Diamond sat down on the cold stone floor of Estella Bolger's cellar. There was a room in the cellar that was not visible without moving aside huge barrels of ale, and this was where Estella intended to paint Diamond's mural.
"We should bring some chairs and tables down here, and perhaps a bed or two," laughed Diamond, looking around at the empty room. "What was it used for?"
"I am not sure it was here when we moved in," replied Estella. "No one else knows about this, except for my friend Chrysie. We come down here when we want to get away from everything."
"Where does your friend live?" asked Diamond.
"She lives just down the way, her name is Chrysanthemum Burrows. She hates her name so everyone calls her Chrysie. Mind you she is quite the trickster, always pulling pranks on her brothers and sisters, and everyone else for that matter."
"I should like to meet her," said Diamond happily.
"Sure, she is probably at home. We can go now if you like, and then she can come back here and help us bring some furniture down here," responded Estella.
The two walked down the lane to the Burrows' house. When they got there they saw two young children playing in the yard. A Hobbit with black curly hair down to her mid-back sat with her back against a tree carving a pipe from a block of wood.
She looked up as Estella and Diamond approached her. "Estella! Where have you been? I thought I was going to die of boredom, stuck here with my brothers and sisters for company. Who is this?" she asked noticing Diamond.
"Calm yourself Chrysie. I was in Hobbiton with my brother, and this is my friend Diamond of Long Cleeve. She is staying with her sisters in a house just beyond Brandy Hall," said Estella, laughing at her friend's endless energy.
"We were going to go fix up that old hidden room in Estella's cellar. Would you care to help?" asked Diamond.
"Sure, that sounds much better than staying here. I am almost finished with the pipe I was working on; I will bring it with me," responded Chrysie.
The three walked back up the road to Estella's, and before returning to the cellar they gathered up many chairs and pillows that were not being used. One by one they carried down the chairs, pillows, and blankets that could be spared from the house, and soon the once abandoned room looked warm and cheerful.
"We need some food to keep down here," said Estella, looking at the bare shelves.
"Lets walk into town," said Chrysie.
"Why not get fresh food?" asked Diamond, a grin spreading across her face. "I know just the place."
"Where?" asked Chrysie.
"Farmer Maggot's fields."
"You should wait, my son," said Shirno, trying to contain his son's surprise at discovering the copy of the agreement, containing both Pippin and Frodo's signatures in their own hands.
"Wait? Why wait? I should show her now," Horro responded annoyed. He did not understand his father's reasoning in the least.
"You should wait until the perfect moment," his father said. "Wait until she is already upset with them, or until you have her alone. If the moment is right, once you show her you can ask her hand in marriage. She will not refuse."
"If she would not refuse then, why would she not refuse now?" Horro shouted. Patience was not one of his stronger attributes, and it clearly showed.
"Trust me, Horro. Wait until the moment is right. The day will come, and you will thank me, my son. One day, you will thank me."
The three new friends ran quickly, their skirts holding enough mushrooms and vegetables to keep them content for a fortnight at least.
"We are going to get caught! I cannot believe I let you two talk me into this," said Estella. She had been continually looking over her shoulder the entire time, her ear constantly straining for any sign that they were being followed.
"Stop being so worrisome!" said Chrysie, who was thoroughly enjoying herself. "If you keep saying that so loudly we will get caught."
"Quiet both of you! We are almost there," said Diamond.
"Almost where?" asked Estella.
"To my favorite spot to enjoy some our prize of course," Diamond responding, gesturing to the large tree that had just come into view.
Just as they were slowing down to a walk, Diamond's foot caught a root that was sticking out from the ground causing her to fall, spilling the vegetables that she had collected.
"Diamond, are you alright?" cried Estella.
"Yes, I am fine. I think I may have twisted my ankle, but it will be alright in a bit," she replied, picking up the fallen vegetables and dusting the off.
They helped Diamond over to the base of the tree and sat down leaning their backs against the large trunk. "I suppose I cannot climb the tree today," said Diamond blissfully.
"I shall climb it for you!" said Chrysie. "It looks like fun!"
"Be careful Chrysie. If you rip your dress your mother will not be happy," warned Estella.
Chrysie climbed up until she reached the large branch that they usually sat on. "There is a huge branch up here!" she called down. "Wide enough to sit on."
"Yes, that is where Pippin and Merry and I often retreat to after being chased as we usually are," laughed Diamond. "What is this?" asked Chrysie accusingly.
"What is what?" Estella called up after her.
"Come and see for yourself, Estella!" Chrysie called back.
"I am not going to climb that tree! It is far too tall, and Diamond would be all alone down here," Estella argued.
"I will be fine," said Diamond. "Go ahead up."
Reluctantly Estella began to climb the tree, slowly at first as she was not sure of herself, but soon she began to increase her pace. When she reached the branch where Chrysie sat, Estella gasped out loud. "I knew it!"
"What are you talking about?" called Diamond.
"Nothing dear, Chrysie has just found a flower that will be perfect for her hair band," Estella lied.
"Alright," said Diamond, still not fully believing them. "I have never seen someone so overjoyed to see a flower before."
"Estella, why didn't you tell her about the initials?" Chrysie whispered.
"I will tell her when the time comes, but I would like to use it in my mural first and surprise her. Do you think that we can keep her out of this tree until then?"
"Mural?" Chrysie asked.
"Diamond has asked me to paint a mural from her book on the wall of our cellar room. I am going to draw her and Pippin as the characters, but it will be a surprise. This only confirms what I already knew to be true."
"I have an idea!"
"What Chrysie?"
"I can carve a scene into the back of the large shelves that aren't going to be used!" Chrysie shouted.
"Quiet!" Estella snapped. "My apologies, I forgot this was a secret. I can carve her sitting here on this very branch with Pippin Took, and include the initials in the background," Chrysie said excitedly.
"Yes, and we can give the shelves to them as a wedding present," laughed Estella jokingly. "In all seriousness, however, I think that would be a splendid idea, Chrysie. And you can simply turn the shelves around when you want to hide your work."
The two then climbed down out of the gnarled branches of the tree, and sat down beside Diamond.
"Where is that flower?" asked Diamond.
"It wasn't the right one after all," said Estella, picking up a carrot and eating it. She gave Chrysie a discreet look before helping Diamond to her feet. They went back by Estella's to drop off the vegetables in the cellar, and then Chrysie and Diamond headed home.
Her sisters barely paid any attention to her anymore, so Diamond was able to come and go as she pleased, and they were neither alarmed nor interested when Diamond walked in after being gone for several days. Diamond retreated to her room, and after a comforting bath she sat down to write.
Daisy and Peterin thought of each other often over the next few days. Neither would admit their thoughts, nor give more than shy glances at the other. Then one day they went to a bar for drinks with several friends, and Daisy asked Peterin to dance. She was happier than anytime she could remember, but alas it was only a dance, and it would have to end. Daisy wished with all her heart that it would not, but it did.
Good times could not last forever, but she knew true love had the power to outlast the bad ones, and that your heart understands what your head cannot. Daisy knew that she must trust her heart, and it would see her through whatever life threw at her.