Just to be With You
16:
Brandybuck Weddings
The grand ballroom of Brandy Hall was filled to the brims with Brandybucks, Tooks, Bolgers and various other families that were either relatives or close friends of Merry and Estella. At the very front of the room, to the side of the dance floor, there was a raised platform, sided by two large vases overflowing with flowers.
It
was to this dais that Thain Paladin Took made his way to. Behind him followed
Peridot and Petunia Burrows escorting Odovacar Bolger and Esmeralda Brandybuck.
The two young girls beamed with pride, as the entire communion murmured words
of adoration for them. But when the last four hobbits entered, a hush went
through the room.
Peregrin,
dressed in his black and sable livery of the city of Gondor led Estella, in her
beautiful green gown. Next to them, Meriadoc was glad in the white and green of
the Mark, and Diamond, dressed in a pale blue gown to match Estella’s, escorted
him. They stopped before Paladin on the dais.
Paladin
winked at his nephew, before speaking in a loud voice. “Welcome, dear friends.
We come here today to celebrate the union of two families, and the marriage of
two hobbits. As Thain of the Shire, it is my hour to do this.” He held his
hands out, palm up, and smiled at his sister. “Esmeralda Brandybuck, do you
give your blessing to your son, Meriadoc, to begin his own life and family,
while remembering those who brought him into this life?”
With
tears streaming down her cheeks, Esmeralda managed to level her voice. “That I
do.” She took Merry’s right hand and placed it on Paladin’s left. “Meriadoc,
you are my most precious son, and though it pains me to have to let you go, I
can think of none better than she who you have chosen. You have my blessing to
begin this new life of your own, with your new wife, and any children you may
have.”
With
a nod from Paladin, Esmeralda stepped down, to be embraced by Saradoc. Paladin
turned to Odo. “Odovacar Bolger do you give your blessing to your daughter,
Estella, to begin his own life and family, while remembering those who brought
him into this life?”
Odo
held Estella’s left hand and set it upon Paladin’s right. “Estella, I have
given you my blessings for everything you have done in your life, and nothing
has made me more proud than seeing you stand here today, looking so beautiful.
Though I would love to have you remain my sweet baby daughter for all time, I
know that it cannot be. Instead, I will bless you in your marriage and new life
with he who you have chosen.” Odo also stepped down to stand with Rosamunda and
Fredegar.
“Peregrin
Took and Diamond Took,” Paladin addressed his son and Estella’s witness. “You
have been chosen by the betrothed as their closest friends, and appointed as
witnesses to their union. Do you promise to stand by and support them in their
marriage?”
Together,
Peregrin and Diamond nodded. “We do.”
Paladin
nodded once more, and finally smiled at his nephew and Estella. “And now,
Meriadoc and Estella, will you speak your vows?”
The
couple turned to face each other. Merry looked deep into Estella’s eyes.
“Estella Bolger, too long did I wait to ask for your hand in marriage. I have
loved you since our first meeting, and yet I delayed in my proposal. For that
mistake I have paid dearly. I regret making you wait, but I do not regret my
reasons for doing so. It is an honour that I am unworthy of for you to now
agree to be my wife, and I promise that I will never make such a mistake again.
I will love and stay with you from this day forth. This I swear upon my honour
as knight of Rohan, and as future Master of Buckland.” He bowed.
Estella
was almost speechless. How could her own vows compete with that? Finally, she
took a deep breath. “I have no great titles to swear upon, and though you think
yourself unworthy, I know that it is I who is undeserving of you. But I have
loved you, Meriadoc, since the day I first saw you, and I will love you until I
take my final breath.”
There
was a moment of complete silence, and Estella was amazed to see the Merry’s
eyes had filled with tears. Had she turned to look at the guests, she would not
have seen a single pair of dry eyes in the entire ceremony.
Thain
Paladin cleared his throat. “Well, I doubt that anyone could have any
objections after that.” He paused for a moment just in case, but the ballroom
was silent. “In that case, it is my honour to pronounce you husband and wife.
You have my blessings as the Thain, and my love as an uncle. Congratulations.”
He placed their hands together.
Merry
needed no more encouragement. He pulled Estella close to him and kissed her
more fiercely than he ever had before. Estella melted into his arms, but she
was dimly aware of a sound around them. It took her a moment to realise that it
was entire communion cheering. As they broke apart, Estella blushed and smiled
at the guests.
Paladin
held up his hands to silence the ballroom. “And now, to bless the union, the
appointed witnesses shall join our new couple in the first dance.”
Merry,
still holding Estella’s hand, led her onto the dance floor. Odo and Esmeralda
followed them. Finally, Pippin offered his arm to Diamond and led her out also.
Diamond
giggled a little as they danced. When Pippin raised an eyebrow, she explained.
“I cannot remember the last time I danced with a lad – other than one of my
brothers – and did not have to look down at him!”
Peregrin
joined in her laughter. “I must admit, the last lass I danced with probably had
to stare at my chest throughout the entire dance.”
“Are
you saying that would have been a bad experience for her?” Diamond joked.
“Not
at all, but I would say that you have a more attractive view.” Peregrin managed
to withhold from saying, “And so do I.”
Merry
and Estella were not so suited to each other when it came to height, but neither
of them cared. They could still stare into each other’s eyes.
“I
love you, Estella Brandybuck,” Merry murmured.
She
smiled. “Estella Brandybuck…I like the sound of that.”
“Well,
you should get used to everyone calling you that.” He kissed her again, as the
first dance ended.
“Stella!”
Pervinca called, as she and Everard stepped onto the dance floor. “Don’t forget
that you have to throw your posy! We all want to see who the next lucky lass
will be!”
Estella
had to laugh. All of the unmarried female guests had gathered together, and
amongst them Estella could see Diamond, Celandine Brandybuck, Tulip Chubb and
Melilot’s sister Mentha. She stepped away from Merry and made her way over to
them.
“Over
here, Stella!” Celandine squealed.
Estella
turned her back to them, and tossed the posy over her shoulder. She spun back
around to watch the tussle that was going on over it. Diamond was not really
making much of an effort, and Estella guessed that one of Pippin’s sisters had
told her to partake. Finally, the triumphant lass held the posy in the air. It
was Celandine.
“Me?
Oh, how wonderful!” she cried, holding the posy to her breast. She very
obviously smiled at Peregrin, and he blushed a deep shade of crimson.
Estella
returned to Merry’s side. He grinned. “Did you see the look on Pippin’s face
when Celandine caught the posy?”
“I
did,” she replied. “Are you going to change your mind about the two of them
marrying?”
“No.”
Estella
smiled back at him. “Neither am I. I also saw the look on his face when he was
dancing with Diamond.”
Merry
wrapped his arms around her. “So, tell me, what is the first thing you want to
do now that you are Mrs. Meriadoc Brandybuck?” When she raised both of her
eyebrows at him, he laughed. “Fine, I shall rephrase my question: what is the
second thing you want to do now that you are Mrs. Meriadoc Brandybuck?”
Estella
thought for a moment. “I want to see the lands you have told me about.”
“You
what?”
“Rohan,
Gondor, all those wonderful places you visited on your journey. And I want to
meet the friends that you made.”
Merry
was shocked by what she had requested, but he was glad to hear it. In his heart,
he had hoped she would one day agree to travel with him to Rohan and Ithilien
to meet Éomer and Éowyn, to see the wonder that was Minas Tirith. He had never
actually believed that she would want to so soon.
“That
sounds like a fabulous idea. But I don’t know if Pippin would be to pleased
about me going to Gondor without him.” Merry glanced over to where his cousin
was dancing with Celandine, still grasping the posy.
“He
can come with us! I always wanted him to.” Estella followed his line of sight. “Though
it would be interesting to see what would happen if we left him here with
Celandine and Diamond.”
“Pippin
should definitely come with us, then. I don’t like the way your twisted mind
works sometimes, my sweet.”
Estella
laid her head on Merry’s chest. “When should we tell him?”
“When
do you want to leave?”
She
laughed. “Well, perhaps not just yet, but within the next month.”
“And
how long do you wish to be away.”
“Well,
I don’t know.” Estella shrugged. “A year? Would that be long enough to see everything?”
Merry
kissed her forehead. “A year would be perfect. We could spend some time in
Rohan – I wonder if Éomer ended up marrying Lothíriel. And then onto Gondor –
just wait until you meet Strider! Finest Man you’ll ever meet. And of course,
there’s Éowyn and Faramir in Ithilien…perhaps a year won’t be enough after
all.”
It
took Estella a moment to realise that he was jesting, and she slapped his hand.
“A year will have to do, Meriadoc. I would say that would be all our families
would be willing to give.” She smirked. “And now, Mister Brandybuck, I think
there’s been enough talk of the second thing I want to do.”
“Why,
Mrs. Brandybuck, I have no idea what you mean!” He returned the smirk. “Do you
suppose anyone will notice if we leave?”
“They
didn’t when we left your birthday party, not for a good while anyway. And this
time, they will be expecting us to leave.”
“Hmm,
it’s a good thing that Pip is staying in my room at Brandy Hall.”
Estella
laughed, as she dragged him out of the ballroom. It was a decent walk to
Crickhollow, and she wanted to start their life as a married couple as soon as
she could.
* *
* * * *
Around
an hour later, Pippin made his way over to where Pervinca, Everard, Sam and Rosie were sitting. “Have you seen Merry
anywhere?”
The
four of them exchanged a knowing look, before Pervinca replied, “Pippin, where
do you think he may have gone?”
He
looked confused for a moment, and then it dawned on him. “Oh.” He sat with his
sister and her husband. “Perhaps I should get married one day soon.”
Everard
laughed. “You’ve not come of age yet, Pippin!”
“Well,
I suppose you’re right there. And I’ll want to go back to Gondor before I have
to settle down. Wonder if Merry will want to come too.”
“He’s
just married!” Pervinca cried. “I don’t think Stella will let him go
away.” She squeezed Everard’s hand. “I know I wouldn’t let Ev go anywhere
without me.”
“I
never said he had to go without her,” Pippin argued. “I have no problem with
her coming along. In fact, I have no problems with anyone else coming along
either.” He specifically looked at Sam as he said it.
“I’ll
keep it in mind Mister Pippin,” Sam replied, “but I think that my place is
here.”