Disclaimer: Don't even think about hiring those lawyers against me. I don't own Lord of the Rings. I admit it. However, I do own any original characters I put in here, so you can't sue me for that.

I love hobbit romance stories so much that I just had to write one of my own. Hobbit romance really is the best, especially Merry/Estella stories, and I hope my little story isn't an insult to that wonderful genre.

Chapter One

She drew the shawl more tightly around her shoulders and adjusted the scarf that covered her hair. Both articles of clothing were a light gray color, and the dress she had on was faded and slightly ragged. She had taken the clothes from an abandoned house. Her own clothes were too fine and would attract notice, and she needed to be as inconspicuous as possible.

As she crept through the village of Bywater, Estella Bolger thought out her plan to rescue her brother. Fredegar, or Fatty as he was nicknamed, had led a group of rebels but had been caught by the ruffians. He was in the Lockholes in Michel Delving at the moment, and Estella was going to do anything she could to get him out.

She felt it was her duty. She felt guilty about her brother's capture. Guilty because she had actually encouraged him to revolt and lead the rebels. She felt she owed it to him and that saving him would make up for everything.

She really didn't know how she was going to rescue Fatty, but she would have to try. The November air was cold and she shivered slightly, and walked quietly down the road. Suddenly, someone was hissing her name. "Estella?" She looked and saw Rosco Hornblower walking down the road in the opposite direction. Rosco was acquainted with her and her brother.

"How did you know it was me, Rosco?" she asked.

"How could I not have recognized those big eyes of yours?" he said with a faint smile. The smile rapidly disappeared though. "What are you doing wandering around here? You should be at home. They're fighting off the ruffians and it isn't something you should see."

"Who? Who's fighting off the ruffians?"

Rosco's eyes narrowed in concentration. He was never one who could pay attention to details and his memory was poor. "Folk are calling them the 'Travelers'. I never caught their names, but they've roused the hobbits of the Shire and have been driving the ruffians away."

"That's wonderful!" Estella exclaimed. "It's about time something like this has happened. I hope those Travelers succeed." Her face fell. "Unlike poor Fatty."

"I've heard he's still alive," Rosco said, trying to helpful. His mood changed and he was now acting sternly. "Now anyways, Estella, you shouldn't be out here. Go home."

"I can't go home!" she insisted. "I'm staying out here and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"

Rosco was tempted to chuckle, but didn't dare. Estella's stubbornness was widely known and few could overcome it. "Well if you won't go home, then at least tell me what you're doing. Why are you dressed in those drab clothes?"

She looked up and met his gaze. "I'm going to rescue Fatty."

He stared at her in shock. "Estella, you can't! It simply can't be done. You'll be captured by the ruffians and then you'll be in the Lockholes too. They'll starve you, and they'll beat you, and they... they could use you in- in vulgar ways."

"Well maybe you can help me, Rosco, and then I won't get caught."

Rosco turned pale. "No." He shook his head fiercely. "Neither of us are going to do anything. You are staying away from that place. I ought to march you home this very minute. Estella, you're simply too young to understand all of this."

"I am not too young," she said indignantly. "I came of age in December."

"Yes, which means you are still a youngster. You have no idea how impossible it would be to rescue your brother. I won't allow this."

"Well that's just too bad." And before he could stop her, she turned on her heels and ran.

"ESTELLA!" He tried to run after her but she was swift and had gotten away. Poor Rosco stumbled down the road, calling her name, but it was no use. He wouldn't catch up to her, and she wouldn't listen to him and turn around. He stared ahead. Though he couldn't see her, he knew she was up ahead there somewhere. "Please let her come to no harm."

x-x-x

Estella thundered down the dirt road, running away from Rosco and going towards the place where she could find Fatty. Her gray shawl fluttered behind her like a sail, and her scarf was about to fall off her head. She ripped it off and held it crumpled up in her hand.

She would show Rosco that she was mature enough to handle things. She would make him realize his mistake in not believing in her.

She wasn't entirely sure where the Lockholes were, but she was sure she could find them. She stuffed the scarf into a pocket of the faded dress, and slowed to a walk and looked behind her. She could see no sign of Rosco. He was never much of a runner.

She walked past stumps of trees and hideous shacks along the Bywater Road, feeling a surge of hatred rush through her. She wanted those ruffians gone. If she could, she would help those Travelers chase them away. But first she had to help Fatty. There was suddenly the loud sound of a horn call. It sounded close by. Very close by. Estella looked around and saw that she was near a field lined with hedges. Armed hobbits were standing by the hedges and they looked prepared to attack.

Then suddenly, ruffians appeared. They attacked the hobbits and the hobbits attacked back. Estella was witnessing what appeared to be a battle. A few other hobbits joined her where she was standing and watched what was going on with terrified curiosity.

The battle was horrifying, yet exciting at the same time. Estella's feet were riveted to the ground. Though she knew she should move on, she couldn't move.

She noticed two people who appeared to be knights from some far-off country. What were such people doing in the Shire?

She continued to look at the fighting hobbits and noticed someone she thought she would never see again. If she wasn't mistaken, that was Samwise Gamgee who was running about and waving his sword around. She was shocked to see him doing such a thing. What had happened to the shy gardener he had once been? He was now dressed in fine clothes and looked like he knew how to fight. What was he doing alive? Most people thought he wasn't ever coming back. But he had. Then did that mean that Frodo, Pippin, and Merry were back too?

She wondered where Merry was. Everyone had said that he was dead and she believed them. She had willed herself to forget all about him. It was no use lingering on thoughts of the dead. But maybe he was alive...

Of course, it wouldn't matter. If he was back, then he wouldn't pay any particular attention to her and would probably prank and harass her just as he always had. She used to wish she could get him to see her as an equal, not just as some silly little girl who always tagged along after him and her brother. She wasn't so immature. She was only three years younger than him.

She watched the battle some more. She had lost sight of Sam but one of the knights had caught her eye. He was dressed in armor and was wearing green and white. The armor had an image of a horse on it. She thought it was very impressive. This knight seemed to be leading the hobbits, and appeared to be a hobbit himself, to her surprise. Had Frodo and the others found hobbit warriors in some far-off land?

She kept her eye on him, watching him as he became a green and white blur as he rapidly swung his sword through the air and struck the ruffians down. Though she didn't know him, she found herself admiring him. He seemed to know exactly what he was doing and the other hobbits all listened to him. She could see that he was desperate to save the Shire.

Sam came into her sight again, as well as the other hobbit knight who was dressed in black and silver and had a white tree on his armor. But she only glanced at them and continued to watch the knight in green and white.

He had approached the leader of the band of the ruffians. They were fighting now, and the hobbit knight sent his sword stabbing right through the ruffian leader. Blood gushed down the ruffian's front and covered the hobbit's sword. The ruffian gave a gasp and his eyes became glassy. He fell to the ground and was dead.

The sight of blood didn't frighten Estella and as she watched the ruffian leader fall, her admiration for the hobbit in green and white grew. He fascinated her. Who was he? He was so brave and was able to just take command and teach those ruffians a lesson. She was probably half-infatuated with him.

By the end of the battle, almost seventy of the ruffians were dead. The remaining ones were captured and made prisoner. Nineteen hobbits had been killed and Estella felt a sharp pang of grief for them. At least they had died valiantly. They had died fighting for their homes and the ones they loved.

Well, that's the first chapter. More will come soon. Make sure you review, because I love getting feedback, whether it's good or bad.