A/N: Well all, school has started again so updates are going to be limited to probably one a week :(! Sorry. I do, however, PROMISE to finish this story.
Rusta Iira
By: PTB
Chapter 8: Heal my heart
"Saradoc!" Merry looked up from his place on the couch, as his father came running past to the source of the yell.
"Frodo? Come in boy, come in! No use standing out there!" Merry got to his feet and ran over, finding Sam and Frodo standing in the doorway. "Well come on, sit down, have something to eat."
"We can't." Frodo said firmly, and stuck his hand out. "This is an urgent letter from Esmerlda." Merry lost all dignity at this, and zoomed out from his hiding spot in that shadows.
"Mammy? You saw her Frodo? Is she all right? Is she hurt? How's Pip? What's going on? Why didn't she come home?" Saradoc took the note from Frodo with a face that showed no emotion, and Frodo turned to Merry while he read it, unsure of how to answer. So, he concluded the best course of action was to get some of his own questions answered.
"Merry how are you?"
"...Fine..." But both Sam and Frodo could see that the boy was not fine. His normally tan skin seemed to be void of all color, his eyes were somewhat glassy, and his small hand was bandaged.
"Merry please don't..." Frodo didn't get to finish his request, as Saradoc began to read out loud, in a voice shaking with anger.
"Saradoc, please understand that I did not leave you and Merry alone intentionally at this time. Paladin has finally done what he's threatened to do in all the letters he's sent me since we were married and 'brought me back to where I belong'. I can't get out Saradoc; I'm stuck in one of the Smials. I'm sure one of my nieces or Pippin would let me out if they could, but Paladin wears the key around his neck. You cannot attack them! It will be disastrous if you do! You have to come and reason with Paladin, before he attacks you first! Think of Pearl, Pervincia, and Pimpernel. Think of little Pippin, and the other children! And if nothing else, Saradoc, think of your son! Please, just reason with Paladin! Don't forget, I love you still, Esmerelda Brandybuck." Merry looked at his father wide eyed as he tore the note into little pieces and threw them to the ground.
"If Paladin Took thinks he can get away with kidnapping then he has another thing coming! I was hoping this war would scare him into admitting he was wrong, but it appears I have no choice now then to wipe out the whole clan!" Frodo and Sam exchanged fearful glances.
"You can tell ol' Paladin to meet us at the Green Hills five days from tonight, Frodo! The Brandybucks will be ready!" Saradoc stormed off, heading to none of them knew where. Frodo turned to Merry, dawning the pleading look that had worked so well on Pippin.
"Merry, reason with him! Please!" But the eyes that looked back at him were not the laughing eyes of the boy both hobbits were used too. Instead they looked like green steel and ice. His voice was toneless when he spoke.
"No Frodo. He's right. They've gone to far this time." Frodo was taken aback.
"Merry..."
"He can hurt me all he wants Frodo, but...when he hurts my mammy...that's the end of it!" Merry clenched his fists and stared at them with dark eyes. "They have to pay for hurting her, for hurting us."
"What about Pippin?" Frodo tried, even though he knew he was grasping at straws. For a moment Sam thought he saw a change come over Merry's face. His eyes softened, and he looked almost like the hobbit boy he'd once found wandering near Bag End who'd lost his family while wandering in the woods. He looked...he looked like Frodo after his parents had died, when he'd first come to Bag end and into Bilbo's care. But as quickly as the change came on, it vanished.
"They have to pay Frodo...for what they've done they all have to pay." Frodo bit his bottom lip and turned away.
"If you really feel that way, Merry, then I cannot stop you. But you're making a big mistake. Come on Sam." Frodo turned to the door and walked out. Sam looked at Merry for a moment.
"Do what you're heart tells you, Mister Merry. You're a lot smarter then you let on, that's true, but you're heart will tell you what you're head don't know, and make no mistake." With that Sam turned and followed Frodo. Merry looked after them for a moment, tears suddenly springing to his eyes and he valiantly tried to fight them off.
"Frodo, Sam, wait!" He called, to soft for them to hear. He couldn't bring himself to yell louder, and he choked back a sob, leaned against the wall behind him, and slid to the floor trembling from head to toe. From somewhere outside, the horn of Buckland rose into the still air.
AWAKE! FEAR! FIRE! FOES! AWAKE!
Merry's trembling hand came up to his face, trying to hide the tears that had begun to escape from his valiant effort to hold them back.
"This is all my fault." He whispered hoarsely.
Bilbo was pacing his study in Bag End, the old map in his hand completely forgotten. Why had he told Frodo there wasn't any hurry? There wasn't time to waste! He had seen what war could do, what it does! It kills people, people you love and care about. The image of you Meriadoc fighting, because he would fight, and dieing on the battlefield was seared into his mind, and shook him to the very core. This war was madness, but they didn't comprehend that because they'd never experienced it! He'd always thought that a bit of excitement would do them all a bit of good, but this was sheer madness! They would learn when they lost their children to a cause neither was sure about. To a cause that they didn't understand, because they really didn't know what they were fighting for. Innocent blood would be shed for a reason that wasn't right either way! He had to make them see just how horrible this whole idea was! If he didn't make them understand then...he shuddered thinking about it as the image resurfaced of the boy's green eyes lifeless and glassy like the eyes of some of his dwarf friends after...
That could not happen! He would not let it happen! He hoped that Frodo had gotten the message to Paladin in time. They had to have some sense knocked into them, even if he had to do it with a stick!
"Oh stickle bats!" He yelled to the empty hobbit hole. "Why isn't Gandalf here now?"
End A/N: *hands out Merry plushies to all who answered that Fili and Kili were dwarfs from The Hobbit, which was everyone* Very very good! Fili and Kili were my favorites, and it only seemed fitting that Bilbo name his ponies after them after they...well anyway... Sorry this chapter is so short. But I have homework and stuff to do :P! However, I do know this. There are about five chapters to go, including the next one. I have them all planned out and they're going to be really cool! Later Days!
-PTB
PS- I noticed that the horn of Buckland wasn't blown since after the fell winter, but it fit so well I didn't want to change it. So, sorry about that little inconsistency!
PPS- *screams, jumping up and down* I have over ninety reviews! You guys ROCK!
Rusta Iira
By: PTB
Chapter 8: Heal my heart
"Saradoc!" Merry looked up from his place on the couch, as his father came running past to the source of the yell.
"Frodo? Come in boy, come in! No use standing out there!" Merry got to his feet and ran over, finding Sam and Frodo standing in the doorway. "Well come on, sit down, have something to eat."
"We can't." Frodo said firmly, and stuck his hand out. "This is an urgent letter from Esmerlda." Merry lost all dignity at this, and zoomed out from his hiding spot in that shadows.
"Mammy? You saw her Frodo? Is she all right? Is she hurt? How's Pip? What's going on? Why didn't she come home?" Saradoc took the note from Frodo with a face that showed no emotion, and Frodo turned to Merry while he read it, unsure of how to answer. So, he concluded the best course of action was to get some of his own questions answered.
"Merry how are you?"
"...Fine..." But both Sam and Frodo could see that the boy was not fine. His normally tan skin seemed to be void of all color, his eyes were somewhat glassy, and his small hand was bandaged.
"Merry please don't..." Frodo didn't get to finish his request, as Saradoc began to read out loud, in a voice shaking with anger.
"Saradoc, please understand that I did not leave you and Merry alone intentionally at this time. Paladin has finally done what he's threatened to do in all the letters he's sent me since we were married and 'brought me back to where I belong'. I can't get out Saradoc; I'm stuck in one of the Smials. I'm sure one of my nieces or Pippin would let me out if they could, but Paladin wears the key around his neck. You cannot attack them! It will be disastrous if you do! You have to come and reason with Paladin, before he attacks you first! Think of Pearl, Pervincia, and Pimpernel. Think of little Pippin, and the other children! And if nothing else, Saradoc, think of your son! Please, just reason with Paladin! Don't forget, I love you still, Esmerelda Brandybuck." Merry looked at his father wide eyed as he tore the note into little pieces and threw them to the ground.
"If Paladin Took thinks he can get away with kidnapping then he has another thing coming! I was hoping this war would scare him into admitting he was wrong, but it appears I have no choice now then to wipe out the whole clan!" Frodo and Sam exchanged fearful glances.
"You can tell ol' Paladin to meet us at the Green Hills five days from tonight, Frodo! The Brandybucks will be ready!" Saradoc stormed off, heading to none of them knew where. Frodo turned to Merry, dawning the pleading look that had worked so well on Pippin.
"Merry, reason with him! Please!" But the eyes that looked back at him were not the laughing eyes of the boy both hobbits were used too. Instead they looked like green steel and ice. His voice was toneless when he spoke.
"No Frodo. He's right. They've gone to far this time." Frodo was taken aback.
"Merry..."
"He can hurt me all he wants Frodo, but...when he hurts my mammy...that's the end of it!" Merry clenched his fists and stared at them with dark eyes. "They have to pay for hurting her, for hurting us."
"What about Pippin?" Frodo tried, even though he knew he was grasping at straws. For a moment Sam thought he saw a change come over Merry's face. His eyes softened, and he looked almost like the hobbit boy he'd once found wandering near Bag End who'd lost his family while wandering in the woods. He looked...he looked like Frodo after his parents had died, when he'd first come to Bag end and into Bilbo's care. But as quickly as the change came on, it vanished.
"They have to pay Frodo...for what they've done they all have to pay." Frodo bit his bottom lip and turned away.
"If you really feel that way, Merry, then I cannot stop you. But you're making a big mistake. Come on Sam." Frodo turned to the door and walked out. Sam looked at Merry for a moment.
"Do what you're heart tells you, Mister Merry. You're a lot smarter then you let on, that's true, but you're heart will tell you what you're head don't know, and make no mistake." With that Sam turned and followed Frodo. Merry looked after them for a moment, tears suddenly springing to his eyes and he valiantly tried to fight them off.
"Frodo, Sam, wait!" He called, to soft for them to hear. He couldn't bring himself to yell louder, and he choked back a sob, leaned against the wall behind him, and slid to the floor trembling from head to toe. From somewhere outside, the horn of Buckland rose into the still air.
AWAKE! FEAR! FIRE! FOES! AWAKE!
Merry's trembling hand came up to his face, trying to hide the tears that had begun to escape from his valiant effort to hold them back.
"This is all my fault." He whispered hoarsely.
Bilbo was pacing his study in Bag End, the old map in his hand completely forgotten. Why had he told Frodo there wasn't any hurry? There wasn't time to waste! He had seen what war could do, what it does! It kills people, people you love and care about. The image of you Meriadoc fighting, because he would fight, and dieing on the battlefield was seared into his mind, and shook him to the very core. This war was madness, but they didn't comprehend that because they'd never experienced it! He'd always thought that a bit of excitement would do them all a bit of good, but this was sheer madness! They would learn when they lost their children to a cause neither was sure about. To a cause that they didn't understand, because they really didn't know what they were fighting for. Innocent blood would be shed for a reason that wasn't right either way! He had to make them see just how horrible this whole idea was! If he didn't make them understand then...he shuddered thinking about it as the image resurfaced of the boy's green eyes lifeless and glassy like the eyes of some of his dwarf friends after...
That could not happen! He would not let it happen! He hoped that Frodo had gotten the message to Paladin in time. They had to have some sense knocked into them, even if he had to do it with a stick!
"Oh stickle bats!" He yelled to the empty hobbit hole. "Why isn't Gandalf here now?"
End A/N: *hands out Merry plushies to all who answered that Fili and Kili were dwarfs from The Hobbit, which was everyone* Very very good! Fili and Kili were my favorites, and it only seemed fitting that Bilbo name his ponies after them after they...well anyway... Sorry this chapter is so short. But I have homework and stuff to do :P! However, I do know this. There are about five chapters to go, including the next one. I have them all planned out and they're going to be really cool! Later Days!
-PTB
PS- I noticed that the horn of Buckland wasn't blown since after the fell winter, but it fit so well I didn't want to change it. So, sorry about that little inconsistency!
PPS- *screams, jumping up and down* I have over ninety reviews! You guys ROCK!