12: Gone for Good (or Bad)

Sam could not believe what had just seen. Despite being a close friend to Frodo and Bilbo, he had not been invited to the special supper in the great pavilion. He understood; it would have hardly been proper for a gardener to sit among all of the Baggins’ rich and important family. But after they had eaten their own fabulous dinner (Sam did not think he had ever eaten such glorious food), he and Rose, joined by Young Tom, Jolly and Marigold hovered near the edge of the pavilion so that they could here Bilbo’s speech.

“He’s disappeared!” Jolly cried.

“He can’t ‘ave!” Tom returned. “Folks just don’t vanish like that! Do they?”

Sam realised that all eyes had fallen upon him. As the gardener for Bag-End, they expected to have answers, but he had none to give. Certainly, he had known of Bilbo’s oddities, and had been told the tale of his adventure many times, but Sam could remember no mention of learning how to vanish into thin air in that tale.

“I wonder how Mister Frodo’s takin’ this,” he mumbled. His eyes searched the pavilion for his Master. They fell on Pervinca for a moment, but he managed to tear them away. Now was not the time for such things. He found Frodo’s chair, but it was empty. Not Frodo too! He almost cried out, but then he caught a glimpse of Frodo headed away from the party.

“Poor Mister Frodo,” he sighed.

“Out of our way!” roared Otho Sackville-Baggins. He pushed his way passed Sam and his friends, with Lobelia and Lotho close behind.

Sam scowled at their backs. He had never much cared for the “S.-Bs”, as Frodo and Bilbo had called them.

“That Baggins was always mad!” Jolly declared. “Don’t you all agree?”

His companions nodded and murmured their agreement, but Sam remained silent. He was still worried about Frodo. Bilbo had been like a father to Frodo. Sam thought about how he would feel if the Gaffer simply disappeared one day. He shuddered, and concluded that he no longer felt in a party mood. He would come back later – Bilbo had asked him to help clear out any incapacitated guests, and in the morning, to help clean the field.

“Come on Mari,” he sighed. “Find Dad. We’re going home.”

“But…” Marigold was about to argue, but a stern glare from her brother helped her to decide not to. She said goodbye to her friends and went in search of her father.

* * * * * *

Pervinca was also no longer in the mood for celebrating. Though she had never been as close to Bilbo as Merry or Pippin, she knew that she would miss him dearly. He always spoiled her when she came to visit, and she believed it had something to do with the resemblance she bore to Belladonna Took Baggins, Bilbo’s mother.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Frodo stand and leave the table. Poor Frodo! If she was already missing Bilbo, she could hardly imagine how Frodo was feeling. Pervinca hoped that no one else had seen Frodo leave. She knew that he would need some time alone in his grief.

“I understand why Bilbo said Frodo would need you in the morning, Merry,” sighed Esmeralda. “This is the second time that poor lad has had to deal with losing a parent.”

“Peregrin, Pervinca,” said Eglantine. “Are you both sure that you want to stay too?”

“Of course!” Pippin scoffed. “Frodo will need us too!” He yawned.

“Pippin, dearest, you look awfully tired. I could take you make to the Inn…”

“I’ll take him into Bag-End,” Merry offered. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m rather sick of this party. Come on, Pip.”

“I’ll come too,” said Pervinca. The three hobbits said goodnight to their families and followed Frodo’s escape to Bag-End.

“How are you feeling, Pip?” Merry asked.

“I still feel a little dizzy,” Pippin admitted. “And my tummy is a little funny. But I don’t think I’ll throw up again.”

“Would you like me to stay in your room anyway?” Pervinca suggested. Just because Pippin said he wasn’t going to throw up, didn’t mean he wouldn’t. She wanted to have someone there in case he was sick again.

“Only if you want to.”

Pervinca nodded. “Let me get the room ready.”

She ran on ahead, leaving Merry to safely deliver Pippin to Bag-End. She had left the door open for them, and Merry let Pippin in first. As he shut the door, Merry heard his elder cousins voice speaking to Gandalf.

“Shh!” Merry whispered to Pippin, pulling the lad close to him. Together they snuck towards Bilbo’s study.

“You are the Master of Bag End now. And also, I fancy you’ll find a golden ring.”

“The ring!” Merry hissed at the same time as Frodo cried out. Merry knew about Bilbo’s ring, though he hoped to discovery more. He pressed closer to the door in hope of hearing something interesting.

But instead, the door opened, and Merry fell flat on his behind with Pippin on his lap. Gandalf frowned down at them, and quickly shut the door behind him. “Master Meriadoc, do you make it a habit of standing outside doors like this?”

“N-no, sir,” Merry stammered. “I was just taking Pippin to his room. He’s very tired.”

Gandalf continued to frown, but did not accuse Merry of lying. “He’s not the only one. I am pleased to see that the two of you will be staying here. Frodo may need his friends.”

“Yes, sir. We’ll be sure to help him any way we can!”

The frown dissolved into a small smile. Gandalf made his way down the hall to his room, chuckling about “delightful hobbit lads”.

Pippin squirmed in Merry’s lap and stood. “What was that all about?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Merry muttered.

“Yes, it does. You lied to Gandalf. You said you weren’t listening to what he and Frodo were talking about, but you were!”

“I never said that,” Merry stubbornly replied. “He didn’t ask me whether I was listening, he only asked if I made a habit of standing outside doors, and I don’t.”

Pippin gave his cousin a sceptical look, quite an achievement for an eleven year old. “What were they talking about anyway? What ring?”

“Pip, don’t worry about it.”

“Merry! If you don’t tell me, I’ll go in there and tell Frodo you were listening.”

Merry sighed. “Look, Pippin, I’ll make you a deal. I promise I’ll tell you everything I know when you’re older…”

“When I’m older? Merry!”

“I don’t know everything yet myself, Pippin. All I know is that we’ll have to keep a close eye on Frodo from now on. We won’t want him running away like Bilbo did, will we?”

“No, that wouldn’t be good at all.”

Merry stood and knocked on the study door. He figured that Gandalf had left long enough ago for Frodo not suspect that they had been listening in.

“Yes?” Frodo called in a sad voice.

“Hullo, Frodo,” Merry greeted. “I’m just taking Pippin to bed now. I thought you might be here. Are you okay?”

Frodo nodded. “Yes, thank you, Merry. Is the party still going on?”

“Yes, though I think quite a few guests have left already.”

With a sigh, Frodo stood. “I suppose that’s hardly surprising. I’d best go and see to those that remain.”

“Probably a good idea.”

Frodo squeezed Merry’s shoulder as he passed through the door, and ruffled Pippin’s hair. “Sweet dreams, Pippin. I shall see you in the morning. You too, Merry.”

“G’night, Frodo!” Pippin called. “Pervinca is staying too, but she’s getting my room ready. I’ll tell her you said goodnight.”

“Thank you for that, Pippin.”

Once Frodo had left, Pippin looked up at Merry. “Will Frodo be okay, Merry?”

“I hope so, Pip.”

* * * * * *

A/N: Very short chapter – sorry about that. Promise the next one will be longer!