Rumblings
Chapter 28 - Recaptured II
Author Llinos
Beta and additional material: MarigoldG
Merry and Pippin eventually fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms on Aragorn's bed, as they were both emotionally exhausted. The ranger left them to sleep, it was early for him yet and he had other business to attend to. Legolas too was quite drained by the whole experience and decided to take a walk in the fresh air to calm himself. He covered the sleeping hobbits with Aragorn's quilt before he left, kissing each of them lightly on the brow.
Aragorn hurried along to the main hall where Théoden, Éomer and Éowyn, together with Gandalf and Grima Wormtongue were in council.
"For two nights and a day now my riders have reported sighting the terrible winged creature over Rohan. I fear the Nazgûl has returned." Théoden looked to Gandalf, "Do you suppose they hunt the little ones?"
"This is grave indeed," Gandalf agreed. "I doubt their sole purpose would be to hunt down Merry and Pippin, although the risk to them should not be ignored."
"Your people, too, My Lord," Aragorn stepped forward. "They will not be safe here with the Nazgûl abroad. This place is too exposed and all nine could attack. You will have to send those who do not ride to war, the women and children, to a safer place."
"They will go to Dunharrow." Théoden turned to Éowyn, "Will you lead them, sister-daughter? The people trust you."
"What of Grima?" Éowyn asked her eyes cast down to the floor. "Would you not put him in command of the refugees?"
"Grima will ride with us." Théoden turned to his adviser. "Every man who can wield a sword and sit astride a horse will be expected to take arms."
"Then let me take up arms and come with you My Lord." Éowyn looked up at the King. "I am as valiant as any man and I fight as well. Let Grima lead the people to Dunharrow for I know he has no taste for war."
"I would not fight, My Lord." Grima spoke up now. "It is not in my nature or my bearing. Pray do as the lady says and let her join you in battle. I will lead the women and children and the two halflings to Dunharrow and safety."
"No!" Théoden was adamant. "I will not allow you to take arms sister-daughter. I know you wield a sword as well as any man, but do not ask me to suffer a maid to go into battle. It would cleave my heart if anything amiss should befall you."
"Yes My Lord." Éowyn knew that to argue would be pointless, but she looked with envy at her brother Éomer and then stole a sad glance at Aragorn. The tall ranger had become very close to her and begun to appreciate her skills as a healer. She wished that he and all the other men around her would acknowledge her skills as a warrior also. Should they fall in battle she would sooner be with them and facing death, than hiding in caves in the hills.
"And you Grima," Théoden continued contemptuously. "You will ride with us or take a horse and get you gone now. For we have no use for cowards at times of need such as this."
Grima made no reply but bowed low and backed to the door, he knew that his magic was spent. No longer could he whisper poison into the King's ear and manipulate the old man to his own, or his secret master, Saruman's will. He knew that Saruman had fallen, but that he was still alive and imprisoned in Orthanc. A plot had formed in his head to help the disgraced wizard and restore them both in the eyes of the Dark Lord.
The halflings, Grima reasoned, were cause of Saruman's downfall and they were also the wizard's offering to Sauron at the time of his defeat. He, Grima Wormtongue, would seize the little rats and take them to Isengard and then free Saruman and let him either take his revenge on the pair or offer them in tribute to Sauron. Their capture, he reasoned, would not be difficult as one could not see and the other could not speak or hear.
The turncoat for now was anxious to remove himself from the accusing gaze of the King and his new advisors. He bowed his way obsequiously out of the Great Hall.
****
Pippin awoke before Merry. His cousin was still wrapped around him and Pippin lay there in that first forgetfulness of waking, wondering where they were. Slowly he recalled why he felt so drained and tired. He had talked to Merry, but now he was trapped once more in his silent, lonely world. Perhaps it was worse for Merry, not being able to see, but the little hobbit wondered if it was as lonely.
Then he remembered what Legolas had told him. The Fellowship and all the Riders of Rohan were leaving – going off to do great deeds in the war – and he and Merry were to be left behind. Of course they would be in the way and of course there was little they could do to help, but it didn't make it any easier. Especially now that he had talked to Merry with Legolas's help. Once the elf was gone he would not even be able to talk to Legolas, let alone Merry. Perhaps Legolas would be killed, perhaps all of their friends would all be killed and never come back. The war would be lost, Middle Earth would be lost and he would never hear or talk again and Merry would never see him again.
Pippin untangled himself from the still sleeping Merry as he felt tears begin to fall. 'I have to stop thinking like this,' he told himself. But it was all too sad, he could see no hope, nothing good. The thought made him remember poor Boromir and the despair the man had felt in Lothlorien. '…and then he was killed by the Uruk Hai defending Merry and me. Maybe he knew something bad was going to happen.' The thought of their valiant defender, pierced with so many arrows as Merry and he were carried helplessly away, made him, if possible, even more depressed.
Pippin held Merry's hand for a moment, gazing lovingly but sadly at his sleeping cousin. Then his eyes wandered around the room. It was Aragorn's room, he had forgotten they were there. Aragorn would be going too, of course. Poor long-suffering Strider who had patiently nursed him and Merry when they had been so hurt and ill, never getting angry – well hardly ever – except maybe when he stole poppy paste.
Poppy paste – no more of that for certain once Strider was gone. Even though it had been quite a few days now since he had had any, Pippin suddenly felt a pang, a desperate need for some of the soothing mixture that made all his troubles seem to fade, all the pain go away. It even eased the loneliness for a short time.
Maybe there was some here, in Strider's bag, that was where he kept it. One little dip of his finger, what could it hurt? No one need know and it would make him feel better for a little while.
Pippin felt a sudden urgency to find the medicine before Merry woke up or Strider came back. He slung his drum over his back and, tucking the sticks in his waistband, climbed off the bed as quietly as he could and, very carefully, started to go through Aragorn's minimal luggage. The little hobbit was certain that the ranger would not travel without his magic paste, so it had to be in his newly packed bag.
The stealthy hobbit did not lift anything out of the loosely packed saddlebag but rummaged blindly around, feeling for the familiar wooden box. His hand touched something else. A smooth, cool object, that was electrifying to the touch.
Pippin knew at once that he desired this object more than anything else in Middle Earth. More than his new drum, more than mushrooms, more than poppy paste, more than hearing and talking, more even than his Merry. A clarion warning sounded in his mind as that thought flitted through, but now he had touched it, the desire for it overwhelmed him.
Carefully he lifted the dark glass orb from the bag and, hiding it beneath his shirt, he quietly opened the door.
****
TBC
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Updated A/N
One criticism in the original story was that I made the hobbits too childish. Well maybe, but do please remember that they have been through a hell of a time and Pippin, in particular, has no way of communicating except in a fairly childish manner. He is dyslexic when he writes and he is also pretty muddled when it comes to telepathy. I stand by that and would defy anyone - even telepaths - to say it isn't so – so there! Merry still communicates in a totally adult way, because he is not handicapped in the same way as Pippin, although he does help his cousin by spelling in the way Pip does. Merry is not dyslexic and can spell properly. Nevertheless, when I came to re-edit I decided that overall I agreed with that criticism and therefore I have tried to make them more adult in the rewrite and their treatment by others the same.
This is a bit of a scene setter rather than an action chapter, but you have to have 'em. I hope I've got some of you on the edge of your cliffs.
One question I was asked originally was "will there be more like Chapter 3?"
Well I left it up to the readers. Chapter 3 I felt there had a lot of negative feedback so I decided to leave it alone. I am not really a slash writer but will do it by popular request. However, I do think the two are very fond of each other and I think you can fill in the subtext to suit your own proclivities to a large extent.
Heddiwch!*
Llinos
*peace
Original Reviews for Chapter 28
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Pervinca |
2002-04-15 |
28 |
Signed |
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I'm probably not the first person to ask this but -- why is it that Pippin's thoughts to Legolas are like net speak yet when not "talking" to Legolas all his thoughts are spelled correctly, etc? Sorry, I know that must have been confusing, but it's kinda hard to explain. Anyway, will give a real review once I'm done reading. :) |
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Mr. BittleWinkle |
2002-04-12 |
28 |
Anonymous |
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Um...no more slash...unless it isn't too graphic (the last one wasn't too graphic btw). i mean, i don't mind it...but i usually dun't read anything GRAPHIC at all. but if the other readers want it i will just skip over... ^^ great job! |
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Adrienne D |
2002-04-12 |
28 |
Signed |
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O joy! Two wonderful chapters just simply begging me to read them- and read I did. Over and over and over again. Ahah, a new twist in this ever-changing tale. Dear Pippin... he should learn to heed the little voice in the back of your head. (speaking to Peregrin) 'Tis called your 'conscience', darling, and it can prove to be quite useful. Oh, but he can't hear me. Wake up, Merry! Hm, there's a thought. When Meriadoc _does_ wake up, how will he know Pippin has gone? He can't see him, and if he calls out for the young Hobbit, he cannot hear! This is quite a predicament, but I'm sure you'll make the best of it, as always, Llinos. ;) I always liked Eowyn (sorry, can't figure out how to do the accent on the E)- she's what I guess could be considered as one of the world's first feminists! And probably Middle Earth's _only_ feminist. You rock, mighty fighter-woman! Ahem.. well, all I have left to say is this: give me more! I swear, this to me is like Peregrin's poppy paste to him! Adiction is sweet, ne? Do keep up the wonderfull work, and yes, it's now a weekend so.. write, write, write! Luv ya, see ya, bye! ~*~Adrienne "It's exactly like one, but it's not." |
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FictionHobbit |
2002-04-12 |
28 |
Signed |
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Im crying... poor pippen. It's not right for him to have no hope. That's his function because he's the optimistic, innocent, sweet little Pippen... Damn the war |
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Roz Morgan and Race skylark |
2002-04-12 |
28 |
Signed |
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Heddiwich! what a cool word! sorry i'm back on track, Merry and Pippin are not childish, they have been through a lot and still can't talk/hear/see so being muddled is quite normal and i think Pip's soooo cute with his little muddled dislexic way of spelling and telepathy. yes doddaling through boring meetings is fun, mine are silly stick figurs, but you didn't want to know that. *I'm appeling for more chapter 3 stuff, your a great writer at what ever you tun your hand to it seams, you could handle another sceen like chapter 3 (with out evil nastyness though, make it sweet) expertly* and in respons to this chapter NO PIPPIN PUT IT DOWN! IT'S EVIL! more, more MORE! need to know what happens. |
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IF |
2002-04-12 |
28 |
Anonymous |
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Very good! I suspected Grima would do some sort of evil, knowing that he's there with the halflings and at the same time Saruman's right hand/aid. Is this the evil plot Marigold was pushing into your head? Oh yes and the Palantir...mmm. Cannot wait for that dear. But I should depart, so thanks and continue! ~IF~ |
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MarigoldG |
2002-04-12 |
28 |
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More even than Merry!? That IS indeed a warning thought, but of course the palantir has too great a hold on him to resist it...I'm getting scared here!! Honest! Poor Pippin ...poor Merry - this does NOT bode well....I'm so looking forward to the next few chapters (okay, the next 100 chapters !!) I really liked being privy to Pip's thoughts here...I really like 'hearing' the thoughts that motive the hobbits... Boo Wormtongue! I Really dislike him...if fact I like Spandex better and that's saying something...but he's shown his true colors here. Thank goodness the weekend is coming and you can write and write and write!! I can't wait to find out what happens next!! : ) |
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Mindel |
2002-04-11 |
28 |
Anonymous |
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AHHH!! More! I need more, please! Ooh, you can't just leave us like that! Ooh what's gonna happen to Pippin! I can't wait, cannot wait. Please hurry or I might just die! |
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Dindea |
2002-04-11 |
28 |
Anonymous |
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Who's saying you're not doing perfect. Grrrrr!(looks around for someone's head to bite off. Sees someone looking shifty) Right, you better watch it, mate. Anyway, great as always. in fact it's supercalifragilisticexpealidosious (sound it out. I always kinda pitied Grima, a guy that could have been good, but was under bad influences (sounds like some of my friends). However, I prefer this Grima. He's another for the "going to a very hot place full of lava and Mary-Sues." Keep up the good work! |
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Melanie |
2002-04-11 |
28 |
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Well, I for one don't think there is anything wrong with the way you are portraying either Merry or Pippin. It's perfect, and I'm loving it! And I would have to say that I really wouldn't enjoy anymore material like in Chapter 3. To tell the truth, I totally skipped over that chapter in the first place. I don't have anything against slash, or the people who like it or write it. However, this is Tolkien and I don't think people should really be messing with his characters and work in *that* way. Also, I have *always* seen Merry and Pippin as *very* close friends and almost like brothers, not just cousins; from the very first time I read the books to when I first saw the film. And I just have to say, sorry for not reviewing more often. You know I have been here from the very start, I just am usually too lazy to review *any* stories that I read. A bad habit I know. Anyway, I will be checking back a dozen times each day to see if you've updated. Great and Perfect work! |
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nonnie |
2002-04-11 |
28 |
Anonymous |
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Hello, I've been following this story all along, and I have to admit that I do agree with those who've said you're writing the hobbits--mostly Pippin, as too childish. Like you, I'm a mother, and while I do agree that being traumatized as they have would have an impact, I don't think it would regress Pippin so far. That said, you've got some lovely stuff here, and I've quite enjoyed reading the tale and I'm looking forward to what happens next. Oh, and my vote would be for the closeness you've got going without the slash element. I think you're portraying the hobbits just fine in this chapter and the last. They're very emotional and very close and it doesn't have to be slashy. Your story has a different purpose, and I think to add that in at this point would detract from the other goings on--and your readers don't want that! |
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