LOTR: Shire Dragons - Pippin Took FF

Chapter 30

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After a week of walking in the tunnels, and having lost Lothiri on the way, Mallyra and Merry were so close to reaching their destination. Both were tired, hungry, and beginning to grow fed up of the darkening tunnels. A second before Mallyra finally snapped, Merry piped up,

"C-can you feel that?" He ruffled his hair, before holding his arm out to the left. Mallyra copied him, and felt a ripple of relief pass over her as she felt a cool breeze flow through her fingers.

"Where's it coming from?" She gasped, spinning fully to the left to follow the cold air. Rushing forward, Mallyra almost dropped to her knees once her eyes fell upon what looked like a door. It was solid stone, but shards of light poured into the caverns from underneath it. Mallyra looked across at Merry, as they both dashed towards it. They pushed hard against the stone for what seemed like an eternity, before it began to give way. One final push lead to the door opening outwards, and a rush wind blowing inwards. Merry blinked hard, as he stared out into the open, his breath catching in his throat. It was almost like paradise after being trapped down in those tunnels.

"Bless my soul.." he whispered to himself as he stepped out onto the frosted grass. He was met with the sight of a hazed sky, cream coloured streams of cloud sailing across it. In the distance stood a small forest of trees, and behind that, a lake, leading up to the foot of the purple silhouette of the lonely mountain. Nothing could have prepared him for this view. After a moment of silence, Merry turned to where Mallyra had been stood, only to see her sprawled on the grass laughing softly to herself.

"Mallyra?" Merry chuckled to himself, walking over to her. She sat up, before smiling up at him,

"I have never ever been so happy to see grass." Mallyra sighed, laying back down on the grass. Merry joined her cautiously, as he too stared up at the sky. They lay rather peacefully for about five minutes or so, before something began to scratch at Merry's mind. He propped himself up, and peered across at Mallyra, who now had her eyes closed, and her thick hair laying on the grass behind her.

"Mallyra.. I have a question to ask." He said, causing her blue eyes to open.

"What's wrong, Merry?" She replied, blinking up at him.

"What's going on between you and Pippin?" He blurted, immediately regretting his decision of asking that question after seeing her reaction. Mallyra sat up abruptly, and stared blankly back at Merry.

"Nothing. Why would you ask that?" She hisssed, turning and looking up at the view.

"Well I heard about the kiss, and I've seen the way you look at eachother so there's no point in denying there's something. But just answer me this.. why can't you be with him? Can't you see how madly in love with you he is? It's tearing him up, and I have never seen him like this before after being friends with him for as long as I have." Merry placed a hand on Mallyra's shoulder.

Mallyra felt a lump form in her throat.

"It's.. because I can't." A tear rolled down her cheek as she took in Merry's words. "Loth- I mean.. Uryté.. told me it was for his own good. I read that Etani would require something personal.. something loved dearly.. and she said that if I told Pippin how I felt, or showed it, he could be what Etani takes from me. That is not what I want to happen.. simply for the fact that I do care for him a great deal, and I think that I-if I wait until we get home, we can be together, as he wants us to be.. I mean.. that's if we ever get home." Her words echoed in her mind, as she watched Merry's face fall.

"W-what?" Merry choked. "You're joking.. right?" Mallyra rubbed her temple,

"I wish I was Merry, but I'm not. And it's killing me just keeping that from him." She sat back again, listening to the wind rustle through the nearby trees. Dazed, Merry sat in silence too, not knowing what to say. They then sat, not saying a word, both not knowing what to say. That was until, the surrounding wind seemed to pick up.