Chapter Five: A Peculiar Fellowship

A/N: Many thanks to my wonderful beta-reader! Pippin's song was borrowed from Fellowship of the Ring.

Merry was reading over Estella's corrections and he was forced to admit that she had been a great help to him already. He just wished he knew where she had gone. Perhaps she was picking mushrooms for dinner. He heard her ride up a little while later, but also heard the sound of a cart behind her.

It was Pippin and Diamond! Pippin seemed happier than Merry had seen him look in ages as he jumped out of the cart and rushed to Merry. Pippin turned to Estella who smiled and inclined her head. "Go on. It's all right."

Pippin took Merry in his arms and kissed him passionately. Merry pulled away and glanced at Estella, who didn't seem particularly bothered by it. "What's going on, Pippin? Stella?"

"Stella's the dearest Hobbit in the Shire, Merry!" Pippin exclaimed. "She's brought me back home so we can all be together!"

Estella blushed. "I just thought we could work something out so everyone could be happy."

Merry could tell by Estella's disappointed expression that he didn't look as pleased with her surprise as she had hoped he would. Though he was glad to have Pippin back, Merry couldn't help wondering if Estella's impulsive act of generosity wouldn't cause more problems than it would solve. Nevertheless, Merry was deeply touched by her gift. He scooped her up in his arms and showered her with kisses and words of love.

Merry prepared an elaborate meal for tea and found himself fleetingly drawn into the blissful illusion that Estella and Pippin had created. Later, Estella and Diamond went out into the garden, while Merry and Pippin sat the parlor.

Pippin regarded his cousin apprehensively. "Merry, you're not as happy about Stella's plan as I am, are you?"

"What plan is that, Pippin?" Merry said, finally allowing himself to vent his frustration. "Did she explain to you how this was supposed to work?"

"No," Pippin replied. "I don't think she thought it through."

"Of course, she didn't," Merry snapped more harshly than he had intended. "If she had, she wouldn't have done it. How am I supposed to please both of you without one of you getting hurt?"

Pippin's face filled with dread. He turned and looked out the window at the lasses chatting in the garden. "There is one solution," Pippin began carefully. "Something you said to me a few days ago about you wanting Stella and I to be with you--together."

"No Pippin!" Merry shook his head. "Stella would never agree to it."

"How do you know? Why don't you ask her?" Merry could hear the desperation in Pippin's tone.

Merry's voice cracked with emotion as he replied. "I've made my choice, Pippin. It's over."

Pippin turned away and blinked his eyes to hold back the tears. "Stella did this for us out of the goodness of her heart. The least we can do is let her enjoy it for a day. I'll make up some excuse in the morning, then go." He smiled sadly. "I should have known it was too good to be true."

Upset and angry that he was forced to push Pippin away once again, Merry left the parlor and went out into the back garden to be alone.

Pippin looked out the window again at the lasses sitting on the grass and lingered by the front door that was slightly ajar.

"He kissed you?" Pippin heard Estella ask excitedly. "Was it wonderful?"

Diamond shrugged. "It was all right. I'd rather be kissed by you."

Pippin felt a twinge of jealousy in his heart, or was it wounded pride?

Estella sighed. "Diamond, I wish you would at least try to love Pippin. He's very fair--"

"I suppose so," Diamond admitted with the hint of a smile. "He's also rich; soon he'll be richer."

"More importantly," said Estella with unmistakable firmness in her voice, "he's kind and gentle and brave. He also has a fine singing voice. You should be proud to have such a husband-to-be."

Diamond rose and faced Estella with her hands on her hips. Pippin moved away from the window to avoid being seen. "I wish you would stop nagging me about Pippin! I may love him someday or I may not. But I will not be pushed into feeling one way or the other, even by you!" Diamond stormed off beyond the large hedge that surrounded Crickhollow.

"You're a wicked, wicked girl, Diamond!" Estella called after her. She pushed open the front door and saw Pippin standing there. By his expression she knew he had heard their conversation. She winced and put a hand on his arm.

"Don't feel too badly for me, Stella," Pippin told her. "I picked her."

"I doubt you could have made a worse match if you tried." She smiled sadly and hugged him. "At least you have Merry and me."

Pippin put his arms around her and swallowed hard. "Thank the gods for that."

Though Merry and Pippin tried to act content, the tension between the four of them seeped in during dinner. Naturally, it was Diamond who brought the issue to a head.

"Have you worked out where we're all going to sleep?" Diamond asked Estella. Merry and Pippin looked down at their plates.

Estella's blank look indicated that she hadn't really thought about it at all. "Well, I-I suppose I could stay with you tonight, if you promise to behave...."

Diamond crossed her arms and stuck out her lower lip.

"Merry, you and Pippin could stay together..." Estella shrugged. "Then Pippin and I could switch off after that?"

Diamond slammed her wineglass down on the table. "Well, I don't appreciate being forced to sleep with Pippin every other night!"

"I promise to behave myself, Diamond," Pippin said irritably.

Merry held back a heated rejoinder to Diamond's insensitive remark, but Estella let her anger fly. "Frankly, I don't care what the three of you decide!" She pushed back her chair and stormed from the table. "I need some fresh air."

Estella paced on the front lawn, trying to recall the bliss of midday when she brought Pippin home to Merry. She didn't exactly regret her decision to allow their relationship to continue, she just never realized what a logistical nightmare it would turn out to be.

After she had calmed down, she had to admit it wasn't quite the perfect solution she had hoped it would be. A little part of her also feared that once things settled down, Pippin would again be first in Merry's heart with her as a distant second--just as it had always been. Well, it was her idea. She would just have to live with the consequences. Estella went back into the cottage to find Merry and Diamond arguing.

"I don't see why you get to have everything you want and I have to sleep with whoever is denied the honor of sharing your bed!" Diamond spat.

"If I had my way you wouldn't be sleeping here at all!" Merry roared.

"I don't know what you see in him, Stella," Diamond said, hoping to bring Estella over to her side, "but you're welcome in my bed anytime you like. Pippin, you can sleep in the parlor."

Pippin just rolled his eyes and sighed.

Merry exploded with rage. "You'll not touch Stella again, you--!"

"Merry! Diamond, stop it!" Estella shrieked. "Diamond, you go to bed--alone! Merry, Pippin, you go to bed too. I'll sleep in the parlor. I'm rather looking forward to the peace and quiet!"

Diamond gazed at Estella apologetically and rushed into the guest bedroom.

"Stella," Pippin began quietly, "I can't tell you how much I appreciate what you tried to do here, but it's obvious it won't work. We were going to tell you in the morning, but I imagine you've already figured it out." With a poignant glance at Merry and Estella, Pippin disappeared into their bedroom.

Estella went into the kitchen and started clearing the dishes. Merry followed her and attempted to help her, but she waved him away. "I made the mess; I should clean it up." Estella knocked a teacup off the table with her elbow, which shattered as it hit the wooden floor. Defeated, she sunk down in a chair and started to cry. "How could I have done something so stupid, Merry?"

"It was just a teacup, Stell," he said gently.

"That's not what I meant!"

Merry knelt down at her furry feet and took her hands. "You meant well. Pippin knows that too, but I can't take care of both of you. If I was with you, I'd be thinking of Pippin; and if I was with Pippin, I'd be worrying about how I was neglecting you."

Estella blew her nose into her handkerchief. "I just wanted everyone to be happy."

Merry kissed her. "Come along to bed."

"But what about Pippin?" she asked.

Merry swore under his breath, already exhausted by the game of musical beds. He didn't want to force Pippin into Diamond's room or have him sleep in the parlor after all the bickering tonight, but he didn't know what else to do.

"It's all right, Merry," Estella said with a tired smile. "The blasted bed is big enough for the three of us. I feel much safer with Pippin in the room than I do with Diamond."

Merry stared at her in shock as he felt his groin beginning to stir, then quickly turned away. He told himself sternly that her suggestion was a totally innocent one, but he couldn't dampen his arousal at the thought. "You go ahead. I'll be along in a while."

Estella regarded him curiously, then went into the hall.

Pippin heard a knock on the door. "Come in." He had expected Merry, so he started when he saw Estella.

"Another bed assignment change, I'm afraid," she said light-heartedly. "I'm going to sleep in here with you and Merry, if that's all right. Merry said he'd be along in a bit."

Pippin raised his eyebrows in surprise, but quickly realized she meant to do just that--sleep. "Of course--unless you'd like for me to sleep in the parlor."

"Now don't start that, Pippin!" Estella laughed. "It's settled."

She asked him to turn around while she undressed to her shift, then climbed into bed. Then with a grin, Pippin asked her to do the same while he took off his robe and slipped under the covers.

There was just a brief moment of awkwardness before Pippin blew out the candles.

"Pippin, I'm so sorry I raised your hopes for nothing," Estella whispered.

"At least you gave me hope for a little while," Pippin replied. "I'll never forget your kindness, Stella."

Estella found his hand and squeezed it. Pippin scooted closer to her and put his arm around her as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Sing me a song to help me sleep, Pippin."

He smiled affectionately, remembering her earlier praise, and sang:

O! Wanderers in the shadowed land

despair not! For though dark they stand,

all woods there be must end at last,

and see the open sun go past:

the setting sun, the rising sun,

the day's end, or the day begun.

For east or west all woods must fail...

Estella fell fast asleep; Pippin nodded off soon after, but woke a few hours later. It was still dark except for a sliver of light coming in from the half-open door. As his eyes adjusted to the light, Pippin saw Merry sitting in a chair at the end of the bed. Merry put a finger to his lips. Pippin motioned for Merry to come to bed, but Merry shook his head. Pippin carefully extricated himself from Estella so not to wake her.

Merry left the room silently for the parlor and Pippin followed.

"I'm sorry I woke you," Merry whispered.

Pippin put his hand on Merry's arm. "Why don't you come to bed?"

He shook his head again as tears rolled down his cheeks. "I could have watched the two of you sleep forever. It was the most beautiful sight I've ever seen. The most wonderful thing about it was that it was so innocent. You looked like two Hobbit children."

Pippin smiled. "Well, if you would come to bed like you ought, we'd look like three Hobbit children."

"I couldn't. It wouldn't be innocent anymore." Merry looked down at his feet, ashamed. "I've been hard all night thinking about it."

"Is that why you looked at me so oddly when I suggested we all sleep in the same bed?"

Merry and Pippin started at the sound of Estella's voice.

Estella rubbed her eyes and climbed onto the sofa. "It never even occurred to me. Another one of my ridiculous ideas gone awry." She giggled and blushed. "It would certainly solve our dilemma, Merry. You wouldn't have to worry about neglecting either one of us because we'd both be right there."

Pippin knew she meant it as a jest, but his breath caught in his throat.

"Pippin?" Estella said with concern.

Merry looked at him warningly. "Don't, Pippin."

Estella's eyes grew wide and her face went slightly pale. "That's what you both want, isn't it?"

"It's too much to ask, Stella," Pippin said, crestfallen.

"Of course it is," Merry added.

"It's a bit difficult to imagine," Estella said thoughtfully. "Would Pippin turn away while you and I made love and visa versa?"

Merry groaned and inched his hand closer to his groin. "That's not exactly how I imagined it."

Pippin flushed bright red. "Nor I."

"Then how did you imagine it?" Estella asked, not certain she wanted to know the answer.

Merry sat next to her and took her chin in his hand. "It would have to be a partnership between the three of us, do you understand? We'd all take care of each other."

A look of realization crossed her features. "Pippin and I would have to--"

"No!" Pippin interrupted. "I would never force you to do anything against your will."

"But there would be touching and kissing; and you would see us--and be seen..." Merry explained. "It really is too much to ask."

Estella was quiet for a moment, then heaved a weary sigh. "I'm worn out thinking about all this. Can we all just go to sleep, please?"

Merry did not object this time. He changed into his nightshirt, then crawled into bed next to Estella with Pippin on the other side of her. Pippin soon felt Estella's head on his shoulder again and grinned. Her presence had been such a comfort to him tonight; he would dearly miss her.

Pippin had almost drifted off to sleep when he felt a delicate hand stroking his cheek, followed by a sweet kiss on his lips. Pippin started to ask Estella what she was doing, but she silenced him with another kiss.

Was this just another form of comfort? Or, Pippin thought with sudden elation, was this a test to see whether or not she could bring herself to grant their fondest wish? He turned towards her and touched her curls timidly. She kissed him again, but this time she parted her lips, inviting Pippin to explore her mouth with his tongue. Estella put her arm around him, twisting the fabric of his nightshirt in her hand. Pippin placed his hand on the curve of her hip and pulled her closer.

Only then did Pippin notice that Merry was wide awake and watching them. With an ecstatic moan, Merry pressed himself against Estella's back, then reached his hand around and cupped her breast. Pippin could feel Merry gently moving his pelvis against her, then he felt himself growing hard against Estella's thigh. Pippin withdrew reluctantly.

"Is this what the two of you imagined?" Estella breathed.

"Sweet Elbereth, yes!" Pippin cried, resting his head on Estella's bosom. She embraced him and stroked his hair softly.

Merry enveloped them both in his arms. "How could I have imagined anything so glorious?"

The three Hobbits would have fallen asleep in each other's arm if Merry hadn't stirred. First he kissed Estella, then Pippin; both kisses were equally passionate, long, and wet. "I think it's high time we show Stella our appreciation, don't you, Pippin?"

"What did you have in mind, Merry?" Pippin inquired. Estella just laughed nervously and blushed.

With a mischievous grin, Merry threw back the bedclothes and started inching up Estella's shift. She turned away from Pippin, who averted his gaze.

Soon, Estella forgot all about her discomfiture when Merry dived between her legs and began pleasuring her with his tongue. She moaned with delight, running one hand through Merry's curls, while reaching for Pippin with the other.

Anxious to show his gratitude as well, Pippin covered her mouth with his and gently caressed her body through her shift, each touch tentative as if he was expecting her to push him away at any moment. Estella started moving her hips to Merry's ministrations, then guided Pippin's hand beneath her shift and to her breast. Pippin felt Estella's searching hand touch him between his legs. Pippin gasped and guided her small fingers around him. Moments later she peaked; Pippin cried out, thrusting hard against her hand and climaxed

Just as Merry rose to his knees with a triumphant expression, he was tackled by the two Hobbits he loved best. Pippin and Estella pulled off his nightshirt as Merry laughed with glee. Estella kissed him slowly and sensuously from his forehead down to his belly, while Pippin eagerly took care of Merry's need.

The peculiar Fellowship was soon slumbering in a loving heap and Pippin had the first sweet dream he'd had since the night of the Master's Birthday Ball.

Six months later....

"Are you completely certain about this, Stella?"

Estella Brandybuck put a reassuring hand on Mayor Gamgee's shoulder. "Sam, you've asked me that five times today and the answer is still 'yes'. Besides, it's too late now, the deed is done."

"It can be undone, just say the word," Sam told her. "Hobbit annulments may be rare, but they're not unheard of."

Estella waved away his concerned. "I couldn't be happier, really."

Sam had to admit that Estella did indeed look happy, standing underneath the bright wedding pavilion near Brandy Hall.

Rosie Gamgee shook her head. "I still don't understand how you could allow Merry and Pippin to carry on as they have been. What about you?"

"Don't worry, Rosie," Estella said with a satisfied smile, "I'm being very well taken care of." She put her arm through Sam's and led him to her new husband who was chatting with Pippin. "Now, Sam, it's time for you and Merry to be friends again. I don't know what's going on between the two of you, but I will not tolerate ill will on my wedding day."

Estella left Sam with his fellow Travellers and went in search of her friend, Diamond Took.

"Sam," Merry began awkwardly. "Thank you for officiating."

"It's my job," he replied stiffly, though it was not strictly true. Some Shirriffs had been granted the authority to marry couples, but it would have been scandalous if the Mayor of Michel Delving had not officiated at the marriage of the future Master of Buckland.

Merry put his hand on Sam's shoulder. "You could have begged off and I would have understood. I'm so sorry for what I said."

A reluctant smile that quickly turned into one of relief crossed Sam's face. "It's forgotten."

Merry shook his hand warmly. "I'm so glad, Sam."

"You take good care of Stella," Sam said in stern voice tinged with affection, "or you'll have me to answer to."

Merry opened his mouth to respond, but Pippin beat him to it.

"We will," Pippin told Sam enthusiastically. "Don't you worry, Sam."

Merry gave Pippin a withering look.

"I-I mean, Merry will," Pippin stammered. "Stella is his wife, after all."

Merry rolled his eyes. "Brilliant, Pip."

Sam stared at them both in shock. "You've corrupted her, haven't you?"

"I wouldn't say 'corrupted'," Merry replied.

Sam folded his arms across his chest. "What would you call it, then?"

Merry and Pippin looked at each other then back at Sam.

Estella returned a moment later, saving Merry and Pippin from an explanation. "Are you all friends again?" She slipped her arm through Merry's and leaned against him, while she interlaced her fingers with Pippin's. Suddenly, Sam felt like he was intruding.

"Everything's back to, uh, normal," Sam replied. "Congratulations Stella, Merry." Then with a befuddled grin he added, "Pippin."

Sam returned to his wife and children with a few curious glances over his shoulder. Diamond rushed up to the trio and almost bowled Pippin over. With a breathless greeting to the happy couple, Diamond grabbed her husband's hand and pulled him away.

"I've been thinking, Pippin," Diamond said when had she caught her breath.

"Oh dear," Pippin answered with a wry grin. "I'm afraid to ask about what."

Diamond ignored his sarcasm. "Stella and Merry, of course. I thought we could stay at Brandy Hall and let them have Crickhollow to themselves for a few days. It is their wedding night, after all."

"That's very considerate," he said sincerely, though suspicious that there was a catch. "Did you want me to sleep in the stables?"

Diamond giggled in a way that always made Pippin uneasy. "No, silly Hobbit! You may sleep with me." She said it as if she was granting a royal boon. "It has been a month since our wedding. I suppose we have to consummate our marriage sometime."

Pippin put a hand on his heart. "How romantic," he teased. "I'm positively overcome. Why the sudden change of heart?"

Diamond stopped and motioned for Pippin to kneel down so she could put her arms around his neck. He decided to risk Diamond's ire by putting his hands on her waist and pulling her to him. Diamond smiled and cuddled closer still. "I am rather curious about what it's like. Stella seems so happy. Besides, she's always after me to be nicer to you."

Pippin didn't tell Diamond that he and Estella had never consummated their unusual relationship. Though Merry didn't object to the idea (quite the opposite, in fact!), Pippin and Estella both agreed that it wouldn't be right for the Master's heirs to look like the Thain. Still, Pippin was determined to treat Diamond to a belated wedding night she would never forget.

That would show her.

The End