It all really was quite extraordinary. Food, festivities, dancing, decorations....Fireworks! Though not nearly as good as Gandalf's, whom they had not seen in 3 months. The party was however, just as superb. Diamond, having gotten over her fit, secretly brought her book again, just in case there was a lull and she could slip off to a quiet spot. It was taking place outside, in the cool summer evening twilight. She glanced over to Delaney. Absolutely swamped by a crowd of hobbit-men...and enjoying it too! Diamond rolled her eyes. By the time this evening was over she knew that Delaney would have at least 5 proposals. Diamond sighed heavily and leaned against a nearby table. She was getting bored. Suddenly, she straightened up and stood on her tiptoes. Maybe she could find some of her friends. She scanned the crowd. There was Rosie.....hmmm, she knew that if Rosie was there, then Sam was bound to be nearby. Yep, there he was, kinda in the corner, head down, shoulders hunched. Occasionally, he would dare to raise his eyes and glance at Rosie. Rosie suddenly caught his eye and smiled sweetly at him. Diamond was amazed that anyone could blush as quickly or as much as Sam did at that moment. She shook her head then continued to look. Just arriving, was Frodo Baggins. Diamond smiled. She was close to Frodo too, almost as close as she was to Pippin. Of course, Bilbo wasn't with him. As Bilbo got older, he seemed to get grumpier, and he stopped coming to most parties altogether. Of course, its not like his presence was really appreciated, he often grumbled about the food or, most often, about the hobbits present. Diamond half ran, half skipped for joy over to Frodo. Frodo grinned, a bit Tookishly, at her and that suddenly reminded her. Diamond's greeted Frodo, but her smile was short lived. She pulled Frodo close.
"Have you noticed that Merry and Pippin aren't here?"
Frodo's face became distraught and he had a hint of mock terror in his eyes.
"We'd better find them before someone starts screaming."
Diamond nodded. Though splitting up may have seemed more practical, the pair did not, but instead stayed together, simply enjoying the company of one another.

"Pippin?"

"Yes?"

"I have a question."

"Ask."

"Why am I under a table with a cask of ale?"

Pippin rolled his eyes at Merry, who was curled up next to the cask. The two (three, including the ale) were hunched under a table.

"I told you, its all a part of the plan."

"Yes, I know, but how does this help?"

"Well, it helps with our original plan. Now, the old tradition is that a female relation of the one receiving the proposals, which would be Delaney, is to wait on all those proposing. What we're gonna do, is, as soon as the female relation graciously takes the jackets of the suitors, we frisk the pockets, and find all the rings that are to be offered. Judging on the size of the group around Delaney, this will be a considerable number of rings. Then, we watch in delight and mischievous glee as they all try to propose, can't find anything to propose with, and we end up in general havoc," Pippin nodded in satisfaction.

Merry's brow furled.
"Well, that's all fine and good, but what do we do with the rings afterward?"
Pippin's smile faded.
"Eh......we'll just have to play that by ear."

Merry shrugged. "Well, we've got one problem. I know when you speak of the 'female relation' you mean Diamond. Now, how are we going to convince her to help us out? I mean, look at her! She's out there with Frodo trying to track us down already!"
Pippin got his boyish grin again.
"That is where the ale comes in. It's no use talking to her, after all. Now, I'm going to go up and casually grab her tankard. When I set it down, you grab it and fill it as fast as you can."
Pippin crawled out and stood up. As quickly as he could he lunged over and grabbed her tankard. He strolled out to the opposite side of the table. With the mug behind his back, he began to slowly lower it down to the ground, hopefully in Merry's reach.
"Pippin!"

Pippin started as he saw Diamond rushing toward him, followed by Frodo.

"There you are, Pip," Frodo called. "We've been looking everywhere for you and Merry. By the way.....where is Merry?"
Diamond had not said anything but had a suspicious eye on Pippin that made him very nervous. Her foot started to tap.
"He's...uh....well, he's at...um...." Pippin racked his brain, trying to make something up. Suddenly, the mug slipped out of his hands, and landed on Merry's outstretched one. The inevitable. Merry yelped. Pippin froze, but only for a moment, he quickly tried to cover it up with loud bouts of fake coughing. Fortunately for him, a firework had been set off at the moment of Merry's yelp and had blocked the noise effectively.

"Well?" Diamond asked. It was obvious she was suspicious of something.
"He's ah....that is.....he went home." It wasn't the best he could have done, but it was the only thing that Pippin could come up with.
Frodo had a slight bit of unsure concern on his face, but Diamond saw right through the whole thing.
"Pray, why?" she asked.
Pippin felt the full tankard being thrust into his hands. He brought it out in front of him.
"I don't think the burdock cordial agreed with him," he said, inspired by the mug, "In fact, why don't you try and see if there's anything wrong?"
Diamond stared at the mug skeptically.
"Pip, that's your mug."

"Is it?....uh...I mean, it is! Of course it is! How silly of me!"
Diamond had a small smile pasted on her face.
"Well, since it's your mug, why don't you try it?"

Pippin was trapped. Cornered. Backed against the wall. A sitting duck.
"I shall then," he said and, just to prove his point, took many hearty swallows.

Well, that's not so bad, he thought to himself, when there seemed to be no effect. Diamond raised her eyebrows, maybe Pip wasn't lying after all.

"S-seems just fine to me, I wonder what Merry's problem is," he said.

Diamond shook her head and turned to Frodo.
"Come along, Frodo, I want to show you something."
Pippin could tell by the way Frodo followed Diamond that he was quite smitten. Moony eyed too. He shook his head, and frowned when everything around him continued to shake for a little while even when he had stopped. He stumbled down on his hands and knees and crawled back underneath the table.
"Well, Merry, needless to say, I think it failed, what do you think?"
Silence.
"Merry, I asked you a question."
More silence.
"Merry?"

"Other side, Pip."
Pippin turned his head.
"What are you doing over there? You were on this side a moment ago."
"The cask is on that side. You seem to be having a wonderful conversation with it."
"Oh."
Merry shook his head, "Come on, Pip."
He helped Pippin crawl out from underneath the table.

"You don't look so good, maybe you better go home."
"I'm fine."
Merry shook his head again. Pippin was steadily turning an interesting shade of green.
Pippin jerkily broke from Merry's grasp on his arm and attempted to walk over to a nearby bench. Everything spun around him. He didn't get very far before Merry had to catch him. Just then, Della approached them.
"Everything alright, boys?"
Merry nodded.
"Yes, Della, everything's fine. Burdock cordial didn't agree with Pip is all...."

Diamond handed him her book.
"Pippin didn't like it, I was just wondering what you would think."
Frodo thumbed through the pages, reading her story.
"It's wonderful."
Her eyes widened.
"You really think so?"
"Yes, it's great!"

She couldn't believe her ears.
"Th-thank you!"
"But....."
Her smile faded.
"But what?"

Frodo bit his lip.
"It's an incredible story. Full of intriguing qualities, mystery, adventure, legend; but, there is something missing."
Her face became grave.
"What's that?"
"I can't quite place it, but there is something more that should be put into it. I think that when you write, you should truly put yourself, your soul, your heart, into your writing. To me, it seems to be missing. I know that you can write from your heart, Diamond."

Diamond sighed, disappointed.