Title: When it Rains

Characters: Merry and Pippin although various Tolkien characters are mentioned.

 Rating: G

Summary: A rainy day in which Merry and Pippin try to stay out of trouble but consequently end up on an “adventure”. Pippin is 7 and Merry is 15.

A great big thank you to Shirebound for going over my stuff and being patient with the mistakes that continue to show up.

Disclaimer: All the places and people belong to JRR Tolkien, I’m just playing with them.

“How would you know, Pippin? Have you ever stepped on a hayfork?” asked Merry, as he reached up to tenderly touch a rapidly swelling lip.

        Pippin giggled, but at a quelling glance from his elder cousin suppressed it -- or at least muffled it with a hand. “It was right there for you to see, why did you step on it?”

        “I was chasing you!” Merry sighed but hid a smile; it must have presented an amusing picture. He and Pippin had been playing in the Brandy Hall stables where they had taken refuge from the rain that prevented them from properly playing outside. He had been chasing Pippin, who had nimbly leapt over the hayfork, but Merry hadn’t seen it in time and stepped onto it, causing it to fly up and smack him in the face.

        Pippin sat down next to Merry and handed him the apple that had led to them playing chase. “Does it hurt a lot?” he asked, peering at his cousin’s lip.

        Merry took a bite from the apple and handed it back. “Not really, I’m sure it looks funny though.” He reached over and tickled Pippin, who squealed and fell off the hay bale.

        A stable hand came in and began to pull down a bridle and saddle. He turned around to saddle a black pony and caught sight of the two lads sharing the apple. “Master Merry! You had better get back to the Hall! The Mistress has been looking high and low for you and Master Peregrin!”

        “Uh-oh, Pip. Thanks Tad! I’ll see you around! Come on we are probably already in trouble!” Merry scooped Pippin up in his arms and ran up a small hill to the Hall.

        They were both a bit damp when they reached the entrance hall where a hobbit maid was cleaning up wet footprints. She glowered at them as they hung up dripping cloaks before getting back to work.

        “Come on!” Merry led his younger cousin by the hand as they made their way through many twists and turns in the Hall to get to the Master’s private quarters. “We’d better just lay low in my room for a bit. Perhaps I should take you back to the Children’s Hall.”

        “Meriadoc Brandybuck!” demanded a hobbitess coming out of one of the rooms. Both lads jumped and spun around to meet their adversary.

        “Hello, Mum!” said Merry quickly putting on an innocent expression and hoping he hadn’t jumped noticeably. Pippin grinned uncertainly and then looked up at Merry.

        “Where have you been?” Esmeralda Brandybuck demanded, walking over to stand in front of the guilty duo. “I have been searching the Hall for you, and what happened to your lip?!”

        Pippin laughed. “Merry stepped on a hay-“Merry gently but firmly placed his hand over Pippin’s mouth.

        “Well, Mum, we had wanted to play outside but as that wasn’t possible we decided the barn was the next best thing,” said Merry, feeling that they had better tread carefully as they were probably already in trouble, at least he was.

        “Miss Violet was nearly frantic when she found Pippin had gone missing! I suppose that was your doing!” she said, moving forward to pick Pippin up.

        “Aunt Esme, I didn’t want to play with the babies,” said Pippin, leaning back from his aunt to look her in the face without going cross- eyed. “All they do is play baby games and take naps.”

 Merry hid a smile, he supposed he had spoiled Pippin by always allowing him to tag along; he spent a lot more time with him and the older lads than lads his own age. Merry looked up and could see that his Mum was already being won over by Pippin’s charm, but she wasn’t about to let it go without a fight.

“Peregrin, most of the children are your age or older in the hall,” she replied trying to look stern although a smile turned up the corners of her mouth.

“But I would rather play with Merry,” countered the child. “He is much more fun to play with than a bunch of babies!” Pippin stuck out his lower lip, pouting just enough to induce sympathy.

Esmeralda sighed, realizing she was fighting a losing battle. “Merry, it was still wrong for you to sneak Pippin out of the Children’s Hall. It caused quite the stir. You should have at least informed someone you were taking him.” She kissed Pippin on the cheek and set him back down.

“I did tell someone!” defended Merry. “I told Mrs. Bracegirdle!”

“Oh, Merry! You know she can’t hear a thing,” scolded Esmeralda.

In fact Merry had known that, but if she didn’t hear she couldn’t argue with him removing his younger cousin out from under her supervision. “I’m sorry I caused such a fuss, Mum and we will behave ourselves the rest of the afternoon.”

Esmeralda looked at her only son and little nephew, who was smiling endearingly up at her, and relented. “Alright, you may continue with your play, but I don’t want you out in the barn anymore. And Pippin, you must still take your nap this afternoon. Whether or not you are in with the “babies”.”

“Thank you, Mum!” said Merry. He reclaimed Pippin’s hand and began to haul him down the corridor as he looked like he was about to protest the part about the nap.

“What are we going to do now Merry?” asked Pippin. “I don’t want to take a nap.” Pippin crinkled up his nose and pouted.

“Pip, I think we should get a bit of food and then take a trip to the storage rooms. How about that?” When Pippin still appeared sulky Merry continued. “Besides, taking a nap with me will be better than taking one with the other children, won’t it? I’ll even tell you about some of Bilbo’s adventures.”

Pippin brightened, and they continued to the kitchens where they picked up a few apples, some cheese, biscuits, and a bit of jam, while they were at it. Merry grabbed a candle and they made their way down the steep steps that led to the storage rooms. It was a dark and musty area that was seldom used. There was a lot of stuff that no one would throw away but no one wanted it laying about their own quarters either. It made a perfect place for two explorers to have adventures. Merry particularly liked it because Frodo had often taken him down there when he was little, so they could have “adventures”.

“It’s dark down here,” said Pippin, squinting to try and see further down the dark passage.

“It is, isn’t it?” asked Merry, lighting the candle he had taken for this reason. “Be careful, Pip -- you never know where a dragon or goblin might lurk.”

Pippin looked up, eyes bright with excitement. “Really? Have you seen goblins and dragons down here? Like the ones in Cousin Bilbo’s stories?”

“Yes, Pip, years ago Frodo and I met a dragon. We spoke to it and eventually tricked it into leaving through riddles and then we got to look through its hoard.”

Merry smiled as Pippin moved to stand a little closer, eyes glowing, yet he bit his bottom lip in a nervous habit. “Where is the dragon’s hoard? Was there a lot of treasure?” asked Pippin, eyes darting to the doorways on either side.

“Yes there was. Come on, I’ll show you.” Merry led Pippin into another corridor and into a storage room off to the side. He stopped short, causing Pippin to bump into him. “It was in here! I was sure of it!” he exclaimed.

Pippin looked around; there was nothing but an old cabinet that had one door hanging off its hinges. “Where did it go?”

“The only explanation would be for a goblin to have stolen it away!” said Merry. “We have to find it! That treasure was worth a fortune!”

Pippin nodded resolutely by his side. “But Merry, how will we fight goblins? They could tear us apart or eat us!”

Merry glanced about the dusty room, shining the light into the corners. “We’ll have to use these swords to defend ourselves.” He pulled a couple of old broom handles out of the corners. “Be careful with these, they are of elvish make and glow blue when goblins are near.”

Pippin took the broom handle reverently in his small hands. “I’m ready Merry, let’s go.”

“First we had better look for footprints that the beast might have left behind,” said Merry, scanning the ground.

Pippin looked around and eventually spotted something. “Look, Merry! He must have been hiding in the corner and left while our backs were turned!” said Pippin, pointing at their own dusty footprints.

“Yes, I think you’re right. Come on, we must find where he hid the dragon hoard!” Merry charged out of the door with Pippin close behind him. He held the candle close to the ground looking for “signs” as to which way the creature had gone.

Merry soon outpaced Pippin and darted into a side room. “Help! Pippin, the Goblin King! Hurry!”

Broom in hand, Pippin charged into the room Merry had entered moments before. Pippin and Merry fought desperately against a “goblin”, and only when it fell with a crash did they relent. Merry collapsed onto the ground and Pippin next to him.

Pippin grinned and Merry returned it. “After a battle such as that I believe we deserve a feast.”

Pippin nodded eagerly and looked at the fallen “goblin”; it was of a wiry breed resembling a cloak stand. As they began their feast, Pippin looked about the room and suddenly jumped up. “Merry! Look, it’s the dragon hoard!”

Merry looked around; sure enough, many beautiful jewels glittered from the open trunk and all about the floor. Pippin moved over to examine the treasure and Merry smiled, remembering when he had done the same thing with Frodo. The jewels were nothing more then fancily cut glass, but to an imaginative hobbit lad it was the best treasure there was.

After their feasting and Merry telling his own story about tricking the dragon from the cave, he began to notice the candle burning low. “I guess it is time to go, Pip. If I’m not mistaken, it is time for your nap.”

Pippin frowned and was about to protest when a yawn cut him off. He smiled. “I guess we had better go back up then.”

Merry took his hand. “We wouldn’t want my mum to get even more mad at us, and I’ll tell you what, you can come stay in my room.” Pippin nodded, and they were soon upstairs and back in the bright rooms of Brandy Hall.

“Merry?” asked Pippin when they had both settled down in Merry’s bed. “Can I tell you a story?”

Merry considered for a moment. Pippin for all his seven years was a very adept storyteller. He could charm anyone into listening to the dullest things, but his stories tended to be quite long and detailed. “You may tell me a story if you promise it won’t get too long.”

Pippin nodded and launched into a wild story about trolls and wizards. Although he made up original stories, Merry had the distinct impression that this particular story was inspired by one of Cousin Bilbo’s.

After a while Pippin settled down, and Merry softly told him a story in turn. Of course his story wasn’t as original, but it did the job -- and he soon felt his younger cousin relax against him.

Merry was gently finger combing Pippin’s soft curls and thinking he had already dropped off to sleep, when he was startled to hear Pippin speak. “Merry, when I go on adventures will you go with me?”

“Pippin, you are suppose to be sleeping,” Merry reprimanded, but answered the question anyway. “I will go on any adventure you choose to take.”

“I don’t mean adventures in the storage rooms, against coat stands,” said Pippin.

“That was a goblin king!” exclaimed Merry indignantly.

Pippin giggled and wriggled even closer. “Yes, but I want to have adventures in far away places! Maybe we could go to the Lonely Mountain or even Mirkwood and fight spiders or something...but I don’t want to go alone.”

“Silly goose, I wouldn’t let you go on adventures all alone. Someone has to look after you,” said Merry.

“And Frodo could come along and look after both of us,” said Pippin. “I think he should get to do those things too, maybe even Cousin Bilbo would come with us!”

Merry chuckled a little. “Maybe, but until then it really is time for your nap.”

“Alright, Merry,” said Pippin. “I’ll take a nap and maybe I will dream about that goblin king under Brandy Hall.”

Merry smiled as his own eyelids sagged. Maybe one day they would have great adventures. After all, they seemed to get into enough adventures around the Shire; why not expand it to include the rest of Middle-earth?