Diamond was walking down the road towards her house when she saw Merry approaching from the distance. She quickened her pace, and when they finally reached each other Merry walked past her without a second glance. Diamond turned and ran after him calling his name.
"Please, Merry listen to me! I am sorry for the way I acted and I did not mean for all of this to happen," she cried.
Merry stopped for a moment, before reluctantly turning around. "Diamond, you hurt my best friend and cousin deeply, more than you could ever know. I forgive you for being angry at forcing you remain home, for I expected that reaction from you, but you cannot so easily resolve what happened to Pippin. Are you sure that he has done what Horro claims?"
"Merry, I do not know what to believe. I am torn between believing my heart and believing my own knowledge and eyes. I have seen the agreement, I have it here with me, but my heart tells me that Pippin would never do such a thing," she said, exasperatedly.
"May I see the agreement?" asked Merry.
Diamond nodded and took the folded piece of parchment from her skirt pocket. She handed it to Merry who read it briefly. He examined the signatures, and in the end even Merry had to admit that it was Pippin's own signature.
"I understand now why you condemned Pippin at first glance, and even I am not sure what is truth, but I shall stand by my friend. If you wish for my advice I would tell you to trust your heart, because your heart understands what your mind cannot yet grasp."
"There is but one way to know for sure," said Diamond sadly.
"What shall you do?"
"I must find my father. I shall leave tomorrow, and bring Chrysie and Estella with me. He will tell me the truth, I hope. Merry, I.I want to believe Pippin, I truly do," she said reservedly.
"It is hard to believe that one you called your friend would betray you," said Merry.
"I thought of Pippin as more than just a friend, Merry," she said softly with a considerable amount of effort, blushing slightly on her cheeks.
"You did?" asked Merry.
"You mustn't tell anyone, please Merry!" she begged, laughing a little.
"I will not tell. After you see your father, come to Crickhollow. It shall take you five days at least, and by then Frodo will have already moved. I will wait for your return, and I hope you bring good news with you to Crickhollow," he replied.
"I shall see you upon my return then," she said as she turned to leave, "Farwell."
"Oh, Diamond wait!" he called after her. "I was on my way to Fredegar's house, but I seem to have lost my courage. Since you intend on bringing Estella and Chrysie with you to Overhill, I wonder if you would take this letter to Estella for me?" he asked rather quickly, handing Diamond a folded letter.
"Of course, Merry," she replied, grinning at him from behind her auburn locks. "May I read it?"
"Nay! Not until she has read it first," he cried out.
Diamond laughed, and agreed saying, "It seems we have fallen in love with each other's best friends."
Merry gave her a mischievous grin, and bid her good day. Diamond tucked the letter away into her pocket behind the agreement and set off for home her spirits considerably lightened. She would soon know the truth, and she hoped that her heart was correct.
The next day Pippin, Merry, and Fredegar Bolger set out with a cart full of empty crates and boxes with which they intended to pack up Bag End and bring it back to Crickhollow.
Pippin sat in silence for most of the ride, looking off into the distance. Despite his broken heart, Pippin still wore the scarf that he had won from her as a token so many months ago. Throughout their first day of the two- day journey to Hobbiton very little was spoken.
Meanwhile, a short distance down the road, Estella, Diamond, and Chrysie were in a cart of their own making their way to Overhill. When Diamond had asked them to come they quickly agreed, and by late morning they had left.
As they rode along, Diamond remembered that she had promised Merry that she would give Estella the letter. She reached into her pocket and took the letter out again, still folded and unread as promised.
"Oh Estella," Diamond teased in a childish voice. "I forgot to give this to you this morning."
"What is it?" Estella asked.
"Read and you will understand," said Diamond laughing.
Estella opened the letter and began to read it.
Estella, I realize now that I must confess to you my true feelings. I shall leave soon on the journey, and there will be no other time to tell you, ere I do not return. I shall miss you every day that I am gone, and if by chance I do not return please know that I always loved you. I know it is not the same in writing, but I shall ask you in person when I see you next. Estella Bolger, I would be most honored if you would take me as your husband. Please know that will love you despite your answer, and that you mean more to me than anything in this world. I will always love you.
Merry
Attached to the letter was a ring with a beautiful green gem that matched Estella's eyes.
"I don't believe it!" she screamed. "I don't believe it!"
"What does the letter say?" asked Diamond excitedly, as gave the reigns to Chrysie so that she could read the letter. Diamond took it from Estella and read it, her chin dropping as she read the proposal. Diamond took the ring from the letter and looked at it closely. It was gold with an oval shaped gem on the top. From the look of it, the ring appeared to be expensive.
"Congratulations!" said Diamond happily. Estella was on the verge of crying as Chrysie took the note to read.
"Did you have any idea that he wished to court you?" asked Chrysie.
"Nay, but I am happy that he did," Estella said, still attempting to accept what she had read.
Diamond handed the ring to Estella, who happily put it onto her right hand's ring finger. "Estella dear, it goes on the other hand," said Chrysie.
"I want Merry to put it on my left hand. It will mean more," Estella responded, smiling.
The three stopped for the night under the cover of a small thicket of trees. It would take them three days to reach Overhill, where Diamond's father worked. Diamond lit a candle and walked away from their makeshift camp to sit alone and write. She knew exactly what she intended to add, but Diamond could not find the inspiration to write when she was so depressed.
She finally decided to write a letter, as Merry had, on the last page of her book. Assuming that it would never be read she poured out her innermost feelings onto the page.
My Dear Pippin,
I hope that you may find it in your heart to forgive me one day. I know that if you truly love me then you will. Merry has just proposed to Estella in a letter. She was so unspeakably happy that it couldn't be expressed in words. I wish that one day I should be able to wear a wedding ring as well. I do not deserve it, however, if I could not even trust you when the occasion called for it. Ah alas, I cannot stop thinking of your unquenchable spirit, and your vibrantly green eyes. I shall miss you terribly while you are gone, though I do not plan to be left behind. If I am not allowed to come with you then I shall follow alone. Merry told me to follow my heart because it understands what my head cannot yet grasp. I have followed my heart for most of my life; always writing about the idea that true love is usually found in the most unlooked for of places. This is the ultimate test. If true love really does endures all, and evil cannot defeat it, than we shall one day be wed. If true love should fail me, then my heart shall never know happiness again.
Diamond