Chapter 3:
Theo stared at her in disbelief. Had she really just to agreed to that?
"Um..You do realize what you're letting yourself in for. Don't you?"
He stumbled over the words, trying to think of a way out of this. There was no way he was going to race halfway across Middle Earth to prove that he was better than her!
"Yes. I mean aren't you at all interested in the lands that our father's visited?"
She tried to hide the smirk that threatened to appear at any moment, as she watched Theo gape at her.
"When do we start?"
She tried to keep her tone even as laughter threatened at any moment to burst out.
"Um.....well...I guess the day after tomorrow at dawn. That way you have time to prepare, you'll need it!"
With this last remark, Theo stalked off, and as he was rounding the corner of the house, he heard a peel of laughter ring out behind him. He leaned against the wall, and slipped down to the floor. Groaning he held his head in his hands. What had he gotten himself into?
***
Rowan raced back to her room, although the look on Theo's face had been worth it, he was right, she needed to prepare, and fast! Instead of going to her room, she went to another of the guest rooms a little way from her's. Knocking, the door opened and she was greeted warmly by her brother Faramir. As usual he had been slightly late arriving, and had only just arrived in time for the wedding, so had only had chance to say a quick hello to his older sister Rowan. Faramir had been busy for the past few weeks in Hobbiton, where he had been staying with some friends, and had become a little carried away with a secret project they were working on. Faramir had refused to tell anyone what the project was, only saying that they would find out when it was ready!
Now however, Faramir was able to say a proper hello to his sister. They hugged warmly, before going into his room to catch up.
"So how's my favorite older sister?"
He loved teasing her, even though he knew to tread carefully in case she ducked him in the river as she had when they were younger.
"As I keep pointing out to you, I am your ONLY older sister, but you appear to have the memory of a goldfish!"
He tweaked the end of her nose playfully, and they settled in two armchairs talking about all that had passed since their last meeting. After a while, there was a lull in the conversation, and Faramir took this opportunity to ask Rowan.
"I get the feeling you did not come just to see how I was! What's on your mind?"
Rowan blurted out to him what had just happened. Faramir sat with a smirk on his face as he listened to her tell the story, and thought for several minutes after she had finished.
"Well?"
She demanded impatiently,
"What do you think I should do?"
Faramir shook his head before replying,
"You do pick them don't you!"
"Pick what?"
Rowan was genuinely confused by this statement.
"Boy's. You always go for the one's who are set in their way's as to how girls should behave!"
"FARAMIR TOOK! I DO NOT PICK BOYS!"
Faramir grinned again at this outburst,
"Whatever you say darling sister!"
Rowan rose, a look of thunder on her face,
"Do you have anything helpful to suggest? Or shall I leave you to the obvious madness that has come upon you since you have been away?"
Laughing, Faramir pulled Rowan back into her seat, and said,
"As a matter of fact, I do have a suggestion."
Rowan's anger dissolved, and she leaned forward eagerly,
"Go to dad. He's been on plenty of journeys in his life, he'll know what to do."
Rowan sat back in disbelief. That was the first piece of good advice Faramir had given in quite a long time. She leaned forward, kissed him on the forehead and grabbed his wrist dragging him out the room with her.
"Um, I think I missed something! Why am I being dragged along a corridor?"
Faramir was once again back to his usual random self.
"You're coming with me!"
"Oh. I thought it might be something like that."
And with that, Faramir sighed and followed her down the corridor to their father's room.
***
Pippin surveyed his two children. Although his facial expression said that he was most likely displeased, inside he was laughing. Theo was definitely just like Merry, and Pippin was proud of his daughter Rowan. How many other lasses would agree to a contest like that?! Rowan looked at Pippin anxiously. Was he cross with her? This fear was dispelled when he burst into hysterics. It was some minutes before he managed to regain some self-control, and wiped the tears from his eyes.
"You are one in a million Rowan Took!"
Pippin finally managed to say.
"You mean that you're not angry with me?"
Rowan was still puzzled by her father's behavior, and was only just coming to realize that he wasn't at all angry with her. Pippin shook his head, and continued to giggle.
"Can you help me then? I don't know what I should take with me, or which route I should take. It's hopeless! Why did I have to say yes?!"
Rowan sat heavily on the chair in front of Pippin's desk, her head in her hands. Pippin finally managed to get a grip on his mirth, and started to think seriously. After some minutes he announced his decision.
"I think that right now you should go and get as much sleep as you can. Tomorrow we can sit down and sort this out."
Pippin came round and gave his daughter a hug before shooing her and Faramir out of the door.
"Sleep!"
He ordered, before closing the door and sitting down he started to laugh again. I think Merry need's to hear about this, he thought as he got up and headed to Merry's study.
***
It was some time before the two hobbits started to regain some self- control. They had not laughed like this in ages!
"So what are we going to do about them?"
Pippin asked thoughtfully after some time had passed. Merry thought carefully about this for a few minutes before answering.
"I think we should let them go through with it. After all, if they don't get it out of their systems this time, what challenge will they come up with next?! I think we need to send word to Aragorn and warn him of what will be happening, otherwise who knows what will happen! I think we need to prepare them for the journey as much as possible, but let each one choose their own road."
Merry sat back after this pronouncement, and looked questioningly at Pippin, who sat thinking for a few moments before looking up to meet Merry's gaze and nodding. Merry fetched pen and paper and wrote the letter for Aragorn and Arwen and sent it off with his most trusted messenger bird then and there. That done, he and Pippin fetched all the maps they possessed and spent hours pouring over them, each thinking of the route their own child might take, and remembering which parts to avoid. The first signs of rivalry started to appear between them, but they kept it to a friendly level. Finally they retired to bed, each preparing themselves for the day ahead.
***
Rowan woke early. Peering blearily out of her window at the gray sky. The sun had not yet come to warm the earth, and she shivered slightly as she dressed. She wore a light dress that provided her with maximum movement and flexibility. She slipped quietly off to the kitchens to sneak a small breakfast before running to Pippin and Diamond's room to wake him up and start the day. It took a while to persuade him it was a sensible time to get up, but once he was awake, he started briskly to construct various lists. Food, for both her and her pony, gear, clothing, extra supplies and numerous others. First stop was at Merry's supplies to pick up various necessities like ground sheet, bedroll, and camping equipment, before heading back to her room to sort out her clothes. She would need waterproof clothes, breeches and shirt, one or two dresses, but they were not a necessity so would probably be taken out later. The morning was spent sorting out all of her supplies, and after lunch they went out to the armories to find some suitable weapons for her trek. They picked out a suitable bow and a quiver of arrows, Rowan already had her sword and daggers with her, and they found a lightweight shield, which proved to be sturdy enough for the journey.
Theo was not faring much better than Rowan, and he tried to sort his supplies to no avail, until after lunch he finally went to Merry for help in packing. Merry tried to hide his grin as his son asked for help, but failed miserably. It was now a matter of pride between the two fathers's, each determined to see their child win. The rivalry was only friendly, and both Merry and Pippin were careful to not let it develop into anything more than that.
The day passed all too quickly for Theo's liking, and he was beginning to regret his words that Rowan would not be ready in time, at this rate he would not be ready in time! He poured over maps that evening after dinner planning his way, trying to find the quickest way to Gondor. He was not going to let Her beat him! Theo slept badly that night, worrying whether he had packed everything he might need. He had to keep getting up to check if he had picked up certain items. Consequently he was tired and irritable when a ridiculously cheerful Merry came to wake him up an hour before dawn. When complaining to Merry about why was he doing this? The only reply he got was a smirk and an
"It was your idea!"
He breakfasted with his parents, went back to his room to collect his packs and went out to the stable yard. His pony, Surefoot, was groomed, tacked and waiting. Theo secured his saddle bags before turning to say goodbye to his parents, Eowyn was on her short honeymoon, and so was unable to be there for Theo that morning. He hugged Estella warmly, knowing he would miss her comforting reassurance before long, and gave a slightly shorter hug, but no less warm to Merry, before turning to pick up his cloak and pack. He caught sight of Rowan, and glared at her when she glanced at him. She smiled back cheerfully. Unlike Theo, Rowan had had a good night's sleep and felt refreshed and ready to face anything that day. She secured her saddlebags quickly, and fastened her cloak about her before turning and hugging her parents. She would miss them of course, but the excitement of the adventure had already taken her in its grip. After her parents, she hugged Faramir who looked thoroughly disgruntled at being roused at such an early hour. He whispered something in her ear, and she smiled and nodded as she drew away from his embrace. She checked over her pony and saddlebags once more, making sure that she had not forgotten anything, and that the tack was all done up correctly. She mounted up, and trotted over to where Theo was already sat on Surefoot.
"Are you ready?"
She enquired politely. But all she received in return was a glare and an icy,
"Yes."
Merry and Pippin had taken it upon themselves to start the race, and had the two competitors line up against the mark that they had set earlier. They had a moment to check over things in their minds one last time, before Pippin brought the flag fluttering down. They both urged their ponies to a canter, and set off down the lane. They were off!
Theo stared at her in disbelief. Had she really just to agreed to that?
"Um..You do realize what you're letting yourself in for. Don't you?"
He stumbled over the words, trying to think of a way out of this. There was no way he was going to race halfway across Middle Earth to prove that he was better than her!
"Yes. I mean aren't you at all interested in the lands that our father's visited?"
She tried to hide the smirk that threatened to appear at any moment, as she watched Theo gape at her.
"When do we start?"
She tried to keep her tone even as laughter threatened at any moment to burst out.
"Um.....well...I guess the day after tomorrow at dawn. That way you have time to prepare, you'll need it!"
With this last remark, Theo stalked off, and as he was rounding the corner of the house, he heard a peel of laughter ring out behind him. He leaned against the wall, and slipped down to the floor. Groaning he held his head in his hands. What had he gotten himself into?
***
Rowan raced back to her room, although the look on Theo's face had been worth it, he was right, she needed to prepare, and fast! Instead of going to her room, she went to another of the guest rooms a little way from her's. Knocking, the door opened and she was greeted warmly by her brother Faramir. As usual he had been slightly late arriving, and had only just arrived in time for the wedding, so had only had chance to say a quick hello to his older sister Rowan. Faramir had been busy for the past few weeks in Hobbiton, where he had been staying with some friends, and had become a little carried away with a secret project they were working on. Faramir had refused to tell anyone what the project was, only saying that they would find out when it was ready!
Now however, Faramir was able to say a proper hello to his sister. They hugged warmly, before going into his room to catch up.
"So how's my favorite older sister?"
He loved teasing her, even though he knew to tread carefully in case she ducked him in the river as she had when they were younger.
"As I keep pointing out to you, I am your ONLY older sister, but you appear to have the memory of a goldfish!"
He tweaked the end of her nose playfully, and they settled in two armchairs talking about all that had passed since their last meeting. After a while, there was a lull in the conversation, and Faramir took this opportunity to ask Rowan.
"I get the feeling you did not come just to see how I was! What's on your mind?"
Rowan blurted out to him what had just happened. Faramir sat with a smirk on his face as he listened to her tell the story, and thought for several minutes after she had finished.
"Well?"
She demanded impatiently,
"What do you think I should do?"
Faramir shook his head before replying,
"You do pick them don't you!"
"Pick what?"
Rowan was genuinely confused by this statement.
"Boy's. You always go for the one's who are set in their way's as to how girls should behave!"
"FARAMIR TOOK! I DO NOT PICK BOYS!"
Faramir grinned again at this outburst,
"Whatever you say darling sister!"
Rowan rose, a look of thunder on her face,
"Do you have anything helpful to suggest? Or shall I leave you to the obvious madness that has come upon you since you have been away?"
Laughing, Faramir pulled Rowan back into her seat, and said,
"As a matter of fact, I do have a suggestion."
Rowan's anger dissolved, and she leaned forward eagerly,
"Go to dad. He's been on plenty of journeys in his life, he'll know what to do."
Rowan sat back in disbelief. That was the first piece of good advice Faramir had given in quite a long time. She leaned forward, kissed him on the forehead and grabbed his wrist dragging him out the room with her.
"Um, I think I missed something! Why am I being dragged along a corridor?"
Faramir was once again back to his usual random self.
"You're coming with me!"
"Oh. I thought it might be something like that."
And with that, Faramir sighed and followed her down the corridor to their father's room.
***
Pippin surveyed his two children. Although his facial expression said that he was most likely displeased, inside he was laughing. Theo was definitely just like Merry, and Pippin was proud of his daughter Rowan. How many other lasses would agree to a contest like that?! Rowan looked at Pippin anxiously. Was he cross with her? This fear was dispelled when he burst into hysterics. It was some minutes before he managed to regain some self-control, and wiped the tears from his eyes.
"You are one in a million Rowan Took!"
Pippin finally managed to say.
"You mean that you're not angry with me?"
Rowan was still puzzled by her father's behavior, and was only just coming to realize that he wasn't at all angry with her. Pippin shook his head, and continued to giggle.
"Can you help me then? I don't know what I should take with me, or which route I should take. It's hopeless! Why did I have to say yes?!"
Rowan sat heavily on the chair in front of Pippin's desk, her head in her hands. Pippin finally managed to get a grip on his mirth, and started to think seriously. After some minutes he announced his decision.
"I think that right now you should go and get as much sleep as you can. Tomorrow we can sit down and sort this out."
Pippin came round and gave his daughter a hug before shooing her and Faramir out of the door.
"Sleep!"
He ordered, before closing the door and sitting down he started to laugh again. I think Merry need's to hear about this, he thought as he got up and headed to Merry's study.
***
It was some time before the two hobbits started to regain some self- control. They had not laughed like this in ages!
"So what are we going to do about them?"
Pippin asked thoughtfully after some time had passed. Merry thought carefully about this for a few minutes before answering.
"I think we should let them go through with it. After all, if they don't get it out of their systems this time, what challenge will they come up with next?! I think we need to send word to Aragorn and warn him of what will be happening, otherwise who knows what will happen! I think we need to prepare them for the journey as much as possible, but let each one choose their own road."
Merry sat back after this pronouncement, and looked questioningly at Pippin, who sat thinking for a few moments before looking up to meet Merry's gaze and nodding. Merry fetched pen and paper and wrote the letter for Aragorn and Arwen and sent it off with his most trusted messenger bird then and there. That done, he and Pippin fetched all the maps they possessed and spent hours pouring over them, each thinking of the route their own child might take, and remembering which parts to avoid. The first signs of rivalry started to appear between them, but they kept it to a friendly level. Finally they retired to bed, each preparing themselves for the day ahead.
***
Rowan woke early. Peering blearily out of her window at the gray sky. The sun had not yet come to warm the earth, and she shivered slightly as she dressed. She wore a light dress that provided her with maximum movement and flexibility. She slipped quietly off to the kitchens to sneak a small breakfast before running to Pippin and Diamond's room to wake him up and start the day. It took a while to persuade him it was a sensible time to get up, but once he was awake, he started briskly to construct various lists. Food, for both her and her pony, gear, clothing, extra supplies and numerous others. First stop was at Merry's supplies to pick up various necessities like ground sheet, bedroll, and camping equipment, before heading back to her room to sort out her clothes. She would need waterproof clothes, breeches and shirt, one or two dresses, but they were not a necessity so would probably be taken out later. The morning was spent sorting out all of her supplies, and after lunch they went out to the armories to find some suitable weapons for her trek. They picked out a suitable bow and a quiver of arrows, Rowan already had her sword and daggers with her, and they found a lightweight shield, which proved to be sturdy enough for the journey.
Theo was not faring much better than Rowan, and he tried to sort his supplies to no avail, until after lunch he finally went to Merry for help in packing. Merry tried to hide his grin as his son asked for help, but failed miserably. It was now a matter of pride between the two fathers's, each determined to see their child win. The rivalry was only friendly, and both Merry and Pippin were careful to not let it develop into anything more than that.
The day passed all too quickly for Theo's liking, and he was beginning to regret his words that Rowan would not be ready in time, at this rate he would not be ready in time! He poured over maps that evening after dinner planning his way, trying to find the quickest way to Gondor. He was not going to let Her beat him! Theo slept badly that night, worrying whether he had packed everything he might need. He had to keep getting up to check if he had picked up certain items. Consequently he was tired and irritable when a ridiculously cheerful Merry came to wake him up an hour before dawn. When complaining to Merry about why was he doing this? The only reply he got was a smirk and an
"It was your idea!"
He breakfasted with his parents, went back to his room to collect his packs and went out to the stable yard. His pony, Surefoot, was groomed, tacked and waiting. Theo secured his saddle bags before turning to say goodbye to his parents, Eowyn was on her short honeymoon, and so was unable to be there for Theo that morning. He hugged Estella warmly, knowing he would miss her comforting reassurance before long, and gave a slightly shorter hug, but no less warm to Merry, before turning to pick up his cloak and pack. He caught sight of Rowan, and glared at her when she glanced at him. She smiled back cheerfully. Unlike Theo, Rowan had had a good night's sleep and felt refreshed and ready to face anything that day. She secured her saddlebags quickly, and fastened her cloak about her before turning and hugging her parents. She would miss them of course, but the excitement of the adventure had already taken her in its grip. After her parents, she hugged Faramir who looked thoroughly disgruntled at being roused at such an early hour. He whispered something in her ear, and she smiled and nodded as she drew away from his embrace. She checked over her pony and saddlebags once more, making sure that she had not forgotten anything, and that the tack was all done up correctly. She mounted up, and trotted over to where Theo was already sat on Surefoot.
"Are you ready?"
She enquired politely. But all she received in return was a glare and an icy,
"Yes."
Merry and Pippin had taken it upon themselves to start the race, and had the two competitors line up against the mark that they had set earlier. They had a moment to check over things in their minds one last time, before Pippin brought the flag fluttering down. They both urged their ponies to a canter, and set off down the lane. They were off!