Disclaimer
: All the characters (except Julia) belong to the one and only JRR Tolkien. That pretty much covers it, right?Note: By the way, this starts in Frodo's house in Crickhollow the night before they leave.
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Chapter 1
A Knock at the Door
The five hobbits sat back in their chairs, letting the want for sleep nearly over-take them. Frodo was still recovering from the initial surprise of the conspiracy between his friends. They all tried to think of comforting things, since all too soon they would face perils they had only heard of in stories. Fredegar yawned and stretched his legs, forgetting for but a moment the unpleasant thoughts that came with waking life.
They allowed the calmness of the moment and the warmth of fire to work its spell on them. When at last it seemed the hobbits would fall asleep happily, they heard at loud knock at the door. Immediately the mood went from sleepiness to wariness. Sam and Pippin were the first to spring to their feet, but Fatty stopped them before they could reach the hallway.
"Let me answer it," he said; though there was an unsteadiness in his words.
"Do you think it could be..." Merry said slowly, trailing off ominously.
"A Black Rider?" Frodo finished Meriadoc's thought. "Let's hope not."
Fatty went softly down the hall, barely daring to breath. Another knock made him jump, but did not quicken his pace. He reached the door, taking a deep breath before opening it. In the dim candlelight and the bright light of the night sky, Fatty could make-out a hooded figure relatively his own height (if not an inch shorter). This was no Black Rider.
"Hullo," he said with relief. "Won't you come in and sit?" A soft voice replied "Thank you."
Once through the door, the hood of the dark figure was pulled back. In front of him Fredegar saw a young hobbit-lass with ordinary, brownish hair, which was tied back with red ribbon, and jewel-like blue-gray eyes, almost hidden by messy bangs. She carried with her a leather pack, and her deep purple cloak was torn in several places.
"Can I get you anything? You look as if you've had quite a trip," he managed, hoping he didn't sound rude.
"Please, I must speak to Frodo Baggins."
"Of course. Let me take your things, and then we'll see Frodo."
"Thank you so much. I'm Julia Marifield," she said as she handed him her cloak and pack.
"Hullo, Julia. I'm Fredegar Bolger, but everyone calls me Fatty."
"Pleased to finally meet you, Fatty," Julia said, holding back a giggle at his name. "Frodo's told me about a lot about you."
"Has he?" Fatty said curiously. "All good, I hope?"
"Oh, yes."
Fatty led the way to the room where the others were. There was a look of surprise on their faces when Julia entered. She certainly wasn't the Black Rider they'd been expecting.
"Julia?" Samwise and Frodo blurted at the same time.
"Frodo, I need to speak with you- it's important."
Merry smiled. "Frodo, you never introduced me to Julia. How do you do? I'm Merry Brandybuck—"
"Not now, Meriadoc," Frodo snapped. He turned to Julia. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude. I was just startled, is all. Come, we can talk in the next room. I'll get you some supper. Hobbiton to Buckland is no joke—especially on your own! How ever did you manage?"
Without waiting for an answer, he took her hand and brought her down the hall into the kitchen, and closed the door. The others looked puzzled.
"Sam, who is she?" Pippin asked.
"She's the niece of Old Holo Marifield back in Hobbiton. Nice enough girl, anyhow. Lives with her aunt and uncle, as her parents died when she was small. Sad story, that was. I think she's gone walking with Mr. Frodo more than once."
"So that's why he's so eager to get away from us!" Merry said slyly.
"I don't think it's like that, Mr. Merry, if you don't mind my saying so. She's thirty, and not even come of age yet. He's most likely just surprised at her being here, as I was. What would anyone be doing out so late, I wonder?"
"So do I," said Peregrin thoughtfully. "But I think we'll find out soon enough."
Frodo waited while Julia finished her supper, which was not so grand as he and the others had enjoyed, but the first real meal she had had in days. When at last she had finished and thanked him, they began to talk. Frodo was not so interested in how she had come to Crickhollow, but rather why she had come.
"Well, this is certainly a surprise," he said acting as if nothing was odd about her being there. "I didn't realize I'd have visitors so soon! What brings you by so late, Julia?"
"Let me come with you," she replied gravely.
"Come with me?" His heartbeat quickened. "Where? What do you mean?" Of course he was not very convincing after that shock.
"You don't need to pretend," she said, "not with me. I know you're leaving, you and Sam."
Frodo gave up trying to deny it. "But how? Have I been that careless?"
"I overheard you and Sam speaking of it when I was on a walk in the wood by Hobbiton back in August," she admitted. She turned her eyes away from him for half a moment, feeling guilty. " I'm sorry, I didn't want to spy, but then you talked of leaving the Shire all together, I couldn't help but listen. All you spoke of was peril, and it sounded as if you'd never return. Don't leave me here--let me come with you. Couldn't I be of some help to you?"
"You can help by going home and not telling anybody what you know," said Frodo, a bit crossly. He knew that would never work, since everyone in Hobbiton would ask where she'd been. "Did you tell your Aunt Azaelia you were going?"
"No, I snuck out at night and came here alone. I expect they're looking for me by now. It was a few days ago at least."
It seemed now that sending Julia back would only make their departure more perilous, but Frodo did not want to put another of his friends in danger. "You got here on your own? That must have been quite a trip," he thought allowed. Even he had not traveled alone, though he knew the way well. Then another idea entered his head. "You didn't encounter any strange men dressed in black along the way, did you Julia? One of the Big People?"
"Yes! Along the road I met one of them—a Big Person, that is. He was riding a black horse and was clad all in black. He had a voice like ice, sort of empty in a way, and he scared me out of my wits. He stopped on the road, without getting off his horse even, and then he asked me if I had seen . . .you, Frodo," she paused. "Who was he? What does he want with you?"
"Julia, what else did you hear me say to Sam?"
"Well, you said you two would most likely head to Rivendell if Gandalf didn't show up before you moved. I had once met Gandalf when I was very young at Bilbo's last party in the Shire, though I don't remember much of him. Even when he came to visit you I never paid it much mind. And you once told me of Rivendell, where Elves live."
"Was that all you heard?" he asked.
"Almost all of it. You kept mentioning a ring. After telling Sam about Rivendell, though, you said it was getting late, and that you had better be getting back. I ran ahead of you so you wouldn't see me," Julia said. " I could only guess the ring you spoke of was what made your leaving eminent. I began to hate it for that."
"You were right about its being the cause for my quitting the Shire," Frodo said. "You were also right to hate it. I must leave to destroy it, but I cannot allow you to come. Already I have put too many in danger."
"What then?" said Julia angrily. "Shall I go home? And when they ask me where I've been, should I tell them I was in Buckland trying to go on a hopeless quest?" Frodo looked upset, and she soon regretted getting mad. "I apologize," she said. "But I cannot let you and Sam alone. Besides, I'm no use to anybody back in Hobbiton. I feel like I'm wasting my life there."
"You're almost sure to loose your life if you come with us. And you were always useful as far as I'm concerned, I can't risk your getting hurt—or worse." Then he added to himself, "Sam and I may yet have more traveling companions then we would have guessed."
There was a long silence as they both thought. Finally Julia spoke. "If you send me back, what can I tell them that they'll believe?"
"Nothing I can think of. I suppose you'll have to come." Her face lit up and she opened her mouth as though to speak. "Remember," he said sternly, "this is not a trip like you've heard of in Bilbo's stories. Things are much more serious than you may realize."
"I'm sure I realize nothing yet, but thank you either way."
Frodo sighed. He didn't like risking another life, but there seemed no other way about it. Even leaving Julia behind with Fatty wasn't foolproof. Who knew how far her family would look for her? He put this out of his mind and remembered how she had often told him she hoped one day to see more of the world. He wished now that the circumstances under which she was finally going were more pleasant. "Ah, well. I think we ought to inform Merry, Pippin, and Sam that they're not the only conspirators who'll be coming along."
"They know?" she looked shocked, though she immediately felt great relief. "I thought I had been taking a big risk asking for you, but perhaps I just wished I had."
"Yes, they know. I was surprised, too. You did take a risk coming, but not because of them."