By the time Diamond, Merry, and Pippin returned to Bag End the past day had ended and new one begun. Estella and Fatty and gotten a room in the inn, and the five of them planned on returning to Buckland the next day.
By the time they all awoke the next day it was well past second breakfast, though it was hard to tell for the sky was overrun with dark clouds that threatened rain. The group set out as soon as possible, hoping to make it a good distance before stopping for the night.
Merry had been acting strangely all day, and Pippin began to wonder what bothered his cousin. When they stopped finally for the night and made camp Merry bid everyone come sit and listen to a tale. He began slowly, in a soft voice, telling a tale often heard in the Shire.
"It was a fine day in the Shire, and Bilbo Baggins was making his afternoon tea, minding his own business when there came a knock at the door. Upon answering it, he found none other than the wizard Gandalf there to ask him to journey on a grand adventure. Twelve dwarves and their leader Thorin Oakenshield came hither to his Hobbit hole at Bag End that night, and a fine mess they did make. They hired Bilbo as a burglar to help take back their treasure under the mountain, stolen from them long ago by the dragon Smaug. Bilbo had no say in the matter it seems, and was intrigued by the offer of a share of the fortunes. He embarked on the journey and passed through many dangers to reach the Lonely Mountain.
There was one peril he faced that was often overlooked, but it may have been the most important moment in the history of Middle-Earth."
The entire group was silently staring at Merry. They had not heard this tale told in such a fashion. Merry took advantage of their apt attention and continued.
"It took place deep within the Misty Mountains when the dwarves and Bilbo were captured by Goblins. Gandalf arrived and saved them from ruin once again, but in escaping from the Goblins Bilbo was separated from the rest and became lost. It was there in the darkness that Bilbo found the ring. He picked it up, thinking it a small treasure and put it into his pocket. After an encounter with the creature Gollum in which Bilbo was involved in game of riddles for his life, he realized that this ring allowed him to become invisible. Gollum was furious that Bilbo had stolen his "precious" ring, and chased after Bilbo. After escaping from the caves invisibly, and sparing the life of the miserable Gollum, Bilbo was reunited with the dwarves and Gandalf. The group then journeyed past the spiders of Mirkwood to the lake town of Dale, and finally reached the Lonely Mountain. Bilbo used his ring to sneak into the mines secret entrance and torment Smaug, accidentally causing Smaug to bring destruction to the people of Dale. The archer Bard, with the help of a thrush sent by Bilbo, managed to find Smaug's weak spot and kill him. When the dwarves refused to pay the men of Dale back for the damages they caused by sending Smaug a dispute broke out that led to the Battle of the Five Armies. When the Battle of the Five was over, Bilbo returned home with his promised share of the fortunes under the mountain, but the one treasure worth more than any other was the ring of invisibility. That is why I have told this tale," said Merry grimly.
"What do you mean?" asked Diamond, thoroughly interested in all the talk of adventure.
"I shall explain all, as I am not yet finished," he said continuing.
"Long ago, in the first age of this world before Hobbits had ever settled in the Shire, there was a war for Middle-Earth. A war in which elves and men were allied to fight the armies of Mordor. There were twenty rings of power crafted to help the great leaders of each race govern their peoples. Three for the elven-kings under the sky, seven for the dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, nine for mortal men doomed to die, and one for the dark lord on his dark throne, in Mordor where the shadows lie. Sauron the deceiver, the apprentice to Morgoth himself, made himself a ring of power to rule all the other rings. One by one he conquered the free lands of Middle-earth, but the armies of men and elves fought a final battle against the orcs of Mordor on the slopes of Mount Doom. Isildur, son of the King Elendil, cut the ring of power from the Lord Sauron's hand. He had a chance to destroy evil, to cast the ring into the fires where it was wrought, but his heart was corrupted. He kept the ring, until it abandoned him in the Gladden Fields and sank to the bottom of the mighty Anduin. The ring was then found by one of the River-folk. Sméagol he was called, and he took the ring as his own after murdering his cousin Déagol. The ring's power of invisibility corrupted him, and he was cast out of his society. Sméagol was lost, and he became a mere shadow of who he had once been. While his good had not been completely destroyed, Sméagol became a creature of the darkness, a creature of evil. He became Gollum."
Several gasps passed through the group as they looked at each other realizing what this meant.
"So the evil ring of power is the ring that Bilbo found in Gollum's cave?" asked Diamond, voicing what the others were thinking.
"Yes," said Merry. "But that is not the end. Sauron, though Isildur cast him down, survived in spirit form because his life force was bound to the ring. Sauron has returned, and he is looking for the ring. Frodo must leave the Shire, and bring the ring to Rivendell, to the elves where it will be safe. He plans leave on his own, not telling anyone nor taking anything with him. He asked me just yesterday to find a house for him in Buckland. He claims he has come to the end of his fortunes, and he plans to give us the slip. We must go with him, help him on his journey. I propose we form a conspiracy," Merry finished, finally reaching his point.
Everyone stared at him, their thoughtful expressions reflected in the light of the fire. Then Diamond stood up, a huge smile on her face. "We are going to see the elves? We are going to leave the Shire on a grand adventure with danger and a chance to help save Middle-earth?" she cried happily, almost unable to believe what she had heard.
"If you will join me in this," said Merry.
"I have dreamed all my life of leaving the Shire!" Diamond cried happily. Pippin was laughing and stood up as well. "It would certainly be more exciting than borrowing Farmer Maggot's crops that is for certain," said Pippin.
Fatty and Estella looked at each other warily. "I will agree to help with everything but I have no desire to leave the Shire," said Fatty finally. "Estella and I will stay here and help with everything until you leave."
"Oh but you must come, Estella!" said Diamond unhappily.
"I am not one to go gallivanting off on a grand adventure, Diamond. This is what you have always dreamed of, and you should go, not me," Estella replied. Disappointed as she was, Diamond accepted the fact that not all Hobbits loved adventure as much as she. She realized for the first time that not all dreams are just a fantasy.
The next day the group planned their next move as they made the final leg of their journey to Buckland. Merry and Diamond decided that they would not tell Frodo that they knew, nor tell anyone else, until just when he planned to leave. They had to be careful because they knew that Frodo would try and leave without them, and decided to keep a watchful eye on him.
Merry said to Diamond warningly, "If this proves to become too dangerous, you shall not be allowed to come. I will not allow it."
"It shall not become too dangerous, and I shall come!" Diamond shot back defiantly, not paying much attention to Merry's warning.
As they neared the borders of Farmer Maggot's fields Pippin left the group claiming he had an errand to run and would meet them at Brandy Hall. He ran swiftly through the fields, taking a carrot or two to keep him content. Soon he came upon the large tree where they always went, and knelt down on the cool grass. He took a small knife out from his traveling pack and set the rest of the pack down.
Pippin then proceeded to climb the tree, and made his way into the higher branches. When he reached the large branch where they often sat, he stopped. Pippin took the knife and began to carve a small heart into the trunk of the tree. It was in plain view, and he hoped that Frodo's plan would work.
After sometime Pippin had completed the heart with perfect accuracy. He then carved into the heart Pippin + Diamond in small letters. It was perfect. He proceeded to climb down the tree, and as he did he wondered if that small carving would ever make any difference at all.
He thought of how he had only known Diamond for a few short months, but how it felt like forever. He was happy that she would be coming with them on the journey, for he did not wish to be away from her.