Taking a deep breath as he looked down at Stella and Diamond he said, "I am going to ride with Merry to Meduseld. Hopefully help will be found there. I have to ask ye to stay back. I don't know what happened to the Wraiths. If they come after us, I don't want ye getting hurt!"
"B-but," Stella began. She looked desperately up at Pippin. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She was loosing her husband and there was nothing she could do.
"I know, Stella. This is not the time to comfort your husband. I know how much ye love him, but you need to stay out of harm's way," Pippin explained in a soft and hurried voice, "Merry made me promise to protect you, even at the cost of his life."
Stella gasped. Her tears streamed down her face even more than before. She held her hand to her mouth and shut her eyes tightly. Oh, Merry... Why? Why did ye make him promise that, Estella thought.
Peregrin took Diamond in his arms one last time. Gently he kissed her. "Di, if I don't come back, take care of Faramir for me. Take care of yourself. I love you with all my heart," he whispered.
Diamond sobbed into her husband's strong shoulders. Her body heaved with each gasp of air. She let out a small, mouse-like sound as Pippin took her hands and pulled her away. A very grave look was set upon his face.
"Diamond... I, I have to go, Merry needs me. We need to get to Rohan. I need you and Stella to stay together. Be strong, please. I swore that I would put your life before mine, and so I shall. Farewell, Diamond," Pippin spoke with gentleness. He turned away with tears streaming down his face. I don't want to say goodbye, it's too much, too much for me to handle. I have to save Merry, but our wives must also be safe, Pippin thought as he strode away from Stella and his wife. He hopped up onto Bram behind Merry, and charged off towards Meduseld. Onward he urged Bramblehoof, pushing his pony further and further. They were nearly to the gates, when Merry shrieked again and he began to convulse.
"Merry," Pippin screamed out in fear as the rain fell harder. The scream was drowned out by a crash of thunder. This was the worst thing Pippin could think of to happen to his friend in this condition. When Pippin got to the gates, he discovered them were closed. Pippin hastily hopped down and pushed on the gates with all his might. He slipped in the mud as he did so, but they did not budge – they were too heavy for one hobbit to move. Merry needed him though. He pushed again. The doors slowly cracked open slightly. It was just wide enough to let them enter.
Taking Merry down from Bramblehoof, Pippin struggled to get to the door. He groaned under the pressure, but continued on into the night, carrying Merry to the Golden Hall. Pippin slipped and slid as he climbed up the hill, but finally, he came to the door. Guards stood on each side of the doorway and at first they would not let him pass. However, one of the guards recognized the hobbit on Pippin's shoulders and let Pippin pass. "What happened," Éod asked, but Pippin did not hear him.
Merry groaned softly. He whispered one word, "Aragorn". It as if he was aware of what was going on around his.
Pippin's eyes widen with excitement and hope. "Is Aragorn by any chance here? He can heal him," Peregrin said. The king of Gondor was the only chance to save Merry.
The guards looked at each other, and then at the hobbits. Finally one said, "He is." The man nodded them through.
Dimly, Merry heard commotion around him. He could only pick out a few of his words, but those terrified the maimed hobbit. It brought dread into his heart. Am I going to die? I have never heard that much fear in Pip's voice, Merry thought. Life's faltered and the wraiths came closer to him. They even grabbed a hold of his legs and arms, but the grasp was weak. They were fought off by memories of the past.
Merry was a tween, he was muddy and disheveled, but did not care – he was with his cousin and they were have a very good time. "Come on Mer!" Pippin called to his cousin.
"Just a moment," Merry called down from an apple tree. He picked a few apples and stuffed them in his pocket. He heard a cry and quickly Merry dropped from the tree and ran as fast as his short legs would allow. Pippin was sitting on the ground, holding his knee and crying. Merry bent down beside his cousin. "Let me look," he said gently.
The younger lad nodded and slowly let go of his knee. Merry peered at it with a goofy look on his face. He then ruffled his cousins' hair. "Tis just fine, Pippin dear – it is just skinned." He said, helping him up and hugging him.
One of the guards led Pippin, carrying Merry, through the halls. The tall and burly man stopped at the end of the hall. In front of them was a massive oak door. He grabbed hold of the large door handle and pulled the doors open.
The wraiths pulled at Merry just as the soldier pulled the doors open. Wraiths… I am turning into one, aren't I Pip, Merry thought to himself. In the twilight world he stood slowly and he started to wander around the twilight world. He wanted out. However, he could not find the way. It was near pitch black in this world. It was also smoky. He could see nothing but the foul creatures. He squinted and could all most see through smoke and blackness, the real world. What he saw was confusing. He was not sure who or what they were. Should I know those forms? I think so, but I can't place them, Merry thought painfully. It worried him that he did not know who the beings were. The hobbit did not know how to relieve the terror he felt.
Merry was older – many years older – he was with Pippin again, but in a different place. Merry was in bed and Pippin sat beside him, holding his hand. His whole body ached and Merry was so hot, yet he felt so cold. A sudden coughing fit took over him and his whole body shook with them. Pippin was up in a second, holding him tightly until the fit was over. Then, carefully, Pippin laid him back down and brushed a strand of sweaty locks away from his forehead. "You are so sick, Merry." Pippin whispered in a quavering voice, "I don' know what to do."
Merry coughed. It shook his whole body. A strong, protective arm wrapped around him so that he would not fall. Who is it? Who holds me, Merry thought. He knew it was the same person as before, but still he could not figure out who it could be. In the back of his mind he knew he should know and it worried him even more so, more then the wraiths did. His mind went back again to the past.
Merry was much older, they were trekking with Sam and Frodo and a man – Strider he was called. They had stopped and were camping. Suddenly, there were the wraiths. They attacked Frodo.
Then Merry was in Rivendell. Frodo had been healed and was in council. Merry was hiding behind a pillar and listening.
Next, he was in the misty mountains. He was trying to fight orcs. They were running – all nine (counting him) – and then they stopped when they reached a bridge. They ran across – Gandalf last. He was fighting the barlog, and he went down with it. "NO!" Merry cried hoarsely as they ran. When they reached outside, Merry comforted Pippin.
He was now in Lothlorien, and then he was running with Pip. Boromir was killed. They were taken and escaped. He was with Eowyn. Merry was in front of the Witch King – he struck it and pain radiated through his body, none he had ever felt the likes of – then he saw Pippin and then he was at the shore saying good-bye.
Merry wet cold and wet hit him. His wound hurt more then he had ever felt in his life. He yelled out in pain in a voice unlike his own and his body tensed. The rain belted him and the wraiths grabbed him. They pulled him down, but he got up and ran.
Merry was getting dressed in his finest. Pippin came in, dressed in his finest as well. He straightened his tie. "Ready?" Pip asked him and Merry nodded
"Yes." Merry said as Pippin hugged him tightly.
They were then outside. Merry stood by Stella and smiling grandly and then they were at a party and then off for their honeymoon and he was so happy – happier then he had been in a long time.
Merry screamed as Pippin picked him up – it hurt to move or to be moved. A clammy sweat broke out on his forehead and the last of the warmth in him, the little he had, left him. His eyes open suddenly and the whites show. There was fear in them and there was a look of looking at something not in this world. They closed as suddenly as they opened and his breath came out in short, spastic gasps that shook his weak body and hissed in his lungs.
As the memories faded, so did the light that was inside him was growing fainter. The wraiths were closing in on him.
The guard left Pippin and Merry and went into the Golden Hall. He bowed to Aragorn and Eomer. "Aragorn King, you are needed urgently. Two halflings are here. One is grievously wounded." He said glancing at Eomer and then back at Aragorn, "Tis Sir Meriadoc of the Shire."
