Pippin Comforts Merry
By peet
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'Slowly the lights of the torches in front of him flickered and went out, and he was walking in a darkness; and he thought: 'This is a tunnel leading to a tomb; there we shall stay forever.' But suddenly into his dream there fell a living voice.
'Well, Merry! Thank goodness I have found you!'
He looked up and the mist before his eyes cleared a little. There was Pippin! They were face to face in a narrow lane, and but for themselves it was empty. He rubbed his eyes.
'Where is the king?' he said. 'And Éowyn?' Then he stumbled and sat down on a doorstep and began to weep again.
'They have gone up into the Citadel,' said Pippin. 'I think you must have fallen asleep on your feet and taken the wrong turning. When we found that you were not with them, Gandalf sent me to look for you. Poor old Merry! How glad I am to see you again! But you are worn out, and I won't bother you with any talk. But tell me, are you hurt, or wounded?'
'No,' said Merry. 'Well, no, I don't think so. But I can't use my right arm, Pippin, not since I stabbed him. And my sword burned all away like a piece of wood.'
Pippin's face was anxious. 'Well, you had better come with me as quick as you can,' he said. 'I wish I could carry you. You aren't fit to walk any further. They shouldn't have let you walk at all; but you must forgive them. So many dreadful things have happened in the City, Merry, that one poor hobbit coming in from the battle is easily overlooked.'
'It's not always a misfortune being overlooked,' said Merry. 'I was overlooked just now by - no, no, I can't speak of it. Help me, Pippin! It's all going dark again, and my arm is so cold.'
'Lean on me, Merry lad!' said Pippin. 'Come now! Foot by foot. It's not far.'
'Are you going to bury me?' said Merry.
'No, indeed!' said Pippin, trying to sound cheerful, though his heart was wrung with fear and pity. 'No, we are going to the Houses of Healing.'
JRR Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: Book V, Chapter 8: The Houses of Healing
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Painted in watercolour.
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Facebook Page at Peter Xavier Price - Illustrator. Many thanks!
'Well, Merry! Thank goodness I have found you!'
He looked up and the mist before his eyes cleared a little. There was Pippin! They were face to face in a narrow lane, and but for themselves it was empty. He rubbed his eyes.
'Where is the king?' he said. 'And Éowyn?' Then he stumbled and sat down on a doorstep and began to weep again.
'They have gone up into the Citadel,' said Pippin. 'I think you must have fallen asleep on your feet and taken the wrong turning. When we found that you were not with them, Gandalf sent me to look for you. Poor old Merry! How glad I am to see you again! But you are worn out, and I won't bother you with any talk. But tell me, are you hurt, or wounded?'
'No,' said Merry. 'Well, no, I don't think so. But I can't use my right arm, Pippin, not since I stabbed him. And my sword burned all away like a piece of wood.'
Pippin's face was anxious. 'Well, you had better come with me as quick as you can,' he said. 'I wish I could carry you. You aren't fit to walk any further. They shouldn't have let you walk at all; but you must forgive them. So many dreadful things have happened in the City, Merry, that one poor hobbit coming in from the battle is easily overlooked.'
'It's not always a misfortune being overlooked,' said Merry. 'I was overlooked just now by - no, no, I can't speak of it. Help me, Pippin! It's all going dark again, and my arm is so cold.'
'Lean on me, Merry lad!' said Pippin. 'Come now! Foot by foot. It's not far.'
'Are you going to bury me?' said Merry.
'No, indeed!' said Pippin, trying to sound cheerful, though his heart was wrung with fear and pity. 'No, we are going to the Houses of Healing.'
JRR Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: Book V, Chapter 8: The Houses of Healing
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Next: Painted in watercolour.
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© 2016 - 2021 peet
Comments99
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Great perspective, and a very convincing illustration of the passage.
Thanks for the kind comment - I’m thrilled you like this piece and that it corresponds with the passage 
A delightful piece of artwork - I love all the background, it looks very Minas Tirith.
Always a pleasure - thank you very much
Great style!
Thanks!
Welcome mate! keep it going, good talent you have there
Lovely image!
Glad you like!
I'm surprised myself that no one else has attempted this scene, seeing it really stuck with me too! Very glad you like the attempt 
I really like how you paid attention to details such as the cobblestones and the leaves. I really like the perspective.
Sincere thanks aud, and my apologies for the late reply. I know it's a bit inappropriate now but happy new year This was a fun one to paint; I purposed this scene from a photo I took around October 2014, and just got round to painting it a year and half or so later 
This was a fun one to paint; I purposed this scene from a photo I took around October 2014, and just got round to painting it a year and half or so later 
Awesome job on perspective! And I really like the scene you selected and how you've portrayed it.
Thanks a lot! I've been wanting to do this one for many years, and it just came out eventually - glad you like 
Your illustrations of the Tolkien stories are among the most beautiful and heartfelt I've ever seen.
This one is a quiet masterpiece.
This one is a quiet masterpiece.
Really humbling words, and I thank you kindly - it's also good to see you back. I hope you're well? Yes I'm heartfelt when it comes to these illustrations as they've deeply affected me in so many ways, and I'd say have had a large bearing on the person I grew up to be 
. But masterpiece is something that never rests easy in my own mind when it comes to my work 
It's lethal to touch a ringwraith.
Even with a blade of Westernesse 
In the which case, boiling kingsfoil and breathing the steam would go far in effecting recovery.
Great realistic job with fine details.
Many thanks for the kind words - I'm thrilled you like 
It's great to see this scene illustrated, and also to see Minas Tirith in detail – not a magnificent view of the walls and the White tower, but a quiet part of the site, showing how ordinary life there could look like. Such a modest side alley and yet it looks beautiful and clean. I like all the details like the lanterns, the balconies, the rambling plant and the small patches of grass. It partly reminds me of Prague (there are many such stairways) but the Mediterranean atmosphere fits well with how I imagine Gondor.
Thanks so much for the detailed comment - always a treat This was precisely my intention - not all of MT was grandiose and ornamental, though of course even its modest parts would have been pleasant enough - and yes clean and noble still. It is after all the last bastion of high-civilisation in M-e at the time. I really want to see Prague one day - aegeri described it as such as well, above!
This was precisely my intention - not all of MT was grandiose and ornamental, though of course even its modest parts would have been pleasant enough - and yes clean and noble still. It is after all the last bastion of high-civilisation in M-e at the time. I really want to see Prague one day - aegeri described it as such as well, above! Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In