Chapter 29-Of Tears and Trees
'How could they? How could they? ' Diamond spluttered at Malva. She'd come round her best friend's house, not knowing what else to do. She'd explained and cried into her friend's shoulder, and not refused the drink when it was offered. She was hunched in her Malva's armchair, eyes red and sore.
'I just wouldn't have thought Pip would. I mean, most of The Shire knew the rumours about Merry, though they weren't much more than rumours but now.' her friend tried to explain. 'Rumours? Whassat allabout?' Diamond hiccupped.
'People thought Meriadoc was queer, just not liking lassies at all, even at an age where most hobbit lads were queuing up for them. There were a small group of them, when they were all tweenagers, who were just confused, I suppose, and didn't go out with lassies, instead preferring each other's company. Some of them even started sleeping with each other. Most of them have grown up rather and have wives now, but I guess Merry just hasn't quite decided yet, though he seemed to be getting better recently' Diamond didn't know quite what to say. 'He's old enough to bloody well know better' retorted Diamond sullenly, 'I don't believe Pippin would do such a thing. Merry pushed him into it, I'm sure.'
Diamond thought of how she'd come in, ready to greet them both and tell them how well it was all going and how happy it was going to be.damn that. And then seeing the two of them tangled up together, sprawling on the grass, and how she'd been too horrified to even call out.it just beggared belief. Glad you were having a good time, Pip. Wonder if you look that way when we're together, or if that's just some kind of sick act? Maybe you're thinking of Merry the whole time, instead of me, and wishing I were him?
Fresh tears started at this thought, and the hobbitlassie hiccupped miserably, imaging everything she knew of her husband-to-be to be fake. Malva sensibly offered her another hanky (she'd got through about six already) and went and sat by her. What could you do at a time like this anyway? If Pip'd been caught with another lassie (which she seriously doubted would happen), then you could just dismiss it as that, dump him and walk away. But this was another man-hobbit, close friend to both of them, if a little too close. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pippin was sitting in the tree. His shirt collar and cheeks were wet with tears. He wanted just to climb as high as his weight would allow, then climb until the branches broke and he wouldn't have to live with what he'd done.
His fault, his fault! Fool of bloody stupid Took, letting Merry do that. So Merry was lonely! He was acutely aware he'd not paid nearly enough attention to his lifetime friend, so now he was suffering the consequences. Would there still be a wedding? 'Peregrin,' He told himself, 'Diamond is wurth far mair tha' ye. Ye doan't deserve. anyone, let alone her. And she, she deserves someboady who isnea gonna try aind shag his best friend th' miniut she turns her back!!!'.
He slumped there, not knowing what to do, or if there was even anything to do. Hours passed while he thought. The sun was getting low in the sky. He just wanted to go to sleep and wake up next to her like he usually did, watching the sunlight on her skin and hair, watching her breathe, just lying there slumbering. He couldn't ever imagine doing that with Merry. Well, not again. Merry snored like a hog anyway, and probably still did, even after fifteen years had passed.
He couldn't care less whether he hunched there forever, in the tree, but he was starting to ache. He couldn't face sleeping at his own home, and Diamond would probably rather beat him senseless with a club than let him in her house. He reached into his pocket for his already soaking handkerchief to try and dry the tears on his face.
His fingers brushed against something else, hidden deep in his pocket. He pulled them out. A handful of spare wedding invites. And a filled-up inkpen he'd been using to write the invitations. He could have laughed out loud with how stupid they seemed, and was about to tear up the paper when an idea came to him. Yes, it was still light enough to write things. He began to scribble.
'How could they? How could they? ' Diamond spluttered at Malva. She'd come round her best friend's house, not knowing what else to do. She'd explained and cried into her friend's shoulder, and not refused the drink when it was offered. She was hunched in her Malva's armchair, eyes red and sore.
'I just wouldn't have thought Pip would. I mean, most of The Shire knew the rumours about Merry, though they weren't much more than rumours but now.' her friend tried to explain. 'Rumours? Whassat allabout?' Diamond hiccupped.
'People thought Meriadoc was queer, just not liking lassies at all, even at an age where most hobbit lads were queuing up for them. There were a small group of them, when they were all tweenagers, who were just confused, I suppose, and didn't go out with lassies, instead preferring each other's company. Some of them even started sleeping with each other. Most of them have grown up rather and have wives now, but I guess Merry just hasn't quite decided yet, though he seemed to be getting better recently' Diamond didn't know quite what to say. 'He's old enough to bloody well know better' retorted Diamond sullenly, 'I don't believe Pippin would do such a thing. Merry pushed him into it, I'm sure.'
Diamond thought of how she'd come in, ready to greet them both and tell them how well it was all going and how happy it was going to be.damn that. And then seeing the two of them tangled up together, sprawling on the grass, and how she'd been too horrified to even call out.it just beggared belief. Glad you were having a good time, Pip. Wonder if you look that way when we're together, or if that's just some kind of sick act? Maybe you're thinking of Merry the whole time, instead of me, and wishing I were him?
Fresh tears started at this thought, and the hobbitlassie hiccupped miserably, imaging everything she knew of her husband-to-be to be fake. Malva sensibly offered her another hanky (she'd got through about six already) and went and sat by her. What could you do at a time like this anyway? If Pip'd been caught with another lassie (which she seriously doubted would happen), then you could just dismiss it as that, dump him and walk away. But this was another man-hobbit, close friend to both of them, if a little too close. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pippin was sitting in the tree. His shirt collar and cheeks were wet with tears. He wanted just to climb as high as his weight would allow, then climb until the branches broke and he wouldn't have to live with what he'd done.
His fault, his fault! Fool of bloody stupid Took, letting Merry do that. So Merry was lonely! He was acutely aware he'd not paid nearly enough attention to his lifetime friend, so now he was suffering the consequences. Would there still be a wedding? 'Peregrin,' He told himself, 'Diamond is wurth far mair tha' ye. Ye doan't deserve. anyone, let alone her. And she, she deserves someboady who isnea gonna try aind shag his best friend th' miniut she turns her back!!!'.
He slumped there, not knowing what to do, or if there was even anything to do. Hours passed while he thought. The sun was getting low in the sky. He just wanted to go to sleep and wake up next to her like he usually did, watching the sunlight on her skin and hair, watching her breathe, just lying there slumbering. He couldn't ever imagine doing that with Merry. Well, not again. Merry snored like a hog anyway, and probably still did, even after fifteen years had passed.
He couldn't care less whether he hunched there forever, in the tree, but he was starting to ache. He couldn't face sleeping at his own home, and Diamond would probably rather beat him senseless with a club than let him in her house. He reached into his pocket for his already soaking handkerchief to try and dry the tears on his face.
His fingers brushed against something else, hidden deep in his pocket. He pulled them out. A handful of spare wedding invites. And a filled-up inkpen he'd been using to write the invitations. He could have laughed out loud with how stupid they seemed, and was about to tear up the paper when an idea came to him. Yes, it was still light enough to write things. He began to scribble.