-Chapter Two-

The day was just drawing to a close as the soft blanket of dusk settled over the Shire, and the last of the sun's cheery rays darted from the cool earth, leaving the land in a quiet shadow. The air, no longer stroked with warmth from the previously poised sun, was laced with a sudden chill that cut through most clothing and provoked goose bumps along the skin. Nighttime activities were arousing; as the last of the little hobbits slipped indoors to awaiting baths and welcoming beds, the bars and other places of vast gatherings teemed with music and laughter that echoed down the streets and brought smiles and looks of eagerness to those currently not present. Lights were beginning to be extinguished in most houses as the very last bedtime story was told and young hobbits drifted into a peaceful slumber, and an overall sense of well-being and contentment hung in the air like a heavy fog that sometimes plagued the land in the colder months of the year.

One of the few houses with a light left flickering in the window and with talk still drifting from inside was located down a quiet, almost unpopulated road; the few houses that were situated there were neat and prim, bursting with plants and flowers and with the appearance of well-spent time and labor, the house that donned the light was perhaps the neatest of them all. Doors and windows had fresh coats of paint, and not a single weed could easily be sought out. Orderly cobblestone paths wound from the road (even the road seemed not quite as dusty as others) and up to the front doors, obviously in excellent condition. Fences were mended and repaired, the grass trimmed, and not a single piece of clutter or junk could be seen. The neatest of all the houses, perhaps, was the one with the tell-tale flickers of fire and candlelight that shone through the window and cast shadows upon the front yard. All houses around it were quiet and still, so that the appearance of light seemed almost out of place. Now and then, if someone was to listen carefully, the gentle trickle of soft laughter could be detected, as well as an almost constant dribble of talk.

Mr. and Mrs. Bolger sat just inside the front room of this particular house, chatty idly about this and that and sipping upon honey-sweetened tea. Normally, they would be tucked into bed at this time, but Mr. Bolger had just returned from a visit with well-loved relatives on the other end of the Shire, and Mrs. Bolger was anxious to hear news of them. So anxious, in fact, that when Estella had returned home that afternoon in quite a mess, she didn't even punish her; merely sent her to change and then to prepare dinner. Now, she had long since sent her two children off to bed, although, unbeknownst to her, neither of them had heeded the command. In fact, the two children were whispering indolently to each other even as their parents spoke freely in the front room.

"Do you think Gem and Doderic will come to visit?" Estella was asking Fatty, a few rooms away. She also spoke of the relatives their father had just called on; they, too, were eager to hear of news, but their mother had insisted it wait until morning. However, Estella, finding her excitement too high to sleep, had stole to her brother Fatty's room where she sat now, readily discussing the matter.

"You know Gem is carrying another child," Fatty told his sister idly. His eyes lingered upon the slightly opened window at the other end of his room. Moonlight poured in and came to rest in a dim puddle on the floor; a gentle wind stirred the curtains their mother had made only last spring. Although he didn't tell his sister, Fatty was keen for her to get to bed; he had plans tonight, and he didn't wish of his sister to know of them.

"I know," Estella said irately, plucking at stray strands fraying from the quilt on Fatty's bed. "I mean after the babe is born." She paused, looking thoughtful for a moment. "I should like to see Poppy again."

"As would I," Fatty said nonchalantly, only giving his sister the privilege of half an ear.

"She's my favorite cousin," Estella decided, falling backwards on Fatty's bed and gazing at the sloping ceiling. "I sometimes wish she was my sister. Wouldn't it be nice to have a sister?" she asked abstractedly.

"I already have a rather annoying, and seemingly tireless, sister," Fatty snapped, hoping Estella would take the hint and scurry off to bed. She did no such thing.

"Yes, you do, but I don't," was all she said in response. "All I have is a rotten brother!" She giggled playfully to show she was joking, and grabbed a pillow from the head of the bed before throwing it in Fatty's direction. She missed by nearly a foot.

"Keep your voice down," Fatty hissed at her, hurrying to retrieve the pillow. "Do you want us to get in trouble?"

"No," Estella said chastely, obediently dropping her volume several notches.

"Aren't you tired, Stella?" Fatty asked then, pointedly. "Don't you wish to go to bed? We can talk more in the morning, and then Dad will tell us if Doderic and Gem are coming for a visit." He held his breath expectantly; if he didn't get Estella to bed soon, then she would be around when his friend arrived and all his plans would be foiled...

"No, and no. I don't want to talk in the morning, I want to talk now. Besides, Dad will probably be out working in the fields tomorrow morning, so we shall have to wait until after luncheon anyway." Estella said at once.

Fatty ran a frustrated hand through his curls, glaring daggers at his sister. She propped herself up on her elbows, carefully rearranging her nightdress as she regarded Fatty curiously.

"Why are you in such a hurry to get to bed? You certainly don't seem tired yourself," Estella said slowly. Fatty shrugged.

"O, I don't know. It just seems like...Dad and Mother could come in at any second," he gave the closed door a fleetingly glance. "And we would be in trouble..."

"Are you sneaking out again?" Estella demanded, ignoring his feeble reasons. Only last week had he stole from the house, leaving Estella behind, much to her discontent. What made it even worse was the fact that he had gotten away with it -- their parents never heard a word of what had happened. Estella had been furious.

"Of course not!" Fatty said at once. "Why would you even think that?"

"You are," Estella said, narrowing her eyes. "And you're trying to get rid of me." She sprang up into a sitting position. "Are you going to see Merry? O, Fatty, I haven't seen him in days, honestly --"

"I'm not!" Fatty insisted, a bit louder than he intended. Both of the two immediately whipped their heads around to the door, waiting with bated breath. When no footsteps sounded down the hall and they heard their parent's voices once more, Estella turned back to Fatty, figuring they hadn't been caught.

"I think you are," she informed him. "And I really would like to see Merry again..." she trailed off, watching Fatty hopefully. Ever since her brother had introduced his friend, Meriadoc Brandybuck, to the rest of the family, Estella had felt instantly as though he was family himself. And, indeed, she treated him like her brother and loved him like it too. With all the housework she had to complete each day, however, she had little time to visit friends. She hadn't seemed Merry it what seemed to be, to her young mind, forever.

"I am not going to see Merry," Fatty snapped. Estella considered him a moment.

"Fine, are you sneaking out then?"

"No!" Fatty asserted. He rolled his eyes as if to maintain his point and make it clear to Estella that her idea was absurd. "I just think it would be better if we went to bed, that's all. I don't think I'd enjoy getting in trouble."

Estella narrowed her eyes, searching his face for detectable lies; then, appearing somewhat satisfied, she nodded.

"Fine, Fatty," she said with a defeated sigh. "I shall go to bed." She stood, and then eyed him for another moment longer before awarding him a quick hug and then slipping from the room. As soon as she had gone, Fatty let out his breath and moved over towards the window, keenly anticipating his friend's arrival.

When she got back into her room, however, Estella didn't slip beneath the inviting blankets upon her bed in hopes to fall into slumber. Instead, she positioned herself at her window, peering out into the night. She knew Fatty too well. If he was to go, then she was to too.

Footsteps resounded in the hall, and Estella's parent's voices grew louder as they drew near. Estella froze where she was at, before coming to her senses and making a frantic dive for her bed. Scrambling beneath the covers, she had barely shut her eyes when the door swung open slowly. Eyes ajar just a little, Estella could make out her mother's form as she stood in the doorway. After a moment, the door closed again, and the footsteps faded away, towards their bedroom. Hardly giving herself time to regain her breath, she clambered from her bed and silently padded to the window.

"I knew it," she said beneath her breath. She had arrived just in time to make out a form stealing across the front lawn and 'round to the back of the house; a form that looked strangely like Merry.

Slipping her fingers beneath the window and carefully inching it up, she stuck her head out into the nippy air, goose bumps rising up and down her bare arms and legs. She watched as Merry drew closer, his apparent destination being Fatty's window.

"Merry," she hissed, just as he came into hearing range. The shadowy figure paused, looking tense, and when he spotted Estella he relaxed. Quietly, he changed his course and made for her window.

"Hullo Estella," he greeted her in a whisper, grin upon his features. The moonlight illuminated his usually vivid eyes and made them even brighter; it also shone and danced across his untamed curls. "Bit late for you to be up, don't you think?"

"Yes, and much too late for you," Estella retorted, though she was pleased to see him. "Where are you and Fatty off to tonight?"


Estella could just make out Merry shrug. "Dunno. The river perhaps, just to throw stones and talk. Not a lot planned."

"I don't see why Fatty has to sneak out at night," Estella said fiercely. "He's free to come and go for the better part of the day!"

"Ah yes," Merry said, grin widening. "But you see, the river is better at night. More fun. There's a thrill about being there when you're not supposed to -- that's what makes it worthwhile."

"Crazy," Estella scoffed, scowling down at him.

"Maybe," Merry said. "I take that to mean you won't be joining us?"

"I never said that!" Estella said. "I'll be just a moment, actually -- I need to put some actual clothing on."

"I'll go around and get Fatty," Merry offered. "We can meet you back here."

"Fatty won't like it," Estella warned. "He'll want to leave without me. He thinks I don't know about him sneaking off."

"I'll convince him otherwise," Merry suggested.

"Yes, okay. Just tell him that I threatened to tell our parents if he didn't let me come." She flashed Merry a grin as he nodded in agreement and took off towards Fatty's room. Ducking back inside, she pulled the window shut to keep the breeze out.

Estella made haste to shed her nightdress and pull on the skirt that was as least dressy as possible, and a plain shirt. Sweeping her curls off her neck, she drew her cloak about her shoulders, all the time listening carefully to make sure her parents had actually gone to bed. The house was silent.

Immensely delighted, Estella went back to the window, pulling it open once more and quivering both with excitement and cold as she carefully lowered herself onto the damp grass beneath her feet.

--

Sorry about the wait. My stupid internet decided it didn't want to connect, and I've been stuck without a connection for several days. Hope you enjoyed it -- oh, and also; a big thanks to Lady of Ithilien for bringing to my attention that I couldn't accept anonymous reviews! I've fixed that now, so it should be okay.