Merry and Pippin had just finished saddling their ponies to go for a ride
in the direction of Hobbiton and Bywater. They led them from the shed to
the gate and looked in both directions up the road. Coming from the south a
hobbit-lass walked by herself carrying a bunch of flowers that she had
picked along the way.
As she came closer they saw that she was Estella who had been walking home after having lunch at Buckland. "Hullo Estella," Merry greeted her as she drew closer. "Hullo," Estella stroked Merry's pony's nose as it sniffed at her flowers. "They are really beautiful ponies," She admired as Pippin mounted.
"Would you like to come for a ride?" The words flew out of Merry's mouth and surprised himself slightly as well as Estella and Pippin. "Thankyou but I really don't think that that would be such a good idea," Estella said. "It's all right really, we've got a spare pony back at the shed." Estella shook her head, "No, I don't think I could."
"It's perfectly safe, I'll hold the reins and we won't go very fast at all," Merry told her, not quite understanding why she was declining the offer. "It sounds fine but I really don't think I can," She said indicating her skirt. "Oh," Merry fell silent, thinking. "You could borrow a pair of Pippin's breeches - they should fit. You don't mind do you Pip?"
Estella's eyes lit up when Pippin said that he didn't mind. Merry smiled, "So you'll give it a go?" Estella nodded, when she was a lot younger she was used to doing crazy things with Fredegar, Merry and Pippin. "Pippin do you think you could saddle up the other pony? Come inside Estella and you can change."
Pippin dismounted as the two walked inside and headed back to the shed. He did mind a little bit but he didn't want to say so as he didn't want to be impolite. He wondered why Merry had even asked Estella in the first place. He saddled the pony and led it out to the gate and headed inside to find Merry sitting at the table.
"All right, don't laugh, I'm coming out," Estella's voice came through the door. She drew in a deep breath and pushed the door open. Merry looked up when she came in, even though she was now wearing a pair of Pippin's breeches and suspenders he still thought she looked really pretty.
"Well, shall we go now?" Estella asked, feeling a little self-conscious. "Good idea," The three hobbits walked outside and went over to the ponies. Merry helped Estella up while Pippin held the spare pony's reins. He then mounted and took Estella's reins from Pippin and they (slowly) rode off.
As she came closer they saw that she was Estella who had been walking home after having lunch at Buckland. "Hullo Estella," Merry greeted her as she drew closer. "Hullo," Estella stroked Merry's pony's nose as it sniffed at her flowers. "They are really beautiful ponies," She admired as Pippin mounted.
"Would you like to come for a ride?" The words flew out of Merry's mouth and surprised himself slightly as well as Estella and Pippin. "Thankyou but I really don't think that that would be such a good idea," Estella said. "It's all right really, we've got a spare pony back at the shed." Estella shook her head, "No, I don't think I could."
"It's perfectly safe, I'll hold the reins and we won't go very fast at all," Merry told her, not quite understanding why she was declining the offer. "It sounds fine but I really don't think I can," She said indicating her skirt. "Oh," Merry fell silent, thinking. "You could borrow a pair of Pippin's breeches - they should fit. You don't mind do you Pip?"
Estella's eyes lit up when Pippin said that he didn't mind. Merry smiled, "So you'll give it a go?" Estella nodded, when she was a lot younger she was used to doing crazy things with Fredegar, Merry and Pippin. "Pippin do you think you could saddle up the other pony? Come inside Estella and you can change."
Pippin dismounted as the two walked inside and headed back to the shed. He did mind a little bit but he didn't want to say so as he didn't want to be impolite. He wondered why Merry had even asked Estella in the first place. He saddled the pony and led it out to the gate and headed inside to find Merry sitting at the table.
"All right, don't laugh, I'm coming out," Estella's voice came through the door. She drew in a deep breath and pushed the door open. Merry looked up when she came in, even though she was now wearing a pair of Pippin's breeches and suspenders he still thought she looked really pretty.
"Well, shall we go now?" Estella asked, feeling a little self-conscious. "Good idea," The three hobbits walked outside and went over to the ponies. Merry helped Estella up while Pippin held the spare pony's reins. He then mounted and took Estella's reins from Pippin and they (slowly) rode off.