Chapter 3
Pearls and tales of old
"Aren't they GEORGOUS, Pervinca?" Pearl asked as the two sisters sat in their bedroom trying on their mother's costume jewlery. Pervinca grinned.
"They are pretty. You're lucky-being the oldest, I mean-Mama'll give the pearls to you first."
A sudden wail from down the hall startled them and Pearl sighed. "Dear little Pip."
Pervinca folded her arms across her chest. All the baby did was cry sleep and eat-and often times spit up all over her while she held him. Pearl immediately went to her baby brother's aid, leaving Pervinca to clean up the mess. 'Thank YOU, Pearl." Pervinca thought bitterly.
Pearl hurried down the corridor nearly running into Merry who was walking in the other direction. "What's wrong with Pippin?" she asked her five-year-old cousin frantically. Merry shrugged.
"I was just going there myself. Have you seen Frodo by the way? I have been looking for him all over the place!"
Pearl placed a hand on Merry's shoulder and narrowed her hazel eyes. "He probably is trying to hide from you. You know how he likes his quiet time."
Merry's shoulders sagged and a frown appeared, causing Pearl to immediately feel guilty. "Oh-come with me, you little imp." She lifted him into her arms balancing him on her hip and the two of them headed for Eglatine's bedroom. When they reached the doorway they both smiled: Bilbo sat in a rocking chair cradling the infant in his arms while Eglatine lay in bed watching. Merry caught a few words of what Bilbo was saying to the little one: "What a FIERCE-looking lad he was-skin as thick as armor-oh no you don't, little one. Buttons aren't for eating."
Pearl giggled as she entered the room. "Mama?" she asked causing all heads to turn.
"Yes darling?"
"We heard Pippin crying a few moments ago. Is he all right?"
Bilbo glanced up. "He is just wonderful. Only got a bit of a fright when I went to pick him up from the crib but he's calmed down now."
Eglatine smiled weakly. "Yes.Bilbo is letting Pippin hear the tales of his adventures early."
Bilbo smiled back. "Nonsense.never too young for tales!" Bilbo rocked Pippin back and forth singing softly "The road goes ever on and on.down from the door where it began."
"And far ahead the road has gone." Merry continued as Pearl set him down on the floor and watched as he went over to Bilbo's side, peering into the blankets. "I must follow it if I can." he smiled. "Uncle Bilbo.have you seen Frodo?"
Bilbo chuckled. "In deed.he is out in the pumpkin patch collecting for the harvest festival. You just missed him!"
Pearl's face paled. "Already? Then I had better get my gardening gloves! I don't want them to dig up the wrong patch!" she hurried off and Merry bolted after her.
A/N: I apologize for the shortness of this chapter but I didn't want to delve into it too much. Hey.do any of you have ideas for an illness Merry can catch while visiting Tookland? I wanted to turn this into a Merry/angst fic. Ideas are greatly appreciated! Thank you!
"Aren't they GEORGOUS, Pervinca?" Pearl asked as the two sisters sat in their bedroom trying on their mother's costume jewlery. Pervinca grinned.
"They are pretty. You're lucky-being the oldest, I mean-Mama'll give the pearls to you first."
A sudden wail from down the hall startled them and Pearl sighed. "Dear little Pip."
Pervinca folded her arms across her chest. All the baby did was cry sleep and eat-and often times spit up all over her while she held him. Pearl immediately went to her baby brother's aid, leaving Pervinca to clean up the mess. 'Thank YOU, Pearl." Pervinca thought bitterly.
Pearl hurried down the corridor nearly running into Merry who was walking in the other direction. "What's wrong with Pippin?" she asked her five-year-old cousin frantically. Merry shrugged.
"I was just going there myself. Have you seen Frodo by the way? I have been looking for him all over the place!"
Pearl placed a hand on Merry's shoulder and narrowed her hazel eyes. "He probably is trying to hide from you. You know how he likes his quiet time."
Merry's shoulders sagged and a frown appeared, causing Pearl to immediately feel guilty. "Oh-come with me, you little imp." She lifted him into her arms balancing him on her hip and the two of them headed for Eglatine's bedroom. When they reached the doorway they both smiled: Bilbo sat in a rocking chair cradling the infant in his arms while Eglatine lay in bed watching. Merry caught a few words of what Bilbo was saying to the little one: "What a FIERCE-looking lad he was-skin as thick as armor-oh no you don't, little one. Buttons aren't for eating."
Pearl giggled as she entered the room. "Mama?" she asked causing all heads to turn.
"Yes darling?"
"We heard Pippin crying a few moments ago. Is he all right?"
Bilbo glanced up. "He is just wonderful. Only got a bit of a fright when I went to pick him up from the crib but he's calmed down now."
Eglatine smiled weakly. "Yes.Bilbo is letting Pippin hear the tales of his adventures early."
Bilbo smiled back. "Nonsense.never too young for tales!" Bilbo rocked Pippin back and forth singing softly "The road goes ever on and on.down from the door where it began."
"And far ahead the road has gone." Merry continued as Pearl set him down on the floor and watched as he went over to Bilbo's side, peering into the blankets. "I must follow it if I can." he smiled. "Uncle Bilbo.have you seen Frodo?"
Bilbo chuckled. "In deed.he is out in the pumpkin patch collecting for the harvest festival. You just missed him!"
Pearl's face paled. "Already? Then I had better get my gardening gloves! I don't want them to dig up the wrong patch!" she hurried off and Merry bolted after her.
A/N: I apologize for the shortness of this chapter but I didn't want to delve into it too much. Hey.do any of you have ideas for an illness Merry can catch while visiting Tookland? I wanted to turn this into a Merry/angst fic. Ideas are greatly appreciated! Thank you!
