You Will Be Bound By What You Have Found

Prologue : Nighgtmares and More Than Imagination

Again, a Baggins had returned from a dangerous quest, presumed dead by all the other hobbits in Hobbiton. And again, the Sackville-Bagginses were none too pleased at having been denied their new home. And once more, the Baggins name was considered as belonging to 'an odd hobbit that has been on an adventure'.

Hobbits were quiet, peaceful folk, and normally never stepped out of their respective towns, much less the Shire. Frodo Baggins, along with his friend Samwise (Sam) Gamgee and his cousins Meriadoc (Merry) Brandybuck and Peregrin (Pippin) Took, were considered queer and strange, and were barely spoken to by the other hobbits, if at all.

Their memories were nightmarish. Memories of doom and fire, of great eyes and orcs and descending sword's edge. Memories of friends lost and terrible frights, of wargs and great armies fighting against even greater ones. But worst of all, memories of near deaths and soul stealing rings and nights spent restless and afraid, fearing the blades of the Nazgul and the teeth of their wraiths. Their only comfort, their only respite from having to bear the horrible memories alone, was each other.

This story takes place in Hobbiton, four and a half years after the four brave hobbits' triumphant, bittersweet return to their beautiful, peaceful home. This story takes place with two very special hobbits: the former Ringbearer, and the adventurous daughter from a family of gardeners.

The pale silver moon was high in the sky, casting beams of light upon all the hobbit holes in Hobbiton and making everything look coated in a silvery sheen. The snow-covered dirt paths were empty, the hobbits all settled in for the night. Nightingales whistled in the treetops, their sweet music carrying far through the still night. The lights were off, not a candlelight to be seen through the window.

In the moonlight, a slight figure walked, barely seen by any around her, if anyone was out and about at this time. This figure was Rosalind Gamgee, sister-in-law of Rosie Gamgee and sister to Sam, one of the hobbits who had gone on the quest.

Rosalind sighed softly as she walked on the cold-hardened dirt paths between houses, her breath showing as fog in the frigid air. She'd really needed some fresh air. She had just had the most horrible dream.

In her dream, she had been sitting on a log with someone she didn't recognize. She got the sense that they were resting after a long journey. Suddenly and without warning, orcs had jumped out at them and taken them captive. An orc reached down to blindfold her, and she woke up.

Even now, without logs, hobbits, or orc in sight, Rosalind shivered, and not because of the cold. She had absolutely no idea what the dream could mean.

It could've been Sam, she thought. But he never told me about being blindfolded and being captured by orcs, another part of her reasoned. Maybe it was Merry's or Pippin's stories that made me dream this. Merry and Pippin often came to visit her, since she was living all alone. The first time they ever noticed she existed was when the Gaffer had died, leaving Rosalind to take care of the house they had lived in.

Pip came over more frequently than Merry, sometimes to help her, sometimes to ask for help, and sometimes just to have some tea and talk. He'd told her his version of the quest, from being captured by orcs to talking to Treebeard to fighting in the war. And he always, without fail, found a way to make her laugh.

Whether he made silly impressions or acted out stealing Farmer Maggot's crops or put a pot on his head as a hat, he had always been a ray of sunshine in her life. She had needed one, seeing as the Gaffer was gone and Sam barely found any time to visit her.

Lately, Pippin had been acting a bit strangely, though. He sometimes blushed for no reason, or held open the door for her when he normally would've shut it in her face for fun. It was weird. But Pippin was Pippin, and he was probably going to surprise her with some elaborate prank in a few days. He usually did. Once, he'd caught a squirrel and unleashed it in her house, just for fun. He'd helped clean up afterwards, though. And once he found out exactly how sharp Rosalind's tongue could be, he never even looked at a squirrel for two straight weeks.

Rosalind passed Pippin's house just then, and looked at it for a moment. Unsurprisingly, the house was quiet and the windows dark. Rosalind wished he was still up. She could've used another mind in this matter. Her nightmare was really bothering her; it didn't seem like a normal one.

She continued walking, but as she wasn't looking where she was going, she bumped into someone. Before she knew it, she was skidding on the icy road, and she fell down with a small yelp of pain.

"Are you alright?' a voice asked.

"Who are you?"

"That is not important now. Do you need help, young hobbit?"

"Uh... yeah," Rosalind said, wondering who this was. A rather large hand grasped hers and pulled her up. She looked up and found herself face to face with one of the Big Folk. Rosalind yelped and scrambled backwards, barely managing to keep her balance. "Ack! Who are you?"

"My dear, I am Gandalf the White."

"Gandalf the Istar? The same Gandalf that helped the Fellowship? Who fought the Balrog in the depths of Moria and came back alive? The same Gandalf who saved the Fellowship many times over? The same Gandalf that brought fireworks to Bilbo's birthday celebrations?"

"Yes, I am. You seem to know a lot about the quest."

"My brother was there. You know Sam?"

"Ah, yes, the brave gardener hobbit. Loyal to the end," Gandalf mused.

"Why are you here, Gandalf?"

"I am looking for Frodo Baggins. Do you know him?"

"I do not know him, but I have heard he still lives in Bag End," said Rosalind.

"Ah. Thank you, Miss...?"

"Rosalind. Rosalind Gamgee."

"Miss Rosalind. Thank you for your help." With that, he continued down the road, muttering to himself. Rosalind shook her head and blinked. What was that about?

She couldn't believe she had just met Gandalf. The Gandalf. Sam, Pippin, and Merry had tole her so much about him, including some seemingly impossible feats. Now that she had seen him, it didn't seem like it was possible for him to have done those things. Apparently, Gandalf had a few surprises up his sleeves.

Feeling deeply bothered, she started making her way back to her house, rubbing her hands together to get warmth back into them. Something told her this meeting wasn't chance. It seemed as though the dream had driven her out here, so she could meet Gandalf. Apparently, much more than just her imagination was at work here.

A/N: Hey, guys! Thanks so much for deciding to check out my fanfic! It's my first one, and I hope you guys enjoy it. How'd you like the prologue? Please comment and review, and help me better my writing by correcting any mistakes I may have made. Know that I appreciate any constructive criticizm. And don't worry, I can take the heat of the flames. (Most flames have horrible grammar, anyways) :) Feel free to check out my profile page for more info. I'll update as soon as the next chapter is finished. Thanks, Rhia.