Beginnings & Endings
by pippinmerry
Chapter Two: Oh Brother!
“Mother! Can you make Pippin go outside and play?” exclaimed Pearl.
Pippin had been terrorizing her and Pervinca for the last hour.
Eglantine entered the kitchen. “Pippin, darling, what are you doing to cause your sisters such distress?”
The little seven year old looked up at his mother. His face was covered
in jam as the boy had obviously been sampling that night’s dessert. “I
just wanted to help.”
“Mother, he’s taken at least four pastries. We’re not making these for
HIM to eat now,” said Pervinca. Pippin looked down at feet.
“Pippin-love, why don’t you go outside? Merry will be here soon.”
At the sound of his favorite cousin’s name, Pippin perked up. “Merry’s coming?”
“Yes, darling, he is, but I won’t let you play with him today if you don’t leave your sisters alone.”
“Alright, Mother. I’m sorry, Pearl, Vinca.”
Both girls just glared at their younger brother before turning back to their work.
Eglantine sighed. “Go one outside now. I think Nel is out there with your father.”
Pippin nodded and went outside in search of his favorite sister.
He may only be seven but he knew that Pearl and Pervinca didn’t like
him very much. He had thought sisters were supposed to love their
brothers but their behavior towards was nothing short of hostile. This
was why he loved Nel so much. She was always there to protect him and
stand up for him. She was one of the kindest hobbits he knew and loved
her dearly.
“Nelly!” he called. “Nelly, where are you?”
Nel looked up from her spot near the fields. “Pippin, come over and help us.”
Pippin sprinted over. Next to Nel was his father. “Nelly, there are you. Hello, Father.”
“Hello, son. Come to help us?” Paladin looked up from his work. It was
hard work keeping the bugs out of the crops but someone had to it and
Paladin enjoyed doing it, despite the fact that he had many hands who
could’ve done the work for him.
“Mother sent me outside because I was bothering Pearl and Vinca.”
Paladin chuckled. “You always seem to be ‘bothering’ them. Though
sometimes I wonder if they aren’t making it up.” He loved all of his
children dearly but couldn’t help but feel slightly put off by his two
daughters’ behavior towards his son.
Pippin smiled. “She also said Merry was coming. Are Uncle Saradoc and Aunt Essy coming too?”
“Yes, now are you going to help or stand their and bother us?” said Nelly, smiling at her brother.
“I’ll help! What can I do?”
Pippin was soon crawling through the fields with his sister and father looking for any insects that might harm the crops.
Hours later, the three emerged covered in dirt but quite happy at the progress they had made.
“Look at the two of you. Your mother’s going to kill me.”
“Look at yourself, Father. We’ve got guests coming and you look like you swam in a bucket of dirt,” said Nel.
Pippin was exhausted and wasn’t listening completely to the
conversation. He was looking up the lane and noticed a wagon
approaching them. He looked more closely and soon he recognized his
uncle and aunt. Tugging at his father’s sleeve, Pippin exclaimed,
“Father, look! Uncle Saradoc and Aunt Essy are almost here! Merry will
with him!”
Paladin looked up the lane as well. “Yes, they are aren’t they?”
The wagon stopped at the front door of the Took’s hobbit hole. Three figures got out. Two were taller then the third.
Pippin broke into a run, forgetting his exhaustion. “MERRY!” He ran and
launched himself into the arms of his fifteen year old cousin. “I’m
glad you’ve come! I’ve missed you!”
Merry laughed as he held tightly to his dear cousin. “You just saw me a week ago at your birthday.”
“I know but that I still missed you.”
Merry put Pippin down. “Pippn, why are you so dirty?”
“I was helping father in the fields!” he said with a great tone of pride.
Paladin finally had caught up and was standing next to his son. “And a
great help he was.” He ruffled his son’s hair. “Hello, Merry. How are
you lad?”
“I’m fine, Uncle.”
Paladin went over to speak with Saradoc and Esmeralda while Pippin, Merry, and Nel went inside.
“Peregrin! Pimpernel! What in the name of Middle Earth have you two
been up to?” Eglantine entered the main hallway and noticed her two
dirty children who looked twice as dirty next to their clean cousin.
“We were helping Father in the fields, Mother.”
“Well, into the bath with both of you. Nel, be sure to help your brother.”
“Mother, I can bathe myself!” Pippin always tried to look grow up
around Merry. He didn’t want to look like a baby in front of his cousin.
Tine smiled. “I’m sure you can but I just want Nel to make sure you get every bit off you, alright?”
Pippin sighed and followed his sister towards the bath, his head hung low.
Tine shook her head before turning to her nephew. “Hello, Merry-love!
How are you this fine afternoon?” She pulled him into a hug.
“I’m good, Aunt Tine. Why doesn’t Pippin want help in the bath? He’s still just a small hobbit.”
He followed his aunt into the family room.
“I think that’s exactly it, Merry. He wants to be such a big hobbit around you that he forgets he’s still small.”
“Oh, well, I’m sure he’ll feel better tomorrow when we go to see Frodo. You didn’t tell him he was going did you?”
“And ruin the surprise? No.”
Merry grinned at his aunt. Pippin adored Frodo almost as much as Merry
but he rarely got to see him. Frodo had also missed Pippin’s seventh
birthday, much to the disappointment of the younger hobbit. As a
result, the Took family had agreed to let Pippin go to Bag End with
Merry a few days before the rest of them did.
“Does Frodo know Pippin’s coming early?”
“Yes, he knows. He misses Pippin and is deeply upset he missed his
birthday but he’s glad Pippin can make it to his. He has a special
present for him.”
Three hobbits came into the room. Two were very clean and one was very dirty.
“Paladin Took! You’re almost as bad as your children. Off to the bath
with you!” Tine shooed her husband towards the bath as Saradoc and
Esmeralda laughed.
“Merry, you weren’t bothering your Aunt were you?” asked Esmeralda.
“Oh, Merry is never a bother, Essy. Don’t worry about him.”
“You don’t know the real Merry, I’m afraid.”
Merry looked up, innocently at his parents. “I’M afraid I have no idea what you are talking about?”
At that moment a small figure, hair still wet from a bath, flew into the room and into Merry’s lap. “Hullo, Merry.”
“Pippin! Did you clean everywhere?” Tine asked, sternly.
“Yes, Mother. Nelly let me go first so I could talk to Merry.”
“Alright then. I’ll be in the dining room with your aunt and uncle. Be sure to come when you’re called.”
“Yes, Mother.” Once Tine had left the room, Pippin looked up at his cousin. “So Merry, how was your trip here?”
Merry smiled and pulled Pippin close to him. “It was fine. I’m just glad I’m here now.”
