B2MEM

[dreamflower]

danachan is on the phone with me, and poor baby, she's coughing and hacking and sneezing and running a fever. She needs some Pippin. So, here are two birds with one stone:

Rating: G
Summary: Pippin makes good use of a gift from Legolas…

L: LIKE THE LEGACY OF LEGOLAS

Merry winced at the shrill notes coming from the front steps. Pippin’s voice, patient--though Merry thought he could detect the tiniest bit of weariness in it-- “All right, Ilberic, try again from the beginning. You have to relax your fingering…”

Merry sighed. Life at Crickhollow normally was nice and peaceful, except for those days when his younger cousin came down from Brandy Hall to take his lessons from Pippin. Pippin was so talented musically, he could not imagine that others would not have the same ease in learning to play that he did. When Ilberic had expressed interest in learning how to play the shepherd’s pipes, Pippin had generously offered lessons.

“Try again.”

The melody for “On the Banks of the Brandywine” floated out, surprisingly free of sour notes, though it sounded somewhat slow and dirge-like for such a jolly tune. Ilberic managed to get all the way through without hitting a wrong note.

“That’s great!” Pippin exclaimed. Merry could imagine the encouraging grin. “Now, try it this way.”

That’s more like, thought Merry, listening to Pippin play it. His toes started to tap as he sat at his desk. He’d been making notes about the properties of vervain. He could listen to *Pippin* play all day.

Pippin finished, and now Ilbie started again, hesitantly, then picking up speed and--there was the shriek of a bad note. Merry felt it go all through him. How on earth did Pippin stand it.

“I’m sorry, Pippin,” Ilbie said, “I don’t seem to be getting any better at all. I *do* practice--I really do! But Mum and Da won’t allow me to practice in the apartment anymore, and now Uncle Saradoc has asked me not to practice in the public parts of the Hall, and--” his voice trailed off miserably. “Maybe I should just quit while I’m ahead,” he added in a wistful tone.

Now Merry felt guilty; but not enough to keep from hoping Pippin would agree.

“It’s all right, Ilbie. All you need is--” Pippin’s voice trailed off, and Merry could almost see the wheels turning in his younger cousin’s head, much like a pocket-watch.

“What you need is this!”

“*Your* pipes, Cousin Pippin?” Ilbie exclaimed in surprise. “But you told me that--that Legolas, the Elf, made those for you!”

“Exactly!” Pippin crowed. “It’s *exactly* what you need! After all, an *Elf* made it! And he made it in an Elven realm--in the Golden Wood of Lothlórien…”

Ilberic’s voice was awed. “Do you mean they are--magic?”

“Well, what do *you* think?” There was a brief silence, and then Pippin continued. “Now, you take *those* to practice with, and I will just make myself another set. If you practice enough, I am certain you’ll be able to play with us at Yule in a few weeks!”

“Thank you!”

Merry sat there shaking his head. Pippin *loved* those pipes! How could he just give them to Ilberic like that! Why, they were no more magic than Merry himself was!

A few moments later, Pippin came in. “You can unstuff your ears, now, Merry, he’s gone.”

“My ears are just fine, thank you. Why did you give him your own pipes? You know there’s no magic in them!”

Pippin blushed and shrugged. “It won’t hurt him to think so. He just needs a bit of confidence, that’s all. And it may help him.”

Merry rolled his eyes. Pippin was just too generous sometimes. There wasn’t much of anything, in his opinion, that could improve Ilberic’s playing.
________________________________________

Merry stared in astonishment at the dais, where the musicians, Pippin and Merry’s mother with their fiddles, Melilot with her harp, Mentha with her lute, Myrtle with her tambour--thank goodness *he* wasn’t up there with a tambour--and Ilberic with his pipes, were rehearsing. He’d not heard a wrong note yet. They finished playing “Candles” and Esmeralda signaled a break.

Pippin came down, and caught Merry’s eye with a grin. “I told you all he needed was a little confidence.”

Merry just stared after Ilberic. No, he thought, Legolas really *did* make magic pipes. That’s the only thing to account for it.

Comments

[danachan.livejournal.com]

Merry here is terrible (but in such an endearing fashion--I'm not actually crosst at him). I think your Ilberic is adorable and that your Pippin is great (and Merry of course would think that at the end. He would. He is being a twit but I love him.)

I am glad Ilbie is getting better with the pipes, and I don't think it has anything to do with magic. Pippin was right and all he needed was the confidence!

[dreamflower]

*grin* I hope it helped you to feel just a little better, dear!

Merry *can* be a bit of a twit once in a while, but he's been spoiled by Pippin. It can be a bit of a trial to have to listen to a beginner learn to play.

[claudia603.livejournal.com]

Or one should say that confidence IS magic. :-) Very nice!

[dreamflower]

Pippin knew. And I'm sure Legolas would have been proud to know how Pippin used his gift!

[shirebound]

You're just on fire with fic! I'm loving all of them.

This is lovely, Dreamflower. I agree with Pippin. Sometimes we just have to believe in the magic to let it work for (or with) us.

*sends hugs and tissues and hot tea to Danachan*

[dreamflower]

Why thanks, dear!

You are right, Pippin does know that; and he's a generous soul, anyway.

[mews1945.livejournal.com]

I adore Pippin's gentleness and generosity toward his young cousin, actually giving up his treasured pipes from Legolas to give the lad confidence. Little Pip's all grown up.

[dreamflower]

My Pippin's always been a gentle and generous soul--I think there's evidence in canon to support that. But he's gained in patience and maturity and confidence, so he knows how important confidence is. He *is* all grown up.

[aspenjules.livejournal.com]

Awww... how sweet!

Pip's a true musician for whom no sacrifice is too great to make good music. His interest in his young cousin does Frodo and Merry credit as well as Pip himself.

I'm not sure I could have given up such a treasure, but you're right, Dream... listening to a begining musician *can* be a bit (HAH!) of a trial. LOL

[dreamflower]

He does so love his music! And you are right--a lot of his patient attitude with Ilberic is because of the wonderful example his older cousins set for him.

I'm sure it was a bit of a wrench--that set of pipes was special because his friend made it for him. But he felt it would do more good in Ilberic's hands.

Listening to beginners can be a real trial, LOL! But at least Ilberic's only learning the *shepherd's pipes* and *NOT* the *bagpipes*, LOL!

[elandulin.livejournal.com]

This was very sweet--I liked it! Merry CAN be a little snarky on occasion, can't he? Comes of having such a deep and busy mind! :)

[dreamflower]

Oh, I'm so glad you liked it!

Merry does have a touch of snarkiness, as did Frodo, in the books. I think that may have been a bit of a Brandybuck trait. I'm sure "deep and busy mind" had a lot to do with it--when one is so very intelligent, it's sometimes hard to be patient with other people, who don't seem to "get it".

[garnet-took.livejournal.com]

This was great.

Merry being annoyed was so believable. He probably wouldn't have a lot of patience.

Pippin really is such a generous person. He'd give anyone, just about, anything he could to help them out.

Very sweet.

[dreamflower]

I'm glad you liked it.

Merry has a lot of patience with things like having to wait, but he has less patience with *people*. Pippin is impatient with *things*--with having to wait around, or to sit still--but he can be very patient when it comes to others.

And you are right about the generosity--he's got a large and open heart.

[slightlytookish]

Eeeee, I LOVE Pippin as teacher! He knows just what to say and do to help Ilberic here. How lovely :D