Disclaimer- See Chapter 1.
A/N- I'm very sorry about the wait between this chapter and the last, but life's been incredibly hectic lately. Thank you to everyone who has left a review. In response to GreyLadyBast's question, this is book-verse, though it is slightly AU since the real conspiracy wasn't formed until about a year before Frodo left the Shire. In my story, it's less than a year after Bilbo's 111 Birthday Party. Please enjoy this chapter, and reviews are still much appreciated. :)
Chapter 4- Plans
Frodo gave a sigh and leaned back in his chair, carefully tracing a path in his book with his finger. The path ran from the Hill of Bag End to the edge of the Shire, where the page just went blank. 'What is in that blank?' Frodo wondered. He picked up the book Merry had discovered the night before and skimmed through its pages. Stopping at one page, he read its title and followed another road with his eyes. Somewhere down the road was Rivendell, then the Misty Mountains, then the Long Lake and the Lonely Mountain, and beyond that...
Frodo did not know, and he didn't know anyone that did. "Except Gandalf, of course," he said out loud. The noise seemed strange, and Frodo suddenly realized why: Bag End was unusually quiet, to be occupied by two young hobbits and their older cousin.
Frodo pushed the chair away from his desk and stood up, stretching. He then walked to the door of his study and opened it. 'No, it's not entirely quiet,' he thought. He could hear a snatch of conversation from the direction of the kitchen. The hobbit nearly ran down the hall. If his younger cousins were in the kitchen, and they hadn't had second breakfast, AND it was nearly time for luncheon, who knew what state his storeroom would be in?
* * *
After enlisting Sam to be their spy (of sorts), Merry and Pippin felt it was high time for some plans. Well, actually, Pippin suggested they break for food. "After all, how can you think on an empty stomach?" he added.
Merry looked at him. "You don't use your stomach to think, Pip."
"No," Pippin admitted, "But it certainly helps me think if I'm not starving."
So, to keep the young Took from 'starving', they decided to go back to Bag End for late elevensies. Sam had, of course, wanted to go back to his gardening, but the cousins insisted that he hear their plan.
After getting out plenty of food, the three hobbits began to eat and talk. "But quietly," Merry said, looking down the hall in the direction of Frodo's study. "After all, we can't have a conspiracy discovered the day we make it."
"A conspiracy?" Sam repeated, already feeling doubtful about this agreement.
Merry realized he had not used quite the right words if he wanted the gardener to stay as their investigator. Fortunately, Pippin removed the need to say anything. "Yes," he said solemnly, "the Conspiracy of Frodo's Baby-sitters."
Merry stifled a laugh as Sam shook his head. "Now, Mr. Merry, Mr. Pippin, I thought you said we were going to be workin' on something. Otherwise, I can get back to my gardening an' you two can tell me what I need t'do when you find out yourselves."
The Brandybuck set his face into what he hoped was a sincere look. "Right, then. What we need to do is, er, is..." He trailed off, suddenly remembering the lack of a clear plan.
"We need to watch Frodo carefully, all day and all night, and keep an eye on what he's doing, where he's going, and who he's talking to," Pippin suggested.
"Exactly," Merry said, ruffling his cousin's curls fondly. "Do you think you can do that, Sam?"
"I'll do my best," Sam replied solemnly.
"Now that that's settled--"
"Let's eat!" Pippin finished triumphantly, already applying himself to his task. The other two joined him. Suddenly, they heard a loud noise, as if someone was running from somewhere to where they were. "What--" Pippin began, but the appearance of Frodo at the door of the kitchen silenced him.
Frodo's heartbeat slowed as he realized his cousins weren't emptying his larder, as he had feared. His brow wrinkled in confusion as he spotted Sam. "Sam, aren't you supposed to be--"
"Gardening, yes sir. I'll just be out there now," Sam mumbled, trying to disappear quickly so Frodo wouldn't notice anything amiss.
Merry pulled on his shirt to stop him and plopped him back in his seat. "Sam was telling Pip and me about all the flowers you have in your garden this year, Frodo," he explained, mentally willing Pippin and Sam to support this explanation.
"Yes," Pippin added, "about all the red things and the yellow..." He looked to Sam in desperation.
"The red ones are roses, Mr. Pippin, and the yellow are tulips," Sam supplied.
"Oh, of course. I forgot again, silly me."
"Now then cousin, would you like to join us for a late elevensies? Or early luncheon, whichever," Merry asked, hoping against hope that Frodo wouldn't notice the anxiety of the three conspirators.
"Um, no thank you, Merry. I'll just be in my study," Frodo replied. He turned on his heel, puzzling over the unusual actions of his cousins and Sam. He therefore missed the three relieved sighs that issued from the kitchen.
"That was close," Merry said as he slumped back into his seat.
Pippin was not as optimistic. "Merry, if we can hardly keep Frodo from discovering this conspiracy or whatever in one day, how are we going to keep it hidden from him until he decides to go somewhere?" he asked urgently.
Sam rose and made his way to the door. "I'll be in the garden if you two need to tell me anythin' else, Mr. Merry. Mr. Pippin."
"You're still with us, aren't you Sam?" Merry called, uncertain as to which way the gardener would answer.
"Of course I am, Mr. Merry. I just don't want Mr. Frodo to get any more suspicious about what we're doin' than he already is."
"Oh, right." Merry listened to the door shut and saw that Pippin was still looking at him questioningly. "I don't know, Pip. We'll figure out a way, though, right?"
"Right," Pippin answered confidently. He stuck out one hand and Merry shook it.
*TBC*
A/N- I'm very sorry about the wait between this chapter and the last, but life's been incredibly hectic lately. Thank you to everyone who has left a review. In response to GreyLadyBast's question, this is book-verse, though it is slightly AU since the real conspiracy wasn't formed until about a year before Frodo left the Shire. In my story, it's less than a year after Bilbo's 111 Birthday Party. Please enjoy this chapter, and reviews are still much appreciated. :)
Chapter 4- Plans
Frodo gave a sigh and leaned back in his chair, carefully tracing a path in his book with his finger. The path ran from the Hill of Bag End to the edge of the Shire, where the page just went blank. 'What is in that blank?' Frodo wondered. He picked up the book Merry had discovered the night before and skimmed through its pages. Stopping at one page, he read its title and followed another road with his eyes. Somewhere down the road was Rivendell, then the Misty Mountains, then the Long Lake and the Lonely Mountain, and beyond that...
Frodo did not know, and he didn't know anyone that did. "Except Gandalf, of course," he said out loud. The noise seemed strange, and Frodo suddenly realized why: Bag End was unusually quiet, to be occupied by two young hobbits and their older cousin.
Frodo pushed the chair away from his desk and stood up, stretching. He then walked to the door of his study and opened it. 'No, it's not entirely quiet,' he thought. He could hear a snatch of conversation from the direction of the kitchen. The hobbit nearly ran down the hall. If his younger cousins were in the kitchen, and they hadn't had second breakfast, AND it was nearly time for luncheon, who knew what state his storeroom would be in?
* * *
After enlisting Sam to be their spy (of sorts), Merry and Pippin felt it was high time for some plans. Well, actually, Pippin suggested they break for food. "After all, how can you think on an empty stomach?" he added.
Merry looked at him. "You don't use your stomach to think, Pip."
"No," Pippin admitted, "But it certainly helps me think if I'm not starving."
So, to keep the young Took from 'starving', they decided to go back to Bag End for late elevensies. Sam had, of course, wanted to go back to his gardening, but the cousins insisted that he hear their plan.
After getting out plenty of food, the three hobbits began to eat and talk. "But quietly," Merry said, looking down the hall in the direction of Frodo's study. "After all, we can't have a conspiracy discovered the day we make it."
"A conspiracy?" Sam repeated, already feeling doubtful about this agreement.
Merry realized he had not used quite the right words if he wanted the gardener to stay as their investigator. Fortunately, Pippin removed the need to say anything. "Yes," he said solemnly, "the Conspiracy of Frodo's Baby-sitters."
Merry stifled a laugh as Sam shook his head. "Now, Mr. Merry, Mr. Pippin, I thought you said we were going to be workin' on something. Otherwise, I can get back to my gardening an' you two can tell me what I need t'do when you find out yourselves."
The Brandybuck set his face into what he hoped was a sincere look. "Right, then. What we need to do is, er, is..." He trailed off, suddenly remembering the lack of a clear plan.
"We need to watch Frodo carefully, all day and all night, and keep an eye on what he's doing, where he's going, and who he's talking to," Pippin suggested.
"Exactly," Merry said, ruffling his cousin's curls fondly. "Do you think you can do that, Sam?"
"I'll do my best," Sam replied solemnly.
"Now that that's settled--"
"Let's eat!" Pippin finished triumphantly, already applying himself to his task. The other two joined him. Suddenly, they heard a loud noise, as if someone was running from somewhere to where they were. "What--" Pippin began, but the appearance of Frodo at the door of the kitchen silenced him.
Frodo's heartbeat slowed as he realized his cousins weren't emptying his larder, as he had feared. His brow wrinkled in confusion as he spotted Sam. "Sam, aren't you supposed to be--"
"Gardening, yes sir. I'll just be out there now," Sam mumbled, trying to disappear quickly so Frodo wouldn't notice anything amiss.
Merry pulled on his shirt to stop him and plopped him back in his seat. "Sam was telling Pip and me about all the flowers you have in your garden this year, Frodo," he explained, mentally willing Pippin and Sam to support this explanation.
"Yes," Pippin added, "about all the red things and the yellow..." He looked to Sam in desperation.
"The red ones are roses, Mr. Pippin, and the yellow are tulips," Sam supplied.
"Oh, of course. I forgot again, silly me."
"Now then cousin, would you like to join us for a late elevensies? Or early luncheon, whichever," Merry asked, hoping against hope that Frodo wouldn't notice the anxiety of the three conspirators.
"Um, no thank you, Merry. I'll just be in my study," Frodo replied. He turned on his heel, puzzling over the unusual actions of his cousins and Sam. He therefore missed the three relieved sighs that issued from the kitchen.
"That was close," Merry said as he slumped back into his seat.
Pippin was not as optimistic. "Merry, if we can hardly keep Frodo from discovering this conspiracy or whatever in one day, how are we going to keep it hidden from him until he decides to go somewhere?" he asked urgently.
Sam rose and made his way to the door. "I'll be in the garden if you two need to tell me anythin' else, Mr. Merry. Mr. Pippin."
"You're still with us, aren't you Sam?" Merry called, uncertain as to which way the gardener would answer.
"Of course I am, Mr. Merry. I just don't want Mr. Frodo to get any more suspicious about what we're doin' than he already is."
"Oh, right." Merry listened to the door shut and saw that Pippin was still looking at him questioningly. "I don't know, Pip. We'll figure out a way, though, right?"
"Right," Pippin answered confidently. He stuck out one hand and Merry shook it.
*TBC*