foot was tapping in a pace that only said she was worried. "Don't go trying to wake him from his slumber. He needs his rest," Gilly warned her, "He is very, very weak." Gilly chewed his lip. She did not want to leave Merry in her hands. She did not quite trust her. Gilly also did not want to ride out alone, especially with the wildmen and giant spiders. Her eyes drift over to the prone figure in the bed and sighed heavily.
"O' course I know where Gondor is. Merry has shown me his maps and has let me study them. I think I can get there in a few hours time." She took her cloak she was handed. Throwing it on, she rushed out the room. Before leaving she turned and said, "Give him some water. We ran out yesterday and I am sure he needs some. If you hurt him…just don't hurt him." The feisty hobbit turned and marched out of the room. Her feet flew as she ran back into the throne room, where her pony was waiting for her. Jumping onto the beast, she rode off to find help. "It is Aragorn who can help him – Merry said so," she whispered.
Merry moaned slightly. It felt as if fire licked his side. The spider poison burnt his skin and it felt like everything was crawling. His stomach was cramping from lack of food and he felt himself retch. Everything seemed to go in slow motion and Merry felt unattached the world around him and his body. However, he did not worry. Merry had no worries.
Eowyn noticed that Gilly didn't trust her. She didn't understand why, since she had taken care of Merry during the War of the Ring and had shared her hope with him. Perhaps Gilly was distrustful of everyone. Merry started muttering. Eowyn jumped.
He floated down a cool stream. He could not move, but truthfully, the hobbit did not want to. He was comfortable, the water was not swift and though it was dark, there was light emitting from the bodies that walked the shore, singing songs of Varda, love and peace. As he drifts through the river that bridges life and death, he passes under the first gate and slowly, in the world of the living, Merry's soul begins to die, his life candle begins to fade and falter.
"What is it Merry?" she asked urgently, but then realizing that getting him excited wouldn't help. He tried to say something to Eowyn, but he suddenly went cold.
"Merry! Wake up, please. Don't die." Eowyn sat down on the floor, sobbing gently. She wondered why Gilly cared for Merry so much, because Eowyn could see that Gilly didn't love him as Eowyn loved Faramir. Perhaps she loves him like a brother, Eowyn thought, sobbing harder when she realized that Merry might die. She had to keep Merry alive until Arwen and Aragorn came.
"I hope Gilly got there alright," Eowyn prayed.
"I think she did," Faramir said from behind her. Eowyn hastily stood up and turned around to face...
"Oh, Faramir," she sighed, "I didn't see you there."
I just came down to see how Merry's doing."
"I think he's worsening."
"Are you sure? What does your mind truly tell you?"
"My mind knows only what lies near my heart. And my heart says that Merry will survive."
At the exact moment that Merry fell unconscious, Cora awoke from her slumber, panting heavily. Her pony started, and she mounted it.
"Merry is close, and barely alive! I must go, now!" she urged Ivy on, and entered the borders of Ithilien.
Meanwhile, Gilly rode through the plains of Ithilien faster than she had ever ridden. The horse was heaving and foaming and yet it did not stop for a moment. They rode until nightfall. The castle of Gondor loomed ahead of her. She rode up the side, slowing her pony so they did not fall, but was stopped by two guards. "I am here to see the king. It is important. Eowyn sends me," Gilly said. The guards look at each other and then decide to let her pass.
She again rides into the throne room. Clumsily, she gets off her pony and her knees give out. The red haired hobbit looks up at the king as she picks herself up. She trots forward. "M' Lord Aragorn, I am Gilly Pickthorn of Bywater. I come baring terrible news. Wildmen and giant spiders have attached the Shire, Bree, Rivendell and Lorien. I know because I have been through every place. I have taken this journey because Meriadoc the Magnificent was bitten a week ago by one of the spiders. I do not think he will make it much longer. He is in Ithilien. Eowyn is with him as we speak, she tended the wound the best she was able. Will you come m'lord?" The hobbit bowed, clumsily to the king and then waited for his response.
M' Lord Aragorn, I am Gilly Pickthorn of Bywater. I come baring terrible news. Wildmen and giant spiders have attached the Shire, Bree, Rivendell and Lorien. I know because I have been through every place. I have taken this journey because Meriadoc the Magnificent was bitten a week ago by one of the spiders. I do not think he will make it much longer. He is in Ithilien. Eowyn is with him as we speak, she tended the wound the best she was able. Will you come m'lord?" The hobbit bowed, clumsily to Aragorn and then waited for his response.
"The first of that terrible news I new already, but the latter part, I was unaware of Merry's plight. I thank you for endeavoring to bring this to my attention. I have already made plans to assist the Shire and Rivendell: I and the greater part of the Gondorian army shall sail on the newly rebuilt Grand Fleet and travel to the Gray Havens and then onto the Shire, while the lesser part shall travel over land to meet with the Rohirrim, who are mustering as we speak, I would believe. All that remains to do now is send envoys to Ithilien and other feifs of Gondor to muster the greatest army we can."
Gilly stood there watching the human. She listened with attentive ears. Her face turned red. The hobbits eyes narrow. Was she hearing this king correctly? He mentioned naught of going to Ithilien to help Merry. "YOU are needed in Ithilien NOW," Gilly said. Her voice was very loud for such a small and petite woman. "Merry is dying as we speak," she said. Her chin quivered slightly and stubbornly. She stomped her foot. "We cannot wait much longer, do you hear me? I don't care what your military tactics are. You could send a bunch of goblins in for all I care. I am depending on you, the woman Eowyn is depending on you, and MERRY is depending on you. Merry most of all…" Her voice drifted off for a second. "His last word was your name," she said, "We must go and with no haste."
Arwen looked at the passionate hobbit in front of her, but the elf did not say anything. Wearily, she closed her eyes and felt the energy. A small gasp came from her lips. Her brow furrowed and a tear trickled down her pale cheek. "Aragorn, lle maure a' asca no'a Ithilien. Meriadoc ná autaien e'a gurtha. Auta e'asca," she said quietly.
Translation: Aragorn, you need to haste onto Ithilien. Meriadoc is passing into death. Go in haste.