Poor Merry, that's the same lesson that parents have a hard time learning. You can never fully keep your little ones safe and Pip is his little one in many ways. And poor Pip, his curiosity gets too much of him.
A nice story.
Author's reply
Yes, in a lot of ways Merry is almost more like a parent than a friend when it comes to Pippin. His anger is from that, and the fact that Pippin has reached the age when sometimes it takes more than an answer to a question to satisfy that curiousity. Pippin had never disobeyed him before, and it hurt. Add the fear for his safety on top of it, with all the worry and misery of searching for him, and it's no wonder Merry reacted the way he did.
Author Reply: I just want to let you know I just discovered that a small section at the end of the story was missing when I posted it.
MaidenofValinor
· 14 January 2005
· Chapter 5
AW! Fabulous story! I can't wait to read more! I bet Merry will be mad.....
Author's reply
Oh yes, mad is one word for it. Furious is another. But it's only the second time in his life that it's happened. It takes a *lot* to make Merry mad at Pippin (as opposed to annoyed, irritated or aggravated--which happens frequently, LOL!) But he can't stay mad for too long.
Kitty
· 14 January 2005
· Chapter 5
Poor little Pippin. He will think twice before he ever again does something Merry had forbidden! Or at last I hope so *thinks about the Quest*. This time the consequences were hard enough for a little Hobbit, but it could have been worse. Hopefully he has learned his lesson.
You caught the desperate feelings of Merry and the other searchers quite well, I think. And it was so like our heroes in the last chapter - Pippin goes with all his problems to Merry and Merry to Frodo. No wonder they leave the Shire together many years later.
Author's reply
The consequences could have been a good deal worse. If for example, the rats could have gotten to him... I think that at the very least, he's learned why those back tunnels are off-limits.
Yes, those three are inextricably connected. As I've mentioned, Frodo wasn't even going to be *in* this story, but somehow I could not leave him out. You can easily see why Merry and Pippin would not have let Frodo go off without them.
SharonB
· 14 January 2005
· Chapter 5
At least they found Pip, more or less, safe and sound. I take it Merry explodes at Pippin in the next chapter.
Yes, I think Sara and Rory need to get rid of those rats. Scary things even for me so I can imagine how huge they look to a small hobbit. Time to clean up and fill in it seems.
Author's reply
I think you can safely guess that Merry is *not* happy, no not happy at all, with little Pip.
The rats would be a terrifying problem to hobbits. When I was thinking about them, I was reminded of a fic I read somewhere, where little Pippin encountered a rabbit as large as he was. And I remember another one where a small Merry was nearly carried off by an owl. Little hobbits would definitely have been tempting prey.
Bodkin
· 14 January 2005
· Chapter 5
Well, Pippin is a very fortunate young hobbit. Very very fortunate.
Author's reply
Not sure if it's luck or fate, but yes, Pippin is very fortunate to survive some of the pickles he got into when he was young. You'd think the lad had a destiny to fulfill or something, wouldn't you?
SharonB
· 13 January 2005
· Chapter 4
Oh dear, you've gotten 3 more chapters up since I've had a chance to read. WWell, I am certainly glad that Frodo has arrived, he seems to be putting Merry in right order. LOL, why can no one reason with him that way except Frodo. Well, Grandda did a good job though.
Poor Pip is not doing well at all. That poor thing should have shouted a bit more when he woke up. Hopefully there is not too much more angst left with this story, just mostly a happy reunion. ;-)
Author's reply
Frodo decided he had to be there. And Merry will listen to him better than to anyone else, although Rory was doing fairly well.
Pippin was feeling too weak to yell, and he doesn't have any way to know he's being looked for--he didn't tell anyone where he was going. He's just lucky that Merry knows him so well that he figured it out.
Couple more chapters left is all. And there will be a bit of angst before the ending.
Bodkin
· 13 January 2005
· Chapter 4
Thank goodness for Frodo - or Esmeralda and Saradoc would have another problem on their hands as well as the young Took. And (probably most infuriatingly for his parents) Merry takes so much more notice of Frodo's analysis.
Author's reply
Yes, Frodo is Merry's anchor, just as Merry is Pippin's. I don't think it infuriates Esme and Sara that much. They are rather resigned to it by now--after all, my Merry's first word was "Fwo"--and not above making use of their cousin to keep Merry in line. ("What do you think Frodo would say to that, son?") And it helps that Frodo was their foster son for several years as well.
As I've said, this was originally going to be a Frodo-less story. Couldn't do it.
Andrea
· 13 January 2005
· Chapter 3
What a surprise! Frodo turns up.
I really did not see this coming...
But I think Merry is right: with Frodo there, everything will be o.k.
Maybe, Frodo can figure out what happend to Pippin. I'm quite sure, Frodo also explored these tunnels, when he was young.
A wonderful story, keep on writing!
Author's reply
Actually, it was a surprise to me as well.
I'm working away at the story, and there's a tap on my shoulder:
Frodo: You know, I'm going to Brandy Hall. Merry and Pippin need me there.
Me: No, you're not supposed to be in this one. It's in early summer. You don't visit Brandy Hall in the summer. You go in the fall.
Frodo: I don't care how you work it out--you're a clever writer; think of something, because I *am* going to be in this story!
Me: But Frodo, I didn't *plan* for you to be in it!
Frodo: Well, you must have subconsciously. See, in the first chapter, Aunt Esme's expecting company!
Me: But it wasn't supposed to be *you*!
Frodo: Too bad, I'm hitching a ride. See you in the next chapter!
And of course, now I can't even imagine how I had planned the story originally! These hobbits! What *can* you do with them?
brandy
· 13 January 2005
· Chapter 3
Aww! Frodo is here!
Frodo...make things better!
Author's reply
Of course he'll make things better!
TopazTook
· 13 January 2005
· Chapter 3
Ooh, ugh. Rats. Yuck. As if dank and musty tunnels weren't enough. It will be a miracle if Pippin doesn't get sick from his weak lungs before he gets out of this...your Smials' healer won't be any happier with him than Merry is.
I liked the counting rhyme in the last chapter. I'm guessing that you adapted that yourself from the "eenie--meenie--minie--mo" sorts of things?
Also liked Merry's assumption that everything will be all right now that Frodo is here. Very much a parallel to Pippin's belief in Merry.
Author's reply
Well, it seemed only logical to me that there might be rats there, and something had to frighten Pip into losing his sense of direction. I think Pippin's a bit allergic to the mustiness and moldiness there.
Yes, I wanted something that served the same function as eenie-meenie-miny-mo, but would sound more hobbity. I'm glad you thought it worked.
Very much a parallel indeed! Frodo wasn't going to be *in* this story, he just butted in and there he was.
Bodkin
· 13 January 2005
· Chapter 3
They are managing Merry very well here. Good thing Frodo turns up, though. And Saradoc was so near to finding Pippin!
Author's reply
It's been hard to manage the lad, he's so very worried! Frodo insisted on going, too!
Yes, I thought that might be a bit ironic.
Bodkin
· 13 January 2005
· Chapter 2
I'm glad Merry had the sense to go for help rather than trying to fish Pippin out on his own. Then there would be two lost hobbits!
Author's reply
Merry *lives* at Brandy Hall, and not going in there has been drilled into him all his life. Merry knew what would happen if he went in on his own.
Bodkin
· 13 January 2005
· Chapter 1
Pippin the Elephant's Child, with his insatiable curiosity!
Author's reply
Perfect description of him. And he has reached the age where his curiousity cannot be always assuaged by merely asking questions. A year or so earlier, he would have accepted Merry's answer.
Auntiemeesh
· 12 January 2005
· Chapter 3
I'm really enjoying this! I love Merry's confidence that everything will be better now that Frodo is here, lol.
Author's reply
It's so funny that everyone has been so excited to see Frodo turn up. I had not planned for him in the story, so when he turned up, I was very surprised. He insisted he would be in this story, so I obliged him. He's very bossy.
Hobbit Lass21
· 12 January 2005
· Chapter 2
*eyes wide* Oh my...what's gonna happen? Dear me, I'm all tense. *puts on best 'good girl' face* More, please? *desperately* PLEASE??!!
Author's reply
Oh now, I can't resist wide eyes! Take a look: Chapter 3 is up! 8-D
Saoirse
· 12 January 2005
· Chapter 2
Oh, this is marvelous!
'Merry’s voice grew a bit sad, as it often did when he spoke of Frodo before they had ever known him, before they had even been born, when he had his own parents and his own life. '
How sad and touching... If I were to copy and paste all the things I loved about this, I would probably end up copying the entire thing! This was so lovely..and I just...eep! love it! I especially liked how you added Berilac in, and his feelings towards Merry and Pippin's relationship, and how he knows that Merry would choose Pippin every time, it really shows how much Merry loves Pippin.
Alos, I just loved, loved, loved the ending of chapter 2, with 'if not for his grandfather's grasp' Merry would have run to him, how poignant! I can picture that perfectly.
I also love this whole situation Pippin has gotten himself into... the poor lad, and it only gets worse in years to come ;)
Do update soon, ^_^ ... oh and one more thing, I love the title to this one: The Brandy Hall Incident, lol something tells me Pippin won't be living this one down for a longgg time. hehe. Thanks for another wonderful story!
Author's reply
What a lovely review! I do think that the idea of Frodo's life before he lost his parents was especially sad to Merry, who was aware of Frodo's melancholy from the time he was a tiny infant.
My Berilac is a good lad, and a good friend to Merry, but he is just the teensiest bit jealous and a little wistful of the close bond Merry has with Frodo and Pippin. He doesn't resent it so much, as regret that he is not a part of it.
Yes, it would take a very firm grip indeed to keep Merry from dashing off when he heard Pippin scream!
Yes, at eleven (which is about the same as seven for a human child) not only is his curiousity in full bloom, but he is beginning to develop an independent streak as well. It doesn't bode well for the future, does it?
Well, really, I couldn't think of a better one: this is the incident I referred to in "Conspiracy of Hobbits" and "The Dare", and I've had more than one request to tell it in full, so here it is.
good_one_pip
· 12 January 2005
· Chapter 2
Oh, what a horrible way to end a chapter! What a cliff-hanger! Poor little Pip. No matter what age he is or place he's in, this always seems to happen! And they're still young yet. They'll have tons more scrapes (many of them even more dangerous) before those two ever learn to stay out of trouble...if ever LOL
Author's reply
Well, Pippin and trouble pretty much seem synonymous in the Shire, LOL!
good_one_pip
· 12 January 2005
· Chapter 1
Boredom and Curiousity. A combination that guarantees trouble for any young Took...especially Pippin! I love how you capture the attitudes and emotinons of the Brandybucks and Tooks. It's funny to think that even at a young age Pip was giving poor Merry near-heartattacks over is safety!
Author's reply
Yes, it's a lethal combination for many Tooks. Poor Merry, Pippin's always led him a chase, hasn't he?
SharonB
· 12 January 2005
· Chapter 1
LOL, that phrase fits Pippin to a tee ... "curiosity was not an itch he liked to leave unscratched". The start of what seems to be another good story. I can only wonder at what trouble Pippin has gotten himself into back in the old tunnels. Or at how mad Merry is going to be at him for going back in there, thinking he has promised not to do so.
Author's reply
Ah, so you recall that this will be only the second time in his life that Merry is truly angry at Pippin? 8-D
Roger Gamgee
· 12 January 2005
· Chapter 1
This is a fantastic story, as always. Leave it to Pippin to find some way to get into trouble *grin*
The "Rule The Shire" game reminds me in some ways of our "Monopoly" game. Is that what you based it on, or is it a Tolkien invention?
Looking forward to the next chapter in this tale...hopefully no major angst in the works with this one!
Author's reply
I think if you looked in a Shire dictionary, you'd find "Tooks" listed next to the definition for "trouble", LOL!
It is, sort of like Monopoly, yes that's what I based it on. I don't think JRRT ever got around to describing what kind of games hobbits played.
Well, only the kind of angst you would expect from a worried Merry and a frightened Pippin who cannot get to one another...