Chapter Three - Waiting In the Dark

"No! I don't want to go, Mummy!" Merry clung to Frodo, "I don't want to visit Uncle Paldin!"

Esmeralda had her hands wrapped around her son's waist, gently tugging on him, "Son, we must leave now before we miss the coach!"

"Wait!" Frodo cried out to his older cousin, "May I please talk to him for just a minute?" He touched the shoulder of the boy who had a death grip around his leg, then speaking to him, "Then I promise I will walk with you down to the ferry, all right?"

Esmeralda looked at the small time piece in her hand, "Very well, Frodo, but we don't have much time." She turned to walk slowly down towards the ferry where the coach waited, followed by a servant carrying their baggage.

They were out of hearing range when Frodo crouched down to eye level with his little friend. "Why don't you want to visit your uncle?"

"I do want to visit my uncle." Replied Merry.

"Then why are you making such a fuss?"

"Because I will miss you, and you'll forget about me."

Frodo was pleasingly shocked, "Forget about you? Merry, how can I forget about you?" He watched as the boy looked at the ground and shrugged. Frodo lifted the boy's chin and held his shoulders, "I could never forget about you, Merry! Never." This made his Merry smile. Then Frodo returned the smile to the lad who reminded him so much of himself--lost and forgotten. "And know that I will always love you--always."

Merry hugged his most favorite cousin in the world, "I love you, Frodo."

Then Frodo took Merry's hand, "Come on, then! Now that we've declared we will never forget each other, let's catch up to your Mum!"

The setting sun filled the inside of the coach with a golden light. Despite the jostling inside the carriage, Esmeralda rested against the side as her eyelids grew heavy. The rhythm of the ponies' shoes were lulling her into far away dreams. Merry already lay asleep sprawled out on the rest of the bench with his head on her lap. She combed through his thick brown curls with her fingertips as he lay there so still. Such a sweet little boy, she thought. His father won't even miss him.

"Tuckborough!!" Came a shout from the outside of the coach. Esmeralda awoke with a start. The sun was gone and the moon was high in the sky. She wiped her eyes and nudged Merry, still sleeping with his head on her lap.

"Is it Uncle Paldin?

"No, sweetie." She yawned, "But....we're in Tuckborough now."

Mother and son got up and stepped off the carriage into the deep of night. Esmeralda gazed about; she didn't remember Tuckborough being so dark! As the coachman fetched their bags, Esmeralda helped Merry put on his summer jacket, as there was a bit of a chill in the late summer air. The driver dropped the bags at her feet as she was still buttoning up her son. "Are ye travelin' far on foot, Miss?"

"No, sir." Esmeralda answered, "My brother is supposed to pick us up here. Thank you."

The coachman took in the dark and empty town market. Not a soul stirring about. The only folks around that he could see were the patrons at the local Oak Leaf Inn. "I'd be careful, if I was ye, Miss. Not o'lot of good comes from that Inn this late at night. I'd stay with ye, Miss, but I've other passengers goin' on to Great Smials."

Esmeralda gazed uneasily towards the tavern, but smiled gratefully at the coachman's kindness, "Thank you again, but we'll be all right." Paladin had better get here soon!

She picked up the lighter bag and tucked it under her arm, then grasped the other bag and held it in the same hand. With her free hand she grabbed Merry's and walked towards the lighted porch of the Inn. Sitting in the light of a porch, tavern or not, would be better than standing in the darkness and not being seen by her brother. When they reached the porch, she dropped the bags, opened one up and pulled out two cloaks--her own and Merry's. She placed the small one around the drowsy boy and instructed him to lie against the bags. He fell back to sleep at once.

About fifteen minutes had passed when Esmeralda heard a raucous of laughter, then two slightly drunken patrons exited the tavern. "Aye, Ferdie! It is a sad day indeed when your friends tell you you've had too much beer for a game of darts!"

"It was your own fault, Addie!" Ferdie reasoned, clinging to the wooden post on the porch, "If you had actually aimed for Sigi's backside, you couldn't have asked for a better bull's-eye!"

Addie shook his head at the memory, "I couldn't help it, Ferdie. It was too large." He waved his hand towards the tavern doors, "Eh! I would've hit him anyway if I'd aimed for the East Farthing!" Apparently, Addie's aim had much to be desired after a few pints; Cousin Sigismond's backside vouched for that.

Ferdie's attention was abruptly given to the woman sitting on the edge of the porch. "Such a lovely lass! What brings you to the Oak Leaf at this hour?" His staggered in Esmeralda's direction, drunken eyes were fixed on the beautiful lady before him.

Her eyes flitted from one to the other as Ferdie drew closer. He got so close she could smell the beer on his breath, startling her. As he got even closer, Esmeralda stood up and backed away towards the porch railing, but not before setting her fist to his nose. "Ahhh! You broke my nose!" He cupped his face as blood spurted from his nostrils.

Addie came over laughing, "I hardly think she broke your nose, you ninny! Don't you recognize your own kin?"

"I can't! My nose is broken!"

Addie's sadistic side was surfacing. "No it's not! Here, let me wiggle it!"

"OUCH!" Ferdie yanked away his cousin's hands from his face.

"It's not broken, but it serves you right for trying to frighten her." Addie looked at Esmeralda, "I know you; you're Paladin's little sister, aren't you?"

Then Esmeralda recognized her brother's best friend and cousin. "Addie!" They embraced. "It's so good to see you!"

Addie loosed her, "You've been away for a long time! Don't they let you visit your kin in the West Farthing--that overgrown anthill they call Brandy Hall?"

"They do indeed!" She laughed in turn, then her smile disappeared, "But it's been hard to get away these past few years."

Addie put his hand on her shoulder, "So I've heard. I'm sorry about Saramac." He trailed off.

"Thank you," Then she smiled sadly, "but that was six years ago. He will always live here," she placed her hand over her heart.

"Are you waiting for Paladin?" Esmeralda nodded. Then he noticed the small bundle lying against the baggage in the corner. He went over to investigate it, and smiled broadly when he saw the sleeping boy. "Is this the new little prince of Buckland?" He whispered.

"Stop, Addie!" She smiled. "His name is Merry, and I have never let anyone refer to him in any special way, with any title. I don't want him to grow up with a swelled head!"

Addie looked at her, "I know you, Essie, and that would never happen with you as his mother." Then he sat down on the edge of the porch, "We may as well sit and talk for a while because I won't leave you here alone in the dark with all the riff-raff inside!" He nodded towards the tavern. So all three hobbits sat down for a nice chat waiting for Paladin, but Ferdie only held his nose. They didn't have to wait too long. Not ten minutes later a cart led by a pony arrived with haste into the Market Square. It slowed as the ponies circled around the market place and then came towards the Inn.

"Hoy there, Essie!" Yelled the familiar voice. Paladin jumped down from the cart and ran over to the porch and took his little sister up in his arms. He gave her a fierce hug before setting her down again. "I'm sorry I'm late! Looks like you've had good company, though." He gave his friend's shoulder a slap. "Thanks, Addie." He saw the boy stirring awake in the corner. "Goodness, Essie! He's growing up so fast!" Then he put his arm around his sister, "Let's get you both home! Do you and Ferdie need a ride?" He asked his cousins.

"No, no, Paladin! We both brought a pony, and I believe the Smials are a bit out of the way in the other direction. We'll be fine; get your sister and nephew home to bed."

"I'm sorry about your nose, Ferdinand!" Esmeralda called out. Ferdie only replied with a wave of his hand.

"Don't be! He deserved it, I tell you!" Addie's cackling laughter could be heard from the livery stables.

Paladin picked up her bags and then looked at his younger sister in amazement, "You did that to him?" She sheepishly nodded. He chuckled as he threw the bags in the back of the cart, "You haven't changed a bit!"