*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter Eleven: Truth revealed, let it be Real
Kilikai was staring out of her bedroom window when Sam knocked. She turned and smiled.
"What can I do for you?"
"Beg your pardon. I am Samwise Gamgee, a companion of Pippin's. I have a note he sent you."
She looked shocked. "A note?"
He handed it to her, then exited the room. She slowly opened it and held it to the light:
To My Dearest Beloved Kilikai I have set out on a quest for Mordor to find Sam and Frodo. I fear they are in trouble. I should be back soon if all goes well, but in the case that I do not make it back, I want you to know that I love you always and forever. Ever since I first saw you in Rivendell. I hope, if I return, you can show this love back to me, but I won't demand anything from you. From Peregrin Took
She put a hand to her mouth, feeling a tear slip down her face. She reread just to see if her eyes were telling the truth.
"He loves me." She smiled through her crying. "He loves me!" She laughed and stood, dancing about the room. This is what she had hoped he would feel, but it was better. She felt as if the world was spinning, and she was standing still.
It was evening when she finally came down to dinner, looking happier than she ever had.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pippin plugged his nose and trudged on through the thick mud. If there was a wetter and longer place in this world he didn't know where it was.
When the sun set it got a lot harder to walk, but he still went knowing if he stopped he couldn't sleep and it would be just as long the next day.
He scouted the horizon and spotted a flame on a torch. Then another. Then another. He ran towards them; a path!
When he reached it he realized it wasn't a path, but it was too late. He slipped on the slippery moss and fell into the water.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Merry watched in horror as the little figure on the horizon fell beneath the ground.
"He fell in the marsh! He isn't going to be able to get back out!" He took off running down the rocky hillside, Legolas tailing him. When he reached the edge of the marsh he froze.
"He's so far away, and I don't know the way through the marsh."
Legolas held out his arms. "If I carry you we'll be light as air."
Merry nodded and hopped into his arms, then the elve took off at a run. What he had said was true; they were as light as air. It wasn't very long before they could see the spot Pippin was at. A few minutes later they were there and Merry plunged beneath the water.
*~*~*~*~* Pippin looked down as he fell deeper into the water. He saw peoples faces the deeper he swam. He tried to swim but couldn't his air was starting to run out fast and the souls of the dead grabbing at him. His mind raced what was he going to do. Soon his air had run out and there was no way out this was his death and he just had to except it.
Merry gripped Pippin by the shirt and swam as well as he could to get to the top. As they reached the top Pippin gasped for air. Legolas grabbed Merry's hand and pulled the two up to shore.
Merry let go of Pippin and laid flat on the ground.
Pippin opened his eyes 'am I in heaven?' he thought then sat up coughing water.
Merry looked up at him then sat up as well.
Pippins looked at Merry "are you really here?" he asked
Merry smiled then his smile faded. "What were you thinking Pippin!" Merry exclaimed finally
"I was looking for Frodo and Sam" Pippin said
"They are back in Gondor, they did not enter Mordor" Legolas said
Pippin looked at Merry "you came for me Merry? Why?"
Merry looked away "you're my friend Pippin and I could not live to see you die before me"
Pippin burst out in tears "Merry" he said
Merry looked at him confused "Pippin"
Pippin smiled then hugged Merry "thank you my friend" he said happily. "Hey, your hobbit sized again."
"We must head back now" Legolas said, "Gondor is a long ways off" Pippin suddenly looked distant "Gondor" he said
Merry noticed his friends distant face "do not fret Pippin, she will not hate you," he said
Pippin looked up "I know but to face up to my destiny"
"We all must follow the path set out for us even if it not what we want" Legolas said looking away "I know"
"Legolas I am truly sorry" Merry said
Legolas looked at the hobbit "it is not for me to control her heart" he said
Merry looked at him "nor I"
Legolas smiled "do not worry Merry. Right now we have to get back to Gondor"
Kilikai was staring out of her bedroom window when Sam knocked. She turned and smiled.
"What can I do for you?"
"Beg your pardon. I am Samwise Gamgee, a companion of Pippin's. I have a note he sent you."
She looked shocked. "A note?"
He handed it to her, then exited the room. She slowly opened it and held it to the light:
To My Dearest Beloved Kilikai I have set out on a quest for Mordor to find Sam and Frodo. I fear they are in trouble. I should be back soon if all goes well, but in the case that I do not make it back, I want you to know that I love you always and forever. Ever since I first saw you in Rivendell. I hope, if I return, you can show this love back to me, but I won't demand anything from you. From Peregrin Took
She put a hand to her mouth, feeling a tear slip down her face. She reread just to see if her eyes were telling the truth.
"He loves me." She smiled through her crying. "He loves me!" She laughed and stood, dancing about the room. This is what she had hoped he would feel, but it was better. She felt as if the world was spinning, and she was standing still.
It was evening when she finally came down to dinner, looking happier than she ever had.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pippin plugged his nose and trudged on through the thick mud. If there was a wetter and longer place in this world he didn't know where it was.
When the sun set it got a lot harder to walk, but he still went knowing if he stopped he couldn't sleep and it would be just as long the next day.
He scouted the horizon and spotted a flame on a torch. Then another. Then another. He ran towards them; a path!
When he reached it he realized it wasn't a path, but it was too late. He slipped on the slippery moss and fell into the water.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Merry watched in horror as the little figure on the horizon fell beneath the ground.
"He fell in the marsh! He isn't going to be able to get back out!" He took off running down the rocky hillside, Legolas tailing him. When he reached the edge of the marsh he froze.
"He's so far away, and I don't know the way through the marsh."
Legolas held out his arms. "If I carry you we'll be light as air."
Merry nodded and hopped into his arms, then the elve took off at a run. What he had said was true; they were as light as air. It wasn't very long before they could see the spot Pippin was at. A few minutes later they were there and Merry plunged beneath the water.
*~*~*~*~* Pippin looked down as he fell deeper into the water. He saw peoples faces the deeper he swam. He tried to swim but couldn't his air was starting to run out fast and the souls of the dead grabbing at him. His mind raced what was he going to do. Soon his air had run out and there was no way out this was his death and he just had to except it.
Merry gripped Pippin by the shirt and swam as well as he could to get to the top. As they reached the top Pippin gasped for air. Legolas grabbed Merry's hand and pulled the two up to shore.
Merry let go of Pippin and laid flat on the ground.
Pippin opened his eyes 'am I in heaven?' he thought then sat up coughing water.
Merry looked up at him then sat up as well.
Pippins looked at Merry "are you really here?" he asked
Merry smiled then his smile faded. "What were you thinking Pippin!" Merry exclaimed finally
"I was looking for Frodo and Sam" Pippin said
"They are back in Gondor, they did not enter Mordor" Legolas said
Pippin looked at Merry "you came for me Merry? Why?"
Merry looked away "you're my friend Pippin and I could not live to see you die before me"
Pippin burst out in tears "Merry" he said
Merry looked at him confused "Pippin"
Pippin smiled then hugged Merry "thank you my friend" he said happily. "Hey, your hobbit sized again."
"We must head back now" Legolas said, "Gondor is a long ways off" Pippin suddenly looked distant "Gondor" he said
Merry noticed his friends distant face "do not fret Pippin, she will not hate you," he said
Pippin looked up "I know but to face up to my destiny"
"We all must follow the path set out for us even if it not what we want" Legolas said looking away "I know"
"Legolas I am truly sorry" Merry said
Legolas looked at the hobbit "it is not for me to control her heart" he said
Merry looked at him "nor I"
Legolas smiled "do not worry Merry. Right now we have to get back to Gondor"
