"Never Had to Ask" by Tialys
"Merry? Are you awake?"
"I am now, Pip."
"Oh, sorry."
"What do you want?"
"Merry?"
"Yes?"
"Do you think we'll really have to use these?"
"It's night, Pip, I can't see. Use what things?"
"These swords Strider gave us."
"It's late, Pip. Why the questions?"
"Well, we've been walking for days and haven't seen anyone. Why give them to us now?"
"I don't know, it must be some odd thing men do. Go to sleep."
"Merry?"
"What, Pip?"
"Do you think he saw something we didn't?"
"Who?"
"Strider, of course!"
"I don't know... maybe he just gave them to us because he was tired of carrying them himself. Go to sleep."
"I think he used his ranger skills to look really far away and he saw a huge pack of dogs -- no, wolves! -- coming and he gave us these and we're going to have a big battle with them tomorrow and... Merry? Are you awake?"
"Yes, Pippin."
"Merry? If the wolves come... you'll fight them, won't you?"
"Yes."
"You'll win, right? I mean... you're stronger than any wolf."
"I'm not sure about that, Pippin."
"But you will, right?"
"I don't know, Pip. Maybe. Depends how big of a wolf."
"Oh."
"Goodnight."
"Merry?"
"Hm?"
"What if they're big wolves?"
"Pip, there aren't any wolves --"
"But the swords! --"
"Pip, Strider just gave them to us because we've stopped in a more visible spot than we have before and he was tired of carrying around four little swords! There are no wolves following us nor anything else for that matter! Go to sleep now."
"Promise?"
"Yes! Goodnight!"
"Merry?"
"...What?"
"I'll protect you when the wolves come."
"Thank you, Pip."
"Well?"
"Well, what?"
"Aren't you going to protect me?!"
"Yes, Pippin. I'll protect you from the wolves."
"... Thank you, Merry."
"Pippin?"
"Yes?"
"Did you... really have to --"
"No, silly!"
"Oh..."
"I never had to ask, Merry."
"I know, Pip. I know."
May 18, 2004