Chapter Fourteen

It was an unusually sunny morning when Pippin rode up to Brandy Hall and demanded to be let in. When he was admitted inside, he marched right up to Merry's room and pounded on the door. "Meriadoc Brandybuck! I order you to leave your room right now!"

Merry sighed and slid off his bed. He couldn't ignore Pippin when he spoke in that tone. He knew Pippin well and knew that he wouldn't give up until Merry did as he was told. He went over to the door and opened it up. "Well that was a bright and cheerful 'good morning', Pippin."

"It's about time you've come back into the world," Pippin said. "I heard that you stayed in here all day long yesterday, not eating and not speaking to anyone. Your parents were terribly worried about you. They thought you were going to run off and go on another journey or something."

"Well sorry," said Merry. He hadn't meant to worry his parents so badly.

"Now why have you shut yourself up like that?" Pippin demanded. "Something happened two days ago and I'm going to find out what it is."

"No, Pippin. I can't tell you."

"Have you committed a crime and are in hiding?" Pippin asked with a grin.

Merry shook his head. "No! Nothing like that. I never did anything wrong."

"Well then you can tell me."

"No. You wouldn't understand." Merry looked away from his cousin. "You'll laugh at me, and then lecture me, and then you'll probably tell people about it. I don't want to talk about it anyway."

Pippin was looking at him intently. "Does it have to do with Estella?"

Merry looked at him shock. Well, there was no use in denying it. "How did you know?"

Pippin grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe I'm psychic. So, did something really horrible happen between you two?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Merry said.

"All right," said Pippin. "You'd better have some breakfast. And then we can talk about it."

Merry didn't protest and let Pippin lead him to breakfast. He hadn't eaten yet that morning and was feeling extremely hungry since he hadn't eaten the day before. When breakfast was over, Pippin led Merry back to his bedroom and sat down on Merry's bed. He folded his arms across his chest. "All right. Tell me what happened two days ago."

Merry reluctantly told his cousin about everything that had happened in the Bridgefields market. Pippin listened with interest and did not interrupt.

"Well why can't you go and explain things to her?" Pippin asked when Merry was finished speaking.

"No! I don't want to talk to her again. Every time I talk to her, she only yells at me and never lets me speak. No, Pippin, I can't speak to her again."

"I think you two are both being ridiculous," Pippin commented. "She loves you and you know that. Don't be cruel and deny yourself to her."

Merry shook his head stubbornly. "No. I just want to avoid her."

"Well you can do your avoiding later. You've spent too much time locked up in here. Frodo, Sam, and I are going to the Green Dragon and you're coming along too, whether you want to or not." Merry knew he couldn't argue. He got dressed and followed Pippin outside.

x-x-x

Meanwhile, in the Bolger home, Estella had managed to join her family for breakfast and second breakfast. She knew that she couldn't pretend to be sick anymore, otherwise her family would know for sure that she had been pretending.

She was just about finished with second breakfast. Her father and brother had finished eating already and had left the dining room, and it was just her and her mother left.

Mrs. Bolger looked across the table at her daughter. Now that they were alone, they could speak. "Estella, you know that when something is troubling you, you can come to me, right?"

Estella didn't meet her mother's eyes. What an unexpected thing for her to say. "Well, yes. But who says anything is bothering me?"

"Well, I'm just letting you know that you can talk to me about things. I used to be your age and have gone through many things. Don't be afraid to speak to me."

Estella was alarmed. Had her mother heard her when she was talking to herself the day before?

"Of course, I'm not forcing you to tell me anything," Mrs. Bolger said. "You may do it whenever you feel ready to."

"I could really tell you anything?" Estella said slowly.

"Of course, Estella. I won't mind what you talk about, whether it is problems you're having with friends, or yourself, or lads." She put a little more emphasis than was necessary on the last word. Estella noticed.

"Well," Estella said casually, "there is a bit of an issue that perhaps you can sort out. I don't mean to complain, I just want to know what to do." If her mother already suspected about it, then there was no use in pretending she didn't have any problems.

"I'll do my best to help," Mrs. Bolger said.

"All right," said Estella. "Well, here is what's troubling me. Mother, have you ever fallen in love with someone who you will never have a chance with?"

"I can't say that I have," Mrs. Bolger. "Of course, I was in love several times when I was young, or at least I thought it was in love, and I understand what you're going through." So she had been right when she formed her own explanation for Estella's unhappiness yesterday.

Estella continued. "Well, I thought I hated someone but it turns out I love him after all. The problem is he hates me and we sort of got in an argument yesterday and he'll probably never speak to me again."

"That's quite a problem," her mother said. "But who is this young man that you love?"

Estella looked uncomfortable and was silent. "I understand," Mrs. Bolger said. "You don't need to tell me. Now you love him but you hate him also? That's a little unusual in my opinion."

"Well I love him now. Actually, I have always loved him, but I thought that I hated him all this time. He's always hated me, so I can't talk to him about any of this. Besides, another lass loves him."

"I'm sorry," Mrs. Bolger said. "That's just how things are sometimes. But are you sure he hates you?"

Estella nodded. "We've never gotten along. If he didn't hate me before, then I know for sure that he hates me now after the way I behaved yesterday." She didn't explain what had happened the day before.

Mrs. Bolger was silent for a few moments, thinking to herself. Estella had said that she and this young man never got along. She said she thought she hated him but actually loved him, and that he disliked her. She remembered what Fredegar had said about Estella and Merry Brandybuck, and how they hated each other. Was her daughter in love with Merry?

Estella broke the silence. "Oh, I shouldn't have told you about any of this. There isn't anything you can do to help."

"Don't say that, Estella. I think you should try to confront this lad and make peace with him. Try to get him not to hate you anymore."

"Well, I suppose I could try to do that," Estella said, though she wasn't planning on taking that advice. She couldn't bear to talk to Merry. "I think I'll go to my room now." She got up from the table and went to her room.

Mrs. Bolger remained at the table, thinking to herself again. What if the lad Estella spoke of really was Merry? She thought back to two days ago when Merry had come to the door and asked for Estella. What was it he wanted her for? Mrs. Bolger now wished that she had asked. It may have saved her daughter from heartache. But it was too late for that now. What was done was done. She left the dining room and Estella did not discuss her problem again.

x-x-x

Merry followed Pippin and Sam into the Green Dragon inn and realized that he missed being around people. It wasn't any fun shutting himself up in his room.

They had asked Frodo if he wanted to accompany them, but Frodo declined. He had become quieter and quieter lately, though no one could figure out why. They didn't ask Frodo any questions, not wanting him to know they worried about him, and rode off without him.

It was early December now and the three hobbits were glad to get out of the cold once they were inside the inn. The Green Dragon had recently been re-opened and was quite crowded. Pippin led the way through the masses of people and ordered three drinks. The young barmaid eyed Pippin with interest and went to get the drinks. Pippin looked quite pleased with himself and was glad he was wearing his Gondorian armor.

Merry and Sam sat at a small table and did not say anything. Merry was glad; he didn't feel like speaking when he was still in such a confused and troubled state. He noticed that Sam was watching Rosie Cotton and smiled to himself.

After several minutes, Pippin finally came back with the drinks. "What took you so long?" Merry asked.

"Oh, no reason," Pippin said. The truth was, he had been chatting with the barmaid, who found him quite attractive and heroic looking in his armor.

Pippin handed a mug of ale to Sam. Sam's face turned red and he accepted the mug and immediately busied himself in drinking it. Pippin smirked. "Have you been watching Rosie Cotton again, Sam?"

Sam deep a deeper swig of his ale.

"I thought so," Pippin said. "Well go on and talk to her, don't be shy. I'm sure she won't mind at all. Lasses like it when you stop and talk to them."

"And how would you know that?" Merry asked. "Have you been flirting with barmaids again?"

"Well I can't help it if I'm good-looking," Pippin said. Merry rolled his eyes.

The three of them sipped at their ale and listened to the noise that filled the room, and then Pippin spoke again. "So, Merry, are you glad I've brought you back into the world?"

Merry shrugged. "I hate agreeing with you, but yes, I am glad. It's a little frightening to see you actually be right about something."

"Well, that's a little harsh," Pippin said.

"Excuse me for a moment," Sam said. "I think I'll, uh, go use the privy." He got up and walked away.

"The privy?" echoed Pippin, shaking his head. "Couldn't he have come up with a better excuse? It's obvious that he's going to go see Rosie."

"He's lucky he has a girl that he gets along with," Merry muttered bitterly.

Pippin knew he was thinking of Estella. He wished more than ever that she and Merry could just put aside their quarreling and accept their feelings. Estella loved Merry, and though Pippin wasn't entirely sure of Merry's feelings, he was sure that he loved her back, even if he didn't realize it yet.

"You know that Estella's birthday is at the end of this month," he said.

Merry took a long sip from his mug in order to avoid responding to Pippin's statement. He held his mug to his lips for a long time, until its contents were empty. Pippin reached over and pulled the mug out of his hand.

"Don't avoid the subject anymore, Merry. I was thinking that perhaps you can go to her birthday party and put things right."

Merry shook his head. "I can't do that. What would I say to her? And how would she receive me? She would only be rude and would run away."

"We'll discuss this later then, when you're ready," Pippin said firmly. He obviously wasn't going to give up on getting Merry and Estella together. He looked across the room at Sam, who was dancing with Rosie. Why couldn't things with Merry and Estella be as simple and easy as that?