The Price of the Shire by Dreamflower

[dreamflower]

(I will not be posting the scavenger hunt quote results with my entries; since I participated in creating the prompts it would not be fair.)

B2MeM Challenge: March 16
Format: Ficlet
Genre: Gapfiller
Rating: G
Character(s): Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin
Summary: Two vignettes: Merry and Pippin see the mithril shirt for the first time, and then again.
Quote: Third Age: `What? ' cried Gimli, startled out of his silence. `A corslet of Moria-silver? That was a kingly gift! '
'Yes,' said Gandalf. `I never told him, but its worth was greater than the value of the whole Shire and everything in it.'
Frodo said nothing, but he put his hand under his tunic and touched the rings of his mail-shirt. He felt staggered to think that he had been walking about with the price of the Shire under his jacket. Had Bilbo known? He felt no doubt that Bilbo knew quite well. It was indeed a kingly gift. Fellowship of the Ring, A Journey in the Dark (Mithril)

The Price of the Shire

S.R. 1399

Frodo stood behind Merry and Pippin, his eyes dancing merrily as he watched their reactions. For once Merry's astonishment was just as great as that of Pippin's: both grey eyes and green were round as saucers. Merry was biting his lower lip and Pippin's mouth hung open.

"It's real," whispered Merry.

Pippin reached curious fingers towards the object of their scrutiny, stopping short of touching it. Merry clutched his shoulder. "No, Pip!"

Frodo chuckled. "You can't hurt it. It won't tarnish."

Both lads took this as their cue to handle the fine mail that hung sparkling in the dusty light.

"It's so cool and light!" little Pippin exclaimed.

"I've never seen silver like this," added Merry.

"It's truesilver, that the Elves call mithril. It's very strong and never tarnishes."

"Why is it here?" Merry asked. "Doesn't Cousin Bilbo like it?"

Frodo shook his head. "He likes it, Merry. But at Bag End it would be hidden away in a chest somewhere. Here everyone can enjoy seeing it." And, Frodo thought to himself, certain people like the Sackville-Bagginses will know that it's a bit of wealth they will never get their hands on. But he did not say it aloud. "Well, I think you've seen everything here. Uncle Bilbo said he'd be through with his business at noon, so let's go meet him and have some lunch." He scooped Pippin up and put him atop his shoulders, while Merry trotted close to his side. He was very pleased at their reactions to their first visit to the Mathom House

_________

Frodo had been silent as his cousins and Sam helped him back to the Cotton's house. He was weary and sore: Saruman had struck hard, not so hard as the cave troll's spear, but with enough anger and force that he was sure to be bruised.

Sam went to see about drawing him a bath, while Merry and Pippin saw to helping Frodo out of his mailshirt.

"Bend over," said Pippin, "it will slide off more easily that way." He spoke from experience.

Merry drew in a whistling breath as he saw the deep purple bruise already forming on Frodo's upper back, and Pippin, having pulled off the mithril shirt stood up to look. His eyes filled with tears that he blinked away as he met the grim and sorrowful look on Merry's face: there was other evidence there of this past year, written on their cousin's flesh. Whip-marks, the scar of Shelob's venomous bite, the welted scar the chain had left on the back of his neck. Both of them drew deep breaths and schooled their expressions.

"How bad is it?" asked Frodo.

"Bad enough," said Merry. "But it would have been much worse without old Bilbo's gift, bless his heart."

Sam poked his head in the door. "Your bath is ready, Mr. Frodo."

Frodo followed Sam out, looking tired and dejected. Their homecoming had not at all been what they expected.

Merry turned to see Pippin holding the mithril shirt close, caressing it. "It is still cool and light," he murmured. "Do you remember when we saw it for the first time, at the Mathom House in Michel Delving?"

Merry nodded. "I don't think Gandalf was talking about wealth," he said, as he too reverently touched the fine mesh of the links. "Remember, he said 'its worth was greater than the value of the whole Shire and everything in it.' I think of how many times this bit of treasure saved Frodo's life--it was worth the price of the Shire, of all of the free world."

Comments

[shirebound]

Oh gosh, your final lines are so perfect! I love this idea of what Gandalf might have *really* been talking about.

[dreamflower]

Once I really *looked* at that line and at the fact that it was Gandalf who said it, it just jumped out at me--that whatever material value that the others who were listening were thinking of, Gandalf himself would know that its greatest value was in protecting Frodo's life.

[baranduin.livejournal.com]

These are good and, I think, the impact of each is enriched by the presence of the other.

[dreamflower]

Thank you! I'd had the idea for a while of Frodo showing it to his cousins in the mathom house, and as I studied the prompt, the rest of it came to me.

[zdenka]

Very touching, and I like the way you show their friendship. It does seem more like Gandalf to be talking about non-material treasures.

[dreamflower]

I think Gandalf would always have the true value of something in mind--not its material worth, but the worth it had of doing what it was made to do.

[zdenka]

the worth it had of doing what it was made to do

Oh, I like that way of putting it. And it gives me something to think about with the other Significant Objects of Middle-earth.

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

This was both touching and apt.

[dreamflower]

Thank you very much, dear.

[grey-wonderer.livejournal.com]

I never looked at Gandalf's lines in that way. It could very well be exactly what he meant. Lovely story!

[dreamflower]

I think it was at least in the back of his mind.

[rubynye.livejournal.com]

This is a really gorgeous set of paired ficlets. I love what you've done here, and I had more to say beore a small redhead kicked me. (Ah my life. Do you think Pippin ever landed feet-first on Merry and Frodo while they were reading?)

[dreamflower]

Thank you so very much, sweetie!

I am sure small redhead had reasons,;) To your question: absolutely and positively yes. And for that matter, Merry did the same to Frodo when he was also small.

As to whether small Frodo ever did that to Bilbo, I can't be sure...

[mews1945.livejournal.com]

I love fics like this, that are almost like bookends of a tale. I'd never thought about the value of the Mithril shirt in that way, but I think Merry is right.

[dreamflower]

I like "before-and-afters" myself.

The mithril shirt was made for the purpose of saving life, and I think Gandalf knew that such a purpose was of far greater value than whatever material price it might bear.

[febobe.livejournal.com]

*cries and cries*

I don't know *what* is in the water you're drinking these days, but I want some! This stuff is magical. It's almost like reading JRRT himself, only better. Juicier!

Hugs,
Febobe

[dreamflower]

*hands you a virtual hankie*
*blushes*

((((hugs back)))))

[alasse-mirimiel.livejournal.com]

You really managed to show the impact the Quest had on all of them, how much it changed them for better or worse.

[dreamflower]

Thanks! They are all more observant, more astute, and wiser than they once were.

[periantari.livejournal.com]

omg i love both of them but Merry's quote in the end just made me feel all fuzzy inside and make me feel that it is so true that Frodoo's life is indeed the price of the Shire. Wonderfully written. :D

[dreamflower]

Yes, his life was the price, or as he said to Sam, some folks must lose what they set out to save, so that others can have them.

[paranoidangel]

I really like these. I like how in the first Merry and Pippin discover what the mithril shirt is like and then in the second they understand what it's really worth.

[dreamflower]

Yes--in the first they find out it's real; in the second they learn its true value.

[almaheart.livejournal.com]

I never even thought of it that way. Bless Merry for being wiser than I am. :) It really touched me how you portrayed the deep changes in Merry and Pippin from one end of the quest to the other. And the image of Frodo's scarred back is quite a poignant one. I just want to hug them all now. So good job!

[with-rainfall.livejournal.com]

Oh, what a clever interpretation of that phrase! I'm having tons of fun going through your LotR B2MEM fic. Are you on A03 at all?

[dreamflower]

Why thank you very much!

I have only just begun to post at AO3. I had an account from Yuletide years ago, and one lonely story there. Recently I decided to use it more, and have some of my stories there, a couple of dozen so far.

The vast majority of my stuff is at Stories of Arda and Many Paths to Tread, which are fandom-specific archives, and some at FFN.

(At AO3 I am plain Dreamflower.)