Stories of Arda Home Page
About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search
swiss replica watches replica watches uk Replica Rolex DateJust Watches

Celeritas' Birthday Bash 2013  by Celeritas

Frodo really wished that the post were faster.  It was two weeks till his annual camping trip with Merry, and Merry had picked the worst of times to be horribly tweenish.  Frodo had picked out the sites months ago, he’d dried fruits and bought cheese and cured sausage, and since he knew where the best spots were for fish and game, he’d half planned out the meals!  Why in all of Middle-earth didn’t Merry want to go?

The first response to Frodo’s enthusiastic itinerary had been a remarkably short note (for Merry, at least), asking if it was all right for him not to attend.  Which, of course it was, but why wouldn’t Merry want to?  It wasn’t as if he’d developed a sudden fear of moths at the campfire.  He’d quite enjoyed every past visit.  So Frodo had responded that of course, it was all right, but why on earth wouldn’t he want to go—and then Frodo began describe the sun setting over Lake Evendim and the coolness of the summers in Northfarthing.

As the letters kept passing back and forth, the date of the trip drew closer, and still Merry was being cagey—and highly unreasonable!  Clearly he wanted to stay, but he hadn’t yet given a reason, and Frodo couldn’t even think of one!

It had been a week since Frodo’s last letter, and he finally up and asked Merry what the matter was with him, if he had broken his arm again but didn’t want him to know.  And since there was now a good chance that no matter what, the whole trip was going to go awry, he was going to have to write Merry another letter, even without a response.

My dear Merry,

I’m afraid I was too short with you in my last note.  You don’t want to go camping with me, that’s clear, but I honestly cannot see why.  You’ve always enjoyed it in the past, and I assume that hasn’t changed.  I hope I’m not being presumptuous in saying it’s not me, either.

 

I just think you’re being a little obtuse about this.  You’ve always had fun in the past with me, and there’s nothing to keep that from changing—nothing but your own attitudes.

 

There may still be something I haven’t thought of.  Just let me know why you don’t want to go.  I shall do my best to persuade you otherwise, but if I just know, I shall be at peace.

 

Sincerely yours,

Cousin Frodo

 

He got up, left his study, and walked out to Bywater.  Yes, the post would deliver and pick up, but he needed the walk, and he wanted to get his letter out as soon as possible.  But he caught the mail-trap along the way, and the faint hope sprung into his heart that perhaps Merry had written, and, even better, would let him know that he’d had a change of heart and would be packed and ready to go in two weeks’ time.

After a short wait at the post office, the mail was sorted and the posthobbit was able to get Frodo his mail.  There was a note from Folco, and—yes!  One from Merry.

Dear Cousin Frodo,

 

I’m sorry I haven’t been good at explaining myself.  I only didn’t want to cause you any hurt, or to make you think I didn’t care for you as much as I have (I do—if anything, even more!).  And if I want to stay behind and not involve you at all, it’s only because you haven’t shown any interest in the other things, at least, not around me.

 

I mean, other thing.  Or, rather—

 

Look.  There are parties at Brandy Hall, and I know I’m not old enough yet, but the lasses in their dresses are so pretty, and I might as well get a head start on learning how to talk to them now.

 

And this year, at least, I’d rather stay home and go to some of the parties than go camping with you.  That doesn’t mean we never have to go camping again, but—I don’t want you to just assume I’m going to always want to do things with you, Frodo!  I’m not a little lad anymore, and while obviously Mum and Dad still have a say, I rather fancy the idea of being master of my own time.

 

So I hope you’re not hurt, and I hope I haven’t made things worse than waiting to say this.  I do want to see you sometime soon, just not for a whole week.  Not right now.

 

Yours,

Merry

Drat.  Drat.  Frodo knew a dozen ways to fix this, to put off the camping trip to another week, to come by and accompany Merry on some of the days, but—

No, it was clear.  Merry was growing up.  And unfortunately, as Frodo knew all too well, part of growing up was wanting to change things from your younger routines.  And, when he tried to read through all the tweenish language in Merry’s letter, he realized that Merry had a point.  Frodo had been assuming too much of Merry, and treating him as if he were still younger.

Frodo asked the posthobbit if he could borrow a pen and paper.  He crumpled up the letter he had been planning to send.

Dear Merry,

 

I received your letter today.  You’re quite right—there was no reason for me to assume that you would always want to go camping with me, and worse, I think I had started treating you as an accessory in my own plans rather than a hobbit in his own right, with his own desires.

 

 Believe it or not, I do remember when I was your age, and how I hated (and still do hate) being controlled, and how sometimes I wanted to change things up a bit just to see how they would go.  I do know that you love me, and I love you, so I hope you can forgive me, my dear cousin.

 

Should you be interested in camping in the future, just let me know and we’ll set a date.  In fact, I daresay you’re old enough to plan the whole thing yourself, if you’d like!

 

Enjoy the parties, and the lasses in all their pretty dresses, and always remember that punch is stronger than you think it is, and don’t do anything terribly stupid!

 

With regards,

Cousin Frodo

 

P.S. No matter how beautifully dressed she may be, make sure you always look a lass in the eyes.  When you do that, she’ll know that you’re more interested in her mind and her heart than in her form.

 

Frodo nodded twice to himself, and posted the new note.  When he got back to Bag End, though, he kept the maps out and began to look them over.  It had been some time since he had gone on a solo trek, hadn’t it?





<< Back

Next >>

Leave Review
Home     Search     Chapter List