EPILOGUE

“The next morning,” said Estella, “Meli’s parents came and brought us here to Brandy Hall, and I’ve been here ever since. I only ever had a few messages from Fatty while he was in hiding with his band of rebels. He abandoned Brock Hall, and he never did go to Tuckborough. He gave the Chief and his Men a very hard time indeed, until they captured him. Farmer Maggot was kind enough to get us word of that.”

Merry’s own tears spilled down his face. While not as close to him as Freddy, Folco had been a dear friend. And Fredegar and Folco had been as close as he and Pippin. He thought of how close he and Pippin had come on so many occasions to losing one another on the Quest. It still gave both of them nightmares. What must Estella’s brother be suffering? He looked down at her tenderly--she had loved Folco, too.

Estella made ready to get on the Ferry. She turned to Merry, and almost without thinking, they reached out to one another for a quick embrace.

As he watched her being poled across the Brandywine, Merry could not help but think about the Ring--one more bit of evil to lay at its doorstep, one more victim it had claimed.

Folco had played the flute so beautifully.