Hmmm.... SAG's are on in the other room... My ROTK soundtrack is playing, and I
have a head cold... Perfect conditions for another spiffy chapter!
Disclaimer: This is the time where I dash all your hopes and dreams that I owned LOTR. Sorry!
Chapter Four: Leading The Blind
Pippin stood outside of Jericho's door. He paused before entering.
"I can't do it Merry!" he whined turning to his friend who was passing down the hall carrying supplies.
"It's not that hard Pip just go in and tell her we're getting ready to leave!" he reassured walking off. Pippin looked back at the door. It loomed at him menacingly.
"I can do this," he assured himself pushing open the door and approaching the slumbering woman.
"Jericho??" he asked quietly. She rolled over. He tried nudging her, "Jericho, wake up!" She swatted at his hand and stuffed her head under the pillow. "Jericho, please wake up!" he whined.
"Argh! I know I know, just... let me count my pennies 'kay?" she mumbled groggily. Pippin was dumbfounded.
'What are pennies?' he asked himself.
"Turn on the light I can't see a thing," she mumbled sitting up.
"Uh..." he answered and lit a lamp next to her bed.
"Well, go on!" she said impatiently.
"I lit the lamp," he answered. Jericho sat in the lamplight looking around blindly before screaming.
"OH MY GOODNESS I CAN'T SEE, ACK I'M FRIGGIN BLIND!!!!!!!!" Pippin fell over and the others quickly rushed in.
"I told you we shouldn't have let him do it," Frodo mumbled helping Pippin to his feet. Jericho was looking around blankly her eyes open wide in terror. As the hobbits watched they saw as the panic fell away from her pale eyes and she realized where she was. She quickly closed her eyes.
"Oh, Lord, I'm sorry! I didn't realize where I was." Jericho apologized, "I- I thought it was a dream." She hung her head.
Merry walked over and sat next to her, she didn't move at his weight sitting upon the bed.
"It's okay, it's a normal reaction," Merry assured placing a hand on her back. Jericho didn't move. She sat in silence for a moment.
"Can some one lead me to the bathroom, please?" she asked sheepishly. The boys all looked at each other horrified.
()
Jericho had ridden a pony only once when she was a little kid. Plus she could see also, and she wasn't wearing some hobbit dress, but this was ridiculous. Her pony was tied to a rope that was tied to Merry's pony. She had to hold on as tight as she could because she had no clue when they were going to stumble over a root or step in a hole. Merry occasionally tried to warn her when there was an oncoming dip in the road, but she was caught by surprise every time.
They had ridden well into the morning by the time she realized how foreboding the Old Forest sounded. The wind whistled through the trees singing a song of hate and woe. The birds had ceased all singing if there had ever been any, and her companions had not said much more than a word in a VERY long time.
"Merry?" she asked not even sure if it was him leading her anymore.
"Yes Jericho?" he answered from in front of her. She sighed in relief that he was there.
"I was afraid I wasn't with you guys anymore," she confessed smiling, "You've hardly made a peep, I was getting worried."
"Ah..." Merry began, "Jericho, the forest is very thick and-"
"Foreboding? Yeah I noticed." She interrupted.
"How?" he asked. Jericho pictured him cocking his head towards her.
"I can hear it the trees," she mused, "It's just a bit of something about us that they REALLY don't like."
"What could that be?"
"I... I really don't know, but it may have to do with Frodo's 'possession."
"How do you know about the Ring???" Merry asked shocked.
"Merry shhh!!!" The other's in front warned.
"How do you know about the Ring??" he whispered repeating himself.
"There are a lot of things I know, Master Meriadoc," she sighed, "It's just..."
"What?" he asked.
"I know just a bit more than I should Merry," she sighed.
"How?" he asked simply.
"It's too long and complicated to worry about. I just really wish I could see this place!" she whispered. She felt as if she might cry.
"Don't worry, you'll be able to see again, and we're taking you to Rivendell, so that means all's going to be made right!" The optimism in his voice startled her. She allowed her eyes to flutter open for just a moment in shock. She quickly closed them again blushing.
"Why are you always hiding your eyes?" Merry asked.
"Because they're hideous, I thought you would know," she answered darkly.
"They aren't hideous,"
"Yes they are!"
"How would you know, you've never seen them," Merry countered. Jericho opened her mouth as if to answer, but closed it. She turned away from the sound of Merry's voice.
"It's nothing to be ashamed of," he soothed.
"Yes it is," she answered angrily.
"You shouldn't feel ashamed to open your eyes, I'm used to them and the guys will be used to them soon enough," he explained.
"If they're so normal then why did you gasp like that when you first saw them?"
"They looked just like my Grandmother's," he answered simply.
"Really?" she asked turning her head towards him again. She raised her eyebrows slightly.
()
"Really," Merry lied. He couldn't understand why he was lying to her like this; it wasn't like it was that big of a deal. Well, it kind of was, but she should be allowed to know, right? He didn't know why he didn't feel like telling Jericho about 'Her.' It's not like Jericho would care, she died before Jericho even showed up.
They stopped talking because the forest became denser and Jericho was spending more time trying to keep from falling off than thinking about Merry. Or at least he thought so. After a bit they had to dismount off their ponies and lead them through the woods. Jericho didn't complain once, except when she tripped and landed on a rock.
It was about midday when they came to a large clearing full of willows. A particularly large one stood by the Brandywine River. The problem was they weren't supposed to be by the Brandywine.
"It's this blasted woods," complained Sam yawning. Merry nodded and yawned in return. He looked at the tree; it looked to be one of the most comfortable places around. A quick rest would do him good. He settled into a crack and promptly fell asleep.
He awoke to a constricting feeling. As he opened his eyes he saw darkness. He knew he didn't sleep all day, but he was getting really uncomfortable now. He heard a voice far off.
"Frodo? Sam?" the voice screamed frantically, "Merry? Pippin? Where is everyone?" Merry realized that it was Jericho. He tried to get up but realized he couldn't. That's when he remembered the tree.
Merry began to kick, but that only caused things to get worse. He heard Frodo and Sam talking outside.
"Do you plan on roasting Merry and Pippin alive?" asked Sam. That did not sound promising.
"Are there any better idea's?" Frodo asked.
"I think this one's Merry!" Jericho screamed from close by. She must have been just outside of the tree.
"How can you tell?" asked Frodo.
"He has a distinct smell of pipe weed," she answered knocking on the wood, "Merry?"
"I'm in here!" he shouted, his voice reverberated into the tree causing it to become angrier.
"What are you doing?" Jericho asked.
"Setting a fire!" Sam answered.
The tree did not like that either. Merry screamed out in pain, he could hear Pippin's wails next him.
"Stop it! Stop it!" Jericho ordered, "It's hurting them!"
"We have to get help!" Frodo wailed.
"Then run off and see if you can do so! I can't help you there!" she barked. Merry listened as Frodo ran off screaming, it was some moments before he heard a loud voice singing.
"Hey Tom Bombadill, Hey Tom Bombadillo..." it sang.
"Who's there?" asked Jericho; someone must have come up to her. The stranger spoke to the willow enraging him more, Merry screamed out.
"Stop you're hurting them!" Jericho yelled hysterically. The stranger ignored her and spoke more causing the tree to spit Merry out. Pippin landed near him and coughed loudly.
Merry looked in front of him to see a pair of yellow boots about 3 inches from his nose. He looked up at the man, too short for a man, but too tall for a hobbit, who smiled down kindly.
"Hello Master Meriadoc!" he beamed.
()
Jericho heard a loud crack as the tree split open. There was a thud and the sound of one of them coughing loudly. Jericho, who had been sitting on the ground after Tom pulled her away from the tree, began crawling towards her rescued companions feeling each step.
Tom was saying something, but she didn't listen. She felt a body part in front of her; it was a hand. She felt the hand and grasped for his face. She touched his chin and found that it was Pippin she was groping. She smiled.
"H-h-hello Jericho," he whispered.
"Hey Pippin, are you all right?" she asked.
He grunted and probably shook his head, Jericho just guessed.
"You, my little lass, are in a bit of a pickle, are you not?" asked Tom. Jericho looked toward the sound of his voice.
"Me?" she asked.
"Yes," he answered helping her to her feet. He placed a hand on her closed eyes and murmured softly. Jericho felt a small tingle but nothing else.
"You are blind," he answered after what seemed like much consideration. Jericho sighed angrily and bit her tongue to keep herself from making any rude remarks. Besides, she was not going to get away with upsetting their soon to be host. She shuffled over to where she thought Merry would be.
"Looking for me?" he asked. She smiled.
"Thank you for not leaving me alone," he whispered in her ear.
"What else was I to do?" she asked.
"I don't know, but you didn't want to leave me, and... thanks." She felt his hand upon her shoulder and she shivered at the touch. She didn't know why, but he was so warm. She felt so cold compared to him.
"Come follow me to my house, where we shall feast with Goldberry!" Tom announced joyfully.
"Let me lead you," Merry offered grasping her hand. Jericho nodded and for the first time since Merry had been trapped closed her eyes.
Okay thurr ya goes! I gave ya a long one since I have school tomorrow. Hope you like and thanks to all my reviewers, I love ya's a whole bunches!-DB:D
Disclaimer: This is the time where I dash all your hopes and dreams that I owned LOTR. Sorry!
Chapter Four: Leading The Blind
Pippin stood outside of Jericho's door. He paused before entering.
"I can't do it Merry!" he whined turning to his friend who was passing down the hall carrying supplies.
"It's not that hard Pip just go in and tell her we're getting ready to leave!" he reassured walking off. Pippin looked back at the door. It loomed at him menacingly.
"I can do this," he assured himself pushing open the door and approaching the slumbering woman.
"Jericho??" he asked quietly. She rolled over. He tried nudging her, "Jericho, wake up!" She swatted at his hand and stuffed her head under the pillow. "Jericho, please wake up!" he whined.
"Argh! I know I know, just... let me count my pennies 'kay?" she mumbled groggily. Pippin was dumbfounded.
'What are pennies?' he asked himself.
"Turn on the light I can't see a thing," she mumbled sitting up.
"Uh..." he answered and lit a lamp next to her bed.
"Well, go on!" she said impatiently.
"I lit the lamp," he answered. Jericho sat in the lamplight looking around blindly before screaming.
"OH MY GOODNESS I CAN'T SEE, ACK I'M FRIGGIN BLIND!!!!!!!!" Pippin fell over and the others quickly rushed in.
"I told you we shouldn't have let him do it," Frodo mumbled helping Pippin to his feet. Jericho was looking around blankly her eyes open wide in terror. As the hobbits watched they saw as the panic fell away from her pale eyes and she realized where she was. She quickly closed her eyes.
"Oh, Lord, I'm sorry! I didn't realize where I was." Jericho apologized, "I- I thought it was a dream." She hung her head.
Merry walked over and sat next to her, she didn't move at his weight sitting upon the bed.
"It's okay, it's a normal reaction," Merry assured placing a hand on her back. Jericho didn't move. She sat in silence for a moment.
"Can some one lead me to the bathroom, please?" she asked sheepishly. The boys all looked at each other horrified.
()
Jericho had ridden a pony only once when she was a little kid. Plus she could see also, and she wasn't wearing some hobbit dress, but this was ridiculous. Her pony was tied to a rope that was tied to Merry's pony. She had to hold on as tight as she could because she had no clue when they were going to stumble over a root or step in a hole. Merry occasionally tried to warn her when there was an oncoming dip in the road, but she was caught by surprise every time.
They had ridden well into the morning by the time she realized how foreboding the Old Forest sounded. The wind whistled through the trees singing a song of hate and woe. The birds had ceased all singing if there had ever been any, and her companions had not said much more than a word in a VERY long time.
"Merry?" she asked not even sure if it was him leading her anymore.
"Yes Jericho?" he answered from in front of her. She sighed in relief that he was there.
"I was afraid I wasn't with you guys anymore," she confessed smiling, "You've hardly made a peep, I was getting worried."
"Ah..." Merry began, "Jericho, the forest is very thick and-"
"Foreboding? Yeah I noticed." She interrupted.
"How?" he asked. Jericho pictured him cocking his head towards her.
"I can hear it the trees," she mused, "It's just a bit of something about us that they REALLY don't like."
"What could that be?"
"I... I really don't know, but it may have to do with Frodo's 'possession."
"How do you know about the Ring???" Merry asked shocked.
"Merry shhh!!!" The other's in front warned.
"How do you know about the Ring??" he whispered repeating himself.
"There are a lot of things I know, Master Meriadoc," she sighed, "It's just..."
"What?" he asked.
"I know just a bit more than I should Merry," she sighed.
"How?" he asked simply.
"It's too long and complicated to worry about. I just really wish I could see this place!" she whispered. She felt as if she might cry.
"Don't worry, you'll be able to see again, and we're taking you to Rivendell, so that means all's going to be made right!" The optimism in his voice startled her. She allowed her eyes to flutter open for just a moment in shock. She quickly closed them again blushing.
"Why are you always hiding your eyes?" Merry asked.
"Because they're hideous, I thought you would know," she answered darkly.
"They aren't hideous,"
"Yes they are!"
"How would you know, you've never seen them," Merry countered. Jericho opened her mouth as if to answer, but closed it. She turned away from the sound of Merry's voice.
"It's nothing to be ashamed of," he soothed.
"Yes it is," she answered angrily.
"You shouldn't feel ashamed to open your eyes, I'm used to them and the guys will be used to them soon enough," he explained.
"If they're so normal then why did you gasp like that when you first saw them?"
"They looked just like my Grandmother's," he answered simply.
"Really?" she asked turning her head towards him again. She raised her eyebrows slightly.
()
"Really," Merry lied. He couldn't understand why he was lying to her like this; it wasn't like it was that big of a deal. Well, it kind of was, but she should be allowed to know, right? He didn't know why he didn't feel like telling Jericho about 'Her.' It's not like Jericho would care, she died before Jericho even showed up.
They stopped talking because the forest became denser and Jericho was spending more time trying to keep from falling off than thinking about Merry. Or at least he thought so. After a bit they had to dismount off their ponies and lead them through the woods. Jericho didn't complain once, except when she tripped and landed on a rock.
It was about midday when they came to a large clearing full of willows. A particularly large one stood by the Brandywine River. The problem was they weren't supposed to be by the Brandywine.
"It's this blasted woods," complained Sam yawning. Merry nodded and yawned in return. He looked at the tree; it looked to be one of the most comfortable places around. A quick rest would do him good. He settled into a crack and promptly fell asleep.
He awoke to a constricting feeling. As he opened his eyes he saw darkness. He knew he didn't sleep all day, but he was getting really uncomfortable now. He heard a voice far off.
"Frodo? Sam?" the voice screamed frantically, "Merry? Pippin? Where is everyone?" Merry realized that it was Jericho. He tried to get up but realized he couldn't. That's when he remembered the tree.
Merry began to kick, but that only caused things to get worse. He heard Frodo and Sam talking outside.
"Do you plan on roasting Merry and Pippin alive?" asked Sam. That did not sound promising.
"Are there any better idea's?" Frodo asked.
"I think this one's Merry!" Jericho screamed from close by. She must have been just outside of the tree.
"How can you tell?" asked Frodo.
"He has a distinct smell of pipe weed," she answered knocking on the wood, "Merry?"
"I'm in here!" he shouted, his voice reverberated into the tree causing it to become angrier.
"What are you doing?" Jericho asked.
"Setting a fire!" Sam answered.
The tree did not like that either. Merry screamed out in pain, he could hear Pippin's wails next him.
"Stop it! Stop it!" Jericho ordered, "It's hurting them!"
"We have to get help!" Frodo wailed.
"Then run off and see if you can do so! I can't help you there!" she barked. Merry listened as Frodo ran off screaming, it was some moments before he heard a loud voice singing.
"Hey Tom Bombadill, Hey Tom Bombadillo..." it sang.
"Who's there?" asked Jericho; someone must have come up to her. The stranger spoke to the willow enraging him more, Merry screamed out.
"Stop you're hurting them!" Jericho yelled hysterically. The stranger ignored her and spoke more causing the tree to spit Merry out. Pippin landed near him and coughed loudly.
Merry looked in front of him to see a pair of yellow boots about 3 inches from his nose. He looked up at the man, too short for a man, but too tall for a hobbit, who smiled down kindly.
"Hello Master Meriadoc!" he beamed.
()
Jericho heard a loud crack as the tree split open. There was a thud and the sound of one of them coughing loudly. Jericho, who had been sitting on the ground after Tom pulled her away from the tree, began crawling towards her rescued companions feeling each step.
Tom was saying something, but she didn't listen. She felt a body part in front of her; it was a hand. She felt the hand and grasped for his face. She touched his chin and found that it was Pippin she was groping. She smiled.
"H-h-hello Jericho," he whispered.
"Hey Pippin, are you all right?" she asked.
He grunted and probably shook his head, Jericho just guessed.
"You, my little lass, are in a bit of a pickle, are you not?" asked Tom. Jericho looked toward the sound of his voice.
"Me?" she asked.
"Yes," he answered helping her to her feet. He placed a hand on her closed eyes and murmured softly. Jericho felt a small tingle but nothing else.
"You are blind," he answered after what seemed like much consideration. Jericho sighed angrily and bit her tongue to keep herself from making any rude remarks. Besides, she was not going to get away with upsetting their soon to be host. She shuffled over to where she thought Merry would be.
"Looking for me?" he asked. She smiled.
"Thank you for not leaving me alone," he whispered in her ear.
"What else was I to do?" she asked.
"I don't know, but you didn't want to leave me, and... thanks." She felt his hand upon her shoulder and she shivered at the touch. She didn't know why, but he was so warm. She felt so cold compared to him.
"Come follow me to my house, where we shall feast with Goldberry!" Tom announced joyfully.
"Let me lead you," Merry offered grasping her hand. Jericho nodded and for the first time since Merry had been trapped closed her eyes.
Okay thurr ya goes! I gave ya a long one since I have school tomorrow. Hope you like and thanks to all my reviewers, I love ya's a whole bunches!-DB:D