Sweet Tasting Tears
Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! You are loved!
Chapter Two: The One Ring Foreseen
Merry froze and held his breath, bracing himself for Pippin's incredibly loud wailing as Rigor shook him roughly. Very roughly.
"Hey!" Merry cried, horrified. "You're shaking him too hard! Be careful! He's so fragile!"
Rigor smirked, but didn't say anything. His smirk grew wider as Pippin's beautiful emerald eyes slowly opened to reveal that he had crystal tears in his deep green, blurry orbs.
Pippin did not start to wail, however, but more tears silently trickled down his lightly freckled cheeks. "Oh Merry!" he cried, "I had bad dream! It scares me!"
Merry immediatley rushed to his side. He lifted Pippin in his arms and hugged him close to his chest, ignoring the amused looks from the boys. He softly spoke words of comfort into Pippin's pointy ear and soon he stopped crying. Frodo approached the bed and sat down beside Merry and stroked Pippin's curls gently. "Pip..."
Pippin let out a delighted squeak and launched himself into Frodo's arms. "Frodo! Frodo! You are coming to the party! Yay!"
Frodo chuckled. "Of course, my little Pippin. I wouldn't miss the party for all the mushrooms in the Shire!" Pippin looked up into Frodo's ice blue eyes. "Really? All the mushrooms?"
Frodo nodded and playfully ruffled Pippin's thick, sun-kissed hair. "Yep. All the mushrooms."
Pippin grinned his famous little grin. "Wow. It's gonna be a great party then!"
Merry and Frodo both laughed. Rim and Tim laughed, too, but Rigor elbowed them harshly. They stopped laughing and looked almost sad.
"So," he started casually, "What do you want to do today?"
Merry opened his mouth to say something, but Frugrin cut him off. "Gandalf The Grey is coming to see Bilbo today in the Shire. Heard he's got some new magical goods. What do you say? Want to check it out?"
Frodo looked nervous and reluctant, but Merry's face glowed with eagerness. "Great! When do we leave?"
Pippin could sense the excitment in Merry's voice. "What is happening, Merry? Where are we going?"
Rigor smirked and stepped closer to the bed. "We're going to the Shire to..... borrow some things from Gandalf. We need you to take them. You're the only one small enough to get into the cart unnoticed and slip into his bag and crates. Now what you have to do is---"
"Wait! Pippin is too young to be a thief! Until he's my age, he's not allowed in Farmer Maggot's crop or Gandalf's cart!" Merry shouted.
Pippin's eyes widened and he squealed with cheer. "Thief?! Thief?! Yay, Merry! Just like you, taking carrots and cabbage from Farmer Maggot! I want to be a thief! I want to be like Merry!"
Merry looked to Pippin, a sad gleam in his eyes. He wearily rubbed his temples. "What have I done?" He muttered to himself. Then he smiled. Him and his little cousin Pip, partners in crime. Pippin could be his sidekick!
"Alright, Pip." Merry said, "You can come."
Pippin squealed with joy. "Oh, Merry! I am so happy! Thanks you! Thanks you!"
Merry laughed cheerily, and then behind him another laugh rang out. It was cold and deep, and it made Merry frown and turn around.
Rigor smirked as his laughter died away, "Well, the little Took," he spat the name with disgust, "certainly seems to be up for the job..."
********************
"Are you sure it's safe for the little one, Rigor?" Frugrin asked nervously. He wrung his hands in worry, obviously Pippin's alluring cuteness was beginning to grow on him. Tim looked to Rim, the two of them clenching their teeth and kicking the dust on the grounds of Bag End.
Merry had his tattered Brandybuck rucksack slung over his shoulders as he held Pippin's tiny hand in his. Pippin could feel slight shaking in his cousin's palm and wondered what could be wrong.
The group of hobbit lads sat under the Great Willow, it's lush leaves rustling in the wind and shading them. On their left side, a gentle gushing sound could be heard, and though it could not be seen through the thick shrubs, the beautiful Crystal River rushed past them with cold, lucid waters. On their right side, the dusty, white-sand roads of Bag End lay, and in the distance, Bilbo Baggins' hole, where Gandalf the Grey would soon be arriving.
"Of course it's safe, Frugrin you fool." Rigor snarled. His dark eyes flashed with insincerity. Merry closed his grasp tighter around Pippin's hand.
Rigor eyed Pippin with distaste. "Tell me, young one, who are your parents?"
Pippin beamed. "Saradoc and Eglantine of the Great Smials!"
Rim laughed. "Have you got that memorized?" Pippin nodded sheepishly.
Rigor pierced his tongue with sharp teeth. "Interesting..."
On the other side of the thick trunk of the Willow, Frodo lay curled up in the grass. Gandalf.... Gandalf.... he was going to steal from his beloved Gandalf! He put his head in his hands and ran his fingers through his dark curls. 'Maybe if Pippin was going to be the only one on the cart, Gandalf could never point the finger at me!' Frodo thought cheerily. Then, he paused. 'I wonder what nightmare scared Pippin so much...'
Rigor and Frugrin dug through their rucksacks for a bite to eat before their adventure, while Rim and Tim talked happily to Merry. They really enjoyed his company and thought his jokes were terribly funny. Pippin sulked. He was supposed to be talking and laughing and singing with his Merry! He twisted the small twig that lay in his fingertips. He was supposed to be Merry's partner in crime! He pulled apart the twig harshly. He was supposed to be Merry's best friend! He peeled the thin withering bark off the feeble twig. He didn't like these boys, these Shire lads, especially Rigor. They were all trying to steal Merry away from him.... him and his Merry were supposed to be the ones stealing!
Suddenly, a firm, smooth hand pulled him behind the Great Willow.
***
"Ooof!" Pippin squeaked as he was dragged behind the towering tree. Frodo gazed at him with concerned blue eyes. He gently pulled Pip closer to him and draped his arm around Pippin's tiny waist. "Pippin," he nervously began. Pippin looked at him with confused and bright green eyes. He closed his eyes momentarily to savour the warmth wrapped around him.
"Pippin, I wanted to-to ask you... what was your nightmare like?"
Pippin's eyes burst open with renewed fear. Tears swelled up in his beautiful orbs, his long curly eyelashes laced with sparkling water beads.
Frodo began to regret his question. "No Pippin, please don't cry!" he pleaded. "You don't have to speak of it."
Pippin ignored him. "Well..." he began anxiously. "I couldn't really feel anything... I saw red flames all around me, but I couldn't feel the heat. I saw swords fall upon my back, but I couldn't feel the pain. And worst of all, I saw Merry being carried away by... by horrible monsters.... huge, hairy, ugly monsters and they had lots of axes and metal armour clanging on their repulsive bodies." Frodo tried to hide his surprise at this young hobbit's incredible vocabulary. "And when Merry saw me... when he was disappearing into the distance on the monster's shoulders, he blew me a kiss. I couldn't feel it. I couldn't feel his love." Pippin sobbed. "Then darkness shadowed my eyes... and I saw... I saw... I saw a great and powerful wizard... by the name of Saruman." Pippin seemed to be falling under a trance, eyes unfocused and blurry. "I was terrified of him, because then he lifted me with terrible magic to the top of a huge, hateful tower. I sat on the marble surface for such a long time, and then these tall, black shadows appeared, on tall black horses, horses like demons. I think they were called... Black Riders. They galloped around me and then.... and then I saw a beautiful, golden ring float in front of my eyes. Words passed through my head. Words telling me of the great power that Ring, and it became real to anyone who slipped It on. To anyone who felt It. I never felt It. I couldn't feel the smooth surface of the gorgeous ring." Pippin's cheeks became damp with salty tears. "But when I cried..." he brushed his hand upon his freckled face, lifting a shimmering tear on his fingertip into the sunlight. "I felt it. I tasted the tears on my lips. I felt so bitter..." The single droplet of sadness plunged into the lush. "But my tears tasted sweet."
*****************
So sorry for the incredible shortness, but please review anyways! TA-TA!
Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! You are loved!
Chapter Two: The One Ring Foreseen
Merry froze and held his breath, bracing himself for Pippin's incredibly loud wailing as Rigor shook him roughly. Very roughly.
"Hey!" Merry cried, horrified. "You're shaking him too hard! Be careful! He's so fragile!"
Rigor smirked, but didn't say anything. His smirk grew wider as Pippin's beautiful emerald eyes slowly opened to reveal that he had crystal tears in his deep green, blurry orbs.
Pippin did not start to wail, however, but more tears silently trickled down his lightly freckled cheeks. "Oh Merry!" he cried, "I had bad dream! It scares me!"
Merry immediatley rushed to his side. He lifted Pippin in his arms and hugged him close to his chest, ignoring the amused looks from the boys. He softly spoke words of comfort into Pippin's pointy ear and soon he stopped crying. Frodo approached the bed and sat down beside Merry and stroked Pippin's curls gently. "Pip..."
Pippin let out a delighted squeak and launched himself into Frodo's arms. "Frodo! Frodo! You are coming to the party! Yay!"
Frodo chuckled. "Of course, my little Pippin. I wouldn't miss the party for all the mushrooms in the Shire!" Pippin looked up into Frodo's ice blue eyes. "Really? All the mushrooms?"
Frodo nodded and playfully ruffled Pippin's thick, sun-kissed hair. "Yep. All the mushrooms."
Pippin grinned his famous little grin. "Wow. It's gonna be a great party then!"
Merry and Frodo both laughed. Rim and Tim laughed, too, but Rigor elbowed them harshly. They stopped laughing and looked almost sad.
"So," he started casually, "What do you want to do today?"
Merry opened his mouth to say something, but Frugrin cut him off. "Gandalf The Grey is coming to see Bilbo today in the Shire. Heard he's got some new magical goods. What do you say? Want to check it out?"
Frodo looked nervous and reluctant, but Merry's face glowed with eagerness. "Great! When do we leave?"
Pippin could sense the excitment in Merry's voice. "What is happening, Merry? Where are we going?"
Rigor smirked and stepped closer to the bed. "We're going to the Shire to..... borrow some things from Gandalf. We need you to take them. You're the only one small enough to get into the cart unnoticed and slip into his bag and crates. Now what you have to do is---"
"Wait! Pippin is too young to be a thief! Until he's my age, he's not allowed in Farmer Maggot's crop or Gandalf's cart!" Merry shouted.
Pippin's eyes widened and he squealed with cheer. "Thief?! Thief?! Yay, Merry! Just like you, taking carrots and cabbage from Farmer Maggot! I want to be a thief! I want to be like Merry!"
Merry looked to Pippin, a sad gleam in his eyes. He wearily rubbed his temples. "What have I done?" He muttered to himself. Then he smiled. Him and his little cousin Pip, partners in crime. Pippin could be his sidekick!
"Alright, Pip." Merry said, "You can come."
Pippin squealed with joy. "Oh, Merry! I am so happy! Thanks you! Thanks you!"
Merry laughed cheerily, and then behind him another laugh rang out. It was cold and deep, and it made Merry frown and turn around.
Rigor smirked as his laughter died away, "Well, the little Took," he spat the name with disgust, "certainly seems to be up for the job..."
********************
"Are you sure it's safe for the little one, Rigor?" Frugrin asked nervously. He wrung his hands in worry, obviously Pippin's alluring cuteness was beginning to grow on him. Tim looked to Rim, the two of them clenching their teeth and kicking the dust on the grounds of Bag End.
Merry had his tattered Brandybuck rucksack slung over his shoulders as he held Pippin's tiny hand in his. Pippin could feel slight shaking in his cousin's palm and wondered what could be wrong.
The group of hobbit lads sat under the Great Willow, it's lush leaves rustling in the wind and shading them. On their left side, a gentle gushing sound could be heard, and though it could not be seen through the thick shrubs, the beautiful Crystal River rushed past them with cold, lucid waters. On their right side, the dusty, white-sand roads of Bag End lay, and in the distance, Bilbo Baggins' hole, where Gandalf the Grey would soon be arriving.
"Of course it's safe, Frugrin you fool." Rigor snarled. His dark eyes flashed with insincerity. Merry closed his grasp tighter around Pippin's hand.
Rigor eyed Pippin with distaste. "Tell me, young one, who are your parents?"
Pippin beamed. "Saradoc and Eglantine of the Great Smials!"
Rim laughed. "Have you got that memorized?" Pippin nodded sheepishly.
Rigor pierced his tongue with sharp teeth. "Interesting..."
On the other side of the thick trunk of the Willow, Frodo lay curled up in the grass. Gandalf.... Gandalf.... he was going to steal from his beloved Gandalf! He put his head in his hands and ran his fingers through his dark curls. 'Maybe if Pippin was going to be the only one on the cart, Gandalf could never point the finger at me!' Frodo thought cheerily. Then, he paused. 'I wonder what nightmare scared Pippin so much...'
Rigor and Frugrin dug through their rucksacks for a bite to eat before their adventure, while Rim and Tim talked happily to Merry. They really enjoyed his company and thought his jokes were terribly funny. Pippin sulked. He was supposed to be talking and laughing and singing with his Merry! He twisted the small twig that lay in his fingertips. He was supposed to be Merry's partner in crime! He pulled apart the twig harshly. He was supposed to be Merry's best friend! He peeled the thin withering bark off the feeble twig. He didn't like these boys, these Shire lads, especially Rigor. They were all trying to steal Merry away from him.... him and his Merry were supposed to be the ones stealing!
Suddenly, a firm, smooth hand pulled him behind the Great Willow.
***
"Ooof!" Pippin squeaked as he was dragged behind the towering tree. Frodo gazed at him with concerned blue eyes. He gently pulled Pip closer to him and draped his arm around Pippin's tiny waist. "Pippin," he nervously began. Pippin looked at him with confused and bright green eyes. He closed his eyes momentarily to savour the warmth wrapped around him.
"Pippin, I wanted to-to ask you... what was your nightmare like?"
Pippin's eyes burst open with renewed fear. Tears swelled up in his beautiful orbs, his long curly eyelashes laced with sparkling water beads.
Frodo began to regret his question. "No Pippin, please don't cry!" he pleaded. "You don't have to speak of it."
Pippin ignored him. "Well..." he began anxiously. "I couldn't really feel anything... I saw red flames all around me, but I couldn't feel the heat. I saw swords fall upon my back, but I couldn't feel the pain. And worst of all, I saw Merry being carried away by... by horrible monsters.... huge, hairy, ugly monsters and they had lots of axes and metal armour clanging on their repulsive bodies." Frodo tried to hide his surprise at this young hobbit's incredible vocabulary. "And when Merry saw me... when he was disappearing into the distance on the monster's shoulders, he blew me a kiss. I couldn't feel it. I couldn't feel his love." Pippin sobbed. "Then darkness shadowed my eyes... and I saw... I saw... I saw a great and powerful wizard... by the name of Saruman." Pippin seemed to be falling under a trance, eyes unfocused and blurry. "I was terrified of him, because then he lifted me with terrible magic to the top of a huge, hateful tower. I sat on the marble surface for such a long time, and then these tall, black shadows appeared, on tall black horses, horses like demons. I think they were called... Black Riders. They galloped around me and then.... and then I saw a beautiful, golden ring float in front of my eyes. Words passed through my head. Words telling me of the great power that Ring, and it became real to anyone who slipped It on. To anyone who felt It. I never felt It. I couldn't feel the smooth surface of the gorgeous ring." Pippin's cheeks became damp with salty tears. "But when I cried..." he brushed his hand upon his freckled face, lifting a shimmering tear on his fingertip into the sunlight. "I felt it. I tasted the tears on my lips. I felt so bitter..." The single droplet of sadness plunged into the lush. "But my tears tasted sweet."
*****************
So sorry for the incredible shortness, but please review anyways! TA-TA!