Estella Bolger smiled at Merry as they stood in Elrond's garden in front of the spot where there had once been chrysanthemums growing in profusion. Now only a few plants remained, and those that did had not many flowers on them. They reminded her very much of the flowers Merry had given her the other morning, before the attack on Rivendell.

"The Uruk-hai really trampled these," she said wistfully.

"Er, yes. They did," Merry replied, looking away.

He seemed awfully far away, she thought sadly, though she tried hard to keep the smile on her face. Last night had been so beautiful. Last night he had made her feel as no one else ever had before. He had wakened her body and her soul, and completely stolen what remained of her heart. Merry had loved her over and over, until they were both exhausted. She had never slept so well.

They had been wakened at dawn when Pippin and Diamond had returned, with Pippin apparently soused. Pippin had been singing a loud song at the top of his lungs apparently about an Elf named Rose Weed. Diamond had been trying to shush him, but her giggling was nearly as loud as the singing.

"Where have you been?" Merry asked sleepily.

"Faramir wanted to toast our wedding," Pippin had sighed, sinking to his knees on the floor, pulling Diamond down with him.

"I didn't have any wine," Diamond insisted. She giggled some more. Estella became aware of the fact that she was completely naked beneath the blanket she shared with Merry.

"Merry!" she hissed softly. "Merry!"

"Yes, my love?"

"My…dress…"

"What?"

"She wants you to pass her some clothing," Diamond explained loudly, causing Estella to blush.

"Ohhh, so you did get up to the naughty," Pippin said, his eyes lighting up. Estella pulled the blanket up over her head.

Merry ducked beneath the blanket and kissed her. "Don't be shy."

"I'm so embarrassed," Estella whispered.

"There's no reason to be, Estella. Really."

Estella peeked back over the blanket. Pippin and Diamond were making kissy faces at each other on the floor.

"I wish I was naked," said Diamond. She stood up and started to take off her dress.

"Angelica, wait!" Merry cried. "Maybe not just now, if you please."

Diamond stopped, her dress half covering her face, part of her bare bottom exposed. She wore no undergarments, Estella realized, feeling an odd tingle. Part of her wished that Merry hadn't stopped her, but it was probably more than she was ready to handle just now. Diamond pulled her dress back down and grinned at Merry.

"Now that Faramir, he really knows how to open a bottle of wine," Pippin said. He was lying straight out on the floor now.

"He opened many, many bottles," Diamond explained. "Too bad I couldn't touch a drop."

"Why couldn't you--" Merry began, but Diamond interrupted him.

"Merry, be a dear and hand Estella her dress, I've really got to get Pip into bed."

"Eager, aren't you?" Pippin said, grinning up at her.

"Eager to make sure you don't spend the day passed out drunk on the floor, yes," said Diamond. "And eager to rest myself. We've been up all night. I thought Faramir would never let us go."

"And we have to go to that banquet tonight," Merry added.

"You didn't want to leave either, if I recall," Pippin said to Diamond. "You were sitting on his lap for half the night."

Diamond giggled again. "It was comfortable. Besides, Faramir is a darling man." She looked over at Merry and Estella. "He is going to send a regiment of his Men to escort us safely back to the Shire so Legolas and the others can continue on their journey."

The other female Hobbit found Estella's dress and gave it to Merry, who gave it to Estella. Her cheeks were still burning as she wiggled into it without trying to expose herself. As she managed the trick, she realized that all three of the others were watching her.

"Really!" she exclaimed…but then a smile spread over her face and she laughed. She threw her arms around Merry and hugged him, and the next thing she knew Pippin and Diamond were there, too and they were all hugging and kissing. It felt so right. It felt like family. She wanted to be part of this family, she realized.

And now, in the garden, after Merry had dressed and they had set out to leave the other two to sleep, she wondered if she truly could be. He had seemed so sweet this morning, but now it was as if he were in another land. She hoped he was not regretting what had passed between them. Estella opened her mouth to ask him, then closed it again.

Merry wound his arm through hers and drew her down the path, deeper into the garden. They walked up and down row after row, admiring all the work that had been done to repair it. Here and there they passed Elves and Men of Ithilien on early morning patrols, keeping everything safe. Safe, Estella thought. She finally felt safe again…

"I never would have managed to survive what happened if you weren't here, Merry," she said shyly after a few minutes of silence. They stopped walking in front of a giant row of sunflowers.

"Oh, I think you would have," Merry said, looking into her eyes. "You're stronger than you think, Estella."

She looked back into his large blue eyes and sighed. He had said he loved her last night, even if it had been at her urging. Did he love her still? Did he even mean it, or had he said it just to get her to make love to him?

"I wonder, sometimes," she said. "Thank you, Merry."

"For what?"

"For changing my life. For helping me to grow up. For forgiving me, for caring… however much you do care."

"I care a lot," he said vehemently. He stroked her hair. He took a deep breath. "I love you, Estella Bolger."

Her heart fluttered in her chest. No, it pounded. It threatened to leap out of her mouth like a fish. "I love you, too, Merry Brandybuck."

Her words seemed to cast a magic spell over him. A radiant light came into his eyes. "Do you really? Do you mean it?" he asked breathlessly.

Estella's eyes widened. "Well, of course, I do. This time, I'm not lying, and not pretending."

Merry let out a whoop and seized her around the waist. He lifted her up and spun her around in the air, and Estella threw her head back and laughed.

"She loves me!" Merry shouted, then he set her back down again. "She loves me!"

"That's all very well and good, Master Meriadoc," said Gandalf, striding up the path towards them, "But perhaps you could find a more appropriate…and quiet…way to express your joy. Congratulations."

The old wizard shook Merry's hand and Estella thought she saw him press something into it. Merry closed his fist over whatever Gandalf had passed him.

"Thank you, Gandalf. It means everything to have your blessing," Merry said sincerely. He opened his hand and revealed to Estella the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. It was made of a silvery material that seemed nearly liquid in appearance, and was set around with tiny green stones. Something was carved on the inside in Elvish.

"What does it say?" she asked breathlessly.

"It says, 'with this ring I promise my heart and all of my days,'" Gandalf said, chuckling. "It's Mithril and a rare gem which is occasionally found in the Mithril mines called heartstone. It was crafted here in Rivendell. The ring is an Elvish love token."

Merry dropped to one knee and held the ring up to Estella. "Will you take it?" he asked. "Will you take my heart, and be my wife? Will you marry me, Estella Bolger?"

Her head swam. She swayed on her feet and had to close her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, he was still there, anxiously offering her the ring. She held out a trembling hand to him so he might slide it onto her finger. "Yes," she whispered. "Yes, Merry, I will."

Merry slipped the ring onto her finger and stood up. Estella glanced at Gandalf, who smiled approvingly. He nodded. Estella looked back into Merry's eyes and then he kissed her, with more fervor and passion than she thought she might bear just then. She clung to him, waves of happiness flooding her.

"Thank you, Gandalf," Merry said sincerely, looking up at the old wizard as he let go of Estella. He took her hand in his own as if he could not bear to let go of her.

"You are welcome. It will do my heart good to know that my job with you and Peregrin Took has finished, and that you will both have good wives to keep you out of trouble now. I can sail with Master Elrond in peace."

Gandalf turned and walked away, humming softly to himself. Estella looked shyly at Merry.

"I can't tell you how happy I am," he said. "Let's go tell Frodo!"

The rest of the morning and well on into the afternoon was spent sharing the news, first with Frodo and Bilbo, then with Merry's Elf friends, and Gimli, and finally with Pippin and Diamond when they awoke in the late afternoon. Diamond cried and hugged Estella.

"I always wanted a sister!" she said. "I'm so happy for you!"

"We'll all live together, of course," said Pippin, "Until eventually we have our own families and need our own Hobbit holes."

"That may be sooner than you think," Diamond said, her eyes twinkling.

"What do you mean?" Pippin asked slowly.

"We're going to have a baby, Pip."

Pippin had let out a holler of excitement that rivaled Merry's cry earlier in the garden. If Gandalf had been nearby, he surely would have told him to quiet down, Estella thought. She searched her heart, and found no jealousy over this announcement. In fact, it was rather exciting news. A baby!

"So that's why you want to get home," Pippin said. "I'm such an idiot for not guessing."

"Yes, but a dear idiot," Diamond teased softly.

"We leave for Hobbiton in the morning," Pippin said.

"So that means that tonight we ought to say our good-byes," Merry said slowly.

A somber mood fell upon them all, as they thought of parting from their friends. Estella knew that it would be harder for the other three than for herself, and they had so many whom they loved that they might never see again, the chief among these being Frodo.

And still this sorrow did not dampen their spirits as Elrond entertained them lavishly that night. There was wine and feasting, and best of all, dancing. The six Hobbits danced together with unbridled fervor. Estella had never felt so free, or so joyous. Gimli eventually joined them, dancing with an Elf maiden twice his height called Cherriel, who was an expert on wine.

Haldir was conspicuously absent from the banquet for most of the night, but eventually he arrived and Estella saw Isilwen making her way towards him, her expression marked with urgency. There was something else in her eyes as well, Estella thought as she watched them speaking in the doorway for a moment. Love. She knew it well, could see it now, now that it had come to her.

Eventually it grew very late.

"We had best say good-night if we are leaving early tomorrow," Merry said regretfully.

Good-night meant good-bye. Hardest for Estella was knowing she would never see the wizard Gandalf again, especially after what he had done that morning. She hugged him tightly as he stooped over to embrace her, the scent of pipe-weed clinging to his long white beard.

"Do not cry, Estella. This is the beginning of a new life for you… and for me as well."

"Take good care of Frodo and Bilbo," she whispered.

"Have no fear of it."

Estella tried to control her tears as she waited for Merry, Pippin and Diamond, who were having equally long good-byes with Gimli, Legolas, Ciendriel, Orophin and Rúmil as well as Bilbo, Frodo, and Gandalf, though the Elves and the Dwarf all promised to come and visit them in the Shire, to see the baby and attend their weddings. Estella watched as Diamond and Frodo faced each other for the last time.

Frodo took Diamond's hands in his and bent to kiss her cheeks, which were streaked in tears. "Take care of Sam for me, Angelica," Frodo told her softly.

"Oh, Rosie will do that," Diamond said, laughing slightly and hiccuping back her tears.

"I imagine she will -- but you do it to. For me," said Frodo firmly, smiling at her gently.

Diamond flung her arms around Frodo and Estella could see her trembling. "I'll miss you so much, Frodo Baggins."

"I'll never forget you," Frodo said. "Sometimes I think there's no Hobbit as brave as you are."

"Except for Sam," said Diamond.

"Except for Sam. I love you, Angelica. I always will, no matter how far away I am."

"I love you, too, Frodo! My Frodo!"

Merry came and took Estella's hand then. His face was red, his eyes wet, but he was smiling. "Come on," he said. "Off to bed. Tomorrow we begin a new life."

"We all do," said Estella.

"Yes," Merry agreed. "We all do."