Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Tolkien. But my soul belongs to God. But everything else belongs to Tolkien.
A/N: Well here's the next chapter. It covers Bree and the journey to Rivendell. My spell check is having a fit because it doesn't know how to spell any of these names or places. I head meant to post sooner, but I got a bit side tracked… trying to learn Elvish… thank you Kelly, for launching this new obsession. Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! I love you all!
Chapter 2: The Great Long-Legged One
Bree, Inn of the Prancing Pony, 29 September, 3018, Evening.
I had a very interesting day today. I woke up, tried to eat breakfast but was immediately banished to the kitchen to do dishes instead because the Elders are still sore about the relay races Merry and I organized for the kids. I don't see why they are so upset. The kids had a wonderful time and there was only one injury! And he who was injured wasn't even a child- he was Merry. When Sam's stupid old Gaffer caught us he hit Merry with his walking stick. Grouchy old grump. Anyway, when I finished with the dishes Merry and I went on an excursion to check out this carrot and cabbage crop his fortune-telling wart was talking about. We were just innocently gathering some vegetables when all of a sudden we heard Maggot's wretched old dogs and had to make a run for it. Then, who should we bump into but Frodo Baggins and Sam Gamgee! (Merry is reading this over my shoulder and wishes to add that I literally bumped into them. I told him to go write it in his own journal. Annoying, nosy little bugger. It's a wonder I put up with him at all!) Anyway, we made a very narrow escape, Sam accidentally pushed us down a hill, but it turned out we had merely made a shortcut to MUSHROOMS! But we didn't get to concentrate on the mushrooms for long, because Frodo announced at random that we needed to get out of the road. So we were hiding underneath a tree when this horrible nightmare creature came up right behind us and began to sniff. I've never been so scared in my life. Even the bugs in the tree tried to run away. It was completely cloaked in black and was riding a black horse. We were luckily able to distract it by throwing a bag away from us. We continued to run into these horrible creatures all afternoon, but it got worse because as it turns out they are MUCH scarier at night and when it got dark the four of us were still wandering about the Shire and STOP READING OVER MY SHOULDER, MERRY, I AM GOING TO PUNCH YOU. Frodo and Sam told us that they needed to get out of the Shire and get to Bree. We had to take them to the Buckleberry Ferry and we were nearly killed by one of the Black Riders on the dock. Our exciting adventure led us to Bree where Frodo got us all a room at the Prancing Pony. I have officially decided that exciting adventures are much nicer in stories. I am in no rush to see those horsemen again.
On a brighter note, Merry introduced me to a new drink today. It's called a pint. I've never tasted anything so good. These Bree folk sure know how to brew drinks! I wonder why they don't have it at the Green Dragon. Perhaps Merry and I could open our own pub and serve them. I am going to go get another and maybe one for Frodo. He and Sam are looking rather depressed and solemn. I hope they don't get nightmares from those Black Riders! I'd have to introduce them to my very effective nightmare medicine…
Peregrin Took
Bree, Inn of the Prancing Pony, 29 September, 3018, Night.
I think Sam is still sore about that time Pippin and I tried to climb up to the top of the highest building in town and we fell off and landed on him and Frodo. He refuses to play tic-tac-toe with me.
"Now is NOT the time, Merry," he keeps saying. I don't know what he's talking about. No better time for a game of tic-tac-toe than when you're hiding in the room of a perfect stranger in an inn that is being invaded by Black Riders that want to kill you. It takes your mind off of things. Anyhow, after being chased around the Shire by a bunch of Nightmare Creatures that Sam and Frodo have christened the Black Riders, we arrived at Bree and I was innocently trying to get Pippin drunk (so I could feed him some raw pepper) when Frodo was abducted by a rascally looking hooded man carrying a sword. Sam, Pip and I valiantly followed the villain in question up to his room where we were told that he was a friend of Gandalf's. So much for tales of my heroics to tell to Violet. She's still not speaking to me, thanks to that senseless, smelly slime-ball I call a best friend. It's a wonder I put up with him at all. This man, who is much too big (and dirty) for my liking, is supposedly known as Strider. I didn't like him at all but it looks like Frodo is going to trust him because he instructed us to hide in his room and stuff pillows under the sheets of the beds in our room and soon after the Black Riders arrived. He told us we should get our rest "gentlemen." Honestly, who uses that word? Gentlemen? We've got a regular old loon on our hands, how can he expect us to sleep with those horrible things infesting the inn? I think I'll go ask Pip for a game of tic-tac-toe. That's another thing! You should have seen Strider's face when I asked him for a game of tic-tac-toe...
Meriadoc Brandybuck
In the Wilderness, 30 October, 3018, Evening.
I have no idea how I managed to get to sleep last night but I must have because I woke up to find I was still in Strider's room, everyone else was wide awake, and they were making plans to leave the village as soon as possible. Why does no one ever wake me up when important decisions are being made? (Merry, who is reading this over my shoulder says, "That's a loaded question, Pip." Disrespectful, unfaithful, ugly brute. It's a wonder I put up with him at all.) However, these plans were drawn to a halt when it was discovered that all of the horses in town had gone missing, with the exception of one sick, underfed pony, which Bill Ferny sold to us for three times its fair cost. All in all, spirits were not high as Strider practically dragged us out of Bree into the wilderness to take us to Rivendell. (Frodo says, "What are you talking about Pippin, your spirits are always ridiculously high." What is this, a conspiracy? Let's all just read over Pippin's shoulder! Don't mind if this is his private journal for his private thoughts. [A/N: At this point Sam says, "What, you mean he thinks?" And Pippin just glares and bends farther over the journal to hide it from view.]) We had to walk through brambles and long, itchy grass all day today, and we weren't even allowed to stop for meals! I thought I was going to starve. I had no second breakfast, elevensies, luncheon, afternoon tea, or dinner. And anytime I made the tiniest little squeak about being hungry, Frodo or Sam would say, "You're always hungry Pippin." On the bright side, I found a salamander by a pond today, around the time I should have been eating afternoon tea. I put him in a damp leaf and kept him in my pocket. I have decided to name him Merry Junior after Merry, who is still sore about the Violet incident.
Peregrin Took
In a Stinking Buggy Marsh, 31, 3018, Evening.
We spent all day trekking through a marsh, with freezing cold, muddy water well past my knees. The marsh doesn't smell very pleasant and besides the awful squirmy things in the water, there are swarms of nasty bugs who seem to think that hobbits are an excellent feast. Pippin fell face-first into the water and swore he saw a pike. Strider told him not to be ridiculous, pike are found only in the sea! Pippin seemed slightly disappointed. We are currently camped out in the dark. We were all very hungry so Strider went out and killed a deer. The sight of the pathetic dead animal seriously unnerved me but I was too hungry to say anything. Sam wasn't. He asked Strider how could he possibly expect him to eat an animal that might have a wife and children waiting for him at home? Strider just glared at him and said that deer don't have wives. I counted all my bug bites after dinner, but stopped after twenty six because Sam's snores were distracting me and I have never been clever with numbers anyway. Pippin saw what I was doing and asked if I would like some of his very effective bug-bite cure? I bet it's raw pepper! Annoying, stupid pest! It's a wonder I put up with him at all! Pippin and Sam have already drifted off to dreamland but Frodo and I can't sleep because Strider is singing some strange song. I do wish he'd shut up. He doesn't have the best of voices and I need my strength for tomorrow.
Meriadoc Brandybuck
Weathertop, 6 October, 3018, Night
We had another long march through itchy grass today. I have a blister on my foot poor sensitive foot. When I told this to Merry he asked what was I talking about my feet aren't sensitive they are big, smelly, and hairy. I decided to ignore his lack of insight and bear my pain in silence. Then Merry asked me would I like some raw pepper? Since it is such a wonderful cure-all? Witless, insensitive cow. It's a wonder I put up with him at all! Merry Junior made friends with a lady salamander this afternoon. I left him with her in a nice damp spot, but not before making a big production of naming the lady salamander Violet and marrying them, which I made sure the real Merry had to hear. Merry threw his apple at me and hit me in the head. That is the second apple that has hit me on the head on this stupid journey. I must be jinxed. We are currently camped out on the top of some giant rock which Strider (whom I decided to call The Great Long-Legged One after today's march) claims was once a great watch tower. I think the man is delusional. Frodo has finally stopped reading over my shoulder and gone to sleep. The Great Long-Legged One is "having a look around." Sam and Merry are roasting tomatoes and sausages. I think I'll go join them.
Peregrin Took
Somewhere in the Wilderness, 7 October, 3018, Morning
I don't think I've ever had such an eventful night as last (and that includes the time Pippin and I accidentally set fire to one of the Elder's beds in Brandy Hall at Midnight on New Years when we were 16). Pippin, Sam and I were innocently roasting tomatoes and sausages when Frodo woke up, yelled at us that we were fools (where have I heard that one before?) and that the Black Riders would find us if they saw the smoke from the fire. Unfortunately he was right, and before I knew it the four of us were cornered on the top of this ancient watch tower in the middle of the night, surrounded by Black Riders with swords trying to get at Frodo. I put up a brilliant fight before the Riders thought to team up and subdue me. Well, maybe it was not that much of a brilliant fight, but I'm sure Pip wouldn't object to telling Violet that it was. Frodo was stabbed, and we were all saved by Strider, who appeared just in the nick of time, bearing a sword and a flaming torch, to chase the villains away! Now that I think of it, it makes a wonderful story, but at the time I was scared enough to wet myself. Honestly. After the incident with the Black Riders, Strider said that we had to get Frodo to Rivendell because only elves could heal Frodo's wound. When we were in the middle of the dark forest, he and Sam left to find some plant that would slow the poison in Frodo's cut. Pippin made the mistake of looking at the bloody wound and threw up all over my feet. Senseless, prodding moron. It's a wonder I put up with him at all. When I was just in the middle of yelling at him this pretty elf lady showed up and talked to both Frodo and Strider in Elvish so the rest of us had no idea what she was saying. Then she rode off with Frodo on her horse, despite Sam's loud protests about there being Black Riders still out there and Mr. Frodo might get hurt. At the moment Pippin, Sam, Strider and I are camped out in the wilderness waiting for the horses that the elf lady promised to send us. We were discussing how pretty the elf lady was but wisely chose to stop when Sam noticed the poisonous looks Strider was giving us. Pippin thinks Strider fancies the pretty elf lady. Sam says he would have a better chance at her if he washed himself. Pippin asked Sam what did he know about it he still hasn't managed to get Rosie? Pippin and Sam are no longer on speaking terms. Aragorn is smoking his pipe. I am very bored.
Meriadoc Brandybuck
A/N: That wasn't as long as I had hoped but I don't have much time to write because I am back at school. I have already started the next chapter which covers the entire stay in Rivendell and I hope to have it posted sometime next week. Please R&R this chapter I worked really hard on it! I am also looking for a beta-reader, preferably someone familiar with LOTR, so if you are interested please email me.