Chapter Ten - Facing the Music

“Merry!” Frodo called out as the pair walked briskly down the storage tunnel towards the main hallway. As Frodo caught up to his cousin he said, “You don’t have to go to all this trouble, Merry. He’s probably will not be in his office for a while yet--just as you said!”

Merry imagined his uncle just finishing up his breakfast and wiping his mouth with his linen. He saw in his mind’s eye his uncle giving Aunt Tina a kiss goodbye and then making his way to the main hallway towards his office--and smiling all the way, no doubt! “He knows,” Merry finally spoke.

“What do you mean?”

Merry repeated, “He knows.”

“Who knows?”

“He knows--Uncle Paladin! He knows we’re here.”

Frodo grabbed Merry by the arm and stopped him. “But that is nonsense. I thought you said something last night about--that he would see us directly ‘if he knew we were here’?”

“I know my uncle better than I know my own father,” answered Merry. “I should have realized it last night. He knows.”

Now Frodo was truly puzzled, “How?”

“I’ve had all night to think about it,” Merry said. “He knows in his heart that I would never abandon Pippin, so why would I start now?” Merry went on, his heart filled with guilt, “The sad part is, if Uncle Paladin thought for just one moment that I was in trouble out in the middle of the Shire, he would’ve sent a search party out by now. The only noise I’ve heard so far was the servants going in and out of the cellars.”

As they rounded the last corner, Frodo shook his head in despair, “Unfortunately, dear cousin, that does make any sense.”

“He waiting for us in his study, Frodo. I would venture to say that Auntie knows we’re here, too, but she’s quieter about knowing my plans than my uncle is, and I can usually sweet-talk Auntie into not punishing me so hard.”

Frodo was beginning to get a bit uneasy now. Was Paladin really that harsh? Though he was an adult, Frodo wouldn’t put it past Paladin to deal out some sort of sentence to him as well. He fingered with the golden trifle in his pocket as if he were making a most difficult decision. He asked, “What do you think the chances are of us meeting up with cousin Tina first?”

They had reached the door to the main tunnel when Frodo stopped Merry and asked, “What do you think Paladin will do? To you, I mean. Will he send you home, or send you to your room without lunch or supper?”

Merry leaned against the wall and sighed, “He has had every right to send me home in the past and hasn‘t done it yet. But I can already tell you he’s probably disappointed in me more than anything, and that is what’s really bothering me. Even though I spend more time at home now and with my own dad, it is still very important to me to know what Uncle Paladin thinks of me. And he knows that.” Merry let out a long breath, “So I know I can count on getting the same punishment as Pippin.”

Frodo slowly shook his head, “But he really shouldn’t be punishing you.”

“Why not? I’m still part of the family,” Merry said.

Frodo thought about the parallel he and his cousin’s lives had taken. Paladin had taken Merry into his heart and home just as sure as Bilbo had adopted him. Frodo had never really heard stories of Paladin being harsh in disciplining his children; on the contrary. Then again, he never had to worry before because he was never on the receiving end. He would trust Merry in this. He let go of the trinket in his pocket.

Having made their way to the main hallway, the hobbits quietly crept up to Paladin’s office door. It was open, as it always was unless he was in a meeting with his cousin, Thain Ferumbras III, or Addie. Merry peeked around the doorjamb to see if his uncle was at his desk.

Paladin was busy writing out something on his desk. He never once looked up. “Come in, Merry. Is Frodo with you?”

Merry came fully into the office, motioning behind him, “Um,...yes, sir.” Merry could still see Frodo in the hallway giving him the evil eye, but then followed him inside the office.

“Come in, lads, and sit down. I will be with you momentarily,” Paladin said, dipping his pen into the ink jar and then dabbed it onto the blotter. He signed his name in red ink on a document in front of him. “This,” he said as he blew the ink dry, “is a letter to my friend Will, the Mayor of Michel Delving. I let him know that we caught the scoundrel who was trespassing the crop fields from the East Farthing and making his way west.” His eyes raised up to meet theirs, “I had to tell him that it was my very own son.”

Merry and Frodo squirmed in their chairs. “But it--” Merry started, but shut his mouth when he saw the burning glare of his uncle.

“I am doing the speaking right now, Meriadoc.”

“Yes, sir,” Merry responded. Paladin rarely called Merry by his given name.

Merry and Frodo watched quietly as Paladin folded the parchment then put it inside an envelope. He then dripped a bit of melted wax onto the flap, sealing it by pressing it down with his own signet device. Again, using the ink jar, Paladin wrote the Mayor’s name and address on the front of the envelope. Paladin let out a sigh, “Done.” He then lay the envelope aside, folding his hands in front of him. “Now, to deal with you lads.”

“Deal with us?” Frodo stood up, “Lads? I--” He felt his cousin yank on his arm, dragging him back down into his seat. “Merry!”

“Don’t make it any worse,” Merry whispered to his cousin. Then Merry looked over to his uncle sitting in his high-back leather chair. He said, “I--I know you’re looking for an explanation….”

Paladin only arched his eyebrows. “What I should like to know, Merry, is how my fifteen-year-old son ended up in the East Farthing--without my leave,” he said, looking at Frodo. “I was told by his sister that the three of you were going on some sort of...walking party?”

Here is where Frodo interjected. “It was only for a couple days, cousin. As Pippin was already going to be in my care while visiting me, I thought there was no harm in his accompanying us.”

“No harm?” Paladin held his voice in check, “Pippin was supposed to be visiting you at Bag End, Frodo--not on some walking party fifty miles away. Anything more than a mere visit, you should have gotten mine or his mother’s permission first.”

Frodo swallowed hard. “Yes, sir.”

“And Merry,” Paladin glowered at his nephew. “You know better as well.”

“Yes, sir,” was all Merry could say. He could see his uncle was deeply hurt. “I’m...it’s,” Merry’s eyes were downcast at his feet. He couldn’t finish his sentence.

“You have two choices here, Meriadoc, and I hope you choose wisely.” Merry looked up hopefully. Paladin continued, “You can either take the same punishment as your younger cousins, or you can gather your things and go back to Buckland.”

Merry didn’t have to think long on it at all; he loved this family and would take his punishment as well. Before he agreed with the terms of his sentence, he had to know about the other cousin. “Pervinca is being punished as well?”

Paladin leaned back in his chair, “Yes. It’s quite hard for one to groom a pony when the one who should be grooming the beast isn’t anywhere to be found--and neither is the pony!” He eyed Merry, “Did she come out to warn you of my temper last night?”

Merry sighed and looked uneasily at Frodo, “She did, Uncle.”

“All three of you will be confined to your rooms for two weeks, except for dinner, baths and such,” Paladin announced. “and I will allow a certain amount of letters and messages as your behaviour improves.”

Then he looked at his young cousin. “Frodo, I know you’re still finding your feet as your own Master, and I know you must long for Bilbo terribly. But your newly found independence doesn’t excuse you taking a young boy out tramping in the farthest reaches of the Shire--not without my permission.”

“Very well, cousin--but I meant no harm.”

Paladin softened a bit, “I know you didn’t, Frodo, but that is not the point. Pippin is my responsibility.” He held up the sealed envelope as proof. Someday soon when you have children of your own you will understand what I’m saying. Should--and I repeat, should I allow him to go on future walking parties, I will know about it in advance.”

“I understand, and I’m sorry, Paladin.”

“Very well, Cousin.” The slightest hint of a friendly smile appeared on Paladin’s face to ease Frodo a bit, “but I’m not finished yet.”

Paladin turned to Merry and became firm once more, “You may leave now to go to your room, son, but before you do, please do us all a favour and take a bath. Pippin was a sight when he was brought home yesterday, and you don’t look any better.” Frodo couldn’t help but smirk. “Lastly, you may want to write a letter to your mother and father telling them where you’ll be for the next two weeks--and why.”

As Merry got up from his chair he heard Frodo’s verdict, “and for you, Cousin Frodo,” Paladin continued, “I am afraid the rest of the summer will be lonely for you. As part of his punishment, Pippin will not be allowed to visit Bag End for the next two months because I will be keeping him very busy. If you wish to visit Pippin, you may do so after his two weeks are over, but you must know that he will already have a full schedule. After Merry is finished with his punishment, I cannot hold him back from wherever he wishes to go. But if I know my sister as I think I do, Merry will be kept busy as well.”

Merry sighed wearily, “When my Mum and Dad find out why I’m here, I’m certain I won’t be visiting anywhere for a while. Goodbye, Frodo.” Frodo got up to give his cousin a farewell hug, and as he did so, he slipped something into Merry’s pocket.