Lily Boffin was a young hobbit maid just recently come of age

Lily Boffin was a young hobbit maid just recently come of age. She was the seemingly mild-mannered granddaughter of old Will Whitfoot, the Mayor. Her hair was curly and the color of spun sugar, her eyes a sea-like blue. She was a pretty maid in all accounts, brought up to be the perfect daughter of the Shire. Yet behind this painted facade lay a restless spirit. It was because of this restless spirit that she left her home one eve to watch the Ringbearer and his company as they planned for what would come to be known as the Battle of Bywater.

Lily found the company near The Green Dragon conversing with a pack of ruffians. She stood back just far enough to be out of the way but near enough to hear them clearly. She'd heard the rumors that had already begun to spread. They were what had brought her from her home in the first place. But she was smart enough not to believe one of them, and that's why she risked watching the companions. Her curiosity could be quenched only by truth.

Lily had had quite a normal childhood filled with many adventures in the fields and the occasional show of Gandalf's splendid fireworks. All that had changed, however, in the past year. Shiriffs, Shiriffs everywhere and rules, rules, rules. She'd come to be wary of people, of everyone and everything. Now, seeing Frodo sitting patiently, serenely upon his pony, her mind wandered back to that time that seemed so long ago, that time of freedom when she was a child.

She remembered when she'd first met Frodo Baggins, first become aware that he existed. It was at his coming of age at the party his uncle, Bilbo, had thrown in conjunction with his own eleventy-first birthday. It was then that the entire Shire became aware of him. They'd known him before, of course, and they'd talked, but it was only after Bilbo's sudden disappearance that the talk got serious. Back then Lily had listened eagerly, even spread rumors of her own. At 15 one does such things, but she was older now and had grown to ignore the gossip, for it was usually just that. They had, after all, said poor Frodo was dead, yet here he was now before her quite intact as far as she could tell and his companions too.

Lily's mind came back to the present, and she watched the scene before her unfold eagerly. Frodo was speaking quietly, calmly to the Men. She could barely make out his words. The Men's responses were quite harsh in contrast and easily audible. Then suddenly, after a comment from one of the ruffians that Frodo was nothing but a "little cock-a-whoop," one of Frodo's companions moved forward. He challenged the man bravely, sword in hand. Frodo's two other companions, one of whom Lily knew as Frodo's gardener, Samwise Gamgee, drew swords as well. Frodo, however, did not. The scene puzzled Lily, for she did not understand the companions' dutiful protection of Frodo. He was not such a well-respected hobbit, after all.

The ruffians fled, and Lily put away those thought for the time being as she listened for what would be said next. To her and also the companions' great surprise, Frodo spoke of saving Lotho. No killing, he insisted, unless absolutely necessary. And, though they made plans of their own for an uprising, they accepted this and agreed. As they each rode off on their own errand, so did Lily run off to her home. Though she was curious of the truth, she was not curious enough to get caught up in a fight.

A/N: Review please!