LOTR: The problems with Thursday - Merry Brandybuck FF

They're gone - Chapter 20

"I'm sure it's not your fault, I can't find Merry either! His mother hasn't seen him since yesterday.. And Frodo's gone too. I'm off to find Tilia to see if she's okay.." she trailed, also looking at the ground. Ra looked round at her, concern filling her face.

"What if something's happened, and the last thing I said to him was that he should go and find somebody better than me?" She groaned, resting her head on her hand. That was when Ra began to tell Alora the deeper side to their relationship. How she felt around him, and how he kissed her. She explained how they had met in more detail, and recalled how she had felt at first. Alora listened intently, nodding, thinking. She even felt herself wishing that she and Merry shared such a strong connection.

"I don't know what to do with myself now.." she admitted, huffing loudly. "I used to spend time with him everyday, we'd have a laugh, a drink, and then hang around with you and Merry. I feel so lost." she sighed, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"I bet he hates me..." she continued, "It's been too long.." she muttered under her breath. Alora looked down at her, puzzled.

"Since what?" she asked, shuffling closer to her disheartened friend. Ra kicked a rock underneath her feet and sent it rolling a little.

"Since I told him I loved him." she said softly, fiddling with her hands. Alora looked back at her, shocked a little, and then she began to think. She felt for Ra even more than she had before, and reassured her a little more.

"I never even got to tell Merry I did, it's a bit soon i know, but, if something has happened. It won't have though, don't you worry." Alora said reassuringly. But her words caused Ra to sit up, staring at her in confusion. Alora then realised what she'd said, remembering that nobody knew of their kiss, or them being together. Not even Ra.

"You like Merry? B-but he likes you! why haven't you told him? he'll be so happy!" she cheered, a smile forming on her lips as usual. Thinking she was playing a game of matchmaker, lifted Ra's spirits a little more. Alora rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, half smiling back at her friend. 

"I know he likes me, I told him I like him on Thursday!" she confessed, feeling herself blushing. Ra's face lit up even more.

"And?!" she said excitedly, sitting forward in suspense. 

"And.. we might have kissed.." Alora murmured. But Ra heard her and nearly jumped off the bench in pure joy.

"I knew it! AWWWWWWW!" she said, clapping her hands happily, all sadness thrown into memories, to be remembered later. Alora blushed even more, trying not to look at Ra. 

"It's nothing, but we were supposed to tell people today.. and he's not here.." she sighed. Ra's expression fell again, but the reminiscence of  smile still on her lips. "anyway, I best find Tilia." Alora continued, waving good bye to her friend, and then quickly heading back towards Bywater.

When Alora found Tilia, she was relieved to find that she was still here. Tilia explained that Frodo had told her he was leaving for a while, and would be back as soon as he could. Although Tilia had no idea how Alora knew of her and Frodo, she decided to tell her how they had ended up seeing each other. 

It was just becoming dusk when Alora returned home. She pushed open her front door and sighed loudly, before closing it behind her and lighting a candle. Her hunt for Merry had been unsuccessful, and she had no clue to where he, Pippin or Frodo had gone.

Alora walked through to her room and lit more candles, making her room spring to life. She stood thinking for a while, wondering what to do with her spare time. Eventually, she thought of writing a poem. Pulling up her chair, Alora sat at her writing desk. Even when she put quill to paper, she couldn't think of what to write. Suddenly, she remembered everything Ra had told her. Quickly, she began to spin her words together in her mind, and wrote them down. Titling it Mallyra, She wrote again.

Mallyra.

She remembers a handsome young man. How he made her laugh, when they ran, ran and ran.

The way he touched so gently,his eyes were green, so strong and free.

It was the way he said,

"come with me,"

And she remembers kissing after dark, the way he smiled, and played so wild. His oh so, childish laugh.

and now she prays, her days- 

Alora's writing was interrupted by the sound of her front door opening. 

"Merry?" she stuttered, standing almost immediately and turning to face the door, "Merry!" she cried, running into the hallway. But her happiness was shattered quickly, with the sight of her cousin Sirry standing in the doorway.

"Oh... hello Sirry.." she said, her expression fading. Sirry greeted her with a cold hand shake, before wandering into her front room. Surprised by his bluntness, Alora followed him, watching as he examined her house. 

"You have so many books, cousin Alora. Have you read them all?" he asked, pulling one from the shelf. Alora shrugged to herself, still watching. Sirry looked round and grunted at her, went to put the book back, and stopped when a piece of paper fell from the pages. 

Alora took a sharp breath as her cousin picked it up, a smile growing on his face. 

"Merry... I could really use you right now.." she thought to herself as she watched him carefully.

"Why Alora... it's your fathers will!" he exclaimed, his smile slowly turning into a smirk of pleasure.