First of all, your two beginning paragraphs had me crying for Merry all over again. It's hard to look back at their carefree happy days now that things have gotten so serious in the recent chapters.

Second, the rest of this fic was like being bathed in warm sunshine. It was quite and introspective and beautiful, and you don't know how happy it makes me to see this as a part 1 of 5.

I'm eagerly awaiting more.