Sunshine in October
Aug. 23rd, 2004 08:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
auntiemeeshI promised ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
ansothehobbit I would try a little Merry h/c this evening, and here it is.
Sunshine in October
Merry lay propped up in bed, staring glumly out his window. The sun was shining for the first time in a week, and he couldn’t go out. Mum was sympathetic but adamant.
“Your fever only broke late yesterday, Merry-dear. It’s much too soon for you to get up.” She spoke gently, soothingly, as one would to a cranky child. At fifteen he no longer considered himself a child, no matter what his parents thought, and he certainly wasn’t being cranky. He was never cranky.
“But Mum,” he whinged. “It’s been so wet and cold. What if this is the last nice day we get before winter?”
“Honestly, Merry. It’s only the middle of October.” She smiled wearily, trying to maintain patience with her lad, who had been so very ill. “There will be plenty of nice days left when you are feeling better. And even if there aren’t any more nice days before winter,” she continued, “Spring will be here before you know it. So you will have that to look forward to.”
Seeing his argument floating away down the river, he changed tactics. “You know, mum. I bet sitting in the sun for a little while would be good for me. Don’t you think so? I wouldn’t get up and play at all. I’d lay really still, honest I would.” He looked at his mother imploringly, silently begging her to meet him halfway.
Esmeralda looked out the window, considering his words. She knew how much he hated being cooped up inside but, despite the deceptive appearance of the sunshine, there was still a heavy chill in the air. “No, Merry. You need to stay in bed today. If it’s still nice tomorrow, we can think about it again.”
As she spoke, she smoothed his rumpled blankets and removed his tea tray. She noticed his book, lying on the floor, and picked it up, dusting off the cover as she set it on his bedside table. He had asked for the book earlier, but had read only a few pages before complaining of a headache and discarding it. Also sitting discarded on the table or the floor near the bed were several small wooden soldiers, a yellow and green spinning top, and his favorite marbles, all of which had all been asked for and soon discarded.
“Now why don’t you rest for a bit, while I go see Aster about making some ginger biscuits.” Ginger biscuits were Merry’s favorite, which she knew full well, and she also knew that Merry liked Aster’s biscuits best of all.
“Don’ wanna rest,” Merry mumbled petulantly, even as he slid down in his bed and closed his eyes.
“I know, Sweetling,” she murmured, watching him struggle to stay awake just a few minutes longer. It was not more than a minute before his will broke and he fell into a light slumber.
He wouldn’t sleep long, she knew, but it would give her time enough to run to the kitchen and speak with Aster, check in with Saradoc and then maybe have a few minutes to rest, herself, before he woke up and began his campaign anew. Lightly brushing his hair back from his eyes, she pressed a kiss to his forehead and left the room, leaving the door ajar so she would hear if he needed her.
ansothehobbit I would try a little Merry h/c this evening, and here it is.Sunshine in October
Merry lay propped up in bed, staring glumly out his window. The sun was shining for the first time in a week, and he couldn’t go out. Mum was sympathetic but adamant.
“Your fever only broke late yesterday, Merry-dear. It’s much too soon for you to get up.” She spoke gently, soothingly, as one would to a cranky child. At fifteen he no longer considered himself a child, no matter what his parents thought, and he certainly wasn’t being cranky. He was never cranky.
“But Mum,” he whinged. “It’s been so wet and cold. What if this is the last nice day we get before winter?”
“Honestly, Merry. It’s only the middle of October.” She smiled wearily, trying to maintain patience with her lad, who had been so very ill. “There will be plenty of nice days left when you are feeling better. And even if there aren’t any more nice days before winter,” she continued, “Spring will be here before you know it. So you will have that to look forward to.”
Seeing his argument floating away down the river, he changed tactics. “You know, mum. I bet sitting in the sun for a little while would be good for me. Don’t you think so? I wouldn’t get up and play at all. I’d lay really still, honest I would.” He looked at his mother imploringly, silently begging her to meet him halfway.
Esmeralda looked out the window, considering his words. She knew how much he hated being cooped up inside but, despite the deceptive appearance of the sunshine, there was still a heavy chill in the air. “No, Merry. You need to stay in bed today. If it’s still nice tomorrow, we can think about it again.”
As she spoke, she smoothed his rumpled blankets and removed his tea tray. She noticed his book, lying on the floor, and picked it up, dusting off the cover as she set it on his bedside table. He had asked for the book earlier, but had read only a few pages before complaining of a headache and discarding it. Also sitting discarded on the table or the floor near the bed were several small wooden soldiers, a yellow and green spinning top, and his favorite marbles, all of which had all been asked for and soon discarded.
“Now why don’t you rest for a bit, while I go see Aster about making some ginger biscuits.” Ginger biscuits were Merry’s favorite, which she knew full well, and she also knew that Merry liked Aster’s biscuits best of all.
“Don’ wanna rest,” Merry mumbled petulantly, even as he slid down in his bed and closed his eyes.
“I know, Sweetling,” she murmured, watching him struggle to stay awake just a few minutes longer. It was not more than a minute before his will broke and he fell into a light slumber.
He wouldn’t sleep long, she knew, but it would give her time enough to run to the kitchen and speak with Aster, check in with Saradoc and then maybe have a few minutes to rest, herself, before he woke up and began his campaign anew. Lightly brushing his hair back from his eyes, she pressed a kiss to his forehead and left the room, leaving the door ajar so she would hear if he needed her.
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Date: 2004-08-23 05:21 pm (UTC)*lame-o feedback of doom*
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Date: 2004-08-23 08:04 pm (UTC)Hey, at least it's feedback. :)
*sends Merry along with an armful of cuddles*
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Date: 2004-08-23 05:30 pm (UTC):)
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Date: 2004-08-23 08:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-23 07:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-23 08:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-23 07:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-23 08:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-23 09:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-24 06:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-24 01:18 am (UTC)((((((((you)))))))))
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Date: 2004-08-24 06:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-24 01:30 am (UTC)More please : - D
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Date: 2004-08-24 06:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-24 10:25 am (UTC)(And since I believe lj has been eating my comments again, here's my review for Courage once more (in a
slightlysmaller form):-P I'm really enjoying this story. Poor Merry, I hope things will be looking better for him soon.)no subject
Date: 2004-08-24 11:04 am (UTC)