Merry followed after the dwarf cautiously. The events of last night had left him both shaken and filled with suspicion towards his "protector."

He had been awakened that morning by the dwarf, whose name was Gimli, and was told that they needed to get moving at once. Merry only went with him because he'd claimed to know Gandalf, and where his friends were.

Gimli was doing his best to convince him that he was trustworthy but Merry wasn't some naive hobbit who willingly followed anyone who smiled at him. He found out everything he could about a person before he concluded whether they were good or bad.

It was the same with any situation, Bilbo had told him once that he had a sharp mind and was a skilled thinker. He took in every problem or scenario and quietly went through it in his mind. Once he had all the facts he would decide on his next course of action.

In this case, he was learning everything he could about the dwarf in order to decide whether he should keep following him, or run. One thing that Merry took note of was that his sword hadn't been taken away.

If this dwarf meant to keep him against his will, wouldn't he have confiscated his weapon? Another thing was that he was allowed to walk unbound. Two facts that leaned towards the dwarf being a friend, yet there were pleanty of factors that could make him an enemy.

First of all; he had seen him fight. This dwarf was a dangerous fighter who clearly had been trained in combat. Second; he and his four companions had taken them against their will out of Bree and then seperated them.

One could argue that they only seperated in order to escape the Black Riders and Merry did keep that in consideration, but it didn't exactly help tip the scales in the dwarf's favor.

The dwarf also claimed that they'd been semt by Gandalf to keep them safe as they journeyed to Rivendell. Now Gandalf had never mentioned anything about anyone waiting for them in Bree. If he had in fact asked the four to do this thing, wouldn't he have said something to Frodo about it?

The last thing the dwarf had told him was that they were headed to a place where they were all to meet should they be seperated. Merry could only hope that his words were true and he would soon be reunited with his friends.

He was still faced with deciding whether to trust this dwarf or not. For the most part he remained silent, except for the occasional grunts as they marched along.

Merry decided that if he was ever going to make a decision, he was going to have to ask some more questions.
"Why would Gandalf have sent you four when he said that he would meet us in Bree himself?"
Merry challenged boldly.

"What do you mean?"
Gimli asked in a gruff voice, he didn't turn around or stop walking.
"Gandalf said that he would meet Frodo in Bree. But he wasn't there at all and instead four armed strangers were waiting for us, claiming that they know the absent wizard and have been assigned to escort us to Rivendell."

Merry grinned to himself as Gimli came to an abrupt stop and then spun around to confront him.
"I'd always been told that hobbits were quiet and simple folk."
Gimli commented dryly.

"I am not like other hobbits."
Merry folded his arms across his chest as he pierced the dwarf with his bright green eyes.
He was right, he wasn't like all the other hobbits. Yes he enjoyed his food and drink, nights at the Green Dragon, parties and dancing, but he wasn't afraid to admit that his mind was sharper than most hobbits.

Every question he asked was meant to catch Gimli off guard and ultimately, depending on how he answered, would help him decide whether or not he was trustworthy.

"Gandalf told us to wait for you in Bree in case he was unable to come himself."
Gimli said after a brief moment of silence.
"Belive me I was just as shocked as you when we arrived and didn't find him there. We were hoping that he would come before you did, but he never arrived."

There was something about the dwarf's voice that made it seem like he was truly worried about Gandalf's disappearance. Merry took note of that as well as the probability of him pretending.

"What exactly did Gandalf tell the four of you to do? Take us hostage, frighten us in the process, and then expect us to believe that you were always intending to help us?"

The dwarf groaned in exasperation as he turned around and resumed walking with Merry keeping an eye out for anything that would give away any traces of him lying.

"We'd originally planned to meet with you the moment that you entered the inn."
Gimli's gruff voice held traces of impatience which brought a triumphant grin to Merry's face.
"We were going to secretely reveal our identities to the four of you and lead you safely out of Bree, but before we could those criminals attacked you first."

Merry noticed the dwarf's hands clench into fists as he said this. Was he truly angry about how those men had attacled them at the inn?

"What about the Black Riders? You seem to know a thing or two about them."
Merry stepped over a gnarled tree root as he looked ahead and saw that they were nearly out of the forest.

"I know more about them than I'd ever wish to."
Came Gimli's short reply.
"I know that they were once kings of men, corrupted by the Rings of power in the Firrst Age. Now they're slaves to Sauron's will and unkillable as far as we know."

"They're hunting Frodo because he has the Ring right? Sauron's Ring?"
Merry asked. He wanted to know as much as he could about the wraiths that sought after his cousin.

"Aye, and he won't be safe until we reach Rivendell. Actually, none of will be safe. Those Nazgul will do anything to get what their master desires. They know that you three hobbits have been traveling with him, and now they know that we're traveling with you too."

Merry felt a spike of fear pierce his heart but he quickly pushed it aside. He needed to be brave for his friends, especially Pippin and Frodo. Pippin because he was far too young to be facing things such as this, and Frodo because he was the one who the wraiths wanted.

He would do everything in his power to keep them safe. That was something he had always done for as long as he could remember. Even though Frodo was older than he was, ever since they had been children Merry had made it a point of his to defend his older cousin from the whispers and stares of nosy hobbits who poked their heads into business that wasn't theirs.

Especially when Frodo needed to leave the Shire to go to Bree. Merry had personally saw to it that his cousin would be able to quietly disappear without anyone noticing or getting suspicious.

Yet at that time Frodo had been unaware that Merry knew that he was planning to leave. It was Bilbo who'd asked him to keep an eye on Frodo when Gandalf wasn't around to do it.

Merry soon forgot all about the dwarf he followed as he allowed his mind to wander back to his childhood in the Shire. He'd always been known as a rascal back then, getting into all kinds of trouble with Frodo, and Pippin after he was old enough to partake in their antics.

Another thing he'd once been known for his "violent" nature towards other hobbits. Of course that had been a complete misunderstanding when it happened.

It had been one year since Frodo's parents had drowned and someone (probably one of the Sackville-Baggins) had started a rumor that Frodo's mother had purposely tried to drown his father which ended up with both of them drowining.

The entire idea was ridiculous but there were a few young hobbit boys who used the rumors to antogonize Frodo. Merry had come across three older boys who were confronting Frodo and saying things about his mother having been a murderer and a thief.

Sam was with him and was telling the boys to leave them alone but the oldest one, Togo, laughed and shoved Sam onto the ground. When Frodo got angry Togo went and shoved him down to.

Merry'd had enough by then and without really thinking he ran up to the boys and punched Togo right in the face. A hobbit punching another hobbit was unheard of in the Shire, and seeing the blood dripping from Togo's nose was enough to send all three of them running for their parents.

Merry had been punished by his parents who called his behavior "unacceptable" and that he was to apologize to Togo. No one had bothered to hear Merry's side of things except for Bilbo.

Frodo told him everything that had happened and the old hobbit invited Merry over to talk about the situation. That day Bilbo had told him something that he would carry in his heart for the rest of his days.

"Not all battles are won by brute force and strength Merry. Sometimes a sharp tongue and an even sharper mind is all you
need."

Merry smiled as he remembered countless days spent quietly watching other hobbits and how they reacted with one another on a daily basis. He learned how to tell when someone was having a bad day, had a bit too much drink, and what he considered the most helpful thing, when someone was lying.

By studying their behavior Merry came to become an expert on settling problems and arguments that would break out between hobbits. Despite his young age people would come to him from time to time so that he could settle their disputes.

Bilbo had told him that it was his ability to see both sides of any situation that made him so adept to solving conflicts. Merry would hear one side of an argument and then the other, after fitting all the pieces together he was able to come up with a solution that could benefit both hobbits.

Unfortunately some hobbits were never able to come to am agreement and many others saw Merry's "talent" as him butting into other folks' business.

When he asked Bilbo why they acted that way towards him he merely shrugged and said, "Some people just can't handle true wisdom Merry, but don't worry lad. I know that you'll use your gift for good and one day you'll become known throughout the earth as the wisest being who ever lived. Just don't let it all go to your head."

Merry chuckled as a wave of sadness washed over him. Bilbo had always been there for him when he needed someone to talk to who would understand his thoughts. Bilbo had taught Merry how to read maps and encouraged him to help others. He could understand why Frodo missed the old hobbit so much.

"I hope that I'll be able to see him again some day."
Merry murmered.
"What was that?"
Gimli's voice made him jump. He'd almost forgotten that the dwarf was even there!

"What did you say?"
He asked trying to bring himself back into the present.
"That's what I was asking you hobbit. What did you say just now?"

Merry hesitated before answering. Should he tell him or ignore him?
What harm would there be in telling him that you miss an old friend of yours?
Merry decided that telling Gimli wouldn't hurt anything. Besides, maybe he'd come one step closer to deciding whether or not the dwarf could be trusted.

"I just hope that I'll be able to see a friend of mine again. He left he Shire awhile ago and I haven't seen him since."
Merry sighed as they finally emerged from the forest. All around them was open grass and more trees in the distance. The sky was grey with clouds and a cold wind began to blow, causing Merry to shiver and pull his cloak tighter around him.

"We're almost to our meeting place."
Gimli announced not seeming to be affected by the cold at all.
"You'll be reunited with your friends before nightfall."

That's good, unless of course you're lying.
He and the dwarf began to trudge onward once again side by side. It wasn't long before Gimli started up their conversation once again.

"What is your friend's name? The one who left?"
His voice was curious and Merry couldn't detect any kind of hositlity in it, but you could never be too careful.

Should I tell him?
"His name is Bilbo."
Merry recieved the last response he'd been expecting from the dwarf, a look of recognition.
"Bilbo Baggins? You mean Frodo's uncle?"

Suspicion mixed with shock entered Merry's mind as he approached this new turn of events cautiously.
"Yes, and how did you know that he was related to Frodo? Did Gandalf tell you that too?"

"No, my father did. Gandalf just told me that we would be escorting Frodo and maybe a few extra hobbits to Rivendell."

Now Merry was the one caught off guard.
"How did your father know about Bilbo?"
He asked in anstonishment.
Gimli laughed and Merry glanced at him nervously.

"I should have told you this from the beginning Master Hobbit."
Gimli's laugh reduced to a light chuckle as he shook his head.
"My father is Gloín, the same Gloín who journeyed with Bilbo to the Lonely Mountain to defeat the dragon Smaug. Surely if you're such great friends with Bilbo he would have told you about him right?"

Merry couldn't stop his mouth from hanging open in disbelief as the news sank in. He knew all about Bilbo's adventures, and he'd heard all about the dwarves who had traveled with him.

"Why didn't you tell me?"
Merry asked, still a bit dumbfounded by the revelation.
"To be fair you wouldn't tell me your name, even after I told you mine. Why should I have brought up my father when I figured that he would mean nothing to you?"

Merry turned his gaze to the ground as his cheeks turned red in guilt. He hadn't been very fair with Gimli at all, he'd spent a majority of their time interogating him instead of simply talking with him.

Silence fell over the two as they continued their trek. Merry looked over at Gimli and said, "Merry."

Gimli turned to him with a look of confusion on his face.
"What was that lad?"
He asked furrowing his eyebrows.
"My name is Meriadoc, but my friends call me Merry."

Gimli paused for a moment before asking slyly, "Do you consider me a friend then?"
Merry smiled.
"I'm not sure about that yet, but you have succeeded in earning my trust."

Gimli laughed and Merry found himself chuckling along with him.
"You are a difficult one Master Meriadoc. A very difficult hobbit indeed."