Because I was so slow with getting Chapter 13 up, I've decided to go ahead and post this chapter at the same time.

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Chapter 14 - The Fire-Breathing Hobbit Lass

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"And just where are you going, Estella?"

Estella turned to face her brother.  "If you must know, my dear Fredegar, I am going into town to meet Merry."

A smile flashed across Fredegar's face.  "Indeed.  Well, I hope Merry will behave himself around my little sister."

Rolling her eyes, Estella said with a smile as she walked out the door, "Goodbye, Fatty."

Not long afterwards, Estella walked leisurely through the center of Hobbiton, scanning the crowd of hobbits for a head of curly brown hair that stood high above the others.  She couldn't find Merry; however, she did see one particular hobbit walking directly towards her...

Oh no.

The hobbit approached her wearing a rather awkward smile.  "Hello, Estella," he said.

Through clenched teeth, Estella replied, "Hello, Hugo."

"It's... it's been a long time."

"It certainly has."

"You, ah... you look nice."

"And you," Estella said hotly, barely able to contain her rage, "look exactly the same.  Yes, I'm sure you haven't changed a bit."

Much to her annoyance, Hugo refused to relent.  He took her hand and said, "Estella, I know we didn't exactly part on friendly terms, but--"

She snatched her hand away.  "Touch me again and you will be limping home."

Hugo's demeanor changed in a flash.  "It seems I'm not the only one who hasn't change at all," he said icily.  "It's just as it always was with you - someone tries to be nice, and they're met with a fire-breathing dragon of a hobbit."

Estella folded her arms and flared her nostrils.  "Well forgive me if I'm less than polite to someone who tore my heart to shreds."

He rolled his eyes.  "Oh, don't be so dramatic."

"Dramatic!" she exclaimed.  She then lowered her voice and said, "Ooh, if this wasn't a public place..."

Hugo barked out a laugh.  "As though that would stop you from making a scene!  Aren't you always wanting to prove just how rebellious you are?"

Estella's jaw dropped, shock and rage evident in her features.  "Why you uncouth, half-witted--"

As she desperately searched for another stinging word to toss at Hugo, Estella felt a hand on her shoulder, accompanied by Merry's voice, saying, "Is everything all right, Estella?"

Something about his voice calmed Estella to where she could think clearer.  Somehow managing an even voice, she said, "Yes, Merry, everything is just fine."

Hugo's eyes widened.  "Merry... as in Meriadoc Brandybuck?"

"Yes," Merry replied, his eyes narrowing.  "And who are you?"

"Oh, how rude of me!  I'm Hugo, Hugo Goodbody," he said with a nervous smile.

Merry's grip on Estella's shoulder tightened slightly.  She looked over and saw him wearing a rather forced smile.  "Are you, now?" he said in a would-be light tone.

"Yes," Hugo said, his voice higher than normal.  "I- I didn't know you and Estella were friends."

"Well, we didn't used to be, but what can I say?  Things change, sometimes for the better."  As Merry spoke, he moved his hand to Estella's opposite shoulder, hugging her close to him.  In response, Estella wrapped her arm around Merry's waist, grinning.  She spared a brief glance at him and saw that his free hand rested on the pommel of the sword he so often carried.

When Estella saw that Hugo had noticed the sword as well, her grin widened a bit more.

Merry had also noticed where Hugo's gaze currently rested.  "Quite a nice blade, isn't it?"  Much to Hugo's horror, Merry drew the sword out and waved it around carelessly.  "Perhaps not as good as the one I'd had before," he said, swinging it rather close to Hugo's nose, "but a good blade nonetheless.  After all, it serves its purpose."

After a moment of staring at the swinging blade, Hugo laughed nervously.  "Ahh, I see what this is about."  He looked at Estella and said, "You're trying to intimidate me, aren't you?"

Estella smiled sweetly at him.  "Why Hugo, you can hardly blame me - it's not my fault that the lad I'm with enjoys showing off his weaponry."

Hugo gave a derisive snort.  "Hmph."  He turned to look at Merry.  "Well, Mister Brandybuck, if you really are interested in courting this girl, I feel the need to warn you - she may be a pretty thing to look at, but she can breathe fire just as well as any ghastly dragon."

Merry raised an eyebrow.  "Is that so?"  With that, he turned, leaned down, and kissed Estella firmly and passionately, paying no heed to the many other hobbits that surrounded them.

Several seconds later, when Merry finally pulled away from a pleasantly surprised Estella, he spoke again to Hugo.  "Well, Mister Goodbody, I think if I can emerge from that without any burns to speak of, then Estella and I will get along just fine."  He and Estella both nodded politely to Hugo, turned, and walked away.

As they walked, Merry said, "Is it wrong of me to admit that I received a great amount of satisfaction from that?"

"I hope not, considering I felt the same way."  She smiled up at him as he wrapped his arm around her again.  But she was surprised to find herself suddenly doubting her actions with Hugo.  Perhaps she should not have allowed her temper to get the best of her... and yet the memory of how Hugo had treated her still stung rather painfully.

Merry seemed to sense her anxiety.  He squeezed her shoulder and asked, "Are you all right, Estella?  Did he say something to hurt you?  If he did, I'll--"

"No, it's not that," she interrupted quickly.  "I was just wondering if maybe I..."  She muttered something under her breath.

"Pardon?"

Sighing, Estella repeated, "If maybe I should've been nicer to Hugo back there."

"Ahh, I see.  Well, I would not worry too much if I were you.  After all, the fact that you seem to be developing a conscience is a very good sign."  Estella gently pinched his side in response.

A moment later, she rested her head on Merry's shoulder and said, "Merry, do you think I'm a fire-breathing dragon of a hobbit?"

"Yes," he answered promptly.  He then looked at her and smiled, drawing her closer.  "And I wouldn't have it any other way."

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