Bronwe: Dare (15/?)
By ALBA
******
DISCLAIMER: The characters mentioned in this story do not belong to me, they belong to J.R.R. Tolkien's estate. I merely borrowed them and will return them when I'm finished with them. I am making no money off this fiction. I am merely using them for my own enjoyment. ;) So don't sue me because I am flat broke.
DEDICATION: For Kris, my beloved, nasty elfslut. :) For Janelle, my smutmuse who gives me the needed boots to the head. And to Daisy Gamgee for her kind words and her go-ahead for me to write this series. A big thank you to everyone who's reviewed this little fic of mine. It's a real blast writing it!
AUTHOR'S NOTE: "Bronwe" is Sindarin for "enduring, lasting quality, faith" (according to http://www.jrrvf.com/~hisweloke/cgi-bin/sintrans.cgi). No, Elves don't have anything to do with the story. I just liked the word. :)
******
Bronwe: Dare
"Merry?"
"What?"
"I'm bored." It was noonday at Brandy Hall and the place was deserted. Merry's parents had gone to visit Bilbo and Frodo and everyone else had also made themselves strangely scarce, leaving Merry and Pippin alone.
"I know, Pip. But there's not a lot we can do." Before leaving, Saradoc had given his son stern instructions to stay out of trouble, which to Saradoc, meant staying inside. Merry didn't mind so much being stuck inside, but it was clearly driving Pippin up the wall.
"We can play a game."
"What kind of game?"
Pippin smiled far too wickedly for his sixteen years. "Come outside with me and I'll tell you."
"Pip! Do you want to get me in trouble?" Merry hissed, even though he knew there was nobody else around.
"We'll be back before they get home. I promise!" Pippin gave Merry his most innocent, pleading look and Merry melted.
"If we do get caught, Peregrin Took, I am placing all the blame on YOU," he muttered under his breath. Pippin just grinned and pulled open the front door.
"After you, Meriadoc." Glancing back nervously, Merry allowed himself to be pushed out into the bright sunlight. "Now, come on! I know a good place where we can hide."
"I thought *I* was the one who lived here?" Merry grumbled good-naturedly, following Pippin as the younger hobbit tore off into the nearby woods comfortably. Pippin's giggle answered him. Not running as fast as they could have, the hobbits soon found themselves next to a wide gushing stream. Across the expanse, Farmer Maggot's fields rose, green, gold and lush. Collapsing on the grass, Merry looked up at his cousin. "Now, what is this wonderful game of yours?"
"Dares!"
"Dares? Pip, aren't you a little old for that?"
Pippin frowned. "What's wrong with it? You're just scared of what I'm going to dare you to do!"
"That's it, yes." Merry rolled his eyes. "I just think it's a child's game, that's all."
"Fine then. We won't play it." Pippin's tone was injured and he turned his back to Merry, staring out over the water of the river.
"Pippin." No response. "Pippin, come on."
"It's just a stupid *child's* game anyway," Pippin said finally. "I didn't really want to play."
"You're impossible, Pippin Took," Merry sighed. "Look, we'll play your game for a while. It's not a stupid child's game."
"You're just saying that to make me feel better."
"No, I'm not. Come on, I'll even dare you first."
"Mean it?"
"Yeah. You ready?"
Pippin's eyes were bright in anticipation. "Dare me!"
Thinking fast, Merry caught sight of a bird's nest in the tree beside him. "I dare you to climb up to that nest and steal an egg out of it."
"Watch me!" With that, Pippin was off, climbing the tree with the ease of a child who grew up in and around the woods of the Shire. "Gotcha! He crowed, then paused. "Merry, what do you want me to do with the egg once I've got it?"
"Show me you have it and then put it back."
"Here then." Pippin slid down the tree to one of the lower branches, displaying his prize. "I got your silly egg."
"Go put it back and come down then. You're too good for me!"
"One for Pippin!" Grinning widely, Pippin bowed once he was out of the tree. "My turn. I dare you. I dare you go out into the middle of the river and catch a fish. Using ONLY your hands."
"Pippin! My da will catch us for sure! I can't walk into Brandy Hall wearing wet clothes!"
"Then take them off and do it, I don't care."
Merry blinked. "Fine then. I just hope the walk back cures my clothes of being wet!" But he did take off his weskit and tunic, not wanting them to get wet. His mother would kill him as surely as his father would. Throwing a last glance at Pippin, Merry waded into the water slowly, shivering at the cold. Determined not to let a child eight years his junior get the best of him, he and studied the water around him where small ripples indicated the presence of fish. Thanking, Merry began plotting how best to catch the slippery little creatures.
"We don't have all day!" Pippin called from the shore.
"Shut up, I'm thinking."
"Well, think faster. I'm getting hungry."
Hands darting out quickly, Merry soon had a struggling fish in his hands. "You were saying?"
Laughing, Pippin said, "Okay, let it go. One for Merry!"
"Our score is tied, Master Took."
"So it is, Master Brandybuck. What is your dare?" Pippin suddenly became nervous at the evil grin that crossed Merry's face.
"I dare you to go over to Farmer Maggot's field and steal mushrooms. By yourself."
Pippin's eyes widened. "What?"
"You heard me. Or are you *scared*?"
"No..." Pippin's voice trailed off and he looked across the water nervously. "I just don't like his dogs."
"Run fast and they won't catch you! If you do this, I'll forfeit the rest of the game. I'll even tell your sisters that you've the bravest hobbit ever."
"Really?"
"Promise. Now, go!"
"This will be the easiest dare ever!" Scampering easily across the stream, Pippin vanished into the tall stalks of corn. When, after five minutes, the younger hobbit still wasn't back, Merry began to get worried. Ten minutes. Fifteen minutes. Twenty minutes. Finally, Merry stood up. Enough was enough-he was going to go find Pippin. Just then, barking dogs and squeals of pain alerted Merry that someone was approaching on the other side and he hid just as Farmer Maggot emerged from the field, dragging Pippin behind him by the ear while four dogs crowded around their feet, barking loudly.
"OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!" Pippin howled.
"Fool of a Took!" Maggot yelled, throwing the younger hobbit into the stream. Sputtering, Pippin turned a fierce glare on the farmer, who merely glared back. "Your father will hear about this, Peregrin! Mark my words, boy!" With that, Maggot disappeared back into his field, the barking of his dogs fading into the distance.
"Pip?" Merry ventured, emerging from his hiding place. "Are you okay?" Pippin was still standing in the middle of the stream, shoulders shaking. At first, Merry thought he might be crying, but no sounds were coming from the boy in front of him. Finally Pippin turned to look at Merry and his eyes were full of what could only be described as terror.
"He'll tell, just like he promised! And my da will kill me!"
"What happened?" Merry soothed, putting an arm around Pippin's shoulders and guiding him out of the water.
"I'd just grabbed a couple of mushrooms when this. thing. landed on me. It was only when it started barking that I realized it was one of Maggot's dogs. He caught me, Merry. What am I going to DO? I guess I'm not so brave after all."
"We'll think of something. Maybe he won't write to Uncle Paladin?"
Pippin shook his head. "He will. He's been fishing for a reason to get me in trouble for years. 'Cept he's never caught me till today."
"I'm sorry I dared you to do that, Pip," Merry finally said. "I never meant for this to happen."
"I know." Pippin tried to smile, although he still looked terrified. "At least your clothes are dry now, so you won't get into any trouble at home." The two walked back into the Brandy Hall in silence, thankfully finding the hole as quiet as before.
Opening the front door, Merry turned to look at Pippin. "I still think you're the bravest hobbit I've ever known." With that, he vanished into the kitchen, leaving Pippin standing in the hallway, a confused expression on his face.
******
DISCLAIMER: The characters mentioned in this story do not belong to me, they belong to J.R.R. Tolkien's estate. I merely borrowed them and will return them when I'm finished with them. I am making no money off this fiction. I am merely using them for my own enjoyment. ;) So don't sue me because I am flat broke.
DEDICATION: For Kris, my beloved, nasty elfslut. :) For Janelle, my smutmuse who gives me the needed boots to the head. And to Daisy Gamgee for her kind words and her go-ahead for me to write this series. A big thank you to everyone who's reviewed this little fic of mine. It's a real blast writing it!
AUTHOR'S NOTE: "Bronwe" is Sindarin for "enduring, lasting quality, faith" (according to http://www.jrrvf.com/~hisweloke/cgi-bin/sintrans.cgi). No, Elves don't have anything to do with the story. I just liked the word. :)
******
Bronwe: Dare
"Merry?"
"What?"
"I'm bored." It was noonday at Brandy Hall and the place was deserted. Merry's parents had gone to visit Bilbo and Frodo and everyone else had also made themselves strangely scarce, leaving Merry and Pippin alone.
"I know, Pip. But there's not a lot we can do." Before leaving, Saradoc had given his son stern instructions to stay out of trouble, which to Saradoc, meant staying inside. Merry didn't mind so much being stuck inside, but it was clearly driving Pippin up the wall.
"We can play a game."
"What kind of game?"
Pippin smiled far too wickedly for his sixteen years. "Come outside with me and I'll tell you."
"Pip! Do you want to get me in trouble?" Merry hissed, even though he knew there was nobody else around.
"We'll be back before they get home. I promise!" Pippin gave Merry his most innocent, pleading look and Merry melted.
"If we do get caught, Peregrin Took, I am placing all the blame on YOU," he muttered under his breath. Pippin just grinned and pulled open the front door.
"After you, Meriadoc." Glancing back nervously, Merry allowed himself to be pushed out into the bright sunlight. "Now, come on! I know a good place where we can hide."
"I thought *I* was the one who lived here?" Merry grumbled good-naturedly, following Pippin as the younger hobbit tore off into the nearby woods comfortably. Pippin's giggle answered him. Not running as fast as they could have, the hobbits soon found themselves next to a wide gushing stream. Across the expanse, Farmer Maggot's fields rose, green, gold and lush. Collapsing on the grass, Merry looked up at his cousin. "Now, what is this wonderful game of yours?"
"Dares!"
"Dares? Pip, aren't you a little old for that?"
Pippin frowned. "What's wrong with it? You're just scared of what I'm going to dare you to do!"
"That's it, yes." Merry rolled his eyes. "I just think it's a child's game, that's all."
"Fine then. We won't play it." Pippin's tone was injured and he turned his back to Merry, staring out over the water of the river.
"Pippin." No response. "Pippin, come on."
"It's just a stupid *child's* game anyway," Pippin said finally. "I didn't really want to play."
"You're impossible, Pippin Took," Merry sighed. "Look, we'll play your game for a while. It's not a stupid child's game."
"You're just saying that to make me feel better."
"No, I'm not. Come on, I'll even dare you first."
"Mean it?"
"Yeah. You ready?"
Pippin's eyes were bright in anticipation. "Dare me!"
Thinking fast, Merry caught sight of a bird's nest in the tree beside him. "I dare you to climb up to that nest and steal an egg out of it."
"Watch me!" With that, Pippin was off, climbing the tree with the ease of a child who grew up in and around the woods of the Shire. "Gotcha! He crowed, then paused. "Merry, what do you want me to do with the egg once I've got it?"
"Show me you have it and then put it back."
"Here then." Pippin slid down the tree to one of the lower branches, displaying his prize. "I got your silly egg."
"Go put it back and come down then. You're too good for me!"
"One for Pippin!" Grinning widely, Pippin bowed once he was out of the tree. "My turn. I dare you. I dare you go out into the middle of the river and catch a fish. Using ONLY your hands."
"Pippin! My da will catch us for sure! I can't walk into Brandy Hall wearing wet clothes!"
"Then take them off and do it, I don't care."
Merry blinked. "Fine then. I just hope the walk back cures my clothes of being wet!" But he did take off his weskit and tunic, not wanting them to get wet. His mother would kill him as surely as his father would. Throwing a last glance at Pippin, Merry waded into the water slowly, shivering at the cold. Determined not to let a child eight years his junior get the best of him, he and studied the water around him where small ripples indicated the presence of fish. Thanking, Merry began plotting how best to catch the slippery little creatures.
"We don't have all day!" Pippin called from the shore.
"Shut up, I'm thinking."
"Well, think faster. I'm getting hungry."
Hands darting out quickly, Merry soon had a struggling fish in his hands. "You were saying?"
Laughing, Pippin said, "Okay, let it go. One for Merry!"
"Our score is tied, Master Took."
"So it is, Master Brandybuck. What is your dare?" Pippin suddenly became nervous at the evil grin that crossed Merry's face.
"I dare you to go over to Farmer Maggot's field and steal mushrooms. By yourself."
Pippin's eyes widened. "What?"
"You heard me. Or are you *scared*?"
"No..." Pippin's voice trailed off and he looked across the water nervously. "I just don't like his dogs."
"Run fast and they won't catch you! If you do this, I'll forfeit the rest of the game. I'll even tell your sisters that you've the bravest hobbit ever."
"Really?"
"Promise. Now, go!"
"This will be the easiest dare ever!" Scampering easily across the stream, Pippin vanished into the tall stalks of corn. When, after five minutes, the younger hobbit still wasn't back, Merry began to get worried. Ten minutes. Fifteen minutes. Twenty minutes. Finally, Merry stood up. Enough was enough-he was going to go find Pippin. Just then, barking dogs and squeals of pain alerted Merry that someone was approaching on the other side and he hid just as Farmer Maggot emerged from the field, dragging Pippin behind him by the ear while four dogs crowded around their feet, barking loudly.
"OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!" Pippin howled.
"Fool of a Took!" Maggot yelled, throwing the younger hobbit into the stream. Sputtering, Pippin turned a fierce glare on the farmer, who merely glared back. "Your father will hear about this, Peregrin! Mark my words, boy!" With that, Maggot disappeared back into his field, the barking of his dogs fading into the distance.
"Pip?" Merry ventured, emerging from his hiding place. "Are you okay?" Pippin was still standing in the middle of the stream, shoulders shaking. At first, Merry thought he might be crying, but no sounds were coming from the boy in front of him. Finally Pippin turned to look at Merry and his eyes were full of what could only be described as terror.
"He'll tell, just like he promised! And my da will kill me!"
"What happened?" Merry soothed, putting an arm around Pippin's shoulders and guiding him out of the water.
"I'd just grabbed a couple of mushrooms when this. thing. landed on me. It was only when it started barking that I realized it was one of Maggot's dogs. He caught me, Merry. What am I going to DO? I guess I'm not so brave after all."
"We'll think of something. Maybe he won't write to Uncle Paladin?"
Pippin shook his head. "He will. He's been fishing for a reason to get me in trouble for years. 'Cept he's never caught me till today."
"I'm sorry I dared you to do that, Pip," Merry finally said. "I never meant for this to happen."
"I know." Pippin tried to smile, although he still looked terrified. "At least your clothes are dry now, so you won't get into any trouble at home." The two walked back into the Brandy Hall in silence, thankfully finding the hole as quiet as before.
Opening the front door, Merry turned to look at Pippin. "I still think you're the bravest hobbit I've ever known." With that, he vanished into the kitchen, leaving Pippin standing in the hallway, a confused expression on his face.