Fic: To Sleep, Perchance to Dream, Chapter 13
13/19
Authors:: Piplover, Lindelea, Auntie Meesh, Slightly Tookish, Cathleen, Dreamflower, Rosietook, Ariel, Pearl Took, Budgielover, and Gryffinjack
Summary: A plot against the newly crowned King leads to possibly deadly consequences for his smallest Guardsman; and disturbing questions arise for the new Steward to answer, as the entire Fellowship rallies around. Written as a group story by the PippinHealers mailing list.
Genre: Hurt-comfort
Rating: PG-13 for angst and some violence
Warning: An OC character death and mention of drug abuse
To Sleep, Perchance to Dream
Prologue: Piplover
Chapter 1: Lindelea
Chapter 2: Auntie Meesh
Chapter 3: Slightly Tookish
Chapter 4: Cathleen
Chapter 5: Dreamflower
Chapter 6: Rosietook
Chapter 7: Ariel
Chapter 8: Piplover
Chapter 9: Lindelea
Chapter 10: Dreamflower
Chapter 11: Dreamflower
Chapter 12: Cathleen
Chapter 13: Ariel
Pippin looked at his cousins and friend and swallowed. Hobbits were not the sort to talk of deep matters, but when had his folk last known such dire circumstance? The fact that he had been driven to the lengths that he had for a bit of sleep proved that it was long past time for him to speak.
'I've been troubled,' he began, staring at the ceiling as if unable to meet their eyes. Frodo, seeming to sense a long tale in the making, drew a third chair up to the foot of Pippin's bed and sat.
'For a long while, I thought my troubles would fade with time; that the feelings I felt while I held that black stone were from him, and not my own.' His voice grew sad and full of dread. 'But I can't deny them any longer.' He sighed. 'I've had… such dark thoughts. I'd always thought myself quite grown for my age, but before… Well, before I touched that stone and knew in my heart what that kind of malice and cruelty felt like….' He turned his head and sought each of his friends' gazes. His voice turned gruff. 'I always thought Lalia was evil for what she put my sister Pearl through.' A curious frown touched Frodo's face, but flitted away just as quickly as Pippin continued. 'But we folk have no concept of what evil is. I don't think any hobbit ever has.' He paused. 'Until now.'
He turned to Merry, his green eyes wide and looking sadder and older than any lad of his brief years should. 'It's as if something's been stolen from me. That I've lost something that I'll never be able to get back.' He shook his head. 'I hope none of you know what I mean when I say this, but I'm afraid you all do.'
Merry rubbed his arm and lowered his eyes, nodding slowly. Even Sam looked sad and thoughtful, but it was Frodo who spoke.
'Innocence,' he said softly. 'It is your innocence that was stolen from you.' The older hobbit looked even more disturbed by his pronouncements than Pippin did. He shifted in the chair and finally had to stand. 'Poor Pip. You've had to come of age younger than any of us did. You're right. This journey has marked us all, but at least we three hadn't sacrificed our youth for it.' He placed his hand over his cousin's larger one. 'I am sorry, Peregrin. Truly. Though if there's any comfort in it, your steadfastness and bravery has shown me what a worthy Thain you will one day be.'
'You're right to talk about it, Pip,' agreed Merry. 'I've been close mouthed myself and oughtn't. Dark thoughts, you said. I've had them too, ever since I cut that black rider.' He shivered. 'The things I've seen done to men, the dank evil stink of it. But the worst part of all is realizing what horrible things I could be driven to do.'
'Here now, Mr. Merry!' Sam sat up in his chair, ready to rise to the other hobbits' defense. 'I've had my share of evil dreams myself this past year, it's only to be expected considering what we've all been through, but just knowing what evils have been done in the world doesn't mean you're going to do them too. You've got a choice in the matter yourself.'
A smile tugged almost unwillingly at Frodo's cheek and Pippin found his mood lightening with surprising swiftness. It did indeed help to talk. He almost found himself answering Frodo's reluctant smile.
'Bilbo always said that while adventuring he found strength in himself that he never knew he possessed. So I think it will be with you, Pippin. And you too Merry.' Frodo's smile grew in earnest. 'Sam is right. It is not what you realize you could do, but what you do do that is important. The choices you make.' He picked up Pippin's hand; it was noticeably larger than his own. 'Perhaps knowing the kinds of choices are possible will make choosing the right path all the more meaningful?'
Pippin nodded and his gaze returned to its thoughtful study of the ceiling.
'I can tell you one choice that will evermore be very easy to make.'
'Yes, Pip?'
'I won't ever choose to ruin good brandy that way again. Not ever.'
Next
Authors:: Piplover, Lindelea, Auntie Meesh, Slightly Tookish, Cathleen, Dreamflower, Rosietook, Ariel, Pearl Took, Budgielover, and Gryffinjack
Summary: A plot against the newly crowned King leads to possibly deadly consequences for his smallest Guardsman; and disturbing questions arise for the new Steward to answer, as the entire Fellowship rallies around. Written as a group story by the PippinHealers mailing list.
Genre: Hurt-comfort
Rating: PG-13 for angst and some violence
Warning: An OC character death and mention of drug abuse
To Sleep, Perchance to Dream
Prologue: Piplover
Chapter 1: Lindelea
Chapter 2: Auntie Meesh
Chapter 3: Slightly Tookish
Chapter 4: Cathleen
Chapter 5: Dreamflower
Chapter 6: Rosietook
Chapter 7: Ariel
Chapter 8: Piplover
Chapter 9: Lindelea
Chapter 10: Dreamflower
Chapter 11: Dreamflower
Chapter 12: Cathleen
Chapter 13: Ariel
Pippin looked at his cousins and friend and swallowed. Hobbits were not the sort to talk of deep matters, but when had his folk last known such dire circumstance? The fact that he had been driven to the lengths that he had for a bit of sleep proved that it was long past time for him to speak.
'I've been troubled,' he began, staring at the ceiling as if unable to meet their eyes. Frodo, seeming to sense a long tale in the making, drew a third chair up to the foot of Pippin's bed and sat.
'For a long while, I thought my troubles would fade with time; that the feelings I felt while I held that black stone were from him, and not my own.' His voice grew sad and full of dread. 'But I can't deny them any longer.' He sighed. 'I've had… such dark thoughts. I'd always thought myself quite grown for my age, but before… Well, before I touched that stone and knew in my heart what that kind of malice and cruelty felt like….' He turned his head and sought each of his friends' gazes. His voice turned gruff. 'I always thought Lalia was evil for what she put my sister Pearl through.' A curious frown touched Frodo's face, but flitted away just as quickly as Pippin continued. 'But we folk have no concept of what evil is. I don't think any hobbit ever has.' He paused. 'Until now.'
He turned to Merry, his green eyes wide and looking sadder and older than any lad of his brief years should. 'It's as if something's been stolen from me. That I've lost something that I'll never be able to get back.' He shook his head. 'I hope none of you know what I mean when I say this, but I'm afraid you all do.'
Merry rubbed his arm and lowered his eyes, nodding slowly. Even Sam looked sad and thoughtful, but it was Frodo who spoke.
'Innocence,' he said softly. 'It is your innocence that was stolen from you.' The older hobbit looked even more disturbed by his pronouncements than Pippin did. He shifted in the chair and finally had to stand. 'Poor Pip. You've had to come of age younger than any of us did. You're right. This journey has marked us all, but at least we three hadn't sacrificed our youth for it.' He placed his hand over his cousin's larger one. 'I am sorry, Peregrin. Truly. Though if there's any comfort in it, your steadfastness and bravery has shown me what a worthy Thain you will one day be.'
'You're right to talk about it, Pip,' agreed Merry. 'I've been close mouthed myself and oughtn't. Dark thoughts, you said. I've had them too, ever since I cut that black rider.' He shivered. 'The things I've seen done to men, the dank evil stink of it. But the worst part of all is realizing what horrible things I could be driven to do.'
'Here now, Mr. Merry!' Sam sat up in his chair, ready to rise to the other hobbits' defense. 'I've had my share of evil dreams myself this past year, it's only to be expected considering what we've all been through, but just knowing what evils have been done in the world doesn't mean you're going to do them too. You've got a choice in the matter yourself.'
A smile tugged almost unwillingly at Frodo's cheek and Pippin found his mood lightening with surprising swiftness. It did indeed help to talk. He almost found himself answering Frodo's reluctant smile.
'Bilbo always said that while adventuring he found strength in himself that he never knew he possessed. So I think it will be with you, Pippin. And you too Merry.' Frodo's smile grew in earnest. 'Sam is right. It is not what you realize you could do, but what you do do that is important. The choices you make.' He picked up Pippin's hand; it was noticeably larger than his own. 'Perhaps knowing the kinds of choices are possible will make choosing the right path all the more meaningful?'
Pippin nodded and his gaze returned to its thoughtful study of the ceiling.
'I can tell you one choice that will evermore be very easy to make.'
'Yes, Pip?'
'I won't ever choose to ruin good brandy that way again. Not ever.'
Next