Long Awaited

Chapter Two-Bright Evening

Frodo smiled when he saw Merry. He was curled into a tight ball next to the tree they had always used to chase each other around, his arms over his face. He was fast asleep. It was getting late, after all. Frodo approached him quietly and sat down next to the small lad. “Merry,” He said, gently shaking his shoulder to wake him. “Merry, my lad.” Merry stirred slightly.

        “Umphg...”

        “Merry, wake up.” Frodo said, more insistently.

        “What?” Merry said. Then he sat up quickly. Fear crept into his voice. “What’s wrong? Is the baby here? Did Aunt Lala die? Is Uncle Paladin alright?” Frodo smiled tenderly at the boy’s concern.

        “Merry—” He began.

        “He didn’t make it, did he? Oh, Frodo!” Merry’s eyes began to fill with tears and he threw himself into Frodo’s arms. Frodo looked at him, surprised.       

        “Oh, no, no, Merry, lad.” He said soothingly, stroking Merry’s honey-colored curls. Merry looked up hopefully. “Aunt Lala’s fine. She’s very tired, but she’s just fine.”

        “And...... and the b- baby?” Merry asked, still hiccupping from having been crying.

        “Merry, you have a lad-cousin.” Frodo told him happily.

        “And he’s alright? He isn’t sick or anything, is he?” Merry asked, still not ready to dismiss his fears.

        “He’s not sick, he’s quite healthy, in fact, and there’s nothing wrong with his voice, to be sure. He’s smaller than most babies you’ve seen, Mer, but he’ll be alright.” Frodo said. He watched as Merry’s eyes lit up and a smile with a missing front tooth nearly split his face in half. He pulled away from Frodo, happily dazed.

        “I have a lad-cousin...... I have a....” He said softly, then louder: “Frodo, I have a lad-cousin!”

        “Yes. Would you like to go meet him?” Frodo asked him. Merry looked incredulous.

        “Would I? Frodo, let’s go!” Merry let out a whoop. They got up and headed for inside. “Frodo, I’m going to do everything with him, just like you did with me. I’ll teach him how to do all sorts of things, and......” He stopped. ‘And I won’t go away.’ He thought. Frodo looked down at him curiously.

        “And what, Merry-lad?” He asked.

        “And I’ll protect him.” Merry said instead. Frodo smiled at him.

        “I know you will.” He told him.

        By this time they had reached the Thain’s quarters and they walked through the open bedroom door. The room was stuffed full of hobbits. Merry saw Aunt Lala on the bed, looking very tired and almost sick, but extremely happy. He looked over at Uncle Paladin, who was beaming with pride, but the past day’s concern still shadowed his face. ‘Where’s the baby?’ He wondered, his old doubts returning. Ah, there he was! Regina was holding him. He and Frodo walked over to them. Frodo leaned over and whispered something in Regina’s ear, but Merry was too short to catch the words. Reggie blushed and laughed happily. Uncle Paladin walked over to them and caressed the babe’s cheek with his thumb.

        “Here, Frodo! How do like my son, eh? Strong and handsome.” Paladin said. “In a few more years it seems you will be having little bairns running around your feet as well, eh, Regina?” He winked at them both. Regina blushed again and looked down, but she was smiling. Frodo turned red as well, but merely said,

        “Aye, he’s as good of a baby as ever was born, Paladin!” He turned to Regina. “Mind if I take the lad from you for a while? There’s someone who wants to meet him.” Merry sighed in relief. Finally Frodo had remembered him. He’d waited long enough already for this cousin!

        Frodo awkwardly took the wriggling bundle from Regina’s arms and lowered himself slowly to Merry’s eye-level. Merry peered over the blankets that the babe was wrapped in and found himself face to face with two enormous green eyes. He was so very small! The babe stared at him intensely and gave him a look that seemed to say “Where have you been? I’ve been waiting for you, cousin.” Merry beamed back into the red little face and then looked up at his uncle.  

        “What’s his name?” Merry asked him.

        “Peregrin Adalgrim Took.” Paladin said. “A strong name for a strong lad.” Merry nodded thoughtfully.

        “It suits him.” He told Paladin approvingly. Frodo laughed but quickly smothered it after Merry and Regina both cut him down with icy glares. He held his hands up in defeat, but he was still smiling with amusement. Merry dangled his finger over the lad and the babe gripped it with surprising strength. “Ow, Frodo, he won’t let go!” Merry said, giggling. “He’s really strong for someone so tiny!”

        Peregrin began wriggling, let go of Merry’s finger, and scrunched up his face in dissatisfaction. He looked as if he would burst any second. Suddenly, he let out a wail in defiance to the world. Merry covered his ears as Frodo tried unsuccessfully to quiet the babe. The hobbits in the room winced as his shrieks reached a new pitch. “Shh, shhh...... It’s all right, lad, I’ve got you. No need to cry like that!” Frodo’s voice took on a desperate edge. Merry uncovered his ears and looked at the lad.

        “Let me have him, Frodo.” Frodo looked doubtful. “I won’t drop him, silly.” Frodo looked up at Paladin for approval. He nodded, smiling. Frodo gently handed the tiny screaming infant to Merry. Merry stared down into the green wells of Peregrin’s eyes and commanded him to be quiet. “There now, there’s no need for all of this fuss. Your Merry has got you now.” He told the babe. Peregrin shushed mid-wail and calmly began chewing on his knuckles. The adults stared at Merry, but he had eyes only for his lad. “Well, that’s better. Now I can meet you properly. Hi there, my lad. Hullo, my Pippin.”

        Please review! Even if you reviewed the first chapter, it’d be great to know you liked it enough that you came back to read more!