Kind faces greeted Merry and Pippin when they drew near Brandy hall. They, along with Sam, were two of the most respected hobbits in the entire Shire. But Merry and Pippin always thought that most of the respect should have been given to Frodo, for out of the four hobbits, his part in the fellowship had been much greater, and yet others were thought the heroes of the story that should have been about Frodo, and all the things he risked and risked losing. A subject that was discussed by the two hobbits many times over meals at Pippins house.
When they reached Brandy hall, Merry's mother came out to meet them. She was a proud looking woman with long dark hair that showed signs of greying, her face was happy and joyful and in many ways reminded Kim of her mother before the trouble with her dad's pay packet started. A pang of anger and regret tugged at her heart and she tried not to grip at Pippin's armour as the vile rage rose in her belly.
Merry got down from his pony and drew his mother into a deep hug while Pippin got down to help Kim off the pony. Merry's mother then noticed a hobbit that she did not know was with her son and nephew. In her eyes, she saw a pretty young hobbit-lass that had a wonderful smile, and Mrs Brandybuck took a-liking to her straight away. Even before Pippin had introduced her.
Esmeralda Brandybuck welcomed the girl, "Hello young lady. And who might you be?" Esmeralda smiled warmly at Kim and gave her the kind of look that one would give to their future daughter-in-law.
Kim curtsied politely, "My name is Kimothy Bucklerose, Mrs?"
"Brandybuck my dear. I am Esmeralda Brandybuck, and this here scallywag's mother." She looked at Merry with pride in her eyes as Merry put her arm through his. Kim felt like slapping her head and going "DOH!" like Homer Simpson. How could she not have known that this hobbit was Merry's mother?
"Will you be joining us for Second-breakfast deary?" But before Kim could say anything, Esmeralda had let go of Merry and put her arm through Kim's and was leading her towards Brandyhall. "Kimothy? Now that is a strange name. Oh! Pardon me no offence intended."
Kim let Esmeralda guide her towards Brandy hall, "None taken. Kimothy is my name but it is hardly ever remembered as everyone calls me Kim." She glanced at Merry and smiled, Pippin chuckled and shook his head.
"Same here sometimes. Most of my close family call me Esmi. It's sometimes a lot easier to say. So from now on, until our paths lead us in different directions, I will call you Kim and you can call me Esmi." Esmi laughed and so did Kim as she glanced back and saw Merry and Pippin following close behind.
When they got inside, Kim looked all around her. She had dreamed for most of her life what Brandy hall was like. But she had never imaged it being the way she saw it now. Its grand and aging doors gave off the smell of ancient woods from long out of memory. Beautiful tapestries hung from the walls showing pictures of the shire in its many years. If it's walls could talk she betted that they could have told thee most brilliant stories, also a lot of funny ones about Merry growing up.
Kim walked and listened to Esmi as she led them to a small cosy dinning room. It had a table set for four in front of a warm fire. It's light set a warm glow on the room. Esmi let go of Kim's arm and went to a pot that was hanging over the fire. When she lifted the lid, the smell of rabbit and herb stew filled the room and it hit Kim, Merry and Pippin like a wave against the shore. Pippin told Esmi to sit down and that he would dish out the stew. Pippin held out a seat for Esmi and tucked it under the table once she had sat down. Merry did the same for Kim and then sat down beside her.
Once Pippin had dished out the meal he sat down himself and right away Esmi started asking questions about Kim, "Where do you come from? Oh the Lonely Mountain. I've never heard of any Hobbits living near there. How old are you? Your only 20 (Kim lied about her age to make herself look like she was in her tweens and not her teens), well you look a little older than that." Kim decided to take this as a compliment.
After Esmi had had quiet enough stew, she went off for a nap and after that she would go and find Merry's father and see what he thought of going to see Pippin's parents for a day or two. She said goodbye to Kim, saying that it was a pleasure to meet such a polite young hobbit and left.
"Well I am very sad to leave you so soon Kim, but I'm afraid that I am very tired and must do as my Aunt has done and have a nap. So if you will excuse me?" Pippin got up from his seat and bowed to Kim, winked at Merry, who gave Pippin a paranoid look, then left the room.
There was an awkward silence between them. Neither knowing what to say. Until Merry could stand it no longer, "Kim? How long have you been in the Shire?" He hated himself for the sentence that he had just spat out. He felt like an idiot and was sure that she would think him an idiot. Kim saw him cringing once he stopped speaking and all that she did was laugh softly, "I have not been in the Shire long. In fact I only just arrived this morning from over the Downs." Kim knew what his reaction would be at the mention of the Downs and smiled inwardly.
"Did you really travel over the Downs!?" he said with surprise. She must be brave, he thought, if she went over those horrible mounds.
Kim giggled, "I'm teasing you Merry. You should know that I couldn't have come to Buckland from over the Downs from the Lonely Mountain." Kim watched as the corners of Merry's lips turned to make a smile. She looked into his eyes and saw a sparkle of life and kindness. She found herself staring and quickly looked away. She wondered what Merry was thinking. Maybe he was thinking that she was terribly rude for starring.
As she had looked away, she did not see that beaming smile that Merry was giving her, "Do you know any songs or stories? I know such things are best left until after supper when it is nearing bedtime, but I would very much like to hear at lest one story or song." Kim looked at him again. She took a few moments to study his face, trying to see what his thoughts were. All her life people had played tricks on her and used her. But when looking into his blue-grey eyes, she saw nothing but good intentions.
Kim agreed to tell him a story and sing him a song. She told him about William Wallace, but instead of him being human, he was a tree-elf, a race that had long since died out. And she sang to him an old Scottish or Irish song, which it was she could not remember. But it went like this.
"By the banks of Loch Lomand,
A wee lass was moaning.
For she'd skint her nose on
A wee chucky stane.
Alang came a baker,
Who said he would take her,
Away from Loch Lomand
And make her his aid.
He taught her the baking,
And soon she was making,
Pies, cakes and cookies
O fancy and plain.
From her tae's tae her toory.
An the wee lass was flory
And that's why they called her
The flour o Dumdblaine."
Merry clapped once she had finished. He had never heard songs of that sort or even sung the way she had sung it, but it was short and cheery, just right for the occasion.
They talked for a bit. Told each other about their families and their childhood. Kim told him the truth but made out that they were hobbits and she left out anything relating to the human world.
Kim laughed until she cried when he told her of when Pippin and himself had set off a firework inside the food tent on Bilbo's birthday. Merry had been a notorious prankster ever since he could walk. He told Kim many stories of the things that Pippin and himself had done and most of them ended in them both getting into trouble. They sat and talked for a couple of hours and they both missed elevenses but they never noticed. As they talked their chairs got closer together, so that one could here more clearly what the other was saying. Merry loved making her laugh and smile. Her smile made his heart jump and leap about in his chest.
"Where is it that you are staying?" Merry asked.
"I haven't really thought about that I must admit. I just thought I'd camp outside and sleep." Kim said this as if she had actually planned to sleep out in the dark all by herself in a part of Middle-Earth that she didn't know. That's what made Merry say what he was about to say.
"Oh no you won't! I won't have that. As long as you are in Buckland or the Shire for that matter, you shall stay here at Brandy hall or in the Brandybucks guesthouse, Crickhollow!" Merry seemed very passionate about getting her to stay. He's very cute when he argues thought Kim and she agreed that she would stay at Crickhollow.
At that second, Pippin burst into the room. He was red in the face and panting. Merry stood up from his seat. It was only then that he realised that he had been holding Kim's hand without noticing it. He quickly let go of her hand and tucked his own into his pocket.
"Pippin. What's the matter? Has something happened?" Merry watched as Pippins face went from gasping to air to very excited. Pippin jamp up and down saying over and over, "He's here, he's here!"
Merry grabbed Pippin by the shoulders to stop him jumping about as it was making Merry feel quiet sick. "Who's here Pippin? Now calm down or you'll make yourself sick again like that time when we stole the firework." Pippin was smiling from ear to ear in excitement.
"Aragorn has ridden up to the gates of Buckland. Queen Arwen is with him. So are Legolas and Gimli! Also close behind them is Faramir and Eowyn!!!! " Pippin broke free from his cousin's grip and started bounceing and dancing about like a hobbit-child that had had too much sugar.
Merry lead Kim and Pippin to the gates. And as they were opened, trumpets sounded and drums were beaten. King Elessar had arrived.
I hope you liked this chappy cus me I loved writing it. Please review