"Hullo there, lovely to see you again," Fredegar's voice cut into Merry's
thoughts. Fredegar had seen Merry and Pippin arrive while he had been
chatting with Berilac Brandybuck and had come over when there was a break
in the music to see them. "Hullo Fatty, are you having fun?" Pippin asked
him. "Yes, I am indeed," He said as he spotted Estella heading in their
direction with a tray full of mugs, followed by Sam and Rosie. "Ah good,
this one's empty," Fredegar said, more to himself than anyone, looking at
the empty mug in his hand.
"Estella, just the hobbit I wanted to see," He said when she arrived. "Is it me that you're wanting to see or a full mug of ale?" Estella teased, "Hullo Merry, Pippin." She acknowledged the two hobbits as she handed Fredegar a full mug and took his empty one from him. "Mind if I have one?" Sam asked from behind - even before greeting anyone! "Hullo Sam, you look a little out of breath," Pippin said as Estella handed Sam a mug.
"Begging your pardon Mr Pippin, but if you'd been dancing you be a little puffed yourself," Sam defended himself and sipped at his ale. Estella turned to Rosie, "How about we leave these fellows be for a while?" She asked, "Shall we go and see Pervinca over there?" Rosie suggested and Estella agreed, "See you boys later!"
Merry watched as the two hobbits walked over to Pervinca Took and the three of them began talking. "I'm going to head inside now and see if I can find Folco," Fredegar said after draining the last drop of ale from his mug. "Could you find a place for this?" He handed the mug to Merry but he didn't take it. "Merry?" Fredegar spoke a little louder and Merry turned his head, "What?"
"It looks lovely," Pervinca said. "It's great how it has been possible to restore most of the buildings." Estella nodded, "It's just a shame about the trees." She sighed, their full glory would not be seen until their grandchildren's time. "Yes, Sam is so disappointed," Rosie said as she glanced over at Sam who said hello to her brother as he walked past and headed in the girls' direction.
"Hullo again Estella, may I have another dance?" Wilcome asked. Estella glanced over at Merry (who had been watching her and quickly looked away when she looked over) for a moment. "Thankyou Jolly, but I'm sorry - I've been dancing quite a bit tonight and I am supposed to be working." She told him as gently as she could. "That's all right, Pervinca, perhaps you would like to dance?" He asked, Pervinca nodded and the two of them wandered over to the 'dance floor'.
Merry watched in amazement as Estella politely turned Wilcome down. "I'm going to go and see if Rosie wants another dance," Sam spoke up. Frodo and Pippin were chatting a little distance away so Merry walked over to where the two hobbit-lasses stood with Sam. Rosie was delighted to dance some more and soon Merry and Estella stood together by themselves. Finally, after plucking up a little courage Merry asked Estella to dance.
"Estella, just the hobbit I wanted to see," He said when she arrived. "Is it me that you're wanting to see or a full mug of ale?" Estella teased, "Hullo Merry, Pippin." She acknowledged the two hobbits as she handed Fredegar a full mug and took his empty one from him. "Mind if I have one?" Sam asked from behind - even before greeting anyone! "Hullo Sam, you look a little out of breath," Pippin said as Estella handed Sam a mug.
"Begging your pardon Mr Pippin, but if you'd been dancing you be a little puffed yourself," Sam defended himself and sipped at his ale. Estella turned to Rosie, "How about we leave these fellows be for a while?" She asked, "Shall we go and see Pervinca over there?" Rosie suggested and Estella agreed, "See you boys later!"
Merry watched as the two hobbits walked over to Pervinca Took and the three of them began talking. "I'm going to head inside now and see if I can find Folco," Fredegar said after draining the last drop of ale from his mug. "Could you find a place for this?" He handed the mug to Merry but he didn't take it. "Merry?" Fredegar spoke a little louder and Merry turned his head, "What?"
"It looks lovely," Pervinca said. "It's great how it has been possible to restore most of the buildings." Estella nodded, "It's just a shame about the trees." She sighed, their full glory would not be seen until their grandchildren's time. "Yes, Sam is so disappointed," Rosie said as she glanced over at Sam who said hello to her brother as he walked past and headed in the girls' direction.
"Hullo again Estella, may I have another dance?" Wilcome asked. Estella glanced over at Merry (who had been watching her and quickly looked away when she looked over) for a moment. "Thankyou Jolly, but I'm sorry - I've been dancing quite a bit tonight and I am supposed to be working." She told him as gently as she could. "That's all right, Pervinca, perhaps you would like to dance?" He asked, Pervinca nodded and the two of them wandered over to the 'dance floor'.
Merry watched in amazement as Estella politely turned Wilcome down. "I'm going to go and see if Rosie wants another dance," Sam spoke up. Frodo and Pippin were chatting a little distance away so Merry walked over to where the two hobbit-lasses stood with Sam. Rosie was delighted to dance some more and soon Merry and Estella stood together by themselves. Finally, after plucking up a little courage Merry asked Estella to dance.