"Ah-hah! I knew it would be…no, that isn’t it…" Merry’s voice trailed off into muttering in more than one language he’d picked up on his travels. Diving back into his exploration of the shelf of parchments and books, he put the scroll back where he’d found. A bit of exploratory rummaging through the myriad stacks of documents on the table was finally successful.

"There it is! I thought I’d left it here yesterday." His triumphant voice must have carried a little further than he’d planned, since he heard footsteps pause in the doorway to the library.

"Merry? What in Middle Earth…" Eowyn managed to keep a serious face for all of half a minute; then she burst into peals of laughter at the sight of her friend’s dust-smudged face and curls.

As much as he normally enjoyed hearing Eowyn’s clear, musical laugh, Merry gave her a mock glare as he climbed down the stepladder. He brushed the dust away with a free hand as he did so, coughing slightly and having to clear his throat. "Oh, thank you very much, my lady. Do not forget that I have seen you look much the same on many, many occasions.

"I am sorry, Merry." The Princess of Ithilien finally managed to catch her breath, and tidied her own long, fair hair that still hung nearly to her knees. "It is just that I suddenly realized that there is much about you that has not changed a bit over the years. A fact," she added, "for which I am most grateful."

Setting the journal down on a nearby table, the hobbit sat down on a low couch his friends had added to the library during his previous visit. It would not do, Legolas had pointed out to Faramir, to have his hobbit and dwarvish guests having to climb up on furniture as if they were children.

"What brings you into the library, then?" He suddenly stopped and looked at her. "Is Estella all right? Shall I return to our quarters…"

"No, she is fine. She went to see the new garden with Diamond and Pippin. Legolas wants to show off something he planted there last spring, and I supposed my reaction wasn’t what he’d hoped. I’m afraid I don’t appreciate things such as blooming flowers so much as I do the new foals and colts in the stables." Eowyn returned his grin that came to his face at that last comment.

"I understand. Sam is forever telling me to see to the gardens at Buckland, and I tell him that is why I hire gardeners."

Merry watched Eowyn gracefully sit next to him, tucking her feet up under her long skirts. She brought the scent of lavender into the library, sharp and soothing all at once, somehow. It made him think of home, where Estella often tucked the dry blossoms into the linen cupboards to keep the bedclothes smelling sweet.

"Merry, what have you spent three days searching for in here?"

"I was hoping to find something. Eowyn, you and Faramir have had two such beautiful children, and I do love spending time with them as well as you. But…"

"But you and Estella would wish for your own family?"

"Yes." He whispered, and leaned his head back against the cushions with a sigh. "It has been eight years, and we’ve watched Pip and Sam become fathers several times over."

She covered his hand with hers. "Can your healers and midwives not help?"

Shaking his head, Merry entwined his smaller fingers through his friend’s. "They’ve done all they could think of doing. If I cannot find what I need here, perhaps Aragorn could help."

"Merry, shall I ask one of the Elven midwives to speak with Estella? They are not hobbits, but perhaps they know something here that you do not. Legolas’s people have added greatly to our knowledge, and you know that they bear you much love and respect. It was their medicine that helped me when I was with child."

Looking at Eowyn gratefully, Merry sighed in relief. "Silly of me not to ask, I know. I suppose I wanted to be the one to help her."

"Well," Eowyn answered with an affectionate smile. "My children are as inquisitive as Pippin, and Legolas may need rescuing by now. A Knight and a former Shieldmaiden should be enough to help the two of them. Let us go and find our loved ones, then. They cannot have strayed very far into the gardens, and I shall ask Legolas to bespeak his healers for you."

He rose without letting go of her hand and tugged her to her feet. They walked together down the corridor and out into the garden, where the sunshine had released all the scents of flowers and herbs onto the breeze.