What Happened Thereafter {A LotR Fanfiction}

Nettle

[I dedicate this chapter to LivingthroughCHRIST because I know her in real life, and she is the most precious person ever. I know that she never goes on here anymore, and probably won't see this, but she deserves to be recognized. God bless you, LivingthroughCHRIST.]

Nettle was bored. Normally there was so much to do around the house, but today she didn't feel like cleaning. She would have liked to spend some time with Daffodil, but the past few weeks her friend seemed to prefer spending time with Frodo instead. As much as Nettle thought it was wonderful Daffodil was getting to know Frodo, she missed her best friend. 

It was a windy day, and the clouds looked dark and depressing as she looked out her window. Last week she had spent quite a lot of time with Merry and they had shared interests over tea a few times, but today he was nowhere to be found. Usually he met her at her bedroom window and brought her freshly picked wild flowers, but that day he hadn't come. She didn't want to admit it out loud yet, but she really missed his company. He was one of the most interesting people she knew, and every time they talked they found out that they shared a common interest in something.

"Nettle?" Nettle startled from her position at the window. Ivy was looking at her with a confused expression on her face. Her hair was pulled into a wavy ponytail as usual and her nose was crinkled. Nettle sighed.

"Can you tell Mum I'm going for a walk? I think I'm going to go down to the river to look for frogs today," she said. Ivy smiled.

"I remember when we used to do that all the time when we were young. Can I go with you?"

"I--I think I just want to be alone for a little while, Ivy," Nettle muttered. She watched Ivy's smile fall just a tad and felt bad for declining her sister, but for some reason she wanted to continue feeling lonely. Perhaps a good day of solitude would help her re-cooperate, and looking for frogs at the same time was a good way to beat boredom. Daffodil used to tell her that alone time was the best way to find peace and Nettle had always wanted to try it to see if it worked for her. 

"Okay, Nettle. Have a good time!" Ivy waved when Nettle walked past her and towards the door. When Nettle reached the door she paused and looked back at her sister, smiled in farewell, and then opened the door and walked out.

She arrived at the river shortly after departing, and who should she meet there but Meriadoc Brandybuck himself! He was sitting cross-legged at the bank of the rive,r looking into the water with a very contemplative look on his face. Nettle's heart leaped when she saw him there. 

Merry knew someone was behind him, but he chose to ignore them for the time being. He was thinking mostly about the past, but some about the present as well. His cousin Pippin preferred Thorn's company to his nowadays, and even though he'd gotten used to the fact that they couldn't always be together, he really missed Pippin. Frodo was also being very elusive those days and Merry thought he was simply healing after the adventure, but now he wasn't so sure. It had been an awful long time since Frodo had spent real time with him, the last time being in the Green Dragon over a large glass of ale and seed-cakes. 

Nettle's reflection appeared in the water as she sat down next to him, setting the pail she had brought for frogs on her other side. She studied his face for a moment, searching for the answers to her questions there, but found nothing. Merry was very good at concealing his thoughts. 

"It's good to see you, Nettle," Merry said at last. He smiled and patted her shoulder. "It seems you're the only one who likes me these days."

"Oh no, Merry, I can't be the only one!" Nettle exclaimed, though on the inside she was relieved by the fact that she wasn't the only one feeling lonely. "I'm sure your friends are just busy. Like my friends are."