Chapter Three: Advice

Marmadas said she was leaving by the middle of Winterfilth - that very month! Why was he always the last to learn that kind of news? Merimac had had to act quickly. He knew she would be at the river that afternoon and he had tried everything to get there before sundown, but at the last minute, the chump of a stallion he had been working with had considered his unprotected foot a right nice place to stomp. Hard. That had delayed him even further.

When he finally arrived at the river, it was almost evening, but Merimac was relieved to find Adamanta still there, thankfully without that Grubb-lass. But then--

Though he had not felt shy around her all summer, he suddenly found himself at a loss for words. She asked him whether he wanted her to stay and Merimac found he was incapable of answering her. He couldn't understand it. Why should he care if she stayed? She was only a girl, after all. He could have had any other he wanted, but why was it Adamanta alone he wanted to spend his time with?

"And if I do?" he replied eventually in a seemingly casual manner. His words provoked her to smile the smile that always made a thrill run up his spine. A soft wind came up and played with the washed-out, frayed end of a scarlet ribbon she had braided into her hair. Merimac was entranced by the way the piece of fabric fluttered across her neck.

"I might be able to prolong my visit," she said and something in her expression took his breath away. She looked at him differently now; with a strange but not unpleasant openness. "Do you believe you could think of me on your birthday?"

Merimac was surprised that she knew about his coming of age and even more astonished by the effect of her question. It was considered impolite to ask for presents and Merimac usually reacted with irritation to such requests, but coming from her mouth, with her tone so shy and humble, he felt moved somehow. He immediately felt inclined to not only think of her but give her the best present of all. His present might even convince her to stay longer, for though he would never admit it, he didn't want her to leave. She was such good company and shared his sense of humour. This might be the only way to tell her so.

*******

"Shall I get you a pillow or are you comfortable enough?" Saradoc's sarcastic voice interrupted his train of thought. A moment later a painful slap on his back caused Merimac to stumble from the trunk he had been leaning against. "We're supposed to pick the windfall, lazybones, and I'm not going to do your share as well. Hurry up now!"

Merimac glared at his brother and grumbled a curse under his breath. However, his thoughts quickly returned to Adamanta's gift as he threw handful after handful of apples and pears into his crate.

"Having trouble?" Saradoc asked after a while. The older hobbit had changed places with him and was now leaning against the trunk munching an apple.

When Merimac made no reply, his brother blew the breath through his teeth. "It's worse than I thought, then."

Merimac ignored him, though he knew Saradoc would be able to think of an excellent present to give a girl, and was least likely to tease him about it afterwards. What annoyed him was that his brother seemed to know exactly what he was going through while he could not even think of a simple present. He did not like the fact that his thoughts were so transparent to his brother. "You're going to marry Esme in spring!"

Saradoc stopped chewing and furrowed his brow. "I am, but that doesn't bother you, I hope." His face turned stern. "Esme's mine, Mac."

"I don't want Esme!" Merimac told him grumpily. "I want…" He fell silent. The problem was he did not exactly know what he wanted except that Adamanta should stay. And that was a problem in itself. So was the question as to what he would do once she did stay. He looked helplessly into his brother's confused face. "Tell me, what should I do?"

"What do you want to do about what?" Saradoc asked trying to get the essence of what his brother was talking about. "Don't say you want to catch yet another one?"

Merimac's heart sank further. "No!" he cried out, then muttered "yes" and eventually concluded with a miserable "I don't know."

"That lass from Scary?" Saradoc asked without hesitation.

He nodded. "Her name is Adamanta. She is Violet Grubb's cousin and she's only staying for another week. Yet, she says she might prolong her visit if I give her a present for my birthday."

Saradoc pondered that for a moment. "A present? Rather blunt of her, don't you think?"

"No it isn't!" Merimac told him, offended in Adamanta's stead. "She's just trying to see if I am sincere. Oh, she's wonderful, Sara. Her hair is like gold and her eyes are as the dark of night but still shining with the light of a hundred stars. Her smile is warming your very soul and when she speaks…"

"Mercy!" Saradoc cried, waving his hand at him. "Save your flattery for her."

"It needs to be something special," Merimac went on, oblivious. "Something that impresses her."

Saradoc smiled at him. It was the smile Saradoc always smiled when he thought he knew something Mac did not. Merimac ignored the goad. It was Adamanta's present that mattered, nothing else.

His brother shrugged. "I don't know," he confessed. "It's usually not difficult to find a little something for Esme, after all I have known her for quite a while. Perhaps you should ask one of your girls."

Merimac looked at his brother doubtfully. "I'm not stupid, Saradoc. They won't help me with this."

"Try them," Sara suggested chuckling as he bent down to pick the last apple. "I can't help you."

"Why not?" Merimac insisted hoisting one of the cases. "Come on, Sara. What do you give Esme?"

Saradoc shook his head laughing. "Ask one of your lasses, Mac."

~*~*~

"Come in!" Menegilda called, looking up from her stitching.

The hinges protested with a low moan as her son entered the room. Merimac pulled a face as if pained. "When will you get that repaired?"

Menegilda smiled. "You may do so whenever you wish."

Merimac offered her a wry smile, closed the door and sat in a chair. His face glowed red in the firelight. His eyes were sparkling good-humouredly but there was a thoughtfulness in them that belied his mirth. Menegilda put her needlework aside. "What's the matter, lad?"

"I need your advice."

His request came as a surprise. Merimac was not usually one to ask his mother for advice. In fact he hardly ever asked anyone for it. "So?"

"I still need another present for my birthday," Merimac explained curtly, "But I have no idea what I could give."

"Why don't you look in the mathom-room?"

Merimac shook his head. "I don't want a mathom."

A smile grew on Menegilda's face. "Who is the girl?"

Merimac grew stiff. His cheeks lost their rosy colour and for a moment he simply stared at her utterly speechless. Menegilda shook her head in amusement. "Don't stare so, lad. I am your mother. I know what's going on even if you don't see fit to tell me. Who is she? How long have you known her?"

Merimac opened his mouth, closed it again, averted his eyes and - Menegilda smiled benignly - was he blushing? She could not remember when she had last seen his face colour.

"It's nothing," he assured her quickly. "Her name is Adamanta. She stayed in Buckland during the summer, but she is going back to her family in Scary next week and I want to give her a little something to remember me by."

Menegilda leaned back in her rocking chair, her smile unwavering, but her face was serious. She knew her son too well to trust what probably was nothing more than a transitory ardour. New toys were only interesting while they were just that - new. She suspected that once the lass was back in Scary, Mac would forget all about her.

"Why?"

Merimac frowned in confusion. "I want to."

Menegilda nodded though her expression remained critical. "Why do you want her, Mac? Because she is a challenge or because you love her? If it is the former, giving her a present isn't going to buy her favour."

Merimac stared at her flabbergasted. His lips twitched, his eyes narrowed. Menegilda could see the anger well up inside him. "She does not…"

"So, she hasn't succumbed to your irascible charm?" Menegilda cut him short. "Rosa tells me that several of her roses have mysteriously disappeared. No, don't deny it. I'm afraid you have been seen, son. I don't know what you intend to gain by giving a present, Merimac, but I hope you do. You are aware I'm not happy with how you treat the girls."

"Mother," Merimac rolled his eyes but Menegilda did not allow him to interrupt.

"I don't mind sacrificing a few roses, but before you make her a present that is more than a mathom, I want you to think about what you expect of her, especially since you know she is leaving. If you're just going to forget about her as soon as you've got your kiss, you might as well forget about her now."

Her words obviously stung Merimac, for he did not talk back. Instead he looked away. Long dark curls fell into his eyes keeping her from seeing the expression in them. The crackling of the fire was the only noise in the room. Menegilda watched her son for a while, but he did not move, except for an occasional twitch of his fingers. Eventually he lifted his head, his eyes apprehensive. "How would I know?"

She smiled fondly at him. "You will know. The answer is in your heart."

"Mother," he pleaded, almost desperate, "my birthday is in three days!"

"Then you had better start listening."

Merimac looked at her helplessly but Menegilda just sat up and kissed his forehead despite his protest. Her son had grown into a fine young hobbit. He was a good lad and never meant ill to anyone. He just didn't always think before he acted.

~*~*~

"Merimac!" Sally Bunce gasped in surprise as the older hobbit grabbed her wrists and pinned her against the wall. "If you want any help at all, you will release me now!"

He let go of her immediately and stepped back. Sally rubbed her wrists and glared at him accusingly even though his pitiful eyes awakened far different things than anger. "I won't help you to beguile another lass and you know that quite well. I've already done so once. It didn't last. It never does. Leave the poor girl in peace."

His eyes turned stern. "You know nothing!"

"I know you well enough, Merimac Brandybuck," she replied coldly. "You're not one to end up in a relationship. You're not serious enough."

"Neither are you," Merimac told her matter-of-factly.

His eyes remained fixed on her and for the first time in her life, she felt uncomfortable under his stare. There was something in it that made her nervous. Her father would kill her if he knew that she flirted with most of the Hall's lads and Merimac new that quite well. She did not doubt he would use that information to his advantage should she give him reason to.

"All right," she relented. She hated to lose. Her eyes stared daggers at him and the smug grin that appeared on his face fed her rage even more. She turned her back on him, thinking for a long moment before finally voicing her thoughts. "You need a present. Nothing usual, of course, after all it's a present for a girl and you want to show that she means something to you. Yet, you shouldn't spend a lot of money on it. It might impress some girls, but money won't buy her heart."

She couldn't believe she was telling him all this. If she had to give him advice, she should have made up something horrible, made him spend all his money or get a present that would horrify the girl and drive her miles away from him. But the problem was she actually liked Merimac and really didn't like to lie to him. Clenching her fists, she bit her lip to hold back the anger and sadness that welled up inside her. She thought she was trembling but if Merimac realised it he said nothing. After another long moment, she forced herself to turn around. His face was almost completely dark; the light from the main corridor barely reaching this side strake.

"Her heart is the key," she said finally, her voice revealing more emotion than she had intended. "It needs be something from the heart that shows her you've been thinking of her."

"But what should I get her?" Merimac asked hopefully.

She shrugged, not revealing how much his anticipation pained her. "It's something from your heart, not mine."

Merimac did not answer, but she could see he was already thinking over the new possibilities. There was a sparkling in his eyes, an as yet unfamiliar determination that stung her even more than his hope.

"This time it's for real. She really means something to you, doesn't she?" Sally remarked and was convinced that he would notice her sadness now. Sneaking a glance at him, she saw that Merimac remained oblivious. "Who is she?"

Merimac smiled broadly. "That, my dear, is none of your business." He kissed her playfully on the cheek before hurrying down the corridor.

"Mac!" she called after him. "It's not fair kissing me when you're after another girl."

Merimac shrugged apologetically and a moment later disappeared behind the bend. Sally looked after him. She reached carefully for her cheek where his lips had just touched her. Her heart was beating fast, her chest was tight. She knew she had lost him to another, yet she did not know how to feel about it. Slowly, she let herself glide down the wall her eyes still resting on the corridor he had disappeared in. The twinkle she had seen in his eyes caused her to smile nonetheless. Whoever the girl was, she must have been something special. She had caused a change in him. Perhaps he would grow up after all, and perhaps it was for the best.