Author's note: As requested, I'm going to let you know what happened to
Acs, and Legolas, and everyone else.
***
Merry refused to leave Pippin's side throughout his recovery. Even Aragorn couldn't convince him to go and get some sleep. Merry stayed in his chair, dosing off occasionally, only to be woken by Pippin's cries as he sank into nightmares.
Several days passed like this, with Legolas, Aragorn and Boromir visiting often. Aragorn took personal responsibility for overseeing Pippin's recovery. Pippin spent longer awake each time, before slipping back into the world of nightmares. Once he was able to stay awake for several hours at a time, Aragorn decided it was time for some explanations.
The group of friends were gathered around Pippin's bed in the houses of healing. Merry had already told his and Pippin's tale, so Legolas explained what had happened to him.
"King Elmas decided to listen to what Pippin and I told him," Legolas began, "that Aragorn would not want a war. He sent me as a messenger to Gondor."
"He said that he would be willing to discuss a treaty with Gondor," Aragorn continued, "and he proposed an exchange of prisoners as a token of peace. I wasn't sure whether it might be bait to lead us into a trap, but he gave his word."
"I would not have trusted a word of his message," Legolas said, "but for you telling me he would never break his word."
"We made the arrangements, and brought the spy we had a prisoner out of the cells. We went to the river Harad, which forms the boarder between Gondor and Ethrin. The rest you know."
"That was why the king went to such lengths to ensure we didn't escape," Merry said, "we were his way of ensuring peace."
"You're probably right," Aragorn agreed.
Pippin yawned then, and rubbed his eyes with his fingers, as though to relieve tiredness. "This illness I've got," he said, "no one else had it, so why did I catch it?"
"Anax Fever is a disease that is serious when caught, but rarely caught. It normally affects people who are already weakened, often by another disease. I'm guessing that in your case the combination of cold and hunger was enough to allow you to catch it." Pippin yawned again. "But now I think we should let you get some more rest. It would be no good if you were to relapse because we stayed here talking."
He stood, and waved Legolas and Boromir out of the room. Merry remained, Pippin's hand still clasped in his. Pippin waited until the door was closed before speaking.
"I don't want to fall asleep," he said, "I see such terrible things."
"They're not real," Merry said, "You've nothing to be afraid of."
"In the dreams you hate me. You try to kill me." Merry didn't know what to say. He understood now why Pippin had pulled away from him. There didn't seem any way for him to comfort Pippin.
"I love you," he said at last, "I love you and I would never hurt you. As long as you know that in your heart then the dreams are nothing."
"I know. But still I don't want to go to sleep. I'm afraid that I might not wake up and you'll hate me forever."
"You see this," Merry touched the band around Pippin's wrist, "it means I will love you forever. Just think of that as you go to sleep and as you wake. The dreams will disappear like mist in sunlight." Pippin smiled, and closed his eyes. Hands firmly together, he drifted into sleep unafraid.
***
Acs saw the soldiers march back to the palace, and noticed that the hobbits weren't with them. He was immediately afraid for them. He had looked after them since they had first been brought to the palace as prisoners and had grown very fond of them in that time. It had torn at his heart to see them locked in the cells. The thought that something even worse might have befallen them was more than he could bear.
He was supposed to be helping lay out the table in the main dining room, but instead went to the courtyard and watched the soldiers file in. None of them were hurt, which was a good thing. At least they hadn't been in a fight. With the threat of war looming over the country, Acs was glad of that.
He saw one of the men being led away by the king. Krech, Acs thought his name was. The rumour in the palace was that he had been taken prisoner by Gondor. Acs knew that, whatever had happened to the hobbits, he must surely have been involved in it.
Curiosity overcoming caution, Acs passed through into the smaller, servants courtyard, and went to the woodpile. With autumn coming on many of the palace rooms were getting cold, and no one would pay any attention to a servant carrying a bucket of wood. He would probably be punished later for not being in the dining room as he should be, but he decided it was worth the risk if he could learn what had happened to Merry and Pippin.
He headed up to the king's private quarters, and entered silently. As expected, the king was sitting, and the man was standing in front of him talking. If either noticed Acs enter they didn't show it. Acs crossed to the fireplace and began laying a fire, quietly so that he could listen to the conversation.
"I didn't tell them anything," Krech was saying, "though they questioned me thoroughly."
"What sort of questions did they ask?" the king asked.
"Mostly they asked if you were planning a war against them, and what my mission into their land was."
"Did they speak of their intentions towards Ethrin?"
"No."
"There are to be no more spies sent to Gondor," King Elmas said, "from now on our dealings with them will be open as long as they deal so with us. We can risk no further misunderstandings."
"May I ask, sire," Krech said nervously, "how you were able to negotiate my release?"
"I offered the Gondor king an exchange of prisoners. I sent him the hobbits." Acs smiled, and finished laying the fire in good heart. So Merry and Pippin were free. Acs hoped they would return to their homeland. They had told him much about the Shire, and if anyone deserved such a home, it was those two hobbits who had been through so much. Behind his joy though was a hint of sadness, because he would never see them again.
***
Author's note: The final chapter will be on soon. Please keep on reviewing.
***
Merry refused to leave Pippin's side throughout his recovery. Even Aragorn couldn't convince him to go and get some sleep. Merry stayed in his chair, dosing off occasionally, only to be woken by Pippin's cries as he sank into nightmares.
Several days passed like this, with Legolas, Aragorn and Boromir visiting often. Aragorn took personal responsibility for overseeing Pippin's recovery. Pippin spent longer awake each time, before slipping back into the world of nightmares. Once he was able to stay awake for several hours at a time, Aragorn decided it was time for some explanations.
The group of friends were gathered around Pippin's bed in the houses of healing. Merry had already told his and Pippin's tale, so Legolas explained what had happened to him.
"King Elmas decided to listen to what Pippin and I told him," Legolas began, "that Aragorn would not want a war. He sent me as a messenger to Gondor."
"He said that he would be willing to discuss a treaty with Gondor," Aragorn continued, "and he proposed an exchange of prisoners as a token of peace. I wasn't sure whether it might be bait to lead us into a trap, but he gave his word."
"I would not have trusted a word of his message," Legolas said, "but for you telling me he would never break his word."
"We made the arrangements, and brought the spy we had a prisoner out of the cells. We went to the river Harad, which forms the boarder between Gondor and Ethrin. The rest you know."
"That was why the king went to such lengths to ensure we didn't escape," Merry said, "we were his way of ensuring peace."
"You're probably right," Aragorn agreed.
Pippin yawned then, and rubbed his eyes with his fingers, as though to relieve tiredness. "This illness I've got," he said, "no one else had it, so why did I catch it?"
"Anax Fever is a disease that is serious when caught, but rarely caught. It normally affects people who are already weakened, often by another disease. I'm guessing that in your case the combination of cold and hunger was enough to allow you to catch it." Pippin yawned again. "But now I think we should let you get some more rest. It would be no good if you were to relapse because we stayed here talking."
He stood, and waved Legolas and Boromir out of the room. Merry remained, Pippin's hand still clasped in his. Pippin waited until the door was closed before speaking.
"I don't want to fall asleep," he said, "I see such terrible things."
"They're not real," Merry said, "You've nothing to be afraid of."
"In the dreams you hate me. You try to kill me." Merry didn't know what to say. He understood now why Pippin had pulled away from him. There didn't seem any way for him to comfort Pippin.
"I love you," he said at last, "I love you and I would never hurt you. As long as you know that in your heart then the dreams are nothing."
"I know. But still I don't want to go to sleep. I'm afraid that I might not wake up and you'll hate me forever."
"You see this," Merry touched the band around Pippin's wrist, "it means I will love you forever. Just think of that as you go to sleep and as you wake. The dreams will disappear like mist in sunlight." Pippin smiled, and closed his eyes. Hands firmly together, he drifted into sleep unafraid.
***
Acs saw the soldiers march back to the palace, and noticed that the hobbits weren't with them. He was immediately afraid for them. He had looked after them since they had first been brought to the palace as prisoners and had grown very fond of them in that time. It had torn at his heart to see them locked in the cells. The thought that something even worse might have befallen them was more than he could bear.
He was supposed to be helping lay out the table in the main dining room, but instead went to the courtyard and watched the soldiers file in. None of them were hurt, which was a good thing. At least they hadn't been in a fight. With the threat of war looming over the country, Acs was glad of that.
He saw one of the men being led away by the king. Krech, Acs thought his name was. The rumour in the palace was that he had been taken prisoner by Gondor. Acs knew that, whatever had happened to the hobbits, he must surely have been involved in it.
Curiosity overcoming caution, Acs passed through into the smaller, servants courtyard, and went to the woodpile. With autumn coming on many of the palace rooms were getting cold, and no one would pay any attention to a servant carrying a bucket of wood. He would probably be punished later for not being in the dining room as he should be, but he decided it was worth the risk if he could learn what had happened to Merry and Pippin.
He headed up to the king's private quarters, and entered silently. As expected, the king was sitting, and the man was standing in front of him talking. If either noticed Acs enter they didn't show it. Acs crossed to the fireplace and began laying a fire, quietly so that he could listen to the conversation.
"I didn't tell them anything," Krech was saying, "though they questioned me thoroughly."
"What sort of questions did they ask?" the king asked.
"Mostly they asked if you were planning a war against them, and what my mission into their land was."
"Did they speak of their intentions towards Ethrin?"
"No."
"There are to be no more spies sent to Gondor," King Elmas said, "from now on our dealings with them will be open as long as they deal so with us. We can risk no further misunderstandings."
"May I ask, sire," Krech said nervously, "how you were able to negotiate my release?"
"I offered the Gondor king an exchange of prisoners. I sent him the hobbits." Acs smiled, and finished laying the fire in good heart. So Merry and Pippin were free. Acs hoped they would return to their homeland. They had told him much about the Shire, and if anyone deserved such a home, it was those two hobbits who had been through so much. Behind his joy though was a hint of sadness, because he would never see them again.
***
Author's note: The final chapter will be on soon. Please keep on reviewing.