Yuletide this year had been very different than what Estella was used to. She was accustomed to quietly gathering with only her closest relatives for a large meal, some singing, and exchanging of gifts. Courting Merry Brandybuck did come with certain obligations, however, and a plethora of Yuletide parties and get togethers were among them.

Their trip to the West Farthing for parties with the Tooks was more enjoyable than their stay at Brandy Hall for the sole reason that there were many more guests, and the parties were much more raucous. It made it easier for her to slip back to her rooms earlier than she was able to get away with in Buckland. It also helped that she and Merry were not the center of attention here. Of course, rumors that he was seeing a poor, fatherless girl who was only after his money had spread, but most of Tuckborough did not want to gossip about that. Pippin and Diamond were still their main concern.

Pippin and Diamond's elopement had caused quite a stir several years prior and had almost resulted in Pippin being disowned. It seemed things were finally on the mend now though, as they had been invited to the Great Smials for Yule. Pippin had said he would not go though, unless Merry would also attend.

Estella had enjoyed her time getting to know Pippin. She had found it quite easy to like him, and thought he was pleasant company. She'd known him all her life, of course, but not been his friend. She was glad that he could be counted as one now. In private Merry had expressed to her how happy he was that the two of them got on well.

Diamond was a different story. She was so unlike Estella, or so Estella assumed. It was very difficult to get to know someone who so seldom spoke. Diamond was often, no, always more content to sit and listen than participate in conversation, and if asked a question, she seemed to always find a way to answer with only one word.

She was stunningly beautiful. Auburn curls with deep gray eyes and pale clear skin, round face and full, pretty lips, but other than seeing that, Estella could not work out how she had gotten the attention of a lad like Pippin. Pippin seemed to be her antithesis in so many ways. They were very, very physically affectionate with each other, and Estella found herself wondering if perhaps her beauty had been the only reason for the match.

The four of them sat together in Pippin and Diamond's small parlor during the days, as the weather was quite unpleasant that year. On their walk there on their third day, Estella said to Merry, "Does Diamond just dislike me? I've tried to talk with her about what music she likes, but I've gotten nowhere. She barely even looks at me."

Merry shook his head. "No, I'm sure she likes you. She's very shy, takes a long time to warm up to new people."

"I can't even say that she is disagreeable because she never says anything. Does she talk more once she's comfortable?"

Merry laughed and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. "Yes, it just takes her a long time to be comfortable. She'll talk when it's just the three of us. Her little sister used to spend time with the two of them often and Di had no problem speaking her mind when Ruby was around."

"Do they ever stop touching each other?" Her nose wrinkled in disgust.

"Ah, no," Merry replied simply. "No, they do not. The fact that they've managed to not have a baby yet when they've been married for so long now is… astounding."

"Why do they feel the need to do it even when there are others around?"

Merry sighed. "Stella, I can't answer why she is the way she is for you. She handles things better when she's touching someone and I'd rather it be Pippin than me! I don't like you talking badly about her. She takes enough unkindness from Pippin's sisters and parents, alright? She doesn't need it from you too. She's Pippin's wife, and they are both important to me."

Estella nodded. "I'm sorry," she said, but she found she had to bite her tongue to keep from asking him more questions. What had he meant by 'she handles things better?'

"Good. Now, let's try and have a pleasant afternoon with them, yes?"

With that, they entered Pippin and Diamond's sitting room. Pippin greeted them enthusiastically, telling them about what sorts of things had been served for luncheon. Diamond, as per usual, sat as close to her husband as possible, holding his hand or tugging at his sleeve so he would put his arm around her.

Estella smiled at Diamond as pleasantly as she could manage and said, "Hello, how are you?"

Diamond made eye contact with her only briefly and gave an almost imperceptible, "Hello," as her only reply.

Estella fought the urge to huff in frustration. Deciding it was best for now to leave the attempts at socializing for later, Estella busied herself with eating and conversing with the lads. While she did this though she watched both Pippin and Merry closely. How did they interact with the enigma of a lass that sat across the table? Both Merry and Pippin were including her in their talks of how bad they both were at finding the right Yuletide gifts for their friends. They most often asked questions that could be answered with a yes or no, and never questions that Diamond would have to think on.

Diamond looked up and met Estella's eyes and Estella realized she had been staring. She turned her gaze to Merry instead, but from the corner of her eye saw Diamond squeeze her eyes tightly shut for a moment and subtly shake her head before resuming her position of resting her cheek on one hand to listen to the lads talk.

Once lunch had been finished and cleared away, Merry and Pippin both fished their pipes out and had a smoke. While Pippin lit his he turned to his wife and said, "Would you play us a little something, Di? Estella hasn't heard you play yet and I'm sure we would all like it."

Estella looked on as Diamond's face lit up and she nodded enthusiastically, quickly moving to a box on the far side of the parlor before emerging a moment later with a fiddle in hand.

"Do you play fiddle too?" She asked, almost out of desperation more than curiosity. "Merry has only mentioned the harp and lyre till now!"

"I play anything with strings," said Diamond, excitedly.

Estella turned to Merry and beamed. That was the most Diamond had ever said to her before.

"I told you, music is what she likes best. Keep on talking about that, and eventually she might open up a bit," he whispered as Diamond began to play.

Estella had been honest when she'd told Merry only a few days ago that she knew little about music, but she could appreciate skilled playing when she heard it, and even she could tell Diamond was skilled. Even if Estella hadn't been able to discern that, she would have enjoyed watching Diamond play. It was the most at ease she had seemed so far. She smiled and laughed, even encouraged Merry to dance with Estella while she played, and Merry did as she asked, bowing low to Estella, who laughed and curtsied in return before they began twirling about the room together.

Pippin eventually butted in to have his turn dancing with Estella, and it went on that way for what seemed like quite a while to Estella, Pippin and Merry taking turns as her partner while Diamond played song after song. At last, she collapsed into a chair laughing.

"No more lads! I'll not have any energy for dancing at the party!"

Diamond lowered her bow and looked at Estella curiously. "But you've been leaving them early anyways!" she exclaimed.

Estella was surprised at this. "Um, why, yes," she admitted. "I have been. It gets a bit loud for me sometimes. It makes me miss my home."

Diamond nodded, showing her understanding.

"Di misses her home when we come here too," Pippin said, seemingly speaking for her.

"The sky feels bigger in the North Farthing," Diamond said softly, an unmistakable longing in her voice.

They were interrupted then by one of Pippin's nephews. "Grandfather wants you, Uncle Pip."

Pippin sighed heavily and Estella felt deep sympathy for him. He'd been called to talk with his father like this the first day they had been in the Great Smials too and had come back quite dejected.

"I'll go with you, Pippin," Merry offered. He was accepted, and the lads left their ladies behind.

Estella had felt proud of herself for getting Diamond to speak to her, but now that she was alone with her that feeling vanished. Diamond was fidgety now that Pippin was not at her side and she seemed in no mood for music any longer. She pulled on her long fingers till her knuckles cracked repeatedly. The sound made Estella wince, but she said nothing. Maybe this is what Merry meant when he said she handled things better when she was able to touch someone. Estella felt it fell to her to try and be a comfort.

"I'm sure Pippin can handle his father well," she said. No response. She could not blame Diamond for that. She didn't even sound convinced of what she said, so Diamond would have no reason to be. She knew the Thain far better than Estella, after all. "It's good that Merry went with him, I think," she added.

"Merry is so kind," Diamond almost whispered.

Estella looked up, surprised. "Yes, he is. Too kind, sometimes." Diamond met her eyes without looking away now and smiled weakly.

"Pippin wants us to get along," she offered.

"Merry does too."

There was another long stretch of silence when Estella didn't know what to say. Surprising her again, Diamond spoke.

"Are you going to marry him and live with us at Crickhollow?" Diamond sounded almost hopeful.

Estella considered her answer carefully. She knew where Merry's mind was, and while she was not as certain, she had no firm reasons in her mind why she should not marry him. If they did get married, Estella had not considered living at Crickhollow. She'd made the assumption they would live in Brandy Hall. "I think we will be married. But we have not discussed it in depth, and certainly not where we would live afterwards." She paused, but Diamond had nothing more to add or ask. "I imagine it's no secret to you that I don't feel the same way about him that he does about me. I know he tells Pippin everything." Another pause. No answer. "I think both of us might be waiting for my feelings to change."

"But why?" Diamond wondered.

"I… I imagine because he wants a love match," Estella said slowly.

"That's silly. I love Pippin far more than he loves me, but I don't mind because he chose me anyways. No pair loves each other exactly equally. Why should it be different for you and Merry? You aren't special."

Estella laughed out loud at this, but Diamond did not seem to see the humor in what she had said. Her face remained stoic and her eyes serious. "You think he would be happy with the situation?" Estella asked. Diamond nodded and when Estella let her mind dwell on it, she supposed Diamond was right. She'd never thought about it before, but it seemed now that every couple did had one who was adored and one who did the adoring. Her father had been more in love with her mother than her mother was with him, she knew that. Did Esme adore Saradoc or was she the one who was adored?

"Diamond, I think you might actually be brilliant."

"And I think you might be kind. Like Merry."

Estella knew she was not kind like Merry but wished in the moment that she could be. She looked quizzically at Diamond for another moment, pondering what the odd girl had said. She's right! She concluded. She is right, and if Merry asks me to marry him, I ought to say yes. She could see no reason to continue to delay a wedding when Merry already knew he would be happy and she knew she would at least be content.

Diamond's cracking knuckles brought her back to herself and she tried hard not to let it show on her face how off-putting she found the noises. "It must be hard to wait when Mr. Took wants to talk to Pippin like this," Estella found herself saying. "Would it maybe help if we had some music?"

Diamond did not reply but moved to pick up her fiddle again. She tucked it under her chin and began playing once more, a slower tune than the dancing songs she had played before. Sitting with the music was much easier than the heavy silence, and the two continued in that way till the lads returned at last. Diamond abandoned her instrument and ran to Pippin, who had his arms open in anticipation.

"I like Estella," she heard Diamond say very softly. She looked to Merry and Pippin and found both of them grinning widely back at her. She looked away quickly when Diamond brought Pippin in for a kiss, but Merry came behind her, whispering in her ear, "Thank you, Stella."

"I might like Diamond too," she told him. "Thank you for brining me with you."