Chapter 22
Burdens
A/N: I claim the hobbits: Della, Leah, Anabel, Merella, Mila, Brenda and Tobo. Ask for permission to use these characters because they are my own creations. Thank you!
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Hours after his father had given him the lecture, Merry found himself lying on the living room couch sobbing heavily into the fabric. He was so frightened. If his father truly did get sick again and died, he would have to take all of Brandy Hall into his own hands and he did not feel he was ready to do so! Another voice told him that probably his Uncle Rori would take over until he was older, but that wasn't much of a comfort either.
What he did not notice was Della the maid standing in the doorway. She was passing through and had heard the sobs and went to inspect who on Earth it could possibly be. "What are you on about, young Meriadoc?" she asked, startling the young hobbit who quickly sat up and wiped his eyes.
"N-nothing," Merry hiccoughed.
"You were cryin' like a baby, lad. What is botherin' you?"
"How is my Da'?" Merry wanted to know, sniffling noisily and watching as the maid came to sit beside him, handing him a fresh handkerchief.
"Your Ma' says he's sleepin' soundly but she's still sending for the healer just to be on the safe side. She told me he wanted to give you the talk an' I'm guessin' that's why you're so upset."
Merry nodded. "I'm s-scared," He sobbed. "I d-don't want Da' to die. He c-can't."
Della laughed quietly. "Come now. I assure you he will not die over a cold if that is in deed Merella's diagnosis. It was his own fault for runnin' into town without an umbrella even though it was terribly cloudly when he left. I swear to Elbreth, you male hobbits are more stubborn than an ass."
Merry turned away, his breath still coming out a bit shaky. This was the first time Della had sat down with him and wanted to talk and he was so distraught that he didn't know what to say to her. The last full-fledged conversation he'd had with Della had been after he'd accidentally knocked an entire bowl of mushroom soup onto the rug, and had been scolded for it.
"There you are, Della. I was goin' to ask you to give this message to Merella and-sweet Elbreth, Merry-what is the matter?" Esmerelda asked, her eyes very wide. "Are you hurt? Did something happen?" She immediately hurried to her son's side and placed a hand against his forehead. She was relieved when she did not detect a fever and then shooed Della away so she could be alone with Merry.
"I m-miss D-Da'," Merry sobbed.
Esmerelda studied her son's face with sympathy. Clearly Merry had it the most difficult, as he was heir to Brandy Hall. Of course the other Brandybuck/Baggins relatives had been worried as well but they didn't have to worry about being in charge.
"You are too young to be Master if something happens," Esmerelda promised. "I am not sure how that will help but most likely Rorimac will take your father's place. A 19-year-old does not have the capability of running a house with so many hobbits! And I'll tell you a secret." She leaned towards him with a mischevious smile on her face. "I don't even think I am cut out for the task either."
"What?" Merry cried. "But everyone listens to you, Mama."
"Oh DO they?" she put her hands on their hips an gave her son a doubtful glance. He stared.
"I do! Well." He blushed. "Most of the time anyway."
"Uh huh." She tapped him on the nose. "Go on, now, and play with your cousins."
"What about Da?" Merry asked.
"Merella will arrive eventually and we'll clear everything up. Don't worry your little head." She watched as he got down from the couch and leave the room. At this point she wondered HOW she came up with the nickname "Merry." She had to laugh in spite of it.
A/N: I claim the hobbits: Della, Leah, Anabel, Merella, Mila, Brenda and Tobo. Ask for permission to use these characters because they are my own creations. Thank you!
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Hours after his father had given him the lecture, Merry found himself lying on the living room couch sobbing heavily into the fabric. He was so frightened. If his father truly did get sick again and died, he would have to take all of Brandy Hall into his own hands and he did not feel he was ready to do so! Another voice told him that probably his Uncle Rori would take over until he was older, but that wasn't much of a comfort either.
What he did not notice was Della the maid standing in the doorway. She was passing through and had heard the sobs and went to inspect who on Earth it could possibly be. "What are you on about, young Meriadoc?" she asked, startling the young hobbit who quickly sat up and wiped his eyes.
"N-nothing," Merry hiccoughed.
"You were cryin' like a baby, lad. What is botherin' you?"
"How is my Da'?" Merry wanted to know, sniffling noisily and watching as the maid came to sit beside him, handing him a fresh handkerchief.
"Your Ma' says he's sleepin' soundly but she's still sending for the healer just to be on the safe side. She told me he wanted to give you the talk an' I'm guessin' that's why you're so upset."
Merry nodded. "I'm s-scared," He sobbed. "I d-don't want Da' to die. He c-can't."
Della laughed quietly. "Come now. I assure you he will not die over a cold if that is in deed Merella's diagnosis. It was his own fault for runnin' into town without an umbrella even though it was terribly cloudly when he left. I swear to Elbreth, you male hobbits are more stubborn than an ass."
Merry turned away, his breath still coming out a bit shaky. This was the first time Della had sat down with him and wanted to talk and he was so distraught that he didn't know what to say to her. The last full-fledged conversation he'd had with Della had been after he'd accidentally knocked an entire bowl of mushroom soup onto the rug, and had been scolded for it.
"There you are, Della. I was goin' to ask you to give this message to Merella and-sweet Elbreth, Merry-what is the matter?" Esmerelda asked, her eyes very wide. "Are you hurt? Did something happen?" She immediately hurried to her son's side and placed a hand against his forehead. She was relieved when she did not detect a fever and then shooed Della away so she could be alone with Merry.
"I m-miss D-Da'," Merry sobbed.
Esmerelda studied her son's face with sympathy. Clearly Merry had it the most difficult, as he was heir to Brandy Hall. Of course the other Brandybuck/Baggins relatives had been worried as well but they didn't have to worry about being in charge.
"You are too young to be Master if something happens," Esmerelda promised. "I am not sure how that will help but most likely Rorimac will take your father's place. A 19-year-old does not have the capability of running a house with so many hobbits! And I'll tell you a secret." She leaned towards him with a mischevious smile on her face. "I don't even think I am cut out for the task either."
"What?" Merry cried. "But everyone listens to you, Mama."
"Oh DO they?" she put her hands on their hips an gave her son a doubtful glance. He stared.
"I do! Well." He blushed. "Most of the time anyway."
"Uh huh." She tapped him on the nose. "Go on, now, and play with your cousins."
"What about Da?" Merry asked.
"Merella will arrive eventually and we'll clear everything up. Don't worry your little head." She watched as he got down from the couch and leave the room. At this point she wondered HOW she came up with the nickname "Merry." She had to laugh in spite of it.
