After dinner with Gandalf and Bilbo, whom Pippin had been as glad to see as anyone, Peregrin Took and Meriadoc Brandybuck were shown to a private chamber where they could rest for the night. Sam and Frodo had stayed with Bilbo and Gandalf, talking long into the night, but Pippin had been tired and eager to see his bed.

"Where do you suppose Angelica is?" Pippin asked Merry, yawning. The bed, designed for Elves, was huge and soft-looking. Pip climbed up into it and reclined against the pillows, wishing he had an after-dinner pipe.

"Resting, I suppose," Merry replied thoughtfully, climbing up next to Pippin. He began to unbutton his yellow vest.

"I hope she got some dinner."

"I'm sure they fed her, Pip." Merry leaned back and closed his eyes. "I could do with a bath. I still have spider-goo all over me."

"I wish she could have stayed with us."

"Me, too."

"I hate to think of her all alone in this huge place. What if she's frightened?"

"Angelica, frightened? I don't see that," Merry said confidently.

"She was pretty shaken up by those spiders. So was I!"

"We all were."

"And she's worried sick about Ciendriel, and Legolas, too."

"Lord Elrond surely can heal Legolas," Merry said softly. He turned towards Pippin and stroked his hair, which soothed Pippin immensely. He put his arms around Merry for comfort, as he had always been able to do, all of his life. "And I think Ciendriel has little more to fear than the attention of Haldir."

"Oh, she likes Haldir well enough," Pippin said.

"You think so?"

"Yes. He might stand a chance with her if it weren't for Legolas. But that's neither here nor there, Merry. We were speaking of Angelica." He was eager to get back to the subject at hand.

"So we were, Pip."

"Maybe we should go look for her. After all, she's meant to be right here beside us."

"I think I agree with you, but we'll only get in trouble wandering around late at night."

"That's never stopped us before."

"True enough."

And yet for some reason, neither of them moved to get up off of the bed. Pippin was feeling more and more restless. He let go of Merry, tossing and turning on the bed. He missed Angelica. He did not like being separated from her at all. It made him nervous and restless. Then something else occurred to him -- the reason why they had come to Mirkwood in the first place. He had nearly forgotten in all the excitement.

"Merry?"

"Yes, Pip?"

"Do you think they gave it to her already?"

"What?"

"Do you think they--"

"I heard what you said -- gave what to who, Pippin?"

Pippin sighed. "Elfinwort. To Angelica."

"Well, I suppose if she wanted a salad--"

"Merry, don't be dense. Do you not remember why we came to Mirkwood in the first place? It was to help Angelica restore her memory. They're supposed to be able to brew up some potion made of Elfinwort to do that."

"Ah," said Merry, falling strangely silent.

"I don't want her to remember where she belongs and leave us." Angelica still had to answer his proposal, Pippin thought. What if she suddenly remembered that she already had a husband? "I'm in love with her, Merry. I couldn't bear it."

Merry rolled over on his side and looked down at Pippin thoughtfully. "She's not going to leave us."

"How do you know that?"

"I can't believe she didn't tell you. Well, not her fault, I suppose. There hasn't been much time and I know she would have liked to do it in private."

Pippin felt his blood run cold. Merry obviously knew something that he didn't, and that bothered him on many different levels. He did not say anything, just stared at Merry, biting back all his questions, waiting for his cousin to go on.

Merry took a deep breath. "Angelica got her memory back while we were in Rivendell. She told me the night we found the carrots. She wanted to tell you, then, too, but you didn't come into the woods with us."

Pippin was astounded. His mouth dropped open. Yet-- this was not a bad thing, if Merry knew she was not going to leave them. "Well, who is she? Where is she from?"

"She's from Hob's Corners in Long Cleeve."

"That horrid place?"

"Yes."

"Pretty girls, though," Pippin said thoughtfully. "You said she's not going to leave us. She's not going back, then?"

"She has nothing to go back to. She was banished."

"Banished! Merry, that's ridiculous."

"I don't think I ought to be telling you this, anyway. You ought to speak to her about it."

"I'll go look for her right now!"

"No, Pippin, not right now. It's late, and she's probably sleeping. Get some rest. I'm sure you can see her in the morning." Merry rolled over and buried his face in his pillow.

"Why was she banished?"

"I don't think I should be the one to tell you that. It's her story, after all," Merry said without lifting up his head.

"Who else knows?"

"Sam, I think. And Frodo," Merry said slowly. "And maybe Gimli. I think she told Ciendriel as well. And Haldir's the one who brewed her the--"

"So everyone knew but me?" Pippin said with frustration.

"I'm sorry, Pippin."

Always the last to know, Pippin thought, but he wasn't angry. After all, it didn't really change anything, except now he had the relief of knowing that Angelica didn't have to leave them. She was theirs to keep. That thought made him a little giddy.

"Do you think she'll marry me, Merry?" he asked dreamily.

Merry rolled back over and looked at him. "I don't know, Pip," he said. "Is that what you want, what you really want?"

"Of course it is."

"Pippin…" Merry put his arms around him. Pippin looked at him, a little surprised. Merry kissed him slowly and Pippin returned the kiss.

"Don't worry, Merry. It won't change things between us. Why, I thought we could all live together, at least for a time. You don't mind, do you? Because I couldn't do it without your blessing."

"Has she said yes?"

"Well, not yet… do you think she'll refuse me?"

"I told you, I don't know. I-- I hope she says yes, Pip."

"Me too."

"Good. Now, go to sleep."

Pippin couldn't sleep. Soon Merry's steady breathing told him that his cousin was dreaming, but Pippin's mind was far too busy to permit him any rest. Should he be angry with Angelica for keeping this news from him? He couldn't bring it in himself to be, any more than he could be angry at Merry for not telling him. Was there anything else being held back from him? Did it really matter?

He knew that he trusted Angelica entirely, and that if she withheld something from him, he simply did not need to know it. That was that, as far as he was concerned. He sighed. Well, they were here in Mirkwood, so he would ask her again to marry him. He just didn't know what he would do if she refused.

The next morning an Elf arrived to shepherd them back to the dining hall, where Frodo, Bilbo, Gandalf and Sam were breakfasting almost as though they had never left. Frodo looked so happy, Pippin noticed, and this made him happy. He tried not to let on how much he worried about Frodo, but he did, from time to time. Breakfast flowed into second breakfast, and before Pippin could ever excuse himself to go look for Angelica (whom Sam and Frodo had not seen and Gandalf and Bilbo had not met, though they had apparently heard a lot about her,) Thranduil arrived, necessitating a stay far into lunch time.

With Legolas' father were Morgone, Queen of Ingra and Ciendriel's mother, Lord Elrond, and Aragorn…er, King Elessar. Haldir's brothers joined them for high tea, slipping in after the other Elves left to have some sort of meeting and Aragorn snuck out (to the library, he told Pippin) and suddenly it was too close to dinner time to leave.

Pippin was feeling well-fed, but slightly frustrated. If Gandalf told him to be patient one more time, he was going to throw a lembas cake at the venerable old wizard. Didn't anyone else care that Angelica wasn't there? He had been assured that she was being looked after, but he still wanted to talk to her himself.

Aragorn came back into the dining hall, this time with Gimli. From what Pippin gathered they had just run into each other in the hallway.

"Where's the ale?" Gimli boomed. "And where is Thranduil? I must thank him for his excellent hospitality! Never have I been treated so well in the home of a king!"

"I'm insulted," said Elrond, smiling from the doorway. He had returned with Morgone, her arm draped over his.

"You shouldn't be! I've stayed in Rivendell. You could do with some new pillows," King Thranduil said from behind them. "Sit down, sit down, everyone. Dinner is about to be served."

Oh, no, Pippin thought, resting his chin on his hand. He was never going to get to see Angelica at this rate.

"How is Legolas?" Aragorn asked Elrond and Thranduil as he approached the table.

"His wound is healing," Elrond replied confidently. The poison should leave him in the next day or two. I have every expectation that he will be fully recovered by week's end."

"And when will I have the pleasure of meeting your daughter, Morgone?" Aragorn asked the lovely Elf Queen.

"Her betrothed informed me this afternoon that she had awoken. I will go to her after dinner, and perhaps if she is well enough she may be introduced tomorrow morning."

"I look forward to it," said Aragorn. Everyone had taken their seats around the table. Aragorn looked over at Pippin. "Angelica is waiting for you in the library. Why don't you join her there, Pippin?'

"Is she!" Pippin jumped to his feet, never having been so relieved in his life to be excused from a meal. "Um… where is the library?"

"Down the hall to the left," Thranduil told him. "Be sure to bring her back with you."

"Are you truly going to force Ciendriel to marry Haldir?" he heard Frodo asked boldly as he ran out the door. Pippin didn't stick around to hear the answer.

Breathlessly he yanked open a door and caught a glimpse of two unfamiliar Elves locked in an amorous embrace. Oops, wrong door. He watched for a few seconds, then closed it. No time for fooling around. The next door he opened led into the library. At last. Pippin saw Angelica sitting in a plush chair near the window. Her hands were clasped together in her lap. He stopped in his tracks. She was so beautiful that she took his breath away. The light from the setting sun streaming through the window made the beads on her new dress -- she had a new dress! -- glitter like tiny gems.

"You're shining," Pippin said, "Like a diamond."

Angelica turned her head and smiled, but her eyes were still dark, as if something were bothering her, so Pippin hurried to her side, took her hands in his, and kissed her lips softly. She smiled at him.

"I love you, Pippin," she said.

"I love you, too, Angelica. But you know that, don't you? You look beautiful."

"Thank you. I hope-- I hope you still feel the same after what I have to tell you."

Pippin nodded. "If its about your memories returning, don't worry about it. Merry told me last night. It doesn't matter, Angelica. I still want you to marry me. I want you to come home with Merry and I to the Shire. Merry told me it was all right, that you could, that you weren't going back to Hob's Corners."

"Did he tell you why?"

"I don't care why."

"I think you should know…"

Pippin took in a deep breath. She seemed so nervous, so sad. He clutched her hands harder as he nodded. "All right."

"My father banished me because he caught me with Haldir."

"Haldir? What was Haldir doing in Hob's Corners?"

"Passing through, I suppose. They stopped for the night, and I had never seen an Elf before. He was so beautiful, and I couldn't resist, and he let me…" she trailed off. Pippin could guess the rest. He grinned at her, trying not to laugh. "Is that funny?" she said, and then he lost it, laughing so hard he had to let go of her hands and clutch the chair for support. His laughter seemed to infect her, and soon she was laughing, too.

Finally Pippin caught his breath. "I don't care about the past, Angelica," he said at last. "I just want you in my future. All of it. Will you marry me, Diamond of Long Cleeve?"

Angelica took a deep breath.

"I--"