Chapter 5:
Merry awoke gasping. The pain had returned, and was twice as it had been the last time. The pains had started several weeks ago, and Merry had at first tried to ignore them, but they grew worse until he could no longer bear them. At this time he finally went to Aragorn, who gave him what healing he could, but they both knew that Merry no longer had much time granted to him. They had agreed not to let Pippin know, as Merry thought the pain and worry would kill Pippin as surely as it was killing him. The pain eased briefly, and Merry took this respite to bathe his sweat soaked face with cool water, breathing deeply the cool night air, trying to calm his shaking nerves. The truth was that he was scared, terrified even, but he dared not call out, he couldn't risk waking Pippin in the next room. The next pain hit him hard, and he doubled over, biting his lip until it bled, desperately fighting the urge to scream. It subsided gradually, and Merry crawled shakily back into bed. The door opened a crack, and Pippin's round face peeped in the room.
"Merry? Are you awake?"
Merry took a deep breath in an attempt to calm his shaking voice before replying,
"Yes, I'm here Pip. Are you alright?"
Pippin crept further into the room, his single candle illuminating the room dully.
"Something doesn't feel right. I was really worried about you. Are you sure that you're ok?"
Merry was about to give Pippin a soothing reply and tell him to go back to bed, when the next wave of pain hit him. He doubled over, a look of intense pain on his face and fought to control it again. A small cry of pain fell from his lips, and he gasped for air, each breath painful. Pippin dashed to his side. Panic and worry creasing his face as he crouched next to his friend, desperate to do something to ease Merry's pain.
Gradually the pain eased, and Merry looked up into his cousin's face. His gaze was met with the worry and pain that Merry had fought for so long to keep from him. His breathing became gradually easier, and patting the bed next to him, he motioned for Pippin to sit next to him. Over the next half an hour, Merry haltingly explained to pip what was happening, and how there was nothing that anyone could do. As Merry had expected, Pippin fought this fact with all his might, determined not to except what he knew was the truth. It took another burst of pain hitting Merry to bring Pippin to his senses. Taking a deep breath to try and keep his composure, he set about making Merry as comfortable as possible.
They sat together throughout the night, keeping each other company, trying not to think about what was going to happen. They reminisced over all that had happened, trying to remain as cheerful as possible, but the pain was becoming more frequent, and the respites shorter. They fell into silence, each busy with his own thoughts. Sometime before dawn, Merry broke the silence once more, gasping for breath he turned to Pippin and said,
"I'm scared. Help me Pip. I don't want to die. Not now. I don't want to leave you."
Tears coursed down his cheeks as he said this, all composure gone. Pippin looked long at his friend before a long distant memory came floating to him. He had been with Gandalf here in Minas Tirith, scared that death was fast approaching, when Gandalf had told him something that had comforted him then as it did now. Smiling weakly at Merry he swallowed and shakily began.
"When Minas Tirith was under siege in the Great War, I was sure I was going to die, and Gandalf told me this, when I asked whether this was the end, he said, 'End? No the journey doesn't end here. There's another path, one that we all must take. The gray rain curtain of this world rolls back, and it will change to silver glass, and then you see it. White shores, and beyond them a far green country under a swift sunrise.' "
Pippin looked back at Merry as he finished, and was pleased to see he looked happier. Merry felt better after this. Yes he was still scared, but if Gandalf had said it was alright, it couldn't be too bad. He had had a wonderful full life after all, filled with adventure and love. His breathing became gradually steadier, and Pippin felt hope rise in him once more.
Merry looked back at Pippin once more, and said,
"Can I have a hug?"
Pippin grinned relieved,
"Of course!"
He leaned over and hugged Merry gently, careful not to hurt him in anyway. Merry hugged him back, and whispered
"Goodbye Pip."
Pippin pulled back gently, but he was too late. Nothing he could say now would bring Merry back. He laid him back against the pillows, covering him gently. There was a faint smile on his lips, and a look of peace on his face. The lines of pain and worry were removed form his face once more, and he looked young once again, as if the years had been lifted away.
Pippin sat on the bed as the sun rose, tears spilling down his cheeks, not wanting to move in case Merry came back. Finally he moved, dreading breaking the news to Aragorn and the others, but unable to stay any longer. He finally moved, turning his back on the room and shutting the door quietly on Merry's life.
Two weeks later a double funeral was held. Pippin had passed away five days earlier. Age it seemed had finally caught up with him, and combined with the grief he had given up on life. He had died peacefully in his sleep, leaving the confines of this world, and running swiftly into the next, reuniting with Merry once more.
Merry awoke gasping. The pain had returned, and was twice as it had been the last time. The pains had started several weeks ago, and Merry had at first tried to ignore them, but they grew worse until he could no longer bear them. At this time he finally went to Aragorn, who gave him what healing he could, but they both knew that Merry no longer had much time granted to him. They had agreed not to let Pippin know, as Merry thought the pain and worry would kill Pippin as surely as it was killing him. The pain eased briefly, and Merry took this respite to bathe his sweat soaked face with cool water, breathing deeply the cool night air, trying to calm his shaking nerves. The truth was that he was scared, terrified even, but he dared not call out, he couldn't risk waking Pippin in the next room. The next pain hit him hard, and he doubled over, biting his lip until it bled, desperately fighting the urge to scream. It subsided gradually, and Merry crawled shakily back into bed. The door opened a crack, and Pippin's round face peeped in the room.
"Merry? Are you awake?"
Merry took a deep breath in an attempt to calm his shaking voice before replying,
"Yes, I'm here Pip. Are you alright?"
Pippin crept further into the room, his single candle illuminating the room dully.
"Something doesn't feel right. I was really worried about you. Are you sure that you're ok?"
Merry was about to give Pippin a soothing reply and tell him to go back to bed, when the next wave of pain hit him. He doubled over, a look of intense pain on his face and fought to control it again. A small cry of pain fell from his lips, and he gasped for air, each breath painful. Pippin dashed to his side. Panic and worry creasing his face as he crouched next to his friend, desperate to do something to ease Merry's pain.
Gradually the pain eased, and Merry looked up into his cousin's face. His gaze was met with the worry and pain that Merry had fought for so long to keep from him. His breathing became gradually easier, and patting the bed next to him, he motioned for Pippin to sit next to him. Over the next half an hour, Merry haltingly explained to pip what was happening, and how there was nothing that anyone could do. As Merry had expected, Pippin fought this fact with all his might, determined not to except what he knew was the truth. It took another burst of pain hitting Merry to bring Pippin to his senses. Taking a deep breath to try and keep his composure, he set about making Merry as comfortable as possible.
They sat together throughout the night, keeping each other company, trying not to think about what was going to happen. They reminisced over all that had happened, trying to remain as cheerful as possible, but the pain was becoming more frequent, and the respites shorter. They fell into silence, each busy with his own thoughts. Sometime before dawn, Merry broke the silence once more, gasping for breath he turned to Pippin and said,
"I'm scared. Help me Pip. I don't want to die. Not now. I don't want to leave you."
Tears coursed down his cheeks as he said this, all composure gone. Pippin looked long at his friend before a long distant memory came floating to him. He had been with Gandalf here in Minas Tirith, scared that death was fast approaching, when Gandalf had told him something that had comforted him then as it did now. Smiling weakly at Merry he swallowed and shakily began.
"When Minas Tirith was under siege in the Great War, I was sure I was going to die, and Gandalf told me this, when I asked whether this was the end, he said, 'End? No the journey doesn't end here. There's another path, one that we all must take. The gray rain curtain of this world rolls back, and it will change to silver glass, and then you see it. White shores, and beyond them a far green country under a swift sunrise.' "
Pippin looked back at Merry as he finished, and was pleased to see he looked happier. Merry felt better after this. Yes he was still scared, but if Gandalf had said it was alright, it couldn't be too bad. He had had a wonderful full life after all, filled with adventure and love. His breathing became gradually steadier, and Pippin felt hope rise in him once more.
Merry looked back at Pippin once more, and said,
"Can I have a hug?"
Pippin grinned relieved,
"Of course!"
He leaned over and hugged Merry gently, careful not to hurt him in anyway. Merry hugged him back, and whispered
"Goodbye Pip."
Pippin pulled back gently, but he was too late. Nothing he could say now would bring Merry back. He laid him back against the pillows, covering him gently. There was a faint smile on his lips, and a look of peace on his face. The lines of pain and worry were removed form his face once more, and he looked young once again, as if the years had been lifted away.
Pippin sat on the bed as the sun rose, tears spilling down his cheeks, not wanting to move in case Merry came back. Finally he moved, dreading breaking the news to Aragorn and the others, but unable to stay any longer. He finally moved, turning his back on the room and shutting the door quietly on Merry's life.
Two weeks later a double funeral was held. Pippin had passed away five days earlier. Age it seemed had finally caught up with him, and combined with the grief he had given up on life. He had died peacefully in his sleep, leaving the confines of this world, and running swiftly into the next, reuniting with Merry once more.