Disclaimer: Don't own em. ::cries::
AN: I hope I don't make Merry seem too 'old'. The idea to use Regi and Ferdi came from lindelea1. They are Tolkien's characters but she had the brilliant idea to us them as regular characters so I just want to thank her for the idea and ask you, if you haven't already, to read her stories! Hippy Hobbit-Isn't he though? All four-year-olds are cute. I think I want one, for like a minute.
Ianar-Aww, glad the happy parts make up for the sad parts. Wanted to comment on your review of my other fic (A Little Help...) THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I do have a favor to ask. I emailed this to you as well. I was wondering if you would like to look over the Sam chapters in my other story. I don't want Sam to seem 'off'. You'll probably find modern language in this story, too. ::begs for forgiveness::
emerald of long cleeve-It was fun to write. Can't go wrong with little hobbits, especially Merry. Um, uh...::give a box of tissues:: You'll need em. Maybe not this chapter, but later ones.
LOTR Board Comments:
Awwww! Cuter than cute! Love it! I didn't know his uncle was called Meri too! Nice touch! :-D-Evermind (Yup, yup. I think I give everyone but Frodo a nickname. Thank you!!)
Pip that is so cute. Poor little Merry. I know how he feels. Great job! ((Pip))-Belladonna Took (Aww, thank you! Poor Ferdi actually. Merry's the one with the problem and Ferdi knows it.)
Aww, I loved the chapter! Eager for more!-Queen of Gondor (:-) Thank you!)
That was very cute can't wait until you do chapter 6-vaires (Aww, thank you!)
*hugs Merry and Ferdi* How cute!! :)-Silivren Ithildin (Aren't they thought? Cute little hobbitses.)
Cute! Little Merry is just too sweet for words! And what tricksies Frodo and Regi are! :-)-Avondster (Yes, but they are good tricksies)
Chapter Five-Tooks!
Merry wasn't very happy about his current situation. He had been pulled from his cousin's bed late in the night because of a high fever. Now, he had been stuck in bed for the past few days, and to top it off, he'd spent most of his birthday shivering and wet in the woods until Frodo had rescued him.
"Now, Merry, you just stay in bed. When you're all better, we'll have your birthday," Essy said, kissing his forehead. "You still have a small fever, but you'll be over it soon I'll wager."
A short while after his mother left, Merry saw the door creek open. Berilac stepped sheepishly into the room. "Hello, Merry," he said softly
"Hello, Beri. Why are you here?" Merry asked, slightly hostile.
"Wanted to see you." Beri stepped to the side of Merry's bed. "Are you alright?"
"Fine, just stuck in bed."
Beri frowned slightly. "I'm sorry, Merry. I don't want to take Frodo from you."
Merry looked at his older cousin. "I know, Beri," he whispered
"We're leaving Brandy Hall, my parents and me." He looked at his feet.
Merry sat up quickly. "What? Why?" He and Beri weren't exactly close, but they were cousins.
"I don't know, but we are. You won't have to worry about me any more." Beri looked at Merry one last time before leaving the room.
Merry laid back on his pillow. At that moment, he knew he had hurt both his cousins by running away.
His mother came into his room later that day. "Mother, why is Beri leaving?"
Essy smiled down at her son. "He's just moving into a different home. He'll still be in Buckland, love."
"Won't be the same though. I'll miss him. You didn't answer me. I asked 'why'."
Essy brushed back her son's curls. "Uncle Meri wants to get away from everything here. He's not to be Master so he sees no reason he can't break off on his own."
Merry frowned. "I don't want Beri to go."
Essy kissed her son's head. "You'll still see him, love. Now, get some more sleep. You should be able to get up tomorrow. We'll celebrate then. And we're off to se Uncle Paladin in a week."
"Oh, yes. I forgot." He smiled. "Frodo's going, too. Right?"
"Yes, now sleep." She pulled his covers up around him and left the room just as he drifted off to sleep.
Beri and his parents had left Brandy Hall the day after they celebrated Merry's birthday. The four-year-old sobbed, despite the fact they would be only five minutes away. He was used to finding Beri without leaving Brandy Hall.
The ride to Tuckborough the next week seemed twice as long to Merry. He was eager to see his Took relatives as he hadn't seen them in over a year. "Mother, are we there yet?" he asked for twelfth time
"No, Merry. Just like the last time you asked."
"Hush, Merry. Don't bug your mother," Frodo said as he looked up from his book. "Come here and I'll read to you."
The trip seemed to go much quicker after that and before long, they were at the Took's home.
"Hello! Good to see you!" Paladin said in greeting.
"And you," replied Saradoc as he got out of the wagon. "Where's that new niece of ours?" he asked as he helped Essy out.
"She's hardly new, Saradoc. She's nearly a year now."
"Hello, Uncle Paladin!" Merry exclaimed as he ran into his uncle's arms.
"Merry, my lad." He picked him up in his arms. "Heard you had quite the adventure on your birthday."
Merry scowled. "You told?" he asked his parents.
"Ah, don't worry, Merry. I'm sure you aren't the first little Brandybuck to run headstrong into the forest." He put Merry down and turned back to Paladin and Essy. "I'm afraid we're a bit cramped in here. Regi and Ferdi are here," he said referring to two of his Took cousins.
Frodo's face lite up. "Regi's here?" Reginard Took was barely a year younger than Frodo. They had been close for a time until his father had relocated to the Great Smials to serve the Thain.
"Yes, lad. I knew you'd be happy to here that."
Merry wasn't quite so happy by the news. "Ferdi's here?" He scowled. Ferdibrand Took was just a year younger than Merry, but was the cause of some annoyance to the Brandybuck.
"Merry, mind yourself," Saradoc said. "They come as pair?"
Paladin laughed as they headed into the Took home. "Yes. They aren't quite so different from Merry and Frodo here. Can't find one without the other."
Merry took hold of Frodo's hand. "Do we have to go inside now, Frodo. I rather like it out here."
Frodo turned to Saradoc who nodded. "Come on, then, Merry. Let's go."
The pair walked slowly through the sweeping land.
"Does Uncle Paladin own all this?"
"No, not all of it, Merry-lad." He knelt down behind the little hobbit. "Just the part his home is on and the fields he works. The rest belongs to other families."
"Frodo! Paladin told me you were coming!" called a voice behind them.
Frodo turned and smiled. "Regi!" He stood up and went over to the approaching hobbit. "Good to see you again!"
"And you!" The two hugged.
"Merry, come over and say hello to Regi."
Merry walked over slowly and looked up the elder hobbit. Regi was nearly as tall as Frodo. He looked very wise to the little hobbit, with his brown curly hair and dark blue eyes. Merry found himself just staring up at him.
"Merry," Frodo said, "It's not nice to stare."
"Hello, Regi," he finally managed to say.
Regi knelt down in front of Merry. "Hello, Merry!" He turned around and called, "Ferdi, come on now."
A little scrap of a hobbit slowly came towards them. Ferdibrand Took looked nothing like his cousin. He had a light colored hair that was rare for hobbits which sharply contrasted with his deep, dark eyes. "Hello, Frodo." He stood by Regi's side as he stuck his fingers in his mouth.
"Ferdi," Regi said sternly. "Out."
The little hobbit responded quickly.
"Now say hello to Merry like a proper lad."
"Hello, Merry," he said quite reluctantly.
"You've grown Ferdi. It's nice to see you." He looked over at his younger cousin. "Merry, say hello to Ferdi."
Merry rolled his eyes. "Hello, Ferdi."
Frodo exchanged a glance with Regi. "Well, why don't the four of us head back. It's nearly time for luncheon. Regi, I'd like to ask you something." He pulled his friend ahead, leaving the two younger hobbits to follow.
"They don't like each other do they?" asked Regi.
"No, and that's surprising. My Merry likes everyone."
"So does my Ferdi." They both looked back at their cousins. The two were walking silently behind their older cousins.
"I have an idea, Regi!" The two put their heads together and started cooking up an idea.
Merry looked over at Ferdi. The almost 3-year-old had his fingers in his mouth again. "Baby," he muttered under his breath.
Ferdi looked over at Merry. "No, you." He pointed a wet finder at Merry.
That was all the two said to each other on the way back to the Took home.
"Paladin," Frodo called as they entered the family room. "Regi and I have a question."
"Perhaps I have an answer," Paladin said with a smile.
Frodo and Regi sat side by side across from Paladin. "Well, Uncle, Frodo and I haven't been able to talk much for a long time now. I was thinking he and I could share a room. To help us catch up, you know. Merry and Ferdi are close in age so they could share a room as well."
The two little hobbits glared at Regi, but neither one said anything. They would wait for Paladin's response.
"I don't see why not. If Saradoc and Essy have no objections."
The Brandybucks smiled. "Sounds wonderful," Essy said.
The two young hobbits weren't quite sure how to react. Their dear older cousins were abandoning them. They exchanged a look. It seemed they were in the same boat.
"Uncle, I don't..." Merry started, but a hand was clamped over his mouth. He glared up at Frodo. Frodo mouthed 'sorry', but his hand right over Merry's mouth.
"I know you don't know Ferdi that well, Merry. Now you can get to know him."
Ferdi looked like he wanted to add something, but Regi had moved to his side. Not wanting to have his older cousin silence him, he wisely kept his mouth shut.
"I think it's a wonderful idea, lads. Maybe it will help Merry get over Beri moving away," Saradoc said with a grin.
Merry scowled at his father, but he knew there was no use fighting it. He and Ferdi would have to spend the night in the same room.
AN: I hope I don't make Merry seem too 'old'. The idea to use Regi and Ferdi came from lindelea1. They are Tolkien's characters but she had the brilliant idea to us them as regular characters so I just want to thank her for the idea and ask you, if you haven't already, to read her stories! Hippy Hobbit-Isn't he though? All four-year-olds are cute. I think I want one, for like a minute.
Ianar-Aww, glad the happy parts make up for the sad parts. Wanted to comment on your review of my other fic (A Little Help...) THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I do have a favor to ask. I emailed this to you as well. I was wondering if you would like to look over the Sam chapters in my other story. I don't want Sam to seem 'off'. You'll probably find modern language in this story, too. ::begs for forgiveness::
emerald of long cleeve-It was fun to write. Can't go wrong with little hobbits, especially Merry. Um, uh...::give a box of tissues:: You'll need em. Maybe not this chapter, but later ones.
LOTR Board Comments:
Awwww! Cuter than cute! Love it! I didn't know his uncle was called Meri too! Nice touch! :-D-Evermind (Yup, yup. I think I give everyone but Frodo a nickname. Thank you!!)
Pip that is so cute. Poor little Merry. I know how he feels. Great job! ((Pip))-Belladonna Took (Aww, thank you! Poor Ferdi actually. Merry's the one with the problem and Ferdi knows it.)
Aww, I loved the chapter! Eager for more!-Queen of Gondor (:-) Thank you!)
That was very cute can't wait until you do chapter 6-vaires (Aww, thank you!)
*hugs Merry and Ferdi* How cute!! :)-Silivren Ithildin (Aren't they thought? Cute little hobbitses.)
Cute! Little Merry is just too sweet for words! And what tricksies Frodo and Regi are! :-)-Avondster (Yes, but they are good tricksies)
Chapter Five-Tooks!
Merry wasn't very happy about his current situation. He had been pulled from his cousin's bed late in the night because of a high fever. Now, he had been stuck in bed for the past few days, and to top it off, he'd spent most of his birthday shivering and wet in the woods until Frodo had rescued him.
"Now, Merry, you just stay in bed. When you're all better, we'll have your birthday," Essy said, kissing his forehead. "You still have a small fever, but you'll be over it soon I'll wager."
A short while after his mother left, Merry saw the door creek open. Berilac stepped sheepishly into the room. "Hello, Merry," he said softly
"Hello, Beri. Why are you here?" Merry asked, slightly hostile.
"Wanted to see you." Beri stepped to the side of Merry's bed. "Are you alright?"
"Fine, just stuck in bed."
Beri frowned slightly. "I'm sorry, Merry. I don't want to take Frodo from you."
Merry looked at his older cousin. "I know, Beri," he whispered
"We're leaving Brandy Hall, my parents and me." He looked at his feet.
Merry sat up quickly. "What? Why?" He and Beri weren't exactly close, but they were cousins.
"I don't know, but we are. You won't have to worry about me any more." Beri looked at Merry one last time before leaving the room.
Merry laid back on his pillow. At that moment, he knew he had hurt both his cousins by running away.
His mother came into his room later that day. "Mother, why is Beri leaving?"
Essy smiled down at her son. "He's just moving into a different home. He'll still be in Buckland, love."
"Won't be the same though. I'll miss him. You didn't answer me. I asked 'why'."
Essy brushed back her son's curls. "Uncle Meri wants to get away from everything here. He's not to be Master so he sees no reason he can't break off on his own."
Merry frowned. "I don't want Beri to go."
Essy kissed her son's head. "You'll still see him, love. Now, get some more sleep. You should be able to get up tomorrow. We'll celebrate then. And we're off to se Uncle Paladin in a week."
"Oh, yes. I forgot." He smiled. "Frodo's going, too. Right?"
"Yes, now sleep." She pulled his covers up around him and left the room just as he drifted off to sleep.
Beri and his parents had left Brandy Hall the day after they celebrated Merry's birthday. The four-year-old sobbed, despite the fact they would be only five minutes away. He was used to finding Beri without leaving Brandy Hall.
The ride to Tuckborough the next week seemed twice as long to Merry. He was eager to see his Took relatives as he hadn't seen them in over a year. "Mother, are we there yet?" he asked for twelfth time
"No, Merry. Just like the last time you asked."
"Hush, Merry. Don't bug your mother," Frodo said as he looked up from his book. "Come here and I'll read to you."
The trip seemed to go much quicker after that and before long, they were at the Took's home.
"Hello! Good to see you!" Paladin said in greeting.
"And you," replied Saradoc as he got out of the wagon. "Where's that new niece of ours?" he asked as he helped Essy out.
"She's hardly new, Saradoc. She's nearly a year now."
"Hello, Uncle Paladin!" Merry exclaimed as he ran into his uncle's arms.
"Merry, my lad." He picked him up in his arms. "Heard you had quite the adventure on your birthday."
Merry scowled. "You told?" he asked his parents.
"Ah, don't worry, Merry. I'm sure you aren't the first little Brandybuck to run headstrong into the forest." He put Merry down and turned back to Paladin and Essy. "I'm afraid we're a bit cramped in here. Regi and Ferdi are here," he said referring to two of his Took cousins.
Frodo's face lite up. "Regi's here?" Reginard Took was barely a year younger than Frodo. They had been close for a time until his father had relocated to the Great Smials to serve the Thain.
"Yes, lad. I knew you'd be happy to here that."
Merry wasn't quite so happy by the news. "Ferdi's here?" He scowled. Ferdibrand Took was just a year younger than Merry, but was the cause of some annoyance to the Brandybuck.
"Merry, mind yourself," Saradoc said. "They come as pair?"
Paladin laughed as they headed into the Took home. "Yes. They aren't quite so different from Merry and Frodo here. Can't find one without the other."
Merry took hold of Frodo's hand. "Do we have to go inside now, Frodo. I rather like it out here."
Frodo turned to Saradoc who nodded. "Come on, then, Merry. Let's go."
The pair walked slowly through the sweeping land.
"Does Uncle Paladin own all this?"
"No, not all of it, Merry-lad." He knelt down behind the little hobbit. "Just the part his home is on and the fields he works. The rest belongs to other families."
"Frodo! Paladin told me you were coming!" called a voice behind them.
Frodo turned and smiled. "Regi!" He stood up and went over to the approaching hobbit. "Good to see you again!"
"And you!" The two hugged.
"Merry, come over and say hello to Regi."
Merry walked over slowly and looked up the elder hobbit. Regi was nearly as tall as Frodo. He looked very wise to the little hobbit, with his brown curly hair and dark blue eyes. Merry found himself just staring up at him.
"Merry," Frodo said, "It's not nice to stare."
"Hello, Regi," he finally managed to say.
Regi knelt down in front of Merry. "Hello, Merry!" He turned around and called, "Ferdi, come on now."
A little scrap of a hobbit slowly came towards them. Ferdibrand Took looked nothing like his cousin. He had a light colored hair that was rare for hobbits which sharply contrasted with his deep, dark eyes. "Hello, Frodo." He stood by Regi's side as he stuck his fingers in his mouth.
"Ferdi," Regi said sternly. "Out."
The little hobbit responded quickly.
"Now say hello to Merry like a proper lad."
"Hello, Merry," he said quite reluctantly.
"You've grown Ferdi. It's nice to see you." He looked over at his younger cousin. "Merry, say hello to Ferdi."
Merry rolled his eyes. "Hello, Ferdi."
Frodo exchanged a glance with Regi. "Well, why don't the four of us head back. It's nearly time for luncheon. Regi, I'd like to ask you something." He pulled his friend ahead, leaving the two younger hobbits to follow.
"They don't like each other do they?" asked Regi.
"No, and that's surprising. My Merry likes everyone."
"So does my Ferdi." They both looked back at their cousins. The two were walking silently behind their older cousins.
"I have an idea, Regi!" The two put their heads together and started cooking up an idea.
Merry looked over at Ferdi. The almost 3-year-old had his fingers in his mouth again. "Baby," he muttered under his breath.
Ferdi looked over at Merry. "No, you." He pointed a wet finder at Merry.
That was all the two said to each other on the way back to the Took home.
"Paladin," Frodo called as they entered the family room. "Regi and I have a question."
"Perhaps I have an answer," Paladin said with a smile.
Frodo and Regi sat side by side across from Paladin. "Well, Uncle, Frodo and I haven't been able to talk much for a long time now. I was thinking he and I could share a room. To help us catch up, you know. Merry and Ferdi are close in age so they could share a room as well."
The two little hobbits glared at Regi, but neither one said anything. They would wait for Paladin's response.
"I don't see why not. If Saradoc and Essy have no objections."
The Brandybucks smiled. "Sounds wonderful," Essy said.
The two young hobbits weren't quite sure how to react. Their dear older cousins were abandoning them. They exchanged a look. It seemed they were in the same boat.
"Uncle, I don't..." Merry started, but a hand was clamped over his mouth. He glared up at Frodo. Frodo mouthed 'sorry', but his hand right over Merry's mouth.
"I know you don't know Ferdi that well, Merry. Now you can get to know him."
Ferdi looked like he wanted to add something, but Regi had moved to his side. Not wanting to have his older cousin silence him, he wisely kept his mouth shut.
"I think it's a wonderful idea, lads. Maybe it will help Merry get over Beri moving away," Saradoc said with a grin.
Merry scowled at his father, but he knew there was no use fighting it. He and Ferdi would have to spend the night in the same room.