CHAPTER 7

The morning was bright and cheery. Pippin was in a foul mood while scrubbing the stove when Pim appeared in the hallway. "Pip! Tell me when the Post arrives! I have letters to send!" Pippin stopped scrubbing and mocked, "Yes, Thain Pim!"

Pim's head appeared round the corner with imaginary concern, "I'm sorry, I didn't quite hear what you said, would you care to repeat it, Pip?"

Pippin saw his Papa look up from sipping his morning tea. "No, I wouldn't.", he replied.

She narrowed her eyes at Pippin, "Hmmm, thought so.", and turned to leave the kitchen.

"Pippin." Still scrubbing the caldron, Pippin heard his father call him and looked up. "Come and sit."

Please, he thought, not another lecture. Pippin put the scrub rush down and went to sit by his father.

"Son, I know what you're up against. I, too, had three older sisters and another younger one to deal with as I was growing up." Paladin winked at his son. Then he was more serious, "I will tell you this: don't go so far as an all out war on your most faithful allies.'

Pippin was shocked at his father's hint. How did he know about The War? And allies?!--with allies like Pim, who needs enemies?

"No matter how relentlessly they tease you, Pippin, don't retaliate so as to divide yourself from those who love you most."

"Even when they deserve it?! Papa, they've done rotten things to me!"

Paladin drew Pippin to his side, "They are your sisters; your kin. When you are grown, and your mamma and I are no longer around, they will be. They will be here for you, Pip. Will your teasing go so far as to make them not want to be your sister? Think about that." Paladin sipped the last of his tea, got up and left for the fields with his only instruction to Pippin being to stay near Merry.

Pippin was left to deal with his feelings; he dwelt on his father's words as he finished rinsing the dishes in the tub. His thoughts were broken by the sound of jingling bridle. Pippin peered through the kitchen window. "Pim!", he shouted, "the Post is here!"

Soon Pim dashed into the kitchen with three envelopes. "Pip! Hurry! Run these out to the Post!"

Pippin saw she had white cream all over her face and started to laugh. "Pippin! Take these out to the Post!"

"Take them yourself!", he said, still laughing.

"Peregrin! Take these out to the post this instant!", then she added, "please!"

Pim wasn't jesting; she looked very serious...and she did say, please. "You owe me!" Pippin took the envelopes from his sister and ran out to the Post. He handed them over to the deliverer, and he received a bundle of envelopes in return. On his way back down the lane he wondered what in the Shire got his sister's petticoat all tied up in a knot. He stole a peek at the envelopes he just received. Most were for either his father or mother, but there were five envelopes of the same script from the same sender: Mr. Frodo Baggins, Bag End, Hobbiton. Then there was one that was addressed to: Master Peregrin Took, Whitwell, Tuckborough. He laughed to himself to see such a formal title attached to his name. Pippin rarely received envelopes, and was curious to see what was inside. He started to open it, then thought not to. He was going to wait to see what the other envelopes carried inside first. The rest of the envelopes were addressed to each teenager and tweenager: Pearl, Pimpernel, Pervinca, and Meriadoc Brandybuck. Then he remembered Merry again. He thought to take Merry's envelope himself--hopefully Merry was receiving visitors, or better yet, him.

CHAPTER 8

Merry was still in his nightshirt when he heard a rap on his door. He didn't answer; hoping the intruder would go away. Then he heard another rap. This time he thought to send the knocker away, but in case it was his auntie, he didn't want to be rude towards her... he sighed, "Who is it?"

"Pip." Pippin used the nickname Merry gave him, hoping this would soften any blow Merry might send his way.

"Go away, please."

"I've got an envelope for you."

"Go away, please." Growing slightly annoyed Pippin wasn't leaving.

"It's from Frodo Baggins."

"Go aw--oh, it's no use!", so he got up and opened the door. There stood the little hobbit with hand stretched out holding an envelope. Merry snatched it from Pippin and opened the door wider, "You're hopeless."

Pippin took the hint and stepped inside. Merry's room was dark; it was lit only by a single candle that sat on the mantle and the sunlight that seeped through the cracks of the drapes. Pippin noticed it was a bit stuffy inside, too. Merry appeared hadn't opened any windows all day. He watched Merry toss the envelope on the bed table and crawl back inside the warm bed.

Pippin settled himself in a chair and looked around the room. "Aren't you going to open it?"

"I know what it is."

"What is it, then?"

Merry sighed heavily. "It's an invitation."

Pippin waited for Merry to elaborate. "Are you going to open it?"

Silence.

"Merry?"

"What?!" Merry was getting agitated at Pippin again.

"Are you going to open it?"

"No!"

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to! What is this--an inquisition?!" Pippin was pushing his buttons again.

Normally, Pippin would have had fun in aggravating his dear cousin, but Merry was in such a state that right now that Pippin felt he needed to draw his cousin out of his dark closet.

There was an uneasy silence. "Have you decided if you're going to stay with us?"

Pippin's question hit Merry like a dagger. "I don't know, Pippin! Leave me alone!!"

"But, I..."

"Get out!!", Merry got out of bed and hauled Pippin out of his room by his arm, shoved him out into the dark hallway and slammed the door behind him. Merry leaned against it, slipping to the floor. He began to cry all over again. After a few minutes he heard Pippin's footsteps walk away. This whole dilemma had turned him into a monster. He hated Brandy Hall, he hated his father, and now he was becoming a monster to the people he loved the most. He decided at that moment he would never go back to Brandy Hall to live.

Then he saw a little dark shape on the floor next to the chair Pippin had been sitting in. Pippin must have dropped it--as I was shoving him out of the room. Merry sniffed and got up to fetch the little object. He picked it up and held it before him; it was difficult to see the color in the darkness. It was silky to his touch, and he felt broken stitches on one side of it--where at one time existed an embroidered smiling face. The memory of the object made Merry cry all over again; it was Pippin's little blue pillow. Perhaps Pippin brought it here on purpose. He meant to give it to me, but I shoved him out--what a wonderful cousin you are, Merry! Merry himself had given the pillow to Pippin when he was an infant. He had seen it briefly at times over the years; and even now, Pippin would never admit that he still took it to bed with him. Being that the little pillow was so ever so dear to Pippin, it was evidently his way of giving comfort to Merry, when he didn't quite know how to give it.

Merry lay on the bed and hugged the little pillow until he was out of tears, and fast asleep.