Chapter Seven

One Week Later

"Are you two ready yet?" asked an impatient Pippin, rapping his knuckles on the tent-post.

"We're coming!" yelled Diamond. It had been nearly a week since the meeting of the two couples in Rivendell. Much to Estella's annoyance (and Diamond's relief) Merry and Pippin had decided that it was far too dangerous to take the lasses (or themselves) to Caradhras or Moria. In fact, Merry, not wanting to have to deal with another deserted Elven city, had insisted on skipping Lorien as well and going straight to Rohan.

Pippin, anxious to be going, was tired of waiting for the two lasses to get ready.

"Are all lasses like that, Merry?" asked Pippin as he paced back and forth in front of Diamond and Estella's tent.

"Mmm, hmm," said Merry, carefully turning the stick upon which he had skewered a few apples to bake over the fire.

"Merry? Merry!" shouted Pippin, attempting to get Merry's attention.

"Wha-? Look what you made me do, Pippin," grumbled Merry, gesturing at the ash- covered apples in the coals. "Oh, hello, Estella," he said glancing up and smiling.

"Hello, Merry," she replied, smiling back, "Pippin can eat those apples, we'll have mushrooms," she whispered in Merry's ear.

"Hey, what are you saying about me?" asked Pippin. Diamond, who had slipped unnoticed from the tent directly behind Merry and Estella, replied.

"Just that those are your apples now, Pippin, and that we'll be having mushrooms for breakfast. But," she continued, "If you're a good lad, maybe I'll give you some of mine," she said, laughing.

"Wait, Merry, who's going to make these mushrooms?" asked Estella.

"Well I think it's only fair that you make them, 'Stella, as it was your idea."

"Umff!" she exclaimed. "Alright, but you'll all have to help me if you want to eat any!"

So the four of them cooked the mushrooms and there was enough for everyone to have some; even Pippin.

The four hobbits, once they got going, made good time, and after several days ride, reached the Golden Hall.

They were greeted warmly by Éomer King, and by Lady Éowyn, who was there visiting her brother, and were allotted nice rooms to stay in at the Hall, overlooking the gardens.

"See, Estella," Merry said once they were alone, "I told you it would all work out."

"What about Lorien?" she replied, leaning against the wall of the upstairs room. They were both feeling uncomfortable with the height. "Why couldn't we go?" Merry sighed. How could he possibly tell her this?

"It was painful for me, going to Rivendell and seeing it empty," he started. "Lorien—Lorien at least… I want to remember it as I saw it then, not how it would look now, empty, and abandoned." She nodded.

"I understand," she said.

"I'll tell you what though—maybe I'll take you to Isengard while we're here." Estella hesitated, seemingly considering.

"Maybe some other time," she replied, smiling. Merry felt his heart lift with the possibility—could there be other times? He wondered. He swung her around, ecstatic, and kissed her.

"Let's see what the others are doing."

Rethe, 1426

Spring was in the air. The garden, where Estella and Éowyn sat, was in full bloom.

"I shot an arrow into the air, it fell to earth I knew not where. For so swiftly it flew, the sight could not follow it in its flight," sang Estella, in her lilting soprano.

"That's very good, Estella," said Eowyn. "You learn quickly." Estella beamed.

"Thank you, milady."

"It's alright, Estella, you may call me Éowyn. Now, sing: 'I breathed a song into the air.'"

"I breathed a song into the air..."

"I didn't know you could sing, Estella," said Merry, appearing suddenly behind them in the garden.

"I don't usually, but Éowyn was teaching me this song, and..."

"Well, it's lovely," he interrupted, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. "Éowyn, I forgot to ask you how long you were staying here in Rohan, so that we might travel to Ithilien together."

"I'll be here the better part of this week; six days."

"Good. I'll go tell, Pippin. I'll see you at supper, Estella." He squeezed her hand, grinning, and then went inside to find Pippin." Estella waited until he had disappeared from sight, and then spoke.

"I have to go, Éowyn, but it was very nice to finally get to sit and talk with you."

"It was nice to talk with you as well, Estella. I'm so glad Merry is happy," replied Éowyn.

"It fell to earth, I knew not where..." Estella sang to herself as she walked the way Merry had gone, this time to find Diamond."

Merry rounded the corner to the stairs and let his gaze wander up them. Stairs had always made him nervous. It was lucky he hadn't sworn allegiance to Gondor, as Pippin had, he thought, thinking of Minas Tirith's seven levels. He took a deep breath and then hurriedly walked up the stairs to Pippin's chamber. The door was open and Pippin sat at a desk facing the wall. He appeared to be writing something.

"Pippin?" he called, rapping on the doorframe.

"Oh, hello Merry!" Pippin replied, "I was writing to my father to tell him how much longer we'd be gone, but I just realized I don't know..."

"I told my folks back in Buckland that it would be about two months: half a month in Ithilien, a full month in Minas Tirith, and a full month to get back home."

"Alright," said Pippin, dipping his pen in the inkwell and scratching out a few lines of text before looking up and acknowledging that he was still there.

"So you did write to Aunt Esme, then? She's part of the reason we're here." What was this, Merry wondered.

"Really?" he asked. Pippin nodded.

"What did you say in your letter?" he inquired.

"I told them not to worry about our being gone; we were fine and how much longer we would be gone," Merry answered.

"Sounds pretty much like what I wrote."

"Oh and by the way," Merry added, "we're leaving for Ithilien with Éowyn in six days." Merry was satisfied that Pippin would be happy to go and see Faramir so soon, but somewhere, he had miscalculated.

"We? You know I want to see Faramir, but why are you making all the plans? The last time I checked I was old enough to make my own plans and I really..." What did Pippin think he was doing? Merry wondered.

"Well the last time I checked I was still your older cousin, but if you have a problem with leaving in six days, fine. You and Diamond can leave whenever you want!" he shouted.

"Thank you," he replied forcefully. Merry swallowed and counted the seconds before saying anything.

"I-I'm going to go find Estella..."

"Yes. I need to finish my letter."

"Goodbye, then." Merry edged out of the room to find Estella so they could go to supper. Since when did Pippin care about my making plans, though? He wondered. He had always made the plans. He was older, smarter, and he had never minded his making plans before. "What's the matter with him?" he wondered aloud.

"What's the matter with whom?" Merry cursed himself for speaking out loud.

"No one, it's nothing Estella," he said taking her in his arms and kissing her. To his surprise, she pulled away.

"Merry, don't try to distract me. Tell me! What's going on?" Merry groaned and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Estella?"

"Merry," she said evenly.

"It's Pippin. He got mad at me for making a plan about something...it's difficult to explain." Indeed! He could barely make sense of it himself.

"I'll take your word for it," she said, still not quite sounding convinced.

"Thank you." He kissed her again. It meant a lot to him that she could be so considerate—unlike some hobbits.

"So, I presume you're coming to supper, Merry?" she asked.

"You know I couldn't resist that, my dearest Estella." He offered her his arm. He still wasn't sure about Pippin and his face must have betrayed him as she took his arm.

"I'm sure Pippin will be just fine, Merry."

"Yes, yes, you're right." She just smiled her radiant and mysterious smile. "Urgh!" Merry stumbled and would have fallen if Estella had not been on his arm. He blinked a couple of times, trying to settle his thoughts, looking down at the same time to see what he had tripped on. "Diamond?!"

"I'm sorry, Merry! I- I had dropped something and was trying to pick it up."

"What?" asked Estella. Diamond grinned sheepishly and held out her hand.

"He proposed formally? Oh Diamond, that's wonderful!" exclaimed Estella with genuine enthusiasm as she picked up the jeweled necklace to examine it in the sunlight. The necklace was white gold in the style of such things and had a simple diamond pendant in the shape of a flower.

"It's a water lily- my favorite flower," Merry heard her say, and he looked across at Estella in her happiness for her friend. He knew for the first time in that moment that he wanted her to be my wife. He walked pensively behind them as they chattered excitingly about the proposal and he thought about how he would make his own: it would have to wait until after dinner—he wanted it to be an absolute surprise and he didn't want to create any cause for suspicion… But, he thought, after supper he would go to Éowyn and see what she knew about getting an engagement necklace made. Merry smiled to himself and tried to hide his excitement.

After supper, Merry raced straight to Éowyn's quarters to tell her the good news.

"Éowyn?" he breathed, knocking on her door.

"Come in, Merry." He could hardly contain himself.

"IwanttoproposetoEstelladoyouknowwhereIcouldgetanecklacemade?" he said in one breath.

"Whoa, Merry, slow down!" She laughed. "What is it?"

"It's Estella," he said, trying to slow his thoughts enough for proper speech. "I want her to marry me."

"Congratulations, Merry!" she exclaimed and knelt down facing him.

"I was wondering if you knew where I could get the necklace made," he continued. She nodded.

"I think I may have the perfect place." She smiled. "…if you can contain yourself until tomorrow morning that is!"

"Thank you so much, Éowyn!" he shouted, elated and practically skipping towards his room. Behind him Éowyn half-smiled and shook her head.