A/N: Written for Marigold’s Challenge # 24

~Pippin’s Lonely Yule~

Chapter One- In which all plans come crashing to an end

     “Pippin, do be careful!” Eglantine Took warned her twenty year old lad, who was climbing a ladder to put a branch of holly on a rather high shelf in the gathering room of their home in the Great Smials. They were decorating for Yule, and Pippin’s three older sisters were chattering away in the other room, distracting him from his job.

     “I’m being careful, Mum,” Pippin told her as the ladder began to wobble with him perched at the very top.

     “Pippin!” Eglantine screeched as the ladder fell with Pippin underneath it. The girls fell silent.

     “Yeooooow!” Pippin wailed as he fell. Then everything went black.

* * *

     The healer said Pippin would need to remain in bed until the broken leg was healed, because they didn’t have any crutches in the Smials. “Other than that, all he got was a bump on the head.”

     Pippin moaned. “But we were going to Buckland for Yule next week!”

     “Not with that leg in this weather. The winds are getting really bad,” the healer responded. “You’ll have to celebrate Yule in bed this year, dear.”

     Pippin looked towards his mother, pleading with his eyes for her to talk the healer out of canceling their trip. But Eglantine agreed with her, and she would not be moved by any amount of pouting from her son.

     “I’ll write Saradoc and Esmeralda and tell them we can’t make it this time,” Eglantine said as the healer left. She kissed her son’s forehead and left as well.

     “Merry will be mad at me!” Pippin called after her.

     “I don’t really care! What’s more important, healing your leg, or losing it?” Eglantine called back.

     Pippin shrugged. There was no use arguing with a Took, especially if that Took just happened to be your mother.

* * *

Chapter Two- In which Merry gets a letter and an idea

     Merry Brandybuck sat reading the letter from his Aunt Eglantine and Uncle Paladin with his parents.

     “I’m sorry to say that Pippin has broken his leg and we won’t be able to join you for Yule. He was trying to help me decorate and fell of a ladder.”

     Merry sighed. “Just like Pip,” he muttered, smiling to himself. Well, if they couldn’t join them for Yule then… He didn’t hear any of what his parents said. He was too busy making his own plans.

     Yule was in three days, and Merry began to get anxious for it to come. And finally it did. The night before Yule, Merry snuck out of his bed and packed a small bag. He put a small square package at the top, put on his heavy winter coat, and crept out of his room. He left a note for his parents on the table in the kitchen, and walked out the door. 

     When they awoke his mother was the first to realize he wasn’t there. “He’s not in bed, and he’s not out here,” she said. “Perhaps he’s down at the hall, visiting someone.”

     “He’s visiting someone all right,” Saradoc said, showing Esmeralda the note.

     “Mum and Da, I went to cheer Pippin up.

     After all it is Yule, his favorite

     Holiday, and everyone needs to be

     happy on Yule! Love, Merry.”

     “He went all the way to the Smials?” Esmeralda declared.

     And indeed Merry was on his way to the Took Smials. But when he was about halfway there, the wind, that had been bothering him for some time, suddenly picked up and Merry was nearly blown off his feet. He stopped by a tree, tired and breathless, grabbing hold of the trunk to keep from being swept away by the violent winds that arose.

     “I didn’t plan for this! I’ll never make it in time,” Merry moaned, pulling his coat tighter around him.

Chapter Three- In which Pippin is bored and lonesome

     Pippin lay in bed staring up at the ceiling. It was nearly mid-day; nigh on time for elevenses, and Pippin couldn’t help but bemoan his position.

     Many of his relatives had come to visit him for a few moments at the most, but they all hurried out to take part in the festivities taking place elsewhere. Festivities that Pippin couldn’t join even if he wanted to.

     His meal was brought to him and he ate it in silence, wondering if Merry’s family had decided to go up to Bag End and visit cousin Frodo. How come Merry could have all the fun, and Pippin get left behind? It wasn’t fair!

     But, even though he was mad at Merry for deserting him, he ate all his food and was not angry enough to feel full. He wanted someone to bring him more food, but no one came until nearly 12:30, when his mother came to check on him.

     “How are you holding up?” Eglantine asked him.

     Pippin held up his empty plate to her and she smiled at the pitiful expression on his face.

     “I’m sure you’re still hungry, but what I meant was how does your leg feel?” Eglantine said with a slight smile playing about her face.

     “Fine. Do you want to play a game with me, Mum? I’m bored as well as hungry,” Pippin complained.

     “Oh, love, you know I would, but your Uncle Ferumbras asked me to keep hungry children out of the kitchen until dinner time,” Eglantine said, kissing her son’s forehead.

     Pippin looked as sad as he could.

     “I’ll see if I can find someone to keep you company,” Eglantine said smiling again.

     She hurried out and came back with more food for Pippin, but then he was left alone again for nearly two hours.

     “What a miserable way to spend Yule,” Pippin thought, grimacing when he tried to move his injured leg. “Next time I’ll be careful to avoid ladders and decorating around Yule-time!” he added, only half sarcastic.

     Then, finally, his door was opened and someone walked in. But it was not at all who Pippin was expecting.

Chapter Three-In which Merry’s plan succeeds

     Merry stood in the doorway, his curls a mess and his face red.

     “Merry!” Pippin exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”

     “I heard you got hurt, so I came to cheer you up,” Merry explained, sitting down on the edge of Pippin’s bed. “You look bored.”

     “I’ve been cooped up all day long, and no body’s stayed long enough to do anything with me,” Pippin said. “I thought you would have gone to visit Frodo.”

     Merry shook his head. “My parents may have, but I decided to come visit you.”

     Pippin smiled. “You came all by yourself? I thought you deserted me.” He looked at Merry reproachfully.

     “I haven’t deserted you! I couldn’t desert you, Pip!” Merry stated, messing up his cousin’s red curls.

     “I didn’t think you would.”

     Merry pulled the package out of his bag. “I got you something for Yule.”

     Pippin looked eagerly at the box.

     “Open it Pip,” Merry urged.

     Pippin ripped the box open. Inside was a long, thick green scarf. “How did you know I wanted a new scarf?”

     “You told me last time we were out in the cold and you ripped your old one,” Merry replied sarcastically.

     Pippin smiled, then frowned. “I got you something, too, but I put it in another room and I can’t go get it.”

     “Yes you can,” came a voice from the doorway.

     “Frodo! How did you get here so fast?” Merry looked confused.

     “Your parents took a wagon to Bag End and sent me over here in it,” said the hobbit. “That wind is really kicking up and it was starting to snow. We may be stuck here for a while.”

     Pippin moaned. “I’ll be here forever!”

     “No, I brought you these!” Frodo said, holding out a pair of carved crutches. “Happy Yule, Pippin!”

~Finis~