Chapter 14

The Right Kind of Thinking

The weight of the cold steel she held in her hands seemed heavy and awkward while she tried to raise it above her head. She struggled to keep her balance, taking a firm stance, she brought it down swiftly upon the ropes. With one hit of the sword severed the ropes in half and sent Snowclad racing to her freedom.

Allowing the sword to drop from her fingers and fall to the ground, Estella turned and raced back to her beloved. Her legs buckled from under her and she fell to the ground next to him. Seeing the arrow embedded into his chest and the blood oozing from it that dripped on both sides of him and pooling upon the ground.

Never seeing anything like this in her life, paralyzed her in fear and felt he was seconds away from his death. A scream so deep and painful broke through her, she cried out for help.

A vicious pack of dogs leaped out from the bushes, all snarling and showing their teeth. Their legs moving so fast that you could barely make them out and within seconds, they pounced on one of their victims, while another dog stalked his prey that was in hiding and flushed him out into the open.

Mr. Broadbelt howled in fear retreating from the fierce dog who had him cornered.

Two of the poor Bree hobbits scampered up a tree, while the third stood frozen at the base of it. The other hobbit laid upon the ground with one dog perched upon his chest snarling down upon him.

Snowclad turned sharply and raced back to Merry ignoring her own instinct to run away from such fierce beasts. Her love for her friend and master drove her to protect him against them. She prances around both Estella and Merry, tossing her long white mane and neighing loudly, but the dogs stayed upon their prey and never ventured away from them.

An answer to Snowclad's neighing came from within the thick brush and a short distant away was another pony calling out to her. Pippin and his black stallion jumped over the bushes and raced towards them, while Whinnie followed from behind him. Upon her back was an old Gaffer clutching her reins and pulled her to stop in front of Estella.

Pippin's eyes widened in shock and horror seeing Estella's bloody hands trying to hold back the blood in his dear cousin's chest. Pippin leaped from his pony and fell directly in front of him. Crawling just a couple steps, he reached out to Merry and cried. "No, Merry!" he sobbed.

The old Gaffer snapped at his dogs, "Wolf, Grip and Fang!" Farmer Maggot shouted, "Stay your marks!"

The dogs instantly obeyed him. Sitting down in front of their captives, they held them in waiting for their master.

Farmer Maggot almost pulled Pippin from his cousin's side while he took a look at the young master. Pulling out his knife, he split Merry's shirt and vest wide open and exposed the arrow into Merry's chest and saw the blood pouring out for it. "ain't the worst I've ever seen! He'll live by all accounts." he commented and reached just over Merry's head and cut a big chunk of a weed that grew there. Chopping, mashing and crushing, Farmer Maggot worked the weed into a ball tightly compressed and packed it around the arrow and Merry's wound. Working quickly, Farmer Maggot thrust out the arrow in one quick pull and sealed the wound with the weed.

Merry let out a big gasp of air from his lungs, while Estella's face went white and ashen. She weaved and then quickly passed out.

Staring at Merry's wound that was packed with the weed, he noticed it instantly stopped bleeding.

Pippin's eyes looked up at Farmer Maggot in amazement and noticed for the first time a quality in him that he had never seen before in all the years that he had known him. The imagines of yellow boots and of songs entered his memory and then Pippin knew what it was and commented, "I think there is more to you than anyone has ever realized."

"That my lad, no truer words ever spoken," said Farmer Maggot and lifted Merry gently into his arms and over to the whinnying pony.

Four lads climbed out from the bush dressed similar to that of Farmer Maggot. They turned to their father and listened to him. After just a brief amount of time, the lads went over to their dogs calling them off.

Pippin lowered himself upon his knees and looked at Estella's white face. Seeing her again, he remembered his carefree days growing up in the Shire before any troubles had ever touched him. Tears of emotions formed in his eyes while he gazed at her and was ever so thankful that her love for Merry was so strong. It made him smile while he gently lifted her up into his arms and carried her over to his pony.

Snowclad followed behind Pippin and Farmer Maggot while they lead them to his home in the Marish.

xxx

Estella awoke in a soft feather bed and a warm thick quilt about her. Turning her head to the side, she rose with a start seeing Merry beside her. She sat upon her knees and pulled the quilt from him. He was freshly washed and dressed in a clean nightshirt. His face had a healthy pink glow and looked to be as if nothing had ever happened to him. Estella loosened a couple of buttons and lifted the shirt to expose his chest. To her shock and amazement was a clean wound and had the looks of being healed days instead of just hours old.

Merry suddenly opened his eyes and grasped her hand roughly and painfully. Estella's eyes snapped to his face and saw his angry eyes that stared up at her. "Leave me and never come to me again!" His words were cold and harsh.

Once the shock settled from Merry's angry actions and words, Estella burst into tears sobbing and she climbed from the bed and stood before him. Her thick tears ran down her soft cheeks while she tried in vain to speak. "Merry, I never….."

Merry snapped his angry words at her so she could not finish what she was trying to say, "I will not hear your words of regret, but before you leave, tell me, did you kill her?" he snarled and then added, "Did you kill my pony?"

Seeing the hatred that Merry bared for her, she lowered her head down while her heart broke into pieces. She stood there sobbing and shook her head, no.

Behind her, first Farmer Maggot and then Pippin walked in upon hearing that Merry was awake. They noticed quickly the anger that Merry had for Estella and her weeping from it.

"B'fore ya send the lass away, Master Meriadoc, there's a few things that you should know," said Farmer Maggot. He lowered his short bulky frame into the chair. Taking out his pipe from his deep pocket of his old worn weskit, he lit it and drew in a big puff of smoke and slowly let it out, while Pippin put his arms around Estella and comforted her from crying.

Looking directly into Merry's angry eyes, he spoke ever so slowly. "My sons has gathered up the hooligans and another tied up in the ole' cottage, down a ways. By the time my dogs have shown their teeth, so to speak, they were more than willing to be tell'n all that they know. It seems to be this trouble was brought upon you from you bring'n a foreign pony into the mix of the Shire. That's warn'n in itself, lad, if know'n my words to be true," again Farmer Maggot drew in from his pipe adding another puff of smoke that filled the room. "That lass, a Miss Broadbelt and her Da, is the ones you need ta be blam'n and not this lovely lass 'ere. By their words, they meant to have her shipped to foreign parts and never ta be return'n again but hired as a servant to the race of man. Miss Broadbelt meant to weasel her way back ta your good graces and lovin' arms, as it were. But for the upper-cut of fists, your lass here possess gave her a few lumps and tied her ta a chair in think'n over her waywardness. Miss Estella by all means, saved your pony from harm and cut the ropes in free'n her."

Merry's eyes still did not soften, but his tears began to fall from each corner wanting to believe the words coming from his friend, but doubt echoed back in his mind of the last thing he heard and saw while he laid bleeding and then passed out. He then added, "I heard from my own ears those lads who tried to take my pony saying it was for Miss Estella Bolger that they were doing this for."

Farmer Maggot raised a hairy eyebrow at him and then added, "They said what they were told ta say, is what you heard. Your lass stayed by your side and stayed yer blood from spilling. She yelled out for a help'n ya and guided us to ya. Why she would have fought my dogs off if need be and more 'an likely won the fight!" he laughed at his own words and then lean in a little closer to Merry and added, "So if'n I was you, lad, I would trust in the love 'at ya bear in yer heart so it may never be pierced or rendered."

Merry closed his eyes tightly after Farmer Maggot spoke to him and his tears drifted slowly down his cheek. This was the second time that he had made her cry and it tore at him. How could he not trust the love he had with her and believe her beyond what anyone else could say or do? How could he possibly ask her to forgive him yet again? He did not deserve her forgiveness nor her love that had never faltered in him. He vowed that never again would he ever doubt her, if only she could forgive him one more time. He opened his eyes once again and looked upon her and saw in her eyes the forgiveness standing ready and waiting just for him if only he would ask her. Merry opened his mouth, but his words would not come out no matter how he forced himself. Fear and guilt put a dagger at his throat and hindered his voice. All Merry could do was to lift his arms up to her and pray that she would only come to him.

Estella ran from Pippin crying tears of sudden joy and into Merry's arms that held her tenderly to mixing her tears with his while their lips kissed holding on to each other.

Farmer Maggot let out a roaring laugh and stood from his chair and tried to guide the Took from the room, but Pippin stopped him and asked, "So what happened to the Broadbelts?"

"My sons and my dogs have taken 'em to the gates of the old Forest for 'em to find their way to the right kind o' think'n. The forest will decide their fate," added Farmer Maggot.

Pippin looked back at Merry who in turned gave his cousin a knowing glance that remembered their time in that Forest with Frodo and Sam. Merry turned back to Estella and wiped the tears from her eyes and kissed her again.

Farmer Maggot let out a small chuckle and walked Pippin from the room and shut the door behind him.

"Come my friendly Took, I have a bushel o' mushroom with your name upon 'em!" added Farmer Maggot and patted Pippin soundly upon his back.

xxx

It was late in the afternoon when Estella called for Pippin to speak with Merry.

When Pippin joined Merry at his bedside, Merry spoke to him, saying, "That pony race has not ended, Pip. Those Shire ponies should be coming close by Stock. If you take Snowclad for me and race her back to Buckland, we can still win this race."

Pippin suddenly stood and the fear jumped in his heart, "But Merry, Snowclad hate me!" he insisted.

"I thought of that, Pippin," said Merry. "Take my clothes and put them on and cover yourself, head and all with my cloak. The scent from my clothes will convince Snowclad that you are me and she'll let you upon her back. Say not a word to her nor any sound while you are riding her. Take her to the Bridge of the Brandywine and cross there. Turn her towards Buckland and let her have full reins. Then it will be up to her if she wins or not."

Merry could see the fear in his cousin's face while he stood in front of him thinking about it. Merry chuckled and then offered, "Estella could help you gentle Snowclad until you are upon her back."

Merry became serious and then added, "It's important to me, Pippin and to Snowclad. She is the most magnificent pony that I have ever seen and she deserves to win this race. Besides, Pippin, you know as well as any, how many Bucklanders and Tooks have betted upon this race. If Snowclad loses to the Shire bred ponies, we may never hear the end of it. I've got too much pride to allow that to happen, you have to do this for me!"

Pippin's worrisome brow raised and he slowly nodded his head to his cousin while visions of him being bucked off and flying through the air came to his mind. "Okay, I'll do it," he said weakly.

"You'll do fine, Pip. Just remember to keep your mouth shut and let Snowclad led your way to Brandy Hall."

Pippin looked upon the chair and saw Merry's clothes piled upon them. Gathering them up into his arms, he walked out of his cousin's room to find a place for him to dress.

One of the Maggots daughters showed Pippin into her bedroom so he could change his clothing. When the door closed behind her, Pippin lifted up Merry's shirt and saw the blood stains and the long rent from Farmer Maggot's knife when he cut it open. Gently placing it onto the table, Pippin knew in his heart that he would do anything for his cousin, even ride his fierce pony if need be. Pippin rushed to get undressed and then put Merry's clothes on, except his cousin's shirt. He folded it gentle and placed it upon the table in front of him. Taking Merry's long cloak, he tied it tightly and pulled up the hood over his head.

When Pippin walked outside, he saw Estella and Snowclad waiting for him. Just like Merry told him he walked up to the pony without saying a word and tried to place his foot into the stir-up upon the saddle.

Snowclad snorted and shook her head sending her white mane snapping in the air. Pippin could feel the pony preparing to buck. He quickly pulled himself upon her back and sat there waiting with his eyes closed without saying a word.

The sons of Farmer Maggot came around the corner of their barn and stood to watch…..

A/N:

Thank you greenDayzIdiot for your kind words…I had so much fun writing this story that I found it really hard to put it down. I love added suspense in my stories and perhaps a few surprises if I can get away with them. Sorry about the cliffy in my some of my chapters, but you don't have to wait too long to find out what is going to happen next because I tend to write quickly when I have a story in my head and post it when I have it finished. Thank you so much for your reviews….You are awesome!

Time and Fate; Just for you, I will try to write a long chapter. (smile…)

Thank you also for your review….

Diamond; I am so glad that you are enjoying this story….(hands you a big chocolate chip cookie)…smiling…

As you can tell by this chapter that Merry is healed more ways than just his wound and Estella freed Snowclad and the Maggots came to save the day….But now for Pippin, will he be able to ride Snowclad to victory at Brandy Hall?

Poor Pippin…..