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The Many Aspects of Merimac Brandybuck  by Lily Dragonquill

Title: Between Leaves
Rating: G
Summary: Frodo has got into a predicament and needs the help of another to get out again.
Year: 1374


Special thanks to Dreamflower.



~*~*~



Frodo could not remember how he had got himself into this bit of trouble. He had not intended to climb so high but somehow he was now almost at the top of the Great Oak. The view was splendid but Frodo couldn't enjoy the sight of Brandy Hall's spring green roof shining golden in the afternoon sun. It might, after all, be the last thing he would ever see.

Frodo swallowed and tried once more to see whether he could reach the branch below, but it was in vain. Not even his trembling toes touched the bough. Frodo pressed his cheek against the cold bark and clung tighter to the trunk. He would never get down again, and he didn't even have a snack to comfort himself with. Discouraged Frodo blinked against the tears coming to his eyes and stifled the sob which threatened to escape him.



~*~*~



The scents of thyme and marjoram filled the air, carried up the hill from Brandy Hall's huge kitchen garden. Insects hummed around the grass and birds twittered their evening songs.

Merimac ambled up the hill, smiling to himself and licking his lips. He felt very pleased with the day's events and was convinced he could get used to this new routine very quickly.

He had now met regularly with Sally Bunce for over a week. She lived with her family somewhere in the Hall's west wing and Merimac knew her well, but only recently had he discovered that she was actually a very fine looking lass. And, my, could she kiss! There was nothing shy or timid about her and more often than not Merimac was left breathless and dizzy. He didn't know what she gained from all this, but Merimac was all too willing to play along. He liked the thrill. Both their parents would be furious if they found out and his father especially would be fuming. Old Rory would bore him senseless with another homily or two and a lecture - but that would make it all the more interesting.

Merimac plopped down under the shadowy roof of the Great Oak, still giddy and tingling all over. He welcomed this quiet corner, a perfect retreat to calm down before dinner. Merimac knew that his mother would immediately guess that he had been sweet-talking another girl if he showed up in the dining room now. Only Sally didn't need any sweet words.

Leaning contently back against the trunk Merimac closed his eyes and allowed the light breeze to cool his heated cheeks. It was only then that he noticed the quiet snivelling and quickly sat up straight to listen. Just then someone snuffled noisily and Merimac rose to look about him. Usually even the swing, which hung from a strong branch on the opposite side, was abandoned at this time of day and Merimac was quite sure that he hadn't seen anybody when he walked up here.

"Hello?" he asked, and immediately felt foolish.

"Mac!"

He jumped at the sound of his name and wheeled round only to see that he was still alone.

"I'm up here!"

Merimac shielded his eyes against the sun and squinted up into the tangled branches. Specks of blue sky and sunshine greeted him from between the leaves, and from the very top of the tree an ebony-haired, blue-shirted hobbit-lad waved back at him.

"By the Shire, Frodo!" Merimac called out in surprise. "What are you doing up there?"

"I want to get down," was the miserable reply.

"Well then, climb down."

"I can't." Frodo hugged the stem as if to prove his words. "It's too high."

"How did you get up there, lad?" Merimac asked intending to show that if Frodo climbed up he could climb down as well.

"I climbed, but I can't get down now."

Merimac sighed and shook his head. It seemed there was nothing for it. He would have to climb the tree himself if he wanted to get Frodo down. Aunt Primula was probably worried sick already, and if his cousin didn't show up at dinner he would be the first one she'd be after. Somehow he always was the prime suspect.

With an effort he hauled himself up the first branch and briefly wondered how Frodo had managed this first step when beneath him the swing started moving. Merimac nodded understanding and smiled fondly at his young pupil's cleverness.

Branch upon branch he climbed higher, shoving twigs and leaves aside until he finally sat on a bough opposite his cousin. Frodo had followed his every step, cheering when he had come higher and sucking in his breath when a twig had broken under Merimac's weight.

"Well," Merimac asked, leaning his cheek against the trunk his cousin was so desperately clutching. Frodo smiled up at him but Merimac could see the traces of tears in his eyes. "How long have you been sitting here?"

"Forever!" the lad cried out and immediately his eyes started watering again.

"Now, now," Merimac soothed and caressed Frodo's cheek. "I'm here now and together we'll manage the climb down."

Frodo nodded and snivelled again.

Merimac carefully moved to the second branch beneath Frodo's. Testing his balance he told his cousin to slip down to the bough that stuck out just beneath Merimac's chest.

Frodo shook his head vigorously and clung tighter to the stem. "I tried. It won't work."

"I'm here to catch you," Merimac assured but still Frodo didn't move.

Merimac sighed. The leaves about them rustled and in the west the sun was already sinking low. The Brandywine glittered red and golden, and looked almost like a stream of light between the dark shadows of bushes and trees.

"You won't fall?" Merimac looked up in confusion to find his cousin peering at him. "If you catch me you won't fall?"

"No," Merimac assured and once again tested his balance and hold.

Frodo pondered that and after a moment, very careful and with trembling legs, he leaned forward to grab Merimac's offered hand. Ever so slowly he glided down his perch but when he felt no rescuing branch beneath his feet, he cried out in fear nearly knocking his older cousin off.

Merimac winced and cursed under his breath. The first thing his cousin had got his fingers into had been his hair which he was now desperately clutching. Frodo fidgeted nervously and Merimac could feel the young lad's every limb trembling, while he tried hard to keep a secure hold on both his cousin and himself. "Stop squirming!" he grumbled at last, sharper than he had intended you. "I have you but I can't guarantee anything if you don't keep still."

Frodo froze in an instant and Merimac heaved a sigh. Great! There he was, his vision blocked by hobbit, his movement strongly limited by yet more hobbit, and his head throbbing because a certain hobbit was about to rip off his scalp. Leaning somewhere between trunk and branch he grabbed one of Frodo's hands and untangled it before he carefully set the lad onto the branch he himself was standing on.

"That's that!" Merimac announced. "On to the next bit, shall we?"

Frodo did not look pleased at all but he followed his instructions as well as he could. Merimac decided to climb down with Frodo slowly following. It went better than he had at first feared. With every branch dealt with Frodo became more confident.

"You should have taught me how to climb down as well," the lad declared. "You can't just show me how to climb up, you know. If momma knew about it she would rip off your head."

Merimac held out his hands while Frodo slipped from another bough. Precocious little brat! He wouldn't be surprised if the first thing Frodo did as soon as he was on the ground would be to run to his mother and tattle. Of course, he would insist that he only told her about his latest adventure and that it was only by coincidence that Merimac usually looked like the bad influence that started it all.

He admitted he was not exactly the perfect older cousin but he would never allow anything to happen to Frodo - which probably was the only reason aunt Primula still allowed him to look after him. Well, she couldn't blame him for this one. He was the one who got Frodo down, after all. That he was also the one who taught him how to climb trees in the first place was beside the point.

Merimac smiled fondly at his cousin. They had reached the lowest branch. One leap and they would have solid ground under their feet again. Merimac jumped without hesitation but Frodo stood without moving, brow furrowed and blue eyes full of doubt.

"It's too high," he observed at length.

Merimac spread his arms and, for about the hundredth time, assured the lad that he would catch him. To his surprise Frodo believed his words immediately and before Merimac could prepare himself the lad bumped into him and knocked him to the ground. Frodo's knee hit his middle, robbing him of his breath.

Gasping, Merimac stared at the darkening evening sky and the rustling leaves above him until Frodo's smirking face thrust itself between him and his view.

"You caught me!" the lad cheered and bounced happily. "You're soft."

Merimac groaned and with one swift movement pushed his cousin from him. "Soft, eh?" he announced through clenched teeth. "Unlike my hard-boned cousin."

"But you caught me," Frodo pointed out and flung his arms around him as soon as Merimac scrambled into a sitting position. "You're my bestest cousin!"

Merimac canted an eyebrow. "Am I? Well, that does make up for the pain you cause me."

Frodo grinned and before Merimac had fully risen he flung his arms around his neck so that Merimac had no chance but to carry him piggyback to the Hall. "And here I thought you had had enough of heights for a day."

Frodo did not reply, but laid his chin on Merimac's head. Merimac smiled to himself and pinched his cousin until his giggles and delighted protests echoed through the evening air. That lad was indeed far more precious to him than he felt comfortable with



~THE END~





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