Chapter 4, 2 Guys, A Girl And A Well, They Weren't Sure.



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That evening, Treebeard took to his sleep while Olane`a Pippin, and Merry were sitting around. It was way too early for sleep, and they were in the most intelligently said way ...Bored. Pippin stood and began to rummage about and then he finally found a stick.

"Who wants to battle the Great Peregrin Took? Thain of the Tooks!" Pippin asked, twitching the sword from side to side.

"You aren't the Thain Pip. Not yet at least." Merry snorted humorously.

"Oh lighten up!" Olane`a said, grabbing her own stick. "I'll battle you Thain." She grinned pointing the stick at him.

"Ah, and who might you be, young elven one?" Pippin asked, preparing his "sword".

"I am Elionota. And you, are doomed." She grinned and they began to clash swords. Olane`a won only because Pippin let her.(Or so he thought.)

Merry watched them with a pang of guilt and a lot of jealousy. They laughed and looked at each other with what he would call fondness and what they would call friendliness. He stood and walked away, imagining himself with her, playing and smiling and then the light hallucination of what hugging her might be like came to his unadhesive eyes. He smiled and held on to this thought.

Pippin and Olane`a sat down near Treebeard, who was still asleep at this time. Pippin looked at her.

"Can you keep a secret? From Merry at least?" He asked, looking around.

"Well... Yes, why?" She responded, confused as to why he would want to keep a secret from his best friend.

"Well... Just for now.. He wouldn't understand if I told him." Pippin replied.

"Ok... I suppose I can then." She sat up a bit.

"Theres this girl... In the Shire. Her name is Diamond...And when we return... I plan to speak for her." His eyes were far off and he seemed to be happy with this thought.

"Thats wonderful Pippin!" Olane`a exclaimed.

"Yes... She is." He replied.

They talked some more and Merry returned. He seemed to be in a dreamy state and so Pippin decided to tease him.

"Watcha doin' Merry? Thinkin' of mushrooms?" He asked cutely, his smile fond and playful.

"No Pip. Something far better than mushrooms." Merry answered. He looked at Olane`a. It seemed that every time he saw her she was more beautiful.

"Better than mushrooms?" Pippin asked. He was thoroughly amazed that Merry could be thinking of something better than mushrooms. But then... He saw him look at Olane`a Elionota and he understood. 'Master Brandybuck... I do think you're in love.' He thought to himself, to save his friend embarrassment.

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After they ate, Frodo went to sit and rest while Levanna and Sam decided to have a chat.

"Levanna... Can I ask you something?" Sam suddenly asked her, he looked quite shy and embarrassed but determined to get an answer.

"Well... You just did... But all right Sam... Go ahead."

"Well... What family was your mother from?" He questioned, looking curiously at her face in the light the afternoon sun provided.

"Well lets see... The Cottons are my closest relation and if I'm correct... They're yours too."

Sam excitedly looked at her. "Yes! I plan to marry Rosie one day. Rose Cotton that is! I thought you looked like a Cotton! But have you ever met my father?" Sam suddenly inquired.

"As a matter of fact yes. I remember once when I was around... Oh...18. He Bilbo... My father and I all went on a little adventure. Can you remember? I don't think you met me though. You were off with Frodo galloping about in the Shire."

"'Tis amazing what you can find out with a couple of questions!" Sam announced. Suddenly he noticed smoke about the hill. He ran up to see the place where he had cooked , the charred ground smoking. He quickly doused it with water but it was too late. Voices were heard and they drew nearer. Sam quickly went to his master in defense and Levanna went also.

A group of men approached. Captain Faramir and his men. He recognized Levanna and smiled. "Beradan! Uni hait douni ano sallo mae gavannen?" He asked.

"They are friends and weary travelers. Frodo Baggins and Sam Gamgee."

"Are you Gaffer Gamgee and Bilbo Baggins boys?" Faramir asked.

They could only nod. Levanna looked grimly at her old friend.

"Faramir, I am sorry. Boromir, he is dead. I was there. He did not suffer long." She softly consoled.

"I know. I saw my brother float the Annun. Hanta." He whispered.

"We need get through. We are fighting a verbal war which soon will be a defensive war. Middle Earth rests in our arms." Levanna said harshly. She was aware of what they wanted.

"Where is the other member of your group? We saw him creeping." Faramir eagerly asked.

"We have not seen Gollum. But I am sure he will catch up. He is leading us." Faramir looked at her in shock.

"THE Gollum, is leading you?" He asked, his men looked suspicious.

"He has been tamed and is under great influence. Please gentlemen..."

"You are walking on sacred ground. We must escort you and speak with you more privately." Faramir said. "You know the rules, Beradan."

Frodo stood. "Have you not heard a word shes s...."

"Frodo. It will do no good to fight. He is right we must go with him." She said soothingly.

Faramir looked at the way her eyes softly embraced Frodo and smiled.

And so they followed and they were lead to a cavern behind a fall. Later that night, Faramir woke Frodo to come see Gollum fishing in the Sacred lake of annuin.

Frodo begged for mercy and went down to get him.

"Sme`agol! Come Sme`agol! Master has come for you!"

"Fissssh! Nice fisssh!"

"Come Sme`agol! Master is here!"

"No! Sme`agol hasn't finished! Master can wait, he leaves Sme`agol all alone he does yesssss!"

"Sme`agol, I will tell precious and precious will be angry and I will say' Make him choke on bones'. You never taste fish again!."

Gollum gasped and was captured by the gaurds. After a long interrogation with Faramir, he was allowed to live as long as he was with Frodo. He, Levanna and Sam set out the next morn.

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Meanwhile, Pippin, Merry and Olane`a convinced Treebeard to have an Entmoot with the other Ents and see of they would like to go after Isengard. After two hours, the Ents had only just said good morning. At first they decided not to go but after seeing other cut down Ents, they decided that they would indeed go fight at Isengard.

Pippin and Olane'a kept to there playfullness and Merry to his jealousy. He could swear in their eyes was not a fond friendship, but a deep love. He decided he would begin to fight against his good friend, for Olane`a Elionota's affections.