Pippin edged a little further to the door and very carefully leant against
the doorframe. He was meant to be in bed. He should be sleeping. Something
was going on, however, and he wanted to know what it was. Everyone had been
acting strange all day. There was just something about that day that hadn't
seemed right-in fact it was all very odd.
He bit his lip and pressed himself up closer to the door. It was open a very small fraction and he could see the glow of firelight and the shape of his father, mother and sister. Pearl was there. His other two sisters must still be in bed. He decided, for which he was partly glad, since he didn't like them much at the best of times. They were speaking in low voices, but he quite clearly heard his name mentioned more than once. Pippin frowned. He started thinking about what he'd done that day-he tried to remember whether he'd done anything that could cause them to speak in such a way about him. Normally if he'd done something wrong, they would just come straight out and tell him. Or if he'd been very good, his mother and father would always tell him just as they were tucking him into bed. He smiled a little at that thought, but then suddenly heard a creaking sound. His father was standing up!
Pippin gasped slightly but then turned and headed up back along the hall. He quickly pushed himself into a corner and ducked down as far as he could. He was small enough for the shadows to cover him and he hoped he wouldn't get seen. He heard the sound of his father opening the door and then there were shuffling footsteps. That of his wife and daughter followed these, but they followed Paladin along the other hall, which confused Pippin even more because their bedrooms weren't along that way. That must mean there was more to it. Pippin raised himself up a little and waited a few moments before making his way after them. He saw that they were in the kitchen gathered around the table and Pippin did the same as before and pressed himself up against the wall.
"Its no good, Eglantine, he can't keep doing this. Enough is enough. Something has to be done." Paladin said.
Pippin's eyes widened. He couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. He stayed there for a few more moments and listened again, hoping with all his heart that they weren't speaking about him.
"You know Pippin is a handful at the best of times, but we're coping, aren't we? Why should it all change now?" Eglantine replied.
There was a long silence and Pippin could hear the sound of his own beating heart thumping so loudly against his chest and ringing in his ears. This wasn't right. Surly they weren't thinking what he feared.
"I'll arrange for his bags to be packed up and ready by the morning. I'm sorry Eglantine, but my decision is final." Paladin concluded.
Pippin would've most probably dropped to his knees and cried if he'd not had to get away from the door to save himself from being caught.
Pippin ran along the hallway, bounded into his room and buried himself under the covers. He tried his hardest not to cry-just in case they heard him so he closed his eyes very tightly but when he opened them again, silent tears drizzled down his cheeks. Pippin clung tightly to his pillow and wept softly. He stopped when he heard their footsteps coming along the hall. He pulled the covers right over his head and stayed very still. They seemed to stop just outside his door, but no one entered. They passed on and moved off to their own rooms and then everything was silent.
Pippin had waited for what seemed like an age before packing up his things and quietly sneaking out. He wasn't really sure where he was going to go and what he was going to do, but he knew he had to get away. They didn't want him anymore. Now he would save them the hassle of finding him another home.
He bit his lip and pressed himself up closer to the door. It was open a very small fraction and he could see the glow of firelight and the shape of his father, mother and sister. Pearl was there. His other two sisters must still be in bed. He decided, for which he was partly glad, since he didn't like them much at the best of times. They were speaking in low voices, but he quite clearly heard his name mentioned more than once. Pippin frowned. He started thinking about what he'd done that day-he tried to remember whether he'd done anything that could cause them to speak in such a way about him. Normally if he'd done something wrong, they would just come straight out and tell him. Or if he'd been very good, his mother and father would always tell him just as they were tucking him into bed. He smiled a little at that thought, but then suddenly heard a creaking sound. His father was standing up!
Pippin gasped slightly but then turned and headed up back along the hall. He quickly pushed himself into a corner and ducked down as far as he could. He was small enough for the shadows to cover him and he hoped he wouldn't get seen. He heard the sound of his father opening the door and then there were shuffling footsteps. That of his wife and daughter followed these, but they followed Paladin along the other hall, which confused Pippin even more because their bedrooms weren't along that way. That must mean there was more to it. Pippin raised himself up a little and waited a few moments before making his way after them. He saw that they were in the kitchen gathered around the table and Pippin did the same as before and pressed himself up against the wall.
"Its no good, Eglantine, he can't keep doing this. Enough is enough. Something has to be done." Paladin said.
Pippin's eyes widened. He couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. He stayed there for a few more moments and listened again, hoping with all his heart that they weren't speaking about him.
"You know Pippin is a handful at the best of times, but we're coping, aren't we? Why should it all change now?" Eglantine replied.
There was a long silence and Pippin could hear the sound of his own beating heart thumping so loudly against his chest and ringing in his ears. This wasn't right. Surly they weren't thinking what he feared.
"I'll arrange for his bags to be packed up and ready by the morning. I'm sorry Eglantine, but my decision is final." Paladin concluded.
Pippin would've most probably dropped to his knees and cried if he'd not had to get away from the door to save himself from being caught.
Pippin ran along the hallway, bounded into his room and buried himself under the covers. He tried his hardest not to cry-just in case they heard him so he closed his eyes very tightly but when he opened them again, silent tears drizzled down his cheeks. Pippin clung tightly to his pillow and wept softly. He stopped when he heard their footsteps coming along the hall. He pulled the covers right over his head and stayed very still. They seemed to stop just outside his door, but no one entered. They passed on and moved off to their own rooms and then everything was silent.
Pippin had waited for what seemed like an age before packing up his things and quietly sneaking out. He wasn't really sure where he was going to go and what he was going to do, but he knew he had to get away. They didn't want him anymore. Now he would save them the hassle of finding him another home.