Chapter 2 to whet your appetites with. This story will be updated on a weekly basis.
Pippin awoke, as always, terribly hungry. The smell of eggs and bacon from the kitchen didn't help his condition. The Young Took tried to sneak his way out of bed, but was foiled by Merry who had rolled over onto him.
"Where do you think you're sneaking off too?" Merry asked. Pippin struggled vainly underneath him. This is a game they had played ever since Pippin was old enough to sleep in his own bed. Pippin would try to sneak out to get first grab at breakfast, but Merry would always wake up and stop him.
"Ugh, food. Bacon! Eggs!" Pippin cried. He tried wiggling out of his cousin's grip, but it was futile.
"Come on Pip, what's the password?" Merry teased. Pippin wiggled a little bit more before giving up.
"Meeeerrrrrryyyy!" Pippin cried. Merry laughed at his cousin, but finally let him run off to breakfast.
Pippin ran to the dining hall. If he was fast enough, he could still get to the crispy bacon. Nothing soured the young Hobbit for a day more than soggy, cold, bottom of the bowl, bacon. To his dismay, that's all that was left when he sat down to the table. He silently piled his plate with eggs, toast, and sausage. He was about to reach for the bacon platter when a plate piled high with crispy bacon was placed next to his mountain of food. He looked up to see Kendrick smiling at him. Spirits brightened, Pippin dug into his breakfast. Between bites of toast, eggs, and delicious bacon, a thought occurred to him.
"You're bribing me." Pippin accused his cousin. Kendrick shrugged as he returned to his plate. By this time Merry had decided to join the family for breakfast.
"Merry, he's bribing me." Pippin said with a mouth full of bacon. Bribe or no, the bacon was too delicious to not eat.
"Well then stop eating it," Merry laughed as he snatched the bacon from Pippin and ate it. Pippin tried hoarding the plate, but Merry just began snatching pieces of bacon from the top of the pile.
Kendrick watched his two cousins bicker over the "bribe" he offered them. Though he knew he would never be as close to them as they were to each other, he smiled nonetheless. They had experienced hardships together that bound them beyond blood. The bonds that held adventurers together were the stuff of legends. Kendrick wrote his cousins' antics down in his notebook. Their banter was gold to a writer.
"So, what's the bribe for?" Pippin asked completely unaware that there was a piece of bacon stuck to his hair. Kendrick did his best not to laugh at how silly the young Took looked.
"What, can't I give my cousin a plate of his favorite breakfast food?" Kendrick asked with a sly smile on his face.
"Nice try, I know you only offer me food when you want something," Pippin retorted. His mouth now full of eggs and toast.
"Alright, you caught me. I want to talk with old Bilbo, so I was wondering if I could accompany you two when you go to Bag End today," Kendrick confessed. Merry and Pippin looked at each other.
"Uh, yeah sure," Pippin choked out. How did he know? They discussed that trip last night at the Green Dragon. Merry was thinking the same thing.
"If you don't mind me asking, how did you know about our trip?" Merry asked.
"You two talk in your sleep. It's quite entertaining to hear, especially when you're drunk. Did you know that you two have compelling and deep conversations in your sleep when you've had a few?" Kendrick replied.
"Uhh, how do you know we talk in our sleep?" Pippin stammered. He was mad, but embarrassment was winning over his anger for his cousin.
"Pip, my room is next door to yours. You're pretty loud when you sleep talk," Kendrick retorted. Pippin nodded slowly, and went back to eating.
"What else have you heard?" Merry asked.
"Lots. All of it written in my log book." Kendrick tried holding back his laughter. He lost it though at the look of horror on his cousins' faces. His side was beginning to hurt from the force of his laughter. Merry and Pippin didn't think it funny and tackled the prospective scribe. Kendrick only laughed harder.
"I'm joking. There is no log book. I swear by the Valar," Kendrick wiped the tears from his eyes as he got his laughter under control.
Light footsteps alerted the trio to approaching company. All three of them looked up to see Pearl, Pimpernel, and Pervinca glaring at them.
"I see out dear little brother has eaten all of the bacon again." Pearl said.
"And made a huge mess." Pimpernel added. The dining room was a mess. Scrambled eggs and toast littered the table, chairs, and floor. There were eggs on the candelabra above the table. The Hobbit lads looked at each other. Pippin still had the bacon strip in his hair, which Merry took the opportunity to remove and eat.
"We move on three," Merry whispered to Pippin and Kendrick, "One, two, thr..."
"Look at this mess! Peregrin Took where do you think you're going?!" Eglantine yelled.
"Uh, we're visiting Frodo today," Pippin replied. Merry nodded in confirmation.
"Not until you three clean this mess up. Come on girls, I'll make you some fresh breakfast," Eglantine said as she escorted the Hobbit lasses to the kitchen. Pippin and Merry sighed.
"You can get off me now," Kendrick said. He was still pinned under his cousins. Merry and Pippin complied and let their cousin up. The trio quietly began cleaning up the mess they had made. The silence began to grate on Kendrick.
"You've fought orcs, trolls, wraiths, and wizards, yet both of you shake in your boots when Aunt Eglantine gets in a huff," Kendrick baited. It didn't take long for Pippin to take it.
"Shut it. You were scared too," Pippin retorted.
"But dear cousin, I'm not a brave adventurer like you," Kendrick laughed. He cut his laughter short when he realized Merry and Pippin weren't joining, "I'm sorry."
"Are you?" Merry said angrily. Kendrick had done nothing but get on his nerves this morning.
Pippin sensed the tension.
"Alright, come on. Merry, he said he was sorry, and I believe him. Let's just get this done so we can go. If we hurry we might be able to make it to Bag End by afternoon tea," Pippin's voice was stern, allowing no room for argument.
Kendrick decided to take a load of dishes to the kitchen to give his cousins space. Merry and Pippin continued with the dining hall. A half an hour had passed before they realized Kendrick had yet to return from the kitchen.
"Lazy lout," Merry mumbled as he swept the remains of breakfast onto his dustpan.
"Merry, talk to me," Pippin said as he finished cleaning the candelabra. He took a seat and offered the one next to him to Merry.
"I can't believe you're letting Kendrick the Weird come with us to Bag End," Merry blurted out. He was just short of yelling at his younger cousin.
"He'll be talking with Bilbo for the better part of the day, so he won't be bothering us. Besides, he's not that bad," Pippin replied.
"Not that bad? Pip, you heard what he just said," Merry ranted.
"I know what he said. Any one could have said that Merry. They don't understand what happened. They weren't there. They don't have the nightmares. I still see Faramir on the pyre. I hear Denathor screaming in madness as he lights that fire in my sleep. I know that you're still haunted by the Witch King. I've seen you grip your sword arm in your sleep," Pippin said.
Merry drew his young cousin into a hug. It pained him to know that Pippin had to live through seeing a father nearly kill his remaining son. He knew Pippin thought he was part of the reason for Denathor's madness. Had Boromir not died protecting them, Denathor wouldn't have gone mad with grief over his lost son. It also embarrassed him to know that Pippin knew about his nightmares of the Witch King. The pain that coursed through his hand after stabbing the Nazgul leader in the leg was the worst he ever felt. It had been a terrifying, yet happy moment. Happy because it bought Eowyn the necessary time to finish the Nazgul off. Phantom pain still haunted him from time to time.
"Now now. Because of you, Faramir lives. Boromir would be proud to have such a Hobbit look after his brother. The Nazgul are gone too. We'll be able to move on eventually. By the way, when did you get all serious and smart?" Merry tried to cheer Pippin up.
"I'm hung over," Pippin stated. The headache was gone, but his brain hadn't recovered yet.
"Ah, that explains things," Merry said as he ruffled his cousins hair. The silence the two sat comfortably in only lasted seconds before Kendrick returned.
"Ready to go? I talked Aunt Eglantine into making a picnic basket for us," Kendrick said. Merry and Pippin looked forlornly at each other. Kendrick the Weird was weird due to his ill timing as well as well timing. Often times he would appear at the wrong time. Not wrong, as in unwelcome per se, but wrong as it would often be the right time and what he had to say or provide would be what was needed at that time. Seventeen years had now passed since Kendrick came to live at the Great Smials. In all that time, his untimeliness still unnerved Pippin.
Merry strode over to Kendrick. Without being asked too, the Took gave him the basket.
"You didn't just stuff the dishes from breakfast into the basket did you?" Merry asked. The basket was quite heavy.
"It's all food. Check it if you'd like," Kendrick replied. Merry decided to take his cousin's word on it.
After checking to make sure the dining hall would meet Eglantine's approval, the trio of Hobbits set off for Bag End.
–
They reached Bagshot Row around early afternoon. Pippin imagined that they'd hit Bag End just in time for tea. They heard the pitter patter of feet running towards them from up ahead. Before long they saw Bilbo Baggins running and flailing at them.
"Lads Help! It's Frodo!" Bilbo yelled. The old Hobbit was breathless from his run. He would have collapsed from exhaustion had Merry not grabbed him.
"What's wrong with Frodo?" Pippin asked. His voice was trembling with worry.
"He's thrashing about madly. Sam is holding him down as best he can. Frodo is not well today. First it was the pain in his shoulder causing him to be bedridden, now this," Bilbo explained.
"Go help Sam and Frodo. I'll help Bilbo back to the smail," Kendrick said as he took Bilbo from Merry's arms.
Merry and Pippin ran as fast as they could up to Bag End. They heard the commotion before they even rounded the corner to the front door.
"LET GO OF ME!" Frodo screamed. The cousins quickened their pace. They barely entered Frodo's bedroom when they collided with Sam, who had been thrown at their general direction. Pippin looked up to a terrifying sight. Frodo's appearance was wild and mad. His eyes locked onto his cousin's gaze. Frodo's eyes paralyzed Pippin with fear, and yet they drew him in.
Merry was quick on his feet. He tackled Frodo to the bed. Pippin's line of sight with Frodo's eyes was now broken. Thinking quickly, he got to his feet and ran to assist Merry. Without words, they coordinated their efforts to pin Frodo down. Merry on Frodo's left, and he on his right.
"LET ME GO!" Frodo roared. He thrashed about wildly in an attempt to free himself from his captors. Merry and Pippin were having trouble holding their cousin down.
Sam felt a bruise forming from where his head met the floor. He was slightly disoriented from the blow. Realization that he had ended up where he was because Frodo threw him shocked him. The Gardener felt someone grabbing him from behind. He reflexively lashed an elbow to whomever was behind him.
"Ow, I was only trying to help," Kendrick's voice was muffled by his hand, which was holding a now bleeding nose.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," Sam apologized.
"I'm alright, but Frodo isn't," Kendrick replied. His nose was a little bloody, but it wasn't broken. He wiped what blood had dripped out with the back of his hand.
"We need to calm him down. I have some asphodel leaves. I can make something for him, but I need a few minutes," Sam said.
"Right, Hurry," Kendrick replied as Sam ran to the kitchen. Kendrick looked back at his cousins. Frodo was starting to get the best of the two. He hurried to the bedside.
"Grab his feet!" Merry cried out. Kendrick did as he was told. Kendrick held on to Frodo for dear life. He hoped Sam would finish that medicine soon.
Frodo would show his captors how "weak" he was. He managed to wiggle one leg free of Kendrick's grip, and slammed his foot hard into his cousin's face. The force of the blow sent Kendrick flying into the writing desk. His head fell hard against the old oak desk, knocking him unconscious.
Sam returned with a cloth saturated in the asphodel extract. He arrived none too soon as Merry and Pippin were starting to lose their hold on Frodo. Sam noticed Kendrick was out cold next to the writing desk. Not wasting anymore time. Sam made his way over to his friend and held the cloth to his face. Frodo fought him fiercely, but the extract did its duty. The young Baggins' eyes soon rolled to the back of his head as he lost his battle with sleep.
Merry couldn't help but lie back onto the bed. Frodo had put up a hard fight, and he was exhausted. Pippin rolled out from under Frodo's right arm. His breath was short and labored. Sam was already tending to Kendrick. Pippin saw blood dripping from his cousin's head.
"Sam, how is he?" Pippin's voice was trembling from exhaustion and fear.
"He hit his head pretty hard. The corner of the desk cut him pretty bad, but he's fine otherwise. I have some kingsfoil I can put on the cut," Sam said. Pippin breathed a sigh of relief. But what had caused Frodo to go berserk.
"What happened?" Pippin asked. He looked at Frodo, unconscious and unceremoniously sprawled out on his bed. Pippin took his cousins legs, and lifted him back onto the bed. He inadvertently pinned Merry underneath Frodo as Merry was still lying on the bed. Not bothering to complain, Merry gently wiggled out from underneath Frodo. He replaced the blankets, which had been knocked to the floor during the scuffle.
"I don't know. I noticed his old wound was hurting, so I gave him some kingsfoil tea like Strider did on Weathertop. He just slapped it out of my hand and started thrashing," Sam explained as he finished patching up Kendrick's head.
–
Frodo's vision was blurry, and his head was foggy. He didn't know if it was night time or day time. The light coming from the candle on his bed stand seemed unusually bright. When his vision cleared, he saw Bilbo sitting in a chair next to his bed. His uncle's face was wrinkled with worry.
"How long was I out?" Frodo asked. He absentmindedly rubbed his shoulder. The pain was now a dull ache.
"Do you remember anything?" Bilbo asked in return. His nephew's puzzled expression told him that he didn't.
"What happened?" Fear tinged Frodo's voice.
"Sam was giving you some medicine when you attacked him. Luckily your friends Merry, Pippin, and Kendrick arrived shortly after. It took the three of them to hold you down while Sam made you something to calm you down," Bilbo answered. Frodo's face paled. He didn't remember any of that.
"Did I hurt anyone?" Frodo asked.
"Kendrick, got a good bump on the noggin. He was out for three hours. Sam, Merry, and Pippin got you back in bed after they calmed you down. The three of them weren't hurt. Well, Sam also bumped his head, but not as bad as Kendrick," Bilbo explained. Frodo's face fell. Bilbo reached out and squeezed his nephew's hand, "Try not to dwell on it. You weren't yourself, and your friends know that. I gave Sam the day off tomorrow. Kendrick asked me to tell you that there are no hard feelings. After you went back to sleep the lads were giving Sam a good ribbing about his lady. I suggested he take his day offto spend with her. Now, would you like something to eat?"
Frodo nodded his head. He laid back as his uncle went to bring him dinner. He wasn't really hungry, but he didn't want Bilbo to worry anymore than he already was. The dull ache from his shoulder reminded him yet again about his weak willed mind and weak body.
–
It quickly made its way through the quiet moonlit streets. The little creatures were sound asleep, making this the perfect time to attack. It silently crept up to its little one's bedroom window. The little one was sleeping peacefully.
Its half ethereal form made no sound as it entered the room. The scent of asphodel lingered in the room. It noticed the remains of a small meal of bread and cheese on the night stand. The tea cup sitting next to the platter held a small amount of tea, which reeked of asphodel. This explained why its little one was sleeping so soundly.
It recoiled when the scent of kingsfoil assailed its nostrils. The offending odor was coming from a small stain near the writing desk. It did its best to ignore the foul stench. The little one was worth the discomfort. It crept onto its little one's bed. Its little one slept on undisturbed.
–
The bone chilling sound from his nephew's screams jolted the old Hobbit out of his sleep. Between Frodo's cries, Bilbo noticed the sound of phantom whispers. The blood drained from Bilbo's face. There was an intruder in the smial. Possibly a wight at that. He knew well the stories of the wights of the Barrow Downs. How they would whisper to their prey and ensnare them with gold. But, what was a wight doing in Bag End? He grabbed Galadriel's phial, a gift from Frodo after he had nearly burnt the smial out after he dropped a candle one night. He also unsheathed Sting. The old Hobbit hoped that one of the two treasures would be enough to repel the wight. He also stuffed some cotton and wax in his ears to muffle the whispers from the creature.
His old legs hobbled as fast as they could to Frodo's room. Horror filled him when he beheld the gruesome sight. It was no wight he was to face. A wight would be a walk in the park compared to the creature before him. He had only heard tales of its existence, but now one of them was draining his nephew of his blood. Such a death was slow and excruciating since the creature is said to prefer to take its time. Tightening his grip on the phial and Sting, Bilbo charged at the red wraith.
–
Its little one's screams were music to its ears. His blood tasted of bread and hops. It decided that these little creatures, these Hobbits, were its new favorite flavor. The asphodel in its little one's blood was making it feel giddy. It laughed at its little one's feeble attempts to push it off of him.
Light filled the room. It screamed in agony as the rays of light touched it, making its skin blister and burn. It used its arms to shield its face from the light, dropping its little one back onto the bed. It turned towards the source of the light. The offending light was being held by the older inhabitant of the hole. The little creature was also holding an elf blade. This creature was offensive from both hands. It smelled fear coming from the little offensive creature, but it was overshadowed by the scent of determination.
Choosing to be offended no longer, it attacked the little creature. The old thing put up a fight, and even managed to touch it with the object the light was coming from. However, he was no match for its strength. It threw the creature down the hall. The old thing hit the ground hard. The offending light fluttered out as the glass that bound it shattered, along with the old thing's life.
It felt its strength waning quickly. The light had injured it greatly. It wanted desperately to return to its little one, but it couldn't. It needed to seek complete darkness quickly, or else it would be caught out in daylight. It made its way to one of the home's pantries. The windowless closet was perfect. It haphazardly threw the food cluttering the space out into the hallway to make room for itself. Its little one wasn't going anywhere. It would finish tomorrow.
–
Frodo was too weak to move, let alone get out of bed. He felt cold, even though he was covered by blankets. He wondered where his uncle was, but was too weak to cry out for him.
The day passed by slowly. Frodo was alone. Bilbo had not come by since last night. He wondered where his uncle could be. Though he would usually be working on his book, it was unlike him not to stop in whenever Frodo was sick in bed.
As the hours passed, Frodo's mind delved further into dark thoughts. He was tired of the weakness in his limbs that left him unable to leave his bed. He was tired of the nightmares that robbed him of his sleep. Frodo didn't know if he was awake or asleep anymore.
The creature from his nightmares returned. He heard it whisper gently to him as it took him into his arms. Frodo did not fight it. He allowed it to croon into the nook of his neck. He rested his head on its shoulder. Frodo thought that the creature would smell putrid and dead, but it smelled of moss and wheat.
Frodo stifled his scream as the creature bit into his neck. He felt the life begin to drain from him as it slowly consumed his blood. His vision was blurry, and vertigo was setting in. Though the feeling of weakness was upon him ten fold, he was so tired of being weak. Frodo mustered what remained of his strength and fought back with the only weapon he had left.
–
Sam left for Bag End fifteen before ten. His bag was heavy with his gardening tools, but it did nothing to slow the spring in his step. He had spent his day off with Rosie. They had spent the day by the Bywater Pool enjoying a lovely picnic. The weather had been nice and balmy, children played merrily by the shore, other couples enjoying the perfect autumn day by the Water as well. The fresh memories from yesterday made his morning bright and cheery. Nothing could bring him down today.
The door to Bag End was locked. Sam thought nothing of it though. Bilbo and Frodo were probably out and about, and had just locked the door in case Lotho tried to visit while they were away. Though he had been largely ostracized and all but run out of Hobbiton, he still tried breaking in from time to time. The last time he tried, he had gotten himself stuck in the study window. Bilbo and Frodo had decided to spare him of charges of burglary after it was discovered that the local children had been taking turns going at Lotho's bottom with switches. Thinking of Frodo, Sam hoped that his friend was feeling better. He took the key Frodo had given him and unlocked the door.
A chill ran down Sam's back as he closed the door behind him. The air was stagnant and cold, like a barrow. Though he hadn't noticed it from the outside, the windows in the atrium were blocked out by place mats and wooden platters. Concerned, Sam began checking rooms. The pantry was a wreck. Breads, cheeses, and rotting fruits and vegetables were scattered about the kitchen floor. Sam quickened his pace to the bedrooms. Terror gripped him when he found Bilbo's body in the hallway. In his hands were Sting and the broken phial of Galadriel. The old Hobbit had suffered a broken neck. Where was Frodo?
"Sam?" a voice whispered.
Sam recognized the voice belonging to Frodo. He hastened to Frodo's room.
"Mr. Frodo?!" Sam called out.
"In here Sam." Frodo called back.
The scene was gruesome. Blood was everywhere. The floor, the ceiling, the bed, and even the writing desk were covered in it. It looked like a full grown man had exploded inside the room. Sam saw Frodo curled up on his bed with his back facing him. He too was covered in blood.
"Mr. Frodo!" Sam ran over to Frodo. He checked his friend for injuries. He sighed with relief when he found nothing obvious.
"I'm alright Sam," Frodo said as he turned to face Sam. A shiver ran down the Gardener's spine as Frodo clasped his hands with his own. Frodo's hands were cold, clammy, and sticky from the drying blood. His face was all but covered in blood. The worst of it from the nose down. Sam held back his breakfast at the sight of his dear friend.
"Frodo, what happened?" Sam asked. Frodo was looking down at their hands. His body began to sway, then it collapsed. Sam quickly grabbed Frodo before he could fall off the bed. He felt his friend embrace him for stability.
"Sam?" Frodo cried into Sam's shoulder. Sam felt Frodo tighten his embrace. He responded in kind, knowing that Frodo needed comforting.
"It's alright Mr. Frodo. Everything will be alright," Sam assured his friend.
–
There was not a dry eye as the friends and family of Bilbo Baggins paid their final respects to their dearly departed friend. Even Lobelia Sackville-Baggins managed to find a few kind words for her kin. Though Lotho was conspicuously, and gratefully absent from the funeral.
Merry, was quite frankly, tired of dealing with Lotho Sackville-Baggins. Not hours after Bilbo's body was removed from Bag End, Lotho had staked a claim on the inheritance. The Pimple argued that Frodo murdered Bilbo and was therefore legally barred from claiming Bilbo's estate. Most of Hobbiton agreed that Lotho had sunk to a new low. The undertaker had ruled Bilbo died naturally in his sleep. However, Lotho insisted that Frodo murdered him and that if he were "innocent" then he would be here to proclaim it. Pippin had to hold Merry back from punching the lout in the face the few times he had dared visiting Bag End.
No one knew where Frodo had gone, or when he had left. Sam was also missing. Though rumors were spreading, Merry guessed that the two had gone on a trip out of the Shire. Frodo may not even be aware that Bilbo had passed away.
–
Merry was finishing up some of the estate paperwork for the Baggins estate. Frodo would have to sign some things when he and Sam returned. In Frodo's absence, Merry decided it would be best to house sit Bag End. Especially with Lotho blathering about murder conspiracies like he was. Merry wouldn't put it past Pimple to try to break in a few more times. He hoped that the two would return soon. It had been a fortnight since Bilbo's funeral. Strange and frightening things had been occurring. Shortly after the funeral, livestock and other woodland creatures were found dead. Their throats mutilated, and their bodies drained of blood. Last week Hobbits began turning up dead. Rosie Cotton among them. She had been found not half a mile from the Green Dragon Inn.
"Hoy Merry," Pippin called out from the front door. Merry set his paperwork on the study desk, and went to greet his cousin.
"Pippin! Did you buy out the entire market?" Merry could barely make out his cousin underneath sacks and crates of food.
"There's more outside. I also brought the linens," Pippin replied. He began stacking the crates by the wall. "Figured we might as well get things stocked and cleaned whenever Frodo returns."
–
Merry was enjoying a smoke under the autumn sky. The sun had barely set, allowing the stars to shine in the night sky. Pippin had returned to the Great Smials little more than an hour ago, leaving Merry alone at Bag End. He was staying there until Frodo returned. However, Merry was beginning to give merit to some of the rumors floating around town. Merry would give his friends one more day to return. If they didn't, then he'd talk with Pippin about organizing a search party. Between the Tooks and the Bucklanders, there should be plenty of feet on the ground to look for the two missing Hobbits.
Merry's ears perked when he heard the laughter. It seemed to be close by, but there was no one out. Most Hobbits had begun staying indoors after dark due to the rising number of dead.
"Merry," a voice called from the distance. The voice sounded familiar, but it was too far away for Merry to recall who it belonged to.
"Merry," the voice was clearer. It was unmistakably Frodo's. Merry started in the direction of Frodo's call. He saw him at the end of Hobbiton, near Hobbiton Road leading to Bywater. Merry was puzzled by how he was able to hear Frodo when he was so far away. Frodo turned and started heading toward Bywater. Without a second thought, Merry began chasing after him.
Hours had passed since the chase began. Where was Frodo leading him? Was it even Frodo he was following? Whenever he would think it better to turn back around, he would hear his cousin call. Then the chase would continue again.
"Come one Merry, we're almost there," Frodo called again.
"Almost where?" Merry called back. He was tired. He hadn't realized how far away from Bag End he had gone. He was now on the edge of the Woody End. Merry wanted to turn back, but felt compelled to continue. Almost as if his feet had a mind of their own, and they were taking him further into the wood.
"Here," Frodo's voice whispered from behind him. Startled, Merry spun around to meet his cousin's face. His heart was beating fiercely from the fright Frodo gave him. Unsure if it was indeed his cousin, Merry tentatively placed his hand on Frodo's shoulder. Once sure that the Hobbit in front of him was not an illusion, he drew him into a hug. Giving no warning, Merry wrapped his left arm around Frodo's neck and head and bent him over. Frodo cried out when he took the knuckles of his right hand and began rubbing them into his cousin's hair.
"You dolt! Don't scare me like that. Where have you been anyway? Where's Sam?" Merry began interrogating Frodo.
"Gyah, Merry!" Frodo cried. He tried wiggling out of Merry's grip, but he didn't have the leverage. Merry had a distinct height advantage to him due to drinking the Ent draught. Both Hobbits toppled to the ground when Frodo managed to kick Merry's left foot out from under him. Unfortunately, Frodo ended up being the cushion for the taller Hobbit, "Ow, Merry get off."
"Not until you tell me where you've been for the last two weeks," Merry demanded. Though he had intended to hold his cousin down until he talked, he suddenly found himself flat on his back with Frodo holding him down. Merry was a bit stunned by the sudden turn of events.
"We've been here," Frodo replied still holding his cousin down. Merry tried getting up, but found that Frodo's hold on him was solid.
"Frodo, let me go. Frodo?" Merry noticed that Frodo wasn't paying attention to him. He was looking up towards the woods. Merry followed his glance, and saw Sam standing about twenty feet away from them. He didn't seem to be in a chatty mood, nor did he seem to be inclined to help the Bucklander. Merry struggled harder to get out from under Frodo, but his cousin's grip only tightened on his shoulders. Merry was further pinned as Frodo pressed his chest against his own. He could feel his cousin's breath on his face and neck. Merry was beginning to freak out. He was physically stronger than his cousin. How was Frodo able to hold him down so easily?
"Are you frightened?" Frodo whispered into his ear. Frightened was a bit of an understatement. Merry was utterly terrified. He felt helpless under his cousin's grip. A whimper involuntarily escaped his lips as he felt Frodo gently nibbling his ear and throat.
"Mr. Frodo, it's going to be light soon," Sam said. Merry had all but forgotten about the Gardener. Sam was now kneeling beside him and Frodo. He didn't even hear him move.
"Sam, please. Help me," Merry choked. Tears fell from his eyes when he realized his plea fell on deaf ears. Sam had grabbed his right hand, and brought it to his lips. He began nibbling and sucking at the flesh of his wrist much like Frodo was doing to his throat.
"Please, stop," Merry begged. He cried out as pain shot through his arm. He saw that Sam now had his mouth fully clamped down on his wrist. Blood oozed down his arm from the wound Sam was greedily drinking from. He was already feeling faint when pain erupted in his neck and shoulder. He didn't have the strength to cry out. Tears fell from his eyes as he realized that his friends were draining him of blood. The pain soon dispersed as a numbness came over his wrist and neck. Merry felt strong hands guide his face away from the gruesome sight of his arm. His eyes locked with Frodo's.
"You don't need to be afraid anymore. We don't need to be afraid anymore," Frodo comforted.