Author's Note: I'm pretty new to reading fanfiction, but so far every non-comedy fanfic that I have read has either had a problem-to-solve kind of plot or a explaining-their-emotions kind of one. When I started working on this fic I didn't have one of those plots, and I still don't. I just felt like writing a series on what goes on with Merry and Pippin after they're both married, without one major problem to solve during the series. The question is, is this even interesting? Is it interesting to read a number of fics about their lives where there's no common plot or problem? Please read and review this first part and tell me what you think! Remember that I'm new to this, I've only written a few things before, and I might have some factual errors here and there which are because I haven't read that much of the appendix. Some mentionings of things that have happened in the past will be further developed later. And please don't review and tell me "Merry had no children", because even though they were left out from his family tree the appendix does state that he had at least one son. And btw, when degrees are mentioned it is always degrees Celcius!
Disclaimer: The characters and places from LotR belong to JRR Tolkien.
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"Estella, are you really sure?" Rose Gamgee said with a sigh. "It would be so much better for you if you just stayed inside!"
"Yes I'm sure" Estella said with a laugh and wrapped her scarf around her. "I will just be right out here."
"When I expected Elanor, I took it very easy the last few weeks" Rose said with a frown. "And your baby seems to be a lot bigger. Running about outside is not good for you."
"I promise I won't be running" Estella said. "But a little fresh air won't do me any harm."
"All right" Rose said, caving with a sigh. "But if I look out that window and see you trying in any way to help the lads out with their business, you're grounded until the baby arrives."
Estella smiled and went outside. She had a strong feeling Rose would stand by the window the entire time, making sure she didn't put strain on herself. Estella found that completely unnecessary, she knew Merry would never let her lift a finger to help them out in her current condition anyway. But her once so careless friend Rose had become much more troubled in the past years, and she had now easy to worry.
Estella walked across the grass leading up to the apple trees where Merry and Pippin were busy picking apples. Diamond was running back and forth with baskets, constantly picking up ones full of apples and returning with them emptied. Estella wished she could help out, but she knew she couldn't. Rose had remarked that she should take this opportunity to rest, because she wouldn't get much rest done once the baby was born. But Estella wasn't much for just sitting around doing nothing.
"Looks like we're getting a lot of apples this year" she remarked as she approached the tree.
"Indeed it looks that way" Pippin grinned from a tree branch, carelessly throwing the apples he picked down into a basket.
"Peregrin!" Diamond angrily cried out as she came back with an empty basket. "Get down from there! Hobbits don't belong in threes."
"Sorry" Pippin said with another grin, and tossed another apple into the basket.
"And do not throw the apples like that, you ruin them!"
"But darling, how else are we to reach the apples that are higher up, if one of us don't climb up here?" Pippin asked.
"We let them fall to the ground when they're ready, and then feed them to the animals" Diamond said. "Like Hobbits always do."
"Well if they're going to fall down anyway and be fed to the animals, what does it matter if I ruin them by tossing them into baskets?" Pippin asked.
"Merry!" Diamond said, picked up another basket and left. That was the standard, when Pippin managed to twist things about so that she didn't know what to say or do, she let Merry take over.
Merry smiled and shook his head at Pippin as Diamond left. He picked another apple and handed it to Estella.
"They look fine, but do they taste fine?" he asked her.
"Delicious" she said after taking a bite.
"We'll be sure to send some with Rosie then" Merry said. "That Sam out of all Hobbits should be without an apple tree puzzles me."
"Why would he need one, if he wants apples we give him apples" Pippin commented from his branch.
"Here" Merry said, and handed Estella another apple. "Go give this to Rosie. A tasty hint of the apples that are to come."
"You just want me back inside, don't you?" Estella remarked.
"Not at all" Merry said. "In fact, I hope you come back after giving her the fruit. As much as I enjoy a nice warm hobbit hole, on a day like today there is no place like outside."
Estella gave him a warm smile and started to walk back to the hole. In the corner of her eye she saw Pippin finally jumping down from his branch, only to have Merry climb up there instead. She quickly turned around.
"Merry!" she yelled. She hated when he climbed trees, she constantly worried that he would fall and hurt himself.
"Let me know what Rosie thinks of the apples!" he called back, ignoring her angry tone of voice.
Estella sighed and went back inside. She felt in no way up for the challenge of getting him down from that tree. She handed Rosie the apple and they sat down together.
"The apples are nice this year" Estella said.
"Yes" Rose said. "These will make good pies."
"Indeed they will" Estella said with a chuckle. "And I can bet that the lads will be expecting pie for this evening. I think those two could eat one giant pie made out of all these apples, all in one meal, by the two of them."
"Yet they never seem to grow around the waist" Rose commented. "They are the only two Hobbits I know who instead have grown in height at their ages."
"Merry won't explain that to me, though I am really curious over how that can be" Estella said thoughtfully, biting her apple.
"With a father like Merry your child is likely to be big" Rose pointed out. "You really need to rest and save your strength, for it is going to be a hard delivery."
"Like you said yourself Rose, they grew taller just a few years ago" Estella said. "Merry was no taller than any other Hobbit before. So why should the child be?"
"You're bigger than I was when I expected Elanor" Rose said. "Or Frodo. Or any of them."
"It will be all right" Estella said.
"You really ought to relax and save strength" Rose said with a sigh.
"But being outside is my relax" Estella said. "To be with them… When they're outside working and I'm in here doing nothing, I can't relax anyway wondering what they're doing and what they're saying. I want to be there, to hear the stories and jests, and to at least observe their tasks if I can't help them. And I can't ask them to do indoor things, the apples need to be picked now, and then there are the cherries and the pears and the currants…"
Rose didn't reply and Estella didn't continue. They sat in silence for a while, until Estella had finished her apple. Then she slowly got up, it was not so very easy these days, and returned outside. She noticed that both Merry and Pippin were down on the ground by now, and the tree seemed empty of apples.
"That was fast!" Estella remarked in surprise. "How did you manage so fast?"
"We have our secrets" Merry said with a smirk. "And whether or not you noticed, you've been gone for about half an hour."
"And we've got seven more trees to relieve of their apples" Pippin said. "I'm beginning to believe Sam was on the right track with not having apple trees."
"You say that every year," Estella commented, "and yet I've never seen anyone so fond of apple pie." She glanced over at Merry. "Although Pippin I must say you're not the worst apple eater at Crickhollow. I should say it's a good fortune we have so many trees, or Merry would have eaten them all before winter!"
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Not until dusk fell did Estella decide to go back inside. Diamond was already inside, probably helping Rosie with her youngest child. Rose had given birth to her fifth child a few months back, a lad they had named Pippin, and she had felt he was too young to be apart from his mother for a longer period of time. Nobody knew how long it would be before the first child would arrive at Crickhollow, Rose had already stayed there for five days and she knew it could be weeks before she could go back to Bag End.
Estella cast a glance behind her when she heard the lads coming out from the barn. Merry and Pippin seemed to be discussing something, but her wonders why were interrupted by a sudden pain. Having not at all expected it, she sunk down to the ground, and she heard Merry drop whatever he had been holding and come running up to her. He put his hands on her shoulders and kneeled down beside her.
"Estella! Are you all right?"
"Wait…" she said, and waited until the surprising pain and gone away. "Yes," she then said. "Yes I'm all right."
"What happened?" Pippin's voice asked from somewhere behind her.
"I… I want Rosie!" Estella said.
"Here, up on your feet" Merry said and tried to help her up. She resisted, without really knowing why. "Pippin help me here!" Merry said.
Together the two lads got her back on her feet. They started walking back up to the house, Merry with his arms around whatever waist she now had, and Pippin a few steps behind. Estella didn't know what the pain had been for sure, but she had a suspicion. She had never been present for a child's birth, when she had lived at Bag End she had watched the other children while Rosie was in labour. She didn't know what it was supposed to feel like, it occurred to her that no one had told her and she hadn't asked anyone. She knew Rosie feared it would be a hard delivery, and she didn't want to know what that meant.
"I'll go get the last basket of fruit" Pippin said and hurried over to one of the apple trees. Merry and Estella stopped to wait for him.
"What happened?" Merry asked her.
"I'm not sure I know" she said.
"Did your legs just give way?" Merry asked.
"Don't mind thinking about your herbs and your brews" Estella said. "I don't need it. I'm fine, Merry."
"Are you sure? Because there's a--"
"I'm fine" Estella said. "There is nothing wrong with my legs."
They waited as Pippin picked up the last basket of apples and returned to them, but they had only just started to walk back to their hole again when Estella felt the pain once again. She was more prepared this time, but she could feel herself tense up and she knew Merry would notice it. And just as she'd thought he stopped and eyed her until the pain went away and she relaxed again.
"What's wrong?" he asked again.
"I think…" she said but then quieted. She didn't want to say the baby was coming in case she was wrong.
"Is it the baby? Is something wrong with the baby?" Merry asked, still being his calm self but this time a bit more stern.
"The baby's fine" Estella said. "Although I think it might have decided to arrive. I must speak with Rosie."
"Let's get you inside" Merry said and led her back inside the hole, followed by Pippin who put the basket of apples down on the table.
Hearing them enter, Rosie came in, holding baby Pippin in her arms. She looked very displeased that Estella had been out so long, she had tried for the past few hours to get her back inside. She was glad that Merry at last seemed to have come to his senses and bring her back inside, and from now on she was going to keep her friend inside until the baby arrived.
"Estella Brandybuck!" she said firmly. "I ought to grab you by the ear for being out so long! How many times do I have to tell you that you need your rest? And you two," she said, looking at Merry and Pippin, "you ought to have enough sense in you to bring her inside a little sooner!"
"A little fresh air won't do her any harm" Merry said, still as calm as ever and gently pushed Estella down in a chair. "And she won't get a lot of fresh air in the nearest future anyway."
"On that matter we agree" Rosie said. "From now on you're going to stay inside, Estella. Running around outside when your child might come any day, it is not a great idea. Stay inside, help me with Pippin and make sure you have everything ready for your child to arrive. And get some rest."
Estella nodded, not knowing what else to say or do.
"Let me get this…" Merry said and gently unwrapped the scarf she had wrapped around her.
"Good thing you brought her in now at least" Rose said, looking worried and glancing at the scarf. "It's getting quite cold at night! She'll need more than that scarf to keep her warm!"
"We won't take any credit for bringing her inside" Pippin said. "She was already on her way."
Rosie looked at Estella, who was feeling the pain come back again, and quickly drew conclusions.
"Oh that's what's going on…" she said. Her stern look was gone and replaced by a motherly smile. "I should have known that was the one thing to bring her back inside. Merry help me get her up. We have to find her a bed."
"So it's time then?" Merry said, pulling Estella to her feet.
"I should think so" Rose said. "Are you feeling contractions, love?" she asked Estella. "Yes. I think so" Estella admitted.
"Follow me then" Rose said. Estella followed carefully, leaning on Merry. "If everything goes as planned, Merry," Rose said, "you will be a father before the break of day. At least I hope so, but with this child it might take longer. I do believe it's a rather large little Hobbit we'll be bringing into the world today."
Suddenly Diamond showed up in the doorway, and before she could say a word Rose handed over her child.
"Take Pippin, please" she said. "He's ready to be put to bed, but I have to put someone else to bed right now.. Little Pippin won't be the only child in this hole much longer now."
"The baby?" Diamond asked.
"Indeed" Rose said. Now that she had her hands free, she took over Merry's job of supporting Estella and led her down the hall to find a room for the baby to be born.
"Diamond" Merry said. "If Rose needs us for anything, you come and get us."
"Where are you going?" Diamond asked.
"The stables."
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Pippin sat down with a sigh and leaned back against the wall of the stable booth.
"It's almost pitch black out now" he told Merry. "Not a single star in sight, and the moon seems to have vanished."
"Neither moon nor star?" Merry said. "Then I wish to remain here for the rest of the night. The darkest nights scare me, they never fail to remind me of that endless darkness during the end of the War."
"How much longer do you think it will be?"
"A matter of a few hours" Merry said. "But it seems to be going nicely."
He glanced over at the cow occupying the booth. It was time for her calf to be born, they had noticed it only minutes before Estella's labour had begun. It had been a little over an hour since then, and it was not long until supper time. They had gotten used to eating late suppers, and Merry was getting quite hungry, but he had a feeling there would be no late supper this evening. Nobody had time to cook.
Next to him Pippin also sat hungry. He wrapped his blanket around him and eyed the birthing cow, out of lack of other things to look at. He couldn't define what he was feeling, and he couldn't understand why he felt it. He had been present for the birth of several cows, there had been two born at Crickhollow this year already, yet somehow this time it made him uncomfortable. He glanced over at Merry who seemed to be no different from any other night, even though Pippin felt he should be the uncomfortable one. His wife was going through the same thing as the cow right now, and that made Pippin more nervous than anything else. He had never been present for the birth of a child, and even though he wasn't even in the same hole as Estella he felt like he was way too close. It made him very uncomfortable.
"Just to think Meriadoc..." he said, mostly to have something to say. "You're having a baby. Right now."
"I know" Merry said.
"You're going to be a father."
"I know."
"You don't feel nervous? Or maybe anxious?"
"No" Merry said. "What's to get nervous about?"
"You're going to have a child, that's what!" Pippin said. "A little Hobbit, possibly even an heir, somebody you're going to have to spend the rest of your life worrying about. Even if the child only does half of what you've done you'll have plenty of reason to worry."
"I know that. But I don't think the thing about parenting is worrying."
"But things won't be the same for you anymore" Pippin said. "Doesn't that make you the least bit nervous? It's no longer just you and Estella, it's a baby now as well. You won't even be able to visit friends without planning it ahead!"
"That depends on whether or not I plan to bring the child with me" Merry said. "If I decide to ride over to Bag End for a day or two I won't need to bring the child, as long as Estella's home."
"It's still a big change. The life you know won't be the same..."
"Yes" Merry said. "But it's what's supposed to happen. I don't feel like my life comes to an end just because my wife is having a child."
"Of course not. But life will change."
"Hasn't it so many times already? Did you ever think you would some day be a knight of Gondor? That I would consider a human princess one of my dearest friends? That Frodo Baggins would save the world and Sam Gamgee become mayor? Life changes, and I like that. I've come to realize that changes lead to better things in the end. I've paid for some of the changes in my life, but there's always been a reward in the end."
"I still find it a bit scary" Pippin said. "My cousin and best friend will all of a sudden be someone's father. It feels as if... like we're not young anymore."
Merry couldn't help but laugh.
"Pip... We won't age ten years just because we'll have an infant around. It's about time I start a family, I'm over forty now. And I do feel like I've experienced enough to be able to settle down. There will never be an adventure greater than the one we've already been through, so I'm not going to sit around and wait for one."
"Me neither, but... It still scares me. I can't explain why. I haven't even felt this way really until now, now that it's actually happening and it's real." Pippin paused for a second. "Are you thinking about it?"
"My life changing because of my child?"
"No, I meant that it's happening right now... That Estella's having the baby right now."
"Of course I'm wondering how long it will be..."
"If it were Diamond I would be going crazy. I've never seen a Hobbit being born, but if it's anything like a calf's birth then it's a horrifying thought that someone you love has to go through it."
"I thought you loved the cows" Merry said in jest. Then he looked thoughtful. "You used to love Estella."
"I can't deny that I once hoped she'd be having my children" Pippin said. "But things are different now. I love Diamond. I just think it's unsettling that someone we both care about is going through the ordeal that childbirth is. And it doesn't seem to bother you at all."
"Lasses have birthed children for all of time, Pippin" Merry said. "And although it's probably the toughest thing they do in life, it doesn't bother me. It's just the way things are... And put it in perspective with all the things we've seen, it's not something to get bothered by."
"I'm not following" Pippin said, although he thought he did. But he wanted to keep the conversation going, hoping that Merry would say something that would make him less nervous. Maybe some of Merry's calmed togetherness would be able to leap over to Pippin, who really needed it.
"We saw Gandalf face the balrog alone to save the fellowship. We saw Boromir die trying to save us. We saw the Ents march and we saw the destruction of Isengard. Furthermore, you saw Denethor go mad and try to kill himself and Faramir. I in return saw Théoden die and Éowyn stand up against the Witch King of Angmar himself. There are more examples... The point is, we've seen so many people die and suffer, getting hurt and losing. And so when my wife has our first child, I'm not bothered by the thought of what she goes through. Because it leads to something good. Childbirth has to be the only time pain is good, because it leads to something well worth the pain. I would live through captivity with the orcs again for this child of mine, and it hasn't even been born yet. I expect Estella to be willing to put up with the pain of birth. Once that child has been born, she will know it was worth it."
"You never worry that something might go wrong, then?" Pippin asked.
"I don't think about it" Merry said in a tone that clearly said he didn't want to talk about it.
Pippin nodded and turned his eyes back to the cow. He was getting hungrier and hungrier but he couldn't make himself go into the hole and get something to eat. He was afraid of hearing Estella, and afraid of bothering her. At the moment he felt scared of Rosie too, and what she would say or do. It didn't occur to him that Rosie would have no problem with it - she probably thought they were in Merry' study or somewhere else in the hole anyway.
Merry glanced at the cow who had been birthing for close to ninety minutes by now. Estella's labour had begun almost at the same time. He knew a little about labour, his father had taught him what he knew when Merry had learned about herbal medicine. He knew that a lass' first child could take a very long time, and he wondered how long it would be for Estella.
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"Estella Brandybuck!" Rosie said with a sigh as she entered the room with a bottle and a cloth. "Haven't I told you a hundred times already?"
"Yes you have" Estella said. "But I like it better this way."
"How can you tell?" Rosie said. "You haven't even tried lying down!"
Estella kept a sigh in. Rosie wanted her to get into bed and just stay there, but Estella didn't want to. She knew it would most likely take several hours, and to just lie down for so long without sleeping didn't agree with her. She was far too energetic. And she liked walking around, liked to move. She hadn't had any bad contractions, at least she didn't think so. She could tell they were getting a bit more intense, but if she just stood still and breathed calmly she got through them without a problem.
She wanted to keep on standing and walking for as long as possible, but Rosie didn't like that idea. Rosie kept telling her to save her strength and lie down and rest, but Estella knew she wouldn't get much rest by lying down. However, she could tell from the look on Rosie's face that there was no point in arguing. Rosie had given birth to five children herself, so she spoke from experience. But Estella couldn't help thinking that even though Rosie preferred to lie down that didn't necessarily mean that it was the best thing for Estella too.
"Come now" Rosie said and gently put her arm on Estella's shoulder.
"There's no use in arguing, is there?" Estella asked. Then she felt a new contraction coming and closed her eyes.
"No point in arguing" Rosie said once the contraction ended. "Don't you feel it would be easier to lie down when the pain comes? Please, just lie down on the bed..."
Estella gave up arguing and let Rosie lead her to the bed. As soon as Rose left the room she could get up and walk around again, she could afford to let Rose believe for now that she had won the battle. Rose made sure she was lying comfortably and then got her a blanket. Estella saw her walk over to the table where she had placed the bottle and cloth and open the bottle. Rosie then wet the cloth with the liquid in the bottle.
"What's that?" Estella asked.
"I'm worried, that is no secret" Rosie said. She walked over to Estella. "I fear it's going to be a very hard delivery for you, and I wish to spare you from as much of it as I can."
"Do you really think I will have a baby that big?" Estella said, getting nervous. "Do you think it's going to be bad?"
"I honestly don't know" Rosie said. "Birthing even a small child is hard, birthing a large one will be much harder! But I wish to help you..." She put the cloth over Estella's mouth and nose. "Just breathe, dear... This will put you to sleep, and you won't feel a thing."
Estella opened her mouth to ask how long she'd be sleeping, but before she could she was already asleep.
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"Pippin? Merry?"
Pippin and Merry both looked up at the sound of their names. It was Diamond's voice. Pippin was on his feet in just a few seconds.
"Diamond! Something smells wonderful..."
"You never say that unless I bring food" Diamond said and pretended to be offended. "A lass could almost believe you don't think she smells nice."
"You smell great, you always do" Pippin said and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Now about that pie I smell..."
Diamond smiled and reached an apple pie over the walls of the booth to the very pleased Pippin. The pie was shortly followed by two plates and cutlery.
"When did you bake this?" Pippin asked, happily cutting himself a large piece.
"Just now. It's fresh from the oven" Diamond said and smiled at Pippin's grin. "After I put baby Pippin to bed I had to think of something to do. And knowing you and your appetites, I thought I should bake you a pie..."
"Ah... Nothing says 'I love you' like an apple pie!" Pippin claimed.
"Hunger always makes you exaggerate" Merry said and got a piece of pie for himself. "Diamond do you know how Estella is doing?"
"Sorry, I don't" Diamond said. "But Rosie hasn't asked me to help her with anything yet, so that ought to be a good sign. She's just complaining about Estella refusing to get into bed."
"That sounds like Estella..." Merry said. "She's not good at just sitting or lying to rest. She needs to do something to keep her occupied."
"You'd think childbirth would occupy her enough" Diamond said. "But so far I believe it's going rather well. Rosie worries of course, she thinks you will father big children."
"I don't think our children will take after us in that department" Merry said calmly.
"How's the cow?" Diamond asked. "How long until the new calf arrives?"
"Hard to say" Merry said. "But I don't think it will be long..."
"We're going to have to sell a few cows this year, aren't we?" Diamond said. "With four new calves..."
"We're thinking about selling the three we got last year" Pippin said. "We have eight cows them included, with these ones we'll have twelve next year... That's more than what we need. And frankly, more than we'll have room for!"
"Personally I think we'd get by with only one" Merry said. "We never planned on farming anyway..."
"I know..." Pippin said. "But we hardly do farm. And we need the cows for the milk and the beef."
"As much as the two of you eat, I wonder if twelve cows wouldn't be such a bad idea after all" Diamond said. "Nobody could ever cook enough to satisfy you two. And it gets even worse when Sam Gamgee comes to visit, I don't understand how the three of you can eat so much!"
"We hate hunger" Pippin said with passion. "It's something we've had more than enough of, especially Sam."
"What about the pie, have you had enough of that?" Diamond wondered. "I was going to take the rest to Rosie."
"You mean this one wasn't just for Merry and me?" Pippin said, looking truly surprised.
"No, you fool!" Diamond laughed. "I only made one..."
"Take the rest to Rose" Merry said. "Pippin and I can get by on what we have. And if Rose needs anything, come get us right away!"
Diamond nodded and grabbed the pie Pippin handed her. She pulled her cape around her with one hand and went back out in the chilly night.
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Estella woke up with a headache. At first she couldn't remember where she was or what had happened. All she knew was that she wasn't in her bedroom. She shook her head gently to clear her head and noticed something on the left side of her bed.
It was Merry. He was sitting in a wicker chair, quietly singing something she didn't recognise. She shook her head again and things started to clear out a bit. She suddenly remembered the events before she had gone to sleep. She wondered where Rosie was, and how much longer it would be before the baby was born. Most of all she wondered what Rose would say when she found Merry in there.
Merry turned to look at her, and his smile grew even warmer when he noticed that she was awake.
"You're awake!" he said softly. "How do you feel?"
"I don't know" Estella said. "Where's Rose?"
"Getting some rest. She's had a tough night."
"How... for... when... Have I been sleeping for long?"
"Yes" Merry said. "You've woken up twice but Rose's made you sleep again each time." "Have you been here long? Rosie will have a fit."
"Just a short while" Merry said. "I've spent most of the night out in the stables. It's mighty cold out tonight... I'm glad to be back inside."
"What have you been doing out in the stables?" Estella wondered.
"We're not the only ones who have become parents tonight" Merry said, the warm smile lighting up his face.
"The baby..." Estella said.
"Born just a little while ago" Merry said.
"Can I see him? Where is she? Is it a boy or a girl?"
"Well..." Merry said, carefully getting up from the rocking chair. "She is right here. But... I'm a bit unwilling to hand her over, I must admit."
Estella suddenly noticed the bundle in his arms. She couldn't see much more than blankets and some dark curls, but when she sat up to get a closer look the sharp pain made her lie down again with a groan.
"Easy..." Merry said and sat down next to her. "Just relax for once in your life. Even though Rosie's prediction didn't come true your body has been through quite a lot."
"The baby's not huge?"
"I've seen human babies, compared to them this child of ours is wee" Merry said with a warm chuckle, not taking his eyes off the bundle in his arms.
"Let me see!" Estella said and once again tried to sit up.
"Didn't I tell you easy?" Merry said when she once again groaned with pain and sunk back down. "Here she is..." He gently pulled down the blankets and tilted the baby so that his wife could see the tiny Hobbit lass. "Rosie's given her first meal" he told Estella. "She didn't want to wake you up..."
"She's beautiful" Estella whispered.
"Takes after her mother, she does!" Merry said with his voice filled with fatherly pride. "And Éowyn is her name. That is unconditional, I will not argue with you on that! Éowyn Brandybuck, and no other name..."
"Éowyn. It's not a Hobbit's name."
"It is now" Merry said. "For this Hobbit carries the name. And she will carry it with pride, for she is named after the great Shield Maiden of Rohan, the White Lady herself!"
"You and your ladies and kings and Rohans..." Estella muttered. "Éowyn it is then, if that will please you."
"Very much so" Merry said and gave Estella a kiss. "You and Éowyn have always been the lasses I have loved most of all. Now that my daughter has arrived and immediately taken a firm hold of my heart it is only fitting that she carries the name of one of my loves."
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*
Pippin couldn't go to sleep. It was just a little more than an hour before the sun would rise, yet sleep would not come to him. Diamond's steady breaths next to him were of no help, he had always found it harder to go to sleep when someone else was already sleeping next to him. But it was just as well that she was sleeping, he knew how cranky she could get if she didn't get enough sleep. And he also knew that when baby Pippin woke up Diamond would be the one tending to him, since Rose would be enjoying her well earned rest. Diamond needed her sleep.
Pippin rolled over on his side and sighed. Merry was a father. His cousin had a daughter. Pippin couldn't believe it. He had always known responsible old Merry would make a good father, but now that there actually was a little child in the hole fathered by Merry Pippin couldn't come to terms with it. His mind couldn't register it. The knot in his stomach was still there, it hadn't gone away with the arrival of the child. The fact was that the child scared him. This little lass whom he hadn't even seen yet seemed scarier than every troll or orc he had stood before. This child was inadvertently going to change their lives forever, it was a little being whom held incredible power over the ones who loved her in her little hands. Every little cry from her had to be tended to, and as she grew older she would have needs and demands which would need to be met.
"What are you tossing about for?" Diamond growled from her side of the bed, awoken by her husband's inability to go to sleep. "It's nearly dawn, Peregrin! Go to sleep!"
"I can't sleep, Diamond" Pippin complained.
"What is it then?" Diamond asked with a sigh and rolled over to face him. "Have you eaten too many apples?"
"I've never slept with an infant child in the hole before!"
Diamond growled with frustration and rolled over on her other side. Sometimes Pippin could really annoy her. But at least he seemed to be lying still now, so she could go back to sleep without being disturbed. Just as she was about to drift off she felt him spoon her, and his warm breath against her neck woke her up again.
"You are hopeless..." she mumbled affectionately. "Try to sleep love, so you've got strength to meet the newest addition to the family tomorrow."
"Later today."
"Later today."
"Was she beautiful?" Pippin asked.
"You'll fall in love."
"I already am in love."
"You'd better be!"
Diamond drifted off to sleep again. Pippin gently let his hand slide from her hip to her belly, wondering what it would feel like to put his hand there when she was expecting child. The thought was unreal to him, that a child could be inside his wife, grow inside her body and then enter the world in a manner that made Pippin cringe. Yet that was the way it was and always had been, and for someone with his past it shouldn't seem like such a wonder.
He closed his eyes and tried to pretend that Diamond was expecting child right now. Would it feel any different to place his hand on her belly before it had started to grow? Would he be able to feel the baby move? He had felt Estella's child kick once, and he was sure it must have hurt her, though she hadn't made a face. He shuddered slightly and thanked his lucky star that he was a lad and wouldn't have to go through what Estella had these past months. He kissed his wife gently on the neck and wondered how long it would be before she was expecting child. He knew she longed for one, and he knew that she would not mind going through pregnancy and labour, just like Estella hadn't seemed to mind. She was a strong lass, his wife, and she would be much stronger than he when their first child made its appearance.
*
*
*
It was mid-afternoon when the inhabitants of Crickhollow finally seemed to be up and about again. Diamond had been up first, changing baby Pippin's diaper and feeding him milk from the cow with the new-born calf. She had then gone back to sleep for a while before getting up again to cook breakfast for the adults who would wish to eat one.
Rose had been the last one to get up, save Estella who for once didn't feel like being up and about. She was very soar and preferred to lie as still as possible, holding her baby in her arms or letting her lie on Merry's pillow. Merry and carefully moved her to their bedroom, and Rosie claimed Estella had made more noise during that transportation than she had at any point the night before. Rosie hadn't given the lads any details from the birth, and neither had Diamond who had assisted Rose, but it was a mighty proud midwife who sat down to have lunch with the masters of Crickhollow.
"She is not at all as large as I had feared" she said while serving herself more chicken. "Much the same size as Elanor and Rosie were when they came into the world. But she has the curliest hair I have ever seen on a Hobbit child! She sleeps like a log too, all my children have slept very little the first twenty-four hours!"
"Hopefully she will keep on sleeping like a log" Merry said. "So far I haven't yet heard her scream!"
"No, you were safely hidden out in the stables, tending to the new-born calf, when she decided to let us know she was hungry" Rosie said. "I assure you Master Brandybuck, your lass can cry as loud as any child there ever was. She came into the world screaming like she feared her first moment would be her last, and that seems to be her only screaming level."
Merry just smiled and continued to listen as Rosie bragged about her best friend's firstborn child. He could not hear enough about his daughter, and it was especially pleasing to hear someone outside the family praising the child. Although Rosie was practically family, he thought. She was Estella's best friend, and her husband was one of Merry and Pippin's best friends. As soon as Éowyn was old enough Merry would take her to Bag End and let her play with the Gamgee children. He wanted his daughter to be friends with Sam and Rosie's children, for he knew he could not ask for any better friends for his child. At least not until Pippin and Diamond started filling Crickhollow with their children. Although judging by the slightly spooked look on Pippin's face he probably wouldn't touch Diamond for quite a while, so Éowyn would have to wait for a little Took friend.
Merry couldn't figure out why Pippin was so scared by the arrival of the child. He hadn't paid much attention at all to Estella's condition over the past nine months, although knowing Pippin that was probably the issue. It probably hadn't even entered his cousin's mind that Estella was actually going to give birth to a little child who would be part of the family, not until Estella's labour had begun the night before. It would be so typical of his carefree cousin to not realise what was about to happen until reality forced him to think about it. And in one night he had had to come to terms with thoughts and realisations that the rest of them had taken nine months to ponder.
He glanced over at his cousin who was feasting at the leftovers from last night's apple pie, and decided that it was time for Pippin to meet Éowyn. During these past months Merry had assumed that Pippin would be with him the first time the child was brought to him, but last night things had been nothing like he'd thought they would be. He hadn't been inside, nervously pacing back and forth as his father had assured him he would, instead he'd been sitting out in the stables aiding a birthing cow. And when he'd finally gotten back inside he'd been served a late night/early morning meal by Diamond and then remained in the kitchen until Rosie had come to fetch him. He had thought she would bring the child to him, not bring him to the child, but he hadn't argued with her since he figured she knew what was best. Pippin had been sent straight to bed along with Diamond, Rosie claimed there was nothing else for them to do that night, and the baby would still be around for Pippin to inspect in the morning. Merry had wanted Pippin to be with him when he met his child for the first time, but Pippin had obediently gone to bed, leaving Merry to see the child alone.
Estella had been sleeping when Merry entered the room, another thing he hadn't expected, but he had forgotten all about his expectations when Rosie had handed him the sweetest Hobbit lass he had ever seen. Rosie had talked to him briefly, then she had left the new parents alone to go get some sleep, and Merry had sat down in a rocking chair and completely forgotten that he was supposed to be upset that he hadn't been graced with an heir. He wouldn't replace the child in his arms for all the heirs in the world, and sitting in by the table having lunch several hours later he knew that the baby would immediately take a firm grip of Pippin's heart too. There was just no way of resisting this child, he thought with the proud father's complete objectiveness. He only wished that Frodo Baggins could be there to see his firstborn child.
*
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*
"Here she is" Merry said, his voice beaming with pride. He slowly walked up to Pippin, not taking his eyes off the bundle in his arms. "It's about time you two met! I think that's why she's been screaming so loudly, she's wanted to meet her uncle Pippin!"
Pippin gulped and took a deep breath. He was seated in an armchair in the middle of the room, looking sternly at Merry's face instead of at the bundle. Once he laid eyes on the child it would be the definite point of realisation. Once he had seen his cousin's daughter with his own eyes it would be as real as it could ever be.
Merry stopped beside him and kneeled down, removing one of the blankets so that the baby's head was visible. Pippin slowly looked down on the child.
"Oh Merry..." he whispered, staring at the baby in amazement. "She is adorable! I have never seen such a darling child in my whole life!"
"I know" Merry said, as proud as a father could be. "My dear Peregrin, I want you to remember the first time you were face to face with Éowyn Brandybuck. For today you have met a very special person."
"Éowyn" Pippin said.
"I know it is not a Hobbit's name" Merry said. "But this lass is part of me. She should carry a name that's part of me."
"It is perfect" Pippin said. "I couldn't imagine your daughter having any other name than Éowyn." He gazed at the baby with eyes wide open with fascination. "Can I hold her?"
"You must be careful, she is little and frail" Merry said, and hesitantly handed the baby over to Pippin's waiting arms.
"Would I hurt your lass?" Pippin asked as he took the baby from her father. From the first second she was in his arms and he felt her weight, all of Pippin's worries and wonders left him and were replaced by love for the child who would always be his daughter at heart. He rose slowly from his chair and studied the tiny face closely with loving eyes. "She takes after Estella much" he said as the baby opened her eyes. "But her eyes are yours. I have never had a stranger experience... I'm being looked upon by your eyes, but they are the eyes of your daughter."
"You are talking crazy" Merry said. "She does take after Estella, doesn't she? And a beautiful thing she is too! Elanor Gamgee is going to have a run for her money, I know I swore I would never lay eyes upon a more beautiful child than her, but now I have."
"Indeed" Pippin said. "And she's not at all large... She's like a little kitten!"
"Well she would hardly be an oliphaunt, would she? No matter what Rosie had to say on the matter before she was born..."
"She does seem to have enough skin to cover a much larger child" Pippin said, looking at the many wrinkles on the child's forehead.
"She will grow into it" Merry said lovingly and placed a kiss on Éowyn's forehead. Then he broke his gaze from his daughter and looked at Pippin. "Now tell me you do not wish to have children of your own."
"I do not need any children of my own, I plan on wasting as much love on the child in my arms as you do" Pippin said. Then he paused for a moment. "Diamond and I will have our turn, sooner or later."
"Until then, we will have to share Éowyn" Merry said.
"Yes..." Pippin said and gently cooed the baby, who yawned big. Both Merry and Pippin couldn't help but chuckle lovingly at the sight. "She seems comfortable in my arms."
"She seems tired in your arms" Merry said. "Here... Let me take her back to Estella, she will worry if the lassie is gone for long." He gently lifted the baby back into his own arms.
"I can tire you out again sometime soon" Pippin told Éowyn. "It's been a pleasure holding you in my arms little one, and I promise you that it was not the last time."
Merry smiled and placed another kiss on Éowyn's forehead. As soon as Estella was better they would ride to Brandy Hall and show the baby to his parents. Until then only the people at Crickhollow would know of the addition to the family, and he would savour the few short days he would have alone with just his family. Soon enough there would be Hobbits everywhere ooing and aaing over Éowyn, but for the time being she was alone with her parents, midwife and cousins.
*
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*
"Peregrin Took, you never cease to amaze me" Diamond said and shook her head. In response she got a genuinely confused look and an apple stolen from her basket. "And careful on the apples, you'll give yourself a stomach ache!"
"I don't know where all this is coming from" Pippin truthfully said and bit his apple. "It is cold out today, and Brandy Hall is not around the corner!"
Diamond shook her head again and continued to fill her basket with apples. The two of them were picking the last apples from the last apple tree while Merry and Estella were off at Brandy Hall to show Merry's parents the baby.
"When she was born you acted as if the end had been brought about" she said to her husband. "And now you act as if it is your duty in life to keep her safe."
"I don't want her to catch a cold" Pippin said. "In my opinion it is very irresponsible for Merry to take her to Brandy Hall in this weather!"
Diamond rolled her eyes. It was well over ten degrees and no wind was blowing. It was a very nice autumn day, perfect for taking the baby out for the first time.
"What would you have had them do then?" she asked Pippin. "Wait until spring? I'm sure you'd find some reason then too why she should be kept indoors. Éowyn will not suffer from some fresh air and it's about time your aunt and uncle got to see their granddaughter."
"Couldn't they have come to Crickhollow?" Pippin asked.
"Now give me a break" Diamond sigh. "Stop worrying, she is in far better hands than yours at the moment, and I need some help with these apples."
"Fine" Pippin said and quickly climbed the tree to get a hold of some apples higher up.
"Pippin!"
"What?" he asked with a grin.
"Get down from that tree! How many times have I told you not to climb trees, Hobbits don't belong in them!"
"But now that I have climbed it it would be a complete waste if we didn't get some apples out of the deal" he grinned for an answer and tossed a few apples down in the basket.
"And don't do that either! You'll damage the perfectly good apples in the basket!"
"Bake a pie out of them and no one will know they had a bump or two" Pippin said. "We've got plenty of fine apples in the cellars, even after Merry sent those huge baskets with Sam and Rosie! No doubt he spent a few hours selecting the best apples to send them, too."
Sam had visited Crickhollow two days earlier to bring home his wife and inspect the new-born Brandybuck. His own children had been left with their grandparents and Sam had spent the night before he and Rosie left for Hobbiton. Sam had inspected baby Éowyn very carefully and had soon been debating with Merry over which child was the prettiest, Elanor or Éowyn. Merry would most likely have stood as winner in the end anyway since Sam still had so much respect for the title Merry was going to inherit that he wouldn't argue too much with him, but now he was soon reinforced by Pippin. Sam could not argue with them both, but diplomatically declared that both children were as pretty, "in their own special ways, if you follow me".
Sam had said later that night by the fireside that it was a shame that Frodo couldn't see the baby, and Merry told him he'd be thinking the same thing. They often wondered about Frodo, what he was doing and if he was happy, and the three of them spent many hours that evening sharing thoughts and old stories about Frodo, carefully avoiding any stories which might scare Diamond or Estella who hadn't heard much about the journey. By the end of the evening they had drifted off into talking about old friends from far away, and Merry had told them all about the lady Éowyn whom his daughter had been named after. They had been drinking the cider Merry had been brewing during the week and raised their mugs for old friends and new ones, friends who were there and friends who weren't. Pippin had been very sad to see Sam go the next morning, it felt as if they hardly ever saw each other these days.
"You aren't much help to anyone" Diamond complained, awaking Pippin from his memories of the previous days. "Keep your head in the present and help your poor wife out with these apples now. Are you think about the baby again?" She sighed and reached for an apple, then bit her lip and looked away. "You should have your own child to worry about."
"They will come" Pippin said softly.
"What if they never will?" Diamond asked, still looking away. "What if I'm unable to give you children?"
"What if it is me who is unable to give you children?" Pippin asked. "Diamond don't worry about it. It doesn't always happen at once, it didn't for Merry and Estella and we haven't been married for as long as they have."
"I can't help but to worry about it!" Diamond said. "I look at Rosie and all of her children, and now I look at Estella had her baby, and I can't help but wonder!"
"It is out of our hands" Pippin said and jumped down from the tree. "If it's to be then children will come to us. And if it's not to be then what can we do?" He placed a hand on her shoulder. "We can do nothing."
"You should have children" Diamond said. "You should have an heir. I don't know all of your adventures, but I do know that you're very special." She finally turned her head and looked at him. "It would be wrong for your bloodline to end here, your children and your children's children should rule over the Smials for ages to come."
"And I'm sure they will" he said with a smile and put his arms around her waist. "Nothing is going to stop you and I from trying to have children, but believe me when I say that I would rather be your husband and never father any children than have twenty children with any other lass. No other lass should be the mother of my children, I'd rather have no children at all!"
Diamond smiled slightly and leaned her head against his chest. He had put his finger right on what bothered her the most, even though she hadn't realised it until he'd said it. She had been worrying that he would regret marrying her if she couldn't bring him children, but his calm reassurance that he would never regret their marriage had stilled her concern.
"I do want children..." he mumbled in her ear. "But I'd rather have you if I can't have both."
*
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*
Estella sat down opposite Diamond at the kitchen table, and with a happy laugh at her daughter putting the baby down in a basket by her side. Éowyn was six months old and growing fast, Estella had to work hard to keep her knitting of baby clothes up with Éowyn's growth spurt. But she didn't mind, it kept her fingers busy on the evenings by the fireside and she was proud of every millimetre of her daughter. Éowyn had quickly become one of the most fussed-over babies in all of the Shire, her parents and "extra parents" Pippin and Diamond almost competed over who could fuss over her more, and the baby had received many valuable gifts from Merry's friends in foreign lands, especially from the lady Éowyn who was honoured to have given name to the child. Right now baby Éowyn was safely wrapped in a for her size rather large blanket which the lady Éowyn herself had been wrapped in as a child, only one of several gifts Merry's friend had sent her.
Estella didn't say anything at first, just cooed the baby and laughed when the baby started laughing. Éowyn was as active as her mother, constantly waving her little arms and legs about, and every now and then rolling off the pillow she might have been placed on. Merry and Estella had first kept the baby in their bed, sleeping between them, but after two weeks Merry had declared that the baby needed to be moved to the crib. He couldn't sleep with the little one waving her arms and legs in his face during her sleep, and as much as he loved her daughter he preferred to sleep without getting his face bruised.
Estella looked up at Diamond and laughed some more, as if having just thought of something amusing.
"That husband of mine, what a liar he is!" she told Diamond with a happy laugh.
"Oh?" Diamond asked, not being in the mood for jolly talking. Her head was aching and she was in a generally bad mood.
"Can't stay away from his wife for more than a few months either" Estella continued. "That lying little rascal... I'll be sure to tell him when he gets back inside that he'll have to keep away from me in a few months again. Serves him right, it does" she laughed. She didn't wait for Diamond to ask what she was talking about, after giving Éowyn a piece of cloth to suck on she continued talking. "He was eager to get back into my bed, that's for sure. Or more correctly, get back to my side of the bed, if you get my drift. He told me that lasses nursing babies rarely get pregnant, and not that I minded at all letting him come back to me, but a liar he was!"
"I'm not following" Diamond said, rubbing her aching temples.
"I'm going to have another baby."
"W, what?" Diamond stuttered. "But... But Éowyn is only a few months old!"
"Indeed she is, and perhaps I should have better sense than to listen to Merry, but he usually knows what he's talking about. And to be honest I was longing for him as much as he was longing for me..."
"Are you sure Estella?" Diamond asked.
"As sure as I can be" Estella said. "I've had all the signs I had with Éowyn, just recently the most reliable one. There isn't a doubt in my mind, I will have another baby this fall."
"Congratulations..." Diamond said weakly. She felt incredibly jealous of her friend, and at the same time guilty over feeling that way. But Estella would soon be the mother of two children and Diamond didn't even have one.
"Merry will probably hope for a lad this time" Estella said. "I don't think he can imagine loving any little lass more than Éowyn, and knowing that he has an heir to take over Buckland some day will please both him and his father."
"Estella, I don't think I've ever asked before, what exactly are the signs of being with child?" Diamond asked. "I've only been in contact with pregnancy through you, and you haven't seemed any different these past weeks, and when you expected Éowyn you didn't seem any different until the pregnancy started to show."
"Tired, sick to your stomach..." Estella said. "There are a few signs, some more reliable than others."
"Tired and sick to your stomach, that sounds like the flue to me" Diamond said and rubbed her temples more intensely. "But let's not forget headache, I'm beginning to think this one will never go away!"
Estella looked at her for a while, with a frown instead of a smile. They had all caught the flue a few months back but Diamond was still feeling under the weather, and no herbal brew of Merry's seemed to be making any difference to her condition.
"Diamond..." Estella said. "Forgive me for asking such personal questions, but... when was the last time you had your ordinary?"
"I'm not sure, I don't keep track" Diamond said. "But when I think about it... It seems like it was quite some time ago!"
"Weeks?"
"I can't remember" Diamond said. "Why are you asking me this?"
"The most reliable sign of pregnancy is that your monthly doesn't come" Estella said. "Mine is two weeks late now, that's how I know for sure that I'm with child."
"Let me see..." Diamond said and started counting in her head, a smile slowly growing on her face. "I think it's been... nearly two months! How could I not have realised that before? Estella do you think I'm having a child as well?"
Estella laughed again and nodded.
"Two months? My dear Diamond, you are a fool of a Took! How you could not notice is beyond me. Two months... That means you should be a mother by September! One month ahead of me you are."
Diamond blushed and was unable to keep a happy smile from her face. Her headache seemed to have vanished and suddenly it didn't bother her that she was feeling sick to her stomach. Estella handed her a pear and told her that she needed to eat to cure the nausea.
"Imagine what the lads will say when we tell them this!" Estella grinned. "You tell Pippin first, tonight in the sitting room, and then I will get my little vengeance on that liar of a husband of mine!"
"You're not really mad at Merry, are you?" Diamond asked worriedly.
"No of course I'm not. But there's no harm in letting him think so, truth be told I would have preferred getting to focus on Éowyn for a year or so before having another one!"
Estella's laughter finally became impossible for Diamond to resist, and the two of them were still laughing when Merry and Pippin came back inside a little while later.
"What is so funny?" Pippin asked, eyeing the two women with confused eyes while Merry devoted his attention to the baby.
"Nothing" the two lasses said in unison and broke out laughing again.
"Better than finding them crying" Merry commented with a chuckle, rubbing his nose against Éowyn's.
"Don't look so shocked, Peregrin Took!" Diamond said. "One might think you'd never seen us laugh before!"
"I'm just curious as to what could possibly be so funny" Pippin said and hung off his coat.
"Nothing" Estella said again. "Now go cook your wives supper! Diamond and I will bake a nice pie later, we thought we could sit by the fireside and tell some stories tonight!"
"That's what we always do" Pippin remarked.
"We are hungry! Go, shoo!" Estella said, urging the two lads off to the kitchen. When they were too far away to be able to hear them she grinned at Diamond again. "We always do tell stories by the fireside. But tonight I have a feeling we will be telling them things they'll never forget!"
*
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So, what do you think? Is it interesting? Should I continue? Any comments or suggestions? Please leave a review!
Disclaimer: The characters and places from LotR belong to JRR Tolkien.
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"Estella, are you really sure?" Rose Gamgee said with a sigh. "It would be so much better for you if you just stayed inside!"
"Yes I'm sure" Estella said with a laugh and wrapped her scarf around her. "I will just be right out here."
"When I expected Elanor, I took it very easy the last few weeks" Rose said with a frown. "And your baby seems to be a lot bigger. Running about outside is not good for you."
"I promise I won't be running" Estella said. "But a little fresh air won't do me any harm."
"All right" Rose said, caving with a sigh. "But if I look out that window and see you trying in any way to help the lads out with their business, you're grounded until the baby arrives."
Estella smiled and went outside. She had a strong feeling Rose would stand by the window the entire time, making sure she didn't put strain on herself. Estella found that completely unnecessary, she knew Merry would never let her lift a finger to help them out in her current condition anyway. But her once so careless friend Rose had become much more troubled in the past years, and she had now easy to worry.
Estella walked across the grass leading up to the apple trees where Merry and Pippin were busy picking apples. Diamond was running back and forth with baskets, constantly picking up ones full of apples and returning with them emptied. Estella wished she could help out, but she knew she couldn't. Rose had remarked that she should take this opportunity to rest, because she wouldn't get much rest done once the baby was born. But Estella wasn't much for just sitting around doing nothing.
"Looks like we're getting a lot of apples this year" she remarked as she approached the tree.
"Indeed it looks that way" Pippin grinned from a tree branch, carelessly throwing the apples he picked down into a basket.
"Peregrin!" Diamond angrily cried out as she came back with an empty basket. "Get down from there! Hobbits don't belong in threes."
"Sorry" Pippin said with another grin, and tossed another apple into the basket.
"And do not throw the apples like that, you ruin them!"
"But darling, how else are we to reach the apples that are higher up, if one of us don't climb up here?" Pippin asked.
"We let them fall to the ground when they're ready, and then feed them to the animals" Diamond said. "Like Hobbits always do."
"Well if they're going to fall down anyway and be fed to the animals, what does it matter if I ruin them by tossing them into baskets?" Pippin asked.
"Merry!" Diamond said, picked up another basket and left. That was the standard, when Pippin managed to twist things about so that she didn't know what to say or do, she let Merry take over.
Merry smiled and shook his head at Pippin as Diamond left. He picked another apple and handed it to Estella.
"They look fine, but do they taste fine?" he asked her.
"Delicious" she said after taking a bite.
"We'll be sure to send some with Rosie then" Merry said. "That Sam out of all Hobbits should be without an apple tree puzzles me."
"Why would he need one, if he wants apples we give him apples" Pippin commented from his branch.
"Here" Merry said, and handed Estella another apple. "Go give this to Rosie. A tasty hint of the apples that are to come."
"You just want me back inside, don't you?" Estella remarked.
"Not at all" Merry said. "In fact, I hope you come back after giving her the fruit. As much as I enjoy a nice warm hobbit hole, on a day like today there is no place like outside."
Estella gave him a warm smile and started to walk back to the hole. In the corner of her eye she saw Pippin finally jumping down from his branch, only to have Merry climb up there instead. She quickly turned around.
"Merry!" she yelled. She hated when he climbed trees, she constantly worried that he would fall and hurt himself.
"Let me know what Rosie thinks of the apples!" he called back, ignoring her angry tone of voice.
Estella sighed and went back inside. She felt in no way up for the challenge of getting him down from that tree. She handed Rosie the apple and they sat down together.
"The apples are nice this year" Estella said.
"Yes" Rose said. "These will make good pies."
"Indeed they will" Estella said with a chuckle. "And I can bet that the lads will be expecting pie for this evening. I think those two could eat one giant pie made out of all these apples, all in one meal, by the two of them."
"Yet they never seem to grow around the waist" Rose commented. "They are the only two Hobbits I know who instead have grown in height at their ages."
"Merry won't explain that to me, though I am really curious over how that can be" Estella said thoughtfully, biting her apple.
"With a father like Merry your child is likely to be big" Rose pointed out. "You really need to rest and save your strength, for it is going to be a hard delivery."
"Like you said yourself Rose, they grew taller just a few years ago" Estella said. "Merry was no taller than any other Hobbit before. So why should the child be?"
"You're bigger than I was when I expected Elanor" Rose said. "Or Frodo. Or any of them."
"It will be all right" Estella said.
"You really ought to relax and save strength" Rose said with a sigh.
"But being outside is my relax" Estella said. "To be with them… When they're outside working and I'm in here doing nothing, I can't relax anyway wondering what they're doing and what they're saying. I want to be there, to hear the stories and jests, and to at least observe their tasks if I can't help them. And I can't ask them to do indoor things, the apples need to be picked now, and then there are the cherries and the pears and the currants…"
Rose didn't reply and Estella didn't continue. They sat in silence for a while, until Estella had finished her apple. Then she slowly got up, it was not so very easy these days, and returned outside. She noticed that both Merry and Pippin were down on the ground by now, and the tree seemed empty of apples.
"That was fast!" Estella remarked in surprise. "How did you manage so fast?"
"We have our secrets" Merry said with a smirk. "And whether or not you noticed, you've been gone for about half an hour."
"And we've got seven more trees to relieve of their apples" Pippin said. "I'm beginning to believe Sam was on the right track with not having apple trees."
"You say that every year," Estella commented, "and yet I've never seen anyone so fond of apple pie." She glanced over at Merry. "Although Pippin I must say you're not the worst apple eater at Crickhollow. I should say it's a good fortune we have so many trees, or Merry would have eaten them all before winter!"
*
*
*
Not until dusk fell did Estella decide to go back inside. Diamond was already inside, probably helping Rosie with her youngest child. Rose had given birth to her fifth child a few months back, a lad they had named Pippin, and she had felt he was too young to be apart from his mother for a longer period of time. Nobody knew how long it would be before the first child would arrive at Crickhollow, Rose had already stayed there for five days and she knew it could be weeks before she could go back to Bag End.
Estella cast a glance behind her when she heard the lads coming out from the barn. Merry and Pippin seemed to be discussing something, but her wonders why were interrupted by a sudden pain. Having not at all expected it, she sunk down to the ground, and she heard Merry drop whatever he had been holding and come running up to her. He put his hands on her shoulders and kneeled down beside her.
"Estella! Are you all right?"
"Wait…" she said, and waited until the surprising pain and gone away. "Yes," she then said. "Yes I'm all right."
"What happened?" Pippin's voice asked from somewhere behind her.
"I… I want Rosie!" Estella said.
"Here, up on your feet" Merry said and tried to help her up. She resisted, without really knowing why. "Pippin help me here!" Merry said.
Together the two lads got her back on her feet. They started walking back up to the house, Merry with his arms around whatever waist she now had, and Pippin a few steps behind. Estella didn't know what the pain had been for sure, but she had a suspicion. She had never been present for a child's birth, when she had lived at Bag End she had watched the other children while Rosie was in labour. She didn't know what it was supposed to feel like, it occurred to her that no one had told her and she hadn't asked anyone. She knew Rosie feared it would be a hard delivery, and she didn't want to know what that meant.
"I'll go get the last basket of fruit" Pippin said and hurried over to one of the apple trees. Merry and Estella stopped to wait for him.
"What happened?" Merry asked her.
"I'm not sure I know" she said.
"Did your legs just give way?" Merry asked.
"Don't mind thinking about your herbs and your brews" Estella said. "I don't need it. I'm fine, Merry."
"Are you sure? Because there's a--"
"I'm fine" Estella said. "There is nothing wrong with my legs."
They waited as Pippin picked up the last basket of apples and returned to them, but they had only just started to walk back to their hole again when Estella felt the pain once again. She was more prepared this time, but she could feel herself tense up and she knew Merry would notice it. And just as she'd thought he stopped and eyed her until the pain went away and she relaxed again.
"What's wrong?" he asked again.
"I think…" she said but then quieted. She didn't want to say the baby was coming in case she was wrong.
"Is it the baby? Is something wrong with the baby?" Merry asked, still being his calm self but this time a bit more stern.
"The baby's fine" Estella said. "Although I think it might have decided to arrive. I must speak with Rosie."
"Let's get you inside" Merry said and led her back inside the hole, followed by Pippin who put the basket of apples down on the table.
Hearing them enter, Rosie came in, holding baby Pippin in her arms. She looked very displeased that Estella had been out so long, she had tried for the past few hours to get her back inside. She was glad that Merry at last seemed to have come to his senses and bring her back inside, and from now on she was going to keep her friend inside until the baby arrived.
"Estella Brandybuck!" she said firmly. "I ought to grab you by the ear for being out so long! How many times do I have to tell you that you need your rest? And you two," she said, looking at Merry and Pippin, "you ought to have enough sense in you to bring her inside a little sooner!"
"A little fresh air won't do her any harm" Merry said, still as calm as ever and gently pushed Estella down in a chair. "And she won't get a lot of fresh air in the nearest future anyway."
"On that matter we agree" Rosie said. "From now on you're going to stay inside, Estella. Running around outside when your child might come any day, it is not a great idea. Stay inside, help me with Pippin and make sure you have everything ready for your child to arrive. And get some rest."
Estella nodded, not knowing what else to say or do.
"Let me get this…" Merry said and gently unwrapped the scarf she had wrapped around her.
"Good thing you brought her in now at least" Rose said, looking worried and glancing at the scarf. "It's getting quite cold at night! She'll need more than that scarf to keep her warm!"
"We won't take any credit for bringing her inside" Pippin said. "She was already on her way."
Rosie looked at Estella, who was feeling the pain come back again, and quickly drew conclusions.
"Oh that's what's going on…" she said. Her stern look was gone and replaced by a motherly smile. "I should have known that was the one thing to bring her back inside. Merry help me get her up. We have to find her a bed."
"So it's time then?" Merry said, pulling Estella to her feet.
"I should think so" Rose said. "Are you feeling contractions, love?" she asked Estella. "Yes. I think so" Estella admitted.
"Follow me then" Rose said. Estella followed carefully, leaning on Merry. "If everything goes as planned, Merry," Rose said, "you will be a father before the break of day. At least I hope so, but with this child it might take longer. I do believe it's a rather large little Hobbit we'll be bringing into the world today."
Suddenly Diamond showed up in the doorway, and before she could say a word Rose handed over her child.
"Take Pippin, please" she said. "He's ready to be put to bed, but I have to put someone else to bed right now.. Little Pippin won't be the only child in this hole much longer now."
"The baby?" Diamond asked.
"Indeed" Rose said. Now that she had her hands free, she took over Merry's job of supporting Estella and led her down the hall to find a room for the baby to be born.
"Diamond" Merry said. "If Rose needs us for anything, you come and get us."
"Where are you going?" Diamond asked.
"The stables."
*
*
*
Pippin sat down with a sigh and leaned back against the wall of the stable booth.
"It's almost pitch black out now" he told Merry. "Not a single star in sight, and the moon seems to have vanished."
"Neither moon nor star?" Merry said. "Then I wish to remain here for the rest of the night. The darkest nights scare me, they never fail to remind me of that endless darkness during the end of the War."
"How much longer do you think it will be?"
"A matter of a few hours" Merry said. "But it seems to be going nicely."
He glanced over at the cow occupying the booth. It was time for her calf to be born, they had noticed it only minutes before Estella's labour had begun. It had been a little over an hour since then, and it was not long until supper time. They had gotten used to eating late suppers, and Merry was getting quite hungry, but he had a feeling there would be no late supper this evening. Nobody had time to cook.
Next to him Pippin also sat hungry. He wrapped his blanket around him and eyed the birthing cow, out of lack of other things to look at. He couldn't define what he was feeling, and he couldn't understand why he felt it. He had been present for the birth of several cows, there had been two born at Crickhollow this year already, yet somehow this time it made him uncomfortable. He glanced over at Merry who seemed to be no different from any other night, even though Pippin felt he should be the uncomfortable one. His wife was going through the same thing as the cow right now, and that made Pippin more nervous than anything else. He had never been present for the birth of a child, and even though he wasn't even in the same hole as Estella he felt like he was way too close. It made him very uncomfortable.
"Just to think Meriadoc..." he said, mostly to have something to say. "You're having a baby. Right now."
"I know" Merry said.
"You're going to be a father."
"I know."
"You don't feel nervous? Or maybe anxious?"
"No" Merry said. "What's to get nervous about?"
"You're going to have a child, that's what!" Pippin said. "A little Hobbit, possibly even an heir, somebody you're going to have to spend the rest of your life worrying about. Even if the child only does half of what you've done you'll have plenty of reason to worry."
"I know that. But I don't think the thing about parenting is worrying."
"But things won't be the same for you anymore" Pippin said. "Doesn't that make you the least bit nervous? It's no longer just you and Estella, it's a baby now as well. You won't even be able to visit friends without planning it ahead!"
"That depends on whether or not I plan to bring the child with me" Merry said. "If I decide to ride over to Bag End for a day or two I won't need to bring the child, as long as Estella's home."
"It's still a big change. The life you know won't be the same..."
"Yes" Merry said. "But it's what's supposed to happen. I don't feel like my life comes to an end just because my wife is having a child."
"Of course not. But life will change."
"Hasn't it so many times already? Did you ever think you would some day be a knight of Gondor? That I would consider a human princess one of my dearest friends? That Frodo Baggins would save the world and Sam Gamgee become mayor? Life changes, and I like that. I've come to realize that changes lead to better things in the end. I've paid for some of the changes in my life, but there's always been a reward in the end."
"I still find it a bit scary" Pippin said. "My cousin and best friend will all of a sudden be someone's father. It feels as if... like we're not young anymore."
Merry couldn't help but laugh.
"Pip... We won't age ten years just because we'll have an infant around. It's about time I start a family, I'm over forty now. And I do feel like I've experienced enough to be able to settle down. There will never be an adventure greater than the one we've already been through, so I'm not going to sit around and wait for one."
"Me neither, but... It still scares me. I can't explain why. I haven't even felt this way really until now, now that it's actually happening and it's real." Pippin paused for a second. "Are you thinking about it?"
"My life changing because of my child?"
"No, I meant that it's happening right now... That Estella's having the baby right now."
"Of course I'm wondering how long it will be..."
"If it were Diamond I would be going crazy. I've never seen a Hobbit being born, but if it's anything like a calf's birth then it's a horrifying thought that someone you love has to go through it."
"I thought you loved the cows" Merry said in jest. Then he looked thoughtful. "You used to love Estella."
"I can't deny that I once hoped she'd be having my children" Pippin said. "But things are different now. I love Diamond. I just think it's unsettling that someone we both care about is going through the ordeal that childbirth is. And it doesn't seem to bother you at all."
"Lasses have birthed children for all of time, Pippin" Merry said. "And although it's probably the toughest thing they do in life, it doesn't bother me. It's just the way things are... And put it in perspective with all the things we've seen, it's not something to get bothered by."
"I'm not following" Pippin said, although he thought he did. But he wanted to keep the conversation going, hoping that Merry would say something that would make him less nervous. Maybe some of Merry's calmed togetherness would be able to leap over to Pippin, who really needed it.
"We saw Gandalf face the balrog alone to save the fellowship. We saw Boromir die trying to save us. We saw the Ents march and we saw the destruction of Isengard. Furthermore, you saw Denethor go mad and try to kill himself and Faramir. I in return saw Théoden die and Éowyn stand up against the Witch King of Angmar himself. There are more examples... The point is, we've seen so many people die and suffer, getting hurt and losing. And so when my wife has our first child, I'm not bothered by the thought of what she goes through. Because it leads to something good. Childbirth has to be the only time pain is good, because it leads to something well worth the pain. I would live through captivity with the orcs again for this child of mine, and it hasn't even been born yet. I expect Estella to be willing to put up with the pain of birth. Once that child has been born, she will know it was worth it."
"You never worry that something might go wrong, then?" Pippin asked.
"I don't think about it" Merry said in a tone that clearly said he didn't want to talk about it.
Pippin nodded and turned his eyes back to the cow. He was getting hungrier and hungrier but he couldn't make himself go into the hole and get something to eat. He was afraid of hearing Estella, and afraid of bothering her. At the moment he felt scared of Rosie too, and what she would say or do. It didn't occur to him that Rosie would have no problem with it - she probably thought they were in Merry' study or somewhere else in the hole anyway.
Merry glanced at the cow who had been birthing for close to ninety minutes by now. Estella's labour had begun almost at the same time. He knew a little about labour, his father had taught him what he knew when Merry had learned about herbal medicine. He knew that a lass' first child could take a very long time, and he wondered how long it would be for Estella.
*
*
*
"Estella Brandybuck!" Rosie said with a sigh as she entered the room with a bottle and a cloth. "Haven't I told you a hundred times already?"
"Yes you have" Estella said. "But I like it better this way."
"How can you tell?" Rosie said. "You haven't even tried lying down!"
Estella kept a sigh in. Rosie wanted her to get into bed and just stay there, but Estella didn't want to. She knew it would most likely take several hours, and to just lie down for so long without sleeping didn't agree with her. She was far too energetic. And she liked walking around, liked to move. She hadn't had any bad contractions, at least she didn't think so. She could tell they were getting a bit more intense, but if she just stood still and breathed calmly she got through them without a problem.
She wanted to keep on standing and walking for as long as possible, but Rosie didn't like that idea. Rosie kept telling her to save her strength and lie down and rest, but Estella knew she wouldn't get much rest by lying down. However, she could tell from the look on Rosie's face that there was no point in arguing. Rosie had given birth to five children herself, so she spoke from experience. But Estella couldn't help thinking that even though Rosie preferred to lie down that didn't necessarily mean that it was the best thing for Estella too.
"Come now" Rosie said and gently put her arm on Estella's shoulder.
"There's no use in arguing, is there?" Estella asked. Then she felt a new contraction coming and closed her eyes.
"No point in arguing" Rosie said once the contraction ended. "Don't you feel it would be easier to lie down when the pain comes? Please, just lie down on the bed..."
Estella gave up arguing and let Rosie lead her to the bed. As soon as Rose left the room she could get up and walk around again, she could afford to let Rose believe for now that she had won the battle. Rose made sure she was lying comfortably and then got her a blanket. Estella saw her walk over to the table where she had placed the bottle and cloth and open the bottle. Rosie then wet the cloth with the liquid in the bottle.
"What's that?" Estella asked.
"I'm worried, that is no secret" Rosie said. She walked over to Estella. "I fear it's going to be a very hard delivery for you, and I wish to spare you from as much of it as I can."
"Do you really think I will have a baby that big?" Estella said, getting nervous. "Do you think it's going to be bad?"
"I honestly don't know" Rosie said. "Birthing even a small child is hard, birthing a large one will be much harder! But I wish to help you..." She put the cloth over Estella's mouth and nose. "Just breathe, dear... This will put you to sleep, and you won't feel a thing."
Estella opened her mouth to ask how long she'd be sleeping, but before she could she was already asleep.
*
*
*
"Pippin? Merry?"
Pippin and Merry both looked up at the sound of their names. It was Diamond's voice. Pippin was on his feet in just a few seconds.
"Diamond! Something smells wonderful..."
"You never say that unless I bring food" Diamond said and pretended to be offended. "A lass could almost believe you don't think she smells nice."
"You smell great, you always do" Pippin said and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Now about that pie I smell..."
Diamond smiled and reached an apple pie over the walls of the booth to the very pleased Pippin. The pie was shortly followed by two plates and cutlery.
"When did you bake this?" Pippin asked, happily cutting himself a large piece.
"Just now. It's fresh from the oven" Diamond said and smiled at Pippin's grin. "After I put baby Pippin to bed I had to think of something to do. And knowing you and your appetites, I thought I should bake you a pie..."
"Ah... Nothing says 'I love you' like an apple pie!" Pippin claimed.
"Hunger always makes you exaggerate" Merry said and got a piece of pie for himself. "Diamond do you know how Estella is doing?"
"Sorry, I don't" Diamond said. "But Rosie hasn't asked me to help her with anything yet, so that ought to be a good sign. She's just complaining about Estella refusing to get into bed."
"That sounds like Estella..." Merry said. "She's not good at just sitting or lying to rest. She needs to do something to keep her occupied."
"You'd think childbirth would occupy her enough" Diamond said. "But so far I believe it's going rather well. Rosie worries of course, she thinks you will father big children."
"I don't think our children will take after us in that department" Merry said calmly.
"How's the cow?" Diamond asked. "How long until the new calf arrives?"
"Hard to say" Merry said. "But I don't think it will be long..."
"We're going to have to sell a few cows this year, aren't we?" Diamond said. "With four new calves..."
"We're thinking about selling the three we got last year" Pippin said. "We have eight cows them included, with these ones we'll have twelve next year... That's more than what we need. And frankly, more than we'll have room for!"
"Personally I think we'd get by with only one" Merry said. "We never planned on farming anyway..."
"I know..." Pippin said. "But we hardly do farm. And we need the cows for the milk and the beef."
"As much as the two of you eat, I wonder if twelve cows wouldn't be such a bad idea after all" Diamond said. "Nobody could ever cook enough to satisfy you two. And it gets even worse when Sam Gamgee comes to visit, I don't understand how the three of you can eat so much!"
"We hate hunger" Pippin said with passion. "It's something we've had more than enough of, especially Sam."
"What about the pie, have you had enough of that?" Diamond wondered. "I was going to take the rest to Rosie."
"You mean this one wasn't just for Merry and me?" Pippin said, looking truly surprised.
"No, you fool!" Diamond laughed. "I only made one..."
"Take the rest to Rose" Merry said. "Pippin and I can get by on what we have. And if Rose needs anything, come get us right away!"
Diamond nodded and grabbed the pie Pippin handed her. She pulled her cape around her with one hand and went back out in the chilly night.
*
*
*
Estella woke up with a headache. At first she couldn't remember where she was or what had happened. All she knew was that she wasn't in her bedroom. She shook her head gently to clear her head and noticed something on the left side of her bed.
It was Merry. He was sitting in a wicker chair, quietly singing something she didn't recognise. She shook her head again and things started to clear out a bit. She suddenly remembered the events before she had gone to sleep. She wondered where Rosie was, and how much longer it would be before the baby was born. Most of all she wondered what Rose would say when she found Merry in there.
Merry turned to look at her, and his smile grew even warmer when he noticed that she was awake.
"You're awake!" he said softly. "How do you feel?"
"I don't know" Estella said. "Where's Rose?"
"Getting some rest. She's had a tough night."
"How... for... when... Have I been sleeping for long?"
"Yes" Merry said. "You've woken up twice but Rose's made you sleep again each time." "Have you been here long? Rosie will have a fit."
"Just a short while" Merry said. "I've spent most of the night out in the stables. It's mighty cold out tonight... I'm glad to be back inside."
"What have you been doing out in the stables?" Estella wondered.
"We're not the only ones who have become parents tonight" Merry said, the warm smile lighting up his face.
"The baby..." Estella said.
"Born just a little while ago" Merry said.
"Can I see him? Where is she? Is it a boy or a girl?"
"Well..." Merry said, carefully getting up from the rocking chair. "She is right here. But... I'm a bit unwilling to hand her over, I must admit."
Estella suddenly noticed the bundle in his arms. She couldn't see much more than blankets and some dark curls, but when she sat up to get a closer look the sharp pain made her lie down again with a groan.
"Easy..." Merry said and sat down next to her. "Just relax for once in your life. Even though Rosie's prediction didn't come true your body has been through quite a lot."
"The baby's not huge?"
"I've seen human babies, compared to them this child of ours is wee" Merry said with a warm chuckle, not taking his eyes off the bundle in his arms.
"Let me see!" Estella said and once again tried to sit up.
"Didn't I tell you easy?" Merry said when she once again groaned with pain and sunk back down. "Here she is..." He gently pulled down the blankets and tilted the baby so that his wife could see the tiny Hobbit lass. "Rosie's given her first meal" he told Estella. "She didn't want to wake you up..."
"She's beautiful" Estella whispered.
"Takes after her mother, she does!" Merry said with his voice filled with fatherly pride. "And Éowyn is her name. That is unconditional, I will not argue with you on that! Éowyn Brandybuck, and no other name..."
"Éowyn. It's not a Hobbit's name."
"It is now" Merry said. "For this Hobbit carries the name. And she will carry it with pride, for she is named after the great Shield Maiden of Rohan, the White Lady herself!"
"You and your ladies and kings and Rohans..." Estella muttered. "Éowyn it is then, if that will please you."
"Very much so" Merry said and gave Estella a kiss. "You and Éowyn have always been the lasses I have loved most of all. Now that my daughter has arrived and immediately taken a firm hold of my heart it is only fitting that she carries the name of one of my loves."
*
*
*
Pippin couldn't go to sleep. It was just a little more than an hour before the sun would rise, yet sleep would not come to him. Diamond's steady breaths next to him were of no help, he had always found it harder to go to sleep when someone else was already sleeping next to him. But it was just as well that she was sleeping, he knew how cranky she could get if she didn't get enough sleep. And he also knew that when baby Pippin woke up Diamond would be the one tending to him, since Rose would be enjoying her well earned rest. Diamond needed her sleep.
Pippin rolled over on his side and sighed. Merry was a father. His cousin had a daughter. Pippin couldn't believe it. He had always known responsible old Merry would make a good father, but now that there actually was a little child in the hole fathered by Merry Pippin couldn't come to terms with it. His mind couldn't register it. The knot in his stomach was still there, it hadn't gone away with the arrival of the child. The fact was that the child scared him. This little lass whom he hadn't even seen yet seemed scarier than every troll or orc he had stood before. This child was inadvertently going to change their lives forever, it was a little being whom held incredible power over the ones who loved her in her little hands. Every little cry from her had to be tended to, and as she grew older she would have needs and demands which would need to be met.
"What are you tossing about for?" Diamond growled from her side of the bed, awoken by her husband's inability to go to sleep. "It's nearly dawn, Peregrin! Go to sleep!"
"I can't sleep, Diamond" Pippin complained.
"What is it then?" Diamond asked with a sigh and rolled over to face him. "Have you eaten too many apples?"
"I've never slept with an infant child in the hole before!"
Diamond growled with frustration and rolled over on her other side. Sometimes Pippin could really annoy her. But at least he seemed to be lying still now, so she could go back to sleep without being disturbed. Just as she was about to drift off she felt him spoon her, and his warm breath against her neck woke her up again.
"You are hopeless..." she mumbled affectionately. "Try to sleep love, so you've got strength to meet the newest addition to the family tomorrow."
"Later today."
"Later today."
"Was she beautiful?" Pippin asked.
"You'll fall in love."
"I already am in love."
"You'd better be!"
Diamond drifted off to sleep again. Pippin gently let his hand slide from her hip to her belly, wondering what it would feel like to put his hand there when she was expecting child. The thought was unreal to him, that a child could be inside his wife, grow inside her body and then enter the world in a manner that made Pippin cringe. Yet that was the way it was and always had been, and for someone with his past it shouldn't seem like such a wonder.
He closed his eyes and tried to pretend that Diamond was expecting child right now. Would it feel any different to place his hand on her belly before it had started to grow? Would he be able to feel the baby move? He had felt Estella's child kick once, and he was sure it must have hurt her, though she hadn't made a face. He shuddered slightly and thanked his lucky star that he was a lad and wouldn't have to go through what Estella had these past months. He kissed his wife gently on the neck and wondered how long it would be before she was expecting child. He knew she longed for one, and he knew that she would not mind going through pregnancy and labour, just like Estella hadn't seemed to mind. She was a strong lass, his wife, and she would be much stronger than he when their first child made its appearance.
*
*
*
It was mid-afternoon when the inhabitants of Crickhollow finally seemed to be up and about again. Diamond had been up first, changing baby Pippin's diaper and feeding him milk from the cow with the new-born calf. She had then gone back to sleep for a while before getting up again to cook breakfast for the adults who would wish to eat one.
Rose had been the last one to get up, save Estella who for once didn't feel like being up and about. She was very soar and preferred to lie as still as possible, holding her baby in her arms or letting her lie on Merry's pillow. Merry and carefully moved her to their bedroom, and Rosie claimed Estella had made more noise during that transportation than she had at any point the night before. Rosie hadn't given the lads any details from the birth, and neither had Diamond who had assisted Rose, but it was a mighty proud midwife who sat down to have lunch with the masters of Crickhollow.
"She is not at all as large as I had feared" she said while serving herself more chicken. "Much the same size as Elanor and Rosie were when they came into the world. But she has the curliest hair I have ever seen on a Hobbit child! She sleeps like a log too, all my children have slept very little the first twenty-four hours!"
"Hopefully she will keep on sleeping like a log" Merry said. "So far I haven't yet heard her scream!"
"No, you were safely hidden out in the stables, tending to the new-born calf, when she decided to let us know she was hungry" Rosie said. "I assure you Master Brandybuck, your lass can cry as loud as any child there ever was. She came into the world screaming like she feared her first moment would be her last, and that seems to be her only screaming level."
Merry just smiled and continued to listen as Rosie bragged about her best friend's firstborn child. He could not hear enough about his daughter, and it was especially pleasing to hear someone outside the family praising the child. Although Rosie was practically family, he thought. She was Estella's best friend, and her husband was one of Merry and Pippin's best friends. As soon as Éowyn was old enough Merry would take her to Bag End and let her play with the Gamgee children. He wanted his daughter to be friends with Sam and Rosie's children, for he knew he could not ask for any better friends for his child. At least not until Pippin and Diamond started filling Crickhollow with their children. Although judging by the slightly spooked look on Pippin's face he probably wouldn't touch Diamond for quite a while, so Éowyn would have to wait for a little Took friend.
Merry couldn't figure out why Pippin was so scared by the arrival of the child. He hadn't paid much attention at all to Estella's condition over the past nine months, although knowing Pippin that was probably the issue. It probably hadn't even entered his cousin's mind that Estella was actually going to give birth to a little child who would be part of the family, not until Estella's labour had begun the night before. It would be so typical of his carefree cousin to not realise what was about to happen until reality forced him to think about it. And in one night he had had to come to terms with thoughts and realisations that the rest of them had taken nine months to ponder.
He glanced over at his cousin who was feasting at the leftovers from last night's apple pie, and decided that it was time for Pippin to meet Éowyn. During these past months Merry had assumed that Pippin would be with him the first time the child was brought to him, but last night things had been nothing like he'd thought they would be. He hadn't been inside, nervously pacing back and forth as his father had assured him he would, instead he'd been sitting out in the stables aiding a birthing cow. And when he'd finally gotten back inside he'd been served a late night/early morning meal by Diamond and then remained in the kitchen until Rosie had come to fetch him. He had thought she would bring the child to him, not bring him to the child, but he hadn't argued with her since he figured she knew what was best. Pippin had been sent straight to bed along with Diamond, Rosie claimed there was nothing else for them to do that night, and the baby would still be around for Pippin to inspect in the morning. Merry had wanted Pippin to be with him when he met his child for the first time, but Pippin had obediently gone to bed, leaving Merry to see the child alone.
Estella had been sleeping when Merry entered the room, another thing he hadn't expected, but he had forgotten all about his expectations when Rosie had handed him the sweetest Hobbit lass he had ever seen. Rosie had talked to him briefly, then she had left the new parents alone to go get some sleep, and Merry had sat down in a rocking chair and completely forgotten that he was supposed to be upset that he hadn't been graced with an heir. He wouldn't replace the child in his arms for all the heirs in the world, and sitting in by the table having lunch several hours later he knew that the baby would immediately take a firm grip of Pippin's heart too. There was just no way of resisting this child, he thought with the proud father's complete objectiveness. He only wished that Frodo Baggins could be there to see his firstborn child.
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"Here she is" Merry said, his voice beaming with pride. He slowly walked up to Pippin, not taking his eyes off the bundle in his arms. "It's about time you two met! I think that's why she's been screaming so loudly, she's wanted to meet her uncle Pippin!"
Pippin gulped and took a deep breath. He was seated in an armchair in the middle of the room, looking sternly at Merry's face instead of at the bundle. Once he laid eyes on the child it would be the definite point of realisation. Once he had seen his cousin's daughter with his own eyes it would be as real as it could ever be.
Merry stopped beside him and kneeled down, removing one of the blankets so that the baby's head was visible. Pippin slowly looked down on the child.
"Oh Merry..." he whispered, staring at the baby in amazement. "She is adorable! I have never seen such a darling child in my whole life!"
"I know" Merry said, as proud as a father could be. "My dear Peregrin, I want you to remember the first time you were face to face with Éowyn Brandybuck. For today you have met a very special person."
"Éowyn" Pippin said.
"I know it is not a Hobbit's name" Merry said. "But this lass is part of me. She should carry a name that's part of me."
"It is perfect" Pippin said. "I couldn't imagine your daughter having any other name than Éowyn." He gazed at the baby with eyes wide open with fascination. "Can I hold her?"
"You must be careful, she is little and frail" Merry said, and hesitantly handed the baby over to Pippin's waiting arms.
"Would I hurt your lass?" Pippin asked as he took the baby from her father. From the first second she was in his arms and he felt her weight, all of Pippin's worries and wonders left him and were replaced by love for the child who would always be his daughter at heart. He rose slowly from his chair and studied the tiny face closely with loving eyes. "She takes after Estella much" he said as the baby opened her eyes. "But her eyes are yours. I have never had a stranger experience... I'm being looked upon by your eyes, but they are the eyes of your daughter."
"You are talking crazy" Merry said. "She does take after Estella, doesn't she? And a beautiful thing she is too! Elanor Gamgee is going to have a run for her money, I know I swore I would never lay eyes upon a more beautiful child than her, but now I have."
"Indeed" Pippin said. "And she's not at all large... She's like a little kitten!"
"Well she would hardly be an oliphaunt, would she? No matter what Rosie had to say on the matter before she was born..."
"She does seem to have enough skin to cover a much larger child" Pippin said, looking at the many wrinkles on the child's forehead.
"She will grow into it" Merry said lovingly and placed a kiss on Éowyn's forehead. Then he broke his gaze from his daughter and looked at Pippin. "Now tell me you do not wish to have children of your own."
"I do not need any children of my own, I plan on wasting as much love on the child in my arms as you do" Pippin said. Then he paused for a moment. "Diamond and I will have our turn, sooner or later."
"Until then, we will have to share Éowyn" Merry said.
"Yes..." Pippin said and gently cooed the baby, who yawned big. Both Merry and Pippin couldn't help but chuckle lovingly at the sight. "She seems comfortable in my arms."
"She seems tired in your arms" Merry said. "Here... Let me take her back to Estella, she will worry if the lassie is gone for long." He gently lifted the baby back into his own arms.
"I can tire you out again sometime soon" Pippin told Éowyn. "It's been a pleasure holding you in my arms little one, and I promise you that it was not the last time."
Merry smiled and placed another kiss on Éowyn's forehead. As soon as Estella was better they would ride to Brandy Hall and show the baby to his parents. Until then only the people at Crickhollow would know of the addition to the family, and he would savour the few short days he would have alone with just his family. Soon enough there would be Hobbits everywhere ooing and aaing over Éowyn, but for the time being she was alone with her parents, midwife and cousins.
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"Peregrin Took, you never cease to amaze me" Diamond said and shook her head. In response she got a genuinely confused look and an apple stolen from her basket. "And careful on the apples, you'll give yourself a stomach ache!"
"I don't know where all this is coming from" Pippin truthfully said and bit his apple. "It is cold out today, and Brandy Hall is not around the corner!"
Diamond shook her head again and continued to fill her basket with apples. The two of them were picking the last apples from the last apple tree while Merry and Estella were off at Brandy Hall to show Merry's parents the baby.
"When she was born you acted as if the end had been brought about" she said to her husband. "And now you act as if it is your duty in life to keep her safe."
"I don't want her to catch a cold" Pippin said. "In my opinion it is very irresponsible for Merry to take her to Brandy Hall in this weather!"
Diamond rolled her eyes. It was well over ten degrees and no wind was blowing. It was a very nice autumn day, perfect for taking the baby out for the first time.
"What would you have had them do then?" she asked Pippin. "Wait until spring? I'm sure you'd find some reason then too why she should be kept indoors. Éowyn will not suffer from some fresh air and it's about time your aunt and uncle got to see their granddaughter."
"Couldn't they have come to Crickhollow?" Pippin asked.
"Now give me a break" Diamond sigh. "Stop worrying, she is in far better hands than yours at the moment, and I need some help with these apples."
"Fine" Pippin said and quickly climbed the tree to get a hold of some apples higher up.
"Pippin!"
"What?" he asked with a grin.
"Get down from that tree! How many times have I told you not to climb trees, Hobbits don't belong in them!"
"But now that I have climbed it it would be a complete waste if we didn't get some apples out of the deal" he grinned for an answer and tossed a few apples down in the basket.
"And don't do that either! You'll damage the perfectly good apples in the basket!"
"Bake a pie out of them and no one will know they had a bump or two" Pippin said. "We've got plenty of fine apples in the cellars, even after Merry sent those huge baskets with Sam and Rosie! No doubt he spent a few hours selecting the best apples to send them, too."
Sam had visited Crickhollow two days earlier to bring home his wife and inspect the new-born Brandybuck. His own children had been left with their grandparents and Sam had spent the night before he and Rosie left for Hobbiton. Sam had inspected baby Éowyn very carefully and had soon been debating with Merry over which child was the prettiest, Elanor or Éowyn. Merry would most likely have stood as winner in the end anyway since Sam still had so much respect for the title Merry was going to inherit that he wouldn't argue too much with him, but now he was soon reinforced by Pippin. Sam could not argue with them both, but diplomatically declared that both children were as pretty, "in their own special ways, if you follow me".
Sam had said later that night by the fireside that it was a shame that Frodo couldn't see the baby, and Merry told him he'd be thinking the same thing. They often wondered about Frodo, what he was doing and if he was happy, and the three of them spent many hours that evening sharing thoughts and old stories about Frodo, carefully avoiding any stories which might scare Diamond or Estella who hadn't heard much about the journey. By the end of the evening they had drifted off into talking about old friends from far away, and Merry had told them all about the lady Éowyn whom his daughter had been named after. They had been drinking the cider Merry had been brewing during the week and raised their mugs for old friends and new ones, friends who were there and friends who weren't. Pippin had been very sad to see Sam go the next morning, it felt as if they hardly ever saw each other these days.
"You aren't much help to anyone" Diamond complained, awaking Pippin from his memories of the previous days. "Keep your head in the present and help your poor wife out with these apples now. Are you think about the baby again?" She sighed and reached for an apple, then bit her lip and looked away. "You should have your own child to worry about."
"They will come" Pippin said softly.
"What if they never will?" Diamond asked, still looking away. "What if I'm unable to give you children?"
"What if it is me who is unable to give you children?" Pippin asked. "Diamond don't worry about it. It doesn't always happen at once, it didn't for Merry and Estella and we haven't been married for as long as they have."
"I can't help but to worry about it!" Diamond said. "I look at Rosie and all of her children, and now I look at Estella had her baby, and I can't help but wonder!"
"It is out of our hands" Pippin said and jumped down from the tree. "If it's to be then children will come to us. And if it's not to be then what can we do?" He placed a hand on her shoulder. "We can do nothing."
"You should have children" Diamond said. "You should have an heir. I don't know all of your adventures, but I do know that you're very special." She finally turned her head and looked at him. "It would be wrong for your bloodline to end here, your children and your children's children should rule over the Smials for ages to come."
"And I'm sure they will" he said with a smile and put his arms around her waist. "Nothing is going to stop you and I from trying to have children, but believe me when I say that I would rather be your husband and never father any children than have twenty children with any other lass. No other lass should be the mother of my children, I'd rather have no children at all!"
Diamond smiled slightly and leaned her head against his chest. He had put his finger right on what bothered her the most, even though she hadn't realised it until he'd said it. She had been worrying that he would regret marrying her if she couldn't bring him children, but his calm reassurance that he would never regret their marriage had stilled her concern.
"I do want children..." he mumbled in her ear. "But I'd rather have you if I can't have both."
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Estella sat down opposite Diamond at the kitchen table, and with a happy laugh at her daughter putting the baby down in a basket by her side. Éowyn was six months old and growing fast, Estella had to work hard to keep her knitting of baby clothes up with Éowyn's growth spurt. But she didn't mind, it kept her fingers busy on the evenings by the fireside and she was proud of every millimetre of her daughter. Éowyn had quickly become one of the most fussed-over babies in all of the Shire, her parents and "extra parents" Pippin and Diamond almost competed over who could fuss over her more, and the baby had received many valuable gifts from Merry's friends in foreign lands, especially from the lady Éowyn who was honoured to have given name to the child. Right now baby Éowyn was safely wrapped in a for her size rather large blanket which the lady Éowyn herself had been wrapped in as a child, only one of several gifts Merry's friend had sent her.
Estella didn't say anything at first, just cooed the baby and laughed when the baby started laughing. Éowyn was as active as her mother, constantly waving her little arms and legs about, and every now and then rolling off the pillow she might have been placed on. Merry and Estella had first kept the baby in their bed, sleeping between them, but after two weeks Merry had declared that the baby needed to be moved to the crib. He couldn't sleep with the little one waving her arms and legs in his face during her sleep, and as much as he loved her daughter he preferred to sleep without getting his face bruised.
Estella looked up at Diamond and laughed some more, as if having just thought of something amusing.
"That husband of mine, what a liar he is!" she told Diamond with a happy laugh.
"Oh?" Diamond asked, not being in the mood for jolly talking. Her head was aching and she was in a generally bad mood.
"Can't stay away from his wife for more than a few months either" Estella continued. "That lying little rascal... I'll be sure to tell him when he gets back inside that he'll have to keep away from me in a few months again. Serves him right, it does" she laughed. She didn't wait for Diamond to ask what she was talking about, after giving Éowyn a piece of cloth to suck on she continued talking. "He was eager to get back into my bed, that's for sure. Or more correctly, get back to my side of the bed, if you get my drift. He told me that lasses nursing babies rarely get pregnant, and not that I minded at all letting him come back to me, but a liar he was!"
"I'm not following" Diamond said, rubbing her aching temples.
"I'm going to have another baby."
"W, what?" Diamond stuttered. "But... But Éowyn is only a few months old!"
"Indeed she is, and perhaps I should have better sense than to listen to Merry, but he usually knows what he's talking about. And to be honest I was longing for him as much as he was longing for me..."
"Are you sure Estella?" Diamond asked.
"As sure as I can be" Estella said. "I've had all the signs I had with Éowyn, just recently the most reliable one. There isn't a doubt in my mind, I will have another baby this fall."
"Congratulations..." Diamond said weakly. She felt incredibly jealous of her friend, and at the same time guilty over feeling that way. But Estella would soon be the mother of two children and Diamond didn't even have one.
"Merry will probably hope for a lad this time" Estella said. "I don't think he can imagine loving any little lass more than Éowyn, and knowing that he has an heir to take over Buckland some day will please both him and his father."
"Estella, I don't think I've ever asked before, what exactly are the signs of being with child?" Diamond asked. "I've only been in contact with pregnancy through you, and you haven't seemed any different these past weeks, and when you expected Éowyn you didn't seem any different until the pregnancy started to show."
"Tired, sick to your stomach..." Estella said. "There are a few signs, some more reliable than others."
"Tired and sick to your stomach, that sounds like the flue to me" Diamond said and rubbed her temples more intensely. "But let's not forget headache, I'm beginning to think this one will never go away!"
Estella looked at her for a while, with a frown instead of a smile. They had all caught the flue a few months back but Diamond was still feeling under the weather, and no herbal brew of Merry's seemed to be making any difference to her condition.
"Diamond..." Estella said. "Forgive me for asking such personal questions, but... when was the last time you had your ordinary?"
"I'm not sure, I don't keep track" Diamond said. "But when I think about it... It seems like it was quite some time ago!"
"Weeks?"
"I can't remember" Diamond said. "Why are you asking me this?"
"The most reliable sign of pregnancy is that your monthly doesn't come" Estella said. "Mine is two weeks late now, that's how I know for sure that I'm with child."
"Let me see..." Diamond said and started counting in her head, a smile slowly growing on her face. "I think it's been... nearly two months! How could I not have realised that before? Estella do you think I'm having a child as well?"
Estella laughed again and nodded.
"Two months? My dear Diamond, you are a fool of a Took! How you could not notice is beyond me. Two months... That means you should be a mother by September! One month ahead of me you are."
Diamond blushed and was unable to keep a happy smile from her face. Her headache seemed to have vanished and suddenly it didn't bother her that she was feeling sick to her stomach. Estella handed her a pear and told her that she needed to eat to cure the nausea.
"Imagine what the lads will say when we tell them this!" Estella grinned. "You tell Pippin first, tonight in the sitting room, and then I will get my little vengeance on that liar of a husband of mine!"
"You're not really mad at Merry, are you?" Diamond asked worriedly.
"No of course I'm not. But there's no harm in letting him think so, truth be told I would have preferred getting to focus on Éowyn for a year or so before having another one!"
Estella's laughter finally became impossible for Diamond to resist, and the two of them were still laughing when Merry and Pippin came back inside a little while later.
"What is so funny?" Pippin asked, eyeing the two women with confused eyes while Merry devoted his attention to the baby.
"Nothing" the two lasses said in unison and broke out laughing again.
"Better than finding them crying" Merry commented with a chuckle, rubbing his nose against Éowyn's.
"Don't look so shocked, Peregrin Took!" Diamond said. "One might think you'd never seen us laugh before!"
"I'm just curious as to what could possibly be so funny" Pippin said and hung off his coat.
"Nothing" Estella said again. "Now go cook your wives supper! Diamond and I will bake a nice pie later, we thought we could sit by the fireside and tell some stories tonight!"
"That's what we always do" Pippin remarked.
"We are hungry! Go, shoo!" Estella said, urging the two lads off to the kitchen. When they were too far away to be able to hear them she grinned at Diamond again. "We always do tell stories by the fireside. But tonight I have a feeling we will be telling them things they'll never forget!"
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So, what do you think? Is it interesting? Should I continue? Any comments or suggestions? Please leave a review!