Chapter Four - The Messenger

"Sam-Sam-Sam-Sam-Sam-Sam-Sam! No--you don't want to move your queen there." Pippin and Sam sat in wing-tipped chairs with a table between them. Upon the table was a chess game in progress. Sam rarely played chess, considering it a game for high-minded folks, though he didn't do too bad himself. Pippin, already an advanced player for his age group, played chess on a regular basis with his cousins and father.

Sam once again studied the board. "I don't?"

Pippin, resting his chin in his hand, shook his head. "No. You see, if you move it there," Pippin pointed to a few of his key pieces, "you will open her up for a kill. And your queen is one piece you don't want captured--at least not this early in the game."

"How 'bout if I move this piece here?" Sam slid his rook down and captured one of the key pieces Pippin previously pointed out.

Pippin blinked back in surprise...Sam tried his best to hide his grin.

Frodo sat off to the side on the couch reading a book. He'd heard the whole thing between Sam and his cousin. "I can't believe you fell for the oldest trick in the book, Pippin." Frodo smirked, "You allowed Sam to break your concentration."

Pippin was still stinging over the last move, "I was trying to help him!"

"Don't let him fool you," said Frodo, reading the page in his book, "Sam needs no help when it comes to chess."

Merry walked into the library wearing an apron and bowed low, "Dinner is served!"

Sam rose from his chair and stretched, "Well, I'll be seein' you in the mornin', Mister Frodo."

Frodo laid his book aside and also stood up. "Why don't you stay and have a bit of supper with us...and then go home and eat with your family?" Frodo grinned slyly.

"Yes, Sam," Merry agreed, "I've made plenty for us all."

Pippin saw this teen and tween diversion as his moment--he would be first at the table. He leaped out of his chair and darted for the kitchen, nearly getting past the apron-wearing hobbit. Merry, still holding conversation with his cousin and Sam, nonchalantly reached down and scooped Pippin into his arms. He lifted him up and threw him like a sack of potatoes over his shoulder and tickled him. "No you don't! You must wash your greedy little hands first!"

"I will! I will!" Shrieked Pippin. "Put me down!"

Merry let his cousin down and watched him run towards the wash room. After a moment, he sighed, slipping his hands into his pockets. "Did an answer come yet today?" He looked hopefully at Frodo and Sam.

Frodo shook his head. "No. Nothing has come." He saw the disappointment in Merry's eyes and wanted to lessen his torment. "Perhaps he got a little lost." He offered. "You have to admit, Merry, there are plenty of folks from Hobbiton who've never been south of The Water."

Merry dropped down in Pippin's empty chair. "But I was certain to give him the simplest of directions. I don't understand."

Frodo sat on the side of the chair and put his arm about his cousin's shoulder, "Merry, if we don't receive word from the courier by tomorrow at tea, then I will ride to Tuckborough myself and find out what is going on with your uncle."

"I'm sorry, Frodo," Merry replied miserably, "I shouldn't be carrying on so."

"How else should you be carrying on?" He asked. "You obviously love your uncle, and I know he loves you." Merry looked up. Frodo gave his shoulder a squeeze, "Years ago we had a conversation about you. And I like Paladin, too, if for no other reason than because he loves you, and we both want to see good things happen to you." Then he gently pulled up on his cousin's shoulder, "Come along, Merry, and eat supper. I've heard the cook makes a most delicious chicken and dumplings!"

A sad smile played on the teen's lips as he stood up. "I'm told he's better at eating it than cooking it."

This made Frodo laugh, "Let's go into the kitchen and find out, shall we?"

*******

The following day, still no word had arrived from Tuckborough. After tea, there was a bit of planning and scheming between Frodo and Merry as to how they were to ride all the way to Whitwell for word on Paladin. They packed a few items into their sacks and were about to sneak off to the village stables. As they came to the end of the lane Frodo saw a horse-drawn cart pulling up beside it. Frodo put out his arm to stop his cousin before he walked into the ponies' path. They both stared as the cart and driver came to a stop. By this time Bilbo and Pippin had stepped out of the smial and into the wintry cold.

The driver tipped his hat. "Good day to you!" He wore a dark, fur-lined cloak over his woolen overcoat with a gray scarf, and dark trousers to match. By his clothes alone, one should've been able to tell he was a wealthy Took from across The Water. "Hullo, Merry! Nice to see you." It was Adelard Took, a cousin and friend of Paladin's. He seemed to take no notice that all eyes were riveted on him; no one spoke.

Bilbo didn't recognize this hobbit at first due to the distance; he certainly wasn't the cooper's son. "Who are you?" He asked.

"You know me, Bilbo! My name is Adelard--though everyone generally calls me Addie. I'm a Took from Great Smials where a young courier stumbled in from the cold yesterday--ill dressed for the weather and lost. We gave him food, clothing, and lodging until I could travel to Whitwell to find the answer to your note. I've traveled far this day returning the lad to his father, and seeking this young hobbit here and his cousin." He nodded towards Merry, then spied the little hobbit standing in front of the Bilbo. "Ah! There you are, Pippin."

"How is my uncle?" Merry asked, though undecided if he really wanted to know the answer to that question.

Adelard's smile disappeared. "Have you not heard?"

It was the way Adelard had said it, and it was all Merry needed to hear; he lost all color to his face and sank down to his hands and knees on the cold ground. Everything around him became a blur and all sound became a distant hum. Pippin began sobbing, then ran heedlessly down into the field below.

Adelard was genuinely puzzled at the commotion. "I thought Tina had sent word that his fever broke yesterday afternoon. But perhaps in her joy it slipped her mind. You must forgive her--she's been under a terrible strain."

"Fev-- broke?" Bilbo did a second take at the child running full speed into the snowy field. He saw that Frodo was seeing to Merry. Then he looked back at Adelard, "Look at what you've done! Stay right there and don't move!"

Bilbo carefully stepped over the cobblestone steps that lead down into the adjacent field. He was far too old to be running about as he did during his days of adventure, but he could walk very fast when the situation called for it.

The cold snow took away most of the breath Pippin needed to run with. He stopped in the middle of the snowy field and sat down in the white drifts; no coat and no cloak. He folded his arms in front of him trying to keep warm as he sobbed uncontrollably. Pippin felt his heart torn to pieces as his world fell apart right before him. Then he felt someone pull him up out of the snow. It was Bilbo.

Bilbo lifted the boy to carry him back to the smial and felt him shivering as he held him close to keep him warm. "Hush, Pippin." He spoke softly, "We misunderstood him, my lad." Pippin continued to sob into his shoulder as he carried him up towards the steps. "Your father lives."

"But he just said that my papa died." Pippin moaned.

"No, what he said was 'I thought you heard'. Does that ring a bell?" Bilbo rubbed the boy's back to warm him up some more. He took Pippin straight into the smial and beckoned for the rest to follow him.

Pippin was still wiping tears, but understood what Bilbo was saying. "Then why didn't he just say my papa was fine?"

Bilbo sat the boy down in a chair in the kitchen. He pulled out his handkerchief and wiped Pippin's eyes, then let him blow his nose as he poured hot tea for the lad. "Why don't you ask him?" He looked over to the other adult hobbit.

Adelard was helping Merry into one of the parlor chairs; he, too, was wiping away tears. Frodo took over as soon as Adelard walked towards the kitchen. "I am dreadfully sorry for all the pain I've just caused. I honestly thought Tina--or even Pearl--had sent word about Paladin."

Bilbo came back from fetching the lap quilt in his study, saying, "Well we received no such word yesterday, today, or all week. That's why we hired the courier." He wrapped the quilt around Pippin. "I would've gone myself except I was already charged to watch over these boys."

"When can we see him?" Merry asked Adelard, "When can we go back?"

"Let's go now!" Said Pippin.

"It is too late and much too far to travel tonight, lads." Adelard replied. "But I will take you both back home tomorrow morning. At any rate, I must find shelter for myself and my ponies." He looked at Bilbo, "Can you point me towards the Inn? I'm afraid it's been a long time since I've been up in these parts."

"You will do no such thing! Frodo, take Addie down to the stables then bring him straight back here; he shall be our guest tonight."

"I don't want to impose." Adelard answered.

"You should know you're not imposing. I have a few more spare bedrooms in case you've brought your family in your pockets."

A bewildered Adelard patted down his pockets.....