The next morning, after our small breakfast, we started off again. This part of the trip was nearly silent, because I was still very tired. After rolling around all night trying to get comfortable and ignore Merry's snoring, I was exhausted. The hour or so I HAD slept took the edge off my exhaustion, but I was still tired.

"Mar?" I looked to Merry, who looked a little worried. "Are you alright? You don't look like you feel so great."

I nodded. "I'm fine. Just tired."

He nodded, grinned a little, and then turned back to watching the road.

I must've been more tired than I thought, because I fell asleep, and right off the side of my horse.

I woke up the moment I hit the ground. There was a sharp pain in my right arm, and I cried out in pain.

Merry leapt off his horse and ran to my side. "Are you alright, Mar?"

With my arm throbbing the way it was, I couldn't even think straight.

"Does this hurt?" Merry poked my right arm lightly. I nodded. He pulled up my sleeve to examine my arm, and saw the bruise. "Was this already here?" I nodded again. "Well, I think you just made your bruise a little bigger. But you'll survive."

He helped me up, and I started walking towards my horse.

"No. Come here," he said. "You give me Lily's reins. I'll tie her to my horse, you're riding with me."

I tried to protest, but nobody would listen to me.

"You fell off your horse, Mar," Sam said. "Listen to Merry, and get on his horse. You are too tired to be riding on your own."

We started riding again, and I was very uncomfortable sitting in front of Merry. If I was going to fall asleep, I'd have to lean back on him. That wouldn't be so bad if I was a little kid, but I'm nearly an adult, what would people think?

"Mar, don't fight sleep," Merry said, softly. "You need to rest. I won't let you fall, if that's what you're worried about." He pushed my head back onto his shoulder. "Just sleep. I'll wake you up when we stop to rest the horses, alright?"

I nodded. "Ok, Merry." I yawned.

Merry chuckled. "Good girl."

I closed my eyes and listened to the sound of our horses walking down the road. It was very calming and had me asleep within a few minutes.

When I woke up, it was getting dark. I sat up straight and Merry said, "Well good morning, Sunshine."

Sam laughed. "You really must not have slept well last night."

I rubbed my eyes. "No, I didn't."

"Why not?" Merry asked.

"Did you know that you snore?"

Merry gasped. "I do not," he said, mock-insulted. "You take that back!"

I laughed. "So you knew?"

"Yeah. Just didn't know it was so bad that it would keep someone awake." He laughed. "So, I'm guessing I should try to stop?"

"Unless you want me riding with you all the time," I said, "I suppose you should."

Sam laughed, and when I turned to look at him, he acted as though he hadn't made a sound. He stopped his horse and said, "This looks like a good place to rest for the night."

We had a small dinner, and when we finished, Merry said, "Mar, I think you should try to go to sleep now. Just so I don't keep you awake with my snoring." He smiled.

I giggled, and agreed. I set out my pallet and laid down. After awhile, I just pretended to be asleep so they'd start talking. It was getting pretty boring with them just watching me.

Sam walked over and looked at me. It was hard to keep myself from giggling, but I remained still, and he walked back over to Merry. "I'm pretty sure she's asleep now," he said.

"Good," Merry said. "I need to talk to you. It's about what happened today."

"I'm sorry I laughed," Sam said. "What did you expect me to do when she asked if you wanted her riding with you?" Sam laughed. "It IS funny, you know."

Merry nearly growled at his friend. "Not when my answer would have been that she COULD."

"That's the funny part!" Sam cracked up. "I know I should be acting a little more like she was my daughter about this, but it's just too funny." Sam stopped laughing, and continued the thought. "Merry, we all know how you feel about Mar. Even Frodo knew, when he was alive, and she was just a little girl back then."

"What are you talking about," Merry said. I could hear the defensiveness in his voice. "How do I feel about her?"

"Merry…" Sam sounded serious. "You leapt, not just jumped, LEAPT off your horse when Mar fell. You checked her arm, as if you knew anything about breaks or fractures. You insisted that she ride on YOUR horse… Merry, you love her."

Merry got defensive again. "You love her too!"

"In a different way," Sam said. "I love her as a father should. You're acting like a love-struck little boy."

Merry sighed. "Can I help it? That's the way I feel." He sighed again. "You said even Frodo knew it? Back when he was still here with us?"

"Yeah," Sam said. "But he seemed okay with it. I think, since Mar's half Elf, she'll age like the Men do. Or she'll just live forever, like her mother." I could hear a smile in Sam's voice. "Frodo would've approved of you for Mar. I'm sure of it."

They came to set up their beds, and I felt Merry watching me as I pretended to sleep. Sam had fallen asleep the moment his head hit the pallet. Merry still only sat on his pallet, looking at me. He leaned over me, pushed a piece of hair out of my face, and kissed my cheek. "Goodnight, Namárië."