The two had been good friends before, but after that Lithe they became practically inseparable.

It started on 2 Lithe, when all of the hobbits staying in Bag End for the festival arose and took breakfast. Pippin sat across from Diamond, and somehow they got to talking on the subject of who had the best lemon cake recipe: was it gamma Bolger, or Pippin's own mother, Eglantine? Pippin insisted it was his mother, of course, but Diamond swore she had tasted both recipes and Mrs. Bolger's was the real winner.

The argument got heated enough that finally Pippin declared, "Well then, we shall just have to try both today and make a final decision." He explained that his mother had brought one or two from Tookborough, and they could easily find one of Mrs. Bolger's in her pantry.

"But that would be stealing!" Diamond pointed out.

"Do you really think she'll miss two measly slices of lemon cake?"

"I don't know..."

"They probably don't taste good anyway. She'll be glad they disappeared."

"Now hear me, master Peregrin! They are the best in the Shire and-"

"Prove it."

He had her there. So that morning, when everyone else had gone off to the fair, Pippin dragged a reluctant Diamond into the Bolger's empty home and located the pantry. He thought there was something irresistibly cute about her as he grabbed a lemon cake from the shelf: was it the nervous widening of her baby blue eyes, or the way she wrung her little pink fingers? Perhaps it was both. Once he had the cake they hurried out and back to Bag End as quickly as possible, Diamond glancing back all the way, feeling very guilty; but Pippin just laughed when he saw this, saying, "honestly, Diamond, you worry too much."

When both cakes had been gathered and thoroughly considered, he had to admit that Diamond was right. Eglantine's recipe was dry and tasteless compared to gamma Bolger's, which was perfectly sweet and moist. He clapped and bowed dramatically, which made her giggle. He liked how she giggled. He wished he could hear it more often.

Both admitted that they had done a poor job keeping in contact: so, before they left for the fair, an agreement was struck. When Lithe was gone and they were separated again, Pippin would write to her, and she would write back, and in this way they would keep up a friendly correspondence.

The first letter arrived a month after Diamond was back in Long Cleeve. By then it was mid-August, and she began to think Pippin had been joking.

"'Twouldn't be much of a surprise if he were," she thought out loud, looking up from her knitting. The girl was seated outside, waiting for the post to come- she had done so for at least two weeks. Every day she watched the grass and vines sway around her, and noticed the growth of the snapdragons in the window box, but the postmaster had not come.

"Humph."

She pursed her lips and resumed her work with a furious celerity, though in truth she was not at all surprised. Pippin never did seem like the sort of hobbit who would enjoy writing; nor was he inclined to think before he spoke. He had probably just made the promise out of excitement, without any intention to follow through on it. She wouldn't fault him for that.

But just then she heard a faint pleasant noise, like someone singing nearby.

Follow the lane, follow the lane,

Though whither I go may not be plain

'Til I check the scrawled address again

And follow the lane, follow the lane

Diamond thought the lyrics were very oddly written, but were sung so cheerfully that it did not matter. And when she saw the singer ride up on a little gray pony with a mail bag at his side and a feather in his hat, her jaw nearly dropped with surprise.

The postman tipped his cap. "Hullo, miss Diamond!"

"Good afternoon!" Diamond replied with a smile. "Have you got any letters for me, pray?"

He held up one small envelope sealed with shiny red wax. "Aye, all the way from Tookborough, too."

Diamond set her work aside quickly and bounced over to to accept the mail.

"Thank you kindly," she said, studying the treasure in her hands. The parchment seemed so smooth and neat, yet bulged slightly to accommodate the folded letter within. Her first letter! She had opened invitations before, but never anything addressed specifically to her.

She bid the postman goodbye, and watched him ride around a corner: then, gathering her yarn, she walked inside and to her room, beaming all the way. She opened her curtain for extra light, closed the door, fluffed her pillows, and finally sat on the bed, holding the still sealed envelope out in front of her.

Carefully she broke the seal and pulled out her prize.

"Peregrin has terrible handwriting," she noted, wrinkling her nose. Then at last she began to read.

"August 2nd, 1413

Dear Diamond,

How is Long Cleeve? Things are not so well here. It appears I forgot my bass somewhere in the field again, and it is too late to find it this time. I don't really care, but my mother and father say I should be more careful, and I suppose they are right. Still, it is nice to be rid of the clunky thing."

The letter continued in a similar fashion, detailing some of Pippin's most recent adventures with Merry, and asking a few questions near the end. And the final lines made her laugh:

"One last question, and this might seem bizarre: what is a petticoat? Is it like a winter coat? I've always wondered. Anyway, write back soon!

Sincerely,

Pippin

P.S. My sisters say it was very improper of me to ask the question about petticoats. I apologize. But I still want to know the answer. Goodbye!"

Diamond shook her head, still laughing, and went to her desk to respond. In her favorite purple ink, she wrote:

"August 17th, 1413

Dear Peregrin,

You have three sisters and one mother, so why on earth are you asking me about petticoats? Go ask them."

She thought this was a very mature and witty way of handling his inquiry, and smiled to herself before continuing. She explained that things were well in Long Cleeve, scolded him for his mischiefs, answered his other questions, and added a bit about her own goings on.

So her letter was sent, and soon enough a response arrived, and et cetera. In this manner they kept in touch, and learned much about each other. Pippin learned that Diamond's favorite color was pale purple, that she was not good at knitting but tried hard to be, and that she had cried for three days straight when the cat Merle had passed away. And Diamond learned that Pippin was handy with a bow, and that he hated the texture of terracotta flowerpots. She admitted that she often felt uncomfortable in social situations, and he confessed to feeling very guilty for some of the pranks he had pulled.

Years passed by as they grew closer. On the few occasions when they were not separated by distance (festivals, parties, family gatherings, and odd business trips), the pair were often together talking, or playing a game, or just sitting quietly.

One of these special occasions was Diamond's twentieth birthday in February of the year 1415, by the Shire Reckoning. The celebration was to be a very small gathering, basically a simple dinner with family and a few friends. On a whim, Merry and Pippin surprised her by arriving one week early: with Diamond and her sister Sapphire, they were passing a pleasant week in Long Cleeve.

The day before Diamond's birthday, something very different happened.

She, Merry, and Pippin had been out for a walk in the snow that afternoon, and had returned to the Smials with red cheeks and cold feet. To warm up, they made tea and went into the sitting room, where a warm fire was already lit.

Diamond curled up in her favorite armchair, while Merry and Pippin shared a quilt on the couch close by. No one spoke: instead, they concentrated on warming their toes and breathing the steam from their teacups. The room was growing steadily dark, so that the fire's light danced across their faces and the tips of their hair. Pippin became very sleepy. After a good half hour, he had leaned his head against Merry and shut his eyes. It wasn't long before both were fast asleep.

Diamond, however, had taken a book from the shelf and sat reading it by the firelight. It was one she had never read before- something about a princess and a dragon. She was halfway through the second chapter when Pippin sneezed, causing her to look up.

How adorable, she thought as Pippin was nuzzling his cousin's arm. They reminded her of newborn kittens, snuggling for warmth. Little, fluffy kittens...

It was too much. Diamond found herself blushing and desperately stifling a giggle behind her open book.

At this, Pippin stirred and looked up with a yawn. "Good morning!" he chirped. "What's so funny?"

Diamond shook her head, still trying to compose herself. "Oh, nothing, nothing..."

"Ah, I see. You have glimpsed our cousinly love," mused Pippin, "and are taken aback by it."

"Not at all," Diamond denied, her cheeks flushing even more at his accuracy.

"If you say so," Pippin yawned again. His gaze turned to the book in her hands. "That's just like you: reading, at a time like this..."

Diamond cocked an eyebrow. "A time like what?"

"Why, a time like being in the middle of a conversation with your dear distant cousins."

"My dear distant cousins are both asleep!" laughed Diamond. Pippin shook his head.

"All the same," He said. "Books are no fun."

"Books are great fun," Diamond corrected. "Each one is a beautiful world full of interesting things and wonderful people, people you will never find in real life. Reading is just another way of exploring."

Pippin snorted.

"I suppose you've never even opened a book," Diamond sighed, giving him a haughty look.

"Yes I have!" Pippin retorted, sitting up. "And it was very boring. I threw it out the window instantly."

"Well, maybe you just picked a bad one," said Diamond.

"I doubt it," Pippin smiled playfully.

An idea struck Diamond then. "Why don't you try reading one of my favorites, and see if you like it?"

"Are you serious?" asked Pippin.

Diamond nodded, a smile growing on her face. "I'll even read it with you. It will be like a little book club. There's one I have a few copies of." She rose and scanned the bookcase eagerly, hovering an index finger over the many different spines.

"Wait, wait," there was a hint of annoyance in Pippin's voice. She stopped. "What will you do for me in return?"

Diamond thought for a moment, then with shining eyes said, "if you will read a book for me, Peregrin, I will bake you ten mushroom pies after you've finished."

"Hmm, tempting," Pippin thought aloud. "And I might accept, if you weren't such a terrible cook."

Diamond frowned.

"I know a better condition," he continued, ignoring Diamond's look. "How about, since you are making me do something I hate, you have to do something you hate?"

"Go on." Diamond rested her hands on her hips.

"If I read your silly book, then you have to help me prank someone," he smirked.

"No!" pleaded Diamond.

"Yes!" Pippin insisted.

There was a long, uneasy pause.

"Deal," said Diamond. Pippin laughed and clapped.

"But nothing too dangerous or hurtful!" Diamond begged, holding up a finger.

"That's for me to decide."

"Peregrin...!"

"Will you two shut it?" Merry piped, not bothering to open his eyes.

"Sorry," whispered Diamond, sitting back down. She and Pippin grew silent.

When Merry began to snore again, they exchanged quiet smiles, and shook on the deal.