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A New Reckoning  by Dreamflower

CHAPTER 52

The assembly spent the next four days debating the use of the gold. There was a general consensus on using it to rebuild and also to support the families of those who lost breadwinners during the Occupation, but the specifics were more difficult to come by.

On the second day of the debate, Uffo Bracegirdle arrived, in great shock at finding out that his cousin Dago had been a traitor, and was now trying to flee justice.

On the third day of the debate, Denham Banks arrived, accompanied by his sons Denny and Rolly. He was very surprised to find that he was now head of the Banks clan. He was given a warm welcome by Eglantine, and spent a great deal of time closeted with Saradoc, and being brought up to date on what had been going on. He was completely shocked by Clodio’s treachery. It was clear he felt out of his depth socially.

At the luncheon break on the fourth day of the debate, Merry sought out Odovocar Bolger.

“Odovocar, I was wondering if everything was all right with Mistress Rosamunda and Estella? They have not come back out, and I would have thought that they might, if only to see Freddy.”

Odovocar sighed. “Meriadoc, I have to tell you, Estella is trying to avoid you. She is quite upset with you.”

Merry went pale. “What? Why? What did I do?”

“I am afraid, my lad, that your actions with the Banks brothers at the Ball frightened her very much. I am sorry, but she does not wish to see you right now.” He sighed sadly, and moved on. He hoped the young people would work this out, as he quite liked the idea of Merry as a son-in-law, but it was up to his daughter now.

Merry stood there, thunderstruck. It had never remotely occurred to him that Estella would be frightened by his action. He just stood there, unmoving and unheeding, as her father’s words came back to him.

Pippin came up to him. “Merry, are you all right?”

He turned a desperate face to his cousin. “She doesn’t want to see me! He said I frightened her!”

Pippin took a deep breath, and latched on to Merry’s sleeve. “Come on, let’s go find Freddy. Maybe he can shed some light.” He dragged Merry along, unresisting.

They found Freddy, as had become customary for him in the last several days, in company with Legolas and Gimli.

Pippin started off without any preamble. “Freddy, what’s this business about Estella being upset with Merry?”

Merry blushed, but it was a measure of his misery that he did not protest his cousin’s interference, nor notice that his problem was being aired in front of the Elf and the Dwarf. Pippin tended to be very direct, and maybe that’s what was called for here.

Gimli stood up. “I think this may be none of our business, Master Elf.”

Legolas shook his head. He wasn’t going anywhere.

“She saw something, Merry, that it would have been better she not see. My little sister thinks of you as safe and protective, but she was frightened by that display of violence the other night. It showed her a side of you I don’t think she had thought about before.”

“Why didn’t she say something? Why didn’t she give me a chance to explain? Why did she just go off like that?”

“I don’t know. Lasses are like that sometimes. I told her she should give you a chance to explain, but she didn’t want to face you. I tried to explain it to her myself, but I don‘t think she listened to me.”

Merry moaned. “What am I going to do?”

Freddy sighed. “I’d tell you to go talk to her, but I don’t think she’d see you right now if you went to see her. She’s terribly unhappy.”

“Perhaps she would see others,” said Legolas.

Pippin and Merry stared at him. They had nearly forgotten he and Gimli were still there.

“Lad, this is none of our business--” started Gimli. The last thing he wanted to do was get involved in Merry’s love-life.

But Pippin had a speculative look on his face. “Not a bad idea, Legolas. If she won’t talk to Merry, she’ll have to talk to us.”

Freddy looked alarmed. “You don’t want to all come down on her at one time. That will really frighten her!”

“No,” said Pippin thoughtfully, “no that’s true. One at a time would be better--”

Merry looked uncertain. Having his friends’ support was all very nice, but he didn’t want them to make things worse. He looked at the Elf. He had thousands of years of experience, he must know what he was doing. “Well, if you really think it will help?”

“Trust us, Merry,” said Pippin.

Merry nodded. After all, he couldn’t be any more miserable.

____________________________________________________

Opal had begun to have more lucid moments. Poppy checked her for signs of infection, and was pleased that her injuries were healing on schedule. She was still in a lot of pain, though, and the little healer was trying to be very careful with the draughts for the pain. Some of them were very strong, and could become addictive if not used wisely.

The Elf had visited her a few times. He would sit and sing to her in his strange tongue, and he would put his large hand over her forehead; it seemed to ease her pain without a draught, and Poppy was very grateful to him.

Her patient still had not come to terms with the extent of her injuries. Although she had been told that she had lost one leg, and though she knew the other was broken, she seemed in a stage of denial about it.

Poppy turned to Garnet, who had fallen into a light doze while the healer examined her patient. “Is it time for your father to relieve you?”

“Not quite yet,” murmured Opal’s sister. Reggie and Opal’s two sisters had taken it in turn to stay with her at all times since it had happened.

There was a rap on the door.

“Come in,” said Garnet.

It was Rose Cotton and Marigold Gamgee. They had been there two or three times already. Garnet felt ashamed of herself, a very unaccustomed feeling, for the way she had spoken and thought of the two lasses. They had been so sweet, thoughtful and concerned; she wondered why she had ever listened to her mother about them.

“Hullo, Miss Garnet,” said Rose. “How is she today?”

“She’s still sleeping most of the time.”

Poppy excused herself, and left the visitors with her patient and her patient’s sister. Things were looking up.

_________________________________________________________

“Sam--”

“Yes, Mr. Pippin?”

“Would you be up to coming into Tuckborough with Freddy, Legolas and me? We have a little errand of mercy to perform.”

“What do you mean, Mr. Pippin?”

“Well, it seems that Miss Estella is not happy with our Merry. I think we ought to talk with her, don’t you?”

Sam looked alarmed. “I don’t know about that, Mr. Pippin. It may not be a good idea.”

“Legolas thinks it’s a good idea. Besides,” he put forth his best argument, “how would you feel if Rosie wouldn’t speak to you?”

The stricken look on Sam’s face was worth it. “Oh my, Mr. Pippin! It doesn’t do to think of! Of course I’ll help.”

_________________________________________________

At The Leaping Hare, Rosamunda glanced at her daughter’s moping form in irritation. The child had been miserable ever since that little scene Meriadoc had pulled with the Banks brothers. When it happened, Rosamunda had also been appalled. But then Odovocar had returned from the first day of assembly, and told them why, and of the treachery of the Banks. That they had been instrumental in helping Lotho Pimple take over the Shire, and so were at least partly responsible for her losing her home temporarily, and for Freddy’s imprisonment, and for poor little Folco’s murder was enough for her. Actually, she now thought Merry had been rather moderate with his reaction.

At the Ball, she had been suitably impressed with the introductions of the guests of honor. It was not lost on her that the Brandybuck lad had gained in status while he was gone. She had spent quite some time in conversation with Reginard, and learned what some of the titles they had given him meant. Apparently having been one of the “Nine Walkers” was just about the highest of honors after being a “Ringbearer”. And he was favored by not one, but *two* of the Kings in the South. News of the lavish annual stipend he was to receive from his King had also reached her. A hundred silver pennies a year and two ponies was nothing to sneeze at.

And now it looked like her daughter might throw it all away because he lost his temper, and about something that was perfectly justifiable.

Of course, if she thought that Estella truly did not care for him anymore, that would be different. But it was obvious that she was still in love with him. Young people could be so exasperating.

There was a rap on the door of the room. Estella looked at her mother.

Of course, it was probably Angelica Baggins. She and Estella had been spending a deal of time together since the Ball. But Rosamunda would have to be sure, because Estella was adamant about not seeing Merry.

It was Freddy. “Hullo, Mother. I’ve brought someone to see Estella.”

She looked up at her brother angrily. “I won’t see Merry!”

“I promise it’s *not* Merry! Come, now, would I do that to you?”

“I suppose not. Well, as long as it’s not Merry.”

Freddy turned and beckoned, and Pippin entered the room. Estella looked at him in dismay. It might as well have been Merry. She turned a betrayed look at her brother, but he had taken his mother’s arm. “Come, Mother, let’s go have a cup of tea, and I will tell you of the goings on at the Smials. Have you heard that Hyacinth was banished?”

Freddy and his mother went out. Estella glared at Pippin without saying a word.

“ ‘Hullo, Pip, it’s nice to see you, how have you been keeping?’ ” He grinned at her. “Is that so hard?”

His Tookish smile was infectious, and she couldn’t help it. “I am glad to see you, Pippin, but I know you are just here to plead for Merry.”

“You are an intelligent lass. Of course I am. He’s perfectly miserable.”

“So, what do you have to say for him?”

“Well, first of all, I want to know why you are so upset with him. What happened the other night had nothing whatsoever to do with you. You know that.”

She hung her head. It was going to be hard to say this to Pippin, because he was like Merry--he had gone away and come back changed.

“It just--it brought it home to me. Merry has done violent things, he’s fought in battles, and--and he’s killed,” she whispered. “He’s killed people. I mean I know they were wicked and all but--”

“I see.” Pippin’s voice was cold and a bit hard.

She sighed. “I knew you’d take it like that.”

He looked at her steadily. “It’s time you learned a little bit about how the Shire has been protected all these years. I think you need to talk to someone else.”

He went to the door, opened it and gestured. Legolas entered. “I think you can explain some of this better than I can.”

_________________________________________________

By teatime the assembly had finished for the day. Frodo went looking for his friends. He found Gimli.

“Where has everyone gone, Gimli? I can’t find anyone else.”

Gimli sniffed. “Well, Master Merry is in his room moping. Everyone else has gone into town to interfere in his love-life.”

“What?” Frodo’s exclamation was sharp. This did not sound good.

“It seems that Miss Estella is not speaking to Merry, after what happened the other night with those young louts he subdued. So Pippin, Legolas, Sam and Fredegar have all gone into town to reason with her.”

“Oh stars above!” Frodo moaned. “Whose brilliant idea was that?” expecting the answer to be Pippin.

“The Elf’s of course,” snorted Gimli. “You know how Elves are about romance.”

“It was *Legolas’s* idea?”

“Indeed, that is exactly what I said.”

Frodo heaved a heavy sigh. “Well, then maybe it won’t be a total disaster. After all, he must have thousands of years of experience.” He got up. “I guess I had better go and see if I can cheer up Merry.” That would be nice, actually. Merry had spent his entire life from the day he was born, cheering up Frodo. It would be good to return the favor.

_______________________________________________________

The four friends sat glumly nursing their ale.

“I must say,” said Legolas, “that this is not the reaction I was hoping for.”

“Well,” Freddy took a sip from his tankard. “at least she’s not angry at him any more.”

“Nooo,” Pippin said sarcastically, “she’s not mad any more.”

Sam shook his head. “No, now she thinks she’s not good enough for him.”

 

 





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