Disclaimer: And no. I didn't gain the rights since my last update
so...they're still Tolkiens.
Estella Brandybuck-yeah, poor Frodo and Merry and everyone. Yup! They'll be friends for a long while.
LOTR Board Comments:
That's great Pip. Very well done. Little hobbits are so cute!-Belladonna Took (Aren't they? I want a little hobbit!!)
I think you're doing just fine at writing little Merry. I can't have too much Merry. :-)-Avondster (No you can't have too much Merry. Thanks!)
You're splendid at writing about Merry!!!! Great chapter!-Queen of Gondor (Awww! Thank you!!!)
That was great I liked it can't wait until chapter 8-vaires (Aw, thank you!!)
Aw, cuteness!! And did someone mention another Pippin inkling?! Can't wait!!!! :-D-evermind (LOL, yup. Thanks!)
Excellent, Pip, I agree with Merry, you can't have too many cousins!!!! So cute!!! :)-Silivren Ithildin (No, you really can't. I just love little Merry.)
Chapter Seven-You Can Never Have Too Many Cousins!
Frodo didn't speak much to Regi the rest of his time at the Took home. The few words spoken were void of their usual friendly nature. This wasn't lost on their younger cousins.
"Why aren't you talking to Regi, Frodo?" Merry asked one night.
"We...He said..." Frodo sighed. He couldn't tell Merry exactly why. "We just aren't, alright Merry? Don't worry about it." He kissed Merry's forehead and left the room.
Merry looked over at Ferdi. "What did Regi tell you?"
"Nothing."
Merry frowned. "I don't like this. We're leaving tomorrow. They should talk."
Ferdi nodded as he yawned. "Will you come to my birthday party?"
"Really? When?" Merry sat up in the bed. He'd never been to a birthday party outside of Buckland that wasn't a family member's.
"May. You can met my father, if he's there."
Merry was slightly confused. He didn't understand why a father wouldn't be at his son's birthday. "I'll come," he said, softly.
The two smiled at each other. A flash of lightening danced by the window. Both little hobbits became wide-eyed. They exchanged a glance before running next door to their cousins' room.
Merry scrambled under the covers and snuggled up next to Frodo.
"Merry? What's wron..." A rumble of thunder tore through the quiet night. "I see. It's alright, Merry-lad."
Regi had a similar conversation with Ferdi. He looked over at Frodo and Merry. He'd regretted his words over the past few days, having watched the two cousins. He knew now that Frodo wouldn't do anything to hurt Merry. He tried to break the silence. "Why didn't we think of this earlier, eh, Frodo?" he said with a laugh.
Frodo didn't say anything. He silently brushed back Merry's curly locks.
Merry looked up at Frodo. "Didn't you hear Regi?"
"Shh. Go back to sleep."
"Frodo, come on now. This isn't right. I'm sorry, alright?"
Frodo sat up and glared at Regi. "Come on, Merry. We'll sleep in the other room." He gathered Merry in his arms and left the room.
Regi sighed as he held Ferdi closer to his side. "Baggins are so stubborn."
"Regi? What's wrong?"
"Ferdi, just go to sleep. Don't worry." Regi kissed the top of his head and fell back asleep.
"Tooks are so stubborn," Frodo spat.
In the other room, Merry struggled not to cry as his cousin angrily redid the sheets he and Ferdi had thrown aside. "Frodo, please."
Frodo looked over at his cousin. He soften when he saw the tears. "Merry," he said as he went over and put him in his lap. "It's alright. Don't cry. I'm not mad at you."
Merry laid his head against Frodo's chest. "Why are you mad at Regi?"
Frodo sighed. He put Merry down in the bed before getting in next to him. "I'm not mad at Regi."
"Yes you are. You didn't answer him just now. And he said sorry."
"He just said something I didn't like. No matter how many times he says he's sorry, it won't make up for it. Now get back to sleep. We have a long journey tomorrow."
The next morning, Regi managed pull Frodo aside with a little help from Merry and Ferdi. "Frodo, please. I said I was sorry."
"I just can't believe you'd think I would hurt Merry. I love him like a brother."
"I see that now, Frodo, and I'm sorry. I just..." He ran his hand through his hair. "I just don't want to see either of you hurt is all. It would kill Merry if you ever left."
"What makes you think I would leave? I love being in Buckland. Sure, the hobbits there can be a bit strange at times, but..." He shrugged. "I like that."
"I heard Bilbo Baggins is thinking of taking you on as his heir. He doesn't want those Sackville-Baggins getting their hands on Bag End."
Frodo smiled. "Can you blame him?"
"Not really," Regi said with a laugh.
"Look, Regi, when the time comes for me to leave, I'll talk to Merry. I wouldn't just leave him behind. And I'd always be there for him, if he needed me." He walked over so he and Regi were side by side. "I guess you just don't understand, Reg. You have three sisters and a brother. Merry and I, we just have each other."
Regi nodded. "I didn't understand. Until now, and I'm sorry, Frodo. Really. Believe me."
"I do. And I'm sorry, for the way I've been acting. I should've just talked to you." Frodo held out his hand. "Friends still?"
"Friends still." Regi smiled as he shook the hand.
They walked into the kitchen and saw Ferdi and Merry shooting glances at them. Frodo walked over and hugged Merry. "We're friends now, don't worry," he whispered.
They left shortly after breakfast. Merry and Frodo waved good bye to their friends until they were just dots on the horizon.
"Mother, can I go to Ferdi's birthday?" Merry asked, standing up in the back of the wagon.
"We'll see. Sit down, Merry, before you fall."
"It's in May. He invited me. My first party outside of Buckland that isn't family." He pulled himself up higher so he was almost eye level with his mother.
"Yes, love. Now sit down. I don't want to see you hurt."
"Merry, come sit next to me, alright?" Frodo said. Merry plopped himself down beside his cousin. "So you and Ferdi are good friends now?"
Merry nodded enthusiastically. "Are we cousins? Me and Ferdi? Are we?"
Frodo thought for a moment. "Yes. I think you are. Third cousins or something along those lines, I believe. Too complicated to explain." He looked down at Merry. "Why? Does that matter?"
"Just wondering. I like having cousins as friends." He leaned against Frodo. "Like you and me."
Frodo smiled at Merry. "So, you know we're cousins and not really brothers?"
Merry nodded. "I know, but it's fun to pretend we're brothers."
"Yes, it is."
They sat side by side much of the journey. As they approached the border of Buckland, Merry suddenly jumped up. "Frodo, look! It's Beri!"
Frodo looked up and saw Beri playing silently by himself. "So it is."
"Berilac, what are you doing out here by yourself?" Saradoc asked, pulling the wagon to a stop.
Beri just shrugged. "Nothing, Uncle."
"Were's your father?"
"He's inside."
"Is there no one for you to play with?" Essy asked.
Merimas come out of the hobbit hole at this point. "There you are, lad. Saradoc? You're back, I see?"
"Hello, Meri. We were just wondering why Berilac here was sitting by himself."
"Oh, well..." he started as Beri ran inside. "He hasn't been too happy since we moved here, I'm sorry to say. Perhaps we should've stayed in Brandy Hall after all."
"Don't worry, Meri. I'm sure he'll be fine. Just have him come over for a visit. I do miss my only nephew."
"I'll be sure to do that. Good bye for now, Saradoc."
"Can Beri really come over for a visit?" Merry asked, standing behind his father. "Can he?"
"Yes. Now sit down, Merry-lad. We're almost home."
Merry sat down next to Frodo again. "I love my cousins!" he said with a nod. "I think we should get them all together!"
Frodo laughed. "You have too many for that, Merry."
"That's silly, Frodo. You can never have too many cousins!"
Estella Brandybuck-yeah, poor Frodo and Merry and everyone. Yup! They'll be friends for a long while.
LOTR Board Comments:
That's great Pip. Very well done. Little hobbits are so cute!-Belladonna Took (Aren't they? I want a little hobbit!!)
I think you're doing just fine at writing little Merry. I can't have too much Merry. :-)-Avondster (No you can't have too much Merry. Thanks!)
You're splendid at writing about Merry!!!! Great chapter!-Queen of Gondor (Awww! Thank you!!!)
That was great I liked it can't wait until chapter 8-vaires (Aw, thank you!!)
Aw, cuteness!! And did someone mention another Pippin inkling?! Can't wait!!!! :-D-evermind (LOL, yup. Thanks!)
Excellent, Pip, I agree with Merry, you can't have too many cousins!!!! So cute!!! :)-Silivren Ithildin (No, you really can't. I just love little Merry.)
Chapter Seven-You Can Never Have Too Many Cousins!
Frodo didn't speak much to Regi the rest of his time at the Took home. The few words spoken were void of their usual friendly nature. This wasn't lost on their younger cousins.
"Why aren't you talking to Regi, Frodo?" Merry asked one night.
"We...He said..." Frodo sighed. He couldn't tell Merry exactly why. "We just aren't, alright Merry? Don't worry about it." He kissed Merry's forehead and left the room.
Merry looked over at Ferdi. "What did Regi tell you?"
"Nothing."
Merry frowned. "I don't like this. We're leaving tomorrow. They should talk."
Ferdi nodded as he yawned. "Will you come to my birthday party?"
"Really? When?" Merry sat up in the bed. He'd never been to a birthday party outside of Buckland that wasn't a family member's.
"May. You can met my father, if he's there."
Merry was slightly confused. He didn't understand why a father wouldn't be at his son's birthday. "I'll come," he said, softly.
The two smiled at each other. A flash of lightening danced by the window. Both little hobbits became wide-eyed. They exchanged a glance before running next door to their cousins' room.
Merry scrambled under the covers and snuggled up next to Frodo.
"Merry? What's wron..." A rumble of thunder tore through the quiet night. "I see. It's alright, Merry-lad."
Regi had a similar conversation with Ferdi. He looked over at Frodo and Merry. He'd regretted his words over the past few days, having watched the two cousins. He knew now that Frodo wouldn't do anything to hurt Merry. He tried to break the silence. "Why didn't we think of this earlier, eh, Frodo?" he said with a laugh.
Frodo didn't say anything. He silently brushed back Merry's curly locks.
Merry looked up at Frodo. "Didn't you hear Regi?"
"Shh. Go back to sleep."
"Frodo, come on now. This isn't right. I'm sorry, alright?"
Frodo sat up and glared at Regi. "Come on, Merry. We'll sleep in the other room." He gathered Merry in his arms and left the room.
Regi sighed as he held Ferdi closer to his side. "Baggins are so stubborn."
"Regi? What's wrong?"
"Ferdi, just go to sleep. Don't worry." Regi kissed the top of his head and fell back asleep.
"Tooks are so stubborn," Frodo spat.
In the other room, Merry struggled not to cry as his cousin angrily redid the sheets he and Ferdi had thrown aside. "Frodo, please."
Frodo looked over at his cousin. He soften when he saw the tears. "Merry," he said as he went over and put him in his lap. "It's alright. Don't cry. I'm not mad at you."
Merry laid his head against Frodo's chest. "Why are you mad at Regi?"
Frodo sighed. He put Merry down in the bed before getting in next to him. "I'm not mad at Regi."
"Yes you are. You didn't answer him just now. And he said sorry."
"He just said something I didn't like. No matter how many times he says he's sorry, it won't make up for it. Now get back to sleep. We have a long journey tomorrow."
The next morning, Regi managed pull Frodo aside with a little help from Merry and Ferdi. "Frodo, please. I said I was sorry."
"I just can't believe you'd think I would hurt Merry. I love him like a brother."
"I see that now, Frodo, and I'm sorry. I just..." He ran his hand through his hair. "I just don't want to see either of you hurt is all. It would kill Merry if you ever left."
"What makes you think I would leave? I love being in Buckland. Sure, the hobbits there can be a bit strange at times, but..." He shrugged. "I like that."
"I heard Bilbo Baggins is thinking of taking you on as his heir. He doesn't want those Sackville-Baggins getting their hands on Bag End."
Frodo smiled. "Can you blame him?"
"Not really," Regi said with a laugh.
"Look, Regi, when the time comes for me to leave, I'll talk to Merry. I wouldn't just leave him behind. And I'd always be there for him, if he needed me." He walked over so he and Regi were side by side. "I guess you just don't understand, Reg. You have three sisters and a brother. Merry and I, we just have each other."
Regi nodded. "I didn't understand. Until now, and I'm sorry, Frodo. Really. Believe me."
"I do. And I'm sorry, for the way I've been acting. I should've just talked to you." Frodo held out his hand. "Friends still?"
"Friends still." Regi smiled as he shook the hand.
They walked into the kitchen and saw Ferdi and Merry shooting glances at them. Frodo walked over and hugged Merry. "We're friends now, don't worry," he whispered.
They left shortly after breakfast. Merry and Frodo waved good bye to their friends until they were just dots on the horizon.
"Mother, can I go to Ferdi's birthday?" Merry asked, standing up in the back of the wagon.
"We'll see. Sit down, Merry, before you fall."
"It's in May. He invited me. My first party outside of Buckland that isn't family." He pulled himself up higher so he was almost eye level with his mother.
"Yes, love. Now sit down. I don't want to see you hurt."
"Merry, come sit next to me, alright?" Frodo said. Merry plopped himself down beside his cousin. "So you and Ferdi are good friends now?"
Merry nodded enthusiastically. "Are we cousins? Me and Ferdi? Are we?"
Frodo thought for a moment. "Yes. I think you are. Third cousins or something along those lines, I believe. Too complicated to explain." He looked down at Merry. "Why? Does that matter?"
"Just wondering. I like having cousins as friends." He leaned against Frodo. "Like you and me."
Frodo smiled at Merry. "So, you know we're cousins and not really brothers?"
Merry nodded. "I know, but it's fun to pretend we're brothers."
"Yes, it is."
They sat side by side much of the journey. As they approached the border of Buckland, Merry suddenly jumped up. "Frodo, look! It's Beri!"
Frodo looked up and saw Beri playing silently by himself. "So it is."
"Berilac, what are you doing out here by yourself?" Saradoc asked, pulling the wagon to a stop.
Beri just shrugged. "Nothing, Uncle."
"Were's your father?"
"He's inside."
"Is there no one for you to play with?" Essy asked.
Merimas come out of the hobbit hole at this point. "There you are, lad. Saradoc? You're back, I see?"
"Hello, Meri. We were just wondering why Berilac here was sitting by himself."
"Oh, well..." he started as Beri ran inside. "He hasn't been too happy since we moved here, I'm sorry to say. Perhaps we should've stayed in Brandy Hall after all."
"Don't worry, Meri. I'm sure he'll be fine. Just have him come over for a visit. I do miss my only nephew."
"I'll be sure to do that. Good bye for now, Saradoc."
"Can Beri really come over for a visit?" Merry asked, standing behind his father. "Can he?"
"Yes. Now sit down, Merry-lad. We're almost home."
Merry sat down next to Frodo again. "I love my cousins!" he said with a nod. "I think we should get them all together!"
Frodo laughed. "You have too many for that, Merry."
"That's silly, Frodo. You can never have too many cousins!"