Chapter 8

The Broken Teacup

Merry's eyes slowly open when he heard voices coming from the hallway right outside his room. The doorknob turned and the round green door slowly open. Merry sat up in his bed and greeted Pippin with two, breakfast tray.

"Good morning Merry, How are you feeling?" Pippin said with a bright smile on his face.

"A lot better. So much better in fact, I'll be head'n home to Buckland right after breakfast."

"You know, you do not have leave so soon. Your more than welcome to rest here for awhile until you are much stronger." This news sadden Pippin because he had hoped Merry would stay a few day longer, but he understood his friend enough to know that Merry was not the type to lay in bed. When Merry put his mind to something, there was little anyone could do to change it.

"Pippin I have so many things to get done, I am already far behind in getting ready to bring those new horses to Buckland." Merry told him as he took the lids off of his plate and saw a big plate of fried eggs, bacon and a stack of tomatoes. There was a small cup of honey next to his morning tea.

"I am still going with you to get those horses, Merry." Pippin told him.

"Pip, that is not necessary, Berliac and Nibs will be coming with me. You need to take care of your beautiful wife and see to that honeymoon. I have imposed on you long enough. It is not fair of me, since you just have gotten married. Come now let's eat our breakfast and say our good-byes." Merry told him.

"Fine enough, Merry. But will you be eating the rest of your bacon?" Pippin said as he reached over to Merry's plate, but he slapped his hand away from trying to steal his bacon. A big smile broke over both their faces as they began laughing.

Merry came out of his room and saw Diamond standing by the front doorway. She smiled as she opened her arms and gave him a warm hug Good-bye.

"Take care of yourself Merry, you are very dear to us." She stood on her toes to give him a kiss on his cheek.

Pippin got Merry's horse ready and waited for him, holding the reins. "Good- bye Pip, thank you for everything that you done for me." Merry said to him.

"You know I am always here for you Merry, anytime. You promise me that you will talk to Fredegar and when I get back I want to see you with Estella." Pippin smiled and gave him a sly little wink.

"Just because you have gotten married you think everyone should be." Merry got on his horse and continued, "Besides, haven't you thought that maybe I like being by myself and not having a woman telling me what to do all the time." Merry kicked his horse and rode off.

"Do you think he will go after Estella?" Diamond asked Pippin.

"Who knows, Merry is his own hobbit and does not listen to what everyone tells him." Pippin placed his arm around his wife and kissed her.

~*~

The sun was high in the sky when Merry rode over the lush green hills heading towards Buckland. When he descended into the valley where his home lay, Merry could see the new corals all built and finished. He gave a sigh of relief that he no longer had to be concerned about them. Old Hob must have pushed the crew of hobbits until they completed it.

When Merry approached the new wooden gates, Hob and the crew of hobbits all gathered around to welcome him back.

"Master Merry, It is so good to see you moving about and back to your old self." They all echoed after each other.

"Looks like you all have been busy with the corals." Merry eyes darted back and forth at the perfect rows of fencing and solid poles in the ground.

"Yes, Ol' Hob here was a slave driver, but we finished it and it is now ready for the new horses." One of the hobbits told him.

"Here Merry, I'll be taking your horse and tend'n to her proper." Ol' Hob said as he took the reins from Merry. "Hatty will have an extra plate ready for you in the kitchen, we all just finished our luncheon a short while ago.

"Thank you Hob, you have done an excellent job taking care of things while I have been away." Merry told him.

Hatty wearily lowered a stack of dirty lunch dishes into the soapy bucket of water as she looked out the window. She let out a scream of delight when she saw Merry approaching the cobblestone walk leading to the halls of Buckland. She ran to the door to welcome him home. "Blessed be, Master Merry! Welcome home."

Erling raised from his seat, hearing his mother greet the Master of Buckland. A sinister grin broke the corners of his lips when he saw the pot of tea and honey sitting on the table. Erling knowing his mother well, anticipated that she would make sure Merry would have a stout plate of vittles before he settled back into Buckland. He grabbed his traveling bag and opened it.

"Merry sit yourself down at my table and prepare yourself for the finest vittles you have ever set your eyes upon." Hatty danced around the kitchen filling his plate with all his favorite foods.

"Hullo Erling? You too can not resist your mothers cooking no more than I can. Tis my only weakness I have, I fear." Merry patted Erling's back as he joined him at the table.

Merry saw the warm pot of tea and the fresh jar of honey and he filled his cup full. Merry took his time opening the jar of honey and taking two big heaping spoonfuls to mix in his tea.

"Here ya go Merry, now taste this fine roast beef that I made. It took four long hours to simmer it, making it as tender as can be. Now that will melt in your mouth." Hatty stood by Merry with her hands on her hips and spoon in her hand waiting for him to take his first bite.

Merry's eyes widen seeing the roast beef stacked on his plate. He quickly cut a chunk off and took a bite. "Now that is what I call a tender chunk of beef. Hatty there is no finer a cook in all the Shire, you honor the name of a Bucklander!"

Hatty grinned from ear to ear, "It is an honor to be cooking for such a noble hobbit as yourself Master Merry. I love seeing a hobbit with such a good appetite." Hatty walked away singing with a bounce in her step to wash the lunch dishes.

"So tell me Erling what have you found out about who's been wishing me harm." Merry cut another big bite of roast beef and stuck it into his mouth.

Erling eyes focused onto Merry's teacup and he watched him in anticipation to take a drink. "I gave the healer a sample of Bolger's tea and they tell me that they found some herbal medicine mixed in it, poison that would cause a hobbit harm."

"That cannot be, Erling. They must have made some type of mistake. I know Fredegar most all my life and he would not make a mistake like that." Merry picked up his teacup and brought it to his lips.

Erling took a deep breath and wet his lips as he watched Merry getting ready to sip his tea.

"You are right Merry, my brother would do no such a thing." Estella said as she walked into the kitchen as he heard what Erling and Merry were talking about.

Merry put down the teacup and stood to greet Estella. "Estella I was going to be heading to Hobbiton directly after lunch to talk to you and your brother. Please join me for some tea and cake while I finish my lunch.

"Merry I am telling you that someone must have planted that poison into the tea trying to blame my brother." Estella said as she sat down with Merry at the table and poured herself some tea.

Merry handed her the jar of honey for her tea, but she held her hand up saying she did not like honey in her tea. Estella brought the teacup to her lips and took a deep drink of the warm dark fluid.

Hatty brought Estella a small serving of cake and she asked for a scoop of honey to pour on her cake.

Ester's older son bounced into the kitchen with a ball in his hands laughing and giggling as Ester chased him. He tripped on the rug and the ball went flying onto the table knocking everything over. The honey that Estella had in her hand spilt all over her dress. The teacup clattered and broke as they hit the floor.

"You stupid little brat, look what you have done!" Erling picked up the boy as if he was going to slap him. Merry grabbed his hand to stop him. "Set him down, Erling." They were calm words laced with an icy, serious tone that froze him. "Put him down."

Erling looked into Merry's eyes and placed the boy down. The boy ran to his mother, hiding in her protective arms. Erling walked over to the honey jar and held it upside down, letting the rest of the honey pour onto the floor. "Just look what he has done! That boy must understand his place."

"But striking the boy is not the way to do it, Erling. It was an accident; I am sure he did not mean to do it," Merry told him.

"Perhaps your are right Merry, I do apologize. Mama I will help you clean this up." Erling walked over to get the mop.

"Here Estella, let me try to clean your dress." Hatty brought a wet towel to scrub the mess on her dress.

"No Hatty, it is alright. When I get home, I will change my dress."

"Estella why don't I take you home now so I can speak to your brother." Merry led Estella to the stable to get the carriage to take her home. He tied her horse to the carriage.