BY GONDOR'S GRACE
Softly the sound of footsteps fell along the stone corridors of the citadel in Minas Tirith, as the halls were alight with the warm glow from the torches that lined the walls. Far along the winding passage a door lay partially open, a golden hue shining upon the stone floors from the fire burning brightly within. A small hand then fell upon the door, knocking gently as the sound of his drumming hand echoed into the stillness of the night.
“Merry… are you here?” A tender voice replied. For a moment no answer came and then a quiet laugh came from the room followed by a deep cough that seemed as though it would find no end.
“I'm here Pip.” Merry said clearing his voice. “Come now… it does you no good standing out in the darkness waiting for me to come to you. You need not knock at a friend's door. In with you now! Don't be hasty!”
A faint smile then fell over Pippin's face and he drew his hand along the door, pushing his arm against it to open it a bit more. Slowly the door turned to one side… its aged steel hinges creaking with weakened pins and worn braces. A warm face welcomed him from a bed that rested before a fire, shining brightly with tall flames rising amid the logs beyond the stone hearth.
“Take a rest dear Pip.” Merry said reaching out to Pippin as he came into the room. “Have a seat before the fire my friend and let us reminisce about the days of old.” Pippin took in a deep breath and pushed his trembling hands far into his trouser pockets as he made his way towards Merry. His curls of silver grey fell over his brow covering a scar from years long past, while his eyes caught the firelight, shining like stars among the darkest of nights. Deep lines were now etched upon his face; his round cheeks pale under the smile that had now grown over Merry's lips as Pippin drew a chair close to his bed.
“There was word that you had sent for me.” Pippin replied softly sitting in the chair. He then leaned forward resting his elbows on Merry's bed watching as his friend began to straighten out the covers that were lying awry on the bed. “Is all well?”
“Aye.” Merry said as he sighed deeply before making one final adjustment to his coverings. “You are here now Pip… so yes… all is well.” Merry replied with a tender smile. For a moment he said nothing more as he looked forward into the hall with a blank stare, watching as shadows began to dance along the wall that had come to life from the light of the torches that lined the empty corridors. For some time he remained fixed upon the array of motion before him, until Pippin touched his hand to Merry's arm as it rested across his chest.
“The night has grown long.” Merry whispered slowly turning towards Pippin. “I've been trying to find rest for many hours that have long passed me by.” He then looked to his window overlooking the courtyard. A vast darkness filled the night with not even the light of the harvest moon shining through the clouds that dimmed the evening stars.
“Can you remember it Pip?” Merry asked softly, his eyes held in distant stare.
“Remember what, Merry?” Pippin replied.
“The smell of the apple blossoms in the spring and the scent of the morn as a new day dawned.” Merry began, drawing his eyes away from the window, down to his hands that now lay folded in his lap. “The sound of the Brandywine running swiftly and the call of the golden thrush as they flew on high… I miss those things Pip. As the days have gone by I find it harder to remember the Shire and everything we've left behind.” Merry then fell silent his eyes growing dim as they began to fill with tears. He then looked to Pippin taking in a deep breath as he pushed his hair away from his brow before setting himself deeper into his pillows that rested behind his back.
“I miss those things too.” Pippin said passing a full breath beyond his lips. “Yet it is all here…” Pippin replied placing his hand onto his chest. “Just as it is with you. You'll never forget Merry. You'll just long for it, as do I, when it seems you need those things more than anything else in the world.”
“So it seems…” Merry sighed looking to the window once again.
“You remember the day when our journey began that changed our lives for all time Pip?” Merry remarked closing his eyes, searching for a distant memory.
“How could I forget?” Pippin said with a joyous smile.
“Oh the look on my dear cousins face.” Merry replied grinning as he slowly opened his eyes. “I can not forget his face when I rode up to Farmer Maggot, him thinking I was a black rider and all. But that day has long gone and the journey has long passed… whatever became of them Pip?” Merry asked, seeming confused as he wrung his hands about.
“Frodo sailed away many years ago dear Merry.” Pippin said softly grasping Merry's hands bringing them to rest from their anxious turning. “He left from the Havens, naught but two years after we returned from Gondor. You were there, as was I.”
“Aye… I remember now.” Merry softly muttered taking in a shallow breath. “Such a sad day it was. He saved the Shire Pip, but he could not stay to enjoy it.”
“Nay. He could not stay.” Pippin sighed. “He was wounded Merry. Deeper than us all. He could never be healed and the only peace he would ever find peace was in the Blessed Realm over the sea.”
“What about Sam?” Merry asked as he began to fumble with his hands once more. “Has he left us too?”
“That he did dear Merry.” Pippin said tenderly placing his hands over Merry's once again. “Not as many years have passed by since he left… only four years have fallen by. He sailed from the Havens, so he could be with Frodo once again. He bore the ring too you know. Even if just for a little while which left a place for him in that realm if ever he found the need to sail hence. After his Rosie passed he left… he didn't see much more reason to stay.”
“And he left without saying goodbye.” Merry replied his voice filled with sorrow. “I can't remember seeing him go.”
“In a sense he did.” Pippin said softly. “Sam was never fond of goodbyes Merry. Not since Frodo left his side. His son brought word to us that he had gone. You remember Merry? Frodo-lad came with his dear friend Samuel Boffin all the way from the Shire.”
“I remember Pip.” Merry said closing his eyes, leaning back into his soft feather down pillows. “Frodo and Sam together again. Warmed my heart to see them it did.”
“As did it mine.” Pippin replied as a smile fell over his lips. Merry then fell silent. His eyes still lay closed as he breathed in deeply under the watch of his dear friend. Pippin then drew his hand away from Merry's and as he did Merry's eyes opened slowly.
“Has the fire faded?” Merry asked quietly. “Have the hours passed us so while we've shared stories from days of old?”
“Nay dear Merry.” Pippin softly whispered touching his hands to Merry's once more. “The fire still burns bright. An hour has not yet passed us by since I came hence.”
“Then why have I grown so cold?” Merry replied taking in a deep breath drawing his eyes closed once more. Pippin's chest grew heavy and he grasped Merry's hands tightly within his own. A gentle embrace was returned and Merry turned his head to Pippin, his eyes opening, lost of all their shine. He then looked to the window and sighed.
“There are no stars shining this eve.” Merry quietly whispered.
“Nay, Merry.” Pippin replied. “Rain is coming from the south. You can feel it in the air. The clouds have covered both the stars and the moon this night.”
“Such a pity.” Merry whispered. “I would have liked to see them again.” He said looking to Pippin. A deep silence then filled the air as they sat before each other, their eyes held upon the others face, studying each line and scar that had marred their skin over the years.
“I'm afraid Pip.” Merry said as tears began to fall along his weary face. “Everything is fading… my heart grows weak… it seems my journey has finally come to its end.” Pippin bit hard onto his lip trying in vain to hold back his own tears as his chest tightened while he swallowed deeply.
“No tears Merry.” Pippin quietly replied drawing his fingers along Merry's cheeks. “My heart can not bear to see you cry. But alas, your journey has not come to an end my dear friend.”
“Has it not?” Merry whispered, his words nothing more than a whisper amid his labored breaths.
“Nay. It has only begun.” Pippin said tenderly, giving Merry's hand a tender squeeze. “Through the darkness you'll see a curtain of grey mist part before you and beyond that lies hills of rolling green beyond a swift sunrise that falls over the rising tides of the sea. There you will find all who have gone before you waiting with arms open wide.”
“My dear Estella…” Merry replied softly. “I see her now, there among the rolling hills of the Shire, gathering flowers next to the Brandywine .” Merry said opening his eyes as a gentle smile filled his pale face. For a moment no other words were spoken as Merry looked deep into Pippin's eyes. Tears gently fell along Pippin's cheek and he smiled as Merry brought his hand away from Pippin's grasp and touched his fingers to his dear friends face drying away his fallen tears.
“I will not say do not weep.” Merry whispered. “Gandalf once told us that not all tears are an evil my dear Pip. Fare the well my friend.” Merry's eyes then drew closed as his arm fell away from Pippin's face, as it finally came to rest upon the covers of his bed. No breath passed beyond Merry's lips as his chest stilled, while the fire began to slowly fade at his side. Pippin reached forward and drew Merry's hand into his own pressing it to his lips as tears fell along his hand and down Merry's still arm. For hours it seemed he sat within the room, holding tightly to Merry's hand until the light of the fire shone no more. Long ago had Pippin's tears been spent, leaving his heart weary and filled with loss. Darkness surrounded him, for no light now shown within the citadel, as the flames around them faded into the night. Pippin drew his eyes to the window and there within the vast shadow of the evening a single star began to shine within the ebony sky. A burden seemed to be pulled from Pippin's chest and he looked down to Merry, forever lost in an eternal slumber, never to wake again. Tenderly Pippin placed Merry's hand across his chest resting it over the other already there. A deep breath passed over Pippin's lips and drew himself up onto the bed resting along Merry's side. He lay with his eyes turned upwards for what seemed like an eternity as many memories of old came to him from days long gone. A tender smile fell over his face and he slowly closed his eyes as his heart beat lightly, at last aching no more, while a faint veil of grey mist fell before him as the dawn began to rise with the coming morn.