Disclaimer: Lord of the Rings is not mine. Neither are a few weird quotes I use in this chapter, but for the sake of suspense, I cannot tell you where they come from. :) And if anyone guesses, I will be very surprised.
Chapter Twelve
They were riding. They had been riding for almost eight hours straight. All was quiet, because Pippin had finally fallen asleep.
Everyone was enjoying the silence. Suddenly, Pippin's eyes opened. "Rivers belong where they can ramble," the Hobbit said sleepily, and then dozed off again.
"Where did that come from?" Gandalf asked.
"I don't know," Faramir shrugged.
"He actually said something that made sense, and it still didn't make sense," Gandalf complained. "I thought he was getting smarter."
"Maybe it's an on-and-off thing," Faramir suggested.
"Or maybe being smart was too much for his brain to handle, and he's gone nuts," Boromir added.
Gandalf shook his head. "He was already nuts."
"What?" Pippin asked drowsily.
"Pippin, there's something wrong with you."
"Really."
"Pippin, do you remember saying, 'Rivers belong where they can ramble.'?"
"Uh . . . no. I said that?"
"Yes, less than a minute ago."
"Hmmm . . . I don't know, Gandalf. Must've had something to do with a dream."
Gandalf nodded. "Makes sense." There was a pause. "Pippin, you are getting smart! You figured out that that must have had something to do with a dream! It's working faster than I thought!"
"Cheer up, Gandalf. I wasn't smart enough to remember what the dream was about."
"Good point! Aaaaaaaaaaaah! Pippin had a good point!"
"Gandalf," Boromir interrupted.
"Not now, Boromir!"
"But Gandalf!"
"What?"
"We're in Rohan."
"So?"
"Just thought you might want to know."
"Oh. Thank you. Tell me when we get to Edoras."
"Why are we going to Edoras?" Pippin asked.
"Good question. Aaaaaaaaaaah! Pippin asked a good question!"
"King Theoden needs our help," Radagast answered for his cousin. "He's under a spell cast by Grima Wormtongue."
"But wasn't he at the council? Grima, that is."
"How should I know? Gandalf?"
"Yes, he was. But the effects of his power may still linger," Gandalf replied.
"I wish we still had those eagles around," Merry complained. "We'd get there a lot faster."
"Eagles belong where they can fly," Pippin said right before dozing off again.
Gandalf shook him awake. "Fool of a Took! You're not making any sense! First you ask really smart questions and make good observations, and then you talk nonsense!"
"Huh?"
"What's the last thing you remember?"
"Merry said he wished the eagles were here."
"And before that?"
"You said we were going to Edoras because even though Grima is still in Rivendell, or at least we're assuming he's still in Rivendell, his power over Theoden might not be broken."
Gandalf shook his head. "I don't get it."
"Me, neither. Why would we assume Grima is still in Rivendell?"
Gandalf looked at Pippin strangely. "You're quite right. We must reach Edoras before - Aaaaaaaaaaah! Pippin was right!"
"Before Grima can return," Radagast finished.
Gandalf nodded. "And so we can get to Mordor before Pippin drives us all crazy."
"Mordor?" Pippin asked. "You just said we were going to Edoras."
Ice Ember – That's what everyone's afraid of, that he won't want to get rid of his smartness when the time comes to destroy the Ring. Muahahahaha. :)
Gods-Girl2004 – Well, he's not toooo smart yet, is he? And now he's talking nonsense, too. :)
SNAITF – Yes, Blue's Clues was a lot better before Steve was replaced with . . . I think his name is Joe. :)
Thebrunetteditz – Oooh, Pippin with glasses. Scary. :)
Rhys – Please don't learn to keep your mouth shut. How would you eat? :)
Arsinole Selene – Yes, my sister and I have actually tried it with my trumpet. Doesn't work too well. :)