mindilea327

I just finished reading The Lord Of The Rings for the first time (amazing, of course!) and I noticed what may be a mistake in the storyline.
In The Return Of The King, Chapter 10, the Black Gate Opens, Merry stays behind when everyone leaves to go to Mordor and fight the final battle against Sauron.

"But Merry to his shame was not to go with them.
'You are not fit for such a journey,' said Aragorn. 'But do not be ashamed. If you do no more in this war, you have already earned great honour. Peregrin shall go and represent the Shirefolk; and do not grudge him his change of peril, for though he has done as well as his fortune allowed him, he has yet to match your deed. But in truth all now are in like danger. Though it may be our part to find a bitter end before the Gate of Mordor, if we do so, then you will come also to a last stand, either here or wherever the black tide overtakes you. Farewell!'"

So they leave, Merry stays behind. The tale returns to Frodo and Sam, they destroy the ring, are brought back to Ithilien by Gandalf and the Eagles and once they wake, they go to dinner in Chapter 4, The Field Of Cormallen.

"But when, after the Standing Silence, wine was brought there came in two esquires to serve the kings; or so they seemed to be: one was clad in the silver and sable of the Guards of Minas Tirith, and the other in white and green. But Sam wondered what such young boys were doing in an army of mighty men. Then suddenly as they drew near and he could see them plainly, he exlaimed:
'Why, look Mr. Frodo! Look here! Well, if it isn't Pippin. Mr. Peregrin Took, I should say, and Mr. Merry! How they have grown. Bless me. But I can see there's more tales to tell than ours.'
'There are indeed,' said Pippin turning towards him. 'And we'll begin telling them, as soon as this feast is ended. In the meantime you can try Gandalf. He's not so close as he used to be, though he laughs now more than he talks. For the present Merry and I are busy. We are knights of the City and of the Mark, as I hope you observe.'"

And they talk and remark on how tall Pippin and Merry have grown from the Ent-draughts and all that. But is it just me, or is Merry supposed to still be back in Minas Tirith? They mention him again in Chapter 5, The Steward And The King, when Faramir wants help winning Eowyn over. Later in the same chapter it says:

"Merry was summoned and rode away with the wains that took store of goods to Osgiliath and thence by ship to Cair Andros..."

But that wouldn't put him in Ithilien with the army, would it? Is there some sort of time-lapse in between the chapters, am I just insane, or is there actually a mistake in the book?

Mindy