A/N: Alrighty then folks, sorry about the delay, I've had a fair bit of weight on my shoulders these past couple of months. Aside from an argument causing me to moving out and then moving back home to caring for my mum again after she had another operation. I've had health problems too, so aside from those I've been looking after the house as well; that's two chickens, a rabbit, two cats, two dogs, my mother and my two idiot brothers that don't know how to look after themselves and then we get told that my mum is permanently disabled so I had to work both my permanent and then a temporary job up until the Christmas just to bring some extra pennies into the house and then going back to one job and then working overtime on it. I've barely had time to eat let alone even consider writing. I've got a fair bit to write for my other stories too but I've got a lot to catch up on.
So now that I've managed to snag a day off, woohoo, I've decided to redo the first and second chapter and hopefully give you a new chapter so fingers crossed that will get done today, now mind you I'm over in the UK so currently its rounding up to 2:30pm. So I'd say the new chapter will be up either late tonight or early tomorrow. So I hope you like the few improvements and please, please, please, drop me a review, I love reviews, good and bad. Whether they are long or short I'll take it!
The Unexpected journey of Aurora; The Wanderer.
Ten years earlier on a cobblestoned road leading to the Shire…
Aurora's P.O.V
A slightly overdramatic sigh escaped the tired lips of my travelling companion, bringing me back to the present from my idleness observings of the rolling waves of the rich green hills that surrounded us.
I smile to myself, more of a wry smile really, at the sound of it. This sigh was more of a grumble, a sound my ears had become quite accustomed to from over the years we've spent together, it was a sound some would consider natural coming from the lips of this creature but as I'm on a more familiar basis with this fellow I've learnt the many meanings behind certain actions, movements and sounds he makes. You see, my travelling companion wasn't someone of whom you could consider to be respectful or trustworthy or someone to have you back in a fight. He also ate the better half of our food supplies, never shared the bed rolls or the blankets for that matter either and is probably the easiest creature to scare.
Literally. A butterfly would scare him into running for his life. I'm not joking.
And come to think of it he isn't the most fascinating chap to listen to during our adventures either, he complains for the majority of it, there has been on a few occasions that I've very much liked to have took by the throat and shook him until his teeth rattled in his skull. But then again to be fair I must admit he does do his fair share of heavy lifting, something of which I can't do. He carries all of our supplies; bedrolls, food, water, my weapons and not to mention myself included during our adventures, so I suppose he does hold the right to have a grumble at a few things here and there, however I didn't particularly appreciate the grumblings he was oh so humbly contributing to our situation at the present.
"I don't particularly like the current change in weather either my dear friend but you don't hear me grumbling an' groaning 'bout it to you, do you?" His reply was another grumble, with an added snort to help argue his side.
"Well would you prefer it to be gail force winds so string that they knock you off of your feet and steal your breath from your lungs?" His silence prompts me to continue. "Or better yet, it to be raining cats and dogs, so badly in fact that it would take us days to dry our belongings? How about that?" Nothing. "I didn't think so, at least then I could sympathize with your pathetic and somewhat annoying grumbles on the matter." I say as an afterthought to myself, losing myself back into the scenery that was slowly having its beautiful shades of green cast out by the grey of the small storm that had worked its way over to us in the last couple of hours. "But this is merely a drizzle that will soon be over. Ah ha! Look! Over there! There's a breakage in the clouds, oh look you can see that the sun is already peaking itself out from behind them. You see, nothing to worry about, it is just a passing shower my dear." Patting him on the back for some added comfort and reassurance I turn my curious eyes back to the road in front of us. "It's a good thing too at least then we will reach the Shire in a somewhat dry condition, however if had been raining like it was yesterday then," I laugh ruefully. "Then I'm afraid that we would very much resemble something similar to drowned rats, at least then you would have the right to grumble." No reply this time and I chuckle knowing that I have won this argument, I grin a toothy grin at my victory as we continue our ride in silence.
Peace to my ears.
Now, don't get me wrong, I love Catastros dearly but there is only so much complaining one can take from a pony! A pony somewhat taller than usual, in fact he is so tall he could be classed as a horse, a smaller than your usual horse.
Catastros is what some people will consider to be a rare breed although to others he was mutation of sorts. Taller than most ponies, Catastros is also faster, stronger and smarter than that of his kin, his height meant his shoulders came within an inch or two away from those on a regular stallion. When I first met him, he was rowdy, loud and full of mischief but the rarity of his heritage was what drew me to him, he was a stranger to his kind; an outcast, shunned from his society by the rest of his kin for being different, an interracial breed that they could not fathom nor allow to socialise with them. He was one third Pony, one third Albanian horse and one third Shire horse.
His origins have been a somewhat a mystery, I have yet to discover how it was possible for the crossings of breeds and how they have managed to correspond with each other into producing him. There are pro's and con's to everyone and everything, but he does have the added benefit of aging differently from his kin; he ages pretty much like the ancient race of Men do. So far I have found that although he is only twenty nine years of age he very much looked, felt, acted and worked as if he was five years old, another added benefit is that we still have many more years to share with one and other.
As I said before, his crossing of breeds is what drew me to him in the first place because this, my dear friends is something of which we have in common. Myself and Catastros I mean.
I, myself am a crossbreed, of how many races I am still not so sure of but I have figured that due to my slight shortness, rough skin and stamina that there is a bit of Dwarf blood running through my veins, though I cannot fathom why I haven't the fortunes of growing a beard, although this is something of which I can only assume has something to do with the possible Elvin blood running through my veins too. I say Elvin because Men are not known for their slim physique or prominent beauty in their facial features. Having said that, I do have a slim figure and I am slightly taller than most female dwarves. I suppose that I could have some blood from the ancient race of Men but with my keen sense of hearing and sight I feel that I fall under the category of an Elf not to mention my quick reflexes or my impressive ability to handle a bow and arrow or an axe or sword for that matter either.
Women are very good at multitasking I'll have you know. Not that I'm blowing my own horn or anything.
And yes I will be honest, I have spent the better part of my life trying to figure out who I am and where I belong not to mention trying to make others understand and accept all that I am. But nevertheless no matter how hard I tried to fit in, I couldn't make it happen; I couldn't make them look past their pride and prejudice or stubbornness for that matter might I add but most of all I couldn't be something I wasn't just so I could fit in for their sakes.
They took too much pride in their unpolluted blood, they feared that should they accept me in their society and culture I would bring about a change and encourage mixed races or alliances but in the end it was all down to them wanting the preservation of their race, they wanted to stay pure.
And I in doing so I was shunned from every pocket of Middle Earth; from the Iron Hills to Mirkwood, The Brown Lands to Helms Deep, Lorien to Dunland , I had enough sense to steer clear of the Blue Mountain's or if my path lead me close to it I would make sure to keep my head down, goodness knows what would happen to me if any of the Dwarves who lived there saw me.
Or Thorin Oakenshield for that matter.
Valar know's he'd probably chop off my head or something, his hatred for the Elves would probably fuel his fire for the small part that runs through me.
True, there were a few beings that took pity on me, allowing me to find work wherever I could but at a cost of keeping my head down as to not cause trouble. That way at least I didn't add insult to my name or those I worked for, I mean just about everyone has heard about me, through my wanderings around Middle Earth of course, but never knew why I did it, of course no one asked me why, they were too busy gossiping about me, spreading rumours and such to take notice or get to know me.
Of course if they had asked me, they would've found out how I grew up; abandoned just hours after being brought into this world had my life began in despair. A farmer and his wife took me in after they had found me in their barn. I had been bundled up in a scraggy, dirty piece of cloth barely large enough for me to fit in and left in the food trough for the sheep. They wouldn't have found me if it wasn't for their sheep dog, she'd noticed me when she was herding the last of the sheep out of the pen when she heard my breathing. Alas it had been a cold night and being born into this world early, I was frail. They raised me as much as they could on the scraps they fed themselves with until I was old enough to work a shovel, then I earned my way and helped with the farm as much as I could before they passed on from this world. Their passing was the beginning of my wanderings; mere hours after their death did the master of the town through me out. He would have done it the moment the Marshes had taken me in, had they not have been the most respected people of the town. The Master had to endure bullyings from the people and other cities for allowing a creature like myself to be brought up amongst the valley of Men.
I was only twenty winters old, to an Elf and a Dwarf I was very much a child but in the eyes of Man I was an adult. With nothing but a small sack of clothes and handful of silver I'd inherited, I had no choice but to take on Middle Earth on my own. I barely knew the world, let alone how to survive in it by myself, so needless to say I met some unsavoury characters on the way, got into my fair share of fights and gotten lost more times than I'd like to count let alone admit but I had to do everything I could to survive.
I suppose this is how I managed to conceive my nick name; The Wanderer. It fitted me nicely, in both good and bad ways, true the bad ways seem to have higher odds than the good ways but I've still got time to change that.
I'm sure you all understand why they gave me that name; I was born early and my birth family didn't stay around long enough to want me and then I was thrust into another family that couldn't afford me. They people around me never had to suffer knowing they could never be someone's daughter or sister; they never had to grow up in a society that never allowed them to belong to it. I've never had a place that I could call home or someone to come home to.
I don't belong anywhere.
But believe me I want to, how I yearn to be like a Hobbit who belongs to the rolling hills of the Shire or to be a full Elf so I can dance and sing under star lights in the ever green of the woods or a full Dwarf whose strength is as mighty as the Mountains they live in.
But that was just a dream that I dreamt of every night, I was just myself; she who doesn't belong to anyone or anywhere. But there is defiantly one place I wanted with every fibre in my being to belong to and I think this is because it's defiantly the only blood that doesn't run through my veins. I wanted to belong to The Shire; oh how I love the Hobbits way of life, there carefree nature and constant friendliness, the fact that they welcomed just about anyone into their homes with open arms was a good thing too, sure they are a little curious and wary at first but I guess it's just in their nature but the fact they welcomed you with a merry smile on their face and plates full of food waiting to be devoured was what got me the most.
At least that was what I was hoping for in my case and speaking of food, back to the present.
"I do hope you smell what I smell Cas?!." I brightened as I catch onto the delicious smell of freshly baked bread, eggs, bacon and sausage. Not that Cas would like or appreciate the smell of cooked meat but still. Gulping in a breath, I could quite literally taste each piece of food precisely as if I was actually eating it, my mouth watered and a growl like sound emitted from my stomach, a sound that is if I were in the company of someone else other than my pony, would certainly be unlady like and I probably feel slightly embarrassed. Slightly. Not much. But seeing as it was only Cas and my merry self I couldn't care less. Kicking my heels gently into side his side, I encourage him to trot a little faster but he needed no word of encouragement from me because as soon as the hills began to open up with Hobbit Holes and fences, did he find a burst of life and begin galloping to our destination with a new found determination, with myself gripping onto the reigns for fear of my life.
Racing into Hobbiton where we were greeted with the many faces and curly haired tops of Hobbits, did I fear for the well-being of the gentle folk, as Cas barged past them, he kept his eyes trained on the road ahead of him, dodging and jumping over and around any obstacle that ventured into his path, eventually Hobbiton was soon behind us and Bywater was fastly making its approach as Cas' eyes set its sights on the Tavern that he was familiar with and were approaching quite quickly.
"Oi! Watch where yer' going!" A poor soul shouted in surprise as a mountain of black sped past him; he pulled back his wheel barrow full of potatoes just in the nick of time.
"My apologies Master Hobbit!" I yelled back to him, I feared that if I took my sights off of the road in front of me that we, well, agreeably I wouldn't quite like to think of it so we'll leave it at that. When the foundations of The Green Dragon became remarkably clear to me, as in I could see every crack of the wood work, did I pull on the reigns and beg Cas into a complete stop. "Whoa boy!" I breathed in relief as he did literally stop on the spot in front of the door just as a hobbit opened it in hopes of leaving.
I had the maturity, somewhat, and the manners to not laugh in front of the poor fellow as he paled considerably and step back in such a fright, straight into the closed door of course. I too would be shocked if I were greeted with the snout of a pony, taller and rounder than usual, just about touching your own nose as you make your ways out of the pub. Dismounting, I falling the somewhat small distance to the floor, landing gracefully onto the balls of my feet and apologize.
"I'm terribly sorry Master Hobbit, my friend here is in need of some good food and a nice straw bed from his weary travels, he may have gotten a little excited when he realised how close we were to the Green Dragon, and it's been an exhausting journey from our travels from the coastal waters of Forlindon. Now Cas! Be a good boy and apologize to the poor fellow." I pull him back just a smidge to allow the poor hobbit some breathing space. Cas, being the good boy he was; not, snorted and bowed his head once and gave a gentle 'neigh' in the hobbits direction and waited patiently for the hobbit's response. I grin before looking back to the hobbit, I note that he's regained some colour into his round cheeks, although the hand that had risen to grip his waistcoat precisely over his wildly beating heart, had yet to move, he kept it there, unsure what to do with it really. His eyebrows rose up a few times as he blinked in our direction, Cas bounced on his hoaves a little in hopes to encourage the hobbit to recover his voice. Still weary, somewhat of Cas' appearance more than fright he opened his mouth and closed it a couple of times as he studied my pony before frowning.
"N-no harm done, no one got hurt, which is the main thing. Thank you my good fellow, apologies accepted." He clicked his heels before cautiously moving forward in hopes to step away from the front porch and most likely to get away from us but Cas percepted this as the hobbit coming forward to pet him, so he too moved forward bowing his head slightly so his forehead rested against the knuckles of the hobbits hand that was still raised up to his chest. The hobbit jumped in fright again, but upon realising Cas' intentions he unclenched and lifted his hand to pat Cas' forehead, a bit awkwardly. I forget that hobbits aren't accustomed to ponies, they were used to the likes of cows, sheep, goats and donkeys. "There. There. Cas?" I couldn't help but let out a breathy laugh at that, he seemed unsure of the name that left his lips. This seemed to satisfy Cas enough as he then stepped back beside me, I patted his shoulder for his good behaviour before I introduced myself.
"Seeing as you've already met my friend here let me introduce myself, Aurora." I dip into a deep bow before straightening back up with grin on my face. "At your service." Hand still at chest, he caught himself before brushing his waistcoat free of invisible crumbs before bowing respectfully back at me. "Bilbo Baggins at yours." Cas snorted once more before bowing his head again, this encouraged a small smile from Bilbo.
"A pleasure to meet you Mister Baggins, I do hope to see you more throughout my stay here, I will be venturing into the Shire soon though and I apologize yet again for the inconvenience. Good morning." I smile once more with a nod before leading Cas to the nearest Inn stable. If I had looked back, I would've found Mister Baggins looking in my direction, a confused frown upon his face before it lifted into a small smile as he then proceeded into carrying on with his morning. Detangling the saddle and the many bags upon him, I make sure that Cas was comfortable and surrounded by good food before going to pay the Inn's keeper for our lodgings.
I wasn't quite sure how long I was going to stay in the Green Dragon before venturing into the Shire, usually I just passed through and headed for Bree or in the other direction to the Southern part of Harlindon, and yet for some strange reason, that something deep down inside of me knew I would gain something from coming to the Shire. I wasn't exactly convinced of this but nevertheless I began tugging my belongings to my room, wondering what today will bring me.
Did I also forget to mention that, beneath all the bad blood and such, I was also considered a Guardian of Middle Earth? No? I'll explain that part a bit later on then.
Unlocking the door to my room, I pause in the doorway, sometimes I forget what it's like to sleep in a proper bed, a soft comfy one at that, with a roof over my head and four walls surrounding me, sheltering me from the harsh cold wind and bitter rain. I dump my things at the foot of the bed before hastily making my way back to the Green Dragon; there was the matter of attending to the bottomless pit that is my stomach. I practically skip my way there and as I do, I am greeted with the delightful smell of my soon to be breakfast as I enter; I station myself at the nearest empty booth before a waitress came over.
"What do you want?" Taken back by the snottiness of her attitude my mouth falls agape, I'd never had someone talk so rudely to me or act so bluntly about it either, I was shocked; I'd half expect it to have been by someone of another race but never from the likes of a Hobbit. With half of my brain working, I allow my order to roll of my tongue whilst I sit there, usually Hobbit's were quite friendly creatures, and it was unusual for them to behave like this. I sit back against the seat, the hard flat wood not giving me the best of comforts as it prodded against my back, this brought me back to reality and it was then that I took note of some of the sour and then some of the curious looks coming my way from the other customers in the Green Dragon. Feeling my cheeks beginning to heat under their gazes I begin detangling myself out of my heavy cloak, searching the inner pockets and quickly pull out my blue leather bound journal. To keep myself distracted from the gazes that burned into me, I log in my recent travellings.
One of my great desires was to have my adventures published, I've written many books of my adventures and my role as a Guardian of Middle Earth, a part of me would like people to read my story from me and not others, although some do paint me in a decent picture were others don't. And clearly that bad picture had been drawn here too. I jumped back in shock when a plateful of food is slammed down atop of my journal; I'd just enough time to catch my tankard of ale before it toppled over as it wobbled dangerously from the force it too was thrown down at. Before I could give my complainings to the little madam she buggered off, I grumbled under my breath at her before turning back to the meal in front of me and oh so happily dug in, blissfully none the wiser to the sour glare and the odd couple curious stares that surrounded me. I had become accustomed to others being weary of my presence and acting in a defensive manner, for mostly I came across as a dwarf as most of my bearings were significantly dwarf but then there was the matter of no beard, no big ears or feet which were quite the opposite actually, so this put most friendly folk off but the reception I was receiving was making me think that my stay in Bywater was going to be cut short.
I spent the majority of the morning and afternoon at the Green Dragon, one for the food but most of all believe it or not, for being in the presence of others; it was nice to hear the voice of someone other than Cas, one that actually spoke for that matter. The smile that filled my face as I sat in my booth, watching as the hobbits enjoyed their second breakfast, their Elevnesies and their lunch whilst they conversed and laughed with their good friends, family and neighbours. After they'd given me a good studious look over they began to feel comfortable around before going back to their business yet none of them ever made a form of greeting me, a small pang of sadness struck me, no matter how hard I'd built myself up to receiving this sort of treatment, it still hurt. But soon the cheery atmosphere of the tavern wiped it away as quick as it had come. I was eavesdropping, I know it is rude of me to do it but shush, in on a conversation between five gentlemanly hobbits, concerning the likes of me and if I was THE Wandering Guardian when the door opened and a familiar face came through it. I smiled and watched fascinated as Bilbo was greeted by the other hobbits as he made his rounds of saying hello and ordering some food, he scanned the room as he waited for a tankard of ale when he came across myself sitting in a booth, I grinned and raised my own tankard to him before going back to pretending to read more on the annual fruit and vegetable contest flyer that was sitting in front of me now that I'd logged my recent travellings into my journal. Really I was eavesdropping back in on the heated conversation that was going on in the booth next to me so it was curious when the scrapping of a stool making its way towards me caught my attention, lifting my gaze up, my eyes widen slightly in trepidation as Bilbo righted his stool before plonking himself on to it.
"Hello?" I say wearily.
"Hello indeed! Sorry to surprise but if you don't mind me being blunt, you looked like you were lonely sitting here, so I thought that maybe you were in need of some company, not to mention some friendly chatter." He spoke before lifting his drink to his lips and watching me over the tops of the rim.
"Not all Mister Baggins, in fact I wouldn't mind the company not to mention the friendly chatter, a horse doesn't hold the best of conversations at times let me tell you." I grinned when he chuckled into the pint, a dribbled of ale squeezing from his lips before he dashed it away with his handkerchief. Leaning against the table he clasps his hands together as he gives me a smile.
"No I couldn't quite imagine a horse to hold the best of conversations at all, I'm presuming they'd complain a lot." He chuckled again before the tavern waitress set a plate of food down in front of him.
"Ther' yer' go Mister Bilbo, be careful now that's fresh from the frying pan." The waitress warned with a smile before twisting to serve me a plate of fish and chips too, with a death glare the devil couldn't muster. "Ther' yer' go, you should be grateful Mister Baggins is paying for you. Happy eating's!" She smiled back at him with a nod before going back to cleaning some tables.
"How terribly rude of her I am so sorry, usually she is such a friendly lass I don't know what has come over her." I stared at him aghast, then to the plate of food, then to the waitress, continuing this motion several times before looking up to Bilbo in confusion. He had already tucked a napkin into his collar and began digging into his meal when his gaze reached mine; taking a quick drink he smiled at me.
"It looked like you were still hungry." He smiled before going for another mouthful of food. "Now you've only been here what three, four hours and already word has gotten round about a curious looking young lady traveller arriving in Hobbiton early this morning and then into Bywater." He smiles as he waits my reply.
"Now I wouldn't imagine them saying curiously looking."
"No, I imagine they did not." He sighs before taking another mouthful. "Now most hobbits are pretty much as we are described, friendly and happy, love food because who doesn't." He states sarcastically that earns him a giggle. "However there happens to be a few that have this case of misjudging others, of course when I heard the gossip I figured I'd do something none of them have yet to do and get to know you, besides I'm sure you could use a friendly unjudging of character or appearance type of friend whilst you enjoy your stay here, so on behalf of the better part of Hobbiton, Bywater and the Shire, welcome." He nodded, happy with his speech before tucking back into his food.
I sat there for a few more minutes, taking in his words before smiling gratefully and tucking into my own meal.
Out of all the beings I have met in my life time, there has been no-one up until now that is, to put aside my appearance and their prejudice to make me feel welcomed, make me feel as if I have a footprint in this life, make me feel like I have a friend. And I admired the hobbit for that, something of which that I grew to love as I got to know him better, throughout my stay here.
Third P.O.V
You see it took a Hobbit over the likes of many others to simply stop and put aside any precautions one might assume in Aurora's presence, something only a handful if that had done over the course of Aurora's life and it was this Hobbit that showed her kindness and compassion, showed her friendliness and gave her laughter, welcomed her into his home and later as he become to know her better, into his heart for he found that he could not, not love her. She was too good of a character, intelligent, mischievous, kind and brave at heart, determined and strong minded, gentle and soothing and not to mention a forceful and fearless opponent, something of which that he favours in forgetting ever finding out, but loving and caring of others. Also a hearty drinker, one who is the most delightful, rather happy, not to mention incredibly funny drunk he's ever encountered and over the years he's become accustomed to her wry sense of humour and sarcasm. Something of which he loved, it was true, from the moment she arrived he knew she was different, he could feel it in his belly, he never gave much thought as to what having a sister would be like but now that he'd found it in her, he wouldn't give her up.
He himself could not figure the nostalgia and harshness of the other races that had shunned her, he'd given it a good thought on whether he should write well written letters to all who had but alas he'd abided by her wishes, just as he'd abided by the fact that she wouldn't stay more than a year in the Shire, she was too curious to be kept in one place and her sense of adventured filled her enough for a thousand beings and her need to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Alas he cherished the days she wrote to him, telling him of her latest exploits against the evil beings in Middle Earth, the places she'd visited, the unfriendly welcomes and the rare few that weren't but most of all when she would be coming back home. He also realised that her not staying was mostly due to the fact that she didn't know how to stay in one place really, it pained his heart when she told him that Hobbiton, Bywater or the Shire for that matter didn't quite feel like the place she truly belonged to.
Her heart was calling for another place, a place she didn't even know her heart was calling to, a place she knew next to nothing about other than the stories.
And that my friends is where our adventure begins, when a Wizard, a wanderer much like Aurora herself, happens up a Dwarf, King Under The Mountain; Thorin Oakenshielf, son of Thrain, son of Thror. Who was in need of a fourteenth member of his company.
Only instead he was getting not only a fourteenth but a fifteenth and a sixteenth, that is if you include Cas as a whole or a half but we'll leave that decision up to you.
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