Chapter Eight

Merry was still in his nightshirt when he heard a rap on his door. He didn’t answer it, hoping whoever it was would eventually leave. Then he heard it again. This time he thought to send the intruder on his or her way, but in case it was his auntie or uncle, he didn’t want to be rude towards them... he sighed, “Who is it?”

“Pip.” Pippin used the nickname Merry gave him, hoping this would soften any blow Merry might send his way.

“Go away, please.”

“I’ve got an envelope for you.”

“Go away, please.” Growing slightly annoyed that Pippin wasn’t heeding his request.

“It’s from Frodo Baggins.”

“Go aw-- Oh, it’s no use!” Merry got up and opened the door. There stood a little hobbit with hand stretched out holding an envelope. Merry snatched it from Pippin and opened the door wider, “You’re hopeless.”

Pippin took the hint and stepped inside. Merry’s room was dark. It was lit only by the sunlight that seeped through the cracks of the drapes, and one candle that sat on the mantle. Pippin noticed it was a bit stuffy inside, too. Merry apparently hadn’t opened any windows all day. Pippin watched Merry toss the envelope on the night table and crawl back inside the warm bed and under the covers.

Pippin settled himself in a chair and looked around the room, “Aren’t you going to open it?”

“I know what it is.”

“What is it, then?”

Merry sighed heavily, “It’s an invitation.”

Pippin waited for Merry to elaborate. “Are you going to open it?”

Silence.

“Merry?”

“What!” Merry was getting agitated at Pippin again.

“Are you going to open it?”

“No!”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t want to! Is this an inquisition?” Pippin was turning the right keys again.

Normally, Pippin would have had fun in aggravating his dear cousin, but Merry was in such a state right now that Pippin felt he needed to draw his cousin out of his dark closet.

There was an uneasy silence. Pippin asked, “Have you made up your mind if you’re going to stay with us or Frodo?” He had ‘overheard’ his parents talking in the study the evening before.

This was the actual purpose of Merry’s ‘visit‘. Esmeralda had sent Merry to stay with her brother Paladin until she could make peace between Saradoc and Merry--which could take a lot longer than the usual stay of a fortnight. Merry was undecided if he wanted to burden his uncle with his problems.

Pippin’s question hit Merry like a dagger. “I don’t know, Pippin--leave me alone!”

“But, I...”

“Please leave!” Merry got out of bed and hauled Pippin out of the room by his arm, shoved him out into the dark hallway and slammed the door behind him. Merry leaned against it, slipping to the floor. He began to weep all over again. After a few minutes he heard Pippin’s footsteps walk away. This whole dilemma had turned him into a monster. He hated Brandy Hall, he hated his father, and now he was becoming a monster to the people he loved the most. He decided at that moment he would never go back to Brandy Hall to live. He had no clear idea as to where he would be living two weeks or even a month from now, but it would not be Brandy Hall.

Then he saw a little dark shape on the floor next to the chair Pippin had been sitting in. Pippin must have dropped it--as I was shoving him out of the room. Merry sniffed and got up to fetch the little object. He picked it up and held it before him. It was difficult to see the color in the darkness. It was silky to his touch and he felt the broken stitches on one side of it--where at one time existed an embroidered smiling face. The memory of the object made Merry cry all over again. It was Pippin’s little blue pillow. Perhaps Pippin brought it here on purpose. He meant to give it to me but I shoved him out--what a brilliant cousin you are, Merry! Merry himself had given the pillow to Pippin when he was an infant. He had seen it briefly at times over the years, and even now Pippin would never admit that he still took it to bed with him.

The little pillow was so dear to Pippin because it was Merry who gave it to him, and stitched together by his sweet aunt. It was Pippin’s way of giving comfort to Merry when he didn’t quite know how to give it himself.

Merry crawled onto his bed and hugged the little pillow until he was out of tears and fast asleep.