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ansothehobbit a fic for stumping me on the story identifying meme a few weeks ago. She requested a fic in which either Estella or Merry's parents have to help him battle the Shadow on their own for the first time. It was supposed to be a drabbly sort of thing, but I liked the bunny so much I decided to run with it. I'm posting it in snippets, so here's the first bit. It's unbetaed and if anyone has suggestions or notices a problem, please shout it out. :)
March 2, 1423
Dear Merry,
I'm dreadfully sorry, but it looks as though I'll be staying at the Smials for the foreseeable future. As you know from the letter Mum sent last week, Da's had a bad spell and it will be at least a month before he's able to actively take over as Thain again. So here I am, and here I will remain for at least a month, and probably longer.
I wish this had come at a better time. Well, a different time, at any rate, as I don't think any time could be considered a good time for Da to be so ill. Please promise me that you will move back to Brandy Hall until I return, or at least until the anniversary passes. I know, I know, you are perfectly capable of taking care of yourself and you didn't even have a bad attack last spring, but I worry, nonetheless.
All right, I will stop mother-henning you, now. Take care and let me know where to send future letters.
With much affection,
Pippin
Merry reread the letter for the third time, undecided. It was only the fourth now, so he had a few days to think about what he wanted to do, but the Shadow usually began its annual assault a few days before March 15, the actual anniversary of his 'wounding' as he'd come to think of it, although there had been no flesh and blood injury done him that day. Finally he concluded that he would speak with his parents about it tomorrow, as he would be spending the day at Brandy Hall any way. That decided, he carefully folded the letter and put it away.
The next morning he saddled Hanna early and rode to Brandy Hall, stopping briefly at the market in Bucklebury to pick up a few items for his parents. It was a drizzly day that promised of an early spring and he paused to scrape the clinging mud off his feet before slipping in through his parents' private entrance.
"What a lazy pair you are," he greeted them cheekily, dropping a large bundle by the door and stripping off his wet cloak, "still at breakfast and not even dressed yet, with the sun high in the sky."
"I've had a look out there," Saradoc retorted. "It's anybody's guess where the sun is, and I'll have you know I was up until the wee hours of this morning calfing Petunia."
"Never mind, Dad," Merry answered, sitting down and helping himself to a second breakfast. "I know what it's like. I was up early myself and thought I'd surprise you. I stopped in at Ham's stall and picked up the tack he was holding for you." He motioned to the bundle he'd brought in with him.
"Did you check to make sure he mended the straps properly?" Saradoc scowled in the direction Merry had pointed. "He's a decent leather-worker when he isn't drunk, but that seems to happen less and less often since his wife died."
"I looked at it, but you'll want to double check it yourself. I didn't see the damaged straps myself so I may have missed something." Merry knew his father would double-check anyway. It wasn't that Saradoc didn't trust him, it was simply that he was the one who was ultimately responsible, and so he felt that he should be the one to make sure everything was as it should be. It seemed to Merry to be an eminently sensible approach.
"That's enough business for breakfast," Esme said. "You're looking troubled, Merry-mine. What's wrong?"
Merry shook his head in amusement. Trust his mother to see right through him and cut straight to the heart of things.
“Nothing’s wrong, exactly,” he answered, feeling somewhat hesitant now that he was at the point. “I received a letter from Pippin yesterday. You know Uncle Pad isn’t doing well.” He paused, aware that his mother was quite worried about her brother. “Well, Pippin is staying on at the Smials until things are better, and he figures that will be a month, at least.”
Merry pushed the food around on his plate, feeling vaguely uncomfortable. He’d told his parents about the Shadow that occasionally still disturbed his dreams, but he hadn’t belabored the issue and they had never really seen it for themselves. Now he wasn’t sure how to explain it all to them without frightening them.
“The thing is,” he finally continued, deciding to stick to basics for the moment, “I’m likely to be rather under the weather in a week or so. I told you about how Eowyn killed the Witch King, and how I stabbed him and got…sick.”
Saradoc and Esme both nodded, their full attention on him. Esme reached out and laced her fingers through Merry’s, giving him a squeeze of support. He squeezed back, grateful for her strength.
“Well, you know that I usually just hide out at Crickhollow for a few days, but usually Pippin is there to help out if I need anything. With him at the Smials right now, he’d feel better if I came home for a few weeks. It wouldn’t be permanent,” he hastened to add, “just until I’m feeling better, or Pippin gets back.” Much as he loved his parents and his extended family here in Brandy Hall, he wasn’t ready to give up Crickhollow just yet.
Esme gave Merry’s hand another squeeze. “Of course you can stay here. Your room is always ready for you and we would love to have the chance to spend a little more time with our son.”
A pang of guilt ran through Merry at his mother’s response, but he was grateful for her understanding, as well, an understanding that was echoed in his father’s eyes. Forcing a casual demeanor, he smiled as he let go of his mother’s hand.
“Thanks. I’m going to stay at the house for a few more days, but I’ll come up on Saturday, most likely.”
Pushing back from the table, Merry turned to his father. “Right, we’d better get to work if you want to go over the breeding program with me today.” Giving his mum a kiss on the cheek, he strode from the room, trying to feel confident that he’d made the right decision.
ansothehobbit a fic for stumping me on the story identifying meme a few weeks ago. She requested a fic in which either Estella or Merry's parents have to help him battle the Shadow on their own for the first time. It was supposed to be a drabbly sort of thing, but I liked the bunny so much I decided to run with it. I'm posting it in snippets, so here's the first bit. It's unbetaed and if anyone has suggestions or notices a problem, please shout it out. :)March 2, 1423
Dear Merry,
I'm dreadfully sorry, but it looks as though I'll be staying at the Smials for the foreseeable future. As you know from the letter Mum sent last week, Da's had a bad spell and it will be at least a month before he's able to actively take over as Thain again. So here I am, and here I will remain for at least a month, and probably longer.
I wish this had come at a better time. Well, a different time, at any rate, as I don't think any time could be considered a good time for Da to be so ill. Please promise me that you will move back to Brandy Hall until I return, or at least until the anniversary passes. I know, I know, you are perfectly capable of taking care of yourself and you didn't even have a bad attack last spring, but I worry, nonetheless.
All right, I will stop mother-henning you, now. Take care and let me know where to send future letters.
With much affection,
Pippin
Merry reread the letter for the third time, undecided. It was only the fourth now, so he had a few days to think about what he wanted to do, but the Shadow usually began its annual assault a few days before March 15, the actual anniversary of his 'wounding' as he'd come to think of it, although there had been no flesh and blood injury done him that day. Finally he concluded that he would speak with his parents about it tomorrow, as he would be spending the day at Brandy Hall any way. That decided, he carefully folded the letter and put it away.
The next morning he saddled Hanna early and rode to Brandy Hall, stopping briefly at the market in Bucklebury to pick up a few items for his parents. It was a drizzly day that promised of an early spring and he paused to scrape the clinging mud off his feet before slipping in through his parents' private entrance.
"What a lazy pair you are," he greeted them cheekily, dropping a large bundle by the door and stripping off his wet cloak, "still at breakfast and not even dressed yet, with the sun high in the sky."
"I've had a look out there," Saradoc retorted. "It's anybody's guess where the sun is, and I'll have you know I was up until the wee hours of this morning calfing Petunia."
"Never mind, Dad," Merry answered, sitting down and helping himself to a second breakfast. "I know what it's like. I was up early myself and thought I'd surprise you. I stopped in at Ham's stall and picked up the tack he was holding for you." He motioned to the bundle he'd brought in with him.
"Did you check to make sure he mended the straps properly?" Saradoc scowled in the direction Merry had pointed. "He's a decent leather-worker when he isn't drunk, but that seems to happen less and less often since his wife died."
"I looked at it, but you'll want to double check it yourself. I didn't see the damaged straps myself so I may have missed something." Merry knew his father would double-check anyway. It wasn't that Saradoc didn't trust him, it was simply that he was the one who was ultimately responsible, and so he felt that he should be the one to make sure everything was as it should be. It seemed to Merry to be an eminently sensible approach.
"That's enough business for breakfast," Esme said. "You're looking troubled, Merry-mine. What's wrong?"
Merry shook his head in amusement. Trust his mother to see right through him and cut straight to the heart of things.
“Nothing’s wrong, exactly,” he answered, feeling somewhat hesitant now that he was at the point. “I received a letter from Pippin yesterday. You know Uncle Pad isn’t doing well.” He paused, aware that his mother was quite worried about her brother. “Well, Pippin is staying on at the Smials until things are better, and he figures that will be a month, at least.”
Merry pushed the food around on his plate, feeling vaguely uncomfortable. He’d told his parents about the Shadow that occasionally still disturbed his dreams, but he hadn’t belabored the issue and they had never really seen it for themselves. Now he wasn’t sure how to explain it all to them without frightening them.
“The thing is,” he finally continued, deciding to stick to basics for the moment, “I’m likely to be rather under the weather in a week or so. I told you about how Eowyn killed the Witch King, and how I stabbed him and got…sick.”
Saradoc and Esme both nodded, their full attention on him. Esme reached out and laced her fingers through Merry’s, giving him a squeeze of support. He squeezed back, grateful for her strength.
“Well, you know that I usually just hide out at Crickhollow for a few days, but usually Pippin is there to help out if I need anything. With him at the Smials right now, he’d feel better if I came home for a few weeks. It wouldn’t be permanent,” he hastened to add, “just until I’m feeling better, or Pippin gets back.” Much as he loved his parents and his extended family here in Brandy Hall, he wasn’t ready to give up Crickhollow just yet.
Esme gave Merry’s hand another squeeze. “Of course you can stay here. Your room is always ready for you and we would love to have the chance to spend a little more time with our son.”
A pang of guilt ran through Merry at his mother’s response, but he was grateful for her understanding, as well, an understanding that was echoed in his father’s eyes. Forcing a casual demeanor, he smiled as he let go of his mother’s hand.
“Thanks. I’m going to stay at the house for a few more days, but I’ll come up on Saturday, most likely.”
Pushing back from the table, Merry turned to his father. “Right, we’d better get to work if you want to go over the breeding program with me today.” Giving his mum a kiss on the cheek, he strode from the room, trying to feel confident that he’d made the right decision.
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no subject
Date: 2005-10-18 08:35 pm (UTC)I really love the combination of love, concern and practicality in Pippin's letter. You can read between the lines and see he's far more worried than he's letting on. And I like that Merry is being practical about it as well. Most of the time stories in which he too has an anniversary illness, he doesn't want anyone but Pippin to know, which may assuage his pride but doesn't seem to me like the sensible hobbit Merry usually is. In this, he *is* being sensible, even if reluctantly.
I also really like your Saradoc and Esmeralda so far. I certainly look forward to more.
no subject
Date: 2005-10-19 05:29 am (UTC)I'm glad you like it so far. I've been feeling rather inspired the past week or so, and I'm hoping that continues at least until I've finished this, lol.
:D
no subject
Date: 2005-10-19 04:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-19 05:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-19 08:48 am (UTC)I love the little details you include that put the reader in the scene, such as:
Esme reached out and laced her fingers through Merry’s, giving him a squeeze of support. He squeezed back, grateful for her strength.
no subject
Date: 2005-10-20 03:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-19 09:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-20 03:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-20 07:55 am (UTC)Pippin's letter was very nice and full of between-the-lines things that Merry would know and his parents are so wonderful and loving. Thank you so very much!
no subject
Date: 2005-10-20 03:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-21 07:20 am (UTC):-)
no subject
Date: 2005-10-24 09:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-25 04:30 am (UTC)