Author's note: aelfgifu, the king didn't feed Merry and Pippin because he
wanted them weak so there wasn't a chance for them to escape. Sorry if I
didn't make that clear.
***
Faramir travelled north with the hobbits when they left Minas Tirith, because he had spent some time with them during their stay and they had become friends. Boromir wanted to go with them, but Aragorn insisted he had too many duties in the city. The hobbits rather suspected that Aragorn was afraid he would get hurt, but didn't want to offend Boromir by saying so.
They rode along the west road through Rohan, and stayed for a few days in Edoras with King Eomer. Merry and Pippin were able to enjoy the beauty of this land much more from the back of a pony than when they were being forced along by orcs. From there they passed through the Gap of Rohan and then northwards to the Shire.
By this route, and at a leisurely pace, it took them several weeks to reach their home. To the surprise of both hobbits, there was a gate across the Brandywine Bridge. Rather curious, they glanced at each other before riding up. Faramir on his horse was a little behind them.
"We don't want no Big Folk here!" a voice from the other side of the gate said.
"Shirefolk were certainly a little more friendly when we were last home," Merry commented to Pippin, loudly enough to be sure of the other hobbit hearing.
"It must been our influence," Pippin said. There words had the desired affect, because the hobbit pushed open the gate to have a better look at the newcomers.
"Pippin?" he said in amazement, "Merry? Mr Baggins said you were dead."
"Well, obviously he was mistaken," Merry said, "since we're very much alive." The hobbit at the gate was Berilac, one of Merry's numerous cousins.
"Now are you going to stand there all day, or do you plan on letting us through?" Pippin asked. Berilac looked suspiciously at Faramir.
"Faramir's not going to do anything to hurt anyone," Merry said. Berilac seemed to consider this, before pushing the gate open.
"Is Frodo living in Crickhollow?" Pippin asked as they rode past.
"No," Berilac replied, "he's up at Bag End." That was news to Merry and Pippin, since when they left the Sackville-Bagginses had Bag End, and didn't look like they ever planned on letting anyone else in. Things had certainly changed since they'd been away.
As they road through the Shire, they saw that there had been other changes as well, though these were not for the better. Young saplings were growing where mighty old trees had once grown, and it looked like many of the houses and holes they passed were new.
When they reached Bag End, they found a little girl sitting by one of the carefully tended flowerbeds, prodding the earth with a stick and sucking her thumb. She looked at the three arrivals with curiosity, but no sign of fear. Dirt was smeared down the front of her dress and she looked as though she hadn't been washed in a week. She had probably been washed only that morning, but had that strange nack all children have for getting filthy in a moment. Merry wondered if she was Frodo's child, but neither Legolas nor Aragorn had said anything about Frodo being married.
"Is your father home?" Pippin asked, having dismounted and walked up to her. She shook her head.
"Your mother then?" She shook her head again.
"Who is home?"
She didn't bother taking her thumb out her mouth, so what she said sounded like 'Ukle Fo'o.' Pippin tried not to laugh.
"Perhaps you should tell your Uncle Frodo that you have visitors."
Merry and Faramir tied their mounts to the fence, deciding they could sort out a more permanent place for them later. Pippin helped the little girl to her feet and then all three of them followed her into the house.
Frodo was sitting in what had once been Bilbo's study, bent over a piece of parchment just as Bilbo had so often been. He didn't even look round when the girl pushed the door open.
"Eleanor," he said, "be a good girl and go play elsewhere."
"Vistors," Eleanor said. Frodo looked round at that, and then his eyes grew so wide Pippin began to worry they might fall out of his head.
"Merry? Pip?" He crossed the room incredibly fast and managed to hug both of them at the same time. "We thought you were dead."
"So everyone keeps saying," Merry said.
"We're alive," Pippin said, "and we're home."
***
Author's note: Well that's it. I'm glad you've enjoyed it enough to read this much. Thank you to everyone who's reviewed, especially to Care Bear the Cheerleader for reviewing almost every chapter. If you like my stories there are plenty on my website, www.homestead.com/JFilesSG1/JFilesSG1.html Any suggestions for the Middle Earth section would be welcomed.
***
Faramir travelled north with the hobbits when they left Minas Tirith, because he had spent some time with them during their stay and they had become friends. Boromir wanted to go with them, but Aragorn insisted he had too many duties in the city. The hobbits rather suspected that Aragorn was afraid he would get hurt, but didn't want to offend Boromir by saying so.
They rode along the west road through Rohan, and stayed for a few days in Edoras with King Eomer. Merry and Pippin were able to enjoy the beauty of this land much more from the back of a pony than when they were being forced along by orcs. From there they passed through the Gap of Rohan and then northwards to the Shire.
By this route, and at a leisurely pace, it took them several weeks to reach their home. To the surprise of both hobbits, there was a gate across the Brandywine Bridge. Rather curious, they glanced at each other before riding up. Faramir on his horse was a little behind them.
"We don't want no Big Folk here!" a voice from the other side of the gate said.
"Shirefolk were certainly a little more friendly when we were last home," Merry commented to Pippin, loudly enough to be sure of the other hobbit hearing.
"It must been our influence," Pippin said. There words had the desired affect, because the hobbit pushed open the gate to have a better look at the newcomers.
"Pippin?" he said in amazement, "Merry? Mr Baggins said you were dead."
"Well, obviously he was mistaken," Merry said, "since we're very much alive." The hobbit at the gate was Berilac, one of Merry's numerous cousins.
"Now are you going to stand there all day, or do you plan on letting us through?" Pippin asked. Berilac looked suspiciously at Faramir.
"Faramir's not going to do anything to hurt anyone," Merry said. Berilac seemed to consider this, before pushing the gate open.
"Is Frodo living in Crickhollow?" Pippin asked as they rode past.
"No," Berilac replied, "he's up at Bag End." That was news to Merry and Pippin, since when they left the Sackville-Bagginses had Bag End, and didn't look like they ever planned on letting anyone else in. Things had certainly changed since they'd been away.
As they road through the Shire, they saw that there had been other changes as well, though these were not for the better. Young saplings were growing where mighty old trees had once grown, and it looked like many of the houses and holes they passed were new.
When they reached Bag End, they found a little girl sitting by one of the carefully tended flowerbeds, prodding the earth with a stick and sucking her thumb. She looked at the three arrivals with curiosity, but no sign of fear. Dirt was smeared down the front of her dress and she looked as though she hadn't been washed in a week. She had probably been washed only that morning, but had that strange nack all children have for getting filthy in a moment. Merry wondered if she was Frodo's child, but neither Legolas nor Aragorn had said anything about Frodo being married.
"Is your father home?" Pippin asked, having dismounted and walked up to her. She shook her head.
"Your mother then?" She shook her head again.
"Who is home?"
She didn't bother taking her thumb out her mouth, so what she said sounded like 'Ukle Fo'o.' Pippin tried not to laugh.
"Perhaps you should tell your Uncle Frodo that you have visitors."
Merry and Faramir tied their mounts to the fence, deciding they could sort out a more permanent place for them later. Pippin helped the little girl to her feet and then all three of them followed her into the house.
Frodo was sitting in what had once been Bilbo's study, bent over a piece of parchment just as Bilbo had so often been. He didn't even look round when the girl pushed the door open.
"Eleanor," he said, "be a good girl and go play elsewhere."
"Vistors," Eleanor said. Frodo looked round at that, and then his eyes grew so wide Pippin began to worry they might fall out of his head.
"Merry? Pip?" He crossed the room incredibly fast and managed to hug both of them at the same time. "We thought you were dead."
"So everyone keeps saying," Merry said.
"We're alive," Pippin said, "and we're home."
***
Author's note: Well that's it. I'm glad you've enjoyed it enough to read this much. Thank you to everyone who's reviewed, especially to Care Bear the Cheerleader for reviewing almost every chapter. If you like my stories there are plenty on my website, www.homestead.com/JFilesSG1/JFilesSG1.html Any suggestions for the Middle Earth section would be welcomed.