Chapter 6: Unexpected Help

"If you don't get up this instant, Peregrin Took, there won't be any breakfast this morning."

Pippin groaned as someone pounded on the door. He opened his eyes to blinding sunlight and quickly shut them. "Five more minutes, Ma."

"Oh no you don't! That's what you said the past three times!" The door banged open and a short red-faced hobbit walked in. "I'm not Ma."

Pippin rolled over and looked at his sister. Yawning, he sat up and stretched. "Of course not, Pervinca, how terribly dreadful of me to mix you up. I didn't mean to insinuate you look like an old hobbit. You just sound like one."

Pervinca let out a loud huff and slapped him across the face with a pillow. "You're incorrigible. Now get up, lazy head, or I wasn't kidding when I said there won't be breakfast! Da's got this grand idea of family dining in his head, and won't let any of us start until everyone's present."

"Who are we waiting on?"

"You." Pervinca stood and opened his wardrobe, flinging the first clothes she could find out across his bed. "Get dressed, or come in your night clothes. Whatever suits you. You just better be at the table in five minutes, Pip, or I swear I'll come in with a bucket of ice water."

"Oh Pervinca, ever the charming one. And Da says I'm the troublemaker."

With a huff, Pervinca exited the room without shutting the door. Pippin took his time stretching and yawning once more before he finally got to his feet. He stooped to pick up his shirt and paused, hearing voices drift over the hall. His mother was discussing the latest trend of hats with Pimpernel. He scowled. For once, he wasn't looking forward to breakfast. Once, a day of feasting with his family would have been highly anticipated, but he was not the least bit excited to sit around the table and discuss nonsense when there was real work to be done. Those Ruffians were still out there and he should be out there looking for them. All his companions had proper jobs; Merry was leading the search, Frodo was Deputy Mayor, even Sam was out healing the land with Galadriel's seeds. And here he was stuck indoors listening to chatter about hats and dresses. It wasn't fair.

He finished buttoning his shirt with a sigh. It wasn't so much that he didn't like being home, he realized, but that he would rather be out helping Merry. He felt foolish for messing up his cousin's plan and wanted to make it up to him. If only he could think of something helpful. He wracked his brain as best he could, replaying every detail of the previous night in his mind.

He'd first seen the sneaking hobbit when he was up on the hill. No, he'd seen him in the inn. What had he been doing in the inn? Anything suspicious? Pippin couldn't remember. The lad hadn't avoided him, as he imagined a Ruffian would. Indeed, the lad had done quite the opposite. He had asked Pippin a question. What had it been? There were so many, they were all starting to blur together. Had it been about Merry? No, he recalled with confusion that it had been about one of the Ruffians, the burly red-headed man with the scraggly beard. Why would a Ruffian care about him? Maybe he was looking to settle a score with the man. Maybe he'd been tricked by him. After all, the Ruffians weren't known for their cooperation. What was it he'd asked about the man again? How he had died, that was it. No, at whose hand he had died. Pippin frowned. Why would someone care about that?

The answer slid over him like a veil of ice. His face went pale and he took a seat on the edge of his bed. There was only one reason he could think of that another Ruffian would want that kind of information: revenge. The wonky-eyed hobbit wanted to kill the hobbit responsible. And Pippin had given him all he needed to do so.

Paladin II, Thain of the Shire, and his family sat around a fine-clothed dining table waiting for the last member to join them. Even their oldest daughter, Pearl, had joined them from two hills over, where the newlywed now lived with her husband. Everyone was acutely aware of the one empty seat that rested between Eglantine and her youngest daughter, Pervinca. Though no one spoke of it, whenever the conversation lulled, the air filled with a stiff silence as their eyes darted to the space and sequentially down the hall to where the youngest member of their family dressed.

Though the table was filled with trays of sausages, eggs, mushrooms, breads, and cheeses, everyone refrained from taking more than a single slice of bread at a time, which took an incredible amount of self-control for a hobbit. Pervinca had already finished three cups of tea and was fidgeting at the edge of her seat when her mother told her to, "sit still and tall" for slouching was very unbecoming of her.

Pervinca groaned. She leaned back in her chair in a way that did nothing to improve her posture. "I don't care. There's no one here to see me that matters. I'm starving!"

"No one that matters!" Paladin cried. "Do you do think so little of us as that? Your family should be all that matters, Pervinca! Or at least, the most important matter of all."

"Why don't you say that to Pearl who has moved across Tookland?" Pervinca snapped. "Or Pimpernel who is always hanging around with that Boffin fellow. Or Pippin who has been wandering all over the wilderness?"

Paladin's face darkened and his gaze hardened. Though he was silent, a deep anger gathered behind his features and seeped into the air, which crackled with anticipation. Pervinca suddenly fell still, dropped her feet to the floor, and straightened her spine with as much grace as she could muster. She had gone too far, she realized at once, and woken a wrath that seldom struck in her father, but spent most of its time gathering energy, growing in strength.

It was at this precise moment that Pippin came running through the hall with his suspenders half fastened, jacket half on, and hair uncombed. He slid to a stop and reached over his chair to snatch an apple. "Sorry I'm late. Sorry, can't stay. I just realized something and something terrible is going to happen unless I tell Merry. I'll be back as soon as I can." He ruffled Pervinca's curls and kissed his mother on her cheek. "Promise."

"Now wait just a minute, Peregrin Took!" Paladin's voice carried such force Pippin stopped in his tracks and turned to his father in surprise. He knew the tone well, though he hadn't heard it in a very long time. Not since one of his pranks had gone terribly wrong and nearly blown the roof off. It wasn't the voice of his light-hearted father but the commanding boom of the Thain of the Shire. "You're not going anywhere, not today. Need I remind you, no matter how many titles you have or how important you think you are, it's still some years before you come of age. You're my son and you live under my roof so you follow my rules. Now sit."

Pippin stared at him. When the surprise passed, he looked to his mother and siblings for help, but all avoided his gaze. All except Eglantine, who looked at him with pity. "Take a seat, Pippin, darling. You can write a letter to Merry after breakfast. He'll see that whatever is troubling you is taken care of."

Pippin looked from his mother to his father with such shock, it was a moment before he could speak. He hadn't expected them to be necessarily pleased with his leaving, but he certainly hadn't expected this. Ever since he'd returned, they'd put restrictions on his outings, but not once had they forbidden him from one entirely. And to start at such a time! He swallowed, choosing his words carefully. "I'm sorry, Father. I haven't been the most grateful since I've come home. It seems I've forgotten what it's like to be home, to have family dinners and obligations. I've complained about the restrictions without realizing the privileges. I do wish to have a nice quiet day with all of you, but I'm afraid I can't today. There's too much at stake. Someone's life is in danger and I fear it's my fault. I can't live with myself if I don't at least try to help. I promise, when I return, I'll stay home for a week! Ground me if you like, starve me, but I have to see this through."

Paladin shook his head. The anger had passed, but his face was still grave. "Starve you? Honestly, Pippin, I don't know where you get such bizarre ideas! Very well, if this is as important as you claim it to be, you shall go."

"Thank you, Da. I promise—"

Paladin held up a hand. "No promises. Just tell me what's going on and why you feel responsible."

Pippin's eyes widened. That would take ages! The wonky-eyed hobbit and his Ruffian friends could be on their way to Farmer Cotton's this very instant. Every second counted now, every minute could mean the difference between the old Farmer's life and death. "There's no time!"

"Then you can tell me on the way." Paladin got to his feet. "I'll get my jacket. Meet me at the stables."

Pippin had little time to process, much less protest, before his father had turned down the hall and disappeared through one of the golden arches. He couldn't believe it! He was going to rescue Farmer Cotton and his father was coming with him.