After Frodo's Journey to the Undying Lands, new gate ways opened for the people of Middle-Earth. Hobbits, Dwarves, and even Elves started to band together making allies; Man were at peace with all beings and adventures sprouted to the seas, away from the Undying Lands. During the voyages, undiscovered races were found. Elves were acquainted with Dark Elves of the Northern lands. Dwarves met cousins dubbed Brownies, a hairier bunch in the South. And the Man that were found had strange faces, some with wide set noses, some with almond eyes, others were similar to the Man of Gondor but had larger builds.

The aftermath of these encounters were the joining of new worlds to Middle-Earth…and the destruction of peace. Wild men and strange animals infected the forests, the original plants not able to withstand the dominance. Ents were killed and used for houses by these new peoples. The Elves mated with Dark Elves, producing odd orc like offspring. From this, the Elves had banned any marriage of other beings. Lady Arwen had become the prime warning for the Elves as her crown was taken and she was hung and burned.

From this Man and Elves entered into a civil war.

Dwarves became greedy as they stayed in their caves to avoid the war, until mountains crumpled inside from the hollowness of the rock. Dwarves in caves were extinct and mining became an old legend as the war continued. Brownies were left without a home too, and the cousins formed homes near harbors and the ocean. They were on no one's side.

More creatures were found in the new worlds and soon, the inhabitants of Middle-Earth became part of them. As that came, the war ended, but the once alliance of Elves and Man had been broken and could not be mended. The worlds changed and new technologies came into reality, cities destroyed and revived, enemies awoken and friends lost.

What of Hobbits' fate?

The Hobbits as small burrowing folk were nearly extinguished in the wars and dangerous animals. Elves hunted them for practice, the Shire suffered the colonization of skin crawlers and Hobbits fled into the forest. Years passed and it was found a few groups had found a home in what was Bree, but as Elves were gaining power and Man apathetic, the Hobbits were hunted again; although still some survived, mated with others, and their blood carried, mixed in with the new races. Pure blooded Hobbits gone…as believed by all.

"Push," says the father. He holds tight, knuckles whitening, as his wife screams with the infant's cries joining her. The now grandfather of the infant watches the mid wife wrap the small bundle in a blanket. She cuts the umbilical cord as the mother breathes and sees the child being handed to her.

"He's…" she chokes, "beautiful." The mother has blonde hair with green eyes, her skin pale with pink cheeks. She is very short. The new father comes in as he looks at his son for the first time proper. His hair goes in spikes and is black edged in red, eyes a dark purple and skin pale, also short.

"Oh, let me see him," says the grandfather. His greyed hair and dark purple eyes resemble his son's image. The three stare at the small infant. Mana, the mother, wipes away the amniotic fluid on him and sees his hair is dark as his father, but the bangs have some light brown etching. The eyes are a deep amethyst, not like a dull purple.

"Look at him, Yami," she says. "He's so tiny."

"Yes," Yami says, with foreboding in his voice. Solomon, the grandfather furrows his brow.

"Well, my work is done," says the mid wife, "good luck to you." She leaves without another word. Mana rocks the baby boy as he observes the people surrounding him.

"He's going to be small," Solomon says. "We three retain the Hobbit blood line, but I never imagined it could strengthen in you," he said with caution as Yami glared. Yami squeezed Mana's hand as she cradled her child. Mana kisses him and he coos for he recognizes the woman as his mother.

"What shall we name him?" Yami said. Mana smiles and rubs her nose to her baby.

"Yugi."

Solomon nods in approval and Yami hums at the name. "Yugi, my mother's tongue for game, yeah, that's right. Yugi, I'm your father, Yami," he says as he holds Yugi's tiny hand, "and that means darkness." Yugi coos as he attempts to tighten the hold of his father's large fingers. Mana giggles tiredly.

The Next Day

Yami yawns loudly and stretches out his back. He slumps in the chair and cracks his neck. "One night and I feel as if I've hauled several loads of barley and yet I couldn't be prouder."

"I know, I was in the room," Solomon comments as he hands Yami a plate of bread and cheese.

"Thanks," Yami chomps into the bread. "It's time for me to head out, tell Mana I will be back at noon."

Yami leaves for his job at the neighbor's farm. The house is small but welcoming with finished furniture and clothes. Solomon starts on tea for his daughter in law and waits for the day.

Mana feeds Yugi as he drinks his milk. "You are such a hungry boy." Mana giggles as Yugi finishes, he seems to give her a contemplative look. "Your eyes are old," Mana says furrowing her brow. "My my, Yugi, Hobbit blood and Dark Elf blood," Mana shakes her head, "I pray for you my child."

Solomon takes the tea off the stove and pours two cups. He carries one to Mana in her room

"Mana," he whispers.

"Right here, Yugi's awake." Solomon smiles as he enters with the tea. "Here, my late wife said this will ease any illness you still feel."

"Thank you." Yugi in one arm she takes the tea in her hand. "Smells good, what is in it."

"Baby's breath and mirliton shavings."

"That's strange," Mana says as she sips it. "Mm, tastes good."

"I added cinnamon. Nikita preferred the bitter taste; she said her Dark Elf side kept her that way."

Mana smiles as she sips from the drink. The baby whines as he wants his mother to pay attention. "Oh, Yugi," Mana says rolling her eyes. She places the cup on the table nearby and rocks her boy. A simple peaceful life she hopes for her family.

3 years later

Yugi draws on the wall with his chalk. Grampa had left in the morning for the day and he was to be alone again. Yugi a toddler now was quite old in his manner. He did not know his mother's voice or his father's hands, them being taken from him as a babe, and he knew Grampa did not always tell the truth. He sighed as his drawing turned again into a silver winged lizard. Yugi did not understand how his hands came to the white chalk making the lizard. He picked up the blue chalk and made two balls for eyes. Yugi stares at the lizard and smiles. The drawing gave him a warm feeling after he had finished.

His day continued as it started. Grampa would leave early in the morning and have breakfast made, although it would be cold when Yugi woke up. He had to eat it and then milled around a house, no food until Grampa returned home. They lived in New Laketown where it was chilly with scoundrels lurking as Grampa said. Yugi never left his house, Grampa made sure to lock all the doors and windows. Yugi picked up his chalks and went to put them up on the small dresser for him. He was short for a three year old with large feet for his height and he had tri-colored hair, streaks of red on the edges with a black base and his bangs blond. His eyes had remained amethysts.

Yugi walked clumsily, his feet making it difficult for him to move, to the window with his Grampa's chair and climbed. He could look out the window from the top of the chair and see the decrepit village standing on stilts and the filthy streets. Yugi saw this but he watched the children playing with a ball. He wanted to be part of that world. Yugi turned and looked at his winged lizard, at least he had him.