Okay, ya'll I feel the need to answer some questions asked in the reviews,
and make a few comments about some reviews I've gotten.
Rabidhobbitfangurls: I understand that hobbits do not use modern day slang, and honestly I don't understand where you see much of it. I know that dammit is probably not a curse they would use, but. I honestly don't know what they would actually use. You're the hobbit fangurls tho, I'm just a slight fan, I'm actually more of an elf person. IT seems after watching ROTK I've fallen in love with Merry and Pippin, but anywho of the subject.
Stardustcreations: It means "Until we meet again in death."
R.L. Keane: Well thought out? I do no planning for most of my chapters. Honestly they either come to me as I'm trying to sleep or just pop out of my head as I type. Go fig.
Hobbitfeet13: Did you not read all the chapters? I don't understand what you mean?? Please enlighten me.
IvyBurrows: Either this story is predictable or you are really smart.
Panda: Thank you so much! You have no idea how touched I am at what you've said about my writing. You're an awesome writer too, and FYI everyone, read her stories they rule!!!!!!
Anyone who mentioned how much of an idiot Darla is for not seeing how much Merry loves her and telling him that she loves Frodo: Te He. Wouldn't you like me to explain why I did that?? Well I'm not!!! Bwa ha ha hack *coughs and gags loudly* Excuse me!
Also I'm not going to be using song's in my chapter's as often. Sorry if some of you liked it, but there just aren't songs that go with a lot of these situations very well. I'm just going to use song titles for the chapter titles. Okay here's the next friggin chapter!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own LOTR but I do own the trivial pursuit game now! BOO YAH PJ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *ahem* I also own no songs used in this or any fics.
Chapter 8: Hit the Road Jack! (Or Darla Really)
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"Well, I'm glad you finally decided to join us," remarked a tall old man in white sitting at the front of the wagon as Darla ran down the hill to the wagon that was to carry Frodo and Bilbo. Darla stared up stupidly. This must be the powerful wizard, Gandalf the white.
"Darla," said Frodo smiling at the old man, "I'd like for you to meet Gandalf." The old man smiled and nodded at the female hobbit. She just nodded back still transfixed by his wise and all knowing presence.
"Hurry you hobbits, we haven't got all day, the ships do not wait for their cargo much longer than needed," Gandalf remarked. That was enough to bring Darla out of her daze. The four hobbits not riding in the wagon were going to ride ponies to the Gray Harbor. She attempted to mount the pony Merry was letting her borrow, but failed at her first attempt. Merry finally came over and got her up safely.
They went off soon after that. Sam and Merry rode in front of the wagon while Pippin and Darla brought up the rear. Darla was very excited, and very homesick, and very scared all at the same time. She spoke not a word until they stopped to rest at midday. Even then she said little, nothing more than a yes when asked if she would like toast, and a no when asked if she was tired.
The two groups of horses traded spots after that. And Darla wouldn't have said a word for the rest of the day if Pippin hadn't started singing.
"The road goes ever on and on, Down from the door where it began," He smiled at Darla as if asking her to join in. She timidly began singing.
"Now far ahead the Road has gone, And I must follow, if I can," Merry and Sam joined in back behind them, "Pursuing it with weary feet, Until it joins some longer way," Now everyone, even Bilbo and Gandalf were singing, "Where many paths and errands meet, And whither then? I cannot say." They all laughed loudly at the end and Darla felt finally that the boys, who had been around this world before, accepted her. She turned behind her and smiled at Merry in the rear. He smiled back.
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It pained Merry to smile when he was so heartbroken. He had felt like his whole world had come crashing down around him when he learned of Darla's love for Frodo. It was enough to make him sick. Frodo, who showed no interest in her at all, was the man she loved. Fawn had told him to prevail even if she loved someone close to him, but Frodo? It was too much to handle.
"What's eating you?" asked Sam looking over at Merry.
"What do you think, Sam?" he answered nodded his head towards Darla.
"She givin' you the cold shoulder?" Merry didn't respond, "I remember Rosie used to do that. Of course that was back before we got mixed up with that ring and such. I was almost certain she loved another, and that all hope was lost for me. As you can see I was wrong, and look now!" Sam smiled over at his friend who in turn gave him a dark 'don't mess with me' look. "Alright then, I'll just leave ya be."
Merry didn't feel like talking to Sam at all. He had the love of his life. Of course Rosie wasn't the traveling sort, Darla was fun, energetic, beautiful, everything that he wanted in a woman. The only problem was she loved Frodo. He looked up at her to see she was laughing and talking with Pippin.
"THAT'S IT!" he shouted. The group turned and looked at him.
"Uh, sorry, thinking out loud," he mumbled allowing everyone to turn back to their own doings. He had the perfect idea. He could let Pippin begin dropping hints that she should fall in love with Merry. It was crazy, true, but what else could he do?
"Here's what you do. You go on loving her as if she loved no other. Even if she turns out to love someone very close to you, love her as if she will love you in return. Never give up my lad, never give up," Fawn Duklemyer's voice sang in his head.
Merry sighed. It was crazy. He should just do as Fawn had said. Just continue loving Darla and hope that it would sink in on it's own.
"Hey Merry!" called Pippin from the front of the group, "Will you come up here a minute, I want to talk to Sam?"
"Sure Pip!" he answered. He drove his pony up to the front of the group along side Darla's. He took a deep breath; he hadn't said a word to her since her confession on the hill.
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"How are you Merry?" asked Darla as he rode up beside her.
"A little saddle sore, but good" he smiled his dashing smile, did she just think his smile dashing? Oh, my! She did. That was odd.
"I haven't heard much from you back there, is everything alright?" she asked feeling truly concerned.
"Yes, I've never been better," he lied, "How are you liking your adventure?"
"It was a little awkward at first, I felt a bit out of place, being the only woman, but now everything's fantastic!" she smiled broadly. He smiled back. She smiled even broader. He smiled even broader than that. Darla then broke out into a completely open mouthed grin that took up half her face and made her eyes squint. Merry tried to do the same but only resulted in making his jaw ache.
"I win!" she declared.
"You cheated!" Merry teased.
"How so, Meriadoc?" she asked.
"You closed your eyes!"
"How is that cheating?"
"It says in the official rules of smile contests that you are not allowed to close, squint, or remove your eyes," he crossed his arms in defiance.
"Remove your eyes?" she asked skeptically.
"That's if you're a die hard cheater," he explained smiling broadly. Darla just shook her head and looked back towards the road.
"Merry, I've been wondering. You know who I love, but I don't know whom you do. There must be some girl out there that makes your heart dance and your mouth dry up. She's an awful lucky girl that's for sure!" Merry looked off into the distance and said nothing.
"Oh, now come on, Merry you can trust me! I won't tell a soul, I promise!"
"I will only tell you that she is a fantastic being. She makes me smile at the sound of her voice. She makes me want to fix the entire world when she is sad. My only wish is that she would look at me with love in her eyes and return the love that I bestow upon her."
"She IS a lucky girl. Is she really dense enough not to notice a handsome chap like you?" Merry looked at her strangely, "What?" she asked.
"You just called me handsome again," he smiled.
"Well, even if we are just friends, I can't help it. You are, there's no denying it. You are a catch Mr. Brandybuck. Mystery-gal is really missing out." Darla sighed, and then Merry sighed. Not a word was said until Pippin returned and Merry had to return to the back of the group.
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Merry was feeling even more worthless as he returned to his spot by Sam.
"Hey, lover-boy did our plan not work?" Sam asked looking at the downtrodden hobbit.
"What plan?" he asked bewildered.
"Pip and I had finished talking long before he came up there. We figured you would like to be with your dream girl," he explained.
"I hate to break it to you, but things don't look to promising for me, Sam. Don't tell a soul, but," he paused, he hated even repeating the words, "She loves Frodo not me."
"It's only an attraction I bet," he replied nonchalantly, "Many girls are pulled in by those eyes of his. She'll get over it soon enough."
"I sure hope you're right, Sam. It's eating me alive! I can hardly stand it, it's as if she tearing a hole into my heart and killing me for the pure enjoyment of killing me! She's even been referring to us as FRIENDS!!!"
"Calm down, Merry, you just need to wait for the storm to pass and then move in. I believe you two will work out I really do."
Merry half smiled at his remark, but couldn't force himself to be much happier.
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"I noticed you and Merry having a good time up here!" remarked Pippin when he returned to the front.
"Yes, he's quiet a character! That's what I love about him though, he's so happy. It's refreshing to be around just happy people like you guys. My parents." she trailed off.
"Just didn't show their happiness through their pain," finished Pippin smiling at her.
"Yes, exactly," she agreed.
"I've known Merry since we were just little pups crawling into trouble," remarked Pippin, "He hasn't always been so happy. Actually, come to think of it he's never been this happy, before. He was always quiet gay, but never so much as when he's around you."
"Yes, it seems my days are not so dark when he is around," Darla added, "He was with me when my parents passed. He didn't leave me for a moment, he even suggested that we leave them where they were."
"It just seems strange to me that you don't fancy each other," Pippin remarked.
"That's odd, I've never thought of Merry that way before. Maybe when I saw his the very first time, but only then did I think he was handsome. I guess it was because I had another man on my mind." She thought for a moment of the kiss they had shared back the day before her parents died, and then of the kiss Merry had given her in the kitchen, and also of him comforting her as she wept for her parents. It was strange she had never noticed these things before. She just figured that was how you acted with guy friends. Maybe it wasn't. Was there more behind Merry's smile? Darla was now supremely confused.
She was still confused when they stopped for the night. As she lay down to sleep on her small sleeping roll her mind was still buzzing. Of course, she soon caught a glance of Frodo helping his uncle back into the wagon and all thoughts of Merry flew from her mind. Frodo was such a nice man, she thought drifting off to sleep not knowing of the eyes that watched her as he drifted off to sleep also.
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Frodo's mind was buzzing. He couldn't sleep. He had over heard Sam and Merry talking that afternoon. They had said something about Darla being in love, with HIM! Frodo was scared. He had no feelings at all for Darla. She was a very nice girl and all, but he did not care for her. And also, Merry loved her. Could she not see that? Also how would it affect her that he was to leave for the Gray Havens with Bilbo? Of course he had yet to tell anyone else. He just never felt that it was the right time to announce it. He was so afraid of ruining a wonderful mood, or causing a great ruckus. He began to drift off to sleep. Not a good sleep either, a sleep filled with nasty things, like wargs and orcs killing and looting. He slept fitfully but also he kept seeing a weeping Darla standing in the cold alone, and lonely.
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I know that chapter wasn't very good or exciting, but I really have no idea what I can have happen. If any have any suggestions please let me know! Thank you so much and also!
Who ever is the first to answer this question correctly will have the next chapter dedicated to them. The question is:
In the Two Towers, what part of Treebeard's face does Pippin put his right hand on? Good luck ya'll! Luv ya!- DB:D
Rabidhobbitfangurls: I understand that hobbits do not use modern day slang, and honestly I don't understand where you see much of it. I know that dammit is probably not a curse they would use, but. I honestly don't know what they would actually use. You're the hobbit fangurls tho, I'm just a slight fan, I'm actually more of an elf person. IT seems after watching ROTK I've fallen in love with Merry and Pippin, but anywho of the subject.
Stardustcreations: It means "Until we meet again in death."
R.L. Keane: Well thought out? I do no planning for most of my chapters. Honestly they either come to me as I'm trying to sleep or just pop out of my head as I type. Go fig.
Hobbitfeet13: Did you not read all the chapters? I don't understand what you mean?? Please enlighten me.
IvyBurrows: Either this story is predictable or you are really smart.
Panda: Thank you so much! You have no idea how touched I am at what you've said about my writing. You're an awesome writer too, and FYI everyone, read her stories they rule!!!!!!
Anyone who mentioned how much of an idiot Darla is for not seeing how much Merry loves her and telling him that she loves Frodo: Te He. Wouldn't you like me to explain why I did that?? Well I'm not!!! Bwa ha ha hack *coughs and gags loudly* Excuse me!
Also I'm not going to be using song's in my chapter's as often. Sorry if some of you liked it, but there just aren't songs that go with a lot of these situations very well. I'm just going to use song titles for the chapter titles. Okay here's the next friggin chapter!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own LOTR but I do own the trivial pursuit game now! BOO YAH PJ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *ahem* I also own no songs used in this or any fics.
Chapter 8: Hit the Road Jack! (Or Darla Really)
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"Well, I'm glad you finally decided to join us," remarked a tall old man in white sitting at the front of the wagon as Darla ran down the hill to the wagon that was to carry Frodo and Bilbo. Darla stared up stupidly. This must be the powerful wizard, Gandalf the white.
"Darla," said Frodo smiling at the old man, "I'd like for you to meet Gandalf." The old man smiled and nodded at the female hobbit. She just nodded back still transfixed by his wise and all knowing presence.
"Hurry you hobbits, we haven't got all day, the ships do not wait for their cargo much longer than needed," Gandalf remarked. That was enough to bring Darla out of her daze. The four hobbits not riding in the wagon were going to ride ponies to the Gray Harbor. She attempted to mount the pony Merry was letting her borrow, but failed at her first attempt. Merry finally came over and got her up safely.
They went off soon after that. Sam and Merry rode in front of the wagon while Pippin and Darla brought up the rear. Darla was very excited, and very homesick, and very scared all at the same time. She spoke not a word until they stopped to rest at midday. Even then she said little, nothing more than a yes when asked if she would like toast, and a no when asked if she was tired.
The two groups of horses traded spots after that. And Darla wouldn't have said a word for the rest of the day if Pippin hadn't started singing.
"The road goes ever on and on, Down from the door where it began," He smiled at Darla as if asking her to join in. She timidly began singing.
"Now far ahead the Road has gone, And I must follow, if I can," Merry and Sam joined in back behind them, "Pursuing it with weary feet, Until it joins some longer way," Now everyone, even Bilbo and Gandalf were singing, "Where many paths and errands meet, And whither then? I cannot say." They all laughed loudly at the end and Darla felt finally that the boys, who had been around this world before, accepted her. She turned behind her and smiled at Merry in the rear. He smiled back.
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It pained Merry to smile when he was so heartbroken. He had felt like his whole world had come crashing down around him when he learned of Darla's love for Frodo. It was enough to make him sick. Frodo, who showed no interest in her at all, was the man she loved. Fawn had told him to prevail even if she loved someone close to him, but Frodo? It was too much to handle.
"What's eating you?" asked Sam looking over at Merry.
"What do you think, Sam?" he answered nodded his head towards Darla.
"She givin' you the cold shoulder?" Merry didn't respond, "I remember Rosie used to do that. Of course that was back before we got mixed up with that ring and such. I was almost certain she loved another, and that all hope was lost for me. As you can see I was wrong, and look now!" Sam smiled over at his friend who in turn gave him a dark 'don't mess with me' look. "Alright then, I'll just leave ya be."
Merry didn't feel like talking to Sam at all. He had the love of his life. Of course Rosie wasn't the traveling sort, Darla was fun, energetic, beautiful, everything that he wanted in a woman. The only problem was she loved Frodo. He looked up at her to see she was laughing and talking with Pippin.
"THAT'S IT!" he shouted. The group turned and looked at him.
"Uh, sorry, thinking out loud," he mumbled allowing everyone to turn back to their own doings. He had the perfect idea. He could let Pippin begin dropping hints that she should fall in love with Merry. It was crazy, true, but what else could he do?
"Here's what you do. You go on loving her as if she loved no other. Even if she turns out to love someone very close to you, love her as if she will love you in return. Never give up my lad, never give up," Fawn Duklemyer's voice sang in his head.
Merry sighed. It was crazy. He should just do as Fawn had said. Just continue loving Darla and hope that it would sink in on it's own.
"Hey Merry!" called Pippin from the front of the group, "Will you come up here a minute, I want to talk to Sam?"
"Sure Pip!" he answered. He drove his pony up to the front of the group along side Darla's. He took a deep breath; he hadn't said a word to her since her confession on the hill.
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"How are you Merry?" asked Darla as he rode up beside her.
"A little saddle sore, but good" he smiled his dashing smile, did she just think his smile dashing? Oh, my! She did. That was odd.
"I haven't heard much from you back there, is everything alright?" she asked feeling truly concerned.
"Yes, I've never been better," he lied, "How are you liking your adventure?"
"It was a little awkward at first, I felt a bit out of place, being the only woman, but now everything's fantastic!" she smiled broadly. He smiled back. She smiled even broader. He smiled even broader than that. Darla then broke out into a completely open mouthed grin that took up half her face and made her eyes squint. Merry tried to do the same but only resulted in making his jaw ache.
"I win!" she declared.
"You cheated!" Merry teased.
"How so, Meriadoc?" she asked.
"You closed your eyes!"
"How is that cheating?"
"It says in the official rules of smile contests that you are not allowed to close, squint, or remove your eyes," he crossed his arms in defiance.
"Remove your eyes?" she asked skeptically.
"That's if you're a die hard cheater," he explained smiling broadly. Darla just shook her head and looked back towards the road.
"Merry, I've been wondering. You know who I love, but I don't know whom you do. There must be some girl out there that makes your heart dance and your mouth dry up. She's an awful lucky girl that's for sure!" Merry looked off into the distance and said nothing.
"Oh, now come on, Merry you can trust me! I won't tell a soul, I promise!"
"I will only tell you that she is a fantastic being. She makes me smile at the sound of her voice. She makes me want to fix the entire world when she is sad. My only wish is that she would look at me with love in her eyes and return the love that I bestow upon her."
"She IS a lucky girl. Is she really dense enough not to notice a handsome chap like you?" Merry looked at her strangely, "What?" she asked.
"You just called me handsome again," he smiled.
"Well, even if we are just friends, I can't help it. You are, there's no denying it. You are a catch Mr. Brandybuck. Mystery-gal is really missing out." Darla sighed, and then Merry sighed. Not a word was said until Pippin returned and Merry had to return to the back of the group.
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Merry was feeling even more worthless as he returned to his spot by Sam.
"Hey, lover-boy did our plan not work?" Sam asked looking at the downtrodden hobbit.
"What plan?" he asked bewildered.
"Pip and I had finished talking long before he came up there. We figured you would like to be with your dream girl," he explained.
"I hate to break it to you, but things don't look to promising for me, Sam. Don't tell a soul, but," he paused, he hated even repeating the words, "She loves Frodo not me."
"It's only an attraction I bet," he replied nonchalantly, "Many girls are pulled in by those eyes of his. She'll get over it soon enough."
"I sure hope you're right, Sam. It's eating me alive! I can hardly stand it, it's as if she tearing a hole into my heart and killing me for the pure enjoyment of killing me! She's even been referring to us as FRIENDS!!!"
"Calm down, Merry, you just need to wait for the storm to pass and then move in. I believe you two will work out I really do."
Merry half smiled at his remark, but couldn't force himself to be much happier.
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"I noticed you and Merry having a good time up here!" remarked Pippin when he returned to the front.
"Yes, he's quiet a character! That's what I love about him though, he's so happy. It's refreshing to be around just happy people like you guys. My parents." she trailed off.
"Just didn't show their happiness through their pain," finished Pippin smiling at her.
"Yes, exactly," she agreed.
"I've known Merry since we were just little pups crawling into trouble," remarked Pippin, "He hasn't always been so happy. Actually, come to think of it he's never been this happy, before. He was always quiet gay, but never so much as when he's around you."
"Yes, it seems my days are not so dark when he is around," Darla added, "He was with me when my parents passed. He didn't leave me for a moment, he even suggested that we leave them where they were."
"It just seems strange to me that you don't fancy each other," Pippin remarked.
"That's odd, I've never thought of Merry that way before. Maybe when I saw his the very first time, but only then did I think he was handsome. I guess it was because I had another man on my mind." She thought for a moment of the kiss they had shared back the day before her parents died, and then of the kiss Merry had given her in the kitchen, and also of him comforting her as she wept for her parents. It was strange she had never noticed these things before. She just figured that was how you acted with guy friends. Maybe it wasn't. Was there more behind Merry's smile? Darla was now supremely confused.
She was still confused when they stopped for the night. As she lay down to sleep on her small sleeping roll her mind was still buzzing. Of course, she soon caught a glance of Frodo helping his uncle back into the wagon and all thoughts of Merry flew from her mind. Frodo was such a nice man, she thought drifting off to sleep not knowing of the eyes that watched her as he drifted off to sleep also.
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Frodo's mind was buzzing. He couldn't sleep. He had over heard Sam and Merry talking that afternoon. They had said something about Darla being in love, with HIM! Frodo was scared. He had no feelings at all for Darla. She was a very nice girl and all, but he did not care for her. And also, Merry loved her. Could she not see that? Also how would it affect her that he was to leave for the Gray Havens with Bilbo? Of course he had yet to tell anyone else. He just never felt that it was the right time to announce it. He was so afraid of ruining a wonderful mood, or causing a great ruckus. He began to drift off to sleep. Not a good sleep either, a sleep filled with nasty things, like wargs and orcs killing and looting. He slept fitfully but also he kept seeing a weeping Darla standing in the cold alone, and lonely.
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I know that chapter wasn't very good or exciting, but I really have no idea what I can have happen. If any have any suggestions please let me know! Thank you so much and also!
Who ever is the first to answer this question correctly will have the next chapter dedicated to them. The question is:
In the Two Towers, what part of Treebeard's face does Pippin put his right hand on? Good luck ya'll! Luv ya!- DB:D