"Good afternoon, Fatty!"
"Good afternoon to you as well, Milo!" Fred greeted back as the post hobbit trotted his pony up the lane.
"I have two letters from Buckland." Milo pulled his pony to a stop, and drew out two envelopes. Fred stepped up, taking them. "One's for you and the other for Miss Estella." He cocked his head, curiously. "Is she back living here?"
Fred nodded with a smile. "She is. Two weeks now. It's good to have my baby sister back home."
"Tell her hello for me." Milo turned his pony around. "I best be off."
"Have a fine day, Milo!" Fred called out. He headed for the smial, gaze down inspecting the envelopes. He smiled. One was from Melilot, and the other didn't have a name.
"Stella, I have a letter for you," said Fred, finding his sister in the stable.
Estella halted in mid-brush on her pony. "A letter for me?" She moved to Fred's side. "From whom?"
Fred inspected it once more, though rather uselessly. "It's from Buckland, but no name is written on it."
"That's curious," Estella replied, taking the envelope from him and inspecting it herself. She blinked, suddenly recognizing the handwriting. She had seen it many times watching Merry scribble down his findings on herbs. She breathed in deeply, working to conceal her delight. "Who's your letter from?" she asked, placing the attention on Fred.
"Mel."
"Could it be a love letter?" she hinted, playfully.
The tips of Fred's ears turned a shade of red. "Estella, that's none of your business," he replied seriously, but the corners of his mouth twitched upwards.
"I had best leave you to your darling's letter," Estella said, slipping out of the stable before Fred could retort. She started off at a hurried pace then shot off through Butter Field. She knew the land around her smial better than anyone - she suspected - in her family.
Across the field, a low-lying tree sat alone. Estella plopped down between two large roots protruding from the ground. She tugged at the wax seal, careful not to rip the unblemished envelope. She pulled out the letter, unfolding it eagerly. A smile spread over her lips as she began to read:
My beloved Stella,
We did not discuss sending letters to one another, but I needed to talk to you somehow. Please excuse my words. I'm not a poet, and this letter may sound very formal, instead of personal. I'll try my best to make it personal.
Let me start with, I miss you terribly. I miss your presence and friendship and beauty and your cooking. Pippin misses your cooking too. He often complains of how repetitive our meals can be. That is why we have spent most luncheons and dinners at Brandy Hall. Tomorrow, we shall be leaving for Bag End to visit Frodo. I'm sure Rose is starting to show by now.
I had a horrible dream several nights ago. I remember feeling sorrow from losing someone very dear to me. The only imagine I recall is watching a white ship sail into the sunset. Oh Estella, I awoke, frightened by the dream. I felt awful for waking Pippin, but I needed to tell to someone of it.
Enough darkness. You're the light I want to see. I miss our rides together. Watching you ride ahead, looking over your shoulder at me. You have only been in my arms a few times, but I yearn to hold you. I wish we could have found our love for each other sooner, but it was meant for now.
You must think I'm gushing. Well, I am, but it's from my heart. I look forward to seeing you again. I love you, Estella.
Significantly yours,
Merry
Hand on her heart and wearing watery smile, Estella sighed. This fluttery feeling in her stomach was new. She barely had time as a tweenager to develop a crush. Now she was in love with a wonderful hobbit who loved her back. She rushed across Butter Field to the smial.
The sound of galloping caught Sam's ear as he dug a hole for a begonia he was planting in the side garden. He peered over his shoulder then shook his head. He should have known it was just Merry and Pippin arriving. He lay his spade down and stood, wiping his hands on his breeches.
"Good day, sir! How was your ride over here?"
"Long and uneventful, as usual," Pippin answered, slowing his pony to a halt.
Sam walked over to them, petting the two huffing beast. "You want me to take them to the stable?"
"That's all right, Sam," replied Merry. "We'll get them settled."
"I thought you might like to know, Mr. Merry, that a letter came for you today," Sam said, as the three started off for the stables. "From Miss Estella."
Merry's head snapped round to peer at Sam in surprise. "Estella sent me a letter here?"
"Yes, sir. Mr. Frodo took it to his study for safekeeping until you arrived."
A smile threatened to break on Merry's face.
"Merry, just go and read the letter from your beloved before you burst," Pippin interjected, nabbing the reins of his cousin's pony.
"So, they're finally together?" Merry heard Sam ask as he walked to Bag End's front door.
"Cousin?"
Frodo turned in his chair to see Merry standing in the doorway of his study. He smiled, pushing his chair back and standing. "Come in, Merry. Did you have a safe trip?"
"Yes," he replied, giving his cousin a loving hug.
Frodo looked over his shoulder down the hallway. "Where is Pippin?"
"He's at the stables with Sam." Merry sounded anxious, and Frodo took note of it.
"I guess Sam told you of the letter from Miss Bolger that came for you today."
Merry blushed slightly, and nodded. "He did."
Frodo stepped over to his desk, picking up an envelope off it. He presented it to Merry. "I assume you have something to tell me," he said in a serious tone, but a grin played on his lips.
"Would it appease you if I said I asked Estella to marry me?" Merry replied, mischievously.
"It would indeed!" Frodo clamped a hand on Merry's shoulder, proudly. "What did she say?"
"Well, she accepted my proposal." Merry looked longingly down at the envelope in his hand.
Frodo followed his eyes. "The envelope is from Budgeford. Did Estella return home?"
Merry nodded. "She did, about two weeks ago. Estella needs to heal before she can give herself fully to me."
"I understand."
With that, Frodo left Merry to read Estella's letter in private. Merry gently broke the wax seal, and pulled out the letter. It read:
My dearest Merry,
I was surprised to receive a letter from you. I read it right away, and it warmed my heart deeply just to read words you had written. I hope to receive more letters from you, if you wish to write them.
Freddy and I are doing well. We're starting to understand one another again. So much has changed, and at times it feels as if nothing has changed at all. The one thing I dreaded the most, I did the second day I was back. I walked into my Father's bedroom, and I was all right. I didn't think I would be, but I was.
I think of you often, especially at night while lying in my bed. It's easy to say that you don't realize how much more you love someone until they're not around anymore, but it's true. I miss walking into the kitchen every morning and finding a flower on the windowsill, or seeing your smiling face waiting outside by the window to give one to me. I honestly believe that on days you sleep in, you picked the flower the night before and have it ready in the vase for me in the morning. I haven't caught you yet, but I know I will when we marry.
I hope you and Pippin made it to Bag End well enough. I knew to send this letter there, so you would get it. Give Frodo, Sam, and Rose my love. Tell Pippin to be patient with meals. I am not certain how much longer I will be here. I think Freddy and I need more time, and I need more time here in Budgeford. Please write me until I am at your side again and we are before family and friends giving ourselves to each other. I look forward to that day. Until then, I'll think of you often and miss you with a yearning heart. I love you, Merry.
Your lady,
Estella
Merry leaned against his cousin's desk, skimming over the letter again. Estella had been clever enough to write him at Bag End, and that made him smile through prickling tears. It was true what she had said about realizing how much more you love someone until they're not around. Because at the moment, Merry loved Estella more than he had ever.
He wondered if his cousin would mind him borrowing a sheet of parchment and quill.