CHAPTER Ten - Wake Up!
To Paladin's surprise, the two travelers took up his invitation to stay the
night; perhaps, it seemed the Big Folk feared wolves as well. Together they lit up their pipes, and relaxed in front of the fireplace. They talked long into the night about the doings of the Shire and the lost kingdom. Paladin loved to talk about history, and these two certainly knew a lot of it! When they awoke the next morning, they joined the family for First Breakfast, and then departed for a place called Imladris. Paladin stood in the morning's sunlight, and watched the two Travelers depart down the lane towards the road that would take them east. He would never forget Thorongil and Elladan.
Eglantine, Dahlia, and the girls had just finished cleaning up from First Breakfast and had a bit of tea, that the time to set about preparing the second breakfast of the day came. They sliced up more fruits and vegetables, cooked eggs, sausages, potatoes, and flapjacks. They baked fresh bread, and prepared fruits, vegetables, and set out butter and cream.
Merry, Perva, and Pippin were allowed to sleep in, considering their adventure the day before. Normally, they'd be given tasks to help out--even little Pippin.
Presently, Pim's ankle was feeling better, and was sent to awaken them.
Pim limped down the long narrow hallway to her sister's room. She knocked and opened the door. Perva was still fast asleep. Pim puzzled on this; Perva was an early riser, and even though she was completely exhausted when she went to bed the night before, Perva would ordinarily be up by now. Pim walked to Perva's bedside and lightly shook her.
"Perva!", Pim whispered, "Perva, wake up! It's time for Second Breakfast!" If nothing else served, the thought of food should have waked her sister. Perva opened her eyes, and then shut them again.
"Pervinca!!", Pim insisted. Perva opened her eyes once more, and turned over to face her older sister.
"Can't I sleep in this morning?", Perva asked. Goodness, it must be the crack of dawn!
"Perva, you have slept in this morning! It's Eight O'clock!"
Perva groaned. "Alright, I'm getting up."
Pim next went to Merry's room. She knocked and waited; no answer. Pim knocked again, and this time cracked open the door--only to find Merry also still asleep.
"Merry?", Pim crept to his bedside, "Merry!" What is going on with these
two?, she wondered, and nudged Merry awake.
Merry opened his eyes, then he too, closed them, and rolled back over.
"Oh, no you don't!", Pim said, "Get up, you sluggard!". This time, Pim ran to the other side of the bed, and roused him with another nudge; more insistent. "Merry! You can't go back to sleep! Breakfast is waiting!"
Just watch me!, he thought. "Alright! I'm getting up!", he said, and angrily threw the covers aside and dragged his feet towards the wash basin.
Was it her, or did these two seem grumpy this morning?
Pim went to her brother's room last; Pippin was easier. Though he, too, was still asleep, Pim simply scooped him up in her arms and carried him to the kitchen. Pippin never stirred; he was fully asleep with his head on Pim's shoulder. He'll wake up when he smells food!
Everything was prepared and waiting when she entered the kitchen. The only things missing, if you want to call them that, were Perva and Merry. Pim was settling Pippin in his special chair. As she walked away, she didn't see Pippin lay his head down on his plate. Thankfully, it was empty!
Eglantine set the flapjacks on the table, and saw Pippin. "Come here, Pim." Pim limped toward her mother. "Have you noticed anything about your brother?"
"They were all still asleep, Mother!", Pim gave full account to her mother her sibling's slothfulness. "I thought they'd be more grateful for being allowed to sleep into the morning!"
"I'll be the judge of that", Eglantine said, and took Pippin into her arms.
Pippin stirred a little, put his finger in his mouth and went right back to
sleep. Eglantine put her hand to his face and forehead. "He's warm, Pim. I'd better put him back to bed, and then check on Perva and Merry."
Pippin was now awake, though subdued. He still sucked one finger and pointed with the other hand to the fresh bread. Eglantine was surprised by her son's obvious gesture.
"Are you hungry, Pip?" Pippin nodded.
Soon everyone was sitting at the table and ready to eat. Perva started to wake up more at the table. She ate some toasted bread with butter and sipped her tea, and towards the end of breakfast she started to feel a little better.
Merry, though he tried to eat, he grew more and more weary as breakfast wore on. He spoke little, and ate only a small piece of bread with a tiny bit of jam; he barely drank his milk. He sat at the table with his head propped up with his arm.
"May I please be excused from breakfast?"
"Are you not feeling well?", asked Paladin.
"Maybe I'm still tired", Merry answered.
"Very well, Merry." Paladin worried after his nephew; was Merry sick again? Paladin watched his own son--if Merry was ill, perhaps Pippin was also.
Pippin ate some plain bread, and drank a little milk, but started to whine and become restless half way through the meal. Eglantine tried to keep his finger out of his mouth, with no success; she had to leave the table with Pippin when he refused to quiet down at breakfast. Pippin rarely became ill, but a sure sign was that he wouldn't eat or calm down.
Eglantine paced back and forth in Pippin's room; she rocked her son to sleep in her arms. He was quiet for now. She lay him in his little bed and tucked him in, placing his little blue pillow next to him.
When she quietly shut Pippin's door, she crept over to Merry's room. She knocked lightly, with no reply. "Merry?" She waited. "Merry!", she whispered as she opened his door. Merry lay in his bed sound asleep. Oh, dear, she thought to herself. Not long out of the sick bed, and as soon as he's visited us, he's back in it!
