Disclaimer: ::cries:: I don't own them, wish I did.
I know you're reading! ::Thanks here enhanced statistics:: Best ten bucks I've ever spent. If you like it, PLEASE review! I've finished this story (13 chapters) and I'd be more inclined to look over my other chapters quicker if I know people like it.
Cpsings4him-Awww! Thanks for reviewing! I thought little Merry was sweet too. He was fun to write, but it's hard to keep him from sounding TOO grow up. I don't know too many two-year-olds.
LOTR Board Comments:
Waaaah. Poor lil Merry and Frodo and Essy and everyone! :-( TY for another gorgeous chapter!-Evermind (Yes, poor everyone, especially Essy. It's hard to lose a baby.)
Awww...Little Merry. Very sad and sweet-Orangeblossom Took (Yes, little Merry. Very sweet.)
Poor little Merry! What a good cousin Frodo is! That was great Pip.- Belladonna Took (Isn't he, though? Frodo is a great cousin! Thank you!!)
*sniffles* A sad, yet wonderfully written chapter! Awww, I'm so glad I was your inspiration, that means so much to me! I am glad that you are writing a Merry inkling, for you wrote the Pippin one with such great expertise! So, this inkling will be just as good, or even better! Really looking forward to the next chapter!-Queen of Gondor (She inspired me by commenting on my Pippin story. It made me want to finish this one. Thank you, Queenie!!! ::hugs::)
Chapter Three-Loses
Frodo walked into the kitchen one morning to find Saradoc talking quietly with his father, Rorimac, the Master of Buckland.
"Uncle?"
Both hobbits looked up at the lad as he come to the table.
"Frodo-lad, sit down please," Saradoc said. "We have something to tell you."
"What is it?" He ran to Saradoc's side. "Is Merry alright? Is Aunt Essy alright?"
"Frodo-lad, calm yourself. Merry is fine, and Essy will be. She...she lost the baby." Saradoc looked down at the table.
"Frodo, I'm going to need you to mind Merry today. Can you do that for me?" asked Rorimac
"Yes, Uncle Rory." He thought for a moment. "So Merry wouldn't get a little brother or sister?"
"No. And the healer says there will be no more children." Saradoc ran a hand through his hair. "Merry will be our last child." He placed his head in his hands as his father got him a glass of water.
"Frodo, Merry is in his room. He doesn't know, so please don't tell him."
"Yes, Uncle Rory." He looked at his uncle and his cousin for a moment before leaving be with Merry.
Merry hung half out his crib, struggling to get down, when Frodo walked in.
"Merry, you'll hurt yourself!"
The little hobbit giggled as Frodo lifted him up in his arms. "Frodo! See! I climbed!"
"Yes, yes you did." He held Merry close to him. He had been looking forward to getting another little cousin, but it seemed that wouldn't be happening. "I love you, Merry," he said, as he hugged him tightly.
Merry didn't quite understand, but he enjoyed being in Frodo's arms so he held on just as tightly. He felt his cousin's tears fall on his back and he pulled away, gazing up at Frodo. "Frodo, why you crying?"
"Oh, well..." Frodo thought for a moment. He wasn't supposed to tell Merry and he didn't want to upset him. "You hugged me so tightly I thought I would burst!" he said with a smile.
Merry giggled.
"There you two are," said a voice behind them.
Frodo turned to see Berilac Brandybuck. The four-year-old was the son of Merimac Brandybuck, another of Frodo's cousins.
"Beri? What are you doing here?" He put Merry down, and knelt before the lad. "Does your father know where you are?"
"No. Everyone's too sad about the baby."
Frodo sighed. He hoped he didn't end up watching half of Brandy Hall's children. "Why don't you stay with Merry and me for a while? We'll find your father and tell him."
The little hobbit looked at Merry and frowned slightly. "Does Merry have to be with us?"
"Don't you like your cousin?" Frodo asked with a slight smile.
"He's alright, I guess, but he's a baby."
Frodo laughed. "You were too, Beri." He ruffled his curly hair. "You'll like him someday. He is your cousin, and cousins are something you should cherish."
Beri thought for a moment. "If you say so, Frodo," he said with a shrug.
The three young hobbits spent most of the day together. Frodo found he enjoyed looking after his two little cousins. Beri also found an ally in Merry when the two tackled Frodo into a mud pile.
Frodo frowned at the two little hobbits. "That wasn't very nice of you two," he said, as he picked bits of dirt out of his hair.
"Frodo need a bath!" squealed Merry, sending Beri into a fit of giggles.
"You were right, Frodo. Cousins are fun!"
Frodo slept soundly that night. Watching the two hobbit lads had wiped him of much of his energy, but, all in all, he had enjoyed every minute of it.
It was in the middle of the night when Frodo felt his bed shake slightly. He turned over and saw Merry crawling in. "Merry? What's wrong?"
"Bad dream." The little hobbit made his way up onto Frodo's chest.
"What did you dream, Merry?" He ran his hand lightly over the soft curls.
"Mummy gone." He buried his face in Frodo's side.
"Why would your mother be gone, Merry-lad?"
Merry looked up at his older cousin. "Not see Mummy today."
Frodo sighed. None of the elder hobbits had let Merry see his mother that day. He should've known the lad would notice. "Your mother is fine, Merry." He kissed the top of his head.
"You can see her tomorrow."
Merry began to cry. "I want Mummy now."
Frodo held his cousin as he sobbed. "It's alright, Merry. I know. I know you want your mother," he said trying to sooth his cousin.
Merry stopped crying after a while. Frodo wiped the remaining tears away. "All better?"
He shook his head. "No. You take me to Mummy, Frodo?"
Frodo thought for a moment. He wasn't even sure where Essy was. "I don't know, Merry. She may be sleeping."
Merry's lower lip trembled. "Please Frodo."
Sighing, Frodo got out of bed and picked up Merry. "Let's find your father first." He went down to the living room. Saradoc sat by the fire, a drink in his hand. "Uncle Saradoc?"
"Frodo-lad?" He noticed Merry in his cousin's arms. "What wrong?"
"Merry wants to see Aunt Essy."
"Oh, Merry-lad." Saradoc took his son from Frodo. "You miss your mother?"
Merry nodded as he buried his face in father's chest. "Want Mummy."
Saradoc sighed. "Alright. I shouldn't have tried to keep you from her. You want to come too, Frodo-lad?"
Frodo nodded and followed them down the hall. Essy had been moved into a guest room, he noticed.
Saradoc opened the door slowly. Essy lay in the bed sleeping. "Now, Merry, I need you to be..."
"Mummy!" Merry said as he squirmed out of his father's arms.
Essy woke up just as Merry reached her side. "There's my little Merry," she said softly, running her hand over his hair. "I missed you, dearling."
"Missed you too, Mummy." Merry scrambled up into the bed with little difficulty considering how small he was. He snuggled up next to her. "Mummy? You alright?"
Essy smiled at her son. He'd be their only child now, and especially dear in their hearts. "Yes, I'm alright now that you're here."
Merry sat up and looked at Frodo. "Stay with Frodo tonight?"
Essy started to cry. Saradoc swept Merry up off the bed and handed him to Frodo before turning to his wife. "Shh, Essy. He doesn't know, love." He held her hand and brushed back her hair, soothingly. He turned back to Frodo. "He can stay with you tonight, lad."
Frodo nodded and left the room, carrying a surprised Merry in his arms. "Come on, Merry, you can stay with me tonight."
"Why Mummy cry, Frodo?"
"Well..." Frodo thought for a moment. He didn't want to be the one to tell Merry he wouldn't be getting a little brother or sister after all. He wasn't even sure the lad knew he almost got one to begin with. Frodo remembered their talk by the river the day he found out. "She's just happy we get along so well," he said with a smile.
"Me too," Merry said as he put his head on Frodo's shoulder.
The two returned to Frodo's room and got back into bed. "Time for bed, Merry-lad. No more bad dreams."
Merry shook his head vigorously. "No bad dreams." He yawned and was soon fast asleep beside his cousin.
Frodo brushed back the little hobbit's curls and kissed his forehead. "Oh, Merry. If only you knew what you lost today." He soon drifted back into a deep sleep.
I know you're reading! ::Thanks here enhanced statistics:: Best ten bucks I've ever spent. If you like it, PLEASE review! I've finished this story (13 chapters) and I'd be more inclined to look over my other chapters quicker if I know people like it.
Cpsings4him-Awww! Thanks for reviewing! I thought little Merry was sweet too. He was fun to write, but it's hard to keep him from sounding TOO grow up. I don't know too many two-year-olds.
LOTR Board Comments:
Waaaah. Poor lil Merry and Frodo and Essy and everyone! :-( TY for another gorgeous chapter!-Evermind (Yes, poor everyone, especially Essy. It's hard to lose a baby.)
Awww...Little Merry. Very sad and sweet-Orangeblossom Took (Yes, little Merry. Very sweet.)
Poor little Merry! What a good cousin Frodo is! That was great Pip.- Belladonna Took (Isn't he, though? Frodo is a great cousin! Thank you!!)
*sniffles* A sad, yet wonderfully written chapter! Awww, I'm so glad I was your inspiration, that means so much to me! I am glad that you are writing a Merry inkling, for you wrote the Pippin one with such great expertise! So, this inkling will be just as good, or even better! Really looking forward to the next chapter!-Queen of Gondor (She inspired me by commenting on my Pippin story. It made me want to finish this one. Thank you, Queenie!!! ::hugs::)
Chapter Three-Loses
Frodo walked into the kitchen one morning to find Saradoc talking quietly with his father, Rorimac, the Master of Buckland.
"Uncle?"
Both hobbits looked up at the lad as he come to the table.
"Frodo-lad, sit down please," Saradoc said. "We have something to tell you."
"What is it?" He ran to Saradoc's side. "Is Merry alright? Is Aunt Essy alright?"
"Frodo-lad, calm yourself. Merry is fine, and Essy will be. She...she lost the baby." Saradoc looked down at the table.
"Frodo, I'm going to need you to mind Merry today. Can you do that for me?" asked Rorimac
"Yes, Uncle Rory." He thought for a moment. "So Merry wouldn't get a little brother or sister?"
"No. And the healer says there will be no more children." Saradoc ran a hand through his hair. "Merry will be our last child." He placed his head in his hands as his father got him a glass of water.
"Frodo, Merry is in his room. He doesn't know, so please don't tell him."
"Yes, Uncle Rory." He looked at his uncle and his cousin for a moment before leaving be with Merry.
Merry hung half out his crib, struggling to get down, when Frodo walked in.
"Merry, you'll hurt yourself!"
The little hobbit giggled as Frodo lifted him up in his arms. "Frodo! See! I climbed!"
"Yes, yes you did." He held Merry close to him. He had been looking forward to getting another little cousin, but it seemed that wouldn't be happening. "I love you, Merry," he said, as he hugged him tightly.
Merry didn't quite understand, but he enjoyed being in Frodo's arms so he held on just as tightly. He felt his cousin's tears fall on his back and he pulled away, gazing up at Frodo. "Frodo, why you crying?"
"Oh, well..." Frodo thought for a moment. He wasn't supposed to tell Merry and he didn't want to upset him. "You hugged me so tightly I thought I would burst!" he said with a smile.
Merry giggled.
"There you two are," said a voice behind them.
Frodo turned to see Berilac Brandybuck. The four-year-old was the son of Merimac Brandybuck, another of Frodo's cousins.
"Beri? What are you doing here?" He put Merry down, and knelt before the lad. "Does your father know where you are?"
"No. Everyone's too sad about the baby."
Frodo sighed. He hoped he didn't end up watching half of Brandy Hall's children. "Why don't you stay with Merry and me for a while? We'll find your father and tell him."
The little hobbit looked at Merry and frowned slightly. "Does Merry have to be with us?"
"Don't you like your cousin?" Frodo asked with a slight smile.
"He's alright, I guess, but he's a baby."
Frodo laughed. "You were too, Beri." He ruffled his curly hair. "You'll like him someday. He is your cousin, and cousins are something you should cherish."
Beri thought for a moment. "If you say so, Frodo," he said with a shrug.
The three young hobbits spent most of the day together. Frodo found he enjoyed looking after his two little cousins. Beri also found an ally in Merry when the two tackled Frodo into a mud pile.
Frodo frowned at the two little hobbits. "That wasn't very nice of you two," he said, as he picked bits of dirt out of his hair.
"Frodo need a bath!" squealed Merry, sending Beri into a fit of giggles.
"You were right, Frodo. Cousins are fun!"
Frodo slept soundly that night. Watching the two hobbit lads had wiped him of much of his energy, but, all in all, he had enjoyed every minute of it.
It was in the middle of the night when Frodo felt his bed shake slightly. He turned over and saw Merry crawling in. "Merry? What's wrong?"
"Bad dream." The little hobbit made his way up onto Frodo's chest.
"What did you dream, Merry?" He ran his hand lightly over the soft curls.
"Mummy gone." He buried his face in Frodo's side.
"Why would your mother be gone, Merry-lad?"
Merry looked up at his older cousin. "Not see Mummy today."
Frodo sighed. None of the elder hobbits had let Merry see his mother that day. He should've known the lad would notice. "Your mother is fine, Merry." He kissed the top of his head.
"You can see her tomorrow."
Merry began to cry. "I want Mummy now."
Frodo held his cousin as he sobbed. "It's alright, Merry. I know. I know you want your mother," he said trying to sooth his cousin.
Merry stopped crying after a while. Frodo wiped the remaining tears away. "All better?"
He shook his head. "No. You take me to Mummy, Frodo?"
Frodo thought for a moment. He wasn't even sure where Essy was. "I don't know, Merry. She may be sleeping."
Merry's lower lip trembled. "Please Frodo."
Sighing, Frodo got out of bed and picked up Merry. "Let's find your father first." He went down to the living room. Saradoc sat by the fire, a drink in his hand. "Uncle Saradoc?"
"Frodo-lad?" He noticed Merry in his cousin's arms. "What wrong?"
"Merry wants to see Aunt Essy."
"Oh, Merry-lad." Saradoc took his son from Frodo. "You miss your mother?"
Merry nodded as he buried his face in father's chest. "Want Mummy."
Saradoc sighed. "Alright. I shouldn't have tried to keep you from her. You want to come too, Frodo-lad?"
Frodo nodded and followed them down the hall. Essy had been moved into a guest room, he noticed.
Saradoc opened the door slowly. Essy lay in the bed sleeping. "Now, Merry, I need you to be..."
"Mummy!" Merry said as he squirmed out of his father's arms.
Essy woke up just as Merry reached her side. "There's my little Merry," she said softly, running her hand over his hair. "I missed you, dearling."
"Missed you too, Mummy." Merry scrambled up into the bed with little difficulty considering how small he was. He snuggled up next to her. "Mummy? You alright?"
Essy smiled at her son. He'd be their only child now, and especially dear in their hearts. "Yes, I'm alright now that you're here."
Merry sat up and looked at Frodo. "Stay with Frodo tonight?"
Essy started to cry. Saradoc swept Merry up off the bed and handed him to Frodo before turning to his wife. "Shh, Essy. He doesn't know, love." He held her hand and brushed back her hair, soothingly. He turned back to Frodo. "He can stay with you tonight, lad."
Frodo nodded and left the room, carrying a surprised Merry in his arms. "Come on, Merry, you can stay with me tonight."
"Why Mummy cry, Frodo?"
"Well..." Frodo thought for a moment. He didn't want to be the one to tell Merry he wouldn't be getting a little brother or sister after all. He wasn't even sure the lad knew he almost got one to begin with. Frodo remembered their talk by the river the day he found out. "She's just happy we get along so well," he said with a smile.
"Me too," Merry said as he put his head on Frodo's shoulder.
The two returned to Frodo's room and got back into bed. "Time for bed, Merry-lad. No more bad dreams."
Merry shook his head vigorously. "No bad dreams." He yawned and was soon fast asleep beside his cousin.
Frodo brushed back the little hobbit's curls and kissed his forehead. "Oh, Merry. If only you knew what you lost today." He soon drifted back into a deep sleep.