Chapter 5: Exploring Common Ground

Estella stared silently out the window of the carriage for a long time before lying down across the seat, falling asleep. It was night when the carriage driver opened the door, waking her. She thanked him, and slipped into the cottage then to her room. She threw herself on the bed, and fell asleep once again. She did not wake until morning.

The cottage was quiet, and she wondered if Merry and Pippin had come back. She did not expect them to come back so soon, but Merry had said they'd be right behind her. She carefully opened the closest bedroom door near hers, which was Pippin's. She could not see him, but she could tell he was there. A long lump lay completely under the covers. She quietly closed his door then moved to Merry's bedroom.

Merry's door was open a crack, so Estella peeked in. He was asleep as well, though his upper part was halfway out of the blankets. She watched him for a minute, taking in the peacefulness that was on his face. No need to wake her two charges. She moved away down the hallway to the kitchen. She retrieved a loaf of bread and a jar of jam from the pantry then sat at the table to eat a light breakfast.

It was near two hours later when a sleepy Pippin came wandering into the kitchen. He stopped at the sight of Estella standing at the sink, scratching his head.

"Good morning, Pippin," Estella greeted through gritted teeth as she scrubbed the dirty frying pan that had not been cleaned from the morning before last. "What would you like for breakfast? Though it is nearly second breakfast now."

Pippin blinked then rubbed his dusted eyes on his sleeve. "Morning, Estella. It doesn't matter what you fix. I'll be happy with anything."

"Good." Estella rinsed the frying pan out, and set it on the stove. "I already whipped up some batter for hot cakes."

Pippin scrunched his nose. "Hot cakes?"

"Pancakes," a voice behind him answered. Pippin turned to see Merry walking up, also looking very tired.

"Oh." Pippin nodded as he sat then cracked a smile. "Sounds lovely."

Merry trudged over to the sink, pumped some water out into his hands, and splashed it on his face. Estella was in the middle of pouring the batter for a hot cake, but stopped in mid-pour to watch in distaste.

"Do you always do that here?" asked she.

Water dripped from Merry's face. Pippin laughed into his arm. They had not lived with a lass for a very long time, picking up certain habits that might not be proper around others. Merry was more proper than most, but he had his faults as well, and washing his face in the kitchen sink was on of them.

"Usually, yes," Merry replied as Estella handed a rag to him.

"Well, could you please stop doing it here." There was no anger or crudeness in her tone, but Estella's face was stern. When a lass looked like that, you knew not to tangle with her. They started to wonder if it was truly a good idea to have invited a lass to come live with them, but the scrumptious hot cakes (with delicious blueberry syrup) proved worth of the small adjustments they'd need to make.

After breakfast was over and the dishes were washed, the two cousins went to get dressed. When Merry emerged from his room, he could not find Estella anywhere in the cottage. He and Pippin had no plans for that day (save to ride over to the Brandywine Inn and have a few drinks that night). He walked out into the garden. The morning dew had already dried, and the flowers that had opened that day were standing tall – basking in the sun.

He rounded a vine-covered lattice that encircled a wooden bench, and found Estella sitting there. She was seated on the grass, skirts tucked under her knees, an elbow resting the bench. She was wistfully running a finger delicately over the petals of a white daylily. He watched her for a whole minute before Estella looked up, a bit startled to see him there.

"Merry," she said, red flowing to her cheeks from embarrassment. "How long have you been there?"

"Not long." Merry smiled. "May I join you?"

"I guess a bit of company won't hurt." She scooted over to give him more room. "I must ask, doesn't your cousin need watching over?"

"Pippin can take care of himself."

"I know that, but I fear for the pantry's safety," Estella replied, dryly.

Merry quirked an eyebrow then chuckled, wagging a finger at her. "I see you're wit is still intact."

A pause fell between them. Merry watched Estella unconsciously rub the soft petals of the daylily. The lattice blocked out the sun, making it cool in the little area they sat in. Estella looked up at Merry, not meeting his eyes, and with one finger, gently touched the scar above his left eyebrow.

No one save for Pippin (that he knew of) had ever touched the scar before. Merry's mother, Esmeralda Brandybuck, had gasped in horror at the sight of the brown line across her son's brow. And, other's had gaped in wonderment at it. Estella's expression was not horror or speculation, but quite unreadable.

"Did you receive this in the Battle of Bywater?" Estella finally asked, pushing Merry's hair up to get a better look at the scar. "I never had seen it before."

"No." Merry half-chuckled, half-smiled. "It is a recent scar, but not from that battle. I received it during my travels in the far lands. Though I was quite helpless when I acquired it."

Estella lay her hands in her lap, and averted her eyes to the grass. "I remember being called to Brandy Hall one afternoon. Fredegar had, had an encounter with these shadowy figures and was in shock. Father could not come, so my Aunt watched over him while I set out for Buckland. Freddy was shaking all over and muttered about the Black Riders coming to get them. It did not take us long to connect you and your cousins to who 'them' were.

"Later that night, Fred was better and I could talk to him. I asked where you four had gone to and why, but all he would tell me is you took a detour into the Old Forest. Then a shadow passed over his eyes, and his voice dropped to an eerie whisper. He said the reason for all the strange happens was something far above any of us, and that it was extremely important."

She raised her head again, meeting Merry's eyes. "What was so important and above us that you four had to do?"

Few folk had asked about the four Travellers' doings while they were in the far lands, and even fewer knew their story. Merry had only told his father, because Saradoc had pressed him for it. He and Pippin had also told Fredegar, but left out most of the dreadful parts, for old Fatty would not take them so well especially after his encounter with the Black Riders.

"Most of our story is dark and frightening" Merry started, somberly.

Estella shook her head, and sounding determined, "I stopped fearing the dark when I was a small child. I can handle whatever you have to tell."

"All right, but stop me if it becomes too much."

So, it was that Merry lead Estella through the tale of the Four Travellers from the conspiracy of the Ring all the way to the breaking of the Fellowship at Amon Hen. It seemed nothing shook or surprised Estella. No warg attacks or battling orcs or a cave troll made her flinch in fright.

When Merry talked of Gandalf's fall then of Boromir's death, his eyes welled up and his voice strained. "That's how I received this scar. The Uruk-hai were not gentle in their handling of us."

Estella's stone face melted into sympathy, even sadness, and she took Merry's hand in hers. "You need not go on if you don't want to," she murmured.

Merry heaved. "I will go on if you want me to."

"I do want you to, because it is such a fascinating story. But, you can always tell me the rest later."

Merry nodded, licking his lower lip. "Do you really think it's fascinating?"

"I mean what I say, Merry." The flat sternness in Estella's voice rang out once more, and Merry smiled despite the somber mood around them. "What happen to you and your companions is not an ordinary occurrence for a hobbit, though it seems the Four Travellers are not ordinary hobbits themselves."

"I'd say the same about you."

Estella let out an unbelieving huh at that.

"No, it's true," Merry went on, unperturbed. "I cannot see why I teased you as a child."

"Don't fret over that. You weren't as horrid as the lads who pulled my braids or splashed water on me when they had the chance."

"That's one thing I'd never do to a lady."

Estella cocked her head at Merry's wording, wondering why he used lady instead of lass. She waved the thought away by fiddling with the daylily beside her. Merry watched intently, realising for the first time that he had not seen Estella smile once since she'd come to live at Crickhollow a week ago. He understood that she had no reason to smile or laugh or be cheerful lately, but he wished she would smile. Seeing her finger the flower gave him an idea.

Merry looked out the shady area at the sun. "I think it's time for luncheon."

"Better hurry in before the pantry becomes so empty you could use it for a spare bedroom," said Estella, in the dry tone again.

Merry stood, laughing, and helped her to her feet.

The next morning, Estella found the cottage utterly quiet. She crept to the kitchen to start mixing batter for biscuits. As she reached to pull an earthen bowl from the cabinet, a sunny voice at the window made her nearly jump out of her skin.

"Good morning, Miss Estella!"

Estella glared at the hobbit leaning on the windowsill, holding a hand to her heart. "Merry! Stop surprising me like that!"

"I'm sorry, Stella, but I was supposed to surprise you this time."

Estella looked at Merry as if he were mad. "And, why?"

"To give you this." Merry raised a hand from behind his back, and held out a white daylily. Estella screwed her face in confusion for a moment then her features softened and she took the daylily from Merry.

"Thank you, Merry."

Merry smiled, and he thought he saw the smallest hint of a smile on Estella's lips.

Everyday after, there was a daylily waiting for Estella on the windowsill of the kitchen. It became such an expected routine that she left a vase on the sill, and collected the dried petals of the flowers to make a potholder.