Chapter Ten - The Judgment Seat of Paldain Took

"Merry!" Frodo called after his cousin, walking briskly down the storage tunnel towards the main tunnel. "Merry, you don't have to go to all this trouble to ingratiate us to Paladin!"

Merry stopped and turned to look at his friend. "Ingratiate us?" Merry smirked, "You don't know Uncle Paladin very well, do you?"

"What do you mean?" Frodo asked.

"Uncle Paladin has been like a father to me, and you know that, right?" He waited for acknowledgement from Frodo. "I know my uncle better than I know my own father, and I can tell you that Uncle Paladin knows we're here."

"But he's not seen us!"

"But he knows. And I venture to say that Auntie knows we're here, too. But she's more quiet about knowing my plans than my uncle, and I can usually sweet-talk Auntie into not punishing me so hard."

Frodo was beginning to get a bit tense by now. "You know your uncle that well, eh?" He fingered with a golden trinket in his trouser pocket as if he were making a most difficult decision. "What do you think are the chances are of us meeting up with your aunt first?" He asked wryly.

Merry didn't take Frodo's last comment seriously. "Wait!", he said, laughing slightly, "Before we go any further," Merry explained, "my uncle may know, or even guess, at most of what I do, but that's because of all the time I've spent with him and his family. I can already guess he's probably disappointed or angry with me, but that's goes with being like a father and son. And for as much as he knows me, I also know him."

"How so?"

Merry started walking again with Frodo at his side, and at a slower pace, "Well, for starters, if Pippin is confined to his room, then I can pretty much count on getting the same punishment."

Frodo slowly shook his head, "But you really don't live with him anymore. Why would Paladin punish you?"

"Because I'm still part of the family." Said Merry with a wry grin, "And I still come round every now and then just make sure that I am!"

For the first time in his life, Frodo felt envious of his cousin and wished his other Baggins' relatives had taken him in just as Paladin did for Merry. But then he never would have met Bilbo. He let go of the trinket in his pocket.

Having made their way to the main tunnel, the hobbits quietly crept up to Paladin's office door. It was open, as it always was unless he was in a meeting with his cousin, Thain Ferumbras III, or Addie. Merry peeked around the doorjamb to see if his uncle was at his desk. Paladin never once looked up, "Come in, Merry. Is Frodo with you?"

Merry came fully into the office, looking behind him, "Uh...yes, sir." He could still see Frodo in the hallway giving him the evil eye.

"Come in, lads, and sit down. I will be with you momentarily." Paladin dipped his pen into the ink jar and then dabbed it onto the blotter. He signed his name in red ink on a document in front of him. "This," he said as he blew the ink dry, "is a letter to my friend Will, the Mayor of Michel Delving. I let him know that we caught the scoundrel who was raiding the crop fields from the East Farthing and making his way west." His eyes raised up to meet theirs, "I had to tell him it was my very own son."

Merry and Frodo squirmed in their chairs. "But it--" Merry started, but shut his mouth when he saw the burning glare of his uncle.

"I am doing the speaking right now, Meriadoc."

Paladin rarely called Merry by his full name. "Yes, sir." Merry responded.

Merry and Frodo quietly watched as Paladin folded the parchment and put it inside an envelope, and using a bit of melted wax he sealed it with his own seal. Again, using the ink jar, Paladin scripted Will's name and address on the front of the envelope. Paladin let out a sigh, "Done." Then he lay the envelope aside and folded his hands in front of him. "Now, to deal with you lads."

"Deal with us?" Frodo stood up. "Lads? I--" He felt his cousin yank on his arm, dragging him back down into his seat. "Merry!"

"Don't make it any worse!" Merry whispered to his cousin. Then Merry looked over to his uncle sitting in his high-back leather chair. "I--I know you're looking for an explanation."

Paladin only arched his eyebrows with a grim look. "What I would like to know, Merry, is how my fourteen-year-old son ended up in the East Farthing without my leave." He said, looking at Frodo. "I was told by his sister that the three of you were going on some sort of...walking party?"

Here is where Frodo interjected. "It was supposed to be only one day and one night, and the only way to make that happen was to drive there."

"And that is my complaint, Frodo!" Paladin held his voice in check. "It was suppose to be only one day and one night of walking! Anything more, you should have gotten mine, or his mother's permission first!"

Frodo swallowed hard. "Yes, sir."

"And Merry," Paladin glowered at his nephew. "You know better as well!"

"Yes, sir.", was all Merry could say. He could see his uncle was deeply hurt and angry, and had never known such severity from him. "I'm....it's.....I....." But Merry couldn't finish his sentence. His eyes were cast downward.

"You have two choices here, Master Merry, and I hope you choose wisely." Merry looked up. Paladin continued, "You can either take the same punishment as Pippin and his sister, or you can gather your things and go back to Buckland."

Merry understood this to be the real deal; either he takes the same punishment as his cousins, or he could pack his room up and go back to Buckland. But regardless, Merry didn't have to think long on it at all; he loved this family and would take his punishment as well. But as he gave his word to his uncle, he had to know about his other cousin. "Pervinca is being punished as well?"

Paladin leaned back in his chair, "Yes; it's quite hard to groom your pony when your pony isn't anywhere to be found--and neither are you!" He eyed Merry, "Did she come out to warn you of my temper last night?"

Merry sighed and looked uneasily at Frodo. "Yes, sir."

"All three of you will be confined to your rooms for two weeks, except for dinner, baths and such." Paladin looked at his young cousin, "Frodo, I know you're still finding your feet as your own Master at Bag End, and I know you must miss Bilbo terribly. But that's no excuse for taking a young boy to go tramping in the farthest reaches of the Shire. No more; not without my permission, am I clear?"

"Yes, Paladin. But I meant no harm."

"I know you didn't, but that is not the point, Frodo. Pippin is my child and he is my responsibility. Someday when you have your own children, you will understand what I'm saying." Then he turned to Merry, "You may leave now to go to your room, but before you do, please do us all a favor and take a bath. Pippin was a sight when he was brought home yesterday, and neither one of you look any better. Also, you may want to write a letter to your mother and father telling them where you'll be for the next two weeks and why." As Merry got up from his chair he heard Frodo's judgment. "And for you, Cousin Frodo, this will be a very lonely summer. Pippin will not be allowed to visit Bag End until after the harvest. After Merry is finished with his punishment, I cannot hold him back from wherever he wishes to go, however, if I know my sister as I think I do, Merry will be kept busy as well."

"When my Mum and Dad find out why I'm here, I'm certain I won't be visiting Bag End for a while. Goodbye, Frodo." Frodo got up to give his cousin a farewell hug, and as he did so, he slipped something into Merry's pocket.