Disclaimer: See chapter 1

A/N: The motivation behind this story is the fact that I don't even know if Merry really gets married or not. We never find out much about his relationship with Estella. Plus, I wanted to see a female hobbit get some action in this thing. I'm going to try to do this as best I can. I will, however, be taking ideas and other comments. Like, "Show more of her past" or "Let's get some hard core romance!" No flames, please. If you should want to send me a flame, the flame will be used against you at some point in the future. Thank you to my one reviewer to date, little-lost-one.

Chapter 2: On the Road

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Estella, darling, come inside. It's freezing outside."
Estella stood on her family's front step, shivering. She was about 17 years old at this point, still a child. And her father had left.
"Estella, please. I don't want you to get a cold."
"No, Mother. I'm waiting here for Da."
"Estella, there is something you need to understand." Her mother came up behind her, gently put her arms around her daughter, and sighed. "He is not coming back."
Those words haunted Estella for the rest of her life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~End Flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Jump some years into the future~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Estella! Estella Bolger!"
Estella turned to see Meriadoc Brandybuck and Perigrin Took coming toward her. She smiled graciously.
"Meriadoc, Perigrin, so nice to see you. And on Mr. Bilbo's birthday."
Merry smiled widely. "Yeah, I know. It's a great party to be sure." He lowered his voice, and leaned in closer to Estella. "Say, Estella, how old are you now?"
Estella was shocked. Only those who wished to marry asked age. "I'm 27 years old. Why?"
"Oh, just wondering when a pretty thing like you would be out in the market for a husband," replied Merry, a sly smile on his face. Estella couldn't help but smile.
"Pretty thing? Oh, but my dear Master Merry, I think you have forgotten your manners. I am a lady hobbit."
"And I'm a gentlehobbit. It makes little difference, Estella. I was just wondering how many more years I had before my mother started the 'you need to get married' talks and the like."
"And why would my age have anything to do with that timing?"
"She has her eye set on you. Ever since your dad left, she's been wanting me to marry you."
"Da didn't leave!" Estella hissed. "He died. There is quite a difference."
Pippin put his hand on Merry's arm to restrain him. "Merry, I don't think you should say anything, ok?"
Merry shook his head. He gave a look to Pippin, and then looked at Estella again.
"Just know this, Estella," he said quietly. "I will never leave without saying goodbye." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~End Flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Estella gently wiped the tears off her face. The men had gotten ahead of her, and she didn't know where to go. And Merry had gone back on his word. He left without saying goodbye.
Estella had attended the party at Bilbo's. She had met Merry and Pippin for the first time. She danced with both, though more with Merry. Pippin had been quite taken with a young lady hobbit by the name of Diamond of Long Cleave. Merry was a very good dancer, though, so Estella hadn't minded. She still blushed when she thought about the little comments he had made.
Her mother, a lovely woman, quite able to take care of a farm and house by herself, had approved of Merry.
"He'll bring you some fortune, something that very few others can," she had said, while sweeping the floors. "And he's a better man than many."
Estella had pursued the interest for the time that followed. Merry had refused to marry her, though, until she was at least of age. Which was some time off.
His last visit had puzzled Estella more than soothed her. Merry had said that there was going to be some sort of journey that he and Pippin were going to go on. He said not to fret, that they'd be back home before her 33rd birthday. And he said that he would be back before they left. He had left that night without saying goodbye, not odd for him. But when Estella had called on his house only to find that he had already left, she was greatly upset. And ran after them.
'And I will not rest until I catch up to them. I want my goodbye, if he is indeed to leave,' she thought to herself. She then stopped to evaluate the situation.
'I'm going towards Bree. If I go a little farther north, I should reach the old fortress Da always talked about before dark. I shall go in that direction.'
And off she went, singing to herself.

Not too long after dark, Estella settled in to a nook on the side of Weathertop. She had been walking for days, and was very tired. She slipped off to sleep, not noticing the figures that lurked in the darkness.

A/N: Just for clarity, Estella's father did leave. No, he did not die. That's a lie that Estella has come to live with. I know that it's probably very odd for hobbits to leave their families like that, but let's just say that Estella's father was a very odd man. Just letting everyone know, so I didn't get a thousand comments about it.

THANK YOU HIPPY HOBBIT! I fixed the problem. Sorry, sorry, and sorry again. I honestly did not mean to misname Diamond. Clearwater and Long Cleave have a way of mixing themselves in my head. Many thanks to pointing out my error.