Ch. 16

Merry and Pippin staggered out into the kitchen. Merry, who'd not had a meal in 10 days, was famished, and Pippin was ready to confront Gandalf.

To say that the sight that greeted them was happy would be a tremendous understatement. Gandalf stood sharply from his seat, where he'd been smoking and drinking. Rosie screamed, waking many. Elrond, who had probably never before been surprised, was floored. Frodo looked as though he wanted to rush forward, but checked himself. Gimli stared for a moment, then glanced into the corner. Pippin tried to follow his gaze, but along the way, his eyes met those of Bilbo, who stood in the center of the room, touching nothing. Pippin continued to look towards the corner, where his eyes met yet another old companion.

Pippin gaped for a moment as his lips tried to form the name. "Legolas," he sputtered, before he remembered that Legolas was royalty, and bowed, something Merry had already accomplished.

"Hello, Pippin, Merry," said Legolas, smiling.

Merry was dumbstruck. "Frodo? Gimli? Lord Elrond? Legolas? And---and Bilbo." He said, dully. Then he whispered, "Pippin, you said Gandalf was here. You couldn't have at least prepared me for everyone else?"

"Well, I forgot, trying to get you to believe me. And Legolas wasn't here before."

"Well, actually I was," Legolas interjected. "Just not in this house. Aragorn and I have been fighting the orcs. They do not stop coming."

A moment of silence ensued before Pippin remembered what he needed to do. "Gandalf, a word, please?"

"Of course," he agreed, smiling.

The two of them departed from the room and stepped outside onto a cloaked yard.

"Gandalf---"

"It's quite all right, Pippin," Gandalf said. "You were concerned for your friends, a very noble quality."

"Gandalf, I do have a few questions."

"Yes?"

"Why am I a wizard, and not Sam? Or Merry? Frodo even?"

"I knew you would ask this," sighed the Mithrandir. "Do you remember---?"