Disclaimer: I'm sorry, but I still don't own em. Wish I did because then I
would be rich, famous, British, and not sitting here in my living room
watching Roseanne while typing up a disclaimer saying I don't own them!
::breathes heavily:: Sorry.
Estella Brandybuck-Isn't he though? Little hobbits are just too freaking cute for words!
LOTR Board Comments:
Oh no! What will happen next! You're writing too fast for me Pip! I can't cope! (Keep it up tho!)-evermind (Faster then a speeding typewriter...thank you!)
Poor little Merry! Beri was not very nice! Great job Pip!-Belladonna Took (Awww, don't be mean to Beri, please! He was just trying to help! Thank you for reading!)
Aww, poor Merry! Wonderful chapter-Queen of Gondor (Yea, poor Merry.)
Ack, poor Merry! Well, if I can't adopt him can I at least cuddle him now? He needs it!-Avondster (Sure, we can both cuddle him!)
What can be said another great one can't wait for the next-vaires(Thank you!)
Chapter Eight-Decisions
Frodo had a sense someone or something was following him, but whenever he turned around, there was nothing there. He had a feeling he knew what it was. Lately, Merry had been following him everywhere he went. Frodo had a feeling the little hobbit knew about Bilbo's offer. He wasn't sure of what to do. He loved the idea of going to live with Bilbo Baggins in Hobbiton. He'd be away from all the bustle that was Brandy Hall, and away from all the little Brandybucks that were constantly under foot. Going to Bag End, however, would mean leaving his dearest cousin behind.
There was a rustling sound behind him. He pretended not to notice and continued his walk towards Brandy Hall when he stopped and spun around. He grabbed a hold of the little hobbit that had followed him and pinned him to the ground.
"Frodo, geoff me!"
"Ferdi? What are you doing here?" He looked down in shock to see the five-year-old Took on the ground. He hauled the little hobbit to his feet.
"Me and Regi..."
"Regi and I," corrected Frodo.
"No, you already live here. Regi came with me for Merry's birthday."
Frodo laughed. "Yes, that's right. Merry invited you. When did you get here?"
"A while ago."
"Why are you following me?"
"You sure are full of questions, aren't you?"
"Ferdi, come on now," Frodo said with a chuckle.
Ferdi shrugged. "I don't know. Just felt like it."
Frodo sighed. "Come on. Let's get back before everyone's wondering where you are."
Regi came out of Brandy Hall just as they got to the door. "Ferdi! There you are! Hello, Frodo."
"I'm guessing you lost this." He put his hand on Ferdi's shoulder. "He was following me."
"Ferdi." Regi shook his head and smiled. "Get inside. Merry's looking for you."
"Bye, Frodo. Bye, Regi." Ferdi ran swiftly into Brandy Hall.
"He's full on energy today," Frodo said.
"He hardly ever gets to go to parties outside of Tuckborough. And the fact that it's Merry's seventh birthday, well..." Regi looked at Frodo. "Let's go for a walk."
"Alright. You want to talk about my letter don't you?" Regi was the first person Frodo had written to after Bilbo had made his offer
"Of course."
"I've known for years Bilbo wanted to me stay with him, but since he formally invited me...
"Have you decided yet?"
"No. It's a hard choice Do I stay with Saradoc and Essy who've loved me like a son? They have become my parents. They've called me their lad more then once, and I've almost called them Mother and Father on occasion. Do I go with Bilbo, a relative I love, but don't get to see as often as I like? And then there's Merry. I can't stand the thought of leaving him, but..."
"But...you need a break?" Regi guessed.
"Well, yes, actually. Don't get me wrong, I love Merry and all the other little hobbits that run around Buckland, but there are times I just want peace. I can get that at Bag End."
"I can understand that. Ardy's taken to attaching himself to my leg, and my sisters..." He sighed. "It's bothersome, to say the least."
"Who's here with you two anyways?"
"Just Ferdi and me. Uncle Ferdinand was going to come with him, but he changed his mind at the last minute again. So I offered to go. Nearly broke poor Ferdi's heart. He sees little of his father as it is."
"That's what's making this so hard. No matter what I say to him, if I go, it'll break his heart." He sat down on the grass. "And that's the last thing I want to do."
Regi sat beside him. "He may understand better than you think, Frodo."
"Are you the same person who tried to get me to stop having Merry think of me as his brother?"
"I've had three years to think that over. I can change my mind."
Frodo smiled and looked over at Regi. "Ferdi's taken to calling you his brother, hasn't he?"
Regi sighed. "At Ardy's eighth birthday. He refused to leave my side and no one could get him to bed that night. He only wanted me. He asked me..." He pulled his legs up in his arms and rested his chin on his knees. "He asked me if he could be my brother, like Ardy is. What could I say? He'd only just turned five a few weeks before. There's no way I could say no."
"I know the feeling. Merry was two when he asked me. It was right after Aunt Essy lost the baby. He just seemed so..."
"Serious?" Regi asked, picking his head up.
"Yes, even at two. I think deep down he knew he wasn't going to get a real brother."
"Our little cousins," Regi said with a chuckle.
"They are something. They make it so hard..." Frodo laid back on the grass.
"Hard?"
"Hard to say good bye."
Regi untucked his legs and laid next to Frodo. "So you've decided than?"
Frodo nodded. "I have to go. I need to get away from here."
Regi sighed. "I understand."
"I can only hope Merry feels the same way." He sat himself back up.
"Look, Frodo," Regi said, as he sat up next to Frodo, "He'll be upset at first, but he will understand. And it's not like he can't visit you. When are you going to tell Essy and Saradoc."
"Tonight probably."
"Do you know when you'll go?"
"I'll stay here for a while longer, let Merry get used to it. More than likely, after my birthday. That gives me plenty of time to pack, get my things moved, let Merry get used to the idea..."
"Time to change your mind?"
"That too, but I don't think I will. In all likelihood, Reg, this time next year I'll be living at Bag End."
"You won't come back for Merry's birthday?"
"Oh, of course I will. I won't abandon him that quickly."
Regi stood up. "We'd best get back or they'll be looking for us."
The two started walking back to Brandy Hall, unaware someone had started listening in on the their conversation.
"It'll be a relief to get away from here in the long run. It's so hard to read here, what will all the little hobbits running around...especially one in particular."
"Merry," Regi said with a smile.
"Yes. He's always following me and is under foot. He's very hard to get away from sometimes."
They didn't notice the small form running towards Brandy Hall.
"But you wouldn't have it any other way, would you?"
Frodo smiled softy. He remembered all the times Merry would crawl over to his side and lay next to him. He remembered all the times Merry would curl beside him as read. He remembered all the times he would read to Merry. He remembered all the times he'd turn around and see Merry peeking out at him from behind at tree. "No, I don't think I would."
Meanwhile, in Brandy Hall, Beri was telling Merry all he had heard.
"He said it will be a relief to get away from here, Merry. He's leaving!"
Merry shook his head. "No, he can't leave. He's...he's my brother."
"He is Merry. He says you're very hard to get away from and are always underfoot."
Merry sank onto his bed. "He's leaving because of me?"
"That's what it sounded like. I'm sorry, Merry." Beri placed a hand on Merry's shoulder.
Merry looked at his hands. "I'm the reason he's leaving."
"Oh, I never should've told you, Merry. I'm sorry." Beri didn't quite know what to say. "Come on. Let's go to dinner."
Merry nodded and silently followed his cousin from his room. He saw Frodo sitting beside Regi, laughing. He didn't look him in the eye as he sat next to Ferdi.
"Merry, are you alright?" Ferdi whispered.
Merry just nodded. He wasn't hungry anymore. He looked up when Frodo laughed at something Regi had said. He couldn't take it anymore. The little hobbit burst into tears and fled the room, leaving a group of stunned hobbits behind.
"What was that about?" Frodo asked, not noticing the glare Beri was throwing him.
Estella Brandybuck-Isn't he though? Little hobbits are just too freaking cute for words!
LOTR Board Comments:
Oh no! What will happen next! You're writing too fast for me Pip! I can't cope! (Keep it up tho!)-evermind (Faster then a speeding typewriter...thank you!)
Poor little Merry! Beri was not very nice! Great job Pip!-Belladonna Took (Awww, don't be mean to Beri, please! He was just trying to help! Thank you for reading!)
Aww, poor Merry! Wonderful chapter-Queen of Gondor (Yea, poor Merry.)
Ack, poor Merry! Well, if I can't adopt him can I at least cuddle him now? He needs it!-Avondster (Sure, we can both cuddle him!)
What can be said another great one can't wait for the next-vaires(Thank you!)
Chapter Eight-Decisions
Frodo had a sense someone or something was following him, but whenever he turned around, there was nothing there. He had a feeling he knew what it was. Lately, Merry had been following him everywhere he went. Frodo had a feeling the little hobbit knew about Bilbo's offer. He wasn't sure of what to do. He loved the idea of going to live with Bilbo Baggins in Hobbiton. He'd be away from all the bustle that was Brandy Hall, and away from all the little Brandybucks that were constantly under foot. Going to Bag End, however, would mean leaving his dearest cousin behind.
There was a rustling sound behind him. He pretended not to notice and continued his walk towards Brandy Hall when he stopped and spun around. He grabbed a hold of the little hobbit that had followed him and pinned him to the ground.
"Frodo, geoff me!"
"Ferdi? What are you doing here?" He looked down in shock to see the five-year-old Took on the ground. He hauled the little hobbit to his feet.
"Me and Regi..."
"Regi and I," corrected Frodo.
"No, you already live here. Regi came with me for Merry's birthday."
Frodo laughed. "Yes, that's right. Merry invited you. When did you get here?"
"A while ago."
"Why are you following me?"
"You sure are full of questions, aren't you?"
"Ferdi, come on now," Frodo said with a chuckle.
Ferdi shrugged. "I don't know. Just felt like it."
Frodo sighed. "Come on. Let's get back before everyone's wondering where you are."
Regi came out of Brandy Hall just as they got to the door. "Ferdi! There you are! Hello, Frodo."
"I'm guessing you lost this." He put his hand on Ferdi's shoulder. "He was following me."
"Ferdi." Regi shook his head and smiled. "Get inside. Merry's looking for you."
"Bye, Frodo. Bye, Regi." Ferdi ran swiftly into Brandy Hall.
"He's full on energy today," Frodo said.
"He hardly ever gets to go to parties outside of Tuckborough. And the fact that it's Merry's seventh birthday, well..." Regi looked at Frodo. "Let's go for a walk."
"Alright. You want to talk about my letter don't you?" Regi was the first person Frodo had written to after Bilbo had made his offer
"Of course."
"I've known for years Bilbo wanted to me stay with him, but since he formally invited me...
"Have you decided yet?"
"No. It's a hard choice Do I stay with Saradoc and Essy who've loved me like a son? They have become my parents. They've called me their lad more then once, and I've almost called them Mother and Father on occasion. Do I go with Bilbo, a relative I love, but don't get to see as often as I like? And then there's Merry. I can't stand the thought of leaving him, but..."
"But...you need a break?" Regi guessed.
"Well, yes, actually. Don't get me wrong, I love Merry and all the other little hobbits that run around Buckland, but there are times I just want peace. I can get that at Bag End."
"I can understand that. Ardy's taken to attaching himself to my leg, and my sisters..." He sighed. "It's bothersome, to say the least."
"Who's here with you two anyways?"
"Just Ferdi and me. Uncle Ferdinand was going to come with him, but he changed his mind at the last minute again. So I offered to go. Nearly broke poor Ferdi's heart. He sees little of his father as it is."
"That's what's making this so hard. No matter what I say to him, if I go, it'll break his heart." He sat down on the grass. "And that's the last thing I want to do."
Regi sat beside him. "He may understand better than you think, Frodo."
"Are you the same person who tried to get me to stop having Merry think of me as his brother?"
"I've had three years to think that over. I can change my mind."
Frodo smiled and looked over at Regi. "Ferdi's taken to calling you his brother, hasn't he?"
Regi sighed. "At Ardy's eighth birthday. He refused to leave my side and no one could get him to bed that night. He only wanted me. He asked me..." He pulled his legs up in his arms and rested his chin on his knees. "He asked me if he could be my brother, like Ardy is. What could I say? He'd only just turned five a few weeks before. There's no way I could say no."
"I know the feeling. Merry was two when he asked me. It was right after Aunt Essy lost the baby. He just seemed so..."
"Serious?" Regi asked, picking his head up.
"Yes, even at two. I think deep down he knew he wasn't going to get a real brother."
"Our little cousins," Regi said with a chuckle.
"They are something. They make it so hard..." Frodo laid back on the grass.
"Hard?"
"Hard to say good bye."
Regi untucked his legs and laid next to Frodo. "So you've decided than?"
Frodo nodded. "I have to go. I need to get away from here."
Regi sighed. "I understand."
"I can only hope Merry feels the same way." He sat himself back up.
"Look, Frodo," Regi said, as he sat up next to Frodo, "He'll be upset at first, but he will understand. And it's not like he can't visit you. When are you going to tell Essy and Saradoc."
"Tonight probably."
"Do you know when you'll go?"
"I'll stay here for a while longer, let Merry get used to it. More than likely, after my birthday. That gives me plenty of time to pack, get my things moved, let Merry get used to the idea..."
"Time to change your mind?"
"That too, but I don't think I will. In all likelihood, Reg, this time next year I'll be living at Bag End."
"You won't come back for Merry's birthday?"
"Oh, of course I will. I won't abandon him that quickly."
Regi stood up. "We'd best get back or they'll be looking for us."
The two started walking back to Brandy Hall, unaware someone had started listening in on the their conversation.
"It'll be a relief to get away from here in the long run. It's so hard to read here, what will all the little hobbits running around...especially one in particular."
"Merry," Regi said with a smile.
"Yes. He's always following me and is under foot. He's very hard to get away from sometimes."
They didn't notice the small form running towards Brandy Hall.
"But you wouldn't have it any other way, would you?"
Frodo smiled softy. He remembered all the times Merry would crawl over to his side and lay next to him. He remembered all the times Merry would curl beside him as read. He remembered all the times he would read to Merry. He remembered all the times he'd turn around and see Merry peeking out at him from behind at tree. "No, I don't think I would."
Meanwhile, in Brandy Hall, Beri was telling Merry all he had heard.
"He said it will be a relief to get away from here, Merry. He's leaving!"
Merry shook his head. "No, he can't leave. He's...he's my brother."
"He is Merry. He says you're very hard to get away from and are always underfoot."
Merry sank onto his bed. "He's leaving because of me?"
"That's what it sounded like. I'm sorry, Merry." Beri placed a hand on Merry's shoulder.
Merry looked at his hands. "I'm the reason he's leaving."
"Oh, I never should've told you, Merry. I'm sorry." Beri didn't quite know what to say. "Come on. Let's go to dinner."
Merry nodded and silently followed his cousin from his room. He saw Frodo sitting beside Regi, laughing. He didn't look him in the eye as he sat next to Ferdi.
"Merry, are you alright?" Ferdi whispered.
Merry just nodded. He wasn't hungry anymore. He looked up when Frodo laughed at something Regi had said. He couldn't take it anymore. The little hobbit burst into tears and fled the room, leaving a group of stunned hobbits behind.
"What was that about?" Frodo asked, not noticing the glare Beri was throwing him.