TITLE: Boating On The Brandywine

AUTHOR: Anso the Hobbit

BETA: Marigold

RATING: PG to be safe

CHARACTERS. Frodo and Merry, Merry`s parents

SUMMARY: A boating trip is not a very good idea when you are too little to properly handle an oar.

TIMELINE: Buckland, SR 1391, so Merry is 9 and Frodo 23

 

 

“NO! Nonononono!” The child wailed, frantically shaking his head, small hands protecting curly hair as best they could.

“NO! I don´t want to. You can´t make me.”

“Dearest, sweetest...”

“I´m not sweet”

“Merry, please.”

“NO!”

“My big, brave lad, please try and listen to me.” Frodo said, a persuasive look on his face, his hands reaching out to the child.

“No. I don´t want to.” The little hobbit said, and turned on his heels, small feet running as fast as possible down the hall.

“Meriadoc Brandybuck! You come back here this instant.”

“No!”

Frodo gave up. That stubborn, wilful, impossible … Frodo tried to come up with more words describing his little cousin, but failed to do so in his fury. He was supposed to look after little Merry while Merry´s parents were taking care of some things in the Hall. Things that little hobbit lads should not interfere in.

Frodo had tried to take Merry with him outside to play, but Merry had by no means any interest in jacket, scarf, cloak, mittens or woolly hat. Outerwear he would need as it was freezing outside. For what seemed an eternity he had promised treats and made threats but nothing had inspired Merry to budge. The hat and scarf were the hardest things to get him to wear. Merry had of course, claimed that he could fully well dress himself, but that, Frodo knew, would only end with clothes buttoned on wrong and much needed outerwear left in the wardrobe. Merry was still not big enough to manage that completely on his own.

He looked around the hallway to find what clothing had been left behind. One mitten, the jacket, the cloak and that dratted hat, was what he found. He gathered up the clothes and put them away before starting to look for Merry.

It did not help that Merry probably was outside in the cold winter day already, with only (he summed up in his head) one mitten and a scarf to protect him from the cold. Merry had of course wanted  to go outside to play. It was all these clothes that he did not want. Merry was a child for warm summer days with playing and paddling in the Brandywine (Frodo would have to teach him to swim soon), and leisurely picnics and adventures throughout the Shire. Frodo would soon be going on an adventure himself, a walking trip to Bindbale Wood with Bilbo, when he returned to Hobbiton after his visit. One day he would take Merry on an adventure too. He had promised.

If Frodo knew Merry right, his little cousin would have either sneaked out the kitchen entrance (not possible at this time of the day as it was full of hobbits cooking, and any adult that saw a child with one mitten and a scarf heading for the back entrance, would certainly stop him), or his bedroom window. The last was what Frodo found most realistic and also was what he dreaded most. It was far down from the windowsill to the garden beneath for a little hobbit, not yet ten years of age.

So, instead of walking through the many and winding corridors of Brandy Hall, Frodo turned and went outside. He walked along the face of Buck Hill, as all the windows of the large smial were facing the Brandywine River. The Hall was rather large, approximately a hundred windows were placed in the hillside, but Frodo knew that Merry´s window was in the Master´s quarters, and they were situated at the southern end of the hillside. He started running. Even if Merry was a little lad of nine summers, and Frodo a tween all of 23 years old, Merry was fast for his age. It was incredible how fast those small legs could carry his cousin away.

Coming up to the far end of the Hall, where the Ferry lane marked the borders of the Hall´s garden, Frodo spotted a little hobbit heading for the River and the boat landing. Oh, no! he thought. Merry probably wanted to go boating, a queer, but typical Brandybuck thing to do. Merry had been taught how to handle an oar this summer, and had been fascinated with the boats ever since.  He was too little to manoeuvre the oar effectively, but he had been taught how he was supposed to use it, after he had asked and asked and asked every cousin or older hobbit lad until someone had finally given in, and taught him. Frodo knew Merry´s father would not have allowed it yet, if he could have helped it, knowing his son to be an adventurous lad that probably would try boating on his own at one point or another, and sooner rather than later.

Frodo cursed the teacher inwardly as he ran for the boats. There; one of the places was empty, and a boat was out on the River, a very small hobbit inside, struggling with his oar.

“Merry! Get back here!” Frodo yelled as he ran for another boat, unfastening the line frantically. He realised that Merry would not be able to use two oars, as he could not reach over both sides of the boat at the same time. Now he was spinning slowly round and round at the same place, neither going forward nor backwards, and the current in the River was pushing the boat and its occupant further downstream. Frodo would have to row fast to catch up with Merry.

“Merry! Are you all right?” There was no use in scolding now, Merry would only be frightened, and anyway, the little one would probably get a thorough scolding from his parents when Frodo brought him back. He would probably get one himself too for not keeping a better eye on Merry.

Frantically Frodo rowed as fast as he could. Merry`s boat was still within shouting distance, but his cousin had not answered him. He was probably so intent on his task of getting the boat either down the River or to the shore to pay attention. It was impossible for Frodo to see what Merry actually was doing.

Rowing as if life depended on it and knowing his Cousin Esmie, Frodo thought it did, Frodo finally managed to get his boat close enough to Merry´s to talk to him properly.

No shouting now he calmed himself, go slow and easy. “Merry? What are you doing, lad? It's a bit cold to go boating don't you think?”

“No.”

“Merry. We need to go back now. I´m freezing.” Frodo said, knowing that his little cousin always tried to protect Frodo from harm.

“Here!” Merry said, yanking off his scarf and throwing it at Frodo. It landed in the River, and Frodo took it up, squeezing the water out of it.

“I can´t use it now, we have to go back.”

“I don´t want to! You go. I`ll be fine.” Merry stated, arms crossed over his chest and oar forgotten. Being off balance, the oar tipped into the River, and Merry hurriedly leaned over the gunnel to grab hold of it. His arms were too short, and to be able to reach a bit further, Merry leaned forward in the unsteady boat, and gravity being as it was, Frodo could only watch as his little cousin fell into the River with a splash.  

“MERRY!” Frodo screamed, while grabbing his own oars and rowing completely up to the side of his cousin`s boat. Merry was quickly disappearing under the frigid water. Coming close to where he could see his cousin struggling to float, Frodo leaned over and grabbed a handful of golden curls. Having hold of Merry´s hair with one hand, and making sure that his own oars were safe in the boat, he reached over with the other hand, and got a firm grip on the back of Merry´s shirt, dragging the soaking wet hobbit-lad into his boat.

Merry coughed and sputtered. Frodo took off his own coat and wrapped it around his young cousin while patting his back and holding him tight. Finally Merry´s breathing slowed down and his flailing arms were trapped in Frodo´s fierce embrace.

“You silly, silly hobbit! Why on earth did you do that? What possessed you Merry? You know that you are not allowed in a boat on your own. You could have drowned!”

Frodo was angry now, furious. He had lost his parents to the Brandywine, he did not want to lose his dearest little cousin too. He shook Merry so hard that the water flew from his soaked curls.

Merry hiccupped, then choked back a sob. Tears ran freely from his eyes. He had never seen his dear, gentle Cousin Frodo so angry before, and he was ashamed to think that he had caused it. “I´m sorry Frodo!” he said in a tiny whisper.

“Oh Merry! Don´t scare me like that again, all right? If you want to go boating, tell me. Promise?”

Merry nodded, coughing a little more. “I promise.”

“That`s a good lad. Now, we need to get you back to the Hall before you catch a cold.” Frodo said.

“You´re all wet.” Merry said, head wearily nestled against Frodo´s chest and still coughing a little. “You´re the one catching a cold.”

Frodo laughed and lifted Merry onto the seat in front of him. “You sit there, and I´ll row us back in.”

“Why can´t I row too?”

“Merry!” Frodo said sternly, but failed to hide his amusement now that the immediate danger was over. “You know you can´t. When you´re old enough to manage both oars at the same time, I´ll teach you properly.”

*****

“Hey! There´s someone on the River!” One of the stable lads yelled. “One boat seems to be towing another.”

“You go and alert the Master, and I´ll go down to see what this is.” Harry, the stable master said. “It´s probably some lads having a dare or some such.”

As Frodo pulled the boat up to the bank, he saw the stable master come running down the lane.

“Are you lads all right?” He cried, grabbing hold of the bow of the boat.

“Yes, we´re all right.” Frodo said, jumping out to give Harry a hand pulling the boats out of the water. “Little Merry here tried to go boating on his own, and discovered that that was not a very good idea. Right Merry?”

“Master Merry?” The stable master said, shocked. He had not recognised the Master`s little lad at once, as Merry was thoroughly drenched, and sitting hunched over wearing a coat that was much too large for him.

“Harry!” The Master was running down the landing now. “What... Frodo! And Merry! What have you two been up to?” Saradoc wasted no time but hauled his dripping wet son out of the boat while Frodo made fast the line. “Are you all right?”

Neither Frodo nor Merry managed to answer as the Master ran towards the Hall with a freezing cold Merry in his arms. He ran straight to his own quarters, and putting Merry down on the floor of the bathroom, started to strip him of his wet clothes.

By now Merry was shivering, teeth chattering, and his ears and nose were quite red. His wet hair had almost frozen out in the boat, but was now thawing, dripping in his eyes and onto the floor.

Merry´s mum, Esmeralda, had been coming from the kitchen when Saradoc had said someone was out on the River. She had been hovering by the entrance when he came back with Merry in his arms and Frodo in tow, and had hurried before Saradoc to throw open the door to their apartments. She enveloped her son in a large towel, frantically (and too hard for Merry´s liking) drying his hair with another. Saradoc started to make a bath ready.

“Frodo! Go change your own clothes and meet my in my study.” Saradoc said, his grey eyes making his statement quite clear.

“Yes sir.” Frodo said. He hesitated as he walked to the door, turning back to look at Merry.

“He´ll be just fine.” Saradoc said, and gave Frodo a little push.

*****

Bathed and in dry clothes, wrapped in a large and warm woollen blanket, Merry was seated in front of the fire in a huge armchair in the Master´s study. His mother had gone to make them something warm to drink. Frodo was seated in another chair, also wrapped in a blanket.

“Now then” Saradoc said, folding his hands on his stomach, leaning back in the large chair behind the desk.

“What do you have to say for yourselves? Hmm?”

Frodo sat up a little straighter in his chair. He was supposed to look after Merry, but had failed his duty.

“I´m sorry, sir.” He whispered.

“I can´t hear you, Frodo.”

“I`m sorry” he said a little louder. “I was supposed to look after Merry, but i did not do my job well enough. I am sorry. I promise to take better care of him.”

Saradoc nodded. He knew neither of the lads had meant to do anything wrong, but they could have drowned. Both of them! Frodo was old enough to handle a boat, but Merry was far from that age yet. Having his little cousin almost drown was probably punishment enough for Frodo, but Merry was a different matter.

“Meriadoc.” He said, looking at the miserable heap of hobbit child sitting in the other chair. “What have you to say for yourself?”

“Sorry Da.” Merry´s whisper was even tinier than Frodo´s had been.

Saradoc rose from his chair and came round the desk, kneeling in front of Merry´s chair.

“Merry, my lad” he said, putting a hand to Merry´s cheek. “You do know that what you did today was terribly wrong? You know you are far too young to go boating on your own. You could have drowned in that River. You don`t know how to swim yet either Merry. Who taught you to row in the first place?”

“I don´t remember. I am sorry Da!” Merry was crying now. Soft, silent tears streaming down his face. “I won´t do it again!”

“That you have right, lad. You will not be getting in a boat again for a very long time.”

Esmeralda came back with the hot, sweet tea now, and both lads were given a mug.

“Off to bed you go now, and keep warm.” She said when they were finished.

“But, Mum. It´s still early.”

“Meriadoc. I do not want to hear anything more about this now. You`ve had a dip in a freezing River, and we`re just lucky if you don`t get sick from it. Off you go, both of you. You keep him company Frodo, and keep him in bed. I´ll come by later with some supper.”

“Yes, Ma'am”  Frodo said.

 

“And Merry” his mother said, as the lads were about to enter the hallway.

 

“You know that mittens and jackets and hats are made for wearing when it`s winter, don`t you?”

 

“Yes, Mum.” Merry answered, bowing his head.

 

“Try and use them next time then, when you go out, hmm?”

 

“Yes Mum.”

 

“Good. Off you go now.”

*****

“Frodo?” Merry said, fidgeting with his quilt a little, not meeting his cousin`s eyes.

“Yes Merry.” Frodo said, sitting in the chair by Merry`s desk.

“Are you still angry with me?”

“Why do you think I am angry?”

“You yelled at me in the boat, and you shook me so hard it hurt!”

“Yes, well I was angry then.” Frodo said. “You could have drowned you know. You could have died.” Frodo sat down on the bed and reached out for Merry and hugged him. “I love you very much Merry, and I could not bear to lose you. I was angry because I feared for you.” He stroked Merry´s curls, as the little hobbit started crying again, realisation dawning on his face.

 

“You did not think of that, did you?”

 

Merry shook his head. “No. But Frodo?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Thank you for saving me.” Merry looked up at his cousin, tears still in his eyes, but they were soon replaced by love and admiration for this beloved elder cousin.

“I´m sorry Frodo, I should have listened to you.”

 

“Yes, that would have been for the best.”

 

They sat quiet for a little while. Then Merry reached up and hugged Frodo tight.

 

“I love you too, Frodo.”

“I know, Merry. And I love you.” Frodo settled Merry on his bed, tucking the lad back under the blankets. “You stay there, and I´ll find us a book with some stories.”

THE END