Chapter Ten

The very next day, Estella found herself seated beside Azalea in their carriage, with Freddie driving. Her brother was now able to go out and about, as long as he didn't overexert himself. He was still very thin and pale but was looking a little better every day.

Azalea was glad to have company and chatted on happily, though it was mostly to herself. Estella only put in a short word or two every once in a while, as she was only half-listening. She hoped Azalea left her alone once they arrived at the Cotton farm.

When they pulled up to the farm, Freddie got down and went up to the house, while Estella and Azalea stayed in the carriage. Freddie would first have to find out if the Cottons wouldn't mind having visitors.

The door opened and it was opened by a hobbit who Estella explained was Frodo Baggins. Azalea looked him in wonder. Frodo and Freddie talked for about a minute or so and then they both walked over to the carriage.

"Hello, Estella!" said Frodo. "Mrs. Cotton and Rosie are at the market and her brothers are all out, so the house is quite empty. I'm sure Farmer Cotton wouldn't mind any visitors."

Estella and Azalea got out of the carriage and followed Frodo and Freddie to the house. "So you're Frodo Baggins?" Azalea said to Frodo, sounding impressed. Frodo nodded.

"Frodo, this is Miss Azalea Goold," Freddie said. "She just moved to Bridgefields because her home had been destroyed by ruffians."

"I'm terribly sorry," Frodo said to her. "I wish my friends and I had arrived here sooner. So much was lost because of those ruffians and we could have stopped it sooner if we hadn't spent so much time dawdling on the way home."

"Don't blame yourself, Frodo," Freddie said. "There was no way you had of knowing what was going on."

"You're right," Frodo said. "Well, come on inside. Farmer Cotton is busy outside, so you don't need to feel like intruders." He led them up the narrow pathway and opened the door of the hobbit hole. Sam walked over to them immediately. "Mr. Frodo? What did you go outside for- Oh." He caught sight of the three visitors. "Hello, Mr. Freddie, Miss Estella."

"Hello, Sam," said Freddie.

"Then you're Samwise Gamgee!" said Azalea. "Did you and Frodo really go into the evil land of shadows?"

"This is Miss Azalea Goold," Fredegar explained to Sam. "She's heard about your exploits and has been looking forward to meeting you and the others."

Sam looked shocked, confused, and flattered all at the same time. "Well, er, nice to meet you, Miss Azalea."

"Well, let's go into the sitting room," Frodo suggested. "Azalea can meet Merry and Pippin."

"I think my hair ribbon may have fallen out and landed on the floor of the carriage," Estella said. "Don't mind me. You can just go on without me while I go look for my ribbon." It was a bit of a lie and she felt a little guilty for telling it, but she didn't think she could face Merry.

Freddie started laughing. "Estella, you were never wearing a hair ribbon! Don't try to make an escape, because I'll see through every one of your lies. Now come on." Frodo, Sam, and Azalea started to walk ahead, and Freddie and a reluctant Estella followed.

They all arrived in the sitting room, where Merry and Pippin were seated on chairs, wearing their armor as usual. Estella wondered if they ever took it off. Their swords and shields were in a corner. Mrs. Cotton probably wouldn't like that if she knew.

"Azalea, this is Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took," said Frodo, pointing at first Merry and then Pippin. "Merry, Pippin, this is Miss Azalea Goold. She's acquainted with Freddie and Estella and has been wanting to meet us all."

Azalea immediately bounced over to Merry and Pippin and started talking with them. Estella stayed away. She didn't care what they talked about. She stayed close to her brother and said very little.

"Estella! Estella, come here and talk!" Azalea was beckoning to her. Estella went over and sat down as far from Merry as possible. He didn't look at her, and she didn't look at him. Frodo, Sam, and Freddie all wandered away to have a conversation of their own.

"You looked rather bored over there, Estella," Azalea said. "You can join in our conversation."

Estella couldn't help feeling rather grateful to Azalea. It was true, she was bored. She now felt absolutely terrible for finding Azalea a little on the annoying side. She just liked to chat a little too much, that was all.

"Merry and Pippin were telling me about some of the places they saw," Azalea told Estella.

Estella nodded. "I already heard about some of them."

"You did?" said Pippin. "When? I don't remember telling you about any of it yet. I never got a chance."

Estella blushed, though she didn't know why. She desperately wished she could hide it but she couldn't. "Well, um... on the day that Fredegar was rescued from the Lockholes, I kind of heard about parts of your travels."

"Why don't you just say that I told you about it?" Merry said. "Are you trying to pretend that I don't exist?"

Estella made a face at him. Why couldn't they ever just get along? She might as well give up hope. They would never get along with each other.

"I really like your armor, Merry," Azalea said, smiling at him. "I think it's amazing that you're a knight of Ro... Ro-"

"Rohan," he said.

"Yes, Rohan," she said. "I bet you've saved all sorts of people!"

Merry looked a little taken aback at this. "Well... I tried my best to save the Shire, though I couldn't prevent those nineteen hobbits from dying in the Battle of Bywater. I should have done something to prevent that."

"You're being hard on yourself, Merry," said Pippin. "You've done more good than harm. You defeated the ruffian leader and you scared away Bill Ferny and you helped destroy the Witch-King."

"Witch-King?" said Estella. "Who's that?"

Merry gave Pippin a warning look and shook his head. "Nobody. He's gone now. You don't need to worry about him." Estella could see what seemed to be a haunted look in his eyes as he talked about the Witch-King, but then it vanished. She wished she knew what had happened in that battle he had been in, the one he wouldn't talk to her about. He seemed to shut everyone out when it came to that subject.

Azalea started to speak again and Merry seemed back to normal. "I think you two are really brave," Azalea said.

"Well, Frodo and Sam have been brave too," Merry said. "They've probably done more than we have."

Pippin punched him playfully. "There you go being modest again, Merry! If someone gives you credit, then accept it!"

"You saved the Shire, Merry!" Azalea said. She was looking at Merry adoringly. Estella suddenly felt rather icy towards the other girl and wished she would just leave. She couldn't explain why she felt that way.

"I know the others helped," Azalea went on, "but the Shire was saved mostly because of you. I've heard all about everything you've done and I think you're wonderful." Merry didn't know how to respond to that and looked helplessly at Pippin.

"Well aren't I wonderful too?" Pippin asked, pretending to be jealous and trying to take some of the attention off of Merry.

"Of course," Azalea said. "I think you're all amazing. You've all done and seen so many things that I could never even dream about. I'm so glad that I've met you all and it's all thanks to Estella. If the two of us had never met, I would have never gotten to speak with any of you."

"Oh, it wasn't all because of me," Estella mumbled. "You probably would have met them sooner or later."

"Well, I see that Merry isn't the only overly-modest one around here!" said Pippin, laughing.

"Nonsense," said Estella. "He may be overly-modest, but I'm not."

"Admit it, Estella," said Merry. "You just don't want to have anything in common with me. Well I know how you feel. I would hate to be anything that has to do with you."

His words stung. Estella was confused. First he was telling her that she was beautiful and now he was insulting her. She just couldn't seem to understand him. "So do you mean that?" she asked. "Since compliments appeared to have scared me off, you've gone back to insults?"

"Enough, you two," said Pippin. "No fighting when we have a guest." He didn't understand why Merry had to go back to being horrible to Estella. He had said that he would try being nicer to her but it didn't seem like he was making any effort. Pippin stood up. "Estella, do you want to help me make some tea?" It would be better if he separated her from Merry before they started arguing again.

Estella got to her feet so quickly that she almost knocked over her chair. "Yes, I'd like that." Anything to get away from Merry. She followed Pippin into the kitchen.

Pippin wanted to speak to her, but he didn't know if he should dare. She looked so formidable at the moment that he was afraid to provoke her. He remained silent, and so did she.

After Pippin and Estella left, Azalea took the seat closest to Merry. Her blue eyes were excited as she looked at him. He fascinated her. She had been attracted to him before she even met him. "Well, I suppose we're alone for now," she said.

Merry noticed that she was now sitting quite close to him and was looking at him with an expression on her face that unnerved him a bit. "Um, yes."

"I really like you, Merry," she said. "I've never met anyone like you before."

"Well, you've just met me," he said. "You barely know me."

"That doesn't matter. You can really like a person after you've just met them. And I really like you a lot. I think you're amazing, and so brave. I admire you and what you've done for the Shire."

Merry hoped that Pippin and Estella would come back soon. Azalea's behavior was starting to bother him a bit. She was a nice girl, but he didn't understand why she seemed so captivated by him.

"I hope this isn't the last time I see you," Azalea said. "I must see you again! If I don't, I don't know what I'll do. I've never felt this way about anyone before, Merry."

Oh, where were Pippin and Estella? They would save him from this situation. Was Azalea actually infatuated with him? Why? And how? He looked away from her. "I don't understand, Azalea. What's so special about me? I'm sure you're just as fascinated by Pippin, Frodo, and Sam."

"Oh, I am," she said. "But they're just not like you. You're exactly what I think I've always been looking for."

At that moment, Pippin and Estella came back into the room, Estella with a tray in her hands. Pippin tried to keep back a laugh. "So, what have you two been up to while we were gone? I see you've gotten to know each other a little better."

Merry glared at Pippin. "We were only talking some more about the journey," he said.

"Well, the tea's ready," Pippin said. He gestured at the tray that was sitting on a little table.

When Estella had walked into the sitting room, she had had to set the tray down on the table immediately, as she was afraid she would drop it. The way Azalea was looking at Merry disturbed her. Why was she feeling like this whenever Azalea looked or spoke to Merry? What did it matter to her? She couldn't possibly be jealous. She hated Merry and would never be jealous over someone who liked him.

They all helped themselves to the tea and chatted some more. Azalea needed to use the privy and excused herself. When she was gone, Pippin said, "Azalea seems like a nice lass."

"She's all right," Merry said.

Pippin laughed. "She really seems to like you, Merry! A lot."

Merry looked away from him. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course you do. Have you seen the way she looks at you? I have sisters, Merry, and I know what it looks like when a girl likes a young man. She's obsessed with you."

Estella suddenly rose to her feet. She couldn't stand any more of this talk. "Um, I had better go see my brother and find out when we're leaving!" And she dashed out of the room.

"What is she so worked up about?" Merry asked.

Pippin took a sip of tea. "She's jealous."

Merry tried to laugh, though it sounded forced. "Jealous? That would never happen!" But was she? If so, then why? He knew perfectly well that she couldn't stand him. But he couldn't help thinking back to what Pippin had said about hate being only a cover-up.