1.
“I need you,” she said, pleading. “I need you to make me feel alive. Please.”
Éowyn touched his cheek. She moved to kiss him again, but he pulled away. "I'm sorry, my lady. I cannot. It isn't right." Merry rolled away, facing the side of their small tent. Behind him, he heard her take a few deep breaths.
"I'm sorry," she said. She gently touched his back. "I should not have put you in this position."
She took her hand away and shifted away from him. He sighed. He could still feel the touch of her hand on his back.
2.
"I want to take Ivy home with me."
Merry stared in shock at Éowyn, heart pounding. His greatest fear had come true.
"I'm sorry," she said, voice shaking. "I don't want to hurt you, Merry. But she's my daughter. And I can't give her up again. I can't lose her again."
Merry turned to the window overlooking Edoras. Somewhere below, Ivy was playing with her brothers and Faramir. She had fit easily into their family.
He gripped the sill. It hurt so much to think of losing Ivy. But he couldn't hurt her mother. He turned to Éowyn and nodded.
3.
"No, Pippin. I will not allow you to court my daughter."
Pippin closed his eyes. He heard Ivy's muffled sobs behind him, along with Estella's murmured words of comfort to her. He wanted to sob, too. But he had known this could happen. And he would respect Merry's wishes. He owed Merry that. He opened his eyes, looked at his cousin, and nodded. "I understand," he said, his voice breaking. He coughed. "I won't bring it up again."
He turned and walked out of Merry's study, allowing himself a touch to Ivy's shoulder as he passed.
He needed a drink.
4.
Ivy had named the baby Emerald. By all accounts she was a sweet baby and though her grandfather had been angered by his daughter's unexpected pregnancy, he was told Merry doted on his granddaughter from the moment she was born. Pippin was glad of that.
Pippin had never seen the baby before today. His eyes briefly met Ivy's before he looked in the crib. His heart broke. He mumbled congratulations and rushed from the room, no longer able to bear Diamond's knowing smirk and the overwhelming urge to snatch Emerald up in his arms and kiss his daughter's sweet face.
5.
"Get him out of here, Merry!" Éowyn said sharply.
Pippin was barely aware of being dragged from the room, too focused on his pale wife. They collapsed together in the parlor, Pippin clutching at Merry, sobbing. It had all gone wrong. The baby was too large.
When Pearl came in later, eyes red with tears, he knew before she said a word.
"We lost them both," she said shakily.
Merry moaned in anguish, but Pippin was too numb to voice his grief. How could he go on without his Ivy? How could he tell his children their mother was dead?