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The Many Aspects of Merimac Brandybuck  by Lily Dragonquill

Title: Hero
Rating: G
Summary: Four tiny ficlets in which Merimac either acts as hero or is in need of one.

Special thanks to Slightly Tookish for betaing.

~*~*~


Year: 1349


"Goodness, Merimac!" Menegilda exclaimed as the door opened and her sons stepped into the parlour. Putting her needlework aside she darted over to them and bent down in front of her youngest to have a closer look at his face. There were a couple of scratches that hadn't been there in the morning as well as a swelling bulge just above the eye. "What happened?" she asked in concern as she felt his body for further injuries.

"It's nothing, Ma," the child told her and Menegilda, finding no further injuries, turned to her eldest. His left eye was blackening but apart from that he looked well and decidedly smug.

"It's the Bucklebury twins," Saradoc informed her with a grin. "We had a fight and I won."

"You had what?" Menegilda demanded sternly and Saradoc flinched just a little. Her eldest liked to solve his problems with his fists in spite of her efforts to teach him differently.

"He was amazing, Ma!" Merimac announced before Menegilda could rebuke her lad further. She canted an eyebrow as she turned to find him bouncing with excitement. Heaving an inward sigh she prepared for yet another lecture, but Merimac wouldn't allow it. His eyes sparkled with delight and obvious esteem for his brother.

"The twins and I were climbing the oak and Tod made fun of me because I wouldn't go higher than the second lowest branch. I told him that I would climb further up if he and Rob weren't blocking the way. Tod said I was lying and kept on teasing, so I spoke right back to him because I really was saying the truth. But then he pushed me and I fell down. I cried so as to give them a fright," Merimac recounted the events with a sideways glance at his brother lest he should object, "and they were mightily scared, I tell you. They climbed down in a hurry but Sara, who saw everything, was already waiting for them and he punched Tod's face as soon as his feet reached ground, and told him to leave me alone. Then Rob hit Sara and I wanted to help him but Sara managed them all by himself. Isn't he amazing, Ma?" the boy repeated breathlessly. "And all for me!"

With that Merimac flung his arms around his brother's neck and grinned up at him with such innocent admiration that Menegilda almost forgot that she should punish Saradoc for his deed. Saradoc put on almost as innocent a smile and held his young brother tight. The lads had her in their hands and what was worse at least Saradoc knew exactly what he was doing. Menegilda glanced at him long and intently. "I think a day or two in the kitchen would do you some good, young lad."

"But, Ma," Saradoc protested clutching his brother even tighter for effect. "I did it for Merimac."

Menegilda nodded. "Yes, that's why it will only be a day or two."

Saradoc heaved a sigh and wriggled from his brother's grip to depart grumbling from the parlour. Menegilda shook her head and smiled as Merimac hurried after his hero. It was a joy to see Saradoc stand up for his brother even though she had rather that fists were not involved. Yet she wondered how long the peace between the brothers would last.



~*~*~



Year: 1392 (set after To Die For)



His breathing was shallow, the pain obvious in his laboured breaths. He would never tell her how much he really hurt; never admit how deep his fright still sat. But she knew and she loved him all the more for it. He would have given his life for their son. Her foolish, brave Merimac! Farmer Grubb had told her how close it had been for both Mac and Berilac. She could have lost them, lost them both in an instant.

Tears filled her eyes at the mere thought. Adamanta ran a hand through her sleeping son's curls and breathed a kiss on her husband's brow just to assure herself that both were indeed well and alive.

Merimac was roused by the gesture. He blinked sleepily, his eyes reflecting the golden firelight. He frowned at the sight of her tears and reached out a hand to gently brush them from her cheeks. "What is wrong, love?"

"Nothing," she smiled and kissed him lovingly. "Thanks to you, my bravest of fools."

Merimac raised an eyebrow.

"Though I must say that you gave me quite a fright." Her voice broke in spite of her efforts to keep it cheerful.

Merimac's features softened with compassion. He rose to pull her close but grimaced from the pain the movement caused him. Adamanta nonetheless returned the embrace and allowed another tear to trickle down her cheek. Never had she thought she could love someone so much as she did Merimac. Unbelievable that nearly losing him had reminded her of that.

"Don't cry," Merimac soothed her. "I'm a Brandybuck. It would take more than a bolting pony and its cart to get rid of me."

Adamanta almost laughed at the absurdity of his words. Yet she was glad for the toughness of her lads and the courage of her husband.

Beside her Berilac murmured in his sleep and Adamanta put an arm around him and drew him closer to her and Merimac. Her husband smiled and while he kissed her hair he ran a hand through Berilac's curls. Adamanta heaved a sigh of relief. They were both still with her and would be for a long while yet.


~*~*~


Year: 1399


Merimac sat on the roots of a huge weeping willow whose branches hung sadly into Brandywine River, combing like fingers through the dark swirling water. His eyes glistened and tears ran down his cheeks. Never had he felt this empty and aching. Not even Mantha or Berry could comfort him, not when he walked past the small parlour she loved so much every morning to see it unchanged. No one had the heart to put her belongings away. How could they increase the distance she had already gone without them?

"I knew I would find you here."

Merimac flinched at the voice but he did not turn, not having the heart for that either. For the first time in his life he needed solitude more than the company of friends and family. "How long have you been watching?"

"Long enough," was the quiet reply. Steps approached and that same voice spoke gently to him. "I used to come here often myself. It's the right place to mourn."

A gust of wind disturbed the branches sending a low, dreary murmur through the tree as if to prove the words. Merimac shivered and almost drew back when a warm hand was laid on his cold one and someone sat down beside him. No one should see him like this, he least of all.

"It's all right," the voice said, sensing his thoughts.

Merimac stifled the sob that threatened to escape his lips and held tight to the offered hand. Silence closed her veil about them and it was Merimac who eventually broke it. "Will it ever stop to hurt?"

"No," was the quick reply and for the first time Merimac looked into the kind face of his cousin. "But after a time you will stop bleeding."

Merimac nodded and did not protest as his cousin put an arm around him and lay his head onto his shoulder so that Mac could lean his against it. The young one hurt too only this time it was Merimac who had lost his mother and the child who looked in vain for his aunt. Strangely comforted by this thought Merimac drew the tween close. Frodo knew. Frodo understood better than anybody else ever would.


~*~*~


Year: 1408


"Is he coming?" Esmeralda asked as Merimac stepped into the corridor, her voice shaking with discomposure.

"Not yet," he replied, laying his hands soothingly on her shoulders. "Give me another ten minutes."

Esmeralda opened her mouth but Merimac didn't allow her to protest. "You go back to the main hall and keep the nervousness at bay. He will come, don't worry. Now, look after Merry while I take care of your husband."

"Mac…"

"Go!" Merimac ordered her again and this time Esmeralda complied. With a last nervous look she lifted her skirts and hurried down the corridor. Merimac followed her with his eyes and heaved a sigh. He had to see this through.

Determined he turned the knob and once more stepped into the Master's study. Saradoc sat in front of the hearth his eyes fixed on the fire, just as Mac had left him. Merimac waited another moment to gather his strength before he advanced his brother. "You're family needs you, Sara," he said calmly but with insistence, "and so does your people."

"I am no king!" Saradoc retorted hotly.

"No," Merimac shook his head, his composed voice wavering, "but you're the Master of Buckland and folk look up to you."

Saradoc's tense form collapsed like a house of cards and he buried his face in his hands. The fire illuminated the trembling form as if to emphasise the misery. Warm flames, golden and flickering, yet Merimac felt nothing but cold and dark. His heart sank as he put a hand onto his brother's shoulder to reassure him feeling a tremble rise within him.

"Can't you see I'm not ready for this?" Saradoc asked helplessly and his voice broke into a whisper. "I don't have his strength and capability. I did what he told me, Mac, nothing else. And I always had him to ask for advice before acting. I can't do this alone."

Merimac knew exactly how his brother felt. Six years ago Uncle Saradas had officially handed over his office to him, though Merimac had been head of the breeding program much longer. It had been strange to suddenly be his own master and not ask for a second opinion in most decisions. He had welcomed it as much as he had feared to do something wrong. Now he often wondered how he had ever managed working under somebody's watchful eyes.

With Saradoc it was not different. Their father had announced him Master at the day of his sixtieth birthday. Yet Saradoc had always been in Rorimac's shadow. This would be the first time to meet the Bucklanders as the only Master of Buckland, rather than the younger. He was the main authority now.

"You have served as Master for the past eight years, Sara, and helped Father long before that," Merimac reminded him. "Nothing has changed."

Saradoc glanced up at him, his face pale. "Why does it feel different then?"

"Because you're not used to having no one to turn to should you need help," Merimac smiled compassionately. "But I know you, Sara. You always did the right thing and Father often said that you would no longer need him. He was proud of you. Don't disappoint him now by giving up."

"I'm not giving up," Saradoc told him, "I just…"

"Well. what are you still doing here then?" Merimac interrupted. "Step into the main hall and show people that they can depend on you, that you have the strength to walk in our father's steps as I know you have - and so did he."

Merimac tilted his head as his brother made no reply and squeezed the shoulder his hand was still resting on. "You're not alone, Saradoc. Merry looks up to you and Esme will always be at your side. And if you're in doubt I am always behind you as well. The little, annoying brother can finally be good for something, if only to give you a poke every now and then."

Saradoc chuckled involuntarily and Merimac smiled knowing that he had succeeded. "Now, go out there and do your duty. They are waiting."

Saradoc gazed into the fire once more, greying hair shielding thoughtful eyes. A tremble shook his body as he heaved a heavy sigh and eventually got up to look long and intensely at Merimac. Mac managed a smile which vanished the moment his brother pulled him into a tight embrace. No words were uttered but Merimac knew exactly what his brother wanted to tell him. All his life Saradoc had taken care of him, now was the time that Mac could look after his brother in the best way he knew: by reminding him that there was a strong and courageous heart beating in the Master's chest.

Eventually Saradoc broke away and slowly walked towards the door. There he turned once more, his eyes thoughtful. "Where do you take the strength from?" he asked quietly.

Merimac shrugged. "I guess it has to do with something our wise young cousin taught me years ago."

Saradoc considered this for a moment, frowned and then shrugged. "Don't ever stop being strong when I am not. We're both our father's sons and at the moment you're far more the Master than I think I will ever be."

Merimac smiled and nodded weakly. Silently he watched his brother leave the room before he glanced at the wall where a huge picture of his mother and father hung. "He'll mange," he told the portrait holding tight to the last bit of control he still had over his voice. "We both will."


~THE END~





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