Sorry this took me a little longer than usual, I was taking a little vacation in Cali-forniaaaa! It was pretty fun, but of course, I had to come back for school, which I was overloaded with five tests and a quiz---darn. ;) Anyway, here's the chapter and thanks for reading!

Chapter 9: The Bundle from Buckland

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It was early morning and Merry jumped out of his bed and quickly put on his clothes. After tripping on his pants, he ran down the hall and passed by the busy dining hall to the main entrance. The freezing wind nipped at his cheeks and he made his way to Crickhollow with a thick jacket around his shoulders. The trees were nearly bare and leaves carpeted the earth's floor.

He came to Dolimac's shabby craftshop and the windows were lit with the candlelight. Merry shivered and knocked on the door; the door swung open and Dolimac let him in, the floor covered in sawdust. He offered him tea but Merry shook his head politely. Dolimac left to his office and came back with a small wrapped bundle.

"I hope 'tis what you wanted, Mr. Merry." Dolimac said and he grabbed his chisel for his next project, "I just got done sanding it and adding the 'finishin' touches'." He explained and Merry beamed. "I also have the broken bridge from before," he said and gave the pieces to Merry.

"By all means, thank ye greatly! I would stay and waste the day here with you, but I need to get this to my cousin!" Merry said and Dolimac bid his farewell as Merry skipped to the door.

It was still early in the day and the new sun had started to melt away the cold in the air. Merry rushed down the path and convinced a messenger boy of Buckland to take him to Tuckborough on his pony. The pony cut his time in half and in no time, Tookbank and Tuckborough came to view. Merry wrung his hands nervously as the delicate bridge lay in his pocket. Finally, when Pippin's smial appeared on the mound, he thanked the messenger and ran to the hole dwelling; Pippin was outside with his Ma and three sisters trimming the hedges and sweeping the porch.

Pippin looked up from the leaves he was sweeping, "Merry!" he cried and Merry came up to him. Eglantine smiled and waved and after he greeted her, his eyes shifted to the bulge in his pocket. Quickly, Pippin understood and set the broom aside, "Ma, would it be alright if I got Merry water to drink?" He asked and Eglantine nodded.

They came to the empty kitchen and Pippin nervously chewed his lip, "Do you have it, Merry? The bridge---is it fixed?" Pippin asked in a hush and Merry took the bundle out. Pippin eyes lit up and Merry said, "It better than fixed, it's a whole new bridge. And knowing Dolimac, it should be better than your last bridge," He assured and he looked around the kitchen, "Aren't you going to get me a glass of water?" He joked and Pippin smirked and hastily got him a cup of water.

"I got here as fast as I could; I rode on the pony of a messenger boy!" Merry explained drinking his water and Pippin smiled.

"How did you manage that?" Pippin asked and Merry pat his shirt pocket, "I keep spare change." Pippin laughed.

Afterwards, they came to Pippin's room where Pippin got his fiddle out from under his bed. He didn't open it quite yet and Merry gave the bridge to Pippin. He slowly unfolded the cloth from the bridge and there was his new bridge. The wood was new and carved with such detail. The edges were smooth and it was an exact replica of the old bridge. It even had the name 'Hildigrim Took' carved in elegant cursive like the old bridge, which Merry never took notice of before. Pippin hugged Merry and Merry took out the broken pieces of the old bridge. "Just in case you wanted 'em back." He said and Pippin set them inside a pocket in his case.

Pippin opened the fiddle case and right when his beautiful fiddle appeared his spirits sank and he bowed his head. "What's wrong, Pip? Is it the wrong size?" Merry asked and Pippin smiled feebly, "No, it's perfect...but I just realized I do not know how to put in back in correctly."

Merry studied the fiddle and picked it up carefully, "Well, it can't be that hard, can it?" He asked and Pippin gave him the bridge. Merry tried to stand it upright under the strings but every time it was crooked or out of place. He nearly got it but he was scared he might pop the strings and he slid it out.

"I'm sorry, Pippin, I don't know what to tell you," He said quietly, "Maybe...maybe, Dolimac could do fix it into place," He suggested but Pippin shook his head. "No, my Da already suspects something is up, I can tell. And if he asks me about it and you have it all the way in Crickhollow..." And then he sighed, "Besides, I have already forgotten that I broke a string as well." He said and he choked back his tears as he looked at the fiddle: three strings and no bridge.

"Well, you cannot tell your father!" Merry said but Pippin put his face in his hands, "I'll have to, Merry. What else can I do?" And Merry set the fiddle back in and closed the case.

"You should go. My Ma will wonder what's taking me so long," Pippin said sadly and they walked to the front porch. They hugged each other and Merry politely said goodbye to Eglantine and the three young women. Merry left and smiled hopefully at Pippin, who picked up his broom and swept mournfully as he thought about the moment when his father would find out his faults.

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The door to his father's study was closed and Pippin drew a deep breath in with the fiddle case in his hand before he knocked on the door. He tapped twice and opened the door when he realized it was unlocked. He saw his Da at his table writing on parchment.

"Is this a good time, Da?" Pippin asked and Paladin turned around.

"Yes, of course, come in, Pip." He said and he put his quill down. Pippin came in to the warm room decorated with books and pictures on the walls and shelves. When he saw his Da's smiling face, he knew he couldn't tell him; it would break his heart and Pippin hung his head low.

He stood there in the middle of the room and Paladin grinned at him confused, "Something wrong, Pippin?" He asked and Pippin blinked back the tears in his eyes. He could not turn back now, his father had to know. He lifted his fiddle case and held it out for him.

Paladin cocked his eyebrow and looked at Pippin uneasy. He took the fiddle, unbuttoned the smooth case, and before he lifted the case open, Pippin cried, "I'm sorry, Da! I never meant fer it to happen!" Then Pippin brought his hands over his ashamed face when he saw his Da wince and slump his shoulders at the site of his old fiddle.

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