Disclaimer: I want to own them, but I don't.
Emerald of Long Cleeve-Exactly! Nothing better than cute hobbit children. This chappy is also sad so, break out da tissues!
Agent Pip-As a general rule, the ROTK soundtrack makes me cry, LOL. Tip: Don't listen while reading this one either. Poor Merry, I'm so mean to him.
I LIVE for feedback, so please review! I KNOW you're reading!
LET'S GO ORANGE! ::chants:: repeat repeat repeat!
LOTR Board Comments:
*sniff* Poor Merry. Brilliantly written chapter, pippinmerry!-Queen of Gondor (Awww, yes, poor Merry!)
Waaaaah! Poor li'l Merry! Good one Pip, even if you did lie! :-D-Evermind (Yeah, didn't mean to lie but I couldn't help it! Thanks!)
Aww! Yeees, Hobbit angst, always fun to write, isn't it? :-) I'm sorry, am I being sadistic?-Avondster (Nah, not sadistic. Hobbit asnt is easy to write for some...strange reason. I guess because they are so free with their emotions?)
(((((((Merry))))))) Poor, little one! :)-Silivren Ithildin (Yeah, poor Merry. Let's all hug him!)
Chapter Four-Forgotten
Merry bounded into the kitchen. "Good morning, Frodo!" he said, going to Frodo's side.
Frodo didn't look up from his plate. "Morning, Merry-lad."
The little hobbit looked curiously at his cousin. Had Frodo forgotten what day it was, he wondered? "Frodo!" He tugged at his older cousin's sleeve.
"Merry-lad. I'm trying to eat. We'll talk later." He gently took the small hand from his sleeve. "Go eat your breakfast." He tousled Merry's hair.
Merry couldn't believe it. Frodo apparently had forgotten. He scowled and sat in his chair.
"Now, Merry-love. What kind of face is that to make on such a wonderful day?" Essy said, kissing the top of her son's head.
Merry just shrugged and picked at his food.
Essy sighed and turned to Frodo. "What are your plans for today, Frodo-lad?"
"I promised Beri I'd teach him how to swim when he turned six. It was too cold on his birthday a few weeks ago, but today looks nice enough."
Beri, who was sitting next to Frodo, smiled up at his cousin. "Really, Frodo? Today?"
"Yes, Beri. Today." He hugged the little hobbit to his side.
"Mother and Father will be very surprised when they get back from Aunt Geri's! I miss them. They've been gone forever!"
"Just two weeks, Beri," Frodo said with a smile.
Merry frowned at his plate. He's eyes filled with tears and he tore from the room.
"What's wrong with Merry, Frodo?" Beri asked, taking a hold of Frodo's arm.
"I don't know, Beri. He's probably just upset he can't learn for a few more years." He kissed the light brown curls. "Don't worry, he'll be fine at his party later today."
Merry headed for his room. He threw himself on his bed and sobbed. Frodo had forgotten. "I turn four today, Frodo. Don't you remember?" he whispered.
"Now, we can't do too much, Beri. Merry's birthday is today, remember?" Frodo asked as he led the lad down to the shore of the river.
"Of course I remember. He is my cousin, Frodo."
Frodo laughed. "Yes, and cousins are..."
"Something you should cherish," the two said in unison.
Beri giggled. "Can we start now?"
"First, you have to take off your shirt. We don't want you to get it wet."
Beri complied and than ran straight into the river.
Luckily, Frodo was fast and quickly caught up with him. "Now, Beri. You have to wait for me. It's shallow by the shore here, but it gets deeper. We don't want the river to swallow you up." He lightly tickled Beri.
Beri giggled and nodded. "Alright, Frodo." He looked down at the river and poked one foot in. "It's cold."
"Yes, yes it is. Come on, we have to be quick remember?"
The two cousins stayed in the river for about an hour. Frodo was able to show Beri where the river was too deep for him to stand, and how to tread water before it was time to go in.
"But, Frodo, we didn't finish!" Beri exclaimed as Frodo dried him off.
"I know, but we can't forget about Merry can we?"
Beri thought for a moment. "No, we can't."
Merry watched them from his room. He sniffled at the sight of his favorite cousin and Beri laughing together. "Frodo's my brother, not Beri's." He watched as the pair returned to Brandy Hall, Frodo with his arm around Beri. His little heart broke at the sight. "Not anymore." He wiped away the tears that covered his face. After a quick glance at his door, Merry opened the window and clamored outside. With one last glance at Brandy Hall, the little hobbit ran toward the forest.
Merry quickly got lost in the deep darkness of the forest. He ran for what seemed like hours before collapsing in exhaustion. The hobbit sobbed as he lay on the ground. He didn't notice the air get colder. He didn't notice the rain. He didn't even hear the thunder as it boomed around him. All his thoughts were on getting as far away from Frodo as possible, since he was sure his older cousin didn't love him anymore.
Frodo and Beri were very worried. Merry hadn't appeared at luncheon. When Essy had gone to see what was keeping him, she found his room empty and his window open.
Hobbits from all over Buckland were now searching for little four- year-old.
"Saradoc, where could he have gone?" Essy sobbed.
"Shh, love. They'll find him." He struggled to keep himself composed for his wife, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill over.
Frodo felt a bit guilty. He had been ignoring Merry recently and he hadn't told him happy birthday. Perhaps that's why he left, Frodo thought. "Oh, Merry," he whispered. "I'm sorry."
"Frodo-lad, it isn't your fault," said Saradoc. "I don't know what got into the lad's head, but this wasn't your doing."
"But it was, in a way. I haven't spent nearly as much time as I usually do with him. I've spent more time with Beri, what with his parents away and all, than the one cousin I consider my brother." Frodo sighed and looked out the window. "I didn't say happy birthday."
Saradoc moved toward his cousin as if to comfort him, but he wasn't fast enough. Frodo strode to the front door and went out in search of his little cousin.
Beri sat very still and watched as Frodo left. He suddenly felt very guilty. If his parents hadn't gone on their trip, Frodo would've spent all that time with Merry, instead of him. If he hadn't asked Frodo to teach him to swim, Merry wouldn't have been upset. If it wasn't for him, his little cousin wouldn't have run away.
He started to cry. Beri suddenly found himself in his beloved grandfather's lap. He sobbed into his shirt. "Will he be alright, Grandfather?"
"Let's hope so," Rorimac murmured into Beri's ear as he rubbed his back.
Frodo ran out to met the other searchers. The rain had started hours before and nearly all of them were drenched. "Where can I look?"
The elder hobbits looked at the younger one. "No where. Go back inside, lad," one of them said. In the dark, Frodo couldn't tell who it was.
Frodo looked toward the Old Forest. It was dark and imposing. Not even the Brandybucks dared to enter it. "Have you looked in there?" He could tell by their faces, they hadn't. He didn't give it a second as he walked into the forest.
A lantern was useless in the rain. The occasional flash of lightening provided the only light Frodo had. "Merry! Merry, are you in here?" he called over the roar of the rain.
Merry lifted his head off the ground. He could've sworn he heard his cousin's voice, calling his name. "Frodo?" he whispered.
Frodo was getting desperate. Merry had been missing for far too long at this point. "Merry? Come on, Merry, where are you?"
"Frodo?" came the quiet answer.
Frodo ran towards the sound and found Merry, soaking wet, and very cold. "Oh, Merry." He knelt down and swept his cousin up in his arms. "Merry, you're alright."
Merry clung tightly to Frodo's shirt. "I'm scared, Frodo." He'd fallen asleep and finally noticed the lightening, frightening him.
"Come on, Merry. Everyone's worried." He started to get up, but Merry wriggled out of his cousin's grip.
"No." He backed up against a tree.
"Merry, come on. It's pouring out. You need to get inside."
Merry shook his head. "You don't care."
Frodo was very startled at this. "Merry." He knelt down to his cousin's eye level. "Whatever made you think I don't care about you?"
Merry lowered his eyes. "You've been spending more time with Beri, and you didn't want to talk this morning, and..."
Frodo placed his hand under Merry's chin and lifted his head up. "And what, Merry-lad?"
"And you forgot my birthday."
"Merry." He pulled his cousin back into his arms. "I didn't forget. I would never forget." He kissed Merry's wet head. "I'm sorry I haven't seen spending with you lately, but Beri just misses his mother and father. They'll be back soon and we can spend more time together."
Merry sniffled and looked up at Frodo. "I thought you'd didn't want me for a brother anymore."
"Never, Merry." He looked right into Merry's eyes. "I will always consider you my brother." He cradled Merry in his arms and stood up. "We should get back, Merry-lad. Everyone is worried."
Merry nodded sleepily. He made himself comfortable in Frodo's arms and fell asleep.
Essy took her son from Frodo's arms when the two were back inside. "Merry. Merry-love."
The little hobbit woke up. "Mother," he said before falling asleep again.
Essy kissed Frodo repeatedly before taking Merry to his room to get into dry clothes and into bed.
Frodo walked slowly to his room. He was very tired and very wet. After changing into his night clothes, he quickly fell asleep.
His sleep was short lived as a small, warm body crawled in next to him.
"Merry," he said, slightly surprised. "What are you doing here?"
Merry just snuggled up closer to Frodo and fell back asleep.
Frodo smiled and brushed back the curls. He frowned when he found them to wet and the small hobbit's head quite warm.
"Merry? Do you feel alright?"
Emerald of Long Cleeve-Exactly! Nothing better than cute hobbit children. This chappy is also sad so, break out da tissues!
Agent Pip-As a general rule, the ROTK soundtrack makes me cry, LOL. Tip: Don't listen while reading this one either. Poor Merry, I'm so mean to him.
I LIVE for feedback, so please review! I KNOW you're reading!
LET'S GO ORANGE! ::chants:: repeat repeat repeat!
LOTR Board Comments:
*sniff* Poor Merry. Brilliantly written chapter, pippinmerry!-Queen of Gondor (Awww, yes, poor Merry!)
Waaaaah! Poor li'l Merry! Good one Pip, even if you did lie! :-D-Evermind (Yeah, didn't mean to lie but I couldn't help it! Thanks!)
Aww! Yeees, Hobbit angst, always fun to write, isn't it? :-) I'm sorry, am I being sadistic?-Avondster (Nah, not sadistic. Hobbit asnt is easy to write for some...strange reason. I guess because they are so free with their emotions?)
(((((((Merry))))))) Poor, little one! :)-Silivren Ithildin (Yeah, poor Merry. Let's all hug him!)
Chapter Four-Forgotten
Merry bounded into the kitchen. "Good morning, Frodo!" he said, going to Frodo's side.
Frodo didn't look up from his plate. "Morning, Merry-lad."
The little hobbit looked curiously at his cousin. Had Frodo forgotten what day it was, he wondered? "Frodo!" He tugged at his older cousin's sleeve.
"Merry-lad. I'm trying to eat. We'll talk later." He gently took the small hand from his sleeve. "Go eat your breakfast." He tousled Merry's hair.
Merry couldn't believe it. Frodo apparently had forgotten. He scowled and sat in his chair.
"Now, Merry-love. What kind of face is that to make on such a wonderful day?" Essy said, kissing the top of her son's head.
Merry just shrugged and picked at his food.
Essy sighed and turned to Frodo. "What are your plans for today, Frodo-lad?"
"I promised Beri I'd teach him how to swim when he turned six. It was too cold on his birthday a few weeks ago, but today looks nice enough."
Beri, who was sitting next to Frodo, smiled up at his cousin. "Really, Frodo? Today?"
"Yes, Beri. Today." He hugged the little hobbit to his side.
"Mother and Father will be very surprised when they get back from Aunt Geri's! I miss them. They've been gone forever!"
"Just two weeks, Beri," Frodo said with a smile.
Merry frowned at his plate. He's eyes filled with tears and he tore from the room.
"What's wrong with Merry, Frodo?" Beri asked, taking a hold of Frodo's arm.
"I don't know, Beri. He's probably just upset he can't learn for a few more years." He kissed the light brown curls. "Don't worry, he'll be fine at his party later today."
Merry headed for his room. He threw himself on his bed and sobbed. Frodo had forgotten. "I turn four today, Frodo. Don't you remember?" he whispered.
"Now, we can't do too much, Beri. Merry's birthday is today, remember?" Frodo asked as he led the lad down to the shore of the river.
"Of course I remember. He is my cousin, Frodo."
Frodo laughed. "Yes, and cousins are..."
"Something you should cherish," the two said in unison.
Beri giggled. "Can we start now?"
"First, you have to take off your shirt. We don't want you to get it wet."
Beri complied and than ran straight into the river.
Luckily, Frodo was fast and quickly caught up with him. "Now, Beri. You have to wait for me. It's shallow by the shore here, but it gets deeper. We don't want the river to swallow you up." He lightly tickled Beri.
Beri giggled and nodded. "Alright, Frodo." He looked down at the river and poked one foot in. "It's cold."
"Yes, yes it is. Come on, we have to be quick remember?"
The two cousins stayed in the river for about an hour. Frodo was able to show Beri where the river was too deep for him to stand, and how to tread water before it was time to go in.
"But, Frodo, we didn't finish!" Beri exclaimed as Frodo dried him off.
"I know, but we can't forget about Merry can we?"
Beri thought for a moment. "No, we can't."
Merry watched them from his room. He sniffled at the sight of his favorite cousin and Beri laughing together. "Frodo's my brother, not Beri's." He watched as the pair returned to Brandy Hall, Frodo with his arm around Beri. His little heart broke at the sight. "Not anymore." He wiped away the tears that covered his face. After a quick glance at his door, Merry opened the window and clamored outside. With one last glance at Brandy Hall, the little hobbit ran toward the forest.
Merry quickly got lost in the deep darkness of the forest. He ran for what seemed like hours before collapsing in exhaustion. The hobbit sobbed as he lay on the ground. He didn't notice the air get colder. He didn't notice the rain. He didn't even hear the thunder as it boomed around him. All his thoughts were on getting as far away from Frodo as possible, since he was sure his older cousin didn't love him anymore.
Frodo and Beri were very worried. Merry hadn't appeared at luncheon. When Essy had gone to see what was keeping him, she found his room empty and his window open.
Hobbits from all over Buckland were now searching for little four- year-old.
"Saradoc, where could he have gone?" Essy sobbed.
"Shh, love. They'll find him." He struggled to keep himself composed for his wife, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill over.
Frodo felt a bit guilty. He had been ignoring Merry recently and he hadn't told him happy birthday. Perhaps that's why he left, Frodo thought. "Oh, Merry," he whispered. "I'm sorry."
"Frodo-lad, it isn't your fault," said Saradoc. "I don't know what got into the lad's head, but this wasn't your doing."
"But it was, in a way. I haven't spent nearly as much time as I usually do with him. I've spent more time with Beri, what with his parents away and all, than the one cousin I consider my brother." Frodo sighed and looked out the window. "I didn't say happy birthday."
Saradoc moved toward his cousin as if to comfort him, but he wasn't fast enough. Frodo strode to the front door and went out in search of his little cousin.
Beri sat very still and watched as Frodo left. He suddenly felt very guilty. If his parents hadn't gone on their trip, Frodo would've spent all that time with Merry, instead of him. If he hadn't asked Frodo to teach him to swim, Merry wouldn't have been upset. If it wasn't for him, his little cousin wouldn't have run away.
He started to cry. Beri suddenly found himself in his beloved grandfather's lap. He sobbed into his shirt. "Will he be alright, Grandfather?"
"Let's hope so," Rorimac murmured into Beri's ear as he rubbed his back.
Frodo ran out to met the other searchers. The rain had started hours before and nearly all of them were drenched. "Where can I look?"
The elder hobbits looked at the younger one. "No where. Go back inside, lad," one of them said. In the dark, Frodo couldn't tell who it was.
Frodo looked toward the Old Forest. It was dark and imposing. Not even the Brandybucks dared to enter it. "Have you looked in there?" He could tell by their faces, they hadn't. He didn't give it a second as he walked into the forest.
A lantern was useless in the rain. The occasional flash of lightening provided the only light Frodo had. "Merry! Merry, are you in here?" he called over the roar of the rain.
Merry lifted his head off the ground. He could've sworn he heard his cousin's voice, calling his name. "Frodo?" he whispered.
Frodo was getting desperate. Merry had been missing for far too long at this point. "Merry? Come on, Merry, where are you?"
"Frodo?" came the quiet answer.
Frodo ran towards the sound and found Merry, soaking wet, and very cold. "Oh, Merry." He knelt down and swept his cousin up in his arms. "Merry, you're alright."
Merry clung tightly to Frodo's shirt. "I'm scared, Frodo." He'd fallen asleep and finally noticed the lightening, frightening him.
"Come on, Merry. Everyone's worried." He started to get up, but Merry wriggled out of his cousin's grip.
"No." He backed up against a tree.
"Merry, come on. It's pouring out. You need to get inside."
Merry shook his head. "You don't care."
Frodo was very startled at this. "Merry." He knelt down to his cousin's eye level. "Whatever made you think I don't care about you?"
Merry lowered his eyes. "You've been spending more time with Beri, and you didn't want to talk this morning, and..."
Frodo placed his hand under Merry's chin and lifted his head up. "And what, Merry-lad?"
"And you forgot my birthday."
"Merry." He pulled his cousin back into his arms. "I didn't forget. I would never forget." He kissed Merry's wet head. "I'm sorry I haven't seen spending with you lately, but Beri just misses his mother and father. They'll be back soon and we can spend more time together."
Merry sniffled and looked up at Frodo. "I thought you'd didn't want me for a brother anymore."
"Never, Merry." He looked right into Merry's eyes. "I will always consider you my brother." He cradled Merry in his arms and stood up. "We should get back, Merry-lad. Everyone is worried."
Merry nodded sleepily. He made himself comfortable in Frodo's arms and fell asleep.
Essy took her son from Frodo's arms when the two were back inside. "Merry. Merry-love."
The little hobbit woke up. "Mother," he said before falling asleep again.
Essy kissed Frodo repeatedly before taking Merry to his room to get into dry clothes and into bed.
Frodo walked slowly to his room. He was very tired and very wet. After changing into his night clothes, he quickly fell asleep.
His sleep was short lived as a small, warm body crawled in next to him.
"Merry," he said, slightly surprised. "What are you doing here?"
Merry just snuggled up closer to Frodo and fell back asleep.
Frodo smiled and brushed back the curls. He frowned when he found them to wet and the small hobbit's head quite warm.
"Merry? Do you feel alright?"