The Wishing Star
Sunlight filtered softly through the tangled branches of two blooming cherry blossom trees, their
small bundles of vivid pink and white shivering in the gentle breeze, releasing tiny flowers now
and again, letting them float lazily down onto the shapes nestled on the grass beneath. It was
Springtime, and no other time of year was quite like it in the Shire.
"Merry?"
"Hm mm?"
"I do think I should like to die."
"What?" Merry let his eyelids flutter open against the almost blinding sunlight.
"Or maybe I'm already dead . . . " Pippin sat up and gazed over the landscape which lay before
them. Endless fields of pure, luscious green, scattered with blossoming trees of every sort, in
every colour of the rainbow. The sky was pure blue, like Frodo's eyes in Summer, or maybe it
was like one of Rosie's party dresses, with white ribbons threaded throughout. Then, in the
center of a nearby field, that stood below the bank on which they sat, was a glistening
aquamarine lake. To Pippin, it looked like a thousand tiny blue jewels all sewn together
perfectly, then lain flat across the ground with a tiny sprinkling of silver glitter on top. He sighed
happily.
"Pip, what an earth are you babbling about?" Merry rolled sideways and propped himself up on
his elbow. Carelessly, he pulled a blade of grass from the ground and began running it up and
down Pippin's thigh. Pippin bent his head slightly and smiled down at him.
"Well, my dear, sweet Merry. This day is so perfect, if I were to die, I would like to die right
here and now, with you by my side. But then, perhaps I already am dead, and this is heaven."
"Pip, you really do talk such nonsense sometimes. You wouldn't want to die, you'd miss my
apple tarts too much."
Pippin laughed and made a grab for Merry's blade of grass. He missed and Merry lay back on
the ground, smiling and staring thoughtfully at the sky.
"You know what Pip? I think you're right, and we are in heaven."
"Why do you say that love?" Pippin lay back down, letting his arm fall across Merry's chest
lovingly.
"Because I could never imagine anything more perfect than having you by my side. I think even
if it were dark and cold, and the sun didn't shine for a hundred days, it would be Heaven, so long
as you were with me."
"Would there be apple tarts?"
Merry thumped Pippin hard in the side and Pippin let out a yelp.
There was silence. Merry had closed his eyes and was enjoying the warmth of the sun on his
face, not to mention the warmth of Pippin's breath against his cheek.
Pippin smiled contentedly for a time, while gazing at Merry, then let his eyes wander across the
grass which surrounded them.
"Oh! Merry look!" Pippin burst out and scrambled onto his knees before flinging himself across
Merry's chest. Merry had to stop himself from yelling at the pain caused by Pippin's elbows
digging into him so hard.
Merry panted as Pippin leaned down harder onto his chest. "What's that, Pip?"
Pippin pulled a strange looking plant from the ground and held it up to his face. "This, Merry, is
a Wishing Star." Pippin grinned happily. "Sam taught me all about them. He said they only grow
where the soil is perfect. So we *must* be in Heaven!"
Merry watched his cousin inspect the small, round white ball. It didn't look very spectacular. It
was actually a little ugly.
"What shall I wish for Merry? Plums? Ale? Maybe a giant Apple Tart with cream, and jam all to
myself?"
Pippin climbed off Merry's body and sat back against one of the blossom trees, his legs folded.
Merry grunted and rubbed the spots where Pippin's elbows had dug into him, then reached down
by his side and picked another blade of grass.
Pippin stared earnestly at the funny looking white thing, then shouted, "I've got it!" With that, he
held the bright green stalk up and blew on the wishing star with all the breath he had and sent its
tiny white petals adrift. Pippin watched as some of the petals sailed away in front of the two
hobbits, carrying his wish down the bank and across the shimmering waters of the lake. Other
petals floated aimlessly with the breeze above the lovers' heads. Merry watched as some were
caught in the thick Cherry blossoms, while the rest floated above the trees and beyond.
One petal landed on Merry's nose; he smiled and brushed it off. "What did you wish for?"
Pippin drew his attention away from the petals which were now disappearing from view. "If I
told you, it wouldn't come true." Pippin grinned cheekily and plucked the new piece of grass
from Merry's hand and stuck it in his mouth.
"I hope you wished for an apple tart. All this talk of food has made me hungry."
Pippin lay down once more, nuzzling into Merry's neck. He felt Merry's arm wrap tightly around
him, and he snuggled closer. Pippin raised his head slightly, and found himself engulfed in a
warm, deep kiss. He pulled away so he rested just a little way from Merry's mouth and
whispered, "Do you really want to know what I wished for Merry?"
Merry smiled and leaned forward, rubbing his nose against Pippin's, then answered, "Yes."
Pippin grinned, and let his hand find Merry's, then let their fingers entwine. Then he spoke, "I
wished that we would never run out of apple tarts, and that we would live together forever, and
be happy until the end of our days."
And so, they did.
Fin.
