Chapter Three: The Ring goes South

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah- I don't own LotR, However, Pip is still My Preciousss....

A/N: This is set when I am in my 18th year, a freshman in college.

It was the morning the Fellowship was to set out from Rivendell. I stood, somewhat apprehensively, waiting for Frodo to come out.

My pack was full of all manner of useful things Adunaciriel had stowed there. Some hobbit- trousers (knowing my preference), a shirt, a spare belt, provisions (some waybread, salted meat and dried fruit), a rope, a leather sachet of pipe-weed (Merry and Pippin had taught me the art in our long hours of free time), a woolen waistcoat (for the cold weather), a leather water bottle, flint and tinder, and much else.

I fingered the hilt of the sword that had been provided for me. I was constantly doing this, my fascination with weapons of all kinds leading others to find me practicing in my room, dismembering hoards of imaginary orcs. It was a fine weapon, the leaf shaped blade mirror bright and the cutting edge so keen it could barely be seen. The bronze hilt had a curved crosspiece and was wrapped in fine red-dyed leather that fitted well in my grasp.

I blew, vapor forming before my nose in the chill air, as I hitched the pack higher up on my shoulders.

Pippin wandered over aimlessly, muttering

"Wha' c'n possibly be tekkin' him so long?"

Of course, I knew Bilbo was giving him his corselet of mithril rings and Sting, so I shrugged and said,

"Most likely he's with Bilbo- where else could he be? An' Bilbo does tend to ramble."

Pippin giggled, glancing up at me with a grin. Suddenly he stiffened, and started talking in an oddly forced manner.

"Lov'ly day, though innit? Can' wait t'get off, ol' Frodo really shou' cut his conversation short, m'pack's a bit heavy hubbout yours, really, w'll yes, my feet are cold, are you no' wearing any shoes? Odd fer one o' th' Big Folk. I'd imagine your feet are really-"

"Pip, what are you doing?" I interrupted him

"Me?" He asked, grinning madly "Why, why ever do you ask?"

I gave him a cockeyed look

"What do you mean, why ev- oof!" I dropped to the ground as Merry tackled me in the knees with a shout of triumph. Pippin jumped on top of me, yelling.

"Fer the Shire!"

"Go on Pip- get 'er arms!"

"Ouch! Tha' wis me ye idiot!"

"Sorry. Ach! Gerroutofit! Bloody 'ell..."

We tussled enjoyably on the stone of the plaza for several minutes, something which, undoubtedly had never been done before there, until Merry ended up sitting on my knees, and Pippin knelt by my head, wielding a ladle rather threateningly. I held up my hands in defeat

"Alright, alright, you win."

Merry got up and brushed the dust off his clothes while Pippin smiled and sprang up, holding out his hand to help me. I grasped it and then pulled him down beside me. I smirked at him

"Gotcha."

Just as I got up, Frodo and Bilbo came out. I hastily dusted myself off and went to stand with the rest of the company. Elrond drew himself up and said with immense gravity;

"The Company awaits the Ringbearer. There is no oath or bond laid on any of you to go farther than you will. Your only task is to help the Ringbearer as far as you see fit... Frodo?"

Frodo stepped forward nervously, hitching up his pack. I heard whispers behind me

"Go on, Cousin Frodo."

"Shh! Lerrim alone."

"Look 'oo's talkin' Mer."

"Quiet, both o' ya. Let Mr. Frodo get on on 'is own."

He smiled appreciatively at his friends voices and walked through the gate. He paused a moment, looking discomfited

"Left." Gandalf and I whispered simultaneously. I snorted into my sleeve, stifling the laugh that was threatening to burst out. He nodded discreetly and set off down the left-hand way. We crossed a bridge over the River Bruínen, and as I looked over the edge, I spat for good luck.
We journeyed in the wild for many days, until we came to the land of Hollin. Legolas took a deep breath, for indeed, the air seemed sweeter here.

"I think," said Gandalf "Here we may risk fire. Hollin is a wholesome land, it takes a long time for a country to forget the elves if once they dwelt there."

"Yes." Legolas said wistfully "But that was ages past, for the grass and trees do not remember them, and only the stones lament: 'Deep they delved us, fair they wrought us, high they built us, but they are gone.' Gone, they sought the Havens long ago." Thinking suddenly, I leapt up from where I had been sitting, trying to blow smoke-rings.

"Fire?!" I cried, "No, Gandalf, on my passage hither, I saw Crebain, or so I thought them to be, circling above Hollin and also to the south, near Isengard. From your news of Saruman at the council, I think perhaps they were spies of his. We should not risk fire."

I knew Caradhras would defeat us either way, for it was essential that Gandalf fall and become the White Rider, but there was no point in Saruman finding anything out if it was avoidable. Gandalf raised his eyebrows

"Crebain? Hmmm, perhaps you are right Lady; we will not light a fire. The possibility of being found out by Saruman seems to me a greater danger than cold feet. What say you?" He asked with a smile. I nodded and thanked him for heeding my advice.

I ambled back to where the hobbits were getting out cooking supplies

"Sorry du-fellas, no fire tonight." It was difficult to remember not to say 'dude'

"What?!" Pippin protested "Ah wis lookin' for'ard t' a nice hot meal."

"Aye," Sam grumbled "Summat hot out o' th'pot. A brace o' conies or some grouse..." he stared regretfully into space, licking his lips "Ah, well. 'Spect Strider an' Gandalf know best, eh?"

"Aye, they do- didn't wanna get found out by Saruman. I'd say it's prob'ly worth it fer that."

"Yeah, 'spect it is..."

Pippin griped, looking morose. The look of self-righteous suffering he wore was too much, I snorted with laughter.

"What?" He asked, lookin offended "'Ere's naught funny 'bout me poor stummick shrivelin' oop fer lack o' proper food."

"Oh, nothin' Pip, nothin'." I grinned at him and sat down. "Now, can you tell me again how you're s'posed to blow these smoke rings?"

When we sat down for a cold and cheerless meal, Gandalf discussed our plans as to which way we would go.

"Our present course holds thus:" said Gandalf, over his pipe, "We shall attempt to cross the Redhorn Pass, and from there, if all goes well we will enter the woods of Lothlorien-"

"Lothlorien!" cried Boromir in dismay. "Gandalf, that forest is evil. A great enchantress lives there, they say, fair and terrible to look upon. Few who venture there come out again, and of those few, none unscathed. 'Tis folly to enter the Golden Wood!"

"You speak of what you know nothing, Boromir, son of the Steward." Said Gandalf irritably, Boromir seemed subdued by the wizard's bristling brows, and so Gandalf continued.

"I say we shall enter Lothlorien and take a short rest. After that, we shall journey down to the Tindrock and then the Emyn Muil. From there, I know not whither we shall go, for after the Emyn Muil lie the Dead Marshes. Boromir, of course, shall depart, with any who wish to go with him, at the Tindrock Isle and make for Minas Tirith."

He broke off and took a pull on his pipe, sending smoke rings dancing off into the sky (indeed, they did dance, and turn colors). Everyone else agreed and later, we all went to bed, save for Legolas, who had first watch.

I lay still; content to stare at the star-filled sky, still amazing to my city eyes. I found all the stars I knew and named them, murmuring into the night

"Sirius, the Dog Star, the Big Dip- I mean the Sickle (to give it its name here in Middle Earth) the... the Swordsman of the Skies, Eärendil, the Evening Star..."

I sighed, breathing in the fresh green scent that lingered in the air of Hollin. I thought of the future, poor old Gandalf. Really, I had quite grown to like the cantankerous old wizard. Though technically, I reminded myself, it's not like he's dying, he's gonna come back. Though I knew it was true, it didn't seem like it.

A voice interrupted my reverie,

"Can' ye no' sleep either?"

It was Pippin. He had crawled over, still wrapped in his blanket, from where he had been lying nearby.

"Wha?!" I started "Oh, Pip. Nah... dunno why- you?" He shrugged, though he looked troubled,

"Ah... i's jus'... w'll, i' seems soo far from home, y'know. An' Ah've been thinkin' aboot th' Green Dragon, and the Great Smials doon in the Tookland, and Brandy Hall, where Merry lives, an' Bag End, an' poor ol' Frodo..."

He trailed off, looking at the ground

"Wha's gonna happen t' us? Me'n Merry came along cuz we felt we had to, an' Ah still do, but... wha' can we do? Everythin's soo big, an' Ah dunno where we are, an' wha' use am I, after all?"

He looked at me dejectedly, starlight reflected in his green eyes, now uncommonly melancholy. I smiled Just wait, if you feel like that now, just wait, but I cupped his chin in my hand and said

"Pippin... you're more use than you know. After all, Gandalf wanted you here, and if I remember aright, he once said that he does not bring things that are of no use. We love ya, mate."

I do, though. I thought, And I thought Billy Boyd was good looking as Pippin- the real thing's much better. He smiled remorsefully

"Ah, but Ah'd love a good pint... they doon' brew 'em anywhere like a' th' Green Dragon."

I grinned,

"No place like 'ome, eh?" Even though I felt that, no, I'd much rather be here, a sudden fit of homesickness swept over me. My friends... how I missed them. How long was I going to be here anyway, what if I never got back?

"I miss my 'ome too."

He looked at me, and I saw the pure, unadulterated innocence shining in his eyes. There was no cynicism or mocking there, as there would have been from any of the guys I knew at home. He smiled

"Whell then, we c'n be 'omesick together, I s'pose."

I smiled, and this time I meant it.

"Thanks Pip."