A/N: Written for Marigold’s Challenge # 24

~Pippin’s Lonely Yule~

Chapter One- In which all plans come crashing to an end

     “Pippin, do be careful!” Eglantine Took warned her twenty year old lad, who was climbing a ladder to put a branch of holly on a rather high shelf in the gathering room of their home in the Great Smials. They were decorating for Yule, and Pippin’s three older sisters were chattering away in the other room, distracting him from his job.

     “I’m being careful, Mum,” Pippin told her as the ladder began to wobble with him perched at the very top.

     “Pippin!” Eglantine screeched as the ladder fell with Pippin underneath it. The girls fell silent.

     “Yeooooow!” Pippin wailed as he fell. Then everything went black.

* * *

     The healer said Pippin would need to remain in bed until the broken leg was healed, because they didn’t have any crutches in the Smials. “Other than that, all he got was a bump on the head.”

     Pippin moaned. “But we were going to Buckland for Yule next week!”

     “Not with that leg in this weather. The winds are getting really bad,” the healer responded. “You’ll have to celebrate Yule in bed this year, dear.”

     Pippin looked towards his mother, pleading with his eyes for her to talk the healer out of canceling their trip. But Eglantine agreed with her, and she would not be moved by any amount of pouting from her son.

     “I’ll write Saradoc and Esmeralda and tell them we can’t make it this time,” Eglantine said as the healer left. She kissed her son’s forehead and left as well.

     “Merry will be mad at me!” Pippin called after her.

     “I don’t really care! What’s more important, healing your leg, or losing it?” Eglantine called back.

     Pippin shrugged. There was no use arguing with a Took, especially if that Took just happened to be your mother.

* * *

Chapter Two- In which Merry gets a letter and an idea

     Merry Brandybuck sat reading the letter from his Aunt Eglantine and Uncle Paladin with his parents.

     “I’m sorry to say that Pippin has broken his leg and we won’t be able to join you for Yule. He was trying to help me decorate and fell of a ladder.”

     Merry sighed. “Just like Pip,” he muttered, smiling to himself. Well, if they couldn’t join them for Yule then… He didn’t hear any of what his parents said. He was too busy making his own plans.

     Yule was in three days, and Merry began to get anxious for it to come. And finally it did. The night before Yule, Merry snuck out of his bed and packed a small bag. He put a small square package at the top, put on his heavy winter coat, and crept out of his room. He left a note for his parents on the table in the kitchen, and walked out the door. 

     When they awoke his mother was the first to realize he wasn’t there. “He’s not in bed, and he’s not out here,” she said. “Perhaps he’s down at the hall, visiting someone.”

     “He’s visiting someone all right,” Saradoc said, showing Esmeralda the note.

     “Mum and Da, I went to cheer Pippin up.

     After all it is Yule, his favorite

     Holiday, and everyone needs to be

     happy on Yule! Love, Merry.”

     “He went all the way to the Smials?” Esmeralda declared.

     And indeed Merry was on his way to the Took Smials. But when he was about halfway there, the wind, that had been bothering him for some time, suddenly picked up and Merry was nearly blown off his feet. He stopped by a tree, tired and breathless, grabbing hold of the trunk to keep from being swept away by the violent winds that arose.

     “I didn’t plan for this! I’ll never make it in time,” Merry moaned, pulling his coat tighter around him.

Chapter Three- In which Pippin is bored and lonesome

     Pippin lay in bed staring up at the ceiling. It was nearly mid-day; nigh on time for elevenses, and Pippin couldn’t help but bemoan his position.

     Many of his relatives had come to visit him for a few moments at the most, but they all hurried out to take part in the festivities taking place elsewhere. Festivities that Pippin couldn’t join even if he wanted to.

     His meal was brought to him and he ate it in silence, wondering if Merry’s family had decided to go up to Bag End and visit cousin Frodo. How come Merry could have all the fun, and Pippin get left behind? It wasn’t fair!

     But, even though he was mad at Merry for deserting him, he ate all his food and was not angry enough to feel full. He wanted someone to bring him more food, but no one came until nearly 12:30, when his mother came to check on him.

     “How are you holding up?” Eglantine asked him.

     Pippin held up his empty plate to her and she smiled at the pitiful expression on his face.

     “I’m sure you’re still hungry, but what I meant was how does your leg feel?” Eglantine said with a slight smile playing about her face.

     “Fine. Do you want to play a game with me, Mum? I’m bored as well as hungry,” Pippin complained.

     “Oh, love, you know I would, but your Uncle Ferumbras asked me to keep hungry children out of the kitchen until dinner time,” Eglantine said, kissing her son’s forehead.

     Pippin looked as sad as he could.

     “I’ll see if I can find someone to keep you company,” Eglantine said smiling again.

     She hurried out and came back with more food for Pippin, but then he was left alone again for nearly two hours.

     “What a miserable way to spend Yule,” Pippin thought, grimacing when he tried to move his injured leg. “Next time I’ll be careful to avoid ladders and decorating around Yule-time!” he added, only half sarcastic.

     Then, finally, his door was opened and someone walked in. But it was not at all who Pippin was expecting.

Chapter Three-In which Merry’s plan succeeds

     Merry stood in the doorway, his curls a mess and his face red.

     “Merry!” Pippin exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”

     “I heard you got hurt, so I came to cheer you up,” Merry explained, sitting down on the edge of Pippin’s bed. “You look bored.”

     “I’ve been cooped up all day long, and no body’s stayed long enough to do anything with me,” Pippin said. “I thought you would have gone to visit Frodo.”

     Merry shook his head. “My parents may have, but I decided to come visit you.”

     Pippin smiled. “You came all by yourself? I thought you deserted me.” He looked at Merry reproachfully.

     “I haven’t deserted you! I couldn’t desert you, Pip!” Merry stated, messing up his cousin’s red curls.

     “I didn’t think you would.”

     Merry pulled the package out of his bag. “I got you something for Yule.”

     Pippin looked eagerly at the box.

     “Open it Pip,” Merry urged.

     Pippin ripped the box open. Inside was a long, thick green scarf. “How did you know I wanted a new scarf?”

     “You told me last time we were out in the cold and you ripped your old one,” Merry replied sarcastically.

     Pippin smiled, then frowned. “I got you something, too, but I put it in another room and I can’t go get it.”

     “Yes you can,” came a voice from the doorway.

     “Frodo! How did you get here so fast?” Merry looked confused.

     “Your parents took a wagon to Bag End and sent me over here in it,” said the hobbit. “That wind is really kicking up and it was starting to snow. We may be stuck here for a while.”

     Pippin moaned. “I’ll be here forever!”

     “No, I brought you these!” Frodo said, holding out a pair of carved crutches. “Happy Yule, Pippin!”

~Finis~

A/N: This is my (late) Yule gift to whoever I didn't write a story for. My muse went away, but now has apparently decided to show herself again! It's just a bit of fluff, but I hope you all enjoy it! The first is the last Yule Frodo spends with his parents, the second is after Frodo has been living in Bag End for a while, and the third is after the Quest. Merry (late) Yule!

~Three Yules~

It was nearly morning, the sun was barely peeking over the horizon, but Frodo could not stand it any longer. Throwing aside his covers, he bounded from his bed and crawled up onto his parents’ bed to lie between them.

Primula rolled over and opened her eyes to see her child’s wide excited blue eyes just inches away from her own.

“Mummy, it’s Yule! Can we wake up now?” Frodo asked.

Primula giggled and said, “If you can wake your Da, dearest, then yes.”

Frodo rolled over and squirmed up under his Da’s arm. “Da!” he said. “It’s Yule, wake up!”

His Da answered with a loud snore.

Frodo frowned, then grinned and started tickling his Da. But his plan backfired, for the moment Drogo was awake, he grabbed Frodo around the waist, and began tickling him back, until he was breathless from laughter.

“Da,” Frodo asked, when they stopped and both had managed to catch their breath. “Can we wake up? It’s Yule, and I want to get up!”

“I think we’re already awake, silly,” Drogo said with a grin. He rose and lifted his son onto his shoulders, heading out of the room. Primula followed a moment later.

“We’d best get dressed, Frodo-lad,” Drogo said. “Your Uncle Bilbo’ll be here before second breakfast!”

Frodo smiled. He thought today would be the happiest day of his life, surrounded by the three people who loved him most in the world.

* * *

Frodo woke early that morning to a small bundle of Tookish energy bouncing up and down on the foot of his bed. He chuckled and quickly pulled his feel up to avoid getting them bounced on and said, “I’m up already, Pippin! What’s all the commotion about?”

“It’s Yule Frodo! And I got you and Merry special presents this year, cause I made them myself!” Pippin exclaimed.

Suddenly Bilbo was in the doorway, Merry right behind him. “Come on, Frodo-lad, time to get up!”

“Breakfast is almost ready, Fro, and Pip’ll eat it all if you don’t get up!” Merry chimed in.

Frodo looked up at Pippin, who gave him a toothless grin. He had recently lost both of his front teeth.

Frodo laughed and gave in, following the three into the kitchen for breakfast.

* * *

It was late, but for once Frodo wasn’t tired. Ever since his last illness in October, he had tired much more easily than he had before.

He glanced around at his three closest friends, thanking Eru that they had been allowed to come home from their Quest.

Sam met his gaze and smiled gently. Frodo returned the smile, then looked to his cousins. They raised their glasses, filled for the ump-teenth time, and smiled at him as well.

Frodo thought he’d never seen the three of them looking so content and happy, Sam with his arm around his Rose, and his cousins enjoying the company of their friends and loved ones.

There had been a part of Frodo that had been wondering all day if that was going to be his last Yule in Middle Earth, but for now that voice was suppressed, and Frodo relaxed to enjoy himself for the rest of the evening.

~Finis~

A/U: This is a gift for harrowcat in place of the story about Pippin and his falcon that I promised her. I apologize for that, I lost most of it on my USB because it died a week ago. I still plan on finishing it though! Happy Yule! Love, Ellie

Pippin sat on a rock on the side of the road, kicking his feet into the snow dejectedly. How had his Yule turned out to be so miserable? All he had wanted was to find the perfect gifts for his cousins, but he’d ended up missing out on the first day of Yule.

He’d been looking for days, and had several ideas of what he could get them, but none of them seemed just right, and so he’d procrastinated buying something, in case the perfect gift would just pop out at him. His mum had warned him that if he didn’t choose something soon, he would end up with nothing for them at all, and she’d been right.

He’d spent most of the morning of First Yule searching in vain for something, and now he knew Merry and Frodo were both back at his home wondering where he had run off to and probably annoyed with him for not being there.

Sighing, he kicked the snow even harder, and crossed his arms over his chest, frowning out at the white landscape around him.

Suddenly his eyes fell on a few twigs lying at his feet, and he got an idea. Leaping up quickly, he grabbed as many of the twigs laying around as he could, and dashed back home as fast as his legs could carry him.

***

Frodo and Merry were standing around outside waiting for Pippin to come home. They had been worried when Eglantine had told them that he had been out all morning looking for their gifts, but they had decided to worry at home instead of going to look for him, in case it would ruin whatever plans the young hobbit had in mind.

“Well,” Merry said, puffing absently on his pipe. “Perhaps we should send Da and Uncle Pal out after him if he doesn’t come home soon.”

Frodo nodded. “We said we’d give him till noon before looking for him.” He scanned the horizon, then laughed suddenly. “No need. Here he comes.”

They watched as Pippin dashed up the lane, cheeks red, scarf flying out behind him, and his hands full of twigs.

“Hullo!” he said, smiling breathlessly at them.

“Hello, Pip. What’ve you got there?” Merry asked, looking confused and amused.

“Nothing. I’ve got to go finish your Yule gifts! See you later!” Pippin said, hurriedly dashing into the house.

Frodo and Merry looked at each other, eyebrows lifted. What was their cousin up to?

***

Pippin closed the door to his room and dumped the sticks onto his desk. Then he stuck a chair under the door handle for good measure, just in case his cousins decided to seek him out again.

He grabbed all his pencils and paints from under the desk, and the special paper Frodo had given him for his last birthday, and a spool of twine.