Temptation
Genre: Angst
Rating: G
Pairing: None
Disclaimer: Didn't own it, don't own it, won't own it. Just borrowing. Enjoy!
Run.
Merry picked up one tired leg after another, urging his feet to carry him as far as they could. He would keep moving until he had worn his feet down into useless stubs.
Run.
The moon filtered down through the looming trees, but did little to break the blackness of night that encased him as he ran. He kept his eyes alert, cast down to the ground in front of him.
Run.
He tripped on a small rock, and with a sharp yelp, he tumbled onto the ground. He disregarded the torn skin on his kneecap, and got right back up again. He was quickly running out of breath, but nothing was going to stop him. Not until he was far enough away.
Run.
Even if he had wanted to stop now, he couldn't. What if they found him? How would he explain? Especially to Frodo. Their was no way Merry could ever face his cousin again. What reason could he give- that the temptation was too great? Merry knew he could have resisted it easily enough. But he knew the truth, even if he couldn't say it out loud; he hadn't wanted to resist it.
Run.
He came to a small creek, and his heavy feet spalshed through the icy water as he crossed to the opposite shore. Coming to an abrupt halt, he found a sturdy tree trunk, and slid down to sit at it's base. He caught his breath, and stuck his hand into his pocket, fingering his prize. Taking it out, he held it up to his face, and was amazed that even in the little moonlight that broke through the canopy of the trees, it seemed to sparkle and glint with the light of 1,000 flames. It was so beautiful, so perfect...
He had taken it off of Frodo only moments before, while the fellowship had all been asleep. Catlike, he slinked over to Frodo's sleeping form, pulled the chain lightly over Frodo's head, and dashed away, the chain stowed safely in his pocket. He had stopped for a moment on the edge of the camp, whispered that he was sorry, and ran into the cover of the woods, ran to where he was now.
He heard a breaking branch close by. Slipping the band onto his finger, Merry was invisable now even to Legolas's elf-eyes, but he still felt he could be seen.
Pippin emerged into a small clearing on the opposite side of the creek, quietly calling out Merry's name. Merry stayed put, not daring to even breath in fear of being detected. He watched as Pippin dejectedly threw himself to the ground and started weeping, talking to the night.
"I saw you, Merry. I saw what you did."
Merry kept still, with the Ring still on his finger.
"I won't tell anyone, Merry, I swear! Just please give it back, and come back to us. Back to me."
Merry sat, and fought the urge to get up and go to his cousin.
"Please Merry. Please, don't do this."
Merry watched as Pippin wept more, drawing his knees up to his chest. He had betrayed his cousin, but there was no way Merry could go back now. Pippin would have to understand.
After whated seemed like hours, Pippin got up, and seemed to meet Merry's eyes for a moment, before turning around and heading back to camp. When he was sure he was out of sight, Merry took the Ring off his finger, and ran again, into the night. Tears slid down his face, but he payed them no mind. He had all he ever needed now. If he just kept running, away from the camp, away from his home, away from Pippin and Frodo, he knew he would be ok.
Run.
He slipped the Ring on again, and ran off into the night, ne'er to be seen again.
Run.
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