BLACKMAILED LOVE.

PROLOGUE:

Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took, more likely known to the population of the Shire as the troublesome duo of Merry and Pippin where outside on a windy Autumn morning picking the last of the apples from a large and beautiful old apple tree on the edge of a small hill.

"Just a bit further Merry..." cried Pippin reaching forward for a small and rather wrinkled apple, just like many of the other apples they had picked. But that did not matter, it was the sense of adventure of sneaking into Farmer Maggot's orchard to steal the measly apples that drew them.

"Easier said than done cousin..." panted Merry squatting on the crook of a tree branch with Pippin on his shoulders trying to boost him up further.

Just then a sudden icy blast of wind blew from the north.

"Woah! It's really shaky up here!" wailed Pippin looking down and squeezing his eyes shut with fright. "Don't worry Pip, I gotcha... just reach a bit more you can do it." Encouraged Merry chocking as Pippin's legs tightened around his throat.

Pippin started to reach forward again when the wind blew back the other way, hurting his eyes. He yelped and reached out for the apple and at the same time toppling over.

"Ahhh!" yelled Merry as Pippin caused him to fall also.

Pippin felt as if the world was moving in slow motion as he and his cousin fell to earth, but having smaller bodies than most other people in Middle Earth, he had more time to roll up into a ball before his body came into contact with the ground.

SMACK! He hit.

He had hardly enough time to recover his wits before Merry came crashing down on top of him, smacking him down the hill they both tumbled. Their screams of fright turning into whoops of joy as the rolled down the hill together.

The world looked like a kaleidoscope to Merry as everything went round and round and round. He could feel the small squashy apples in his back pockets turning into applesauce as they tumbled. Then he saw it... the small stream looming up.

"STREAM! STREAM PIPPIN STREAM!" he yelled out as best as he could still rolling over and getting mouthfuls of grass. He tried to reach out to his younger cousin. There was a small bump and he managed to grab Pippin before he fell in.

Unfortunately with the sudden yanking back of his jacket on behalf of Merry, Pippin lost his apple, which he had managed to hold in his hand throughout the entire journey down the hill. Yes, the very apple that caused Merry and himself to fall out of the tree and down to where he was now sitting on the bank of the stream.

"Hey! I was saving that!" he cried rather affronted. Merry was most put out by his heroics going unnoticed. "Would you rather you fell in the stream you foolish Took?" he asked, shoving his cousin so that he fell into the shallow part of the stream.

Pippin grinned at the memory of the day. The very day before he had gone with Frodo to Bree. Now he was trudging along, feeling exhausted already during the early part of the day with a company of friends and strangers alike.

They were going to some place called Mordor of which Pippin knew little and all of it was unpleasant. With him went his cousin and best friend Merry, his older cousin Frodo, his gardener Sam, Gandalf the Grey, a powerful wizard and friend of Frodo and Uncle Bilbo, Strider a ranger, Gimli a dwarf, Legolas an elf and lastly Boromir a man of a southern land called Gondor. It was only the second day since they had set out from Rivendell but already Merry and Pippin had made an impression on all members of the Fellowship.

"Are you from Mirkwood, Legolas?" asked Merry, breaking the ice on the first day.

"Yes." He replied.

"The actual Mirkwood?" he replied astounded. He had heard many a tale from Old Uncle Bilbo about Mirkwood.

"Yes, the same. Do you know of any other?" asked Legolas, a faint smile forming on his lips by the Brandybucks irrepressible curiosity. Pippin grew into an excited, mumbling body.

"Do you suppose he was in the Battle of the Five Armies Merry?" he asked quietly and quickly. Legolas of course heard but did not let them gave the benefit of knowing that.

"I dunno Pip, why don't you ask him?"

"I don't know, I thought perhaps it would be rude of me."

"You never cared for manners before Pippin, why start now?"

"I'm trying to make a good impression in front of an Elf, Merry." At this Legolas started laughing.

"Do not worry about making any impressions young hobbits, I have already heard a great deal about you two rascals from Aragorn."

Pippin blushed, "You heard me."

"Of course. What do you think these are for?" he said indicating his ears. "I see you have much to learn about the ways of Elves Master Peregrin and Master Meriadoc."

"Merry and Pippin thanks." Said Merry.

"Very, well, Merry and Pippin."

But of all the member of the Fellowship Pippin had inexplicitly been drawn to the quiet, arrogant Steward of Gondor, Boromir. There was just that something about him, he just couldn't explain.

Pippin was being annoying.

'Okay Pip, you're my best friend and I love you but could you please just shut up! You've been telling his life story over and over again... even my life story though I have to tell him to keep his mouth shut at some parts. Good lord!' Thought Merry to himself.

Boromir had been grinning now he was trying desperately to tune out the yapping voice of the young Took.

"Blah blah blah..." Pippin just went on and on. "That's it!" Merry yelled. He went to kick Pippin, but he yelped and leapt away. Merry began to chase him round the fellowship. Pippin was now breaking into high-pitched shrieks, enjoying the chase.

"Come here wussy boy!"

"I'm not wussy!" called back Pippin, colliding into Gandalf's staff and promptly knocked himself out. The whole Fellowship cracked up then realized that he could be really hurt and Gandalf revived him.

Pippin groaned, "Since when have you had a twin brother Gandalf?" obviously seeing double.

Gandalf chuckled and said, "I fear you may have concussion young Peregrin but it did shut you up."

"Ha! You are a wussy!" said Merry triumphantly, helping his smaller cousin up. "You knocked yourself out on a lame old stick."

Pippin looked a bit putout but the out come was that he finally shut up and the rest of the Fellowship could travel in peace.

Pippin was grumpy the rest of the day, not to mention having one hell of a headache. Suddenly he felt a large hand on his shoulder.

"How's the head feeling Pip?" It was Boromir.

Pippin blushed slightly at the touch. "Mm much better now thanks." He stuttered a bit. Boromir grinned and patted him lightly on the back as he walked past. Pippin could smell his musky masculine smell that he had become very fond of radiate from him as he walked past and he sighed slightly. A dreamy look past of his eyes. A look that Merry instantly noticed in his young friend.

"So go make a move." He said sidling up to him.

"What?" Pippin was shook out of far away thoughts.

"Boromir I mean, I see that look you get after he talks to you. Look's like little Pip's got a crush on one of the Big Folk!"

"Merry, what are you on about! If you're on pipe weed then share it around!" Said Pippin going from a pale white of shock to an angry red.

"Never worry Pip Squeak, I won't tell him, but if you're going to insist on being a foolish Took around him all the time than I'll be forced to step in."

Pippin was silent for a moment, "I hate when you call me that Merry."

"What Pip Squeak? He he! I know you do, but that's what makes it so much fun." Pippin knew that Merry was getting hyped up, he often did too when he was lacking in sleep, just as they where, but at the moment, he was in no mood for his good-natured jest.

Soon they stopped off.

"Finally." Moaned Frodo, rubbing sore feet. Sam immediately went to help relieve his master of his pain by giving him a foot massage. If anyone had been looking in his direction at the time they would have seen a fleeting scowl of jealously on the face of a certain Brandybuck.

Pippin slumped down and let the bag slip off his back. He yawned loudly and pulled out a woolen blanket. He wrapped it around himself and got ready to go to sleep.

"Pippin..." there came a quiet voice.

"Hmmm." He moaned frowning, opening one eye. It was Legolas.

"You are appearing that you have chosen not to have any supper. Are you unwell?" he asked a little concerned. From what Legolas had gathered on the few days he had spent on the road with hobbits was their insatiable appetities.

"No. I'm not hungry." Muttered Pippin closing his eyes again. The elf was rather taken aback and leapt back up to tell the others immediately.

"Pippin not hungry? This is bad!" said Frodo.

"I reckon he hit himself harder on the head than we gave him credit for I'd say, this is very much unlike Mr. Pippin and no mistake." Said Sam.

Merry frowned. He got up and walked towards the sleeping hobbit.

"Hey Pippin, you awake?" he asked. No reply. "Piiii pin, hellooo?" Still nothing. Merry gently flicked the tip of his nose. Pippin groaned and wrinkled his nose.

"What?" he asked, sleepily and annoyed.

"Hey Pippin, there's Sam's yummy mushroom soup. Remember how much you like that, I kept some for you."

"Thanks but you eat it." he sighed rolling over.

Merry reached out a palm and layed it against Pippin's head. It felt normal. "Whassa matta Pip?"

"Headache."

"Bet Boromir could make it all better huh?" he grinned. Pippin rolled over eyes wide.

Merry laughed, "I know you Pip! Attention seeker! You just want some sweet loving from big old Boromir, well if that was the plan than I'll go get him! Otherwise, come and get some supper before you sleep. You'll need it for tommorow."

Pippin was astounded; he thought that he'd tricked Merry too. Obviously knowing a guy your whole life has some drawbacks.

"So getting up?" Merry asked.

"Oh all right, but speak a word of this to anyone and I'll tell Frodo about that look that you gave Sam today."

Now it was Merry's turn to open his eyes, stunned. "You saw that!"

"Of course, just the same way you saw through my guise. I saw that look."

"Fine you got yourself a deal Pip. Just keep that pie-hole of yours firmly closed!"

"Hmmm, what sort of pie Merry?"

TBC