Chapter 16
Merry shortened the distance between him and Frodo, and reached out
at the cloth covering his cousin's eyes and nose. He untied it, with
gentleness and care.
Frodo's eyes were closed even after the blindfold completely left
his face. Merry bent down and kissed Frodo on the forehead as if he
were a small child.
"Open your eyes, Frodo," commanded Merry.
The once bright eyes were now bleary and dull. Merry ran his
fingers over Frodo's face, smoothing the knots on his brow.
"Poor lad," he murmured quietly and studied the hobbit before him.
He saw that days of incarceration had changed Frodo into a miserable
being. He had become thinner and his complexion, which was way
fairer than the other hobbits, had grown paler. Still, Merry found
that Frodo's adorable charm lingered despite the total despair
washing over his face.
"Let - me - die," Frodo mumbled haltingly. The harsh reality induced
by Merry was too much to bear. What would be the point of living at
this state?
"But you still have a task to fulfill, Frodo," a voice heard,
reminding Frodo of the quest. The voice sounded like - Gandalf's.
Frodo almost spat at the thought of the wizard.
"Go away!" he yelled as his eyes shone wildly at nobody in
particular.
Pippin cringed to see his once-vibrant cousin reduced to such a
state. Had Frodo been completely stripped of his sanity? Pippin saw
Merry stretching his arms towards Frodo. Without a second thought,
Pip grabbed Merry's wrists.
"That's enough, Merry!" Pippin exclaimed.
Pippin could not believe his own action. He had never done
something like this to Merry before, always looking up to his older
cousin. But seeing Frodo so tormented had almost awakened the jolly
old Pippin from the corrupted one now influenced by the Ring's dark
power.
"Pip, let go!" Merry growled, trying to release his hands from
Pippin's grip.
When there was no sign of Pip letting him go, Merry hissed, "Look,
fool, I'm not going to do anything anymore. Don't you see how
pathetic Frodo is? Moreover, I'm wondering who he tried to cast away
just now!"
Staring hard at Pip for several minutes, Merry was finally able to
cow the younger one into submission. Reluctantly, Pippin freed
Merry, who said nothing to him but directly turned his gaze to Frodo.
Merry caught Frodo's chin and tilted the tied hobbit's face up. "Who
were you telling to go away?" Merry asked.
Frodo's blurry eyes turned to Merry, unseeing.
"W-what?" Frodo didn't seem to remember.
"You screamed just now. It seemed like you wanted someone to go
away," repeated Merry.
Oh, that. Frodo hung his head.
"Gandalf," he said weakly. "I suddenly heard his voice in my mind,
reminding me not to abandon the journey. Yet, he himself abandoned
me."
Merry's heart jumped with joy. Frodo evidently believed that
everyone had forsaken him! Merry suppressed a grin with great effort.
"You see?" he said, feigning sympathy. "You didn't believe me,
Frodo. But now you see for yourself."
Frodo sighed heavily. He turned his gaze away.
"But, Frodo, perhaps not everybody had left you," Merry added
suddenly, his voice crisp as a morning dew. "You still have me," he
said, stroking Frodo's left cheek with the back of his hand.
Merry didn't know that in Frodo's ears, his words changed into: "You
still have me, Mr. Frodo."
Stirred, Frodo closed his eyes, leaning to the soothing hand.
"Sam, oh Sam. I'm tired, Sam. Bring me out of here. Please," he
pleaded forlornly. Tears streaming down again.
Merry started. Sam?!! So it was Sam that Frodo always had in mind?!
How dare him! Merry withdrew his caressing hand disgustedly and
replaced it with a fist striking Frodo hard on the cheek.
"Sam?!" Frodo was more surprised than hurt by the blow. He gaped in
disbelief at the person in front of him, whoever it was.
"I'm not Sam, Frodo! I'm Merry! M E R - R Y, MER-I-A-DOC!" Merry
punctuated every syllable in his name furiously. Frodo looked at him
in terror.
"Merry?" he whimpered.
"Yes, me! I'm the only friend you have, Frodo! Not that lowly
gardener of yours who's been rotting in the ground for days. You
have to accept that!"
While digging up into his past memories, Frodo gasped at the sight
of Merry releasing his heavy and thick leather belt. Vainly he tried
to struggle again against the cords wrapping him. What would Merry -
Merry swooshed his belt, making a chilling sound when it cracked in
the air. Frodo's eyes went huge, his breath caught.
"No, Merry. Pleeaassee -" his voice low and shaking.
Merry moved to Frodo's right side, still swinging his belt. His
voice thundered when asking the question.
"Who is your friend, Frodo?!"
Frodo straightened up in his chair, searching hopelessly for a name
in his mind. No, not Bilbo, and definitely not Gandalf. Sam, yes, it
had to be Sam. Frodo seemed to completely forget that for him, Sam
was dead.
"Sam?" he answered doubtfully.
"WHAT!?" Merry blew up.
With speed as fast as a flying Nazgul, he slashed the belt across
Frodo's legs. It cut the poor hobbit's shins ferociously. Frodo
arched back, screeching pitifully. It felt as if his two legs were
on fire! His scream still lingered when Merry dropped another blow
on exactly the same spot.
"Aarrgghh!!" This was unexpected. Frodo never thought the other
hobbit would resume his action that quickly. Frodo shut his eyes in
agony. This was much more painful than anything he'd ever known,
even more than when his heart was wrenched after finding out his
parents' tragic death. He started to drift off when Merry pushed on.
"Who is your friend!"
Frodo licked his parched lips. He wondered what answer would satisfy
Merry. Everyone in Hobbiton knew Frodo was such a lonesome fellow.
He never had a real friend. The only person he could get close to
was Sam --dear sweet, loyal Sam! Frodo continued to reward his
tormentor the same unwanted answer.
"Sam...?"
"NO!"
Merry angered even more and sliced down his leather belt over and
over. Ugly welts were formed on Frodo's legs and blood leaked
through his breeches. The pain was so excruciating for Frodo that
he started to slip from consciousness. With the remaining whimpers
escaping his lips, Frodo finally blacked out.
***
"Hah!" Merry barked furiously, yet satisfyingly, at the bloody frame
before him. Frodo might still be able to keep his stubbornness, but
Merry was sure it wouldn't be too long before he surrendered.
Disgustedly, he cleaned the blood that stained his hands.
"You stay here and make sure he won't go anywhere," commanded Merry
to Pippin, who had just stared wide-eyed throughout the whole
sickening ordeal.
Merry walked out of the room and the inn into the dark alley when
his eyes spotted two figures. He stared at them in utter shock.
Strider and Sam! Strider had somehow managed to track them here, and
what was more surprising, Sam was alive! Merry quickly hid behind
the wall and waited until the two least expected men were out of
sight.
He sighed loudly when Strider and Sam had gone. His mind went back
to Frodo. It was true that he had successfully blacked out Bilbo and
Gandalf from Frodo's list of favorite people. But he wasn't sure
about either Sam or this Strider. Merry felt his problems grow
tenfold. He couldn't let Frodo find out anything about Strider.
Frodo had to be convinced that the ranger was one of those ruffians
Having plotted a couse of action, Merry strolled back to the inn.
***
Frodo awoke to the smell of roasted meat. At first he thought that
it was just another cruel dream. He couldn't believe it when he saw
real meat with real smashed potato, boiled carrots and beans on the
table. They reminded Frodo of his empty stomach. When was the last
time something was brought into it? What was the last thing he ate?
Frodo barely remembered. Then it cam back to him. Applesauce!
Applesauce spoon fed to him by ..Merry. Merry.his.friend?
Frodo nervously glanced at the food. Merry had beaten the hell out
of him. It was impossible he would spare Frodo some of the meat or
even the potatoes. But hadn't Merry recently spooned Frodo the
applesauce with his own hands? Merry had wanted to be kind...if
only he had not....disobeyed. Perhaps Merry would forgive him.
Perhaps the belt and his bleeding legs had been retribution enough.
Might Merry let Frodo taste - just a little bit of the food? Would
that be too much to ask? Frodo swallowed hard. He was truly sorry,
though for what he couldn't rightly say.
Merry noticed that Frodo had come to. He walked slowly toward the
slumped figure, and looked deep into its pleading eyes.
"Remember this, Frodo. I'm your friend. In fact, I'm the only friend
you have."
Merry watched the rivlet of tears that began to stream from Frodo's
eyes.
"Still my friend?" Frodo muttered in a soft voice filled with
remourse and relief.
Merry nodded with a paternal smile before throwing his glance at the
food-laden table.
"Hey, look what we have here - food! You are hungry, aren't you,
my sweet?" purred Merry. "Frodo? I want to help you. Do you want
the food?"
Frodo couldn't trust his own ears. Merry did offer him food just
like the other day! And when Pippin approached with a plate
overflowing with food, Frodo couldn't hold back his tears anymore.
He wept and wept. He felt totally wretched. Frodo cried so long and
hard that he felt his insides would burst. It was difficult for the
two cousins to calm Frodo's wracking sobs.
"Come on, Frodo, dear," coaxed Merry as he ran his fingers through
Frodo's hair.
Pippin wiped Frodo's tears away with his own sleeve.
"It's all right," Merry cooed. "Ssssh, Beloved, it's fine. I'm
here."
Frodo's cry lessened as he let Merry's hypnotic voice sooth him.
"You didn't believe me when I told you that I was your friend," said
Merry as he gently tilted Frodo's face to meet his gaze.
"Do you believe me now?"
Frodo nodded wearily.
"All right, then."
Merry tenderly cupped Frodo's cheeks in his two
hands - something that Frodo vaguely remembered being done by his
mother in one of his dreams.
"Now, let's eat. I know you need it."
TBC
Merry shortened the distance between him and Frodo, and reached out
at the cloth covering his cousin's eyes and nose. He untied it, with
gentleness and care.
Frodo's eyes were closed even after the blindfold completely left
his face. Merry bent down and kissed Frodo on the forehead as if he
were a small child.
"Open your eyes, Frodo," commanded Merry.
The once bright eyes were now bleary and dull. Merry ran his
fingers over Frodo's face, smoothing the knots on his brow.
"Poor lad," he murmured quietly and studied the hobbit before him.
He saw that days of incarceration had changed Frodo into a miserable
being. He had become thinner and his complexion, which was way
fairer than the other hobbits, had grown paler. Still, Merry found
that Frodo's adorable charm lingered despite the total despair
washing over his face.
"Let - me - die," Frodo mumbled haltingly. The harsh reality induced
by Merry was too much to bear. What would be the point of living at
this state?
"But you still have a task to fulfill, Frodo," a voice heard,
reminding Frodo of the quest. The voice sounded like - Gandalf's.
Frodo almost spat at the thought of the wizard.
"Go away!" he yelled as his eyes shone wildly at nobody in
particular.
Pippin cringed to see his once-vibrant cousin reduced to such a
state. Had Frodo been completely stripped of his sanity? Pippin saw
Merry stretching his arms towards Frodo. Without a second thought,
Pip grabbed Merry's wrists.
"That's enough, Merry!" Pippin exclaimed.
Pippin could not believe his own action. He had never done
something like this to Merry before, always looking up to his older
cousin. But seeing Frodo so tormented had almost awakened the jolly
old Pippin from the corrupted one now influenced by the Ring's dark
power.
"Pip, let go!" Merry growled, trying to release his hands from
Pippin's grip.
When there was no sign of Pip letting him go, Merry hissed, "Look,
fool, I'm not going to do anything anymore. Don't you see how
pathetic Frodo is? Moreover, I'm wondering who he tried to cast away
just now!"
Staring hard at Pip for several minutes, Merry was finally able to
cow the younger one into submission. Reluctantly, Pippin freed
Merry, who said nothing to him but directly turned his gaze to Frodo.
Merry caught Frodo's chin and tilted the tied hobbit's face up. "Who
were you telling to go away?" Merry asked.
Frodo's blurry eyes turned to Merry, unseeing.
"W-what?" Frodo didn't seem to remember.
"You screamed just now. It seemed like you wanted someone to go
away," repeated Merry.
Oh, that. Frodo hung his head.
"Gandalf," he said weakly. "I suddenly heard his voice in my mind,
reminding me not to abandon the journey. Yet, he himself abandoned
me."
Merry's heart jumped with joy. Frodo evidently believed that
everyone had forsaken him! Merry suppressed a grin with great effort.
"You see?" he said, feigning sympathy. "You didn't believe me,
Frodo. But now you see for yourself."
Frodo sighed heavily. He turned his gaze away.
"But, Frodo, perhaps not everybody had left you," Merry added
suddenly, his voice crisp as a morning dew. "You still have me," he
said, stroking Frodo's left cheek with the back of his hand.
Merry didn't know that in Frodo's ears, his words changed into: "You
still have me, Mr. Frodo."
Stirred, Frodo closed his eyes, leaning to the soothing hand.
"Sam, oh Sam. I'm tired, Sam. Bring me out of here. Please," he
pleaded forlornly. Tears streaming down again.
Merry started. Sam?!! So it was Sam that Frodo always had in mind?!
How dare him! Merry withdrew his caressing hand disgustedly and
replaced it with a fist striking Frodo hard on the cheek.
"Sam?!" Frodo was more surprised than hurt by the blow. He gaped in
disbelief at the person in front of him, whoever it was.
"I'm not Sam, Frodo! I'm Merry! M E R - R Y, MER-I-A-DOC!" Merry
punctuated every syllable in his name furiously. Frodo looked at him
in terror.
"Merry?" he whimpered.
"Yes, me! I'm the only friend you have, Frodo! Not that lowly
gardener of yours who's been rotting in the ground for days. You
have to accept that!"
While digging up into his past memories, Frodo gasped at the sight
of Merry releasing his heavy and thick leather belt. Vainly he tried
to struggle again against the cords wrapping him. What would Merry -
Merry swooshed his belt, making a chilling sound when it cracked in
the air. Frodo's eyes went huge, his breath caught.
"No, Merry. Pleeaassee -" his voice low and shaking.
Merry moved to Frodo's right side, still swinging his belt. His
voice thundered when asking the question.
"Who is your friend, Frodo?!"
Frodo straightened up in his chair, searching hopelessly for a name
in his mind. No, not Bilbo, and definitely not Gandalf. Sam, yes, it
had to be Sam. Frodo seemed to completely forget that for him, Sam
was dead.
"Sam?" he answered doubtfully.
"WHAT!?" Merry blew up.
With speed as fast as a flying Nazgul, he slashed the belt across
Frodo's legs. It cut the poor hobbit's shins ferociously. Frodo
arched back, screeching pitifully. It felt as if his two legs were
on fire! His scream still lingered when Merry dropped another blow
on exactly the same spot.
"Aarrgghh!!" This was unexpected. Frodo never thought the other
hobbit would resume his action that quickly. Frodo shut his eyes in
agony. This was much more painful than anything he'd ever known,
even more than when his heart was wrenched after finding out his
parents' tragic death. He started to drift off when Merry pushed on.
"Who is your friend!"
Frodo licked his parched lips. He wondered what answer would satisfy
Merry. Everyone in Hobbiton knew Frodo was such a lonesome fellow.
He never had a real friend. The only person he could get close to
was Sam --dear sweet, loyal Sam! Frodo continued to reward his
tormentor the same unwanted answer.
"Sam...?"
"NO!"
Merry angered even more and sliced down his leather belt over and
over. Ugly welts were formed on Frodo's legs and blood leaked
through his breeches. The pain was so excruciating for Frodo that
he started to slip from consciousness. With the remaining whimpers
escaping his lips, Frodo finally blacked out.
***
"Hah!" Merry barked furiously, yet satisfyingly, at the bloody frame
before him. Frodo might still be able to keep his stubbornness, but
Merry was sure it wouldn't be too long before he surrendered.
Disgustedly, he cleaned the blood that stained his hands.
"You stay here and make sure he won't go anywhere," commanded Merry
to Pippin, who had just stared wide-eyed throughout the whole
sickening ordeal.
Merry walked out of the room and the inn into the dark alley when
his eyes spotted two figures. He stared at them in utter shock.
Strider and Sam! Strider had somehow managed to track them here, and
what was more surprising, Sam was alive! Merry quickly hid behind
the wall and waited until the two least expected men were out of
sight.
He sighed loudly when Strider and Sam had gone. His mind went back
to Frodo. It was true that he had successfully blacked out Bilbo and
Gandalf from Frodo's list of favorite people. But he wasn't sure
about either Sam or this Strider. Merry felt his problems grow
tenfold. He couldn't let Frodo find out anything about Strider.
Frodo had to be convinced that the ranger was one of those ruffians
Having plotted a couse of action, Merry strolled back to the inn.
***
Frodo awoke to the smell of roasted meat. At first he thought that
it was just another cruel dream. He couldn't believe it when he saw
real meat with real smashed potato, boiled carrots and beans on the
table. They reminded Frodo of his empty stomach. When was the last
time something was brought into it? What was the last thing he ate?
Frodo barely remembered. Then it cam back to him. Applesauce!
Applesauce spoon fed to him by ..Merry. Merry.his.friend?
Frodo nervously glanced at the food. Merry had beaten the hell out
of him. It was impossible he would spare Frodo some of the meat or
even the potatoes. But hadn't Merry recently spooned Frodo the
applesauce with his own hands? Merry had wanted to be kind...if
only he had not....disobeyed. Perhaps Merry would forgive him.
Perhaps the belt and his bleeding legs had been retribution enough.
Might Merry let Frodo taste - just a little bit of the food? Would
that be too much to ask? Frodo swallowed hard. He was truly sorry,
though for what he couldn't rightly say.
Merry noticed that Frodo had come to. He walked slowly toward the
slumped figure, and looked deep into its pleading eyes.
"Remember this, Frodo. I'm your friend. In fact, I'm the only friend
you have."
Merry watched the rivlet of tears that began to stream from Frodo's
eyes.
"Still my friend?" Frodo muttered in a soft voice filled with
remourse and relief.
Merry nodded with a paternal smile before throwing his glance at the
food-laden table.
"Hey, look what we have here - food! You are hungry, aren't you,
my sweet?" purred Merry. "Frodo? I want to help you. Do you want
the food?"
Frodo couldn't trust his own ears. Merry did offer him food just
like the other day! And when Pippin approached with a plate
overflowing with food, Frodo couldn't hold back his tears anymore.
He wept and wept. He felt totally wretched. Frodo cried so long and
hard that he felt his insides would burst. It was difficult for the
two cousins to calm Frodo's wracking sobs.
"Come on, Frodo, dear," coaxed Merry as he ran his fingers through
Frodo's hair.
Pippin wiped Frodo's tears away with his own sleeve.
"It's all right," Merry cooed. "Ssssh, Beloved, it's fine. I'm
here."
Frodo's cry lessened as he let Merry's hypnotic voice sooth him.
"You didn't believe me when I told you that I was your friend," said
Merry as he gently tilted Frodo's face to meet his gaze.
"Do you believe me now?"
Frodo nodded wearily.
"All right, then."
Merry tenderly cupped Frodo's cheeks in his two
hands - something that Frodo vaguely remembered being done by his
mother in one of his dreams.
"Now, let's eat. I know you need it."
TBC
