Disclaimer: I don’t own them and I’ll put them back when I’m done.

Author’s Note: I’m so sorry for the length of time that has passed since I last updated! I don’t even have a hurricane to blame; school and work started at the same time for me, and when I’m not at one I’m at the other. Also, I was having some trouble thinking of something that could possibly top the High Elf. And I thought that the farting powder was difficult to follow up. I hope you all like this chapter!

Chapter Thirteen: Snippets

“Boromir! Help! Save us!”

Boromir turned as his door crashed open and two blurs burst in. If his sword had been in his hand, he would likely have attacked them, but as this was Rivendell, he had felt it safe to go unarmed. The sight of the two younger hobbits cowering in the corner was enough to cause him to re-think that opinion, however.

“What is the matter?” Boromir asked, gazing at Merry and Pippin in consternation. “What happened?”

Pippin was trembling visibly as he answered. “We did something to Legolas, and it was unintentional this time, it really was!”

“We taught him how to smoke, and he started acting…funny,” Merry supplied. “He was giggling and dancing around.”

Boromir stared at them, utterly mystified. This really was getting out of hand. “And it was unintentional, you say? Why?”

“Because we were apologizing for blowing the privy up on him. Lady Arwen asked us to light a fuse, and we didn’t know what it was for, so we needed to apologize,” Merry said. He made a visible effort to pull himself together. “But Legolas went dancing off to Aragorn, and we knew that we were in trouble then. So we came here.”

Pippin nodded and gave Boromir an imploring look. “Will you protect us, Boromir? Please?”

*****

Aragorn did not know whether he should be amused or chagrinned. Elrond had dosed Legolas with tonic and put him to bed with a long-suffering look on his face, muttering something about younglings and mischief under his breath. Legolas was now sound asleep in the infirmary, a little smile on his face that would likely stay there until the effects of the pipeweed had diminished. When Aragorn had attempted to tell Elrond the reason behind Legolas’ behavior, the Elf Lord had raised a hand to stop him.

“I don’t want to know, Estel. I don’t.”

The use of his childhood name had shown Aragorn just how frazzled Elrond was. Bowing, he left the infirmary and headed back to his own room.

There was really only one explanation, of course. Merry and Pippin had attacked Legolas to get to him, Aragorn. It made sense, logically, and yet it did not. From what he knew about Legolas and Arwen’s past together, it made sense that Arwen would have been the one to get Legolas, not the hobbits. The privy incident made sense when Aragorn added her into the picture.

Still, the hobbits needed to learn a lesson, once and for all. It was time for this foolishness to end. And he knew just what to do to ensure that Merry and Pippin would be cowed into playing no more pranks.

*****

Boromir sat puzzled, reclining in his chair. Merry and Pippin had claimed his bed, and had lain whispering to each other for a long time, until sleep had finally claimed them both. The Man of Gondor was now determined to ignore the pangs of curiosity that stirred within him and get as much sleep as was possible.

But it was not to be. A soft knock on the door jerked Boromir to his feet. Muttering under his breath, he strode across the room and yanked the door open. It was Aragorn.

“Hullo,” the Ranger said lightly. “I take it Merry and Pippin have found refuge with you, then?”

Boromir stared at the man. Aragorn had an expression of absolute blankness on his face, which reminded Boromir oddly of his brother Faramir, when he was going to do something irrevocably childish. Aragorn just waited for an answer.

“Yes,” Boromir said at last. “They came in here hysterical about getting Prince Legolas intoxicated, or some such thing, and asked it they could stay the night. I let them.”

Aragorn nodded. “All right. Very good, Boromir. Thank you.”

And he turned and walked away.

Boromir shut his door and decided that he had definitely wandered into a den of lunatics.

*****

In the library, Gandalf sat chuckling to himself, holding an old map of Eriador. So this was the reason for all the turmoil of the past few days! Would it be wrong, he wondered, to tell everyone and put an end to the madness? It was so amusing.

A bellow echoing through the corridors made up his mind for him. He would let it go for a few more hours, and allow everyone to defend their honor just a little longer. That way, once the quest had begun, they would have something to look back on and laugh at.

TBC