Written for Llinos, on the occasion of her birthday!

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When the bells rang that announced his duty over, Merry hurried to the guesthouse that he shared with the Fellowship. He didn’t stay long. By arrangement the others awaited him at the Painted Mûmak.

He was greeted with cheers and backslapping, a mug of the inn’s finest thrust into his hand. Pippin enthusiastically relieved Merry of the packages he had retrieved.

“Happy Birthday Merry! What did you get me?”

Pippin was as excited as a little lad, just as he was every year. Despite everything he was still Merry’s Pippin, and that, Merry knew, was the best gift of all.