Erm, I seem to have made you wait three months. On a cliffy. Sorry about that…
Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings
Pimpernel sighed, as she scanned the dreary, grey field. From her position on the lookout tower, she could see that the Ruffians were camped in the same spot, as always, ever-alert. Hobbits were perched in the walls, with crossbows drawn, as always, ever-alert. And so the uncomfortable stalemate continued. She wasn't sure how much longer they could hold out. Their supplies were already beginning to drain out.
She picked up a stone, and threw it on the ground, angrily. It was the uncertainty that frustrated her most of all. They had no way of knowing what was happening outside Tuckborough. Much hope rested upon Pervinca, but really, they didn't even know if she was alive. Pimpernel longed for something to happen, just something, anything, to end this constant uncertainty.
"Argh!" she cried out into thin air, kicking the dust up in front of her, and letting loose an arrow from her crossbow.
"Miss Pimpernel?" She spun round to see a young hobbit, still in his early tweens. "I think you should see this," he said. Pimpernel blinked. The boy had steel in his voice, steel that can only be heard when great courage is met with a situation that requires it. She nodded, and began to follow him to the other side of the tower. "Look through here," he said urgently, beckoning towards a small crack in the wall.
Pimpernel gasped, unable to believe her eyes. She blinked quickly, desperately hoping she was dreaming. Five hobbits lay dead on the ground, and some forty Ruffians were charging towards Great Smials. "No," she found herself whispering. "No. No."
Eventually she managed to get a grip on the cold feeling of dread creeping up her spine, and came to a decision. She turned to the tweenager. "What's your name, lad?"
The lad paused for a second. "Tomlin, Miss," he replied.
Pimpernel smiled at him. "Tomlin," she said, "go to my sister. Tell her to sound the warning bells. And tell her to prepare to fight. I'll hold them off." Tomlin opened his mouth to object, then closed it, and ran off.
Pimpernel turned to the dozen other hobbits who had gathered behind her. "Who's with me?" she asked them.
And so thirteen hobbits charged towards the forty Ruffians, intending to buy as much time for Tuckborough as they could. Pimpernel Took stood at their head, prepared to fight her final battle.
Frodo glanced around warily as the dust flew back into his eyes. Sighing, he watched Pippin leave again. Pippin was accompanied the six hobbits who had initially set out with him, Diamond and her hobbits, Pervinca, Everard and Negrinard. This time, Merry had also gone with them. Frodo hadn't blamed him, but he wished Merry had stayed. Pippin would be fine, he knew, and Merry was far more needed here then he was in Tuckborough. "Come, Mister Frodo," said Sam from behind him. "They'll be fine. We've got to keep the Ruffians at bay until they get back."
Frodo nodded, turning to face his old friend. "Yes," he replied. "There's no point moping around when there's work to be done."
They were all exhausted when they set up camp for the night. Pippin pulled himself down from his horse. They had gone so far that they were now just a few hours ride from Tookland. It pained Pippin to stop, now that they were so close. After all, nearly everyone was willing to keep going. But Merry insisted on stopping. "We won't be much use to Tookland if we're all falling off our horses," he had said.
Merry had been right, Pippin realized, as he watch Drinlo stagger down from his pony, and collapse onto the bed roll that Rollin had laid out for him. Pippin met Rollin's eyes. "How is he?" he asked.
Rollin sighed. "I think he's still recovering from his head wound. He still feels dizzy quite often. Not that he's told me, but I can tell."
"He shouldn't have come," replied Pippin, almost to himself.
"Aye, but he's as stubborn as you, Pippin," laughed Rollin. "I tried to convince him to stay in Hobbiton, but I had about as much chance as a goldfish out of water."
Pippin laughed. "Well, get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be a long day."
Rollin sank down into his bedroll, and in seconds he was out like a light, like his brother. Pippin rolled onto his back, desperately trying to follow his own advice and go to sleep, but he found himself unable to. Eventually, he got up out of his bedroll, figuring that if he was going to be awake, whoever was on watch might as well be asleep.
To his surprise, Diamond of Long Cleeve sat in the guard's position. She turned to him, and smiled. "I couldn't sleep," she said.
"Nor can I," Pippin replied, sitting down beside her. For a few minutes, they sat together in silence. "When this is over," Pippin asked, "what are you going to do?"
Diamond shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe I'll just go back to helping my father on the farm. But…"
"But?" Pippin prompted.
"I don't know," replied Diamond. "I don't think I will. I've – changed." She looked up at him. She did like Pippin, with his carefree manner, his kind, gentle heart. "What about you?"
"I don't think I have much choice in it really," sighed Pippin. "I'll go back to Tuckborough, help my father. Merry and I were thinking of living in Crickhollow together, for a while. And after that…"
"After that?" Diamond prompted.
"After that, I'll go back to Great Smials, and when my father dies I'll become Thain," Pippin finished.
Diamond nodded. The two sat together for another hour, until the next watchman came to relieve them.
"Miss Pearl!" Pearl Took spun round to see a young tweenager sprinting up to her as if he was being chased by a pack of cheetahs. She stepped towards him, gripping his shoulders. Beads of the lad's sweat poured onto her hands as she steadied him. "Miss Took," he gasped, a look of urgency in his eyes.
"What is it?" Pearl asked gently.
"The Ruffians," the boy gasped. "They've made it through. They're headed for the Smials. Miss Pimpernel…"
A cold had gripped Pearl's heart when she heard her sister's name. "What did she do?" she found herself whispering.
"She attacked them, with some other hobbits," the boy replied hoarsely. "She said she'd hold them off."
Pearl nodded, speechless. So now Pimpernel was gone too. First it had been Pippin, and then Pervinca had gone off on her ridiculous quest. Pearl hoped they were safe, but she doubted it. And now Pimpernel…
Tears came streaming down Pearl's face. So it had all been in vain. They had held out for so long, but for what? Pimpernel's sacrifice would give them another few hours, but what difference did it make? Tookland was falling.
"The battle isn't lost yet, cousin," came a friendly whisper from behind her. She turned round, to see Reginard. She remembered that his brother, Everard, had accompanied Pervinca on her ridiculous quest. He was right, she realized. And if Tuckborough was going to go down, they might as well go down fighting.
"You're right," she said, swallowing back her tears. "Pimpernel bought us a few hours; we might as well use them. And this lad almost killed himself bringing us the news." She turned to smile at the tweenager. "Go and rest," she told him. He nodded, and left.
"Sound the warning bells!" Pearl cried. The deafening chimes of the wind against steel answered her. She met Reginard's eye. "We'll keep fighting," she whispered, "until the very end."
"Until the very end," Reginard replied.
When the Ruffians arrived, they were met with such resistance that it was hours before they gained the upper hand. But gain the upper hand they did, and it wasn't long afterwards that the residents of Tuckborough were trapped inside the Great Smials.
Pearl sighed. It wasn't like they had ever really had a chance. But they would keep fighting, she knew. Until the very end. She went to stand by her father's side. Paladin smiled at his daughter as she approached. Her mother, Eglantine, stood on Paladin's other side. Together, they sauntered forward.
The lead Ruffian stepped towards them, and Paladin met his gaze defiantly. The Ruffian let out a long, cruel laugh. "Behold!" he cried, "The last of the Thain's family!" The Ruffians laughed and jeered. "I seem to picking this family off bottom to top," the lead Ruffian continued. "I did away with your foolish son almost a year ago, and last week I had the honour of being the last person your third daughter ever saw."
Every bone in Pearl's body seethed with anger and sadness when the Ruffian mentioned Pippin and Pervinca, but she bit back her tears. Until the very end, she thought.
"Well," the lead Ruffian added, "I suppose this one's next." He beckoned to the men behind him. Pimpernel Took was thrust forward, sending her sprawling on the ground. There was a nasty gash on the side of her face, and a look of defiance in her eye. Pearl cried out and dived towards her sister, but several Ruffians held her back. Until the very end, Pimpernel mouthed. Pearl lifted her chin in reply, her eyes flashing.
"Don't worry," the Ruffian snarled. "You'll all get your turn."
Pearl cried out as Pimpernel was forced into a kneeling position. The leader indicated to the men behind him, and another Ruffian stepped forward, his sword held high above his head. Pimpernel met her father's eyes, and Paladin saw there was not a shred of regret in them.
The Ruffian raised his sword, Pearl covered her eyes. And then, thud! An arrow appeared in the Ruffian's chest. He fell over, dead. Suddenly, the rocks above many of the Ruffians' heads fell down upon them. Over a hundred Shire folk sprang out from the corners, all armed and able-bodied.
Captain Peregrin came forward to face the Lead Ruffian, Pervinca on his right, Merry on his left. Pippin threw off his cloak, revealing flashing blue armour worn only by the knights of Gondor. "I am a friend of King Elessar," he told the Ruffian, "and a Knight of Gondor. The Shire is rising. You have lost."
The Son of the Thain had returned.