Chapter 12

To Find Her

The pounding of hooves beating against the dirt and stone path in which they treaded upon echoed through this dense land. The fast pace of the ponies, matched the emotions and panic that surged through Merry's heart.

The black stallion kept pace with the snow white pony that led him. Merry could feel his pony's exhaustion and hear the harsh breath that she was taking in. He knew that he had to cast his feelings aside with his need to find the lass that he loved. Slowing his pony to just a trot and then to a walk, Pippin pulled up beside him.

"Merry, we need to rest these ponies, they can not take this fast pace that you have set!" pleaded Pippin, but still knowing his cousin's need and panic.

Merry closed is eyes tightly trying to curve his desire to keep running his pony, but his heart could not push her any more. He pulled the reins and made her stop. Merry lowered his head to his chest and sat there trying to calm his worst fears.

Pippin dismounted and took the reins on his pony and began to walk him over to where Merry was standing by his pony. "I'll walk them for a spell to cool them down and take them over to the small creek down this path. We can take a break there and eat something until the ponies are ready again. We still have much of the afternoon to continue on."

Merry only nodded towards his cousin and followed him walking his own pony, preferring to keep himself busy verses sitting and counting down the minutes in his head while worrying.

When they reached the creek, they took off their ponies saddles and lead them to the creek. Snowclad was covered in a thick foam and sweat. While his pony drank, Merry stood staring at the far road that led into the Marish. Questions raced through his mind. 'Why would Myrtle take Estella and wanting to harm her?' His mind traced back to when the Broadbelts visited Brandy Hall and his time that he had spent with her. She was a very capable young lass, determined and headstrong. He had seen in her a temperament that was very controlled and manipulative. Knowing her as he did, if she had a mind to harm Estella, Myrtle would do just that. Estella on the other hand was kind and gentle, good natured and caring. She too was very determined, but in a different kind of way. If she set her mind to something, she would see it done. She was fearless in her efforts and Merry almost smiled remembering the chimney she tried to repair and would have done so if left on her own no matter what the odds where against her. But Estella could no more hurt a fly nor a mouse if one crossed her path. Her kindness of spirit radiated throughout her being and even his sensitive pony recognized this within her and why Snowclad loved and trusted her so. Fear seized his heart for the one that he loved and knew that if Myrtle had her, her life was in grave danger.

With a very wet muzzle, Snowclad came up behind Merry and rubbed her nose against his shoulder and cheek, wetting his hair and shirt. Merry instantly reached his arms around her pure white face and hugged her.

Pippin had a fire going just a few paces from the water on a dried-out section on the bank of the creek. He was opening his bag and taking out the things he would need to prepare a simple meal.

His eyes kept wondering up towards his cousin and his heart ached for him. He could sense the tension within Merry and a worry in him that he had never seen before. Even during the war of the ring and their time in Fangorn Forest waiting for Treebeard to change his mind in stopping Saruman at Isengard did not compare to what he saw in his cousin that now stood just a few feet from him.

The bacon, mushrooms and onions sizzled in his pan and were now ready to be served. Pippin called out to his cousin. "Merry, come eat now!"

Merry left Snowclad's side and she went over to join the black Stallion munching on the tall grass that grew in this wet land.

Approaching his cousin, Merry sat down next to him. "I don't feel much like eating, Pip," Merry commented.

"I know, Merry," spoke Pippin softly. "You'll not do her any good by getting yourself weak and sickly. You need to be strong now, Merry." He offered him a good size helping onto his plate.

"There is a knot in my throat that won't let me swallow and it hurts so badly it takes my breath away," added Merry looking at the food that he offered.

Pippin placed his plate down and reached up and hugged his cousin holding him tightly. He could instantly feel the tension within him, his muscles taut and tight. "It's okay, Merry. You and I will get her back. You will see, all will be all right." Pippin whispered into his ear.

He felt a shudder of release of tension coming from his cousin and knew Merry was fighting the emotions deep within him. Merry brought his strong arms around his cousin and held onto him tightly. He spoke through his tears and cried, "What if we are too late?" He paused a moment and then added, "I love her, Pippin!"

His shoulder shook from his heavy sobbing and feeling that all was hopeless in finding her in enough time.

Pippin stroked the long curls of his cousin's hair to calm him while he gained his control back again. Pulling Merry away from him, Pippin spoke confidently to him, "She is all right, Merry, and we will save her. No harm will come to her, I can feel it. By tomorrow or the next day, you will have Estella by your side. If Myrtle thinks she has an easy prey in Estella, she will come to find her match in that lass. Estella is a fighter, Merry and she'll not give up to quickly. We will not give up until she is found!"

Merry looked into Pippin's confident eyes and knew his cousin's words were sound, and with that resolve, Merry nodded to his cousin. "We will get her back!"

After eating a good meal and a long rest, the two were back upon their ponies racing down the dirt and stone road of the Marish. They rested when they tired, and ate when they were hungry, but kept a strong pace until night fall finally gave way. They made camp within the wet lands of the Marish and tomorrow they would find Estella.

xxx

A dull throbbing of pain slowly increased in intensity when darkness gave way to light. First a small flutter of her eye-lashes and then a small moaning that parted her dry lips. She felt slumped over like she was sitting up in a chair. Opening her eyes with a sudden blink and feeling a crushing pain, Estella winced, coming to full awakening.

She could not move her arms nor her feet, and they almost felt dead to her. With her arms pulled behind her and her feet securely tied to the base of the chair, she was helpless to move. Slowly she lifted her aching head trying to take in her surroundings.

The small room was dark, but for a single window that shown the light from the moon gave her what view she could make out. The room seemed old and abandoned as if no one had lived here in many long years. There was little to no furnishings in this small room, except the chair that she sat in. Quickly her mind tried to trace back to her last memory and recall what had happened to her.

She remembered her brother saying his good-byes to her in the Brandybuck's coach. She could hear his voice in her mind, telling her that he needed to get back to Hobbiton and give Merry his excuses and best wishes for not attending the pony race. She remembered standing by her front door, while she watched and waved until the coach pulled away from her home in Stock.

She could see herself going into her cottage, taking off her cloak and hanging it up upon a peg. Then placing her small bag upon her table, she walked over to her stone countertop to get her bucket to fill fresh water into it.

Her eyes suddenly opened widely when she remembered hearing a voice directly behind her, then a sharp pain, then blackness that over took her. She did not know why, nor who would do such a thing?

She suddenly heard a door opening and then shutting loudly in the next room. Estella strained her pointed ears trying to recognize the voice of her captor.

The only sound was shuffling of feet, a chair being pulled a short distance across the floor, and the clinking of dishes. Silence fell once again, and Estella thought soon who ever took her, would be coming to check up upon her.

She wiggled her wrists trying her best to loosen the ropes. Stretching and pulling at them, she could feel them give just a little. Working one hand and pressing her thumb to her fingers, she tried to slide her hand throw. The rope cut painfully into her wrist the more her hand thrashed about, but she kept trying. After a few minutes, her hand suddenly popped out of the rope. She worked quickly, loosing the other rope upon her wrist and then her feet.

Her breath caught in her chest, when she heard foot steps coming closer to her door. In the dark room, Estella groveled quickly upon the floor in her search for something that she could use against her captor. When the door knob turned slowly, her hand ran across a heavy metal item. It felt flat and filthy in her hand. Looking closely at it, she realized it was an old rusty candlestick that someone had discarded. Taking the candlestick, she rushed back to her chair and took the same position, but held on tightly to the candlestick.

The door opened and Estella could hear the rustle of the hem of a skirt that slowly approached her. Raising her head, she got a faint glimpse of the hobbit's face that appeared in the darkened room, and she exclaimed, "Myrtle Broadbelt!"

"So you are awake?" came the voice that matched the faint look of her.

"Let me go, Myrtle!" Estella demanded.

"Not so fast, my dear," she told her. "I think I will keep you around for awhile."

Estella sat calmly just waiting for the right time to make her break away from this mad lass. She thought to keep her busy with questions and perhaps she could learn the reason behind her plot. "Why are you doing this to me?"

Myrtle smiled a confident grin thinking she had Estella where she wanted her. "Why you are the bait to lead our dear Master Meriadoc Brandybuck to us. Then once we have his pony and you, the both of you will be sold to distant lands. You will make a wonderful servant to some rich man who would be willing to pay me my price. That wicked pony, will be cut down and chopped up!" Myrtle almost laughed seeing Estella's expression of disbelief and horror.

"You have lost your mind, Myrtle! Merry will stop you!" she exclaimed. "You will be found out and removed from the Shire forever!"

"It will not be me, my dear, but you who will be gone forever. Did you think that I would allow you to become the Mistress of Brandy Hall and wed Merry?" she paused a moment to let her comment sink in before she continued. Feeling confident, Myrtle had no fears that there was anything that Estella could do about her little plot against her. She enjoyed seeing the lass's fearful looks, so she continued while she lit the candle on the mantel. "You see, when we take Merry's pony from him, he is going to think that you have done this to him. When he hates you, I will be there for him to comfort him, so to speak."

When the candle was lit it cast light upon Myrtle, and Estella could see the clothing that she wore. To her surprise, Myrtle had on her dress and her cloak, the exact one she wore to Brandy Hall when she visited Merry.

Estella's eyebrows narrowed sharply and within that moment she lunged from her chair and grabbed her, flinging her to the floor.

Estella turned and made a dash for the open door and into the living quarters of the cottage. Seeing the front door, she bolted towards it.

Just when she reached the handle to turn it, Myrtle grabbed Estella's hair and tried to pull her down. Spinning around, Estella hit Myrtles wrist with the candlestick that she clutched into her hand. With the sudden blow and burst of pain that radiated from her wrist, she immediately let go her hold of her victim's hair. Again, Estella shoved Myrtle and saw her fall to the floor. With panic rising in her chest, she reached for the door handle when Myrtle grasped her harshly again and spun her around. With the force of her grasp upon Estella, the candlestick flew from her hands and landed across the room.

Myrtle stood her ground facing Estella and knew that this was no simple lass, but rather someone so much like herself. She had a will so strong that it would not break nor bend. When Myrtle began to move closer to her, Estella made a tight fist and pulled her arm backwards. Letting go with all of her strength, just like she had done when she was growing up in Hobbiton when Lotho Sacks-Ville Baggins tangled with her brother, she brought up her fist with an upper cut and nailed her right in the nose. Myrtle was flung backwards onto the floor and when she sat up, her nose was bleeding and dripping down her chin. Wiping her nose with the back of her sleeve, she rose to come after Estella yet again. Letting out a whooping war cry that would have sent any banshee shrieking for cover, she grabbed Estella and flung her to the floor. Both locked grasps upon the other and they rolled around and around upon the floor until they were within reach of the candlestick.

Minutes past while the screaming and caterwauling ceased and the door handle upon the door opened and a cloaked figure walked out into the darkness of the misty Marish.

xxx

The small fire crackled and spit sparks upon the mossy ground in and amongst thick trees and brush except the clearing in which a small group of rough and rumbled hobbits sat. Their poorly clothed frames gave evidence to their desperate need and willingness to take on any type of employment no matter how shady. These were the poorest of hobbits that Bree had to offer.

The elderly hobbit stood facing the small group that he had hired and wondered if they were up to the task that he demanded of them. Turning to them, he barked out his orders, "When my daugh….I mean my sister arrives, you must make sure that you address her as Miss Estella Bolger. Then as soon as you have that pony secured from the lad that had stolen it from us, you will call out to her to come to you. She will make sure that it is the right pony."

The thin lad that knelt upon the ground and the closest to his employer, held his bow in his right hand, while he examined the arrows in the quiver.

Watching the lad as he held one of the arrows, he commented to him, "Are you sure you know how to use that thing?" he asked.

"Yes, sir, Mr. Fredegar Bolger, sir" said the lad. "In fact, I'm skilled with a bow."

"Good then," he commented and turned towards the rest of the lads. "You, lads, do you have the ropes secured and hid upon the path so no one can detect it!"

"Yes, sir!" they all said at the same time.

Nodding his head to the lads, he then asked them, "Has anyone heard back from other lad that we have sent out to find the whereabouts of the one who has that white pony?"

"No, Mr. Bolger," said the first lad. "He's been a search'n fer neigh upon an hour."

"Keep watch for him and tell me the minute he is spotted!"

xxx

Quietly the two hobbits sat by their campfire while Pippin cut up the biscuits and poured the honey on to them. Handing Merry his plate, they both began to eat.

First Merry thought he heard a sound coming from the far bushes in the darkness. The two hobbits sat frozen just listening for any other sound. A tree limb snapped back and the bushes parted while a pony and a rider came into view.

A/N; Sorry for ending this story on a cliffy…..I would love to know what you are thinking about this story that I am writing. Having your reviews would be great…