Chapter 10

Sealed Their Fate

Buckleberry Hill sat next to and over looked the Brandywine River and the only ferry that crossed this section of the river from Buckland to the Marish on the other side. This was Merry's most favorite spot in Buckland and he pulled his pony to a stop. Taking in the beautiful surroundings of this lovely spot, Estella could see for miles in the warm late evening of the last few days of summer. Autumn would soon begin and with the turning of the leaves the great forest that covered this side of the Brandywine River would cover the thick green grasses with a carpet of leaves of many splendid colors.

Merry helped Estella down from his pony and handed her his basket to hold. Turning Snowclad around, he climbed down and took the blanket he rolled and tied upon her saddle, and allowed his pony to roam free. Walking over to Estella, he took her hand and walked with her to find a spot upon the hill to view the vastness of his favorite place in Buckland.

Estella helped Merry to unroll the blanket and placed it upon the ground next to an old fallen tree. The two sat on either side of the blanket while Estella opened the basket and began to set out the meal for them to eat. While she did, she shyly began to question the one that she loved.

"Tell me of Myrtle Broadbelt and your feelings for her?" she asked.

"I have no feelings for Myrtle Broadbelt, Estella. I never did," he began to explain. "It was my father's doing to set up a courtship because I would not have anything to do with finding a wife and getting married."

"Is it just marriage that finds you uninterested?" she asked him while she cut the biscuits and poured a small helping of honey upon them.

"I'm just not ready to settle myself in and give up all my dreams and freedom," Merry told her and cast his eyes down upon the ground feeling like he must now choose and forget all the dreams he had for himself.

Estella caught the sudden sadness in him, while she took the wine and opened it. "What are your dreams Merry? Please tell me."

Merry took the glass of wine and a bite from old Hatty's biscuit. Taking his time to eat and drink, he began his story of his time spent with Frodo, Sam and Pippin in there mission to destroy the ring. Estella listened to everything that he said while they ate their supper. Merry was still into his story when the meal ended and Estella packed everything back into the basket.

She sat beside him and he placed his arm around her, while she rested her head upon his shoulder. He kissed her brow and smiled with the warm feeling of having her so close to him. It opened Merry's heart to tell her his deepest feelings.

"We have seen so much destruction from the wars and lives that were cut so short. Even the Shire is only just beginning to rebuild itself back to what it once was. I even have seen it in your dear brother. He is almost back to his old self. But for me, my love, I have not seen it in the lives of the men, my friends, that we left behind. I read it in their letters that they sent me and telling me all is well and how they have rebuilt the places that I have been too, but I don't want to just read it through their letters, I want to see them again, be there again and I need to see those lands healed instead of rendered as they are imprinted into my memory. I want to see the white tower of Minas Tirith fully restored and the peace that dwells there. I want to walk in Fangorn Forest and see the new saplings growing where all others were cut down and destroyed. I need to see King Eomer and his sister Eowyn and Faramir again and know all is well with them."

Merry fell silent lost in his own thoughts of his friends.

Estella watched Merry intently and then asked, "Then Merry, you should go to them, do all those things that you have spoken about and then when you are done and you long to be home again, I will be here, waiting for you."

Merry lifted Estella's chin so he could look deeply into her eyes and commented, "I could not ask you to wait that long for me, it would not be fair to you."

"Merry," she said softly and stroked the curls of his hair. "I would wait forever and a day for you. I would see you happy and all your dreams fulfilled."

It was Merry whose eyes began to fill with tears in knowing the love that he had found in Estella was a love far deeper than anything that he had ever known. "After finding you, how could I now leave you. We should be married and living at Brandy Hall. I love you, Estella."

"And I love you, Merry. But I would not have you wondering all the years of our lives if you missed something that you should have done and long for something that could have been. You must go, Merry and do all the things that is in your heart until you know for certain that there is no regretting left behind you. Then we will marry and live our lives caring for each other until the last of our days. Go Merry, and know that I love you, as I will always love you no matter how far you are away from me."

Merry sat back against the trunk of the tree that had fallen and where they had ate their evening meal. The sun was going down and the sky was ablaze in a deep red hue. He knew he had to get Estella back to Brandy Hall before night fall. Standing and taking her hands to help her up, he put his arms around her. "Before I decide anything, Estella, Snowclad and I have a race to finish. Until then, we have our engagement of marriage to be announced. Come, my love, we must get back to Brandy Hall."

xxx

It was the next day and after first morning breakfast that Merry, Estella and her brother were the only ones sitting at their private table. His father nor his mother had come to join them. If by their absent was intentional to avoid meeting Estella Bolger and her brother, set Merry's heels in deeper and his determination stronger. Merry would march into their private chambers to let them know that his affairs were his own and he would not stand for them to interfere any longer.

Opening their door, he walked in and stood facing his father curled up upon the settee sound to sleep with his journals for his pillow and his weskit for his blanket. Merry's mother was just coming out of her bedroom and appeared that she had barely gotten any sleep either.

Clearing his throat to gain their attention, his mother turned to him. "Well, I am glad that you are here and we can finally settle this once and for all."

Saradoc hearing his wife's voice awoke almost startled and he sat up casting his weskit to the floor. Stretching his stiff back and yawning, he looked worse for the wear. His clothes were wrinkled and his hair messed. Looking around and seeing his son standing just on the other side of the settee and looking back at his wife. He scowled knowing that the argument they had last night was about to happen again.

Merry crossed his arms in front of himself and stated to his mother. "There is nothing that needs to be settled. I am telling you now that I have asked Miss Estella Bolger to be my wife and she has accepted. I will not hear of any more arguments on the subjects. If you can not accept my marriage, then you do not accept me and I will remove myself from Brandy Hall, never to return. Then if you have a change of heart and can put your difference behind you, you will come to tea and meet your future daughter-in-law and come to know her as the wonderful lass that she is!"

With that, Merry glared at his parents, turned around to head for the door. He stopped a moment and paused. "Tea will be an hour from now. I will expect you both there!"

Saradoc looked over at his wife who did not have a thing to say and thought that he had learned something from his son in how to handle his wife. Smiling, he looked over at his son and nodded politely with pride.

xxx

When Merry escorted Estella to sit upon the settee in one of the nooks just off the kitchen area of Brandy Hall, and before he had time to sit himself, his mother and father approached him.

Merry smiled seeing them and knew by their presence that they have accepted Estella on his terms. Merry took his mother's arm and walked her over to where Estella sat waiting. She rose from her chair and felt the butterflies in her stomach and her hands shook when she accepted Merry's mother's hand.

Esmeralda stood staring at her for the longest time while holding on to her hand. Then with a bright smile, she brought her hand up and around her back to hug her. "Welcome, Estella Bolger to our home. You are as lovely as my son has spoken of you and as gentle of spirit in which my husband has told me."

Estella blushed and hugged her again. The two hobbitesses' eyes filled with tears in there greetings. Esmeralda sat and offered Estella to sit by her and Merry sat next to his father and before the Mistress of Brandy Hall poured the tea and offered her a piece of cake, Fredegar joined them. Rushing to finding a chair next to Merry, he squeezed himself into it. His cheeks puffed out and became redden when he tried to quickly stand up again, forgetting his greeting to Merry's parents. He wiggled and he stretched, he turned and then he just gave up.

The hobbits all burst out laughing and handed him a piece of cake and a cup of tea. It lightened the spirits of everyone who sat for tea and they all got to know each other better.

xxx

As it is in the Shire whenever there is news of great importance, word gets around rather quickly especially when it has to do with matters of love and romance and Meridoc Brandybuck tied into the mix, really sent their tongues to wagging.

From their servants to the gardeners and then to the stable hands the news went out rapidly. Residences of Brandy Hall told their cousins, who in turn told their distance cousins in the next township, who then told their cousins and on down the chain of cousins from Bucklander, to shire folk every ear was turned towards Brandy Hall.

The good folk of Stock sent word to Frogmorton and then into Hobbiton itself. From Hobbiton, it did not take long until the Green Hills of Tuckborough began to whisper.

By the time Merry put Estella and her brother into one of his coaches and kissed her a fond farewell, he promised her to see her at Tuckborough for the start of the pony race. Little did he realize that his announcement of his intention to wed Estella Bolger had far exceeded him in the gossip that had traveled throughout the Shire.

By the next morning when Merry climbed upon Snowclad back and lead Winnie behind him, he headed out of Brandy Hall for Tuckborough, but stopping first at Stock to speak with Myrtle Broadbelt.

To his surprise, only Pitty Broadbelt was at home. Myrtle's mother told him that everyone had already left for the pony races at Tuckborough.

Merry thought odd of this since Myrtle knew he was coming over for a visit and should have expected him.

Merry excused himself and climbed upon his pony's back and turned her towards the road of Frogmorton that would eventually take him onto Tuckborough.

Days upon the road, he traveled until he finally reached the Green Hills and the large gate of the Tooks. Merry could immediately see many had already gathered and had pitched there tents all around the grounds of the Great Smial. The corral was almost filled full of ponies and still many were tethered in a far open field.

The servants struggled in raising the banner to greet all the contestants of the pony race. When Merry entered into the gate, he slowly walked his pony through the crowd of hobbits. There were tables set up and rows of kegs of ale lined up upon them. Servants brought trays of glasses and stacked them up high one upon another. Elderly hobbits clenched a pipe between their teeth and blew thick puffs of smoke up over their heads, while they played checkers. There were groups of younger hobbits standing over them to watch their game and making bets on the victor. Children chased each other in and around groups of hobbits walking, all laughing and playing their games.

Merry's eyes darted from group to group in the hopes of finding the Broadbelts or Estella and her brother. Even Pippin seemed scarce in this large group. He pulled his pony to a stop in front of the many doors that lead into the Great Smial and dismounted.

Tying Snowclad and Winnie to the hitching post in front of a large drinking trough, Merry took a coin from his vest pocket and tossed it at a servant for him to water and feed his ponies.

Turning to enter the Great Smial, he noticed one of the doors opening and his cousin coming out with another lad behind him. Merry smirked at Pippin's choice of clothing since he worn his Gondor tunic and matching gloves. Around his waist, he wore a thick black belt with his sword that was attached. The fine gold trim and embroidery of a white tree shimmered next to the black soft cloth upon his tunic. His short cape snapped in the breeze when he stepped away from the Great Smial.

Pippin immediately noticed Merry standing there and gave him a quick smile and then a grim scowl. Pippin pointed at him and stated, "I'm not talking to you ever again!" he snapped.

"My best of friend, my cousin! We are family, Merry, and the best that you can do is let me hear it from my stable lad that you got yourself married!"

Merry held his finger up to Pippin and explained, "Wait a minute, Pippin!"

But before he could add another word, Pippin poked him in the chest with his finger.

"When you found out about my wedding, you made me feel like I some how abandoned you, and now it is upon the other foot here, Merry!" Pippin's angry voice shouted at him. "If there is anyone doing the abandoning, it is you, my cousin!"

"You would listen to gossip from a stable lad and accuse your own cousin of abandonment!" Merry declared. "Shame on you, Pip! You know most gossip has falsehoods and you would jump to conclusion without giving me a chance to explain it."

"Then you are not married?" asked Pippin in disbelief and then feeling terrible for accusing his cousin falsely. "I'm sorry, Merry, the way the talk is around here, everyone fully believes you are married."

"Not this time, Pip," said Merry with a glint of mischief sparkling in his eyes. He put his arm around Pippin and spun him around and walked with him back into the Great Smial. "I'm just engaged is all. I won't be married for a year or so from now."

"Well, then there is truth to the tale and I still should be angry with you," commented Pippin.

"No, Pip. That is not the way it works. By my figuring, I just told you that I was engaged to be married, so you are the first to hear about my happy news, after my Da and Mum of course."

"But my servants and stable lads knew of this way before I did and each other single hobbit from here and every town in-between Buckland knows of this!" Pippin added trying to figure it out.

"They had it wrong, Pippin. I am only engaged to be married. I'm not married yet, so they are wrong and I am right!" Merry said confidently and patted Pippin on his back. "How about an ale to celebrate our weddings!"

Pippin scratched his head thinking and trying to figure it all out. Following his cousin, he shrugged his shoulders and joined him for an ale.

The Two cousins toasted each other and Merry began to tell Pippin all about meeting Estella Bolger again, seeing Fredegar, their long time mutual friend and all about Myrtle Broadbelt. By the time Merry got through his story and him doing all the talking, while Pippin did all the drinking, he was feeling light-headed and a bit tipsy.

It was Diamond who came around the corner of the Great Hall to find her intended dancing on top of the table, singing with his cousin and holding a mug of ale in his hand.

"A lad and his mate have sealed their fate,

From a kiss from a lass they have set a date.

No road or path their hairy feet will take,

Behind a desk, stacks of journals wait.

A hey-hoe, we will never go

Over hill or dell, nor a chase'n to and fro,

While our lasses keep us in a nook,

Will anyone please save this Took?"

The crowd that gathered around the table all shouted, laughing and cheering.

Diamond put her hands upon her hips and her face reddened in anger. She shouted, "Peregrin Took and Meriadoc Brandybuck! You two should be ashamed of yourselves!"