Chapter Three: The Awful Realization

"What was that supposed to be about? Inviting them to sleep on our lawn without my permission?" Diamond's mother bellowed. She then changed to a softer tone," But you did the right thing, love. After all, they did save us from that dreadful man and his hordes. If this is a way that we may repay them, then so be it." She almost glowed with pride at her oldest daughter's brilliance.  "You were so brave out there, dear. I almost didn't recognize you."

"Well, mother, I—" Diamond started, but her mother cut her off.

"And you Gabrielle, I was so proud of you standing up for your sister. In fact, I almost helped you. She did stand up for you, you know, after that dreadful Brandybuck insulted you. But I had warmed up to that young man by the end of the eve, for he is quite charming, isn't he girls?" Mrs. Long Cleeve spoke so fast that her daughters barely noticed the question, but they both nodded, quickly, silently and speechlessly.

"Now run off to bed so that you don't lose anymore hours of sleep. We also don't want your father to find out about this, now do we?" Mrs. Long Cleeve said in a booming and wholesome tone of voice.

" No Ma'am," the two young women replied with quiet voices ,dreading the possible outcome of what might happen if their father happened to find out about their new 'friends'. They hurried up the stairs obediently to their bedrooms, not wanting to hear anymore of what their mother had to say for fear that it might lead to finding a match for the girls and the fact that Diamond may never have a chance at getting a husband.

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Diamond's room was small, yet comforting. She had wooden walls and floors covered with rugs that she had made along with her mother. Her bed was covered with a thick, wool, navy-colored comforter which you could barely see underneath the quilt that Diamond had made when she was 15.

Her window provided her with an excellent view of the road, the front lawn, and the Bywater Pool, which was more like a lake than anything else. She had a nice wood stove positioned in the corner, right near her bed. In the corner opposite that of the stove, Diamond had stacked her collection of 'treasures'. She stacked her cane, her crocheted shawls and cloaks, and her quilts.

Her mother had encouraged Diamond and Gabrielle to do something such as sewing to make them seem more accomplished. Therefore, Gabrielle satisfied their mother's wishes by taking up embroidery and Diamond with quilting and crocheting.

When Diamond entered this bedchamber, she felt a sense of security, privacy, and warmth. She limped to her bedside, laid her cane on the night stand, lit the fire in the wood-stove, and blew out her candle. Lastly she said a prayer to Eru, the One, the deity that placed them on Middle Earth. She had been praying much more frequently to Eru, particularly praying that people (especially Pippin) would appreciate her. And her Prayers had already begun to be answered, for her mother and sister were never as nice to her as they were that night.

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Her father was so intoxicated that he didn't even notice the soldiers on his front lawn, though he tripped over quite a few of them. He went up to his bedchamber without a word being said. Their secret was safe. Diamond woke up at about 8 o'clock the next morning, feeling that she might not need her cane for she was feeling fine. The doctor said that she only had to use it when necessary and she did. She got dressed in a cream colored chemise, a cranberry colored jerkin, and a dark wine colored skirt. She turned off the stove and set off down the stairs.

Her father had already left for his work at the market. Her mother was downstairs, happily humming and making breakfast. Gabrielle was at the table, quickly eating her breakfast. Diamond asked her sister, "Why are you eating so fast? You aren't going anywhere today are you?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am. I'm going over to the Tooks' house to tell them the 'wonderful news' of their son being home and alive, since he's probably too stupid to tell them himself, he doesn't live there anymore anyway." Gabrielle replied politely. She also added," Don't know what's up with mother, she usually isn't this cheery. She's probably happy because we got away with Father not knowing about the soldiers."

Diamond hadn't heard a word Gabrielle had said after Gabrielle had said Pippin was not living at his family's house anymore. What if he finds out about what I did to his house? I didn't leave any sign of my being there. It's just a lot tidier, that's all. He won't notice anything. And besides, it's not as if I left anything of my belonging there. She gasped out loud. The Quilt! I almost forgot! Oh well, he doesn't know what those initials stand for. And even if Merry sees them he won't know who made the quilt. But their friends might! Diamond panicked. The last time she was at his house she left a quilt that she had made for him. But her mother interrupted her thoughts.

"Oh, by the way Diamond, I need you to go to the bakery to get some bread if you don't mind." her mother said, awaking her from her overwhelming thoughts.

"Of course, mother," she called. When she stepped outside however, she saw the most frightening sight: the soldiers were gone. They had set off without a trace, exactly as they had promised and Diamond was furious with them for doing so.