Chapter Three: And Now There Are Eight
Merry was lonely. Pip was supposed to be with him right now, sharing stories about stealing from Farmer Maggot, or setting off fireworks at Bilbo's 111th birthday. But no. He was off having the time of his life with Katie. And leaving him alone with his thoughts.
A knock came at the door. The girl Bethany walked in. "Hello," she said, dressed in her barkeep outfit. "Will you be needing anything this evening?"
"I need my best friend," Merry said sadly. "But he's fallen in love – or lust, whichever – and left me alone. Who am I supposed to goof off with now?"
"I may not be your best friend, but I can goof around with you," she said with a sly look in her eyes.
He smiled. "Thanks for the offer, but I'm not in the mood."
"Don't worry, I was joking," she assured him. "What brings your oddly assorted group here anyway?" she asked, sitting down next to him.
"You won't tell?" he asked.
"Never."
"One of Sauron's minions survived. His name is Torak. We have to go defeat him, since we're the former fellowship and all."
Her eyes widened. "YOU were part of the Fellowship of the Ring?"
"Yeah. Not a very important member though. All I managed to do was get caught by some orcs and get separated from the rest of them with Pip."
Bethany's eyes widened, if possible, even more. "You're Meriadoc Brandybuck?"
"Friends call me Merry."
"And the others....Peregrin Took....FRODO BAGGINS! My goodness...." she said in awe. "The one who held the ring of power...."
"Yes, it's all pretty amazing," Merry said. "But I'm lonely."
"Poor Merry," Bethany said sympathetically. "I do have to admit something. I know who Torak is. I know where he is."
Merry gasped. "How?"
"I was one of his slaves. I recognized Katie and Kayla, but I don't think they recognized me. I wasn't very well known. Everyone knew Katie and Kayla, cause they made life for Torak a living hell."
"I can see them doing that," Merry said. "I'd tell you to go talk to them about joining the fellowship, but they're probably busy...so talk to them in the morning. I hope you can come. It sounds like I'm – I mean we're gonna need you."
They all arose the next morning cranky, due to the fact very few actually went to sleep. As a group the trudged down the stairs to the bar to try and catch a bit of breakfast. There was Bethany smiling at the group and bringing them a few trays of oatmeal and juice. "Good morning." She greeted them cheerfully.
"Not really." Katie responded. Merry acted as if she said nothing.
"Morning to you too, what's for breakfast?"
"I hope you guys enjoy oatmeal," Bethany said laying the trays on a nearby table for them.
"You mean gruel." Katie griped.
"You're going to have to pardon my friend here," Kayla explained "She's not a morning person."
"I know, Kathleen has never been a morning person...." Bethany said.
"How..."
"I've known you guys for quite a while." Kayla studied her closely.
"Beth? Bethany Yoakem?"
"That's me, the slave everyone forgot," Beth smiled sadly. "You guys were the heroes....I was just a follower. But that's not important. I know where Torak was."
"Where?" Katie demanded.
Beth held up her hand. "Not so fast, my not-so-perky friend. I know where he was....two months ago. But if you visit there you might be able to find some information."
"Okay, where?"
"You have to let me come along with you on the quest," Beth said. "Or I'm not telling."
Merry looked up. "I think she would be very helpful."
Katie shot him a glance. "Not you too."
"Shut up."
"Alright. You can come," Katie reluctantly agreed. Kayla bounced up and down with joy.
"Whee! A counterpart who isn't a stubborn bitch! YES!"
Katie glared at Kayla a moment, whose jumping was beginning to subside under Katie's furious stare.
"Well, let's go then. I believe I've had enough gruel for the day."
Merry was lonely. Pip was supposed to be with him right now, sharing stories about stealing from Farmer Maggot, or setting off fireworks at Bilbo's 111th birthday. But no. He was off having the time of his life with Katie. And leaving him alone with his thoughts.
A knock came at the door. The girl Bethany walked in. "Hello," she said, dressed in her barkeep outfit. "Will you be needing anything this evening?"
"I need my best friend," Merry said sadly. "But he's fallen in love – or lust, whichever – and left me alone. Who am I supposed to goof off with now?"
"I may not be your best friend, but I can goof around with you," she said with a sly look in her eyes.
He smiled. "Thanks for the offer, but I'm not in the mood."
"Don't worry, I was joking," she assured him. "What brings your oddly assorted group here anyway?" she asked, sitting down next to him.
"You won't tell?" he asked.
"Never."
"One of Sauron's minions survived. His name is Torak. We have to go defeat him, since we're the former fellowship and all."
Her eyes widened. "YOU were part of the Fellowship of the Ring?"
"Yeah. Not a very important member though. All I managed to do was get caught by some orcs and get separated from the rest of them with Pip."
Bethany's eyes widened, if possible, even more. "You're Meriadoc Brandybuck?"
"Friends call me Merry."
"And the others....Peregrin Took....FRODO BAGGINS! My goodness...." she said in awe. "The one who held the ring of power...."
"Yes, it's all pretty amazing," Merry said. "But I'm lonely."
"Poor Merry," Bethany said sympathetically. "I do have to admit something. I know who Torak is. I know where he is."
Merry gasped. "How?"
"I was one of his slaves. I recognized Katie and Kayla, but I don't think they recognized me. I wasn't very well known. Everyone knew Katie and Kayla, cause they made life for Torak a living hell."
"I can see them doing that," Merry said. "I'd tell you to go talk to them about joining the fellowship, but they're probably busy...so talk to them in the morning. I hope you can come. It sounds like I'm – I mean we're gonna need you."
They all arose the next morning cranky, due to the fact very few actually went to sleep. As a group the trudged down the stairs to the bar to try and catch a bit of breakfast. There was Bethany smiling at the group and bringing them a few trays of oatmeal and juice. "Good morning." She greeted them cheerfully.
"Not really." Katie responded. Merry acted as if she said nothing.
"Morning to you too, what's for breakfast?"
"I hope you guys enjoy oatmeal," Bethany said laying the trays on a nearby table for them.
"You mean gruel." Katie griped.
"You're going to have to pardon my friend here," Kayla explained "She's not a morning person."
"I know, Kathleen has never been a morning person...." Bethany said.
"How..."
"I've known you guys for quite a while." Kayla studied her closely.
"Beth? Bethany Yoakem?"
"That's me, the slave everyone forgot," Beth smiled sadly. "You guys were the heroes....I was just a follower. But that's not important. I know where Torak was."
"Where?" Katie demanded.
Beth held up her hand. "Not so fast, my not-so-perky friend. I know where he was....two months ago. But if you visit there you might be able to find some information."
"Okay, where?"
"You have to let me come along with you on the quest," Beth said. "Or I'm not telling."
Merry looked up. "I think she would be very helpful."
Katie shot him a glance. "Not you too."
"Shut up."
"Alright. You can come," Katie reluctantly agreed. Kayla bounced up and down with joy.
"Whee! A counterpart who isn't a stubborn bitch! YES!"
Katie glared at Kayla a moment, whose jumping was beginning to subside under Katie's furious stare.
"Well, let's go then. I believe I've had enough gruel for the day."