The Secret Life of Mr

The Secret Life of Mr. Merry Brandybuck

Merry checked himself in the mirror to make sure he looked presentable. Pippin had told him that Eliphia wanted to see him. Of course he was nervous. He hadn't spoken to her for about two years though the others have seen her. Even Sam had seen her though Sam had said it was dark and hadn't really met her.

He straightened his jacket before Pippin came up behind him and patted him on the back. "Don't worry Merry, I doubt she won't want to see you if your jacket is wrinkled."

"It's just that I haven't seen her in two years Pip. That's all."

"Just go already. She's expecting you for tea not dinner." Pippin bit into his apple and watched his cousin and best friend go to meet the girl that had been their playmate when they were younglings.

Merry was on his way to Eliphia's but first had to make one trip. When he was out of sight from the house of Crickhollow that Frodo had given him and Pippin he walked into the Old Forest using the gate they had used to get out of the Shire. He found his path and made his way back towards the direction of the house.

He came to a small clearing where he could hear some rustlings. He looked around trying to find out where it was coming from, when a black shrew came darting out in front of him and following it a vine like limb. The vine wrapped around the shrew's back paw and started to drag it back to the source. The shrew started squeaking but some roots of a tree nearby soon swallowed it.

"How many times have I told you not to do that in front of me?" he asked of the tree where it seemed to shrink in shame. Merry patted the trunk of the tree. "It's okay. Just try to remember next time." Under his touch the tree perked up and shuddered in delight.

"Do we have any of those flowers?"

The tree seemed to think a moment before leaning into his hand letting him know, yes.

"Can I have some please? I'm meeting a friend and I wanted to bring her some flowers. She's an herbalist and she's bound to like them."

The tree shook itself vigorously like it doubted something of his story.

"She is a friend. I just haven't seen her in a few years."

The tree stayed silent as if waiting.

"Okay, when we were younglings we used to play together and when I learned she was lass instead of a lad I learned I had a crush on her. So, I tried to stay from her and that was when Pip and I started to get into all sorts of trouble. I haven't talked to her for these few years since then. Happy now?" he asked after pouring out his history to the tree.

The tree started heaving as if it was laughing and little bunches of flowers fell on Merry's head. He picked them out of his hair and examined the flowers. They were in groups of three and had five petals each. The outer edges of the petals were a bright, bright blue and as they came to the flower head they faded to a beautiful, bright gold. But was amazing about the flowers were that when you looked at them right the flower head would seem glow with a inner light.

Merry had come by the tree when on a walk through the safer parts of the Old Forest. Actually it sort of chose him when the flowers seemed to fall right in front of him. He had picked them up and looked at them in wonder. And that was when the tree sort of started talking to him. He could understand what it was 'saying' and would sometimes come out just to talk to it when Pippin was gone or busy. He learned the uses of the extraordinary flower, which were for healing migraines, and when mixed properly can help lessen the effects of the falling sickness.

Merry thanked the tree and went on his way. He quickly went on to Eliphia's home hoping he wasn't late. She received him gladly and gestured him in. He gave her the flowers and he could see her eyes light up.

"Where did you get these Merry?" She examined the flowers and delicately stroked the petals which felt as cool as dewy grass. She turned them around and her eyes became round as she could see the light that shone from the flower. "What kind of flowers are these?" she asked as she put them in a cup of water.

"I got them from a tree I found. I don't know what they are but I've been calling them eliphias."

She smiled at them and looked up at him with a twinkle in her eye. "Oh, that's so sweet of you Merry. Come sit down and I'll pour the tea."

So they had tea and little barley cakes she had made specially for the occasion. They talked about her business and his discoveries of plant lore. The talk eventually ended up the flowers. She finally weaseled out of him the uses of the bright flowers and was amazed that the flowers could help the falling sickness.

"That could help with the wee lad that was here just a fortnight ago," she muttered. So she got the exact instructions from him but he stressed she had to do it exactly or it's possible it could be deadly. She wrote it down just in case and put it away.

"So where did you find this tree?" she asked as she filled his cup again.

"In the Old Forest."

"Near your home?"

"Yes."

They sat a moment in silence before she said, "We could make a good team."

Merry shook himself out of a thought about Eliphia dancing with eliphias in her hair. "What?"

"You and I could make a good team. With our combined herb lore we could do some good for the people of Shire maybe even Middle-earth." Her eyes light up at the thought of their cures being known by every healer on earth.

"That's not going to work."

"Why?" she frowned.

"I believe the tree that these come from is the only one of it's kind."

"Well then we could start growing little saplings and plant them."

"The tree is very old but there are no saplings around it."

"Maybe they don't have enough sunlight. Be a good lad and try to get me some seeds and we'll see if we can't grow any saplings."

Merry sighed; with Eliphia it was always her way or no way. "I'll try to get you some if it'll please you."

She leaned over to kiss him on the cheek but he accidentally turned his head and she actually kissed him on the lips. They both leaned back blushing and trying not to look at each other.

"Sorry," said Merry. He looked out the window and figured it was close to dinner. He had stayed a bit longer than he had thought he would. "I better be leaving. I've got to cook dinner. Pippin's hopeless when it comes to making it."

He stood up and she saw him to the door. "Now remember you said you would get me some seeds Merry Brandybuck and I'll be holding you to your word next time you come and visit. And come sooner than two years!" She kissed him on the cheek and bid him goodbye before closing the door and clearing the table.

Merry gave himself a smile at the 'accidental' turn of the head when she had gone to kiss his cheek. He went back to the tree and told it about his visit with Eliphia and it laughed when he told it about the kiss on the lips. He soon went back home and started dinner. As he simmered some wine for the meat he looked out the window that looked over at the hedge where he could barley see the tops of the trees. He smiled and went back to his cooking.

Nothing suspicious here.

I hope some of you out there have any ideas! I'm running a bit short and any input could help me a lot!