I'm sorry I took so long in updating!  Real Life reared his ugly head, and I had to beat him off with my pre-calculus book...  I don't think it'll take me as long to post the next few chapters.

A short note on this chapter: I had originally mentioned Diamond's birthdate in passing back in Chapter 5, but I've had to change that because she decided to inform me that her birthday was actually in December. Silly me.

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Chapter 17 - Birthday Wishes

December, 1426 S.R.

* * *

Pippin entered the kitchen to find Merry already seated at the table.  After they had exchanged greetings, Merry nodded at a parcel that sat on the table.

“Package for you.”  He smirked.  “From Long Cleeve.”

Pippin’s eyes lit up; he sat down and grabbed the parcel, eagerly tearing into it.

“Any idea of what it is?” inquired Merry.

“It’s Diamond’s birthday present.  I told her she didn’t have to send me anything, but...”  He shrugged, grinning.

Having removed the paper a few seconds later, he let out a soft gasp.  In his hands was a black scarf lined on the edges with silver.  Long silver and black tassels hung from it, and a silver tree was embroidered at both ends.

As Pippin held the scarf up to admire it, Merry said, “Goodness, did she make that herself?”

“I told you she was talented,” said Pippin with a broad smile.

Merry grinned and asked, “Did it come with a letter?”

Pippin glanced about him, then spotted a piece of parchment that had fallen to the floor.  He picked it up and read aloud:  “I know you already have a scarf, but I thought you might like one that could go with your armor.  I enjoyed knitting it; black and silver now always make me think of you.  It is not as good as actually seeing you, of course, but I can wait for now.  I hope you like your present!  Love, Diamond.”

Wearing an impish smile, Merry said, “Do try not to swoon, Pippin.”

Pippin raised his chin haughtily.  “I don’t know how they do it in Rohan, but knights of Gondor do not swoon.”

“Oh, of course not!”

In response, Pippin proudly wrapped the scarf around his neck.

Just then, a brown-haired blur came rushing into the room and latched itself onto Merry’s leg.  He smiled down at it.  “Good morning, Lily.”

She lifted her face to grin at him.  “Good morning, Daddy!”  She turned to wave cheerfully at Pippin.  “Good morning, Uncle Pip!”

“Good morning to you, Liliadoc!”

“What’s that?” she asked, pointing at his neck.

“This?”  Pippin reached out and brushed the fringe of the scarf against Lily’s face, causing her to giggle.  “This is a present from my friend Diamond.”

“Gondor colors!” she exclaimed.

“That’s right!” said Merry, lifting her into his lap.  “And what is Rohan’s color?”

“Green!”

“Right again!  And whose colors do we like best?”

“Gondor!”

Pippin snorted while Merry hurried to correct her, whispering, “Rohan.”

“Rohan!”

Merry grinned, tickling her neck.  He then spoke to Pippin, “And did you send your fair lady a letter wishing her a happy birthday?”

“Sent it off just the other day.”

Lily tugged on her father’s sleeve.  “Hungry.”

“So am I!” he replied.  “And that cook of ours is nowhere to be found.  Where is your mother?”

She took his hand and proceeded to examine his fingers.  “Feeding the baby.”

Pippin tsked.  “Well, it’s obvious who Estella cares more about now, isn’t it?  Ever since that lad was born, we’ve become a much lower priority.”

Merry sighed and shook his head.  “Blatant favoritism.”  He set his daughter on Pippin’s lap.  “Here, hold this.”  He then walked out of the kitchen in search of his wife.

Lily picked up one end of his scarf and ran her fingers through the tassels.  “Visit Diamond soon?” she asked.

“I’m afraid not.  It’s getting too cold out at night for us to meet.”

“Why meet at night?”

Pippin was silent for a moment as he wondered how best to explain it to her.  In the end, he said softly, “It’s just better that way.”

* * *

Bellamanta was drying the last of the dishes left over from supper when Diamond entered the kitchen wearing a bright smile.  Apparently not noticing her mother, she immediately walked over to the counter and selected a large apple from the basket that sat there.  A slight bounce was in her step, and her foot tapped in time with a song that only she could hear.

The girl’s cheerful demeanor had been obvious throughout the day, as was to be expected of a young hobbit on his or her birthday.  She had handed out each of her presents with a grin, and seemed to be more than satisfied with the small celebration that her family had held in honor of the occasion.  Quite different from her birthday the previous year, in which she had hardly spoken to or looked at anyone before making an early escape to her room without even waiting for dessert.

“It’s nice to see you taking a genuine interest in your food,” said Bellamanta, causing Diamond to jump in surprise.  “Like a proper hobbit at last!”

Diamond simply smiled sheepishly as she continued eating, now humming to herself.  Bellamanta’s own good-natured smile faded and she let out a soft sigh of frustration.  Her youngest daughter’s behavior over the past few months had been a source of great confusion and unrest for her.  Diamond seemed to have undergone a sort of metamorphosis:  Pale cheeks were now fuller and carried a rosy tinge.  Curves were starting to develop, and she was looking more like a hobbit her own age, as opposed to the teenager she had resembled not many months before.

But with those changes in her physique had come changes in her behavior.  She had become more secretive, and would stay in her room for hours, immersing herself in the books she was now able to read.  She also received post at least once a week, though she never told Bellamanta who they were from.  And Bellamanta had always respected her children’s privacy, especially Diamond’s.

She only wished Diamond would not be afraid to confide in her mother.

One of the many things that worried Bellamanta about her youngest daughter was how Diamond hardly ever came to her family members about her problems.  If something was bothering her enough, she might speak to her sister Opal, maybe even her brother Fildigrim about it; but more often than not, she simply kept her problems to herself.  And when Bellamanta suspected something was amiss and asked her how she was feeling, Diamond would respond with merely a quick nod and a small smile.

Bellamanta often wondered if it was too late for her to become more actively involved in Diamond’s life, if she would be met with bitterness were she to try.  She wondered if she had failed as a mother to her youngest child.

Her stomach knotted painfully as she recalled a time twenty-two years ago when she and Feldigram had stayed at Diamond’s bedside for two agonizing months; a time when they could not even bring themselves to sleep for very long, terrified that they would awake to find their little girl was no longer breathing.

Pushing those memories aside and forcing her mind to focus on the present, she lowered her voice and spoke again.  “Diamond, is there anything you want to tell me about?  You know you can talk to me if you need to.”

Diamond was silent for a long moment, her eyes wide, a strange, almost frightened look coming to her face.  She did not meet her mother’s gaze when she replied softly, “No, of course not.”

Bellamanta’s shoulder’s slumped in defeat.  Her throat tight, she whispered, “Very well.”

* * *

Diamond returned to the privacy of her room as soon as she had finished eating.  She collapsed onto her bed, curling up on her side and hugging her knees to her chest.  She felt overwhelmed, she felt sick.

She had never lied to her mother’s face before.

Their relationship had never been ideal, but most relationships weren’t, and Diamond loved and respected her mother deeply.  She wanted to believe that her mother would have supported her relationship with Pippin, but she knew that Bellamanta had to think of matters other than the happiness of just one child.

After all, the North-tooks had several unmarried lasses in the family other than Diamond - and none of them had any dowry to speak of.

No one in the smial was starving, of course, but expenses were running low.  Diamond and her sisters had not bought new dresses in over a year, and their mother had gone even longer without any new clothes.

She’s making sacrifices for us, and I’m deceiving her.

A suppressed sob shuddered through Diamond, and she squeezed her eyes shut.  She was struck by the biting pain that was the absence of the one person who never failed to make her smile.

She curled up tighter, recalling the memory of Pippin’s cheerful voice and the feel of his arms enveloping her gently.  Such thoughts were usually enough to put her mind at ease.

But no longer.  It had been too long since last she had heard his voice outside of her memories and her dreams; mere recollection would not suffice anymore.  And so Diamond did the only thing she could do:  Keeping Pippin’s face at the front of her thoughts in the hope that he would find his way to her dreams, she cried herself to sleep.

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