1-
accidents and escapes.
A small face peeked out from under the covers. Chestnut curls cascaded over his forehead, almost going into his green eyes. A sharp nose jolted out from his seemingly smaller face, and a wide and mischievous grin made whomever it was shouting at him stop and sigh.
"Alright, you win. I can't stay mad at you for that."
It was Frodo.
The small boy scrambled out from under covers and nodded.
"Good. Because it wasn't even my fault." He replied folding his arms.
"Peregrin Took! It was your fault so don't try to pass the blame." Frodo scolded.
Pippin pouted. He'd not been doing anything wrong at all-just having fun. He never meant to wake up Frodo. He'd never meant to spill hot Hawthorn tea all over the Baggins' leg. He'd never meant to do a lot of things, Frodo had reminded him, but still he managed to cause a lot of trouble.
"It was a ack-sy-dent." Pippin replied.
"Accident. Peregrin say accident." Frodo corrected him.
"That's what I said. Ack-sy-dent." Pippin replied.
Frodo sighed again. Babysitting Merry had been enough, but now the Brandybuck was older and didn't need babying, Frodo was lumbered with Pippin instead-and that was a lot worse than he could ever have imagined. Merry was fifteen now. Pippin and Merry got on really well--why Merry couldn't baby-sit instead, Frodo did not know, but Merry was away with his father. Pippin frowned.
"My name's Pippin. Call me Pippin like Merry does." The Took said.
Frodo shook his head.
"Your name is Peregrin. They just call you that for short." Frodo replied sharply.
Pippin suddenly felt very upset. Frodo didn't want to play, he didn't really want to be here and he didn't even call him Pippin. Pippin's bottom lip began to quiver and Frodo sighed again.
"Oh, you're Seven for goodness sake! Don't cry just because you don't get your way-Silly hobbit." Frodo huffed.
Silly Hobbit! No one ever called him that! Well they didn't mean it like Frodo had. Sometimes Merry did it, but that was only pretend and messing about. Frodo sighed again, folded his arms and stared down at the boy.
"Just go to your room if you're going to be silly. I only baby-sit sensible children." Frodo demanded.
***
Pippin lay on the bed crying into his covers. He wasn't silly! He wasn't crying because he didn't get his way he was crying because he was upset. His sobs soon turned to muffled chokes and his eyes were soon sore from crying. He sat up. His tear soaked teddy bear still gripped close to his chest was gently put down and Pippin walked over to the window. He couldn't reach the latch so he heaved his toy box over with all his might. If Frodo didn't want to baby-sit, then Pippin would run away so that he wouldn't have to. He clambered up onto the box and undid the latch. The window flung open. Pippin got off the box and went back over to the bed. He pulled out his calico rucksack. He put in two boiled sweets, his teddy bear, a mug, a few stones and a small bag of cookies that he'd managed to steal and hide away. That had been a few weeks ago and he'd completely forgotten about them, but he thought if he got really, really hungry, that they would have to do. He hoisted his pack over his shoulder and them climbed out and landed on the soft grass below. He softly pushed the window shut and then scouted off away from his home and into the woods that shadowed his home.
The woods of East Farthing were a scary place, but if he went far enough he would reach the borders of Buckland. It only took a day or so by cart, but if he ran, Pippin thought it would only take him a few hours. His Aunt and Uncle wouldn't mind baby-sitting him. They liked him, they looked after him a lot, so he was sure they'd be happy to look after him until his parents got back. Already he was feeling very thirsty, but when he stopped and opened his pack he realised he'd packed his mug but no water. Then he remembered the sweets. He popped one into his mouth and made sure not to crunch it like he usually did. He would have to suck this sweet so he could get liquid out of it. He sat down under the cool shades of the trees and lent back against the trunk. He felt quite sleepy. He knew he'd have to keep moving if he wanted to get to Buckland before it got dark, but a little sleep wouldn't hurt. So he closed his eyes and fell asleep.
A small face peeked out from under the covers. Chestnut curls cascaded over his forehead, almost going into his green eyes. A sharp nose jolted out from his seemingly smaller face, and a wide and mischievous grin made whomever it was shouting at him stop and sigh.
"Alright, you win. I can't stay mad at you for that."
It was Frodo.
The small boy scrambled out from under covers and nodded.
"Good. Because it wasn't even my fault." He replied folding his arms.
"Peregrin Took! It was your fault so don't try to pass the blame." Frodo scolded.
Pippin pouted. He'd not been doing anything wrong at all-just having fun. He never meant to wake up Frodo. He'd never meant to spill hot Hawthorn tea all over the Baggins' leg. He'd never meant to do a lot of things, Frodo had reminded him, but still he managed to cause a lot of trouble.
"It was a ack-sy-dent." Pippin replied.
"Accident. Peregrin say accident." Frodo corrected him.
"That's what I said. Ack-sy-dent." Pippin replied.
Frodo sighed again. Babysitting Merry had been enough, but now the Brandybuck was older and didn't need babying, Frodo was lumbered with Pippin instead-and that was a lot worse than he could ever have imagined. Merry was fifteen now. Pippin and Merry got on really well--why Merry couldn't baby-sit instead, Frodo did not know, but Merry was away with his father. Pippin frowned.
"My name's Pippin. Call me Pippin like Merry does." The Took said.
Frodo shook his head.
"Your name is Peregrin. They just call you that for short." Frodo replied sharply.
Pippin suddenly felt very upset. Frodo didn't want to play, he didn't really want to be here and he didn't even call him Pippin. Pippin's bottom lip began to quiver and Frodo sighed again.
"Oh, you're Seven for goodness sake! Don't cry just because you don't get your way-Silly hobbit." Frodo huffed.
Silly Hobbit! No one ever called him that! Well they didn't mean it like Frodo had. Sometimes Merry did it, but that was only pretend and messing about. Frodo sighed again, folded his arms and stared down at the boy.
"Just go to your room if you're going to be silly. I only baby-sit sensible children." Frodo demanded.
***
Pippin lay on the bed crying into his covers. He wasn't silly! He wasn't crying because he didn't get his way he was crying because he was upset. His sobs soon turned to muffled chokes and his eyes were soon sore from crying. He sat up. His tear soaked teddy bear still gripped close to his chest was gently put down and Pippin walked over to the window. He couldn't reach the latch so he heaved his toy box over with all his might. If Frodo didn't want to baby-sit, then Pippin would run away so that he wouldn't have to. He clambered up onto the box and undid the latch. The window flung open. Pippin got off the box and went back over to the bed. He pulled out his calico rucksack. He put in two boiled sweets, his teddy bear, a mug, a few stones and a small bag of cookies that he'd managed to steal and hide away. That had been a few weeks ago and he'd completely forgotten about them, but he thought if he got really, really hungry, that they would have to do. He hoisted his pack over his shoulder and them climbed out and landed on the soft grass below. He softly pushed the window shut and then scouted off away from his home and into the woods that shadowed his home.
The woods of East Farthing were a scary place, but if he went far enough he would reach the borders of Buckland. It only took a day or so by cart, but if he ran, Pippin thought it would only take him a few hours. His Aunt and Uncle wouldn't mind baby-sitting him. They liked him, they looked after him a lot, so he was sure they'd be happy to look after him until his parents got back. Already he was feeling very thirsty, but when he stopped and opened his pack he realised he'd packed his mug but no water. Then he remembered the sweets. He popped one into his mouth and made sure not to crunch it like he usually did. He would have to suck this sweet so he could get liquid out of it. He sat down under the cool shades of the trees and lent back against the trunk. He felt quite sleepy. He knew he'd have to keep moving if he wanted to get to Buckland before it got dark, but a little sleep wouldn't hurt. So he closed his eyes and fell asleep.