Chapter 4: Concerning Love

Estella woke with the sun sticking her face. She sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes free of sleepers, and looked around the room. Merry's head lay next to her on the pillow. His face was peaceful, but exhausted. Estella smiled. He was very attractive with the first rays of the sun catching his hair in just the right places to give a halo effect. She leaned down and kissed his cheek, gently. His dark eyes opened, and he raised his head to look at her.
"I feel asleep, didn't I?" he said, a look of innocence on his face. Estella nodded.
"You needed it. You have a long journey ahead of you," she said softly. She then shooed him out of the room so she could change. Elrond had managed to get several different gowns for her. She smiled as she picked out her favorite: a long gown of a deep blue, with silver trim. She smiled as she did up her hair in a lovely hobbit-bun, and then walked out to join the others for breakfast. Elrond caught her before she entered the dining hall.
"A lady dressed such should have some sort of necklace," he said, placing a silver star pendant around her neck. "There. Now you are ready."
Estella entered the dining hall. The room grew quiet. She held her head high, however, and Elrond entered after her. He guided her to a seat next to Merry, at the front of the hall. The meal commenced, and talk almost as quickly. Merry whispered into her ear.
"You are lovely," he said. Nothing else was passed between the two during the meal. They knew all too well the rules of courtship.
Soon after the meal had ended, the members of the new Fellowship left to prepare. They were leaving later that evening. Estella spent the time with Bilbo, talking to him about his journeys. She knew that the one Merry was about to go on would be dangerous, but it needed to be done. Pippin had made that clear to her.
Finally, the bell tolled to proclaim the Fellowship's departure. Merry caught Estella before he joined the ranks of the 9.
"Estella, I wanted to let you know now, in case." He trailed off, unwilling to say what might happen to him. Estella nodded, a lump in her throat. Tears formed in her eyes, but she did not let them fall. Merry gently touched her cheek, and then pulled her close to him.
"I might not come back, Estella. So, I'm saying goodbye."
"You will come back," she whispered into his hair. "My heart tells me you will. And I will wait for you."
Merry gently rubbed her back. "I'm sorry that I ever had to say goodbye," he said tearfully. Estella pulled back to see tears coursing down his face. She smiled sadly and wiped them away.
"Do not be sorry, love. It must happen. You must go on this quest, and take care of Pippin and Sam and Frodo. I daresay those humans and dwarfs and elves can take care of themselves. But the others. They will need some looking after, especially Pippin. That is your task."
Merry smiled. "Then I shall take care of my younger cousin, and do it with a picture of you in my heart always," he whispered. He then kissed Estella with all the passion in the world. She was not unwelcome to this kiss.
The Fellowship then left Rivendell, and Estella, behind. Estella cried herself to sleep that night. She was a strong woman, but to be parted from the one she loved, maybe forever, was quite a lot of pain for her soul to bear.

A/N: Thank you pippin-luva99. I love your name! *hugs Pippin plushie* This makes my day at lot better. Please, tell friends! Write more reviews! I have the story finished, but I don't want to put it all up now. *is v. evil* So, there you go.