A Ghost in the Night
Chapter 12: Whispered Conversations
Disclaimer: all characters are property of J.R.R Tolkien and Tolkien enterprises. I make no money from this Fan fiction.
Author's note: This is not a slash story, though I suppose you could read that into it if you had a mind to. I have nothing against slash stories at all, but I did not intend this to be read as a slash, so I'm sorry if you got that impression.
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A secret they had hidden;
Hidden deep inside.
The tears they came unbidden
In response to those that lied.
Merry and Pippin had argued long over the designated destination of their quest, so hard in fact that they had failed to take much else into consideration. As within the Green Dragon the only way their attention fell on anything outside of their conversation was when it was literally thrown into their faces. Such as it was that Merry and Pippin, who had reached a higher level of argument, had failed to notice Sam disappear into the darkness to go and find Frodo, who was lagging further and further behind. A bypasser may have found it rather ironic if he had heard Merry and Pippins continuous insistence to protect Sam and Frodo, and then witnessed them walking away when the two stopped to rest, leaving them at the mercy of those they were supposed to be protecting them from.
The penny had dropped only when the two travellers had reached Waymoot, and an incredibly reluctant Pippin had finally conceded to Merry's demand. He had turned to inform his friends that a plan had finally been set only to find that there was no one there to tell. Pippin had looked worried, but Merry was quick to remind him that Sam and Frodo were probably just a little behind and would turn up within a minute.
One minute turned to two, two turned to three, and three turned to ten. Still there was no evidence of Sam and Frodo appearing. Merry had started to think after 15 minutes that maybe-just maybe- they had got themselves lost.
"Or worse," Pippin had been quick to add, much to Merry's chagrin.
They had decided to head off back from where they had just come. Merry was still sure that the two couldn't have been too far behind them, especially considering they had a full fifteen minutes to catch up with them. Merry did not like the idea of wondering too far from Waymoot with out any form of light, so Pippin had scurried off towards one of the smials and borrowed one. Finding no further problems with going back, the two hobbits had set off at a brisk pace, each one of them calling their friends' names in hopes that a reply would be given.
"If this doesn't draw them I don't know what will," Merry had said in between bellowing.
"do you speak of the hunters or our friends?" Pippin had queried.
The two had looked at each other and quickened their pace through an unspoken agreement.
"Now remember," Merry had said, shining the lantern onto where Pippin was racing ahead. " We can not afford to lose each other also."
He said it just in time to witness Pippin disappearing beyond the light of the lantern towards Tuckborough.
"Hey! Where are you going?!" Merry had shouted, but all he could discern from his cousin was some gibberish about a blue light.
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Pippin had moved as quickly as his slumbering friend would allow back towards Waymoot. Under the looming hills of Tuckborough he felt strangely vulnerable and he desired to be nearer to civilisation where a few loose lanterns would allow him greater sight and where the reassuring presence of the other hobbits would help still the rising fear inside of him. He had Frodo to protect now, and what he had gathered from his unwell friend before he had fallen unconscious had been enough for Pippin to become worried. It sounded as if their enemy was closer at hand then he had thought. Without even realising it, he tightened his embrace on Frodo protectively, drawing him closer as if scared that hands would shoot out of the darkness and try to take him from him. Frodo sighed a little in response, curling up tighter in Pippins arms. It had not taken long for Frodo to succumb to sleep and for a moment Pippin had been strongly reminded of carrying an injured child back home after an unsettling fall. Only Frodo's sheer size and familiarity kept the illusion at bay.
For his part Frodo was clinging sleepily onto Pippin's shirt, his breath coming in deep and even draws, his head nestled deeply in its resting-place against Pippins shoulder and just under his chin. He was deeply asleep, and every now and then he moved in his sleep, mumbling a few words before, after a reassuring tightening of the embrace, he fell silent once more.
Pippin tried to keep his movements as still as possible. He did not wish to wake Frodo from his sleep-he really doubted that Frodo had managed to have much of it recently- but it was proving difficult to do so when he had to crawl over upturned tree roots and skip over slippery puddles.
It was hard to guide himself back towards the road in the dark. He had no lantern to guide him- Merry had insisted on carrying the one they had collected from Waymoot- and he no longer had that strange blue light to show him a path. Pippin cursed himself, wishing vehemently that Merry had thought to follow him off the road with the lantern and into the undergrowth. Then again he hadn't really told Merry where he had been going. They had been racing back along the road from Waymoot to try and find their friends when Pippin, chancing to look towards Tuckborough had noticed an eerie and unsettling blue light emanating a little way off from the road. Without a thought he had shot towards it, leaving a confused Merry staring after him on the road. It wasn't until he could see the form of a person lying on the ground, a strange blue light above it, that Pippin had noticed that he had no back up, and that the someone on the ground looked suspiciously like…
"Frodo?!" He had cried, and the blue light that had been gripping him suddenly vanished.
Though he had not trusted that light he had at least been able to see where he had been going. He was totally at sea now, fumbling over the ground whilst trying to stay both sturdy and upright. Frodo's rest could ill afford to be disturbed again, and he was relieved when he felt the slightly slick grass underneath his toes. Sure enough he could see Merry, lantern moving backwards and forwards as his friend paced anxiously, like a giant orange globe against the darkness.
Pippin smiled, and he lurched forwards forgetting to be careful. His foot struck a tree root that was beyond his sight and he stumbled, his feet tripping over themselves as he fought to keep his balance. He did so, and his gaze immediately homed to Frodo, relieved to see that he had not been disturbed.
The globe of amber light was increasing in size as it broke off from the road, and he was grateful when Merry came running towards him.
"Pippin!" He exclaimed, lantern swaying in his hand as he screeched to a halt by his friend, causing the shadows around them to rock back and forth. "Don't you go running off like that again! It's bad enough that we've lost Frodo and Sam…"
Merry stopped, his eyes falling onto the bundle in Pippin's arms. He stepped forward, his eyes the size of saucers. "Frodo?" He whispered in disbelief, his arm falling gently onto the hand locked on Pippin's shirt. He looked back up towards Pippin, confusion in his eyes. "Pippin….what…"
"Do we have any blankets?" Pippin asked.
He was sure to keep his voice to a hushed whisper to keep Frodo from waking up. There was much that he wished to share with Merry and that could not be done if Frodo was awake to hear and comment on it. This would be perhaps the last chance they would have to discuss the continuation of their plan that had yet to be confirmed without the very people they were trying to hide it from present to intervene.
Merry, still confused, nodded. "Your memory melts quicker than a snowflake under the mid morning sun, Pippin. You grabbed some from Bag End at my request so I recall."
"Then perhaps you should put them to good use!" Pippin said, slightly annoyed when Frodo groaned weakly in his sleep. "He is freezing cold and he can not rest adequately if that is the case."
Merry bent down, retrieving a blanket from within his backpack, his eyes never leaving Frodo's slumbering face. "This should warm him up a bit."
Pippin motioned to grab one of the blankets, but with his arms full as it was he could not hope to drape the cloth over his slumbering friend. Merry took the responsibility and flung it gently over Frodo, tucking it in around him. Frodo moaned softly in his sleep when Merry accidentally brushed his arm, and he gripped more tightly onto Pippin.
"Shush, Frodo," Merry eased, stroking Frodo's hair out if his eyes, repeating the gesture until Frodo quieted.
Merry took a step back, his eyes bright in the darkness. "There!" he said happily. "That should keep him warm!"
Pippin nodded, shifting Frodo a little in his arms. His friend was far from heavy, but his arms were unused to carry anything but swords.
"Let us sit, cousin," Merry said, and he sat down, his hand never leaving Frodo's arm. Pippin was only too happy to agree. It wasn't that Frodo was heavy; it was just that he was scared of waking him again. Pippin had never been one who could sit still for long periods of time and that was certainly what Frodo required.
He sat down, preparing to put Frodo on the grass, but Merry put a hand out to stop him.
"Keep him with you, Pip," Merry said. He pointed towards Frodo's hands that were gently gripping Pippin's shirt. "You won't get out of that hold very easily. I will carry him if you want when we set off again, but first," he said, drawing back, his eyes piercing even in the dim light, "you have things to tell me I believe."
"I abandoned you just a moment ago," Pippin said, his voice slightly angered. Merry, sensing his irritation, raised his hand in a gesture of peace.
"I know that," he said, leaning forward, "but you look as if you have more to add to the tale." At this his eyes fell onto Frodo and narrowed as he tried to figure out what he saw. "Where is Sam I wonder?" he said, eyes narrowing even further. "It is rare indeed to see the two separated, especially when Frodo is as ill as he is. What tell you of this?"
"He is not well as you know, cousin," Pippin said in a whisper, mindful not to wake his friend. "I found him off the road, weak as can be, fighting against something that was trying to take him away."
"But how did you know to look there, Pippin?" Merry asked as he propped the lantern in between them. Frodo turned away from it and buried his head in Pippin's shoulder with a sigh.
"We will not speak of it here, Merry. I believe there may be more going on here then you and I know. We must find Sam."
"Sam is not with him anymore?" Merry asked and Pippin could detect the disbelief in his voice. He understood that well enough for the very idea was preposterous: Sam would never leave Frodo for a moment, especially in the condition that he was in.
"Sam…" Frodo mumbled, his head rolling against Pippin's shoulder. "Got…got…t-to help…"
"Hush Frodo," Pippin eased, looking down at his slumbering friend. He looked up at Merry, an expression of deep concern etched on his features. "He has been like this since I found him, though he was awake for a short time. We must find somewhere warm to place him. He's so fevered!"
"But where can we take him Pippin? There is no where more safe than with us. But you are right about Sam, at least. I am surprised that the two are no longer together."
"It is easy to get lost in the darkness," Pippin said. "We lost them easy enough. Perhaps Sam was so busy fussing over his medicine that he lost track of our dear friend here."
But Pippin did not believe his own words. He had a horrible feeling that something had happened. Nothing- nothing-could have separated Sam from Frodo when in the peril he was in now. Something terrible must have happened, Pippin thought, angry at himself for not noticing the situation sooner. From the look on Merry's face, Pippin knew he was not the only one to think such things.
"Pippin," Merry said, falling back onto his outstretched hands. "What say you of the hunters?"
"You mean…"
"Do not speak their names!" Merry hissed, suddenly clamping a hand over Pippin's mouth. Pippin pulled away from the hand; in doing so he jostled Frodo in his sleep that, in his slightly delirious state, cried out very weakly for Aragorn.
Pippin was beside himself. "Hush!" he ordered. "Do you wish to wake him!?"
Merry pulled away and began fiddling with the lantern to avoid the accusing glare. Pippin watched him fiddle with the lock on the door for some minutes, waiting for him to begin the questions again. Indeed Merry soon tired of the little game that he was playing with the catch, and he spoke to Pippin, though he did not look at him.
"Put Frodo down, Pippin," he ordered, clattering the door to the lantern shut. "I do not wish to disturb him and I have a feeling I may lunge at you again more than once!"
Pippin did not doubt Merry's words, and he gently placed Frodo down so that his face was looking away from the lantern. He smoothed the blanket over him, checked that Frodo was comfortable, and sat back down again, his legs now crossed.
"Merry," he stated, his voice daring to rise above a whisper. "They came. Tonight. Frodo told me before he fell asleep."
Merry looked like a rabbit that had been spotted by an accurate archer.
"They…came?" he said, leaning forwards now. "T-tonight? Now?" Merry's eyes flicked to Frodo. "They didn't…"
"No," Pippin said, raising his hand as Merry had done earlier. "I saw no one when I found him lying on the ground."
At this Pippin also fell towards playing with the lantern, tapping the glass casing with his fingernail in an attempt to ease his mind with the simplistic action.
"But what of Sam? Did he mention Sam at all?"
Pippin nodded, his long stretched shadow mocking his movement. "He mentioned something about Sam but it was not clear in what way. I think," Pippin stopped, his mouth becoming dry, "they came tonight Merry," he said, looking up with fire burning in his eyes. "They must have found Frodo and Sam, and Sam, being as he is, acted as a diversion and allowed Frodo to escape."
"I would believe you," Merry said, his voice fearful, "but you have misread one of the characters in your account. Frodo is a stubborn hobbit. He would not have left Sam to fight them off alone."
"A well Frodo would not, but I don't think Frodo is thinking too clearly about anything at the moment."
He picked up the lantern, moving it so it now stood to the side by their backpack. Merry had fallen silent, but it was obvious by his posture that he was thinking deeply about his friend's words.
For a moment they didn't say anything, both of them sitting tensely in the glow of the lantern. Frodo continued to sleep soundly beside them, turning over in his sleep when Merry, without warning, punched a fist into the ground.
"This," he said, his anger enflamed. "This is the worst thing that could happen. If they find Sam all on his own…"
"Then they'll ask him," Pippin agreed, his own fear rising up.
"There will be nothing to hold them back if he doesn't have Frodo there to protect him," Merry continued. "We have to find them! Sam will slip up if they find him, I know it!"
"He only means to do the best for his master," Pippin defended. "But I understand what you mean. He would reveal what happened tonight to Frodo, and Frodo…" Pippin looked towards his cousin, feeling great fear well up in his heart. "They will destroy him Merry," he said, voice clear, concise, and even. "I know it. And Sam…if they find him…" Pippin bit his lip again, nibbling on it as he had started doing since his return to the Shire.
"We find him," Merry stated. "I don't know how, but we will. If Frodo is here, then that means that Sam will be looking for him…"
"If he is not captured," Pippin reminded him.
Merry paused for a moment. Pippin watched him as he leant back onto his arms, then leant forward again, repeating the motion until he finally gave it up with a sigh. A hand raised to his head, massaging what was becoming a headache. Pippin knew how he felt. Like Frodo, he wished nothing more than to go to bed and get some sleep.
"He can't be captured Pip," Merry said hopelessly. "Frodo lies in the balance here."
Pippin didn't know what to say; he just continued to watch Merry who in turn was staring at Frodo. They once again fell into silence, Merry looking from the ground, to the lantern, to Frodo, then to the road. His expression changed when after the third exchange his eyes laid rest on their slumbering friend.
"We must find out," Merry said, picking himself up from the ground.
"And what way do you…hey!" Pippin called, for he understood what Merry was going to do. He lunged forward just in time to prevent Merry rousing Frodo from his sleep, catching his hand just inches away from Frodo's shoulder.
"Leave him be!" Pippin demanded, not letting go, staring evenly into Merry's eyes. " He needs to rest!"
"This will not take long, Pippin," he said, making no motion to free himself, but not withdrawing his hand either. "We must know what happened. How else can we form a plan? I know not what tactics you learned in Gondor, but put good use to them now! Our first priority is to find Sam and to do that we need to know when he was last seen, where and how long ago. Only Frodo could answer our queries."
"I learned many things in Gondor," Pippin said, his voice distant as he saw flashes of Denethor in his mind. "Healing one of them." At this his gaze flashed towards Merry. "You above all should understand his need to rest. Surely we can determine enough on our own: Sam was the last one Frodo was with, and they were both heading towards the same direction that we were. To find Frodo and not Sam is dire news indeed, but I know that not even a dragon could stop Sam from attending to his master."
"It is not a dragon that hunts us," Merry said. "We have a far more deadly enemy."
"None the less Sam will be heading towards Waymoot," Pippin said, subconsciously placing a hand on Frodo's arm to verify that he was still there. "We will head back to the road up to Hobbiton. If we still find no trace of Sam we will wake Frodo then, even if I doubt he can offer us much information."
Pippin waited with baited breath, but to his relief Merry accepted the idea and he withdrew his hand. He wordlessly headed towards his backpack and began shuffling around the contents. Pippin let out a sigh of relief, and bent down to gather the lantern. He held it in his hands, half wondering how exactly he was going to carry both.
"I will carry him, Pip," Merry said and he offered the backpack to him. "I am stronger than you."
"I am perfectly able to carry him if I chose to," Pippin said rather indignantly. Merry just smiled.
"Your offer is well made," he said smiling. Very carefully he bent down and scooped Frodo into his arms, pausing when he groaned in his sleep. Pippin turned away from them, throwing the backpack over his shoulder and placing the lantern in his right hand. He sought out the small dagger he had tied to his belt, fingering the hilt as he looked into the darkness. He tried listening to see if anything other than themselves were present, but he could hear nothing over Frodo's soft groans and Merry's even softer reassurances.
Merry walked up to his side, but Pippin did not turn to look at him. For some reason the darkness was incredibly unsettling and the lantern, though giving them light, virtually screamed their presence to anyone who cared look in their vague direction. Virtually no one walked around at this time of night except those on emergency errands and Pippin couldn't help but try to smother some of the light within his cloak.
"He keeps calling Sam," Merry said, breaking Pippin's thoughts. "Let us not disappoint him!"
"This secret," Pippin said, stopping Merry prematurely. Merry turned to him, and Pippin saw the faintest flicker of Merry's gaze fall onto Frodo to make sure he was actually asleep. "It will kill him Merry."
Merry looked away from him, and he too gazed into the shielding darkness. "I know."
"I can't bare to lose him."
"I know."
And even though Merry was not looking at him, Pippin could hear the tremor in his voice. "I know it Pippin. I have felt it ever since we returned to the Shire; the way we always caught him staring wistfully outside of Bag End's window…"
Pippin saw Merry's body move and he knew that he was embracing the friend he held in his arms.
"I have feared that one day he would run off and leave us, and I fear that now more than ever. I do not want to lose him Pippin, not like that, not to the madness which is trying to consume him…"
"He is strong, Merry," Pippin said, drawing up to his friend and placing a hand on his shoulder. Merry acknowledged his words with the faintest twitch of his head in Pippin's direction. "Stronger than all of Middle-Earth has ever given him credit for. He has not been consumed by any madness, though Gandalf feared that may have been so in Ithilien."
"We are all he has," Merry said, his head turning so it now looked at Frodo. "I have known him for as long as I can remember. I can imagine life without him, if I know that he is happy in his new home; but to be in a life where he is there, but not there…it is more than I can stand."
What could Pippin say to Merry when he too felt the very same? Frodo was one of the greatest friends he had so why did he feel that he was losing him?
But he knew, they both did; They had both seen the state that Frodo was falling into. It appeared Saruman's final prophecy was coming true. Not even Sam was able to prevent it. Pippin walked so that the light of the lantern fell onto Frodo- he looked especially elvish within the soft glow of the light.
"We must find Sam," Merry said, his head turning towards the road. Pippin continued to stare at Frodo, silent. "We may be able to prevent this by stopping the hunters. He can not take it, not now, not until he's had a chance to settle."
Merry fell silent. They both looked down at Frodo, sleeping peacefully in Merry's arms. He had not moved at all since he had been picked up, and was resting comfortable within the gentle embrace of his friend. He was drowned in sleep, breathing deeply and evenly, his features looking healthier in the light of the lantern.
"Come, Pippin," Merry said, determination replacing the sadness in his voice. "We must find Sam as soon as we can and staying around chatting over what may be will achieve nothing."
"You are right of course. The secret will remain with us. At first light we will go and speak to our hunters and we will tell then what we should have told them before. They will accept our decision."
Merry nodded, and he bent down to kiss Frodo on the forehead when he turned a little in his sleep.
"We will go on then," Pippin said. "We will not have to go far if luck will bless us tonight."
They both set off, a mutual understanding that did not need to be expressed in words. Together, they headed onto the road and set the course for Hobbiton knowing not of the perils they were about to face there.
