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When the King Comes Back ( Brandy Hall )  by Dreamflower 2 Review(s)
GryffinjackReviewed Chapter: 13 on 12/26/2005
Frodo has such a wonderful relationship with Esmeralda and Saradoc, it's always a pleasure to see them interact. Poor Paladin really did have cause for being so upset and thinking Pippin had died. Given his son's tender age, I can see where he would lash out and blame Merry, Frodo, Saradoc, and Bilbo. Thankfully, he is honourable and will admit when he is mistaken.

Poor Merry! To go through these night terrors the rest of their lives! Yet, Frodo is right that it is a small price to pay. But now not only do Merry's parents and Berilac know, but so does Rosie. I'd wager that poor Rosie's thoughts turned to her Sam and the terrors he must have gone through and still be enduring. Of course, as well as Rosie knows her Sam, I'm sure she cottoned (aha! Tolkien's reason for her last name!) on to how horrible it must have been and continues to be for him, but seeing Merry like this must have made it all the more clearer and immediate.

Even though Pippin does, as Sam said, bounce along easier than Merry does, I do wonder if Pippin did not have some of his own troubles sleeping without Merry these few nights they were separated, and not just because he felt Merry's distress.

This is one of the real purposes of fanfic, to give us a greater appreciation for canon and what our hobbits went through. And you do that very well, indeed.

Here's an "Esmerelda" in this chapter:

"Frodo led Saradoc and Esmerelda from the room."

And another:

"It was only by a miracle that Pippin did not die in Merry’s arms. I think he clung to life only because he would not leave Merry alone.” Esmerelda gasped in horror, and Saradoc went pale."

Author Reply: Yes, given his previous history with Pippin, it would have been hard for him to sustain the faith that his son was alive. And after he had trusted Frodo with his son for so many years, he must have felt doubly betrayed when seemingly it was *Frodo* who'd lured Pippin from the Shire. In his grief and anger, he lashed out and laid blame.

But, yes, he is honorable, and he does love his family. I would imagine that once the first painful flush of his anger and grief had abated, it had been mainly his pride that kept him from admitting he was wrong; Pippin's return gave him all he needed to make that admission.

The nightmares will never go away completely, any more than the scars will. And I thank you for pointing out what Rose may have thought--that had escaped me altogether! I love reviews!

It's quite possible. I think Pippin's nightmares would be less frequent, but more intense when they do occur. But he definitely picks up on Merry's distress.

And thanks for the "Esmerelda"s. All fixed now!

PIppinfan1988Reviewed Chapter: 13 on 3/25/2004
I can't tell you how sweet this story is...and I love the 'sixth sense' you have between Merry and Pippin.

Pippinfan

Author Reply: Tolkien never seemed to have a problem with the characters exhibiting a "sixth sense" Frodo was always having dreams that foretold things, and a lot of characters said things like "I know this or that in my heart",(remember Faramir's vision of Boromir's death) and the other characters did not dismiss it, but simply accepted it as true. I think Merry and Pippin would have been at least as close as brothers. I see the relationships as Merry in the middle being very close to both Frodo and Pippin, but that he was somewhat closer to Pippin. I think too, that Merry could "read" Frodo best, and that Pippin could "read" Merry better than the other way around.

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