Merry Brandybuck wondered why something couldn't go his way, just for once. Just when Pippin had calmed down about Estella's big lie, the four of them were set at odds as to whether they ought to return to the Shire or continue on the adventure with Legolas' party.

"I'm ready to go back to the Shire," Estella confessed when Pippin and Merry returned to their chamber.

"Me, too," said Angelica, looking Pippin straight in the eye.

"What?" said Pippin. "That's not what you said earlier!"

"I've changed my mind," Angelica said.

"She's influencing you! She's turning you against me!" Pippin said glaring at Estella.

"That's ridiculous," Angelica said calmly. "I have my own reasons for wanting to go back as soon as possible."

"Well, what are they?"

"I'm not of a mind to explain it to you right now, Pippin. It can wait until you're calmer."

"Maybe we should go back," Merry said thoughtfully.

"Now you're siding with her, too. That's great, Merry."

"I'm siding with Angelica as well," Merry pointed out. "And besides, it's not siding, it's sense. What about your wedding? Don't you want to get that out of the way?"

"Out of the way?" Angelica said, rounding on Merry. "You're a romantic, aren't you?"

"I just meant--"

She sighed. "I know what you meant, Merry, and I suppose the sentiment was nice, but--"

"But our wedding is going to be the grandest party the Shire has ever seen!" said Pippin vehemently. "Bigger even than Sam's, or Bilbo's eleventy-first birthday party!"

"Thank you, Pippin," said Angelica. "But you haven't even spoken to Faramir yet. What if he denies us permission?"

"He won't do that," Pippin said confidently.

"He won't," Merry said, agreeing. "Don't worry, Angelica."

"I'm just ready to go home. I'm sorry, Pippin," she said, drawing in a shuddering breath. Immediately Pippin put his arms around her.

"It's all right, Diamond," he whispered. "But don't you think we could have one last, wee adventure--"

"Pippin!"

Merry looked over at Estella. She met his gaze, and it broke his heart that she looked so sad. "I didn't mean to cause so much trouble."

"I know," said Merry. He wondered if he should go and put his arms around her, too, but he didn’t. Instead he turned away and began laying out all the food they had taken from Elrond's storage chamber on the floor. Angelica shoved Pippin away from her, and he smiled guiltily at her.

"I can't help it, Diamond. I feel the pull in me to travel, just once more."

"We're not going to our deaths, Pippin," Merry said sensibly. "Surely we'll travel again."

"Just maybe not for a while," said Angelica. She eyed the food that Merry had laid out. "Are those dates?"

"Yes. The fruits grow wild in Fangorn Forest. Dwarves pick them and dry them out. We almost never get them in the Shire, but Elrond has buckets full! I haven't had any since…since--"

"Since last time we were in Rivendell," Pippin finished. He picked up one of Merry's dates, tossed it up in the air, and caught it in his mouth. Angelica watched the motion with large, round eyes.

"I haven't had them since I was a child," she said wistfully. "And I've been craving them lately."

"Help yourself," said Merry, with his mouth full. "You, too, Estella. Pippin, empty out your pockets. Half of this is for them."

"Thank you," said Estella. She smiled at Merry and his heart leapt in his chest. She sat down next to him, their knees touching. He picked up one of the dates and held it up to her lips. Her tongue darted out to lick it, and Merry groaned. He slid the date into her mouth and looked away, willing the burst of arousal he felt to fade.

"Wait a minute," said Pippin as he spread out the food he was carrying on the carpet next to Merry. "I thought you didn't like dates, Angelica."

"What made you think that?" said Angelica airily, slipping one out of Pippin's hand and popping it into her mouth. "Mmmmm."

Pippin bent over and picked up another date. "You told me so last time we were here. Remember? Elrond served that date pudding for dessert, and you said you'd rather eat Gimli's helmet than choke down a dish of the nasty things."

Angelica grabbed Pippin's wrist, brought his hand to her mouth, and nipped the date out of his fingers, her tongue darting out to lick his fingers as she did. "Oh, surely I was exaggerating," she said.

"I shouldn't be watching this," Merry muttered. He picked up an enormous elf pastry wrapped in a leaf and hid behind it. He unwrapped it and took a bite, feeling the powdered sugar dust his nose.

"What is that?" said Estella.

"Want half?" Merry broke the pastry in half. The sugar now coated his hands and the floor. Estella eagerly took it from him.

"I didn't know Elves ate such good things."

"They usually don't," said Pippin, scooping up more dates.

"Except Thranduil!" said Angelica. "He has great food."

Pippin smiled wistfully. "Thranduil definitely knows how to treat his guests." He tossed another date into the air and tilted his head back, his mouth open, but Angelica caught it before it could land in his mouth. Pippin sighed. "I'm never going to get a date this way, am I?"

Angelica laughed and kissed him on the cheek before eating the pilfered fruit. "Sorry, Pip."

"We've got plenty of them," said Merry sensibly, or as sensibly as anyone covered with powdered sugar could be, anyway. "Sit down."

The four Hobbits devoured the makeshift dinner, down to the last lick of powdered sugar. Merry had to stop Pippin from eating the leaf that the pastry was wrapped in. The food brought them together, and their differences were put aside at least for the few minutes that it took them to consume it. Pippin produced a bottle of wine and they shared that as well, except for Angelica who claimed that she hated Elven wine, an admission almost as strange as her new love of dates.

"What are going to tell Legolas, then?" Pippin said lazily as they all reclined together on the floor, still passing the wine back and forth.

"I wish we had a pipe," Merry said, trying to change the subject. "Do you think Gandalf might spare us some pipe weed?"

"Trying to get pipe weed from Gandalf is like trying to get an Orc to sing you a lullaby," Pippin said.

Estella giggled and Merry winked at her.

"I think Legolas will understand that we want to go home," Angelica said, putting an end to Merry's distraction.

"He'll escort us back to the Shire if we want to go there," said Merry.

"Not all of us do," Pippin insisted. "Are you sure, Angelica, that you don't want to go find this harp?"

"I'm sure," she said. "What do we need with it anyway?"

"Legolas means to give it to Thranduil," Merry said. He started to pass the wine to Estella, but when she reached for it, he caught her hand and pulled her up against him.

"Merry, stop," she said, blushing. He kissed her nose.

"You were sitting too far away."

"It's supposed to have magical properties, I think," Pippin said.

"I don't need magic harps to be happy," Angelica said. "Everything I love resides in the Shire. Let's go home, Pippin. Please."

"Well…" Pippin said, looking around. "Is that really what all of you want?"

Both of the girls nodded, and despite Pippin's pleading look, Merry nodded, too. He looked at Estella, so shy and beautiful, and knew that the next adventure he wanted was one which would lead him into her arms, for always.

"Why don't you do talk to Faramir tonight?" Merry suggested.

"I'm sure he's busy," Pippin said.

"I bet he's not too busy for you, Pippin," Angelica said. She got to her feet and took his hand. "Come on. I'll go with you."

Pippin stood up as well. He looked from Merry to Estella and back and finally got the point. "Ohhh, yes. We'll go look for Faramir. And we'll take a really long time."

"Thank you," said Merry.

"You'll probably be in bed by the time we get back," Pippin added.

"Pippin!" said Angelica, poking him in the ribs. She began to drag him towards the door.

"Sleeping!" Pippin said slyly.

They left the room, closing the door loudly behind them. Merry felt his cheeks heat up as he looked at Estella. "Alone at last."

"Yes," she said, her voice barely a whisper.

He climbed slowly to his feet, pulling Estella up with him. She slid up his body until they were face to face. Estella looked into his eyes, as if she were searching for something. Merry brought his mouth to hers, a kiss filled with urgency. She made a small noise of fright, but it dissolved into a moan.

Merry continued to kiss her as he maneuvered her towards the bed. His hands roamed over her back and tangled in her long, curly brown hair. One hand slid down to squeeze her bottom and she gasped, pushing against his chest.

"Merry!"

"I want you, Estella. They've left us alone on purpose. Come to bed with me."

"I…I…"

"I'll go slow. I won't hurt you. Please…"

Slowly Estella nodded. Merry climbed up onto the bed, then helped her up beside him. It was soft and comfortable, with a down blanket and loads of squishy pillows. Merry sighed. He was still tired, and it would have been easy to roll over and go to sleep, but he knew they might not have a chance to be alone like this, in a bed, again until they got back to the Shire.

He kissed her again, lying beside her, his hand stroking the length of her body. He caressed her breasts through the thin material of her dress, then began to undo the buttons on it. At first she moved to stop him, then her hands fell away and she let him peel off the garment.

"Trust me," he whispered.

"I do trust you, Merry," she said firmly. She reached out and began to unbutton his yellow vest with trembling fingers.

Estella's dress fell away and Merry was distressed to discover another layer of clothing beneath it. Angelica never wore this much beneath her dress, Merry thought, but he was wise enough not to voice his thought out loud. Still, the female underclothing presented a challenge, one which Merry was fully prepared to face.

He stroked her body through the delicate material. He bent and kissed each nipple through the delicate lace, then teased them with lips, tongue and teeth until they were sharp points of desire. Estella writhed beneath him and moaned his name.

"That sounds so good, my name on your lips," Merry said in a low, eager voice, and struggled to get free of the rest of his own clothing.

He watched her eyes travel over his body and liked the approval he saw in her eyes. Again he turned his attention to her underwear, and soon she was equally undressed.

"Merry… I've never…"

"I know." He kissed her tenderly and slid his hand between her legs. "But you're ready."

"Do you love me, Merry? Just a little bit?"

"More than a little bit. I'm crazy about you, Estella Bolger. I love you madly."

"I'm glad to hear it," Estella said faintly, and it wasn't until after lunch the next day that Merry realized she had not said it back to him.