PART TWO: In which Gandalf comes to visit

“Merry?” A hand shook his shoulder and Merry came back to the present and the bed he was sitting by.

“Hmm? Oh. I`ve been here too long have I?” He looked about a little and found that it had become very late indeed. He felt tired and drained. If only the others would be well soon. Pippin was on the mend, having been able to get out of bed to walk a few steps each day for the past three days, but Merry needed Frodo and Sam to wake up so he could know they were truly going to be all right. Well, as well as it was possible for them to be that is, he corrected himself. “I`ll go to bed now then.”

“I think that would be wise, yes,” Gandalf said. “I`ll accompany you. Don`t worry. Legolas is on his way to watch over our friends while they sleep, and the healer is nearby. And Gimli has been keeping young Pippin company.”

Merry was grateful for this news and gladly let Gandalf walk with him back to the tent he shared with Pippin. That the reason Gandalf walked with him was to ensure that he actually got some rest himself did not occur to the tired hobbit.

Stumbling inside the tent he found Pippin awake and alert and looking him over intently.

“Hullo Pip. You`re awake at this hour? I thought you would be sound asleep by now. How are you feeling?”

“I have slept so much that a little time awake in the night doesn’t matter.” Pippin answered, looking closely at his cousin. It was difficult to see in the dimly illuminated tent, but Pippin had no problem seeing Merry`s pale and strained face, and the lack of energy in his step and movement.

“Merry,” he said in a disapproving voice “You`re not going to worry yourself sick again, are you?”

”No, of course not. Why do you say that?” Am I that easy to read? he thought, but of course he knew the answer. He could hide nothing from Pippin.

Pippin snorted. “You look as if you are about to fall over, Cousin. You need to get some rest.” Pippin glared at him sternly.

Merry undressed and climbed up onto his own cot. “I`ll sleep a little now then, O’ Master Healer Took, if it suits you?”

“Yes, Merry. Please do. And to answer your question: I`ll be fine.” Pippin answered, snuggling down in his own cot.

*****

Gandalf watched the two hobbits lie down to sleep, and then sat down, watching over them. This night his thoughts didn`t wander to the changes of the world, but to the lives of small hobbits. He`d been to talk to Aragorn - he was worried about Merry. The lad worried too much, exerted himself too much, and was too impatient with his own healing progress. Aragorn had promised to come look at him in the morning, and that was part of why Gandalf stayed in the hobbit’s tent this night. Merry must not evade this.

As he sat, his thought wandered over thirty years back in time. He had been visiting Bilbo at Bag End, and was on his way back towards Bree, when a fierce storm had changed his route and he had sought shelter in Brandy Hall, which was luckily nearby. The only place in Buckland, despite its closeness to the Outside, that had ceilings high enough for him to not have to bend completely double, and also the best brandy in the entire Shire.

- @-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-

Brandy Hall, SR 1387, so Frodo is celebrating his 19th birthday and Merry is five

“It is quite a storm we`re having today,” Rorimac Brandybuck said to his two sons, Saradoc and Merimac. The three were sitting comfortably in the Master`s study talking about the harvest. But Saradoc was also thinking about another thing - young Frodo would celebrate his birthday this evening, and he hoped the lad would have an enjoyable time.

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Frodo walked through the Hall with a little hobbit draped around his body - the lad’ s sturdy little arms around his shoulders and his furry feet wrapped around his middle. It was time for a nap, and Frodo had gone to collect his little cousin Merry from the Great Room to put him to bed, so that he would stay awake late in the evening and participate in all of Frodo`s birthday festivities. Frodo was looking forward to his birthday celebration with mixed feelings. He knew he had a place here, and he had family who loved him, but still, this was not completely his home. Cousin Esmie and Cousin Sara loved him as their child, he knew this, and then there was little Merry, whom he adored… Frodo put the lad down on his little bed and covered him up with a light blanket before kissing his curls and leaving the room.

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Gandalf was walking through Buckland longing for a warm smial and a heartening meal when suddenly the storm unleashed its greatest fury. He changed course and headed towards Brandy Hall. If he were to be delayed, he could at least spend some time with friends. He would have brought Bilbo with him, but his plans had been to find Aragorn as quickly as possible and continue their chase of that Gollum creature, and he had not planned on stopping in Buckland at all this trip, had it not been for this wretched weather. He made his way to the great door and was welcomed by the door wardens. The Bucklanders locked their doors and there were always guards outside Brandy Hall.

Gandalf knew his way to the Master`s study, and arrived in the middle of Merimac`s detailed report on the year’s root vegetable crop.

“Gandalf!” The Master exclaimed. “I didn`t know you were coming. Sit, sit!” His sons pulled a huge chair from the corner, and Gandalf sat down gratefully. This was the only Big Person chair in all of Buckland, and Gandalf knew it had come from Bree, long ago, when Rory’s grandfather, Marmadoc, had been Master of Buckland. Rory turned to his youngest son. “Pour him some brandy, would you Merimac. He looks half frozen.”

“Oh, it`s not that bad. Just a bit of rain and wind, but enough of both that I turned aside to seek your hospitality, Master Rorimac. I have to leave again tomorrow, there is business that can not wait.”

“Well, until tomorrow Gandalf, you are a guest of the Hall, and quite welcome too. Now then,” the Master said rubbing his hands, “what is happening outside our little Shire?” Most hobbits didn`t care much for news of the Outside, but like Bilbo, Rory was interested in what happened outside the Bounds.

Gandalf hadn`t been to Buckland for some years so he spent the afternoon talking to the Master and his sons, exchanging news about business inside as well as outside the Shire. Frodo was at the Hall, he knew, and he would find the lad later. It was best to share news when given the chance. If he set foot out in the Great Hall itself there would be a commotion and the children would run him ragged.

There was a sound at the private door to the study and after a polite knock a tiny hobbit peered in. “Da, Mum says she needs -…” There was a surprised squeak and the door closed instantly, before opening again slowly to reveal a mop of honey-coloured curls and a bright blue eye peeking around it.

“Merry?” Saradoc rose and went to the door. He opened it fully and crouched down before the small lad.

Merry just stared over his father’ s shoulder. He`d never seen anyone so big in his whole life. He`d seen a dwarf once, in this very study, but not such a big person, so very large, and so - … grey! “Oh!” He finally managed, retreating into the hallway a bit more.

“Merry, this is Gandalf. The wizard Cousin Bilbo has told you about, do you remember?” Merry nodded numbly.

Saradoc took his lad by the hand and led him into the room. He sat down in his chair and put Merry on his lap, facing Gandalf. Merry shrank back against his father`s chest, amazed by this figure out of legend.

Gandalf smiled and took the time the little lad spent considering this strange newcomer to watch him. Gandalf could almost see the process as the tiny hobbit tried to remember scenes from Bilbo`s stories. He looked a true Brandybuck, Gandalf mused. With a bright and merry spirit - uncommonly so, even for hobbits, clear and alert blue eyes, and to make the picture complete: the snub of a nose and the little cleft in his chin exactly like his father, uncle, and grandfather. But Gandalf also sensed some great part of Took in him. They`d better watch out for mischief from this one, he thought. But he will be a strong and wise leader and loyal to those he loves to the end. Gandalf decided immediately that he liked this tiny hobbit very much and waited for him to make up his mind about Gandalf. Suddenly Merry`s mind was made up, and his face broke into a huge smile, eyes dancing.

“Meriadoc Brandybuck, at your service,” he said, bowing as he sat in Saradoc`s lap.

“Gandalf the Grey at yours and your family`s young master.” Gandalf answered according to custom. “That is quite a long name for such a little lad. Surely they don`t go around calling you all that when you`re called in for meals and such?”

“No, no, Sir. I`m usually called Merry. I can write that you know. M-E-R-R-Y.” Merry beamed. “Frodo showed me.”

“That is very good. My, but you are a clever lad, aren’t you?” Gandalf said, smiling to himself. He had been right that the lad had a gay spirit.

Merry didn’ t have an answer to that so instead he asked “Will you come to Frodo`s birthday today? He`ll be 19.” Merry knew Frodo also knew of Gandalf, and he thought such a grand guest at the Hall should of course come to his beloved cousin`s birthday party.

“Merry!” Rorimac said disapprovingly. “It is not your business to ask people to other people`s birthdays!”

”I`m sorry, Grandda, but Frodo doesn`t have that many who come to his parties. It`s just us here and Auntie and Berilac and Mum and Grandma. And Cousin Bilbo, but he`s up in Hobbiton.”

“Merry,” Gandalf said, leaning forward so that he was eye to eye with the little lad. “ I`d love to come to Frodo`s birthday.”

“Oh, good!” Merry squirmed down off his father`s lap and reached for Gandalf`s hand. “We`ll go and tell him at once!”

The other hobbits just watched in amazement as the tiny lad and the great wizard talked. Merry wasn`t afraid of strangers, and had been delighted to meet the visiting dwarf. But that he would actually grasp the towering old wizard`s hand and lead him out of the room was beyond comprehension.

Gandalf chuckled, and instead of holding Merry`s hand, lifted the lad up and carried him in his arms. If he were to hold hands with the little one he`d have to crawl on the floor, and besides, Merry`s little hand would only manage to grasp one of his fingers. Merry chattered away in Gandalf’ s arms, directing him to Frodo’ s room, while asking a dozen different questions. Yes, the child definitely had inherited a good deal of Tookishness from his mother, thought Gandalf fondly.

“Frodo!” Merry yelled as they reached his room. “ Look who I`ve found!”

Hearing his cousin`s shouts Frodo lay down his book and opened his door.

“Gandalf!” He hugged what he could reach of the wizard and beamed up at him. Gandalf smiled back and tousled Frodo`s curls while he held Merry with the other arm.

“I found him in the study, and asked if he wanted to come to your birthday. And he does.” Merry explained.

“And I will. That is if you`ll have me?” Gandalf put Merry down and sat down on the floor. Merry crawled into his lap, completely at ease, and began investigating his beard with great interest.

“Have you? Of course I will! Thank you for coming.” Frodo said, all but bouncing with glee.

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The birthday party went wonderfully and Frodo was happier than he had been for a long time. Merry ate too many sweets and was found sleeping in a pile of toffee wraps behind the cushion Gandalf sat on, the carved boat Frodo had given him lying at his side - and he was put to bed only to wake a little later with a tummy ache. Berilac wheedled Gandalf out of every toffee and sweet hidden in his robes that Merry hadn`t eaten, and when he too was tucked off to bed, the other hobbits wheedled Gandalf out of every possible story they could.

@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-

Sitting and blowing smoke rings, Gandalf remembered knowing immediately that the dear little lad he`d met on Frodo’s birthday was someone he`d always treasure, always love and who would always treasure and love him back. Every time he`d come to the Shire later, and especially the Hall, Merry would spend every moment possible with him, asking question after question, and wheedling him out of every toffee there was to be had. Until there came another little lad that also wound him around his little finger, and Merry was pleased to share Gandalf with his favourite little cousin, and Gandalf’s toffees too. Gandalf had the love and friendship of four lads from the Shire, he knew, not counting his dear friend Bilbo, and two of them were his charges tonight. So he pulled the blankets better in around them, and blew out the lamp before settling himself to sleep in his chair.

Hobbits, he thought fondly. You can learn all about their ways in a month, but after a hundred years, they can still surprise you.*

*Gandalf, in “the Fellowship of the Ring”