CHAPTER 15

Frodo sat on the chair next to Merry where Bell had been earlier. Merry hadn't even stirred. After setting Pippin's wrist, Bell tidied up Merry's gash with a few stitches and a bandage. Merry didn't flinch the whole time; he looked as if he was merely taking a short nap.

"Pippin's doing better now, Merry; you ought to see him! He's passed out on the other bed.", Frodo chuckled. "I had to feed him a bottle of wine to kill the pain. He did well--very well." Frodo sadly smiled. "I was quite proud of him, you know." Frodo looked for a sign that Merry could hear him. Nothing. Frodo went on, "I didn't know you were in such a fix about where to live." Frodo drew closer to Merry, as of the words were for Merry alone. "It's a gift, Merry. Take it and spend it as you wish; I only wish you to be happy again."

Still nothing.

Frodo hoped no one would think he was going crazy; it felt good to talk to Merry, even though he knew Merry couldn't listen at the moment. "We sent for your parents, you know. I hated to worry them, but, Merry...", his voice was emotional now, "please, Merry....please", Frodo begged, "please wake up!" Frodo's eyes filled with tears.

Frodo sat wearily in his thoughts; some running back to when he and Merry lived at Brandy Hall. Merry must have been...perhaps, seven or eight years old. The other boys would exclude Merry from their games and tease him about being Master of the Hall. Frodo smiled at one thought of Merry getting into a scrap with his older cousin, Merimas. When Frodo separated the two, Merimas had run off crying. Frodo could never understand why Saradoc had Merry punished and not Merimas. When Bilbo's offer came to Frodo, he was only too eager to leave Brandy Hall; he and Saradoc had plenty of disagreements.

A quiet moment went by, but then Frodo heard it; a breath, a sigh. He wiped his tired eyes and looked at Merry. Merry eyes were still closed. Then Frodo saw Merry swallow.

"Merry?"

Another heavy sigh.

"Merry....can you hear me?", Frodo chanced.

Merry's swallowed again, and his eyes flickered a bit, but were closed again.

"Merry...", Frodo would repeat his blessed name as often as it would take to get his friend to open up his eyes.

"Merry!", Frodo whispered. This time, his efforts yielded results.

Merry flickered his eyes again, and this time they opened.

Frodo was beside himself. He ran out into the hallway and yelled to all who could hear-- "He's awake!! Merry's awake!" Frodo ran back inside the room to make sure Merry didn't close his eyes again--at least just yet.

They all crowded around Merry's bed: Bilbo, Pearl, Pim, Perva, Folco, Bell and Frodo. It uplifted Merry to think that these people actually cared for him; perhaps having people care about him wasn't so scary. Pim bent over and kissed his brow, "Welcome back, Merry!" He could get used to this!

"Merry! Oh, it's so good to see you awake!", each one said in turn. After several minutes, it was only Frodo and Pearl in the room.

"Hmm?...", then Merry remembered Pippin and their evening of cold and rain. "Where's Pippin?" Merry tried to sit up, but his head swam.

"No, Merry! You must lie there still as a stone!" Frodo cautioned Merry. "Pippin is resting quietly on my bed in the next room!" Frodo, remembering his little wine party with Pippin, and went into full account with Merry.

"Oh, no. It's all my fault!", moaned Merry, holding his hurting head.

"What do you mean? How can you say that?", Frodo was surprised Merry would say such nonsense.

Merry sat back on his pillow, his head hurt too much to talk, but he told Frodo of all that happened from his and Pippin's argument in the fields up to the night before.

"Hmm...that explains a lot, Merry, but it's not your fault. Not one bit.", Frodo said, trying to soothe his cousin. "He actually accused you of trying to leave without saying goodbye to him?" Merry nodded. Frodo shook his head in puzzlement. "Dear Merry, it seems to me you have a serious case of attachment!" Frodo laughed. "He follows you around incessantly, does he not?" Merry barely nodded his head. Pearl smiled--she knew how her little brother could be. "I had this problem once" Frodo said, "I used to have this little cousin who followed me around everywhere I went. Do you remember him?" Frodo grinned; he was speaking of Merry.

"Was I that bad?" Merry grinned back.

"Of course not, Merry! But, does Pippin have many friends at Whitwell, or even Tuckborough?"

Merry thought for a moment, and shook his head--then immediately cringed and put a hand to his head when his movement made his head throb even more. He never thought of that before, though. He and Pippin had been extremely close since Pippin was able to walk and talk, and over the years, as he visited Whitwell, they were inseparable. He and Pippin had truly become the brothers he always wanted....and now what was he to do? If Pippin truly considered him an older brother, then it was his duty to talk to him. Merry was still undecided, but perhaps talking it over with Pippin may help.

Merry was feeling like he now understood Pippin's behavior. "I feel horrible for not seeing this sooner. What do you think I should do?"

Frodo shrugged. Then Pearl said, "In the matter of where you live, Merry, that has to be your own decision, but I think if you do talk to Pippin, he will come to reason. He loves you Merry, and has always wanted the best for you. You have to remember--he wasn't quite himself last evening!"

Frodo added, "For all his inquisitiveness and quick wit, this is all probably a bit confusing to him."

Merry pulled his blankets up closer. "To him?...this is all baffling to me!"

CHAPTER 16

Frodo awoke to bright sunshine and birds chirping in the autumn breeze. The window was open a crack and so he felt the chilly morning breeze touch his face. The light danced upon his eyes through the window between the tree leaves. He groaned and turned over. It must be past second breakfast and onto lunch by now, he thought. He could smell food cooking. Frodo sat up and rubbed his tired eyes. It seemed like a dream far away, but no, he knew better. Merry lay in the next room extremely ill from a head wound, and Pippin lay in another room nursing a hang over from too much wine and ale. He wondered if Saradoc or Paladin had made it in yet. He did not relish Paladin confronting him; Pippin was his youngest child and only son, and there was talk of Paladin inheriting the title of Thain... Merry was Saradoc's only son as well, but he and Merry had had differences since...well, since Merry could walk and talk. Saradoc probably wouldn't even come. Poor Merry.

He laid the quilt aside in bed and got up. He padded towards the wash basin and washed his hands and weary face. As he dried his face, he heard voices in the hallway. One he recognized--it was Bilbo, but he didn't know the other. He grabbed his toothbrush and began brushing his teeth. There was a heated discussion going on, and it seemed to grow hotter. He spat out the swill from brushing his teeth and quietly tip toed to the door. He opened it only enough to peer with one eye.

"I am taking my son home now, and if you try to stop me, I will have the Shirrifs on you faster than you can say it!"

"I don't recommend it! I highly encourage you to let the boy lie until he is well enough to travel!", Frodo knew this voice to be Bilbo's.

"He will receive the best of care at Brandy Hall! Give me my son!!" Frodo knew the second voice, but had to see who it belonged to...and without meaning to, the door creaked open far more than he wished.

"Frodo, lad!", Bilbo sounded relieved to see Frodo up and about. "Come on out and welcome our guest!"

Frodo was still in his nightshirt, but stepped out into the hallway to greet the visitor. "Hullo, sir", Frodo held out his hand, "I'm Fr--"

"Never mind the courtesies! I know who you are! I want to see my son!!"

"Which son?", asked Frodo, feigning ignorance, and immediately felt Bilbo's elbow in his ribs. Frodo was stalling, and Bilbo knew it.

"Don't sass me, lad! Bring me to my son, NOW!", the angry father growled.

Frodo eyed the large walking stick he carried.

"Frodo", said Bilbo, taking the large stick out of the hobbit's grip, "why don't you escort our visitor to Merry?"

"Merry?", Frodo repeated, still stalling.

"What--are you hard of hearing, lad? Take him to Merry."

Frodo trembled as he escorted the limping hobbit to Merry's room.

After Frodo helped Saradoc settle into the chair, he spotted Paladin riding up on a pony. Gracious me!, Frodo thought, will I survive this day? Frodo excused himself from Saradoc and went out to meet Paladin.

Frodo was heading straight for the door when halfway there, Pearl, unwary, walked into his path and knocked into him. Frodo crashed to the floor with Pearl on top of him. "Get off me, Pearl!!" Frodo gasped, "Hurry! Your father is coming to the door!!"

The genuine panic in Frodo's face made Pearl laugh. "Don't have a cow, Frodo! Papa won't kill you...until later!", and she got to her feet, and helped Frodo up.

Paladin knocked on the door, and then as all relatives do, he opened the door and walked in followed by Sam. Frodo met him, still in his nightshirt.

Paladin looked at the sight before him and said, "Lad, I don't know what kind of hours you keep here, but I'm looking for my son, Pippin." Then he saw Pearl over to the side, "Pearl! What is going on?"

Pearl took her father into the kitchen for a cup of tea and bread, and told him the whole story. From the arrival down to Pippin's glass of wine.

"Honestly, Pearl, what in the Shire goes through that boy's head? Drinking ale? Climbing a tree? I know he can be a handful, but how hard can it be to keep track of an eight-year-old?" Paladin sat in his chair frustrated. "Where was Bilbo when all of this happened?" Paladin had a huge puzzle to solve, and to bring it all into perspective, he needed to talk to his son. "Where is he?"

"Bilbo?", asked Frodo.

"No, lad! I first want to see my son, Pippin!", Paladin said, then added, "but yes, after that, I would like a word with cousin Bilbo."

Inwardly, Frodo rolled his eyes; this was only going to get better!