Mountains Marching On

Lord Of The Rings Fan Fiction

By: Bluegrass Elf

Chapter One: The edge of stories

December 20, 1418 Shire reckoning

Disclaimer: I don't own this. Thank you.

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It was night in Rivendell but few had gone to their beds, for Gandalf was telling stories in the Hall of Fire.His audience consisted of five hobbits, a few men such as Aragorn, son of Arathorn and Boromir of Gondor, and many elves. At the moment he was describing the mountains. Merry was listening intently, hanging on to Gandalf's every word. Bilbo watched him for some time, remembering a happy little hobbit lad who had been so enthralled by mountains. A question arose in his mind and, though he had little doubt what the answer was, he asked it.

"Do you still love mountains, lad?"

Merry turned to him, slightly surprised by the question.

"Of course," he said. "I always have. I expect I always will."

Bilbo nodded, knowing this to be true. He was silent for a moment and then spoke up again.

"I remember the first mountain I ever saw," he said, thoughtfully. "It seemed so big to me that I thought it must be the Lonely Mountain. It was actually only the beginning of the Misty Mountains. Couldn't have held a candle to the real Lonely Mountain."

"Mountains," murmured Merry. "They must be wonderful."

"Yes," said Bilbo. "They are."

With that they both returned their attentions to the story, just in time to catch Gandalf's last words on the subject.

"And the mountains march on."

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To Be Continued

Hope you liked it!

Mountains Marching On

Lord Of The Rings Fan Fiction

By: Bluegrass Elf                   

Chapter 2: A Talk

This chapter is about Merry. Merry is in Rohan during this chapter. It takes place wjile the Rohirrim are encamped on the slopes of Dol Baran shortly before Pippin looks into the Palantir.  The previous chapter took place in Rivendell. Aragorn plays a large role in this chapter. Enjoy.

Aragorn nodded thankfully to a rider who handed him a plate of the food that was being handed out. He walked over to the fire and sat down.

“Strider,” called Merry, coming to sit beside him. “I need to talk to you. Gandalf says I need to learn ‘something of this country’ only he won’t say anything so I’ve decided that you’re the next best person to ask.”

Aragorn smiled and set his plate aside.

“That sounds like Gandalf,” he said. “What do you want to know?”

“I don’t know,” said Merry, shrugging his shoulders. “Ask Gandalf what I need to know. Only I don’t think he’ll tell you anything. He’s rather close you know.”

Aragorn shook his head. Only hobbits could talk of there betters so and get away with it. It was incredibly hard to become angry with them

“Well,” he said. “Since asking Gandalf seems a waste of time then I suppose I should tell you About Edoras. That is where King Theoden lives……..” he paused.

“Merry,” Aragorn sounded ever so slightly worried. “How did you get that cut above your right eye?”

Merry looked uncomfortable. “I’d rather not talk about it,” he muttered.

Aragorn wouldn’t let the subject drop. “Merry,” he said. “ I need you to tell me how you got it so I can make sure it isn’t serious.”

“It isn’t serious, Aragorn. I am fine.”

“At least let me look at, Merry.”

Merry nodded, reluctantly. Aragorn looked the wound over and decided it was healing nicely and didn’t need any medication. But he still looked worried about something.

“Merry,” he asked. “Did the orcs put any medicine in the cut?”

“Yes,” said Merry. “At least I think it was medicine. But it burned. It burned like fire.”

A sudden look of understanding came over Aragorn’s face.

“It was medicine,” he said. “But not very pleasant medicine. That is going to scar, Merry.”

“That’s all right,” said Merry with a grin. “ The only bad thing about it is that its there.”

“Merry, I have never met a more cheeky person in all my life. Except, of course, Pippin.

To be continued………………………eventually.

Bluegrass Elf

Ch.3: All I am

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*Gandalf lifted Pippin and gently carried him back to his bed. Merry followed and sat down beside him. 'Lie there and rest, if you can Pippin!' said Gandalf. 'Trust me! If you feel an itch in your palms again, tell me of it! Such things can be cured. But anyway, my dear hobbit, don't put a lump of rock under my elbow again! Now, I will leave the two of you together for awhile.'*

J.R.R.Tolkien,

The Lord of the Rings,

The Two Towers,

Ch.11: The Palantir

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Merry was silent for some time before finally speaking. 'Pippin,' he asked sadly,'why did you do it? Why did you look into that accursed stone?'

Pippin shivered. 'I don't know, Merry.' he said.'I don't know. Are you mad at me?' Pippin looked at his cousin fearfully.

Merry sighed. 'Pippin, what you did was foolish. You could have been hurt. You could have given us all away and ruined the quest!'

'I'm sorry, Merry!' Pippin sobbed. 'I'm so sorry! Please don't be mad, Merry!'

A tear ran down Merry's cheek. 'I'm not mad.' he said softly. 'But when I heard you scream and then found that you weren't in your cot! Oh Pippin! I thought I'd lost you!' Merry's tears ran freely now. 'Pippin, don't ever leave me like that again!'

'Merry, when will all this be over? When can we go home?'

Merry's heart broke. 'I don't know, Pip.' he whispered pulling Pippin into a hug. 'I don't know.'

Just as the two cousins were about to drift off to sleep, footsteps roused Merry and he looked up to find Gandalf and Aragorn coming towards them.

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*Going to Pippin, Gandalf picked him up in his arms. 'You shall come with me this time.' he said. 'Shadowfax shall show you his paces.' Then he ran to the place where he had slept.*

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'What's going on?!' Merry demanded. 'What does Gandalf mean?'

'Gandalf is taking Pippin to Gondor to keep him safe.' Aragorn replied.

'Gondor,' Merry breathed.

'I can't go!' Pippin protested. 'I promised Merry I wouldn't leave!'

'I'm sorry,' Aragorn said as he wrapped Pippin in the hobbit's cloak and blanket.

Then Gandalf rode up on Shadowfax.

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*Aragorn lifted Pippin into Gandalf's arms, wrapped in cloak and blanket. 'Fare well! Follow fast!' cried Gandalf. 'Away Shadowfax!' The great horse tossed his head. His flowing tail flicked in the moonlight. Then he leapt forward, spurring the earth, and was gone like the north wind from the mountains.*

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Watching Shadowfax speed away, Merry showed no signs of emotion but inside he was breaking up. He felt small and frightened and he wanted desperately to talk to some one and get it all off his chest but the words seemed to stick in his throat. Aragorn placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

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*'A beautiful, restful night!' said Merry to Aragorn. 'Some folk have wonderful luck! He did not want to sleep and he wanted to ride with Gandalf-and there he goes! Instead of being turned into a stone himself to stand here forever as a warning.'*

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Aragorn sensed the bitterness in Merry's voice and knelt down beside him.

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*'If you had been the first to lift the Orthanc-stone and not he, how would it be now?' said Aragorn. 'You might have done worse. Who can say? But now it is your luck to come with me, I fear. At once. Go and get ready, and bring anything Pippin left behind. Make haste!'*

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Merry hurried off to do as he was told but his mind was still realing and the reality of what was happening had finally crashed down on him. He felt alone for, though he still had friends, he was the only hobbit. There was no one left who understood.

He hadn't even said goodbye. It had all happened so fast. He might not ever see Pippin again and he hadn't even said goodbye. What if Frodo and Sam didn't succeed in destroying the ring? What if he never saw the Shire again or got another chance to laugh with his friends? What if there wasn't a tomorrow? He had so much to lose-had lost so much-and he hadn't even said goodbye.

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It took me forever to write this. Hope you liked it. I'll have more chapters up soon. I hope the font isn't messed up on this one. Please review. I don't care if you don't like it and leave a flame because I do this for fun. Thanks!^_^