A/N: Are we prepared for the part I've been working up to? I know I'm not. But here we go anyway. Merry's Lull-a-bye was written by my best friend, Halogatomon. YOU RULE GIRL!
Rusta Iira
By: PTB
Chapter 12: Meriadoc's Last Stand?
"Pippin!" Merry thought that the sword flew to his hand, and he jumped in front of Pippin with both his knives out. "You let him alone!" The wolf snarled, showing it long white fangs, but was to surprised for the moment to attack him.
"M-m-merry?" Pippin whimpered. Merry didn't turn around, but Pippin could see the smile that crossed his face.
"Yes Pippin, it's me. Don't worry, I won't let it hurt you." Pippin nodded, and became silent except for his hiccupping sobs. Merry held a knife in both hands.
"You let him alone! Go!" He waved the knives at the wolf, trying to get him to run. The wolf growled deeply and snapped at his waving hands. Merry felt fear rise up in him, but used a technique he often used when dealing with grief and placed the feeling at the back of his mind.
"Get over the wall, Pip." Pippin looked at him, eyes wide.
"Merry..."
"Now Pippin! But don't run. Don't make any sudden movements, just get over the wall." The nine year old hiccupped, and nodded, before slowly rising to his feet. Shakily he began to back up. Just as his fingertips reached the wall the wolf barked and lunged at him. Pippin cried out, and closed his eyes, bracing himself for the pain that would surly come. When it didn't he opened his eyes, and looked in surprise. It took a moment for what was happening in front of him to register, and when it did he gasped and yelled out again.
"Merry!" The seventeen-year-old boy was standing in front of him, feet digging into the ground. His knives lay discarded where he had been standing moments before. The wolf was standing part of the way on its hind legs, it's front paws resting on Merry's shoulders. The wolf's jaws were clenched tight around Merry's right arm.
"Run...Pippin..." Merry said through clenched teeth, eyes watering with pain, but Pippin was frozen in place. Using his left arm, Merry swung up and caught the wolf with a powerful blow in the neck. It yelped, letting go of Merry's arm, and sprang backward temporarily. Merry gasped as he lowered his arm, which now had blood flowing down it freely.
"Move Pip! Get out of here!" He yelled without looking over his shoulder. He didn't have too; he knew Pippin would still be standing there. The wolf lunged again, this time directly at Merry. It landed on his chest, weight pushing full force. As Merry fell backward he heard a crack, and felt pain both in the back of his head and his chest. The wolf began trying to bite anywhere he could get a hold. Face, neck, arms, it mattered not. This creature had caused him pain, and it was going to die for it! Merry yelled, and tried to land a good enough blow to get the thing away. Something smooth and gray whistled through the air, and hit the wolf in the head. It turned to look at what was doing this to it.
Pippin let fly another stone.
"Let him go! Let him go!" The wolf growled and got off Merry, who was struggling for breath through the pain. Pippin let the stone he was holding fall, suddenly claimed by panic. He whimpered and pressed himself to the wall, getting as small as he could. The wolf came closer and closer, he could smell Merry's blood on its breath, and it was just about to lunge when something hit him heavily in the side. The wolf yelped as Merry attacked it in blind rage, armed only with his fists and feet. He only got a few good beatings though, as the wolf began to attack back. He could hear Pippin screaming something, but didn't understand. He just had to protect Pippin, he had too! He felt sudden pain in his chest and realized the wolf had found a hold. Merry didn't dare look down himself, knowing that if he did he probably would die that instant. He reached out his shaking right arm, trying desperately to find ianything/i to fight with. His hand ran across something sharp, his knife. One hand closed around the handle, and then it came up and struck the wolf in the chest with all the might he could muster. Warm wolf blood spilled over his hand and down his arm, mingling with his own. The wolf froze, and looked at him with uncomprehending amber eyes before falling limp on top of him. He felt and heard his right arm snap but did not care.
The wolf had been dead for no more than ten seconds before Pippin ran over, pushed it off his cousin, and took Merry's head in his lap. Seeing the injuries his cousin had sustained, he gasped and began to cry.
"I'm sorry Merry, I'm sorry!" Pippin sobbed, leaning his forehead again the older lad's.
"Whatever...for...Pip?" Merry gasped, trying to give his cousin a reassuring smile but only managed to grimace in pain. Pippin's small frame began to tremble.
"For everything! I don't hate you Merry, I never did! I didn't mean it!"
"I know...Pip. I know." Pippin sobbed, cradling Merry's head in his lap.
"Don't die on me." He whispered, his tears of sorrow mixing with Merry's tears of pain.
"I don't think...I can really choose...Pip." He was struggling for breath, and the world was fading. "Are you...all...right?" Pippin sobbed.
"How can you be worried about me when you're going to leave me!" He shrieked. "I can't live without you Merry, I can't! I can't!" Merry's eyes were beginning to glaze over, and Pippin became desperate to keep him awake and said the first thing that came to his mind. "Sing for me Merry!" Merry laughed, which was more than half cough.
"I don't know if...I can Pip..."
"Please! One...one last..." He couldn't bring himself to finish. Merry brought up his left hand painfully, and wiped some tears from Pippin's cheeks with his thumb.
"One last time then..." he whispered. Where the strength to sing came from, he didn't know, but come it did. His voice rang crystal clear through the silent forest and rain.
i May the wind always whisper your name
May the stars shine every brighter
May the sun rise ever higher
May our friendship always be the same
May the storm clouds never gather over your head
May the sun shine everyday of your life
May the eagle make your soul learn to fly
Cause I will always be there
I'll never leave your side
You know I'll never let you fall
I'll be there to catch you
There's so much you have to learn
There's so much you need to do
There's so much I have to say
But there's so little time to say
The words I need to tell you
You mean so much to me
I could never let you go
Just call my name little child
And I will be there
To hold you when the rain falls
To wipe the tears from your eyes
To sing you a song when you need comfort
I will be there
Tell me, oh please tell me
Just how you feel
Don't be afraid to leave anything out
I want to know the truth
I want to know you will be there
As I will be there for you/i
Merry's voice shook as he tried to sing the next part, with Pippin's tears falling down his face and becoming one with his own and the rain.
i I need to know, I need to know
Tell me, is sorry enough?
Is sorry enough to shed away the differences?
Will sorry be enough to tell you
Just how much I love you
Cause I will be always be there
Though my heart bleeds
Is sorry enough?/i
Pippin was near hysterics by this time, and when the song ended, Merry didn't move. In fact he was smiling blissfully, like all the pain had been taken away. Panic seized the small child, and he shook his cousin gently.
"Merry? Merry? MERRY!" His final cry was desperate, and when no response came, he hunched forward and let out choked sobs. The tears would never stop now that Merry was gone! Never! He didn't want them to stop! He just wanted to stay here and cry forever and ever! He kissed Merry's cold forehead, before letting it fall into the mud. He then crawled over and curled up into Merry's side, like he'd done so many times before when he'd had a nightmare while in Buckland, and cried until he had no more tears to cry, and then he still sobbed.
That was how Saradoc, Paladin, Frodo, and Sam found them a half and hour later. They had heard the sounds of the battle, and come as fast as they could, but the got turned around and ended up where they'd begun! Then they'd heard Merry singing, and followed that as long as they could, fearing it wasn't to late. When they entered the area, they all had different reactions. Frodo took a step back with a gasp, and then fell weakly to his knees. Sam simply stared in disbelief, eyes and mouth agape. Paladin ran over and scooped the trembling Pippin into his arms and hugged the soaked and sobbing child to him as tight as possible.
"Da's here Pippin, Da's here. I won't let you go!" Saradoc dropped the latern he'd been caring, ran over and fell to his knees beside his son. He took the limp and still form in his arms, and began to sob heavily into the bloody chest.
"Merry! Oh Merry! No! I love you Merry! Don't leave your Papa!" Saradoc was shaking, and he chocked on his sob when Merry didn't respond at all. Pippin looked at his father with red-rimmed eyes, and had an expression that he would never be happy again.
"Merry saved me from the wolves Da'! He wouldn't let him touch me! He died because of me Da'! Because of me!" Pippin sobbed again, and buried his face in Paladin's shoulder.
Paladin cuddled him for a while, fighting his own tears. After all he'd said and done to the boy, he's still risk himself to save his precious son? He's still die for him? With trembling arms and legs he walked over to Saradoc, and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"There is still hope yet, if we hurry."
End A/N: This was planned from the beginning, and I hope that you all enjoyed it. Still one more chapter to go! *decides maybe she better run from angry fans* MEEP!
Rusta Iira
By: PTB
Chapter 12: Meriadoc's Last Stand?
"Pippin!" Merry thought that the sword flew to his hand, and he jumped in front of Pippin with both his knives out. "You let him alone!" The wolf snarled, showing it long white fangs, but was to surprised for the moment to attack him.
"M-m-merry?" Pippin whimpered. Merry didn't turn around, but Pippin could see the smile that crossed his face.
"Yes Pippin, it's me. Don't worry, I won't let it hurt you." Pippin nodded, and became silent except for his hiccupping sobs. Merry held a knife in both hands.
"You let him alone! Go!" He waved the knives at the wolf, trying to get him to run. The wolf growled deeply and snapped at his waving hands. Merry felt fear rise up in him, but used a technique he often used when dealing with grief and placed the feeling at the back of his mind.
"Get over the wall, Pip." Pippin looked at him, eyes wide.
"Merry..."
"Now Pippin! But don't run. Don't make any sudden movements, just get over the wall." The nine year old hiccupped, and nodded, before slowly rising to his feet. Shakily he began to back up. Just as his fingertips reached the wall the wolf barked and lunged at him. Pippin cried out, and closed his eyes, bracing himself for the pain that would surly come. When it didn't he opened his eyes, and looked in surprise. It took a moment for what was happening in front of him to register, and when it did he gasped and yelled out again.
"Merry!" The seventeen-year-old boy was standing in front of him, feet digging into the ground. His knives lay discarded where he had been standing moments before. The wolf was standing part of the way on its hind legs, it's front paws resting on Merry's shoulders. The wolf's jaws were clenched tight around Merry's right arm.
"Run...Pippin..." Merry said through clenched teeth, eyes watering with pain, but Pippin was frozen in place. Using his left arm, Merry swung up and caught the wolf with a powerful blow in the neck. It yelped, letting go of Merry's arm, and sprang backward temporarily. Merry gasped as he lowered his arm, which now had blood flowing down it freely.
"Move Pip! Get out of here!" He yelled without looking over his shoulder. He didn't have too; he knew Pippin would still be standing there. The wolf lunged again, this time directly at Merry. It landed on his chest, weight pushing full force. As Merry fell backward he heard a crack, and felt pain both in the back of his head and his chest. The wolf began trying to bite anywhere he could get a hold. Face, neck, arms, it mattered not. This creature had caused him pain, and it was going to die for it! Merry yelled, and tried to land a good enough blow to get the thing away. Something smooth and gray whistled through the air, and hit the wolf in the head. It turned to look at what was doing this to it.
Pippin let fly another stone.
"Let him go! Let him go!" The wolf growled and got off Merry, who was struggling for breath through the pain. Pippin let the stone he was holding fall, suddenly claimed by panic. He whimpered and pressed himself to the wall, getting as small as he could. The wolf came closer and closer, he could smell Merry's blood on its breath, and it was just about to lunge when something hit him heavily in the side. The wolf yelped as Merry attacked it in blind rage, armed only with his fists and feet. He only got a few good beatings though, as the wolf began to attack back. He could hear Pippin screaming something, but didn't understand. He just had to protect Pippin, he had too! He felt sudden pain in his chest and realized the wolf had found a hold. Merry didn't dare look down himself, knowing that if he did he probably would die that instant. He reached out his shaking right arm, trying desperately to find ianything/i to fight with. His hand ran across something sharp, his knife. One hand closed around the handle, and then it came up and struck the wolf in the chest with all the might he could muster. Warm wolf blood spilled over his hand and down his arm, mingling with his own. The wolf froze, and looked at him with uncomprehending amber eyes before falling limp on top of him. He felt and heard his right arm snap but did not care.
The wolf had been dead for no more than ten seconds before Pippin ran over, pushed it off his cousin, and took Merry's head in his lap. Seeing the injuries his cousin had sustained, he gasped and began to cry.
"I'm sorry Merry, I'm sorry!" Pippin sobbed, leaning his forehead again the older lad's.
"Whatever...for...Pip?" Merry gasped, trying to give his cousin a reassuring smile but only managed to grimace in pain. Pippin's small frame began to tremble.
"For everything! I don't hate you Merry, I never did! I didn't mean it!"
"I know...Pip. I know." Pippin sobbed, cradling Merry's head in his lap.
"Don't die on me." He whispered, his tears of sorrow mixing with Merry's tears of pain.
"I don't think...I can really choose...Pip." He was struggling for breath, and the world was fading. "Are you...all...right?" Pippin sobbed.
"How can you be worried about me when you're going to leave me!" He shrieked. "I can't live without you Merry, I can't! I can't!" Merry's eyes were beginning to glaze over, and Pippin became desperate to keep him awake and said the first thing that came to his mind. "Sing for me Merry!" Merry laughed, which was more than half cough.
"I don't know if...I can Pip..."
"Please! One...one last..." He couldn't bring himself to finish. Merry brought up his left hand painfully, and wiped some tears from Pippin's cheeks with his thumb.
"One last time then..." he whispered. Where the strength to sing came from, he didn't know, but come it did. His voice rang crystal clear through the silent forest and rain.
i May the wind always whisper your name
May the stars shine every brighter
May the sun rise ever higher
May our friendship always be the same
May the storm clouds never gather over your head
May the sun shine everyday of your life
May the eagle make your soul learn to fly
Cause I will always be there
I'll never leave your side
You know I'll never let you fall
I'll be there to catch you
There's so much you have to learn
There's so much you need to do
There's so much I have to say
But there's so little time to say
The words I need to tell you
You mean so much to me
I could never let you go
Just call my name little child
And I will be there
To hold you when the rain falls
To wipe the tears from your eyes
To sing you a song when you need comfort
I will be there
Tell me, oh please tell me
Just how you feel
Don't be afraid to leave anything out
I want to know the truth
I want to know you will be there
As I will be there for you/i
Merry's voice shook as he tried to sing the next part, with Pippin's tears falling down his face and becoming one with his own and the rain.
i I need to know, I need to know
Tell me, is sorry enough?
Is sorry enough to shed away the differences?
Will sorry be enough to tell you
Just how much I love you
Cause I will be always be there
Though my heart bleeds
Is sorry enough?/i
Pippin was near hysterics by this time, and when the song ended, Merry didn't move. In fact he was smiling blissfully, like all the pain had been taken away. Panic seized the small child, and he shook his cousin gently.
"Merry? Merry? MERRY!" His final cry was desperate, and when no response came, he hunched forward and let out choked sobs. The tears would never stop now that Merry was gone! Never! He didn't want them to stop! He just wanted to stay here and cry forever and ever! He kissed Merry's cold forehead, before letting it fall into the mud. He then crawled over and curled up into Merry's side, like he'd done so many times before when he'd had a nightmare while in Buckland, and cried until he had no more tears to cry, and then he still sobbed.
That was how Saradoc, Paladin, Frodo, and Sam found them a half and hour later. They had heard the sounds of the battle, and come as fast as they could, but the got turned around and ended up where they'd begun! Then they'd heard Merry singing, and followed that as long as they could, fearing it wasn't to late. When they entered the area, they all had different reactions. Frodo took a step back with a gasp, and then fell weakly to his knees. Sam simply stared in disbelief, eyes and mouth agape. Paladin ran over and scooped the trembling Pippin into his arms and hugged the soaked and sobbing child to him as tight as possible.
"Da's here Pippin, Da's here. I won't let you go!" Saradoc dropped the latern he'd been caring, ran over and fell to his knees beside his son. He took the limp and still form in his arms, and began to sob heavily into the bloody chest.
"Merry! Oh Merry! No! I love you Merry! Don't leave your Papa!" Saradoc was shaking, and he chocked on his sob when Merry didn't respond at all. Pippin looked at his father with red-rimmed eyes, and had an expression that he would never be happy again.
"Merry saved me from the wolves Da'! He wouldn't let him touch me! He died because of me Da'! Because of me!" Pippin sobbed again, and buried his face in Paladin's shoulder.
Paladin cuddled him for a while, fighting his own tears. After all he'd said and done to the boy, he's still risk himself to save his precious son? He's still die for him? With trembling arms and legs he walked over to Saradoc, and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"There is still hope yet, if we hurry."
End A/N: This was planned from the beginning, and I hope that you all enjoyed it. Still one more chapter to go! *decides maybe she better run from angry fans* MEEP!