Chapter 6- Feet
Hey guys! I deleted the Message chapter because it interrupts the flow of the story if you read it all the way through. Thanks to Spottedmask12 and Varietyduck for reviewing!
Pippin poked Merry, who rolled over without opening his eyes. "What do you want now, Pippin?" Pippin had been waking Merry up all night and asking him questions. Merry really regretted his decision to let Pippin share his bedroll., Neither of them were getting any sleep.
"So, what do you think of Alize?" Pippin asked deviously.
Merry rubbed his eyes and responded sleepily, "Well, she's beautiful-" Pippin wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at Merry, making him blush. "-But I don't think of her in that way- I mean, she's too tall and-"
"SHUT UP!"Boromir roared from his watching position near the fire.
"You were rambling a bit," Pippin offered helpfully. Merry lowered himself fully into the bedroll to block out Pippin, but he wriggled down too. "You're in love," Pippin teased.
"I am not!" Merry protested, causing Boromir to stride over and tie the top of their bedroll shut with some rope from his pack.
Pippin paid absolutely no attention to this and continued the conversation. "Well, you look at her like you are."
"Everyone does!" Merry exclaimed. "It's kind of hard not to when she's wearing that thing." He turned scarlet.
"What thing?" Pippin asked innocently. "You mean the blanket dress?"
"No, the thing she was wearing when she first came here."
"Oh... That." Pippin felt his cheeks grow hot. He was glad that it was dark.
Merry pushed at the fabric surrounding them. "I can barely breathe." "At least it's warm in here," Pippin said, snuggling closer to Merry. Merry smiled and gave Pippin an awkward hug back. He loved his cousin. Pippin asked Merry, "Do you want to know a secret?"
"Sure," Merry replied, half asleep again.
"Then help me get us out."
Merry woke abruptly. "How?"
"Stick your arms through the hole in the top and untie the knot," Pippin said simply. Merry was an expert at knots. After all, he had lived near the Brandywine all his life, and he was no stranger to boats.
"The hole is too small," Merry said. "And I want to sleep. Goodnight, Pippin." Pippin immediately started widening the hole with his hands. When it was big enough, he grabbed Merry's arms and shoved them out.
"Please?" Pippin begged. "I really need to show you something." Merry grumbled but soon had the knot untied. As soon as both hobbits had emerged from the bedroll, Pippin scampered over to Alize, who was sleeping on top of the bedroll, using her dress blankets as a cover.
"What am I supposed to be seeing?" Merry asked blankly.
Pippin whispered, "Look at her feet." Merry pulled the bottom blanket up a little and immediately recoiled. Her feet had bruises, puncture marks from sharp rocks, open cuts (with small rocks embedded in a few), scabs, dried blood, and her skin was starting to look a bit green.
Merry turned a shocked face towards Pippin. "How did you know about this?"
Pippin shrugged. "I notice lots of things. I saw this at dinner tonight. I was next to her and she kind of crossed her leg so I could see the bottom of her foot. Then she moved her leg again. I think she's been hiding it."
Merry moved Alize's blanket back. "Should we tell someone?" he asked worriedly.
"I don't know," Pippin said, looking thoughtfully into the distance.
"Aragorn!" Merry said loudly after a long pause. "Because he will probably know what to do. And he has those healing herbs."
"Good idea," Pippin yawned. Merry ushered Pippin back to bed, where he slept soundly, but after seeing her feet, Merry lay awake all night.
Please review! Oh, and Haldir won the poll. :)
