Ch. 18
"Merry?"
"Yeah, Pip?"
"I'm not just imagining this, am I? I mean, we are alone, right?"
"We are, Pip."
Neither hobbit had any clue about what was going on. They'd stepped outside for a half of an hour, and everyone disappeared. Pippin kept thinking, Not again! Merry was just confused.
"Pippin, Merry!" a voice whispered urgently. Gimli was ushering the two of them into the hall. They followed wondering why they were going there. What they saw nearly made them faint.
Everyone was gathered around a bed. Pippin did not even have time to remember who occupied it before he saw Rosie weeping into the sheets.
"No." Pippin whispered. Forgetting that there were sleeping hobbits all around, he screamed, "No, Sam, no! No! No!"
Gandalf rushed over to calm Pippin. Slightly angry, he whispered, "He is not dead. There is, however, very little hope of life left for him."
"Can I help him now?" asked Pippin. He'd never learned the spell to save his friends.
Wait, though, thought Pippin. How did Merry get well?
"Yes you can, Pippin." Gandalf interrupted his thoughts. "But you must repeat the words exactly as I give them to you. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"Good. Repeat after me: Naikelea, Tamp lle'cronhien, Lembien Tel'perrianath."
Pippin felt something stir within him, as if he were suddenly not the one doing the speaking, but some strange, foreign being inside him.
"Naikelea, Tamp lle'cronhien, Lembien Tel'perrianath!" The voice that came from his lips was different, as well, deeper, rougher.
Pippin relaxed, and he was again in control. Looking over at Sam, he wondered if he'd done any help, or if he'd die anyway. Pippin began to sing a song of woe:
Along the road our friend did go.
With always many miles to go.
Until he reached the end.
We shall not, we will not send
Him to the other side.
Come back.
Don't fade from our sight
Our friend.
"Merry?"
"Yeah, Pip?"
"I'm not just imagining this, am I? I mean, we are alone, right?"
"We are, Pip."
Neither hobbit had any clue about what was going on. They'd stepped outside for a half of an hour, and everyone disappeared. Pippin kept thinking, Not again! Merry was just confused.
"Pippin, Merry!" a voice whispered urgently. Gimli was ushering the two of them into the hall. They followed wondering why they were going there. What they saw nearly made them faint.
Everyone was gathered around a bed. Pippin did not even have time to remember who occupied it before he saw Rosie weeping into the sheets.
"No." Pippin whispered. Forgetting that there were sleeping hobbits all around, he screamed, "No, Sam, no! No! No!"
Gandalf rushed over to calm Pippin. Slightly angry, he whispered, "He is not dead. There is, however, very little hope of life left for him."
"Can I help him now?" asked Pippin. He'd never learned the spell to save his friends.
Wait, though, thought Pippin. How did Merry get well?
"Yes you can, Pippin." Gandalf interrupted his thoughts. "But you must repeat the words exactly as I give them to you. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"Good. Repeat after me: Naikelea, Tamp lle'cronhien, Lembien Tel'perrianath."
Pippin felt something stir within him, as if he were suddenly not the one doing the speaking, but some strange, foreign being inside him.
"Naikelea, Tamp lle'cronhien, Lembien Tel'perrianath!" The voice that came from his lips was different, as well, deeper, rougher.
Pippin relaxed, and he was again in control. Looking over at Sam, he wondered if he'd done any help, or if he'd die anyway. Pippin began to sing a song of woe:
Along the road our friend did go.
With always many miles to go.
Until he reached the end.
We shall not, we will not send
Him to the other side.
Come back.
Don't fade from our sight
Our friend.
