By Gondor’s Grace

Softly the sound of footsteps fell along the stone corridors of the citadel in Minas Tirith as the darkened halls grew dim with the light of the fading torches that lined the walls.  Far along the winding halls a door lay partially open while the warm glow of a fire burning within the room cast a golden hue upon the stone floors.  A small hand then fell upon the door, knocking gently as the sound of his drumming hand echoed into the stillness of the night.

“Merry… are you here?”  A tender voice replied.  For a moment no answer came and then a quiet laugh came from the room followed by a deep cough that seemed as though it would find no end.

“I’m here Pip.”  Merry said clearing his voice.  “Come now… it does you no good standing in the hall waiting for me to come to you.  You need not knock at a friend’s door.  In with you now!  Don’t be hasty!”

A faint smile then fell over Pippin’s face and he drew his hand along the door pushing his arm against it to press it open a bit more.  Slowly it turned to one side… its aged steel hinges creaking with weakened pins and worn braces.  A warm face welcomed him from a bed that rested before a fire shining brightly with tall flames, burning among the logs scattered within the stone hearth. 

“Take a rest dear Pip.”  Merry said reaching out to Pippin as he came into the room.  “Have a seat before the fire my friend and let us reminisce about days of old.”  Pippin took in a deep breath and pushed his trembling hands far into his trouser pockets as he made his way towards Merry.  His curls of silver grey fell over his brow covering his scar from years long past while his eyes caught the firelight, shining like stars among the darkest of nights.  Deep lines were now etched upon his face, his round cheeks now pale under the smile that had now come over Merry’s visage as Pippin drew a chair close to his bed.

“There was word that you had sent for me.”  Pippin replied softly sitting in the chair.  He then leaned forward resting his elbows on Merry’s bed watching as his friend began to straighten out the covers that were lying awry on the bed.  “Is all well Merry?”

“Aye.”  Merry said as he sighed deeply before making one final adjustment to his coverings.  “You are here now Pip… so yes… all is well.”  Merry said nothing more as he looked forward staring into the hall watching as shadows began to dance along the wall that had come to life from the light of the torches that lined the empty corridors.  For some time he remained fixed upon the array of motion before him until Pippin touched his hand to Merry’s arm as it rested across his chest.

“The night has grown long.”  Merry whispered slowly turning towards Pippin.  “I’ve been trying to find rest for many hours that have long passed me by.”  He then looked to his window overlooking the courtyard.  A vast darkness filled the night with not even the light of the harvest moon shining through the clouds that dimmed the evening stars.

“Can you remember it Pip?”  Merry asked softly, his eyes held into a distant stare. 

“Remember what, Merry?”  Pippin replied.

“The smell of the apple blossoms in the spring and the scent of the morn as a new day has dawned.”  Merry began, drawing his eyes away from the window, down to his hands that now lay folded in his lap.  “The sound of the Brandywine running swiftly and the call of the golden thrush as they fly on high… I miss those things Pip.  As the days have gone by I find it harder to remember the Shire and everything we’ve left behind.”  Merry then fell silent his eyes growing dim as they began to grow wet with tears.  He then looked to Pippin taking in a deep breath as he pushed his hair away from his brow before setting himself deeper into his pillows that rested behind his back.

“I miss those things too.”  Pippin said passing a full breath beyond his lips.  “Yet it is all here…”  Pippin replied placing his hand onto his chest.  “Just as it is with you.  You’ll never forget Merry… you’ll just long for it, as do I, when it seems you need those things more than anything else in the world.”

“So it seems…”  Merry sighed looking to the window once again.

“You remember the day when our journey began that changed our lives for all time Pip?”  Merry remarked closing his eyes, searching for a distant memory.

“How could I forget?”  Pippin said with a joyous smile.

“Oh the look on my dear cousins face.”  Merry replied grinning as he slowly opened his eyes.  “I can not forget his face when I rode up to Farmer Maggot, him thinking I was a black rider and all.  But that day has long gone and the journey has long passed… whatever became of them Pip?”  Merry asked seeming confused as he wrung his hands about.

“Frodo sailed away many years ago dear Merry.”  Pippin said softly grasping Merry’s hands bringing them to rest from their anxious turning.  “He left from the Havens, naught but two years after we returned from Gondor.  You were there, as was I.”

“Aye… I remember now.”  Merry softly muttered taking in a shallow breath.  “Such a sad day it was.  He saved the Shire Pip, but could not stay to enjoy it.”

“Nay.  He could not stay.”  Pippin sighed.  “He was wounded Merry.  Deeper than us all.  He could never be healed and the only peace he would ever find was in the Blessed Realm over the sea.”

“What about Sam?”  Merry asked as he began to fumble with his hands once more.  “Has he left us too?”

“That he did dear Merry.”  Pippin said tenderly placing his hands over Merry’s once again.  “Not as many years have passed by since he left… only four years have fallen by.  He sailed from the Havens, so he could be with Frodo once again.  He bore the ring too you know.  Even if just for a little while which left a place for him in that realm if ever he found the need to sail hence.  After his Rosie passed he left… he didn’t see much more reason to stay.”

“And he left without saying goodbye.”  Merry replied his voice filled with sorrow.  “I can’t remember seeing him go.”

“In a sense he did.”  Pippin said softly.  “Sam was never fond of goodbyes Merry.  Not since Frodo left his side.  His son brought word to us that he had gone.  You remember Merry?  Frodo-lad came with his dear friend Samuel all the way from the Shire.”

“I remember Pip.”  Merry said closing his eyes, leaning back into his soft feather down pillows.  “Frodo and Sam together again… they looked the spitting image of Frodo Baggins and Sam Gamgee.  Warmed my heart to see them it did.  Just like days of old… dear friends back with us once again.”

“Yes, just like days of old.”  Pippin replied as a smile fell over his lips.  Merry then fell silent.  His eyes still lay closed as he breathed in deeply under the watch of his dear friend.  Pippin then drew his hand away from Merry’s and as he did Merry’s eyes opened slowly.

“Has the fire faded?”  Merry asked quietly.  “Have the hours passed us so while we’ve shared stories from days of old?”

“Nay dear Merry.”  Pippin softly whispered touching his hands to Merry’s once more.  “The fire still burns bright.  An hour has not yet passed us by since I came hence.”

“Then why have I grown so cold?”  Merry replied taking in a deep breath drawing his eyes closed once more.  Pippin’s chest grew heavy and he grasped Merry’s hands tightly within his own.  A gentle embrace was returned and Merry turned his head to Pippin, his eyes opening, lost of all their shine.  He then looked to the window and sighed.

“There are no stars shining this eve.”  Merry quietly whispered.

“Nay, Merry.”  Pippin replied.  “Rain is coming from the south.  You can feel it within the air.  The clouds have covered both the stars and the moon this night.”

“Such a pity.”  Merry whispered.  “I would have liked to see them again.”  He said looking to Pippin.  A deep silence then filled the air as they sat before each other eyes held upon the others face studying each line and scar that had marred their skin over the years.

“I’m afraid Pip.”  Merry said as tears began to fall along his weary face.  “Everything is fading… my heart grows weak… it seems my journey has finally come to its end.”  Pippin bit hard onto his lip trying in vain to hold back his own tears as his chest tightened while he swallowed deeply, trying to stay so ever strong.

“No tears Merry.”  Pippin quietly replied drawing his fingers along Merry’s cheeks.  “My heart can not bear to see you cry.  Nay… your journey has not come to an end…”

“Has it not?”  Merry whispered, his words barely heard under his labored breaths.

“It has only begun…”  Pippin said tenderly.  “Through the darkness you’ll see a curtain of grey mist part before you and beyond that lies hills of rolling green beyond a swift sunrise that falls over the rising tides of the sea.  There you will find all who have gone before you waiting with arms open wide.”

“And my dear Estella…”  Merry replied softly.  “Her grave covered in ivy and a blanket of autumn leaves… I see it now Pip.”  Merry said opening his eyes as a gentle smile found its way onto his pale face.  “The Shire, the smell of apple blossoms full upon the air.  I hear the birds calling over the distant sea.”  For a moment no other words were spoken as Merry looked deep into Pippin’s eyes that were filled with tears.  Slowly he brought his hand away from Pippin’s grasp and touched his fingers to his dear friends face drying away his fallen tears.

“I will not say do not weep.”  Merry whispered.  “Gandalf once told us that not all tears are an evil my dear Pip.  Fare the well my friend… I shall be waiting for you…”  Merry’s eyes then drew closed as his arm fell away from Pippin’s face coming to rest upon the covers of his bed.  No breath passed beyond Merry’s lips as his chest became stilled while the fire began to slowly fade at his side.  Pippin reached forward and drew Merry’s hand into his own pressing it to his lips as tears fell along his hand and down Merry’s still arm.  For hours it seemed he sat within the room, holding tightly to Merry’s hand until the light of the fire shone no more.  Long ago had Pippin’s tears been spent, leaving his heart weary and filled with loss.  Darkness surrounded him for no light now shown within the citadel, the night haven enveloped everything throughout the halls.  Pippin drew his eyes to the window and there within the vast shadow of night a single star began to shine within the ebony sky.  A burden seemed to be pulled from Pippin’s chest and he looked down to Merry, forever lost in an eternal slumber, never to waken again.  Tenderly Pippin placed Merry’s hand across his chest resting it over the other already there.  A deep breath passed over Pippin’s lips and drew himself up onto the bed resting along Merry’s side.  He lay with his eyes turned upwards for what seemed like an eternity as many memories of old came to him from days long gone.  A tender smile fell over his face and he slowly drew his eyes closed, his heart beating lightly, aching no more while a faint veil of grey mist fell before him as the dawn began to rise with the coming morn.