Chapter 2
I walked back to town to find Merry and Pippin in the pub singing with ale in their hands. On the other side of the bar, groups of lasses, Diamond in the middle, were giggling. No doubt she was sharing her news. She spotted me and called me over. I found a seat and Diamond immediately smiled with delight. "Willow, dear, I was just telling everyone how my wonderful Pippin proposed. We were out in the garden and I was picking flowers to put in a vase in the kitchen when Pippin came along behind me. He wrapped his arms around me with the ring around his finger. I gasped and he asked me to marry him." A few of the lasses swooned with an aw. "Of course I said yes. Why wouldn't I?" she ended. Estella Boldger nodded in agreement. I smiled with fake interest and excused myself. I was starting to tear up again. I shook my head with disbelief. I've never cried this much since I was a child. I was walking out the door for some fresh air when a bumped in to a very exuberant hobbit. "Willow! Join me for a drink!" "Not now Merry, I think I need some fresh air." I started around him, only to be stopped again. "Come now!" he continued, "Willow Sweetgrass isn't one to pass up a song and some ale!" I turned my head lower, refusing to let him see my in such a state, "Please Merry, let me leave. Maybe later." I walked away holding up my head to see too early. Merry's smile turned to concern. "What's wrong?" he asked, "If it was that Harry Chubbs again, just tell me and I'll go kick h-" I cut him off, "It's not Harry, I'm just not feeling well, is all." He looked unsatisfied with my answer, but I walked away before he could question me further. Once I stepped out I took a deep breath and ran far away. I stopped, finally, at the same hill where Pippin told us the news. It was a place to think and be alone, for only the three of us could access a certain spot barricaded by brush and thorns. I sat in the cool, swaying grass. It was a beautiful night. The moon was full with not a cloud in the sky and the wind blew a warm breeze across my face. I closed my eyes, pressing out a tear. My silence was broken, however, by a rustle in the bushes. "Who's there?" I asked none too politely. A familiar curly head popped up and I sighed in relief. "Merry. What are you doing following me?" I asked, now slightly angry. "You ran off in such a hurry I knew something was wrong. Come on Wil, I've known you for years; do you honestly think you can fool me? Now tell me what's going on or I'll have to bring Pip to help me," he joked unknowingly. I looked up at him and started to cry even harder. Realizing his mistake, he rushed over. "I'm sorry Wil, I didn't mean to say something stupid. It just happens sometimes. What's wrong?" He sat next to me reassuring me with a hug. Between sobs I managed to explain, "Oh, Merry, I feel so terrible and today, I finally realized why. I don't want to feel this way, I mean Diamond's my friend and so is Pippin, but I don't want them to get married. Not now, not ever! I love Pippin! But he's getting married!" I trailed off in a sob. Merry sat up, taking everything in. "Oh. Well, I don't really know what to say Wil. You're in quite a spot there. But, were adults now and there's nothing I can say to make it work. Diamond and Pippin are in love. I'm so sorry, Wil, but unless something like Diamond going for Pip's money or Pippin calling it off, there's nothing to do. I'm sure you'll find someone else. A handsome hobbit lad who loves you more than anything. And you'll love him. Alright?" he explained. It wasn't the best speech but it was true. There was nothing I could do. I certainly wasn't going to ruin my best friends' wedding because I was jealous. I nodded. "Thank you, Merry. You're right," and then with a smile, "Now I think we should be getting back. We're missing all the fun." He helped me up with a smile and we went back to the pub, myself with a new confidence. We found Pippin singing once again, this time a hearty fun song. Merry excused himself to join in and I, becoming quite thirsty, went to get a drink. Diamond was there, talking to her mother. Now, I'm not one to eavesdrop, but they were talking quite loudly over the noise, and it was difficult not to overhear. "Oh, Diamond dear, you snagged yourself a good one," her mother said with a laugh. "Aye, that I did mother. Fool of a Took, he actually thinks I want to marry him. When he showed me the ring, oh, I was disgusted. But I said yes; he has enough money to make me happy. Just wait mother, in a little while we will be swimming in money. Diamond rings beautiful necklaces, only the best." She smiled. I gasped. She was using him! I rushed over to where Merry and Pippin were finishing up a song. He was bowing when I grabbed him off the table. "Willow!" he yelped in surprise. I took him over to the corner of the pub. "Merry, we have to stop the wedding!" "I thought we talked about this on the hill, Wil." "No! That's not it!" I was overly exited for such a moment, "I just heard Diamond talking to her mother and." "Wait, you were listening to their conversation?" he was surprised with my rude yet unknown actions. "Yes, but just listen. Diamond was talking to her mother about how much she hates Pippin! She can't stand him! She told her she only wants to marry him for the money!" "Are you sure?" He was becoming more serious than I had ever seen him. I nodded. Merry looked down, "Pip will be so hurt. How can we tell him? We'll have to make it discreet; we can pull him away and go outside right now." I shook my head, "No, but I have an idea."
I walked back to town to find Merry and Pippin in the pub singing with ale in their hands. On the other side of the bar, groups of lasses, Diamond in the middle, were giggling. No doubt she was sharing her news. She spotted me and called me over. I found a seat and Diamond immediately smiled with delight. "Willow, dear, I was just telling everyone how my wonderful Pippin proposed. We were out in the garden and I was picking flowers to put in a vase in the kitchen when Pippin came along behind me. He wrapped his arms around me with the ring around his finger. I gasped and he asked me to marry him." A few of the lasses swooned with an aw. "Of course I said yes. Why wouldn't I?" she ended. Estella Boldger nodded in agreement. I smiled with fake interest and excused myself. I was starting to tear up again. I shook my head with disbelief. I've never cried this much since I was a child. I was walking out the door for some fresh air when a bumped in to a very exuberant hobbit. "Willow! Join me for a drink!" "Not now Merry, I think I need some fresh air." I started around him, only to be stopped again. "Come now!" he continued, "Willow Sweetgrass isn't one to pass up a song and some ale!" I turned my head lower, refusing to let him see my in such a state, "Please Merry, let me leave. Maybe later." I walked away holding up my head to see too early. Merry's smile turned to concern. "What's wrong?" he asked, "If it was that Harry Chubbs again, just tell me and I'll go kick h-" I cut him off, "It's not Harry, I'm just not feeling well, is all." He looked unsatisfied with my answer, but I walked away before he could question me further. Once I stepped out I took a deep breath and ran far away. I stopped, finally, at the same hill where Pippin told us the news. It was a place to think and be alone, for only the three of us could access a certain spot barricaded by brush and thorns. I sat in the cool, swaying grass. It was a beautiful night. The moon was full with not a cloud in the sky and the wind blew a warm breeze across my face. I closed my eyes, pressing out a tear. My silence was broken, however, by a rustle in the bushes. "Who's there?" I asked none too politely. A familiar curly head popped up and I sighed in relief. "Merry. What are you doing following me?" I asked, now slightly angry. "You ran off in such a hurry I knew something was wrong. Come on Wil, I've known you for years; do you honestly think you can fool me? Now tell me what's going on or I'll have to bring Pip to help me," he joked unknowingly. I looked up at him and started to cry even harder. Realizing his mistake, he rushed over. "I'm sorry Wil, I didn't mean to say something stupid. It just happens sometimes. What's wrong?" He sat next to me reassuring me with a hug. Between sobs I managed to explain, "Oh, Merry, I feel so terrible and today, I finally realized why. I don't want to feel this way, I mean Diamond's my friend and so is Pippin, but I don't want them to get married. Not now, not ever! I love Pippin! But he's getting married!" I trailed off in a sob. Merry sat up, taking everything in. "Oh. Well, I don't really know what to say Wil. You're in quite a spot there. But, were adults now and there's nothing I can say to make it work. Diamond and Pippin are in love. I'm so sorry, Wil, but unless something like Diamond going for Pip's money or Pippin calling it off, there's nothing to do. I'm sure you'll find someone else. A handsome hobbit lad who loves you more than anything. And you'll love him. Alright?" he explained. It wasn't the best speech but it was true. There was nothing I could do. I certainly wasn't going to ruin my best friends' wedding because I was jealous. I nodded. "Thank you, Merry. You're right," and then with a smile, "Now I think we should be getting back. We're missing all the fun." He helped me up with a smile and we went back to the pub, myself with a new confidence. We found Pippin singing once again, this time a hearty fun song. Merry excused himself to join in and I, becoming quite thirsty, went to get a drink. Diamond was there, talking to her mother. Now, I'm not one to eavesdrop, but they were talking quite loudly over the noise, and it was difficult not to overhear. "Oh, Diamond dear, you snagged yourself a good one," her mother said with a laugh. "Aye, that I did mother. Fool of a Took, he actually thinks I want to marry him. When he showed me the ring, oh, I was disgusted. But I said yes; he has enough money to make me happy. Just wait mother, in a little while we will be swimming in money. Diamond rings beautiful necklaces, only the best." She smiled. I gasped. She was using him! I rushed over to where Merry and Pippin were finishing up a song. He was bowing when I grabbed him off the table. "Willow!" he yelped in surprise. I took him over to the corner of the pub. "Merry, we have to stop the wedding!" "I thought we talked about this on the hill, Wil." "No! That's not it!" I was overly exited for such a moment, "I just heard Diamond talking to her mother and." "Wait, you were listening to their conversation?" he was surprised with my rude yet unknown actions. "Yes, but just listen. Diamond was talking to her mother about how much she hates Pippin! She can't stand him! She told her she only wants to marry him for the money!" "Are you sure?" He was becoming more serious than I had ever seen him. I nodded. Merry looked down, "Pip will be so hurt. How can we tell him? We'll have to make it discreet; we can pull him away and go outside right now." I shook my head, "No, but I have an idea."