Not long after they had left the market, Merry and Pippin came across a
small group of hobbit-lasses. They were easily recognisable as Melilot and
Mentha Brandybuck and Marigold Gamgee. There was one other however, who
seemed slightly unfamiliar and she yet had some semblance of a hobbit they
had once known.
She was dressed in green and yellow and her long, dark brown curls were tied back with a green ribbon. On one arm she carried a basket and a leash was looped around the other. At the other end of the leash was a young pig, which they thought to be a pet. She looked up at the two passing hobbits and smiled, recognising them instantly.
Merry and Pippin smiled back and acknowledged the other hobbits and they rode on, both puzzled to who this hobbit was. They rode in silence until Merry suddenly halted and turned to Pippin. "I know who that was," He said and Pippin frowned, still puzzled. "Who?" He asked. "That was Estella," Merry urged his pony forward. Pippin quickly caught up to him, "But why is she so different?" He asked, Merry fell silent for a few moments before answering, "She's grown up."
Estella Bolger watched as Merry and Pippin rode past. She hadn't seen them for over a year since they disappeared with Sam and Frodo. She had heard of there return of course for they had saved the Shire. But because she had been looking after her aunt she hadn't been able to see them. Still, it puzzled her as to why they had not been any friendlier.
"Isn't it good to seem those two again?" Mentha said as they rounded the bend to be met with the sight of the market. "Yes I think so too - don't you agree Estella?" Marigold asked and Estella nodded, "And you must be awfully pleased to have Sam home, safe and well." She said, "Oh yes, we missed him terribly not knowing where he'd disappeared off to." Marigold told her friends.
"It gave Dad quite a shock, to say the least - he couldn't believe that our Sam would do something like that." Marigold then spotted Tolman Cotton amongst the crowd, delivering some vegetables. "Well, I'm going to go over and see Tom, I'll see you all later," She said and headed over towards Tolman. "See you Marigold," Estella said as she spotted a very familiar hobbit and suddenly remembered why she was at the market. "Fredegar!"
She was dressed in green and yellow and her long, dark brown curls were tied back with a green ribbon. On one arm she carried a basket and a leash was looped around the other. At the other end of the leash was a young pig, which they thought to be a pet. She looked up at the two passing hobbits and smiled, recognising them instantly.
Merry and Pippin smiled back and acknowledged the other hobbits and they rode on, both puzzled to who this hobbit was. They rode in silence until Merry suddenly halted and turned to Pippin. "I know who that was," He said and Pippin frowned, still puzzled. "Who?" He asked. "That was Estella," Merry urged his pony forward. Pippin quickly caught up to him, "But why is she so different?" He asked, Merry fell silent for a few moments before answering, "She's grown up."
Estella Bolger watched as Merry and Pippin rode past. She hadn't seen them for over a year since they disappeared with Sam and Frodo. She had heard of there return of course for they had saved the Shire. But because she had been looking after her aunt she hadn't been able to see them. Still, it puzzled her as to why they had not been any friendlier.
"Isn't it good to seem those two again?" Mentha said as they rounded the bend to be met with the sight of the market. "Yes I think so too - don't you agree Estella?" Marigold asked and Estella nodded, "And you must be awfully pleased to have Sam home, safe and well." She said, "Oh yes, we missed him terribly not knowing where he'd disappeared off to." Marigold told her friends.
"It gave Dad quite a shock, to say the least - he couldn't believe that our Sam would do something like that." Marigold then spotted Tolman Cotton amongst the crowd, delivering some vegetables. "Well, I'm going to go over and see Tom, I'll see you all later," She said and headed over towards Tolman. "See you Marigold," Estella said as she spotted a very familiar hobbit and suddenly remembered why she was at the market. "Fredegar!"