A/N: Thank you all for the fabulous reviews. They mean very much to me.
This chapter is really for.I don't know what yet.
Rusta Iira By: PTB
Chapter 3: Defending Your Honor
"Oi, if this hill goes much higher we're all gonna' fall down and have to start over again!" Merry panted, shifting the weight of his pack, and Frodo had to agree with him. Their camping spot had been easy enough to get down to, but it was a lot harder to get back to Bag End. Pippin was struggling along between Frodo and Sam, both reaching down to help the young hobbit every so often when he would stumble. "Frodo I'm hot! Can't we rest a minute?" He asked, face red and chest aching. "Not on the hill Pippin, love. If we did I'd be harder to get going again. But as soon as we get to the top, we can rest." "The top can't come soon enough." Pippin groaned. Merry smiled at the nine year old, and got down on one knee. "Climb on up then, Pip." The hobbit lad let out an excited squeal, and quickly climbed up so that his knees were over his cousin's shoulders and he was hanging onto his head. Frodo shot Merry a questioning look, but he just nodded his head. Sam shrugged to Frodo, and they started up again with Merry lagging further behind with the added weight of Pippin and his pack. It was another fifteen minutes before the four had managed to get to the top, and were very surprised to find someone there waiting for them. "Da'!" Pippin gasped, very confused. He was supposed to be staying another week at Bag End, what was his dad doing there? Paladin Took looked none to pleased as he watched them all stop, and his eyes narrowed almost to slits as he saw his son perched on Merry's shoulders. "I heard some hobbit lads were swimming down here." He said, voice void of any emotion. "Just one sir." Merry said quietly to his feet, face blushing red. Paladin eyed him with a look that made it clear that Merry was already marked for something. "You weren't teaching my son, where you?" "No sir," Merry looked up from his feet, his eyes suddenly steeled, "I would not do so without your permission and the supervision of an adult." Paladin snorted. "Don't see why, you go against your parents wishes often enough." Merry's face flushed red again, and he hung his head down. He would not let his Uncle see how close those words brought him to tears. Frodo and Sam looked at each other, forgotten for the moment. "What else is the matter Da'?" Pippin asked, unaware of the quivering muscles beneath him. Paladin lifted his eyes off Merry to look at his son again. "I heard you two were involved in a fight in Hobbiton the other day." Pippin looked at his father in confusion. "We haven't been into Hobbit for almost a week, Da'. And the last fight would have been almost a month ago." Paladin looked doubtful. "Do not lie to me, Peregrin." Merry winced as Pippin stiffened, suddenly frightened. The only time he was called Peregrin was when he was in trouble. Merry looked up, gulping. "It was my fault Uncle Paladin." He gulped, as Pippin looked at him curiously, and Frodo shook his head. Taking the blame for something was one thing, but lying to take the blame was something else entirely. All four hobbit lads knew Merry had not been where it was claimed he was.or did they? "Uncle Bilbo sent me on an errand, when the others were out helping Gaffer Gamgee with the garden. I ran into a Boldger boy, and he started calling me names. So I hit him, and." "MERIADOC BRANDYBUCK!" Paladin roared, and the boy winced. "You just wait until I tell your father! That is not the way for the heir of Buckland," neither Merry nor Frodo missed the slight sneer he said this sentence with, "to act! You." Paladin suddenly smiled, a look of malice on his face, "you're setting a very poor example for your cousin. Until further notice, you are not allowed to see Peregrin again!" All four hobbit boys head's snapped up, the two youngest having identical expressions of shock on their face. "No!" Merry yelled in horror, eye wide with a sudden expression of fright. "Uncle Paladin, you wouldn't.you can't." "And why can't I?" Paladin sneered, eyes shining with masked delight. "He is my son, and heir, and I shall be the one to decide who he can and cannot associate with! Come, Pippin." Pippin's hazel eyes had been welling with tears, which now spilled out of his eyes. "No! No Da', please! I'll be good, honest I will! It's not Merry's fault!" Paladin narrowed his eyes at his son. "Now, Peregrin!" "No!" Pippin sobbed, burying his face in Merry's curls. Paladin was about to take a step forward, but Merry dropped to his knees. Reaching his arms up, he caught Pippin under the shoulders and lifted him down. "You better do what he says," Merry said softly, not meeting Pippin's teary gaze, "I don't want you getting in trouble because of me." "But Merry.it's not fair! I'm never gonna' see you again!" Merry looked up, and had to fight his own tears when he met Pippin's gaze. "Sure you will Pippers. We'll see each other again someday. I promise." Pippin nodded tearfully, and Paladin scooped him up in his arms. "We'll see if you can keep that promise Meriadoc." Paladin whispered, so that only Merry could hear. Merry's eyes welled with tears, but he squared his shoulders, stood up, and looked at Paladin with as much courage and defiance as he could muster. He stayed in that same ridged pose until the pair where out of sight, before he fell to his knees again in a flood of tears. Frodo and Sam ran over to him then, and Frodo laid a hand on Merry's back. "I'll never see him again!" Merry sobbed, clutching his aching chest. "Never again." "Why did you say that Merry, you didn't fight anyone!" Merry shook his head. "I did Frodo, I wasn't lying. The kid was making fun of my Papa, and then he spit on me. So I stood up for myself this time, I gave that kid a licking he won't soon forget. Lucky it wasn't in the middle of town, or it would have been ten to one odds." Frodo hugged Merry close as he sobbed heavily, looking like he was going to be sick. Sam sat awkwardly on the obviously distressed hobbit's other side. Merry looked fiercely in the direction his uncle and small cousin had gone. "It's all because of my name, Frodo!" The seventeen year old stated, voice more firm and even than before, though waterfalls still leaked from his eyes. "If I wasn't a Brandybuck." "I know," Frodo soothed, even though he knew he didn't. How he longed to make Merry understand that there was more to this world then the hate he was shown, but knew he couldn't. He would have to figure it out himself. "Lets go back to Bag End, Merry one." Merry just nodded and, with the help of Frodo and Sam, stumbled back toward the welcoming, comforting, arms of his older cousin.
End A/N: Dun dun dun, the plot thickens! ^_^!
BluJay: I'm glad you liked it. And I'm updating as fast as I possibly can.
Lady Myself: I'm sorry you're struggling to read it, but I'm glad you're making the effort and taking time to review. It is greatly appreciated!
Nutmae: Thank you very much. That's what I view fan fiction as. A way to add depth to characters.
Eriks-lil-rocker: I loved that part in Two Towers also. It was a superb Merry Moment, and Dominic did so well! And there is plenty more Merry to come, don't you worry!
katakanadian: Thanks for the English lesson, actually. I have that problem as a general rule. As for the punctuation I actually do indent, but due to the format of FF.Net it doesn't show up.
Halo: Done more, where's my plushie? ;)
Lora: Here is your update ^_^
Jenny: If you haven't read the books, you should. They're excellent. And I'm glad you liked part 2. How was this part?
StarDust: I am very fond of my muse. I'm not sure where it comes from or what it is, but it does its job well.
Whitney: I'm very glad I've kept your interest! I hope this did the same this time!
Lady Hummingbird: I like the new name. I hope this part did justice. I don't really like it, but I had to get this plot launched somehow. And I will update as regularly as possible.
MEsTuPgCsCrEaMeR: Maybe I didn't make it clear, but the other hobbits really were jealous of Merry's ability, so don't worry ^_^.
Amrunofthesummercountry: I'm glad you like my story that much! And the whole point of the story was to show how horrible prejudice really is. I'm very glad you picked up on that. And it's okay to be weird, I know I am.
Rusta Iira By: PTB
Chapter 3: Defending Your Honor
"Oi, if this hill goes much higher we're all gonna' fall down and have to start over again!" Merry panted, shifting the weight of his pack, and Frodo had to agree with him. Their camping spot had been easy enough to get down to, but it was a lot harder to get back to Bag End. Pippin was struggling along between Frodo and Sam, both reaching down to help the young hobbit every so often when he would stumble. "Frodo I'm hot! Can't we rest a minute?" He asked, face red and chest aching. "Not on the hill Pippin, love. If we did I'd be harder to get going again. But as soon as we get to the top, we can rest." "The top can't come soon enough." Pippin groaned. Merry smiled at the nine year old, and got down on one knee. "Climb on up then, Pip." The hobbit lad let out an excited squeal, and quickly climbed up so that his knees were over his cousin's shoulders and he was hanging onto his head. Frodo shot Merry a questioning look, but he just nodded his head. Sam shrugged to Frodo, and they started up again with Merry lagging further behind with the added weight of Pippin and his pack. It was another fifteen minutes before the four had managed to get to the top, and were very surprised to find someone there waiting for them. "Da'!" Pippin gasped, very confused. He was supposed to be staying another week at Bag End, what was his dad doing there? Paladin Took looked none to pleased as he watched them all stop, and his eyes narrowed almost to slits as he saw his son perched on Merry's shoulders. "I heard some hobbit lads were swimming down here." He said, voice void of any emotion. "Just one sir." Merry said quietly to his feet, face blushing red. Paladin eyed him with a look that made it clear that Merry was already marked for something. "You weren't teaching my son, where you?" "No sir," Merry looked up from his feet, his eyes suddenly steeled, "I would not do so without your permission and the supervision of an adult." Paladin snorted. "Don't see why, you go against your parents wishes often enough." Merry's face flushed red again, and he hung his head down. He would not let his Uncle see how close those words brought him to tears. Frodo and Sam looked at each other, forgotten for the moment. "What else is the matter Da'?" Pippin asked, unaware of the quivering muscles beneath him. Paladin lifted his eyes off Merry to look at his son again. "I heard you two were involved in a fight in Hobbiton the other day." Pippin looked at his father in confusion. "We haven't been into Hobbit for almost a week, Da'. And the last fight would have been almost a month ago." Paladin looked doubtful. "Do not lie to me, Peregrin." Merry winced as Pippin stiffened, suddenly frightened. The only time he was called Peregrin was when he was in trouble. Merry looked up, gulping. "It was my fault Uncle Paladin." He gulped, as Pippin looked at him curiously, and Frodo shook his head. Taking the blame for something was one thing, but lying to take the blame was something else entirely. All four hobbit lads knew Merry had not been where it was claimed he was.or did they? "Uncle Bilbo sent me on an errand, when the others were out helping Gaffer Gamgee with the garden. I ran into a Boldger boy, and he started calling me names. So I hit him, and." "MERIADOC BRANDYBUCK!" Paladin roared, and the boy winced. "You just wait until I tell your father! That is not the way for the heir of Buckland," neither Merry nor Frodo missed the slight sneer he said this sentence with, "to act! You." Paladin suddenly smiled, a look of malice on his face, "you're setting a very poor example for your cousin. Until further notice, you are not allowed to see Peregrin again!" All four hobbit boys head's snapped up, the two youngest having identical expressions of shock on their face. "No!" Merry yelled in horror, eye wide with a sudden expression of fright. "Uncle Paladin, you wouldn't.you can't." "And why can't I?" Paladin sneered, eyes shining with masked delight. "He is my son, and heir, and I shall be the one to decide who he can and cannot associate with! Come, Pippin." Pippin's hazel eyes had been welling with tears, which now spilled out of his eyes. "No! No Da', please! I'll be good, honest I will! It's not Merry's fault!" Paladin narrowed his eyes at his son. "Now, Peregrin!" "No!" Pippin sobbed, burying his face in Merry's curls. Paladin was about to take a step forward, but Merry dropped to his knees. Reaching his arms up, he caught Pippin under the shoulders and lifted him down. "You better do what he says," Merry said softly, not meeting Pippin's teary gaze, "I don't want you getting in trouble because of me." "But Merry.it's not fair! I'm never gonna' see you again!" Merry looked up, and had to fight his own tears when he met Pippin's gaze. "Sure you will Pippers. We'll see each other again someday. I promise." Pippin nodded tearfully, and Paladin scooped him up in his arms. "We'll see if you can keep that promise Meriadoc." Paladin whispered, so that only Merry could hear. Merry's eyes welled with tears, but he squared his shoulders, stood up, and looked at Paladin with as much courage and defiance as he could muster. He stayed in that same ridged pose until the pair where out of sight, before he fell to his knees again in a flood of tears. Frodo and Sam ran over to him then, and Frodo laid a hand on Merry's back. "I'll never see him again!" Merry sobbed, clutching his aching chest. "Never again." "Why did you say that Merry, you didn't fight anyone!" Merry shook his head. "I did Frodo, I wasn't lying. The kid was making fun of my Papa, and then he spit on me. So I stood up for myself this time, I gave that kid a licking he won't soon forget. Lucky it wasn't in the middle of town, or it would have been ten to one odds." Frodo hugged Merry close as he sobbed heavily, looking like he was going to be sick. Sam sat awkwardly on the obviously distressed hobbit's other side. Merry looked fiercely in the direction his uncle and small cousin had gone. "It's all because of my name, Frodo!" The seventeen year old stated, voice more firm and even than before, though waterfalls still leaked from his eyes. "If I wasn't a Brandybuck." "I know," Frodo soothed, even though he knew he didn't. How he longed to make Merry understand that there was more to this world then the hate he was shown, but knew he couldn't. He would have to figure it out himself. "Lets go back to Bag End, Merry one." Merry just nodded and, with the help of Frodo and Sam, stumbled back toward the welcoming, comforting, arms of his older cousin.
End A/N: Dun dun dun, the plot thickens! ^_^!
BluJay: I'm glad you liked it. And I'm updating as fast as I possibly can.
Lady Myself: I'm sorry you're struggling to read it, but I'm glad you're making the effort and taking time to review. It is greatly appreciated!
Nutmae: Thank you very much. That's what I view fan fiction as. A way to add depth to characters.
Eriks-lil-rocker: I loved that part in Two Towers also. It was a superb Merry Moment, and Dominic did so well! And there is plenty more Merry to come, don't you worry!
katakanadian: Thanks for the English lesson, actually. I have that problem as a general rule. As for the punctuation I actually do indent, but due to the format of FF.Net it doesn't show up.
Halo: Done more, where's my plushie? ;)
Lora: Here is your update ^_^
Jenny: If you haven't read the books, you should. They're excellent. And I'm glad you liked part 2. How was this part?
StarDust: I am very fond of my muse. I'm not sure where it comes from or what it is, but it does its job well.
Whitney: I'm very glad I've kept your interest! I hope this did the same this time!
Lady Hummingbird: I like the new name. I hope this part did justice. I don't really like it, but I had to get this plot launched somehow. And I will update as regularly as possible.
MEsTuPgCsCrEaMeR: Maybe I didn't make it clear, but the other hobbits really were jealous of Merry's ability, so don't worry ^_^.
Amrunofthesummercountry: I'm glad you like my story that much! And the whole point of the story was to show how horrible prejudice really is. I'm very glad you picked up on that. And it's okay to be weird, I know I am.